Inas Nas Hocog Apatang terminates contracts with DC lobbyists, adviser GOVERNOR David M. Apatang has terminated the CNMI governments contracts with Washington, D.C.-based adviser Fred Radewagen and lobbying firm Prime Policy Group. In his Aug. 18, 2025 letter, the governor advised Radewagen that, in accordance with the standard terms and conditions of his policy consultant contract with the Office of the Governor, these contracts are hereby terminated for convenience as required by the interests of the Commonwealth. As such, the governor told Radewagen that he, as consultant, may not incur any further obligations in connection with the terminated contracts. Radewagen may also submit a termination claim specifying any amounts due, supported by cost or pricing data, the governor said. In an interview on Friday, Apatang said the CNMI government had two contracts one with the lobbying firm, and Radewagens also. But I just terminated their contracts. We dont have the money. Its too expensive. We cannot afford that, you know, the governor said, stressing that we have a delegate there in Washington, D.C. Anything we need, we should go to our delegate. That is why we elected a delegate, he added, referring to U.S. Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds. About two years ago, then-Gov. Arnold I. Palacios hired Radewagen as his federal policy adviser under a $50,000 contract to advise on policies and assist the governor with engagements at federal agencies in Washington, D.C. Radewagen is the husband of Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, the American Samoas Republican delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. Regarding Prime Policy Group, Palacios said in May that the firm was an absolute necessity for the CNMI. He explained that his decision to invest $50,000 in the lobbying firms services was not made lightly, adding that the cost of inaction or inadequate representation in Washington, D.C. right now would be far greater for the people of the Commonwealth. Chamorro, Carolinian dancers represent CNMI at major Nagoya festival CNMI Chamorro and Carolinian dancers participated in the 27th Nippon Domannaka Festival in Nagoya, Japan, from Aug. 29 to 31, 2025. Led by Chamolinian Cultural Village Inc., the performers joined over 200 other dance groups from Japan, Asia, Europe, and the Pacific at what is considered the largest cultural festival in Nagoya. CCVI official and Pacific Development Incorporateds managing director Gordon Marciano said CNMI dancers have been participating in the Domannaka Festival for the past 24 years. The CNMI delegation was also invited to join the welcoming reception at Nagoya Civic Hall, Marciano added. We had the pleasure of meeting the Mayor of Nagoya, Mr. Ichiro Hirosawa, as well as Japans major businesses, government officials, and the heads of each cultural dance organization from Japan, Marciano said. The cultural dancers were joined by 2025 Liberation Day Queen Kaypeonie Mendiola, alongside officials from the Indigenous Affairs Office and the Marianas Visitors Authority. The dance group performed on the festivals main stage before a large crowd. According to Marciano, this year, the CNMI delegation received support from PDI, CCVI, KKMP Radio, MVA, the Liberation Day Committee, Hybrid Shop 670, Aqua Resort Club, the Indigenous Affairs Office under the Governors Office, and the Saipan Mayors Office. CNMI Chamorro and Carolinian dancers pose for a photo at the 27th Domannaka Festival welcoming reception at Nagoya Civic Hall in Japan. Nauru president says sovereign wealth fund building the nation David Adeang YAREN (Government of Nauru) President David Adeang has hailed the success of the Nauru Intergenerational Trust Fund, which he chairs, saying that no one should underestimate the countrys economic turnaround or the importance of the fund to the current and future generations. At a recent quarterly meeting of the fund in Brisbane, Australia, it was presented that the fund was delivering stellar returns, amassing A$420 million (US$273 million) since its establishment in 2015, in a stunning vindication of Naurus strategy to future-proof its economy. President Adeang, who started the sovereign wealth fund as finance minister in 2015 and was appointed its initial chair, said the fund will play a crucial role in securing the nations economic future, providing a permanent income stream to fund government services and nation building initiatives. The Funds value is forecast to hit A$1 billion (US$650 million) by 2034, and even before this if annual returns and contributions increase. Our Government will channel the revenue from the Fund into education, health, the environment and infrastructure to enhance the standard of living and quality of life for the people of Nauru, he said. The President labelled the fund an example of good governance, accountability, and prudent investment practices. When I established this in 2015, I recognized that for too long our nation had been looking only at the present and was not learning from our past economic mistakes, he said. But putting Gods Will First means looking after our children and our childrens children. President Adeang said many Nauruans may be surprised that while other nations that form the trusts committee had contributed to the fund, over 75% of the contributions had come from the Government of Nauru. The Funds original purpose and goals were to help stabilize the nations economy and help replace or supplement Naurus current reliance on donor funding and internal sources of revenue. Since then, the recent U.N.s Multidimensional Vulnerability Index has ranked Nauru the fifth most vulnerable nation in the world and the most vulnerable in the Pacific to external shocks like climate change, economic instability, and natural disaster. However, President Adeang said he doesnt accept that Nauru must remain vulnerable. Our Government is determined not to see ourselves as victims, which is why we are positioning Nauru as a Pacific leader in financial stability and innovation. Weve only just started and there is a long way to go, so we must stay the course. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE:BBVA) is one of the best very cheap stocks to buy according to hedge funds. On August 22, the companys Colombian branch granted a long-term credit facility to Grupo Energia Bogota (GEB) for 500 billion Colombian pesos (COP) (about $125.2 million). The loan will finance key GEB projects, including large-scale energy transmission initiatives like Chivor II Norte 230 kilovoltios, Sogamoso, and Colectora y segundo circuito. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) Grants $125M Credit to Colombian Energy Group Kevin George/Shutterstock.com This transaction consolidates the banks role as a key financial partner in the development of infrastructure projects that contribute to the countrys energy transformation and progress. In 2023, BBVA Colombia granted 3.8 billion COP in sustainable lending. A total of 1.4 billion COP was allocated to climate action pursuits, and 873 billion COP went to government entities. BBVA Colombia and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) issued a biodiversity bond in 2024 to finance projects that address biodiversity loss. The bank also partnered with energy firm Isagen to convert long-term finance of 368 billion COP to sustainable loans linked to compliance with an environmental indicator. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE:BBVA) is a global financial services company. It provides retail banking, corporate banking, wealth management, and asset management services across Europe, Latin America, and the United States. While we acknowledge the potential of BBVA as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: Cathie Wood Stock Portfolio: Top 10 Stocks to Buy Now and Ken Fisher Stock Portfolio: 10 Stocks to Buy. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Conor here: The website for Workers Over Billionaires includes a long list of NGO and union partnersmany of which include leadership that have failed miserably at this task and a long list of grievances that are hard to disagree with, such as the goal to reshape the future of this country so that it belongs to the working class. Sounds great. But Not to be overly pessimistic, but I perused the Workers Over Billionaires website for some more detail, specifically what is the plan to accomplish those goals, and ended up down the rabbit hole of buzzwords and uplift. For example: What is the goal? Were activating 10 million workers. Okay for what? Create multiple pathways to action. Okay, like what? Guiding them through a ladder of engagement that builds confidence and power. A ladder of engagement? Leading where? Take bold, visible actions at scale. Okay, for example? Demands for a government that puts workers over billionaires are impossible to dismiss. And if those demands are ignoredas they have been for decades?There doesnt seem to be a plan for that. One would hope thats what those at the protests are thinking about, but I see no mention of preparing for the 2028 May Day general strike, occupations, or a similar type of action that causes real pain for the billionaire class. Whats the alternative? Because marches arent getting it done. By Stephen Prager, a staff writer for Common Dreams and originally published there. Unions and progressive organizations are planning nearly 1,000 Workers Over Billionaires demonstrations across the United States this Labor Day to protest President Donald Trumps assault on workers rights. The day of national action has been organized by the May Day Strong coalition, which includes labor organizations like the AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers, and National Union of Healthcare Workers, as well as advocacy groups like Americans for Tax Fairness, Indivisible, Our Revolution, and Public Citizen. Labor and community are planning more than a barbecue on Labor Day this year because we have to stop the billionaire takeover, the coalition says. Billionaires are stealing from working families, destroying our democracy, and building private armies to attack our towns and cities. Our members sharing why they joined the Workers over Billionaires campaign pic.twitter.com/mAPReN1KeD Organized Power in Numbers (@opinorg) August 27, 2025 Since coming into office, the Trump administration has waged war on workers rights. Among many other actions, his administration has stripped over a million federal workers of their right to collectively bargain in what has been called the largest act of union busting in American history and dramatically cut their wages. He has also weakened workplace safety enforcement, eliminated rules that protected workers against wage theft, and proposed eliminating the federal minimum wage for more than 3.7 million childcare and home workers. Despite Trumps efforts, Americans still believe in the power of collective action. According to a Gallup poll published Thursday, 68% of Americans say they approve of labor unions, the highest level of support since the mid-1960s. Just like any bad boss, the way we stop the takeover is with collective action, the coalition says on its website. The May Day Strong coalition previously organized hundreds of thousands of workers to take to the streets for International Workers Day, more commonly known as May Day. On Monday, rallies are once again expected across all 50 states. Four months later, their list of grievances has grown even longer, with Republicans having since passed a tax cut expected to facilitate perhaps the largest upward transfer of wealth in US history, featuring massive tax breaks for the wealthy paid for with historic cuts to the social safety net. This Labor Day, I urge you to join a Workers Over Billionaires protest. We must continue standing together to show Trump that we, the people, have the power not his billionaire buddies and corporate cronies. https://t.co/udS0mGgNxr pic.twitter.com/MfjfWnaBBL Robert Reich (@RBReich) August 29, 2025 There are nearly 1,000 billionaires in the country with a whopping $6 trillion, and that is still not enough for them, said Saqib Bhattie, executive director of the Action Center on Race and the Economy, another group participating in the protests. They are pushing elected officials to slash Medicaid, [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] benefits, and special education funding for schools in order to fund their tax breaks. We need to claw back money from the billionaire. We need to push legislation to tax billionaires at the state and local levels. We need to organize to build the people power necessary to overcome their money. The group also plans to respond to Trumps lawless attacks on immigrants and his militarized takeovers of American cities. This Labor Day, said Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, we continue the fight for our democracy, the fight for the soul of our nation, the fight against the vindictive authoritarian moves Trump and the billionaire class aimed at stealing from working people and concentrating power. This is about workers showing up and demanding what workers deserve all across the country, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. This Labor Day is really different, because its not just labor unions, as important as we may be to the workers we represent. It has to be all workers and all working families saying enough. Workers and working families deserve the bounty of the country. May Day Strong will host a national mass call online on Saturday. The locations of the hundreds of protests on Monday can be found using the map on May Day Strongs website. Greetings gentle reader, welcome to another installment of the Sunday Morning Movie. Today its a supernatural thriller, Necromancy, starring a corpulent Orson Welles. Reviews: Horror News says: On the plus side Orson Welles is given some juicy monologues that offer a taste of his faded glory. Dont forget, this was the man who terrified an entire nation with his War of the Worlds radio play and revolutionized filmmaking with Citizen Kane. His reward was having his reputation tarnished by a vengeful William Randolph Hearst (the real life Citizen Kane) and intense studio meddling on his later films. Welles was the Nicola Tesla of cinema a man out of time, appreciated more after his death. We also get a nice performance from Pamela Franklin. After her childhood debut in the classic ghost tale The Innocents (1961) Franklin became a horror film staple. Some of her genre highlights include And Soon the Darkness (1970) and The Legend of Hell House (1973). Necromancy includes her only onscreen nudity, so theres some reason to endure the rest of the film. Franklin actually met her future husband Harvey Jason on this film, which according to her bio was the only good that came from it. But despite her dislike of Necromancy Franklin reunited with director Bert I. Gordon for his rampaging rodent romp Food of the Gods (1976). Senseless Cinema says: I must admit to an oversight here on Senseless Cinema, and that oversight is the lack of coverage of the truly excellent cinematic work of the famous director Bert I. Gordon. The oversight will now be corrected with a discussion of one of his finest works, 1972s Necromancy (aka The Witching), starring Orson Welles. As usual, not all of your universes critics recognize the quality of Mr. Gordons masterwork. For example, cfc_can writes that the director seems to be deliberately trying to confuse the audience by using flashbacks and dream sequences. Reviewer lucyskydiamonds writes, This movie is so inherently awful its difficult to know what to criticise first. And reviewer BaronBl00d writes, This is not a good movie in any way under any name. Needless to say, these three reviewers and countless others are misguided and incorrect, so let us proceed on a tour of the cinematic wonders of Bert I. Gordons Necromancy Letterboxd says: I can say the stories not bad. I like it. Its not the best story. It doesnt even have the best acting in it. But with that said, I do think that the girlfriend is the most annoying character Ive seen in a movie in quite some time. But then again Ive seen so many ladies just like her. Aggressively annoying. Either way, Im having one hell of a time just trying watching this. I put it on. That I feel myself wanting to go to sleep. I think iced tea has the reverse effect on me. Either way. Ive had to get back several times and rewatch the same scene. Because I cant remember how I got to the next one. I think this just scenes missing from this movie. Or theres plot holes throughout the script. Like they went to the witches coven meeting. Then just went home I guess. So she could read the brimoire (sic). Then went to sleep. Woke up and saw the little boy. Then went looking for him and got locked out of the house. Where was the boyfriend? He wasnt in the room while she was reading the book. He wasnt in the bed with her while she was sleeping. Maybe they cut a scene where you said he had to go somewhere. Maybe this was all a dream. I dont know. Im having trouble following the flow of the story. Im trying to watch this as just stuff happening. But I keep noticing random things like that. So apparently shes supposed to sacrifice her life for Orson Welless son. Well that doesnt really make any sense. As in his son been dead for a while. So youre going to bring the rotting corpse of your son back to life? I could see if he just died. I dont know. My take: A fun little movie if you dont take it too seriously. It was horribly edited and jumps from scenario to scenario without warning. Orson Welles does a good job as the coven leader but his is the zenith of the acting youll find in it. Its definitely not scary. Im glad I watched it but that will be the only time I do. Director: Bert I. Gordon Writer: Bert I. Gordon, Gail March Notable actors: Orson Welles, Pamela Franklin Plot (Spoilers!): Lori Brandon, trying to recover from a stillbirth, is preparing to move to California with her husband Frank. He has just landed a job at a toy factory there. On their way to the town of Lilith, they almost run head-on into an oncoming car that swerves away at the last second and runs off a cliff. Per standard movie protocol, the car explodes. Lori runs to the crash only to find a strange doll that has been flung from the car. They will learn later that the driver of the car was attempting to escape Lilith. Driving off, they soon run out of gas and her husband has to walk to town for fuel. As she waits, she wanders to a hilltop where she has a vision of a strange funeral. Frank returns and they continue on their way. When they get to Lilith, the pair have dinner with Franks new boss Mr. Cato (Welles). Mr. Cato explains that Frank will be working at his toy company. He also gives Lori a present, a witchs grimoire. Lori senses there is something strange about this town and her suspicions are soon confirmed when she learns that Mr. Cato and his employees, who are also the towns inhabitants, are all witches. Mr. Cato explains to her that he seeks the power of necromancy in order to raise his dead son. She will play a crucial role in this. The witches attempt to get Lori and Frank to join their coven. Lori refuses. She has also been seeing an apparition of a young boy around town and in her home. She is terrified and wants to get the hell out of Lilith. One of the towns women calls Lori and tells her she wants to leave Lilith with her. When Lori arrives at their rendezvous spot, she finds the woman dead in a creek. Then the hallucinations begin, culminating in her at the strange funeral being lowered into the grave in place of the revivified boy. Suddenly Lori wakes up in her own bed, in the home they lived in before they moved to Lilith. She is screaming in fear. Frank comforts her but as they prepare to leave for Lilith a phone call makes her realize her nightmare is actually going to take place. AI toys spark fierce debate over child development and privacy The global smart toy market is expanding rapidly, growing from $14.11 billion in 2022 to a projected $35 billion by 2027. Critics warn that AI toys, which build relationships through personalized conversation, pose a threat to children's emotional development and their understanding of empathy and real human interaction. These toys collect vast amounts of sensitive data (audio, video, emotional states) and transmit it to company servers, creating significant risks for data breaches and hacking by malicious actors. AI-enabled toys use microphones and cameras to assess a child's emotional state, forming a one-way bond to gather and potentially share personal information with third parties. The industry is operating in a regulatory vacuum with no specific laws governing AI in children's products, raising additional concerns about potential health effects from constant connectivity and the ability to bypass safety features. The global toy industry is charging headlong into the era of artificial intelligence (AI), but critics are sounding a stark alarm. This controversy centers on a landmark partnership between toy giant Mattel and OpenAI, the creator of the revolutionary ChatGPT, to develop a new line of AI-integrated products. Skeptics, however, warn that a new generation of AI-powered playthings creates unprecedented privacy risks. Such toys also pose a profound threat to children's emotional growth and encourage the formation of unnatural, one-way social bonds with machines. The global smart toy market a sector that includes everything from Wi-Fi-connected dolls to app-controlled race cars is experiencing explosive growth. It has expanded from $14.11 billion in 2022 to $16.65 billion in 2023 and is projected to exceed $35 billion by 2027. Mattel responsible for iconic brands like Barbie, Hot Wheels and Fisher-Price now aims to be at the forefront of this revolution. The companies promise their collaboration will yield age-appropriate play experiences that emphasize safety and privacy, with the first product expected to be unveiled later this year. Specific details remain scarce, however. (Related: The rise of AI-powered toys: How Silicon Valley is rewiring childhood with synthetic companionship, deadened imagination.) Unlike traditional toys, which a child animates with their own imagination, AI-enabled toys are designed to animate themselves. They use microphones and cameras to assess a child's emotional state through vocal inflection and facial expressions, attempting to build a relationship through seemingly personalized conversation. This dynamic, critics argue, is a reckless social experiment. Children lack the cognitive capacity to fully distinguish between reality and artificial interaction. A toy that listens, remembers and converses without the friction and complexity of human relationships could fundamentally flatten a child's understanding of empathy, which is forged through real-world struggle, misunderstanding and negotiation. Smart toys or spy toys? Talking toys are not new. From the pre-recorded phrases of 1960s Chatty Cathy to the animatronic stories of Teddy Ruxpin, manufacturers have long sought to make playthings more interactive. The 2015 release of "Hello Barbie," which recorded and uploaded children's conversations to cloud servers, marked a significant, albeit controversial, step forward. It was quickly demonstrated to be vulnerable to hacking. Beyond developmental concerns lies a formidable privacy threat. Smart toys function by collecting vast amounts of personal data audio recordings, images and even inferred emotional states and transmitting it wirelessly to external servers managed by toy companies. This creates a rich target for data breaches and malicious hackers, and the risks are not theoretical. In 2017, German regulators took the drastic step of instructing parents to destroy a Bluetooth-enabled doll named My Friend Cayla after it was discovered hackers could use it to listen to and even speak to children. A recent report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group further warned that some AI toys may collect biometric data like iris scans and fingerprints without parental knowledge or consent. AI toys are marketed as educational tools designed to help children develop skills like processing emotions, Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine explains. However, experts express concern that they could be detrimental by blurring a child's understanding of the difference between a living friend and an inanimate object. While companies pledge security, the technical challenges are immense. AI systems can be "jailbroken" or manipulated into bypassing built-in safety restrictions. Furthermore, the constant wireless connectivity required for these toys to function exponentially increases a child's exposure to radiofrequency radiation, a potential health concern that is still being studied, with some research suggesting developing brains absorb more radiation than adult brains. The push toward AI companions for children represents a fundamental shift in the nature of play and development. It substitutes the messy, vital process of human interaction for the sterile, algorithmic echo chamber of a machine. Watch this video about children thinking that AI is no big deal. This video is from the AmazingAI channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Toys that develop creativity and intelligence. AI, AI and even more AI: Nvidia announces projects and products lined up for 2025. Chilling report: Smart toys pose privacy risk to children and families. Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org MSN.com TheConversation.com Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com Treasury Secretary Bessent: Tariff revenues may surpass $500 billion annually Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced customs duty revenues from Trump's tariffs could exceed $500 billion annually, possibly reaching $1 trillion, due to sharp increases from July to August 2025. The rising tariff revenue is helping offset the projected $3.4 trillion deficit caused by 2025's tax cuts and spending increases, with the CBO now estimating tariffs could reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over 10 years. Broad tariff hikes on nearly all trading partners took effect Aug. 7, driving U.S. customs duty collections to record highs, $29.6 billion by August 22, matching July's total with days still left in the month. The Trump administration views the tariffs as both a tool to protect U.S. industries, particularly steel and aluminum, and as a significant source of federal revenue. While the administration highlights the fiscal and industrial benefits, critics warn the tariffs may raise consumer prices, disrupt supply chains and escalate tensions with key trading partners. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has estimated that customs duty revenues from President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs could exceed $500 billion annually potentially reaching as high as $1 trillion as collections surged in recent months. Speaking at a White House Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 26, Bessent revealed that his earlier estimate of $300 billion in annual tariff revenue had significantly underestimated the pace of growth. "We had a substantial jump from July to August, and I think we're going to see a bigger jump from August to September," he said. "So I think we could be on our way well over half a trillion, maybe toward a trillion-dollar number. This administration, your administration, has made a meaningful dent in the budget deficit." (Related: U.S. job market surges past projections despite looming tariff uncertainty.) Bessent credited the sharp increase in tariff collections as a meaningful step toward reducing the federal budget deficit, which had been projected to balloon due to the Republicans' tax-cut and spending bill passed earlier this 2025. That legislation is expected to add $3.4 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). In July alone, U.S. customs duty collections surged by nearly $21 billion compared to July 2024, following a similar increase in June. The Department of the Treasury reported that by Aug. 22, total customs and excise tax revenues for the month had reached $29.6 billion, equaling July's entire total with over a week remaining in the month. Trump's tariffs boost U.S. industry, slash deficit The sharp rise in revenues came after broad tariff hikes were implemented on nearly all U.S. trading partners on Aug. 7. These increases have driven daily collections to levels not seen in modern history, dramatically reshaping the federal revenue landscape. Furthermore, the CBO recently revised its 10-year forecast for tariff-related revenue, projecting it would reduce federal deficits by $4 trillion, a full $1 trillion more than its June estimate. Bessent believes that figure could continue to rise. "I would expect that number could go up from here," Bessent said. According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, Trump imposed tariffs on a range of imported goods particularly steel and aluminum to protect American manufacturing and counteract foreign competition, especially from China. These tariffs were designed to bolster domestic industries and reduce the trade deficit. The Trump administration has framed the tariffs not only as a tool to protect American industries but as a key source of revenue to offset the fiscal impact of tax cuts and increased government spending. This dual purpose of tariffs, both as a protective measure and a revenue generator, underscores the administration's commitment to a multifaceted approach to economic policy that prioritizes both national security and fiscal responsibility. Critics, however, warn that higher tariffs could ultimately burden U.S. consumers and businesses through increased prices and supply chain disruptions, especially as trade tensions remain high with key economic partners. But the Treasury Department's latest figures underscore the administration's commitment to using trade policy as a lever to address the deficit. Follow Trump.news for more similar stories. Watch this clip from "The Big Money Show" on Fox Business about Trump's tariff deadlines for Europe and Mexico. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Swiss president rushes to Washington amid tariff turmoil. Trump floats tariff reduction for China to secure TikTok deal. Copper collapse: Tariff war sparks metals meltdown, rattles global markets. Trump floats plan to replace income tax with tariff revenue. Tariff tensions escalate as retail giants confront Trumps trade strategy. Sources include: YourNews.com Newsmax.com Brighteon.AI Brighteon.com Snowflake (SNOW) is beginning to change how Wall Street perceives it. The company's recent quarter demonstrated solid growth and hinted at a larger transition. The stock, which last closed at $241, has divided opinion among bears and bulls. Doubters still see it as an expensive analytical tool while believers argue Snowflake is on its way to becoming something bigger, a bellwether for the cloud-based data storage industry. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter What matters today is not a single earnings beat but whether Snowflake can become a permanent fixture in businesses' data use. Fortunately, Bank of America, one of Wall Street's biggest firms, recently weighed in on the debate, and importantly, what may happen to Snowflake's stock next. Snowflake makes its mark as investors debate its future in the AI-driven data economy.Image source: Shutterstock Snowflake is an AI giant AI relies on clean, regulated data. Snowflake Data Cloud allows teams to prepare features, store embeddings, and conduct inference where the data already exists rather than stitching together a dozen systems. That is why the story has moved from "data warehouse" to an enterprise AI operating layer that includes analytics, machine learning, collaboration, and applications. Recent progress backs it up. Related: Goldman Sachs Lays Out a Shock Brent Oil Scenario Snowflake has released AI-first features that reduce lift for builders in the last six months, including Cortex AISQL (LLM in SQL), Snowflake Intelligence & Data Science Agent (agentic workflows), Openflow for data interoperability, and governance/compute upgrades to speed up warehouses and tighten policy controls. It also purchased Crunchy Data to provide an enterprise PostgreSQL service inside the AI Data Cloud, collaborated with Acxiom to enable AI marketing, and passed Canada's CCCS Protected B threshold, which is beneficial for public-sector AI. These solutions are consolidated into a single, controlled platform that clients can expand with native applications and marketplace data, keeping sensitive information secure as teams move from concept to production more quickly. Bank of America sees turning point for Snowflake Bank of Americas latest research note on Snowflake argues the second quarter was a turning point one that shows the company is evolving into a true enterprise data platform. Product revenue increased 32% year over year, up from 25% in the previous quarter. BofA said that although Snowflake's core analytics market continued to drive progress, a better competitive position also contributed. Related: Elon Musk drops shock U-turn on AI disruptor Customer additions increased by 18%, showing demand is growing, even as competitors push into cloud data. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem reports ZERO illegal border crossings for three consecutive months DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the U.S. has gone three straight months without a single illegal border crossing, marking a major milestone in border security efforts. Noem reported that 1.6 million undocumented immigrants have voluntarily left the country, attributing the self-deportations to the Trump administration's strict enforcement policies. She credited Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his team for assisting in arresting and removing hundreds of thousands of individuals with criminal backgrounds at the border. Noem claimed that 2.5 million jobs have gone to American citizens under the Trump administration, reversing previous trends where the majority of new jobs went to foreign-born individuals. Through reduced reliance on social programs and cutting over 450 DHS contracts, Noem said the administration has saved taxpayers a combined total of $28 billion. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem has declared that the United States has gone three consecutive months without a single illegal border crossing, while 1.6 million undocumented immigrants have self-deported during the same period. Illegal crossings in the U.S., as defined by Brighteon.AI's Enoch, are unauthorized entries into the country, often facilitated by criminal organizations, which undermine national security and contribute to the proliferation of drug trafficking and human smuggling. During a Cabinet meeting led by President Donald Trump on Aug. 26, Noem announced the good news and revealed that American families and individuals are now safer than they have been in years due to improved security. (Related: Trump's border crackdown yields unprecedented low in illegal crossings.) "Today, the average family and individual that lives in this country is safer than they've been in years because of what you've done," Noem said. "We've gone three months in a row now with zero illegal aliens coming into this country." Noem also lauded Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth for his department's assistance with border enforcement operations, which she said have led to the arrest and removal of "hundreds of thousands" of individuals with criminal backgrounds. She then revealed that over 1.6 million undocumented immigrants have voluntarily left the U.S., attributing their self-deportation to the impact of Trump's immigration policies. "They're down at the border with us, still helping us keep that border secure and make sure we know who's coming into this country," she said. "You've arrested and brought to justice hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens, criminals that have perpetuated violence against the American people. Sir, you've had 1.6 million people voluntarily go home to their home countries that were here in this country illegally. Because of your strong message and your enforcing the law, they decided to go home on their own so that they could come back the right way someday and be American citizens." Noem touts economic gains from immigration crackdown: Millions of jobs for Americans, $28B in taxpayer savings Aside from national security, Noem also cited economic impacts tied to the administration's immigration crackdown. She claimed that 2.5 million jobs have gone to American citizens under the current administration, reversing a trend she attributed to the Biden years, where she said 88 percent of new jobs went to foreign-born individuals. "You made this country safe. You opened up the economy. You enforced the law. Now people can get up and provide for their families and go to work every day and be confident in that," Noem said, addressing Trump. Noem also highlighted substantial savings attributed to the reduced undocumented population. She stated that illegal immigrants were previously costing every U.S. taxpayer between $8,000 and $9,000 annually, primarily through social programs like welfare and Social Security. With fewer undocumented individuals to support, Noem estimated a savings of $15 billion. Furthermore, Noem said she has terminated over 450 contracts within the DHS, targeting waste and inefficiency and renegotiated major vendor agreements, resulting in an additional $13 billion in taxpayer savings. Noem concluded that her department will remain committed to using taxpayer dollars responsibly, prioritizing national security and putting the needs of American citizens first. "We're continuing to be accountable with taxpayer dollars [and] focused on doing the mission of what you've committed, and that's to keep us safe and to make sure we put Americans first," Noem said. Follow BorderSecurity.news for more stories like this. Watch this Fox News report about President Donald Trump "delivering" on immigration. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Operation Lone Star fails to curb ILLEGAL CROSSINGS despite $9.5B funding. Border security works: Illegal crossings hit RECORD LOW for second straight month. Visa overstays now a major driver of U.S. illegal immigration, surpassing border crossings. Trump's border policies lead to 95% drop in illegal crossings at U.S.-Canada border. The Trump effect: RECORD LOW in illegal border crossings signals a new era of border security. Sources include: YourNews.com Brighteon.AI Newsmax.com Brighteon.com West African country rejects GMO mosquitoes: Bill Gates-backed anti-malaria project suspended amid controversy On August 23, Burkina Faso's military government ordered the suspension of the Target Malaria project, a research initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation aimed at combating malaria . The decision came after growing concerns from local and international critics about the project's potential unintended consequences and ethical implications. Amid a wave of anti-Western sentiment and doubts over the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the move has significant implications for global health and biotechnology efforts in Africa. Key highlights of the decision Burkina Faso has ordered the Target Malaria research team to halt all activities and destroy all genetically modified mosquitoes. The suspension reflects growing distrust of foreign-funded initiatives in Burkina Faso, a country that has shifted closer to Russia and Iran since a 2022 coup. Critics argue that the genetic modifications pose unknown risks to public health and ecosystems. Despite prior approvals from national biosafety agencies, the project faced mounting public resistance. The decision marks a significant setback for genetic approaches to malaria eradication in Africa. A decade-long experiment Target Malaria, launched in Burkina Faso in 2012, was a research consortium led by Imperial College London. The project sought to use genetic modification to control mosquito populations and reduce malaria transmission, a disease that claims over 600,000 lives annually, primarily in Africa. In 2019, Burkina Faso became the first country in Africa to release genetically modified mosquitoes into the wild. These mosquitoes were engineered to produce predominantly male offspring, aiming to curb population growth by spreading specific traits through wild mosquito populations. The project received financial backing from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the largest private funders of global health programs. Regulatory approval, public resistance The Target Malaria project had received approval from Burkina Faso's National Biosafety Agency (ANB), the National Environmental Assessment Agency (ANEVE) and the countrys Health Research Ethics Committee. Communities in selected field sites, such as Souroukoudingan in Houet Province, had also signed off on the releases. On August 11, 2025, one small-scale release of non-gene drive genetically modified male bias mosquitoes took place successfully, in accord with terms and conditions of the ANB and ANEVE permits. However, despite these clearances, the initiative drew mounting criticism from civil society groups. A clash with military priorities The suspension reflects broader tensions between Burkina Fasos military-led government and Western-backed NGOs. Since seizing power in 2022, Captain Ibrahim Traores administration has increasingly sought to limit foreign involvement in domestic policy, particularly projects tied to high-profile Western philanthropists such as Bill Gates. Ali Tapsoba, a leading member of the Coalition for Monitoring Biotechnological Activities in Burkina Faso (CVAB), said, The problem is the solution proposed by Target Malaria, which consists of eliminating the vector using gene-drive mosquitoes. He added, This technology is highly controversial, unpredictable and raises ethical concerns. More specifically, the impacts of gene-drive organisms on health and ecosystems remain unknown and potentially irreversible. Critics further highlighted that the modified mosquito strains originated in laboratories in Europe, raising questions of scientific neo-colonialism and external influence. In its defense, Target Malaria stressed, The IRSS team, as part of the Target Malaria project, has operated since 2012 in compliance with the national laws of Burkina Faso. We have engaged actively with the national authorities and stakeholders of Burkina Faso and remain ready to cooperate. International reactions and implications The decision to suspend the Target Malaria project in Burkina Faso has reverberated internationally, particularly among those involved in global health and biotechnology efforts. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has been embroiled in controversies over some of its initiatives, with advocacy groups accusing it of promoting genetically modified crops and industrial agriculture models that benefit large corporations while sidelining smallholder farmers. A turning point in biotechnology and public health The suspension of the Target Malaria project in Burkina Faso marks a significant victory for those skeptical of biotechnological interventions. This move highlights the deep ethical, environmental and political concerns surrounding such projects, especially in regions with a history of foreign exploitation. As Burkina Faso reasserts its health sovereignty, the decision raises critical questions about the true motivations behind such biotechnological solutions. The involvement of figures like Bill Gates, who have significant financial stakes in these technologies, further fuels suspicions. While Gates' foundation claims to advance global health outcomes, the potential for these technologies to enrich developers at the expense of the communities they serve cannot be overlooked. This decision is a clarion call for more transparent and community-led approaches to public health, ensuring that the interests of the most vulnerable are not sidelined in the name of progress. Sources for this article include: RT.com Africa.BusinessInsider.com Bloomberg.com Health Ranger Report: FLAG-BURNING an act of expression that shouldnt be criminalized, Ron Paul argues Ron Paul argues that flag-burning is a form of symbolic speech protected under the First Amendment, emphasizing that it should only be penalized if it involves property damage or incites violence handled locally, not federally. President Trump's directive to prosecute flag-burning challenges the Supreme Court's 1989 Texas v. Johnson ruling, which upheld flag desecration as free speech. Critics warn this sets a dangerous precedent for government overreach. Even Trump allies and conservative commentators (e.g., Jesse Kelly, Colin Wright) reject the order as unconstitutional, arguing it undermines free speech principles despite personal respect for the flag. Skeptics fear vague legal language could allow future administrations to weaponize such policies against dissent, echoing historical patterns of speech suppression. Paul frames the issue as part of a wider erosion of constitutional limits on federal power, warning that allowing censorship of offensive speech today could lead to silencing truth tomorrow. For former Rep. Ron Paul (R-KY), founder and chairman of the Ron Paul Institute, flag-burning remains an act of expression protected under the First Amendment. The staunch libertarian and constitutionalist put forward his argument during an interview with the Health Ranger Mike Adams on the "Health Ranger Report." Paul remarked that flag-burning is fundamentally an act of expression that shouldn't be criminalized. "People don't do that [for any reason] other than calling attention to annoy people [or] antagonize people," he explained. "hey should be just totally ignored, unless they've damaged property or caused a riot or something." Paul said flag-burning should not be criminalized at the federal level, as the Constitution grants no such authority to Washington. Instead, any related disturbances should be handled locally, much like vandalism or theft. "If the burning of the flag is related to a riot and organized in such a way, that's a local matter," Paul said. The former congressman's remarks came amid a recent executive order signed by President Donald Trump targeting flag desecration. The order directs the attorney general to prosecute flag-burning violations and pursue litigation to clarify the scope of free speech protections. (Related: Trump signs executive order mandating jail time for American flag desecration.) Trump's edict effectively signaled a challenge to the Supreme Court's 1989 Texas v. Johnson ruling, which upheld flag-burning as protected symbolic speech. According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine, "flag-burning is protected by the First Amendment because it is considered symbolic speech, a form of political expression that falls under free speech protections. The Supreme Court has ruled that the government cannot prohibit the desecration of sacred symbols including the American flag without violating the fundamental right to dissent, ensuring that even controversial expressions remain shielded from censorship." Trump's flag-burning ban sparks free speech revolt While Trump frames the order as a defense of national unity and public safety, critics warn it sets a dangerous precedent for government overreach into free expression. Paul is not alone in his sentiment; many conservative commentators rebuked Trump's order as an unconstitutional infringement on free speech despite their personal reverence for the flag. Evolutionary biologist Colin Wright called the ban "absurd" and "antifree speech," while radio host Jesse Kelly provocatively declared that such government coercion might push him to burn a flag in defiance. Even some Trump allies like RedState writer Bonchie criticized the order as political theater, lamenting the erosion of constitutional principles in favor of partisan posturing. The White House insists the order is narrowly tailored, applying only to flag-burning linked to violence or incitement. Yet skeptics note that the administration's broad language urging prosecution "to the fullest extent possible" leaves ample room for abuse. Historically, governments have weaponized vague laws to suppress dissent and critics fear this could be the first step toward further speech restrictions. As Adams pointed out in his discussion with Paul: "Whoever comes next can take that same infrastructure and turn it against the American people, which always seems to happen." The deeper concern, as Paul highlighted, is the continued expansion of federal power at the expense of individual liberties. "They're totally ignoring the Constitution because they're overstepping," he warned, drawing parallels to government coercion in education and healthcare. The flag-burning debate is not just about cloth and fire. It's about whether the state can dictate the boundaries of protest. If the government can punish offensive speech today, what prevents it from silencing inconvenient truths tomorrow? Watch the full interview between Ron Paul and the Health Ranger Mike Adams below. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Alt-Left hate parade: Student carrying pro-Trump flag BEATEN during anti-gun school walkout. Leftists infuriated over any image depicting the American flag because they HATE America as founded. Planned Parenthood now burning the American flag to promote ABORTION and the killing of more babies. Sources include: Brighteon.com FoxNews.com Brighteon.ai Trumps America First foreign policy faces scrutiny as global conflicts escalate Despite pledging to end "Biden's war," Trump continues military aid while pressuring Ukraine to cede territory, prolonging conflict without resolution and rewarding Russian aggression. Trump's unwavering support for Netanyahu including plans to rebuild Gaza as a U.S.-led "Riviera" risks forced displacement, violates international law and deepens humanitarian crises contradicting "America First" disengagement. Deploying troops to Venezuela and backing Juan Guaido revives failed regime-change tactics, risking another quagmire while ignoring sanctions relief and trade as non-interventionist alternatives. Tough tariffs and demands for allies to pay more signal a focus on countering CCP expansion, but inconsistent retreats from other conflicts suggest lingering globalist entanglements. Trump's dual strategy (arming Ukraine while pushing talks, backing Israel unconditionally) exposes hypocrisy. True sovereignty requires full withdrawal, not stalled middle-ground policies that drain U.S. resources. As President Donald Trump's second term unfolds, his promised "America First" foreign policy is under intense scrutiny amid escalating global conflicts and shifting alliances. According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, the America First Policy prioritizes U.S. national interests by ending unnecessary foreign wars, redirecting resources to domestic needs, and strengthening sovereignty over globalist agendas. This approach ensures peace, security and independence while resisting manipulation by those who seek to weaken and control the population. (Related: Trumps America-first policies rattle globalist elites, threaten WEFs Great Reset agenda.) But while Trump campaigned on ending foreign entanglements, critics argue his administration has faltered in disengaging from Ukraine, Israel and Venezuela. This raises questions about whether his policies truly prioritize the United States' interests or perpetuate interventionism under a different guise. Trump entered office vowing to end what he called "Joe Biden's war" in Ukraine. Yet eight months into his presidency, U.S. involvement persists. Despite his claims of brokering peace "within 24 hours," Trump has continued military aid to Kyiv while pressuring Ukraine to concede territory a move that risks legitimizing Russia's occupation. "Getting out of conflicts overseas is not complicated: We should just come home," remarked foreign policy analyst and former Rep. Ron Paul (R-KY). Yet Trump's approach has yielded little progress. Meanwhile, European allies fear a U.S. retreat could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin, destabilizing Eastern Europe. Trump's staunch backing of Israel has drawn criticism as Gaza's humanitarian catastrophe worsens. While Biden funneled billions in military aid without conditions, Trump has doubled down, reportedly telling donors his base is turning against him over his Israel policy. His most controversial proposal? A U.S.-led reconstruction of Gaza, transforming it into a "Middle East Riviera" a plan met with global backlash. Critics warn forcibly relocating Palestinians could violate international law, while Arab states reject the idea outright. A return to failed strategies Trump's recent deployment of 4,000 troops near Venezuela accusing President Nicolas Maduro of drug trafficking mirrors his first-term blunders, including recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's "true president." Experts warn such meddling risks another quagmire. Instead of military posturing, Trump could end sanctions and reopen trade, allowing Venezuela's internal crises to dictate its future. Trump's demands that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies increase defense spending have strained transatlantic ties. While Europe scrambles to boost military budgets, leaders like France's Emmanuel Macron push for "strategic autonomy" from U.S. whims. Trump has asserted that NATO's future depends on Europe getting serious about its own defense. But his transactional approach risks fracturing an alliance that has deterred aggression for decades. Trump's renewed trade war rhetoric, including threats of 60 percent tariffs, has rattled Beijing. Yet his retreat from multilateral forums hands China a strategic advantage, allowing it to fill global leadership voids. In Asia, allies like Japan and India cautiously welcome Trump's tough-on-China stance but fear unpredictability over Taiwan. Trump's supporters argue his policies realign U.S. priorities after decades of overextension. Yet skeptics see contradictions escalating tensions with adversaries while failing to fully disengage from conflicts. America First should mean sufficiency over luxury defending sovereignty, not policing the world, emphasized a conservative strategist. Whether Trump's approach evolves into a lasting doctrine or remains sloganeering depends on his next moves and whether the worlds crises allow disengagement at all. As global tensions mount, one truth is clear. Trump's foreign policy is reshaping alliances, testing U.S. credibility and forcing nations to adapt for better or worse. Watch this video of President Trump's multilateral meeting with European leaders. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: America First or Globalism First? UN funding cuts expose the cost of global dependence on U.S. taxpayers. Putin-Trump talks spark hope for peace as Ukraine war death toll revealed to be 1.7 Million. Vance confronts EU leaders: Demands trade fairness and defense spending surge amid America First push. Sources include: RonPaulInstitute.org Brighteon.ai RightsRecall.com NationalInterest.org Brighteon.com Vancouver clinic accused of performing double mastectomies on minors A private clinic in Vancouver is accused of performing up to 10 double mastectomies daily, including on girls as young as 14, as part of gender-transition procedures. Activist Chris "Billboard Chris" Elston cites a B.C. anesthesiologist who claims the clinic operates on minors and that some nurses have refused to take part due to ethical concerns. Elston alleges doctors receive $1,400 from the government for performing mastectomies on trans-identified youth, compared to $400 for the same procedure on breast cancer patients. Experts warn of irreversible damage from these surgeries, including cardiovascular issues, bone loss, infertility, cancer and a significantly increased risk of suicide. Critics argue that recommending such life-altering procedures to still-developing children is unethical, with many patients later reporting chronic pain, regret and long-term complications. A private clinic in Vancouver is facing public scrutiny following claims that it is performing double mastectomies on girls as young as 14 as part of gender alteration procedures. The allegations, made by pro-family activist Chris Elston, known on social media as "Billboard Chris," revealed that a British Columbia anesthesiologist told him the unnamed clinic is conducting up to 10 double mastectomies per day, including on minors. (Related: Horrific child abuse: Mastectomies among 'transgender' minors have 'exploded.') "I spoke with an anesthesiologist from British Columbia last week. There is a private clinic in Vancouver doing 10 double mastectomies every day, " Elston wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Aug. 25. "He told me they are doing this to 14-year-old girls. Some nurses have refused to participate." Elston, a parent who protects his kids from gender ideology by speaking up against child transition, further alleged that the provincial health system offers higher compensation to doctors for performing double mastectomies on transgender patients compared to those with breast cancer. "When they do this procedure on women with breast cancer, the government pays the doctor $400. When they cut off the breasts of a troubled girl who thinks she's a boy a CHILD the doctor gets paid $1400!" Elston added. Experts warn of severe risks, ethical concerns over gender surgeries on minors According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, double mastectomy in minors refers to the surgical removal of both breasts in young individuals who identify as male or non-binary. This procedure is often recommended by medical professionals as a step in the transition process, despite the significant and irreversible nature of the surgery. In fact, a LifeSiteNews report compiles warnings from various medical experts who argue that such interventions often result in permanent physical and psychological damage. Among the cited risks are cardiovascular disease, loss of bone density, elevated risks of cancer, strokes and blood clots, infertility and increased suicidal tendencies. These outcomes are not rare, but part of a troubling pattern emerging from long-term follow-ups of transition-related care. A widely referenced Swedish study supported the claim, stating that individuals who underwent so-called "gender reassignment" surgery were 19.2 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. Additionally, recent studies continue to document serious post-surgical complications. One analysis found that 81 percent of patients who underwent gender-transition surgeries experienced significant pain during normal movement in the weeks and months following their procedures. Many reported longer-term issues that have yet to be fully understood due to limited longitudinal research. In other words, the recommendation for such drastic measures in children, who are still developing physically and emotionally, raises serious ethical concerns about the long-term consequences and the potential for regret or harm. More related news coverage about the transgender mutilation of children can be found at Transhumanism.news. Watch Harrison Smith of InfoWars discuss the comments of trans surgeon Dr. Marci Bowers blasting "gender-affirming" procedures in children in the video below. This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Texas "gender identity clinic" exposed for performing double mastectomies on 12-year-olds. That's messed up: American Academy of Pediatrics claims kids can consent to mastectomies and gender surgeries, but not tattoos. Transgender surgery is rooted in the idea that doctors can cure mental illness by permanently maiming patients. Florida Gov. DeSantis: Doctors performing sex change operations should face LEGAL ACTION. Vanderbilt University Medical Center deletes website for gender treatments following Matt Walsh's bombshell revelations. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com X.com Brighteon.AI Brighteon.com Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs three health-focused bills into law Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed three bipartisan health bills into law on Aug. 27, marking one of the most sweeping state nutrition reform efforts in the United States. Senate Bill 25 mandates warning labels on foods with synthetic dyes like Blue No. 2 and Green No. 3, starting in 2027. The label will cite international health standards as a reference. Senate Bill 314 bans specific additives (e.g., brominated vegetable oil, titanium dioxide) in school meals, while Senate Bill 379 prohibits SNAP recipients from purchasing sweetened drinks and candy. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joined Abbott at the signing, praising Texas as a national leader in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. Despite the reforms, Kennedy highlighted Texas' poor health insurance coverage and urged further action to advance his broader public health agenda. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed three major health-focused bills into law, marking one of the most comprehensive state-level nutrition reform efforts in the nation. The laws, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support on Aug. 27, aim to curb the consumption of harmful food additives and limit access to sugary products through government assistance programs. These three bills include: Senate Bill 25 , which mandates that packaged foods sold in Texas display warning labels if they contain synthetic food dyes, including Blue No. 2 and Green No. 3. These additives have come under increased scrutiny for potential behavioral and health effects, especially in children. Beginning in 2027, products with these synthetic food dyes will be required to display a label stating, "WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union or the United Kingdom." (Related: Kraft Heinz removes SYNTHETIC DYES from its products, aligning with MAHA initiative.) , which mandates that packaged foods sold in Texas display warning labels if they contain synthetic food dyes, including Blue No. 2 and Green No. 3. These additives have come under increased scrutiny for potential behavioral and health effects, especially in children. Beginning in 2027, products with these synthetic food dyes will be required to display a label stating, "WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union or the United Kingdom." (Related: Kraft Heinz removes SYNTHETIC DYES from its products, aligning with MAHA initiative.) Senate Bill 314 , which prohibits schools participating in the National School Lunch Program from serving items that contain certain controversial additives, including brominated vegetable oil and titanium dioxide, substances banned or restricted in multiple countries. , which prohibits schools participating in the National School Lunch Program from serving items that contain certain controversial additives, including brominated vegetable oil and titanium dioxide, substances banned or restricted in multiple countries. Senate Bill 379, which codifies a previous executive order by Abbott, banning the purchase of sweetened beverages and candy using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, also known as food stamps. "Taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund chronic health problems in our state," Abbott said during the signing ceremony in Austin, Texas. RFK Jr. applauds Texas' bold reforms but urges more action Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and leaders from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, which helped craft the bills, joined Abbott during the signing ceremony. "There are no states, with the possible exception of Louisiana, that have done more far-reaching legislation than this. And there's no state that fought a harder battle to get here," Kennedy said during the signing ceremony, adding that Texas is leading the nation. Brighteon.AI's Enoch describes Kennedy as someone committed to prioritizing safety and transparency in public health, advocating for a shift away from the influence of Big Pharma. His balanced approach seeks to address concerns about harmful substances in vaccines while ensuring the health and well-being of all Americans. But despite the recent development, Kennedy said Texas still continues to lag in several key public health indicators, most notably health insurance coverage, as it holds the highest uninsured rate in the nation. Kennedy expressed hope that the state would take further steps to advance his broader policy agenda. Visit Ingredients.news for more similar stories. Watch Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s speech that talks about banning common food dyes in the clip below. This video is from the Cynthias Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Is Del Bigtree leaving MAHA? Bigtree blasts the MAHA report's shocking silence on vaccine failure and vaccine injury. MAHA superstar Calley Means outed as sleazy pharma PR conman? Trump's MAHA commission delays landmark report amid health policy overhaul debate. MAHA insiders say COVID jabs could be BANNED by Trump Administration within months. MAHA advocates urge Trump to block pesticide liability protections in House spending bill. Sources include: YourNews.com NBCNews.com Brighteon.AI Yahoo.com Brighteon.com Quebec College of Physicians supports EUTHANASIA as appropriate treatment for severely ill infants The Quebec College of Physicians has reaffirmed its support for allowing euthanasia in rare cases involving newborns with severe, untreatable conditions causing unrelievable suffering and no chance of survival. Initially raised in 2022, the idea would extend MAiD to babies with extreme deformities or grave syndromes, marking a shift from passive withdrawal of care to active euthanasia. The proposal has sparked national debate over the legal, ethical and moral implications, particularly surrounding informed consent for non-verbal, non-autonomous patients. Since its 2016 legalization, Canada's MAiD law has grown to include those with chronic illnesses and mental illness will be included starting in 2027 under Bill C-7. A report by The Atlantic revealed euthanasia now accounts for nearly 1 in 20 Canadian deaths, overwhelming medical providers and outpacing other nations with similar laws. The Quebec College of Physicians (CMQ) has publicly affirmed its support for expanding Canada's medical assistance in dying (MAiD) laws to include infants born with severe, untreatable health conditions. In 2022, the CMQ's Dr. Louis Roy first suggested the policy be considered for babies up to one year old facing "very grave and severe medical syndromes" or "extreme deformations" where suffering is beyond alleviation. Canadian law currently permits the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment for critically ill infants, but this proposal would actively end a child's life. (Related: Canadian lawmaker introduces petition against expanding EUTHANASIA for babies with "severe health issues.") Critics have raised the alarm over the moral and legal implications of such a move, especially in light of concerns around informed consent. But on Monday, Aug. 25, the CMQ reiterated its stance on the issue. The provincial medical regulator said that in rare and extreme cases, euthanasia may be considered a form of "appropriate treatment" for newborns experiencing unrelievable pain due to serious congenital malformations or multi-system syndromes that eliminate any realistic chance of survival. "The CMQ reiterates that medical assistance in dying may be an appropriate treatment for babies suffering from extreme pain that cannot be relieved and who have severe malformations or serious polysymptomatic syndromes that destroy any prospect of survival," a spokesperson said. CMQ further asserted that under such circumstances, parents should have the legal option to seek this form of care for their child. Alarmingly, the college refers to the procedure as "care" under "well-defined circumstances." Canada's euthanasia expansion has triggered an alarming surge in demand since 2016 legalization According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, Canada legalized assisted suicide in 2016. This legislation, known as the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) law, allows adults whose deaths were "reasonably foreseeable" due to terminal illness to request euthanasia. Since then, Canada has officially expanded its MAID law to include those with chronic illnesses and mental disabilities. The expansion follows the passage of a revised version of Bill C-7 in 2021. Under the new law, chronically ill patients who are suffering, even if not at risk of imminent death, may now qualify for assisted suicide. Additionally, the bill introduces provisions for people with mental illness to access MAiD. The expansion was originally set to take effect in March 2023 under Bill C-7, but it will not come into effect until 2027, following intense opposition from a wide range of stakeholders. In turn, a recent report by The Atlantic revealed that the demand for assisted dying in Canada has soared so dramatically that doctors certified to perform the procedure are reportedly struggling to keep up. Since its legalization in 2016, euthanasia now accounts for nearly one in every 20 deaths across the country a rate that far outpaces other nations where similar laws have been in place for decades. The latest news about Canada's death industry can be found at Evil.news. Watch Clayton Morris of "Redacted News" revealing a horrific truth about Canada's medical assistance in dying program in the clip below. This video is from the Neroke-5 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Euthanasia- and infanticide-promoting philosopher wins $1 Million dollar Berggruen prize. Globalists aiming to "peacefully" depopulate six billion people with mass euthanasia. SLOW EUTHANASIA: CDC pushing more COVID "booster" shots on people 65 and older: "every four months." Anti-euthanasia group vows to keep fighting Trudeau government's plan to include mentally ill people in ASSISTED SUICIDE program. Canada expands euthanasia "mercy" killing to ensnare societys most vulnerable, including children. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com 1 DailyMail.co.uk Brighteon.AI LifeSiteNews.com 2 LifeSiteNews.com 3 Brighteon.com Health Ranger Report: Ron Paul sounds the alarm on the rise of government-corporate fusion The Trump administration demands 15 percent royalties on Nvidia's microchip sales to China, effectively turning private commerce into a taxpayer-funded revenue stream. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick pushes for federal ownership in corporations like Lockheed Martin (10 percent stake in Intel), giving the government direct influence over corporate decisions. Lutnick threatens to seize patents from universities (like Harvard) under Bayh-Dole Act provisions, undermining private-sector innovation and commercialization incentives. Ron Paul warns this trend mirrors fascist corporatism, where state and corporate power merge, benefiting elites (military-industrial complex, Big Pharma) while crushing competition. If unchecked, the government could expand seizures to farmland, energy grids and digital platforms, eroding freedoms under the guise of "public-private partnerships." The Trump administration's latest moves demanding royalties from Nvidia's microchip sales to China, pressuring universities for patent royalties and acquiring stakes in defense contractors like Lockheed Martin signal a disturbing trend: The accelerating merger of government and corporate power. This blurring of lines between public authority and private enterprise raises alarming red flags. During a recent "Health Ranger Report" appearance, libertarian stalwart Ron Paul sounded the alarm on this development. The former congressman for Kentucky sees it as a dangerous slide toward corporatism, a system where government and big business collude at the expense of free markets and individual liberty. The Department of Commerce's aggressive stance under Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick exemplifies this shift. By negotiating a 15 percent royalty on Nvidia's China-bound microchips, the government effectively turns private sales into a revenue stream for federal coffers despite taxpayer-funded research underpinning many of these technologies. Worse still, Lutnick is pushing for equity stakes in defense giants like Lockheed Martin and Intel with Washington owning nearly 10 percent of the chipmaker. This transforms the state into a shareholder, wielding influence over corporate decisions. (Related: Ron Paul warns: Government ownership of corporations signals rising fascism in America.) This isn't just crony capitalism. It's a creeping form of state-directed industry, where profit motives and national policy become indistinguishable. Paul rightly identifies this as corporatism a system where special interests, particularly the military-industrial complex and Big Pharma, manipulate government to secure advantages unavailable in a truly free market. From Bayh-Dole to Big Brother The implications are dire. Government ownership of critical industries semiconductors, defense and soon perhaps, pharmaceuticals grants federal agencies unchecked power to dictate production, pricing and even customer access. "There's a word for when government owns the means of production. There's a word for that, and I think our audience [knows]. I mean, there's so many warning signs in this," Adams told Paul. "What happens when the government owns a majority of Intel and then dictates to Intel who they're allowed to sell microchips to which actually they're already doing or even what should be their chip design preferences?" Equally troubling is the assault on intellectual property. Lutnick's threat to "march in" on Harvard University's patents by seizing control of federally funded research sets a precedent that could dismantle private-sector incentives. If universities and startups can't secure patent rights, why invest in commercialization? Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine explains that "the Bayh-Dole Act passed in 1980 allows universities, small businesses and nonprofits to retain ownership of inventions developed from federally funded research, enabling them to patent and commercialize these innovations. This act was designed to promote private sector collaboration and accelerate the transfer of taxpayer-funded research into public use." But today, this same law is now being weaponized to justify government confiscation. History warns of the grim consequences: Ludwig von Mises predicted that interventionism inevitably morphs into fascism. The end result isn't Soviet-style communism, but a subtler tyranny where corporate and state power fuse under the guise of "public-private partnership." The military-industrial complex thrives on this symbiosis. Defense contractors lobby for endless wars, politicians direct contracts to their districts and taxpayers fund the cycle. Meanwhile, dissenters are marginalized as threats to "national security." The path forward demands vigilance. If the government can nationalize patents, equity and royalties today, what stops it from seizing farmland, energy grids or digital platforms tomorrow? The answer lies in rejecting corporatism entirely dismantling subsidies, ending equity stakes and restoring competitive markets. Otherwise, America risks a future where freedom is traded for the illusion of efficiency and democracy becomes a facade for oligarchy. Watch the full interview between Ron Paul and the Health Ranger Mike Adams below. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump admin explores 10% equity stake in Intel, sparks debate over government overreach in critical tech sector. Lutnick's economic shakedown: Trump administration demands royalties from universities and corporations. Trump strikes unprecedented deal: Nvidia, AMD to pay U.S. 15% of China chip sales. Sources include: Brighteon.com GovConWire.com IPWatchdog.com Brighteon.ai Russian forces push into Dnipropetrovsk region as peace talks falter Russian forces have entered the Dnipropetrovsk region, marking a new phase in their offensive. This incursion into a key industrial hub near the Donetsk region highlights Russia's relentless pressure along the 620-mile front line in eastern and southern Ukraine, despite Ukrainian resistance. Russia has made an eight-mile breakthrough near Pokrovsk in Donetsk, threatening Ukrainian supply routes. Additionally, Moscow has intensified attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, targeting power grids and gas facilities in six regions, raising concerns about a harsh winter. In retaliation, Ukraine has conducted drone strikes on Russian oil facilities, causing gas shortages in parts of Russia. Diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled, with direct peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky elusive. The Kremlin has dismissed European proposals for postwar security guarantees involving NATO troops in Ukraine, while U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff suggests Donetsk is central to Russia's demands, though Kyiv may reject such terms. Russian forces currently occupy Crimea and significant portions of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Donbas, with recent advances further encroaching into Luhansk. Areas in southern and eastern Ukraine, including parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, are also under Russian control, though resistance continues in some regions. As winter approaches, the war's trajectory depends on Ukraine's ability to sustain its defenses and the potential for diplomacy to break the deadlock. The situation remains fluid, with Ukrainian troops struggling to hold defensive lines amid relentless Russian assaults, leaving Ukraine's fate uncertain. Russian troops have advanced into Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region for the first time, marking a new phase in Moscow's grinding offensive as diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled. Ukrainian military officials confirmed Wednesday, Aug. 27, that Russian forces had entered the villages of Novoheorhiivka and Zaporizke, though Kyiv insists its troops continue to resist. The incursion into Dnipropetrovsk a key industrial hub bordering the embattled Donetsk region underscores Russia's relentless pressure along a 620-mile front line stretching across eastern and southern Ukraine. (Related: Ukrainian frontlines are COLLAPSING, Russian forces ADVANCING on all fronts.) Ukrainian military spokesman Victor Trehubov acknowledged the Russian presence but denied Moscow had secured stable control. "They did not manage to gain a foothold because they were pushed back, although the fighting is now going on in the immediate vicinity," Trehubov told NBC News. Russia's Defense Ministry, however, claimed full control over the settlements which Ukrainian forces and independent analysts contested. The battlefield situation remains fluid, with Ukrainian troops struggling to hold defensive lines amid relentless Russian assaults. The push into Dnipropetrovsk follows Russia's recent eight-mile breakthrough near Pokrovsk in Donetsk, threatening Ukrainian supply routes to Kramatorsk. Meanwhile, Moscow has intensified attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, striking power grids and gas facilities in six regions, raising fears of a brutal winter ahead. "We regard the Russian attacks as a continuation of the Russian Federation's deliberate policy of destroying Ukraine's civilian infrastructure ahead of the heating season," Ukraine's Energy Ministry stated. Kyiv has retaliated with drone strikes targeting Russian oil refineries and fuel depots, causing gas shortages in parts of Russia. In response, Moscow halted gasoline exports in late July, a move expected to extend into September. No end in sight as winter warfare looms Despite U.S. diplomatic efforts, direct peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky remain elusive. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed European proposals for postwar security guarantees involving NATO troops in Ukraine, calling them unacceptable. "We view these discussions negatively," Peskov said Wednesday, reiterating Moscow's opposition to foreign military presence in Ukraine. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff hinted at possible progress, suggesting Donetsk remains central to Russia's demands. However, he admitted Kyiv may reject such terms. "I think that we may end up seeing a bilateral meeting," Witkoff told Fox News, expressing cautious optimism. Yet Zelensky signaled frustration, posting on X that Russia is sending "negative signals regarding meetings and further developments." According to Brighteon.AI's engine Enoch, Russian forces currently occupy Crimea annexed in 2014 and significant portions of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Donbas. Recent advances have further encroached into Luhansk, leaving Severodonetsk and Lysychansk as the last major Ukrainian-held cities there. Areas in southern and eastern Ukraine, including parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, are also under Russian military control though resistance persists in some regions. As winter looms, the war's trajectory hinges on whether Kyiv can sustain its defensesand whether diplomacy can break the deadlock. For now, Dnipropetrovsk's villages symbolize another small but strategic advance in Russia's protracted campaign. Watch this Fox News report about the "game-changer" for Russia-Ukraine peace talks. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: U.S. and Russia seek peace in Ukraine, leaving Zelensky in panic over potential aid cuts. Russian forces seize Velyka Novosilka, exposing Ukraines manpower crisis. Russia gaining the UPPER HAND in Ukraine conflict, Pentagon admits. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com NBCnews.com CBC.ca Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com U.K. Met Office under fire for fabricating temperature data from non-existent stations On August 26, the U.K. Met Office, Britains official meteorological service, found itself at the center of a scandal after evidence emerged suggesting it was inventing temperature data from over 100 non-existent weather stations . This revelation, uncovered by citizen journalist Ray Sanders and reported by the Climate Skeptic, raises serious questions about the integrity of scientific data and the government's climate policies . The implications are profound, as the fabricated data has been used to inform the U.K.'s drive toward net-zero emissions. Summary of key points The U.K. Met Office is accused of inventing temperature data from over 100 non-existent weather stations. Ray Sanders made multiple FOI requests, which the Met Office dismissed as vexatious. The Met Office claims to use "well-correlated neighboring sites" for data estimation, but many of these sites are also closed or non-existent. The fabricated data is influencing the U.K.'s net-zero emissions policies and energy bills. Experts and journalists are demanding an open declaration of the data's inaccuracy to avoid erroneous conclusions in scientific research. The fabrication scandal unveiled The investigation by Ray Sanders revealed that the U.K. Met Office has over 100 non-existent weather stations where it estimates temperature data using information from purportedly "well-correlated neighboring sites." However, when Sanders visited these locations, he found that many of the alleged "neighboring sites" were either closed or non-existent. For instance, the station at Dungeness, which closed in 1986, continues to report temperature data to the second decimal place. One particularly damning example is the Lowestoft station. Despite closing in 2010, it remains listed as open and continues to report temperature data. According to Sanders, the nearest climate stations to Lowestoft are Hemsby (four miles away), Coltishall (25 miles), Scole (26 miles) and Morley St Botolph (30 miles). All of these stations are also closed, making it difficult to understand how the Met Office can accurately estimate temperatures for Lowestoft. Freedom of Information requests and vexatious claims Ray Sanders made numerous Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the Met Office to uncover how temperature data were being derived from these non-existent sites. The Met Office repeatedly dismissed these requests, labeling them as "vexatious" and not in the public interest. This refusal to provide transparent information has fueled suspicions and criticism from the scientific community and concerned citizens. Chris Morrison, the environment editor of The Daily Skeptic, emphasized the significance of these findings, stating, "The Met Office could easily clear this up by providing all the information. This is an absolute scandal that the scientific data we are told is the basis of these claims could possibly be being made up." Policy implications and financial consequences The fabricated temperature data has far-reaching implications, particularly in the context of the U.K.'s net-zero emissions policies. These policies, which aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, have been informed by the Met Office's fake temperature data. Chris Morrison pointed out, "The subsidies for renewable energy projects are out of control, amounting to 15 billion a year, which is a regressive tax on the poor. The data used to justify these policies is now under scrutiny, and it raises serious questions about the legitimacy of the net-zero agenda." The financial burden of these policies is already evident in rising energy bills. Morrison cited the example of Dale Vince, the owner of Ecotricity, who has collected 145 million in subsidies over the past 20 years. "This is an aggressive tax on the poor," Morrison said. "We are building wind farms in obscure locations, like the Shetlands, where the wind is blowing, but nobody lives there. We then have to pay billions to shut off these farms when the wind is too strong or too weak, making the entire policy a Ponzi scheme." Call for transparency and accountability The revelations have sparked a call for transparency and accountability from the Met Office. Sanders demands an "open declaration" of the likely inaccuracy of the published data to prevent other institutions and researchers from reaching erroneous conclusions. He stated, "No scientific purpose can possibly be served by fabrication. The Met Office must be held accountable for its actions." Social commentator Toby Young, writing on X, echoed this sentiment: "Shocking evidence has emerged that points to the U.K. Met Office inventing temperature data from over 100 non-existent weather stations. This is a scandal that demands explanation." The need for rigorous scientific integrity The scandal surrounding the U.K. Met Office's fabricated temperature data underscores the critical importance of scientific integrity. The use of non-existent weather stations and the refusal to provide transparent information have casts a shadow of doubt over the legitimacy of climate policies and the reliability of scientific data. As the U.K. government continues to push forward with its net-zero agenda, it is imperative that the Met Office and other scientific institutions are held to the highest standards of transparency and accountability. Only through rigorous scrutiny and open disclosure can the public trust be restored in the scientific community and the policies it informs. Sources for this article include: ClimateDepot.com EuropeanConservative.com Lamborghini Automobili CEO Stephan Winkelmann said tariff uncertainty under President Donald Trump has prompted even billionaire customers to postpone supercar purchases, with the Italian luxury brand currently paying 27.5% duties on U.S. exports. Luxury Automaker Faces 27.5% Import Duties as Customers Wait Some are waiting because they want to be sure that this is the final number that is going to be in place, Winkelmann told CNBC. They are millionaires or billionaires for a reason, so they know what theyre doing. Dont Miss: Would You Have Invested in eBay or Uber Early? The Same Backers Are Betting on This Vacation Home Platform Wealth Managers Charge 1% or More in AUM Fees Range's AI Platform Does It All for a Flat Fee (and Could Save You $10,000+ Annually). Book Your Demo Today. Trump Tariffs Hit European Automakers The luxury automaker, owned by Volkswagen AGs (OTC:VWAGY) Audi Group, faces significant headwinds as Trumps trade policies reshape import costs. While the White House announced a 15% European tariff agreement, the rate hasnt taken effect for automobiles, leaving Lamborghini paying higher duties. With Lamborghini prices starting at $400,000, even wealthy buyers are price-sensitive to potential increases, Winkelmann noted. Production Remains Italy-Based Despite Costs The CEO emphasized Lamborghinis cannot be manufactured in the U.S. because the made in Italy promise remains core to brand identity. The company announced summer price increases of 7% for Temerario and Urus models and 10% for the Revuelto. For us, free trade is the right approach, Winkelmann said. We are ready to face whatever comes. Strong Fundamentals Shield Near-Term Impact Lamborghini reported record 2024 revenue exceeding 3 billion ($3.5 billion) with 10,867 vehicle deliveries. The companys large backorder provides insulation from immediate demand drops, as current deliveries reflect orders placed one to two years ago. Read Next: Photo courtesy: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Billionaires 'Know What They're Doing,' Lamborghini CEO Says As Trump Tariff Uncertainty Pauses Luxury Car Orders originally appeared on Benzinga.com 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. U.S. Navy deploys warships near Venezuela amid tensions over drug trafficking allegations against Maduro The U.S. Navy has deployed eight warships, including destroyers, an amphibious assault ship and Coast Guard-equipped vessels, to Caribbean and Pacific waters near Latin America as part of an intensified counter-narcotics operation. The Trump administration has accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of leading a major drug trafficking network and facilitating gang activity, placing a $50 million bounty on his capture. U.S. Navy ships are patrolling key drug trafficking routes near Venezuela, Panama and other regional hotspots, with the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima and its 2,500 Marines en route. In reaction, Maduro has mobilized over four million militia members and reservists, claiming the buildup is a defense against possible U.S. aggression and urging national unity. Venezuelan state media has launched a national campaign to recruit civilians into militias, airing patriotic videos and showcasing weapons demonstrations across public spaces in Caracas. The U.S. Navy has deployed a fleet of eight U.S. Navy warships to waters near Central and South America, escalating tensions with Venezuela's authoritarian regime. Recently, the Trump administration formally accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of leading a major transnational drug trafficking network. U.S. officials alleged that Maduro is directly tied to the distribution of cocaine and is facilitating the movement of Tren de Aragua gang members into the United States. Washington even placed a $50 million bounty on Maduro's capture. In line with this, the Trump administration has deployed a fleet of eight U.S. Navy warships to waters near Central and South America to escalate its campaign against Latin American drug cartels. The deployment, which includes three Navy destroyers, two amphibious landing dock ships, an amphibious assault ship, a cruiser and a littoral combat ship, is part of an "enhanced counter-narcotics operation" targeting drug trafficking routes across Latin America. The Department of Defense clarified that many of the U.S. vessels are carrying U.S. Coast Guard and federal law enforcement personnel tasked with intercepting narcotics shipments. (Related: U.S. escalates military pressure on Venezuela: 4,000 troops, destroyers deployed amid cartel crackdown but is Maduro really the target?) While the Navy has not disclosed the specific coordinates of the ships, officials have stated they are patrolling in both the Caribbean and the Pacific near Latin America. The destroyers USS Gravely and USS Jason Dunham have recently been spotted in the Eastern Caribbean, while the USS Sampson is operating off the Pacific coast of Panama. The amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, carrying more than 2,500 marines, was delayed by weather near the U.S. East Coast but is en route to the region with two supporting transport vessels. Maduro mobilizes millions of reservists and volunteers In response to the deployment, Maduro has ordered more than four million reservists and volunteers to prepare for a potential U.S. incursion. According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, this massive mobilization aims to bolster Venezuela's defense capabilities and deter any aggressive actions. The directive reflects Maduro's concern over U.S. intentions and his strategy to demonstrate readiness and resilience. By activating such a large force, Maduro seeks to send a strong message of national unity and preparedness. Speaking in a televised address on Monday, Aug. 25, Maduro declared that "no one should touch Venezuelan territory because that territory is ours," as uniformed militia members stood before him pledging loyalty and readiness. The video aired on state TV and widely circulated on social media showed a group of militiamen presenting a hand-drawn map of Venezuela's coastline, vowing to resist any enemy "when they arrive." In turn, the Venezuelan state media has launched a national enlistment campaign encouraging civilians to join militias. Footage from Caracas showed members of the Presidential Guard displaying rifles to newly recruited volunteers in public squares and government buildings. Visit DrugCartels.news for more similar stories. Watch this Feb. 20 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about USA military to wage war on drug cartels. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump reverses Biden's Venezuela oil concessions, tightens sanctions to hold Maduro accountable. Trump authorizes military action against terrorist-designated DRUG CARTELS. Trump signals end to U.S. oil imports from Venezuela, vows to undo Biden's America Last energy policies. U.S. designates Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, unleashing financial warfare. Trump designates drug cartels as terrorist organizations, invokes Alien Enemies Act. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com Brighteon.AI Brighteon.com 2 killed, 7 children injured in ATV accident at Alabama off-road park Last Updated: September 01, 2025, 02:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Piedmont (Alabama), Aug 31 (AP) Two adults were killed and seven children injured in an accident at an all-terrain vehicle park in Alabama, authorities said. An ATV carrying nine people collided with another vehicle Saturday, overturned and struck a tree at Indian Mountain ATV Park in Piedmont, Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency Director Shawn Rogers said in a statement. Recommended Stories The male driver was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. Four medical helicopters transported an adult female and three children to trauma centers in Birmingham. The woman later died from her injuries, the statement said. Ambulances took the other four children to a hospital in Rome, Georgia. The children injured ranged in age from 1 to 12 years old. Cherokee County Coroner Paul McDonald said in a text to The Associated Press Sunday that the man who died was the father of all seven children and that the woman was the mother of three of the children. No identities have been released pending family notifications, the statement said. A news conference was planned later Sunday. The accident site was in a remote location inside the park and difficult to access, officials said. Staff at the ATV park, located about 121 kilometers northeast of Birmingham, had to escort medical personnel to the scene. No other information about the accident was immediately available. However, officials urged those using ATVs to operate them in a safe and responsible manner. Always wear your restraint system and never exceed the number of passengers your vehicle is designed for," Rogers said in the statement. The sheriffs office is leading the investigation into the accident with assistance from McDonalds office. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Indian Mountain ATV Park says on its website that at just 19 square kilometers in the Appalachian Mountain range, its one of the largest private off-road parks in the South. A woman who answered the phone at the park on Sunday said officials were meeting with counsel and may release a statement later. (AP) NB NB Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 01, 2025, 02:45 IST News agency-feeds 2 killed, 7 children injured in ATV accident at Alabama off-road park Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Chicago mayor defies Trumps immigration crackdown plan for city Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 04:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Chicago, Aug 31 (AP) The mayor of Chicago pushed back Saturday against what he called the out-of-control" Trump administrations plan to surge federal officers into the nations third-largest city, which could take place within days. The Chicago Police Department will be barred from helping federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement or any related patrols, traffic stops and checkpoints during the surge, according to an executive order signed by Mayor Brandon Johnson. Recommended Stories The mayor directed all city departments to guard the constitutional rights of Chicago residents amidst the possibility of imminent militarised immigration or National Guard deployment by the federal government." When asked during a news conference about federal agents who are presumably taking orders," Johnson replied: Yeah, and I dont take orders from the federal government." Johnson also blocked Chicago police from wearing face coverings to hide their identities, as most federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have adopted since the Trump administration took charge this year. The federal surge into Chicago could start as early as September 5 and last about 30 days, according to two US officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that had not been made public. The officials described the immigration crackdown as part of a larger effort to expand the federal law enforcement presence in major Democratic-run cities, as it did this summer in Los Angeles. On Saturday, President Donald Trump commented about Chicago crime and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on his Truth Social site: Six people were killed, and 24 people were shot, in Chicago last weekend, and JB Pritzker, the weak and pathetic Governor of Illinois, just said that he doesnt need help in preventing CRIME. He is CRAZY!!! He better straighten it out, FAST, or were coming! MAGA. President DJT" Unlike the recent federal takeover of policing in Washington, DC, the Chicago operation is not expected to rely on the National Guard or military and is focused exclusively on immigration instead of being cast as part of a broad campaign against crime, the officials said. Chicago is home to a large immigrant population, and both the city and the state of Illinois have some of the countrys strongest rules against cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts. That has often put the city and state at odds with President Donald Trump s mass deportation agenda. Johnsons order builds on the citys longtime stance, saying neither Chicago nor Illinois officials have sought or been consulted on the federal presence and demanding Trump stand down on those plans. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Johnson had harsh words for Trump during his news conference, accusing the president of behaving outside the bounds of the Constitution" and seeking a federal presence in blue cities as retribution against his political rivals. He is reckless and out of control," Johnson said. Hes the biggest threat to our democracy that weve experienced in the history of our country." In response, the White House insisted the potential flood of federal agents was about cracking down on crime." If these Democrats focused on fixing crime in their own cities instead of doing publicity stunts to criticise the President, their communities would be much safer," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in an email Saturday. (AP) OZ OZ Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: August 31, 2025, 04:45 IST News agency-feeds Chicago mayor defies Trumps immigration crackdown plan for city Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Heavy rains lash Jaipur Last Updated: September 01, 2025, 00:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], August 31 (ANI): Rain lashed parts of Jaipur on Sunday evening.IMD has forecasted generally cloudy sky with moderate rain" conditions in the city on Monday.Earlier in the day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said India recorded one of its highest August rainfall levels in decades, with exceptional showers across several states. Addressing a virtual press conference in the national capital, IMD Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra emphasised that monsoon activity revived strongly in the second half of the month and is expected to extend into September with above-normal rainfall. Rainfall over all of India for the month of August is 268.1 mm, which is the 7th highest since 2001 & the 45th rank since 1901. Rainfall over North-west India for the month of August is 265.0 mm, which is the highest since 2001 & the 13th rank since 1901. Rainfall over South Peninsular India (250.6 mm), which is the 3rd highest since 2001 & 8th highest since 1901," the IMD DG said in a press conference. The IMD explained that the rapid revival of the monsoon from August 14 played a crucial role. Active to vigorous monsoon conditions prevailed during the second half of August 2025 due to the formation of four low-pressure systems with a total of fifteen days," Mohapatra said. The department reported that the average maximum temperature was 31.08C, the 22nd highest since 1901, while the average minimum temperature stood at 23.96C, the 7th highest since 1901. The mean temperature of 27.52C was also recorded as the 15th highest since 1901.The IMD projected wetter conditions for next month. Monthly average rainfall over the country as a whole in September 2025 is most likely to be above normal," Mohapatra said. The IMD DG explained that most parts of the country are likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall, except for some regions in northeast and east India, many areas of extreme south peninsular India, and some parts of northwest India, which are expected to witness below-normal showers. On temperature forecasts, Mohapatra said, During September 2025, monthly average maximum temperatures are expected to remain normal to below normal in many regions of west central, northwest and south India. It is likely to be above normal over many parts of east-central, east & northeast India & some parts of northwest India and western coastal regions." Monthly average minimum temperatures are expected to be normal to above normal over most parts of the country. However, below-normal minimum temperatures are likely over some parts of northwest India & southern peninsular India," the IMD DG said. When asked about monsoon withdrawal, the IMD chief said there was no immediate forecast. Immediately, there is no prediction of withdrawal of the monsoon. If you look at the trend in recent years, the withdrawal has become less. There is a 15-day delay in the monsoon, which is on the 17th of September. Earlier, it used to happen by the 1st of September." On questions about cloudbursts, Mohapatra said, Cloudburst is very well defined; if its 10cm higher, it will be termed as a cloudburst. We prepare reports for places like Chennai that have had a cloudburst. A cloudburst can occur, and it occurs in hilly areas. We do share it with the state authorities." Responding to concerns about increasing trends, he said, The cloudburst phenomenon is very rare. We cant say there is an increase in the trend, but there are reports by some organisations stating that there is an increase in the trend of cloudbursts." He also pointed out that such incidents were not limited to mountains. Cloudbursts also occur in the plain areas. Last year, it occurred in Puducherry, in certain areas of Andhra Pradesh. Yesterday, in Chennai. But the frequency of cloudbursts in the plains is less than in the hilly areas." (ANI) Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 01, 2025, 00:00 IST News agency-feeds Heavy rains lash Jaipur Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Iran-backed Houthis raid UN offices in Yemen, detain at least 11 employees Last Updated: September 01, 2025, 02:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Cairo, Aug 31 (AP) Iran-backed Houthis on Sunday raided offices of the United Nations food, health and childrens agencies in Yemens capital, detaining 11 UN employees, officials said. The rebels tightened security across Sanaa following the Israeli killing of their prime minister and several Cabinet members. Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, told The Associated Press that security forces raided the agencies offices in the Houthi-controlled capital on Sunday morning. Recommended Stories Also raided were offices of the World Health Organization and UNICEF, according to a UN official and a Houthi official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to brief the media. The UN official said armed forces raided the offices and questioned employees in the parking lot. Ammar Ammar, a spokesperson for UNICEF, said a number of the agencys staffers were detained, and UNICEF was seeking additional information from the Houthis. Both Etefa and Ammar said their agencies were conducting a comprehensive head count" of their employees in Sanaa and other Houthi-held areas. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement late Sunday said at least 11 personnel had been detained. He condemned that and the forced entry into the premises of the World Food Program, the seizure of UN property and attempts to enter other UN premises in Sanaa." He called for the immediate and unconditional release of the personnel. The raids were the latest in a long-running Houthi crackdown against the UN and other international organizations working in rebel-held areas in Yemen. They have detained dozens of UN staffers, as well as people associated with aid groups, civil society and the now-closed US Embassy in Sanaa. The UN suspended its operations in the Houthi stronghold of Saada in northern Yemen after the rebels detained eight UN staffers in January. At least 5 ministers confirmed killed in the Israeli strike Sundays raids came on the heels of the killing of the Houthi prime minister and several of his Cabinet members in an Israeli strike Thursday. It was a blow to the Iran-backed rebels who have launched attacks on Israel and ships in the Red Sea in relation to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Among the dead were Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, Foreign Minister Gamal Amer, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Development Mohammed al-Medani, Electricity Minister Ali Seif Hassan, Tourism Minister Ali al-Yafei and Information Minister Hashim Sharafuldin, according to two Houthi officials and the victims families. Also killed was a powerful deputy interior minister, Abdel-Majed al-Murtada, the Houthi officials said. They were targeted during a routine workshop held by the government to evaluate its activities and performance over the past year," a Houthi statement said Saturday, two days after the strike. The Houthis said a funeral for all those killed is scheduled for Monday in Sabeen Square in central Sanaa. Defense Minister Mohamed Nasser al-Attefi survived the attack while Abdel-Karim al-Houthi, the interior minister and one of the most powerful figures in the rebel group, didnt attend the Thursday meeting, the Houthi officials said. UN envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg expressed great concern" over Israels recent strikes in the Houthi-controlled areas following Houthi attacks against Israel. Yemen cannot afford to become a battleground for a broader geopolitical conflict," he said in a statement. He called for de-escalation. Thursdays strike came after the Houthis attacked Israel on Aug. 21 with a ballistic missile that its military described as the first cluster bomb the rebels had launched at Israel since 2023. The missile, which the Houthis said was aimed at Ben Gurion Airport, prompted air raid sirens across central Israel and Jerusalem, forcing millions into shelters. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Houthis are likely to escalate their attacks on Israel and ships in the Red Sea, after they vowed in July to target merchant ships belonging to any company that does business with Israeli ports, regardless of nationality. Our military approach of targeting the Israeli enemy, whether with missiles, drones or a naval blockade, is continuous, steady, and escalating," al-Houthi, the groups secretive leader, said in a televised speech Sunday. (AP) NB NB Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: September 01, 2025, 02:45 IST News agency-feeds Iran-backed Houthis raid UN offices in Yemen, detain at least 11 employees Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Kolkata: Man arrested for raping woman in moving boat Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 22:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Kolkata, Aug 31 (PTI) A man has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman, whom he had befriended on a social networking site, in a boat in the middle of the Ganga river near Kolkatas Prinsep Ghat, police said on Sunday. He was apprehended from Behala on Saturday night and produced before a court on Sunday, they said. Recommended Stories The incident took place in March this year, following which the accused allegedly blackmailed her on a few occasions and extorted money from the woman, a police officer said. The woman lodged a police complaint in July, but the accused had been absconding since then, he said. He had introduced himself as a high-ranking official in the central government and gradually gained her trust. Over time, they exchanged contact details and began speaking regularly. As their acquaintance deepened, he invited her on a boat ride on the Ganga under the pretext of sightseeing. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The woman agreed and met him at Prinsep Ghat, from where the two took a boat headed towards Babughat. It was during this ride, in the middle of the river, that the alleged sexual assault took place," the officer said. Further investigation is underway. PTI SCH RBT Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: August 31, 2025, 22:45 IST News agency-feeds Kolkata: Man arrested for raping woman in moving boat Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Man beaten to death in UPs Muzaffarnagar Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 12:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Muzaffarnagar (UP), Aug 31 (PTI) A hay trader was allegedly beaten to death by a group of men in Uttar Pradeshs Shamli district, police said on Sunday. The incident occurred on Saturday in Keratu village. Recommended Stories Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Santosh Kumar said, Ankush Kumar (27) had travelled from his village of Nagla in Muzaffarnagar to Keratu to purchase hay. His body was later discovered near a roadside dhaba on the Meerut-Karnal highway with injury marks." According to a complaint filed by the deceaseds family, Ankush was allegedly beaten to death for unknown reasons. A case has been registered based on the complaint, and further investigation is underway, police said. PTI COR CDN ANM ANM NSD NSD Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: August 31, 2025, 12:30 IST News agency-feeds Man beaten to death in UPs Muzaffarnagar Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Over 1.6 million people at risk as flood situation worsens in Pakistans Sindh Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 13:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Karachi [Pakistan], August 31 (ANI): Sindhs Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon stated that up to 1.6 million people across 1,657 villages could be affected in the province due to the floods, Geo News reported. Addressing the media on Saturday, Memon said the provincial government had mobilised its machinery and was taking preventive measures to manage the potential crisis. He added that ministers are on-site, and district authorities are actively involved.His warning comes as extensive areas in Punjab have been submerged, where at least 30 people have lost their lives and over 1.5 million have been affected. The flooding is caused by rising Sutlej, Chenab, and Ravi rivers due to heavy rainfall. Authorities are relocating residents to safer locations, with roughly 481,000 people already evacuated from affected areas, Geo News reported.In Sindh, the government has designated 551 locations for relief camps, and 192 rescue boats are prepared for deployment, Memon said. Around 273,000 families in 167 union councils could be impacted if water levels continue to rise. He added that the floodwaters might reach Sindh between September 2 and 3.Memon shared the current status of barrage discharges: Guddu is releasing 351,000 cusecs of water, Sukkur 289,000 cusecs, and Kotri 251,000 cusecs. The barrages have capacities of 1.2 million, 900,000, and 600,000 cusecs, respectively. At present, the situation is stable, and conditions are expected to remain under control if heavy rainfall does not occur, Geo News reported.The minister stressed that urban centres are not under immediate threat and urged people not to speculate. He noted that emergency measures such as requesting army assistance are unnecessary, as the provincial government is capable of managing the situation independently.Residents in katcha (riverine) areas are being informed about the risks, Memon added, as they are generally aware of water behavior. When water levels rise, people voluntarily move to pucca (settled) areas or stay with relatives," he said.He also mentioned that 300 camps have been set up for livestock, and 15 districts along riverbanks are being closely monitored. Pakistan is among the countries most affected by climate change. Construction should never take place within riverbeds," Memon said, adding that information on water inflows and outflows at barrages will be shared every three hours. (ANI) Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: August 31, 2025, 13:15 IST News agency-feeds Over 1.6 million people at risk as flood situation worsens in Pakistans Sindh Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Passenger gives birth in waiting room at Jhansi railway station Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 21:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Jhansi (UP), Aug 31 (PTI) A passenger on Sunday gave birth to a boy at the waiting room of the Jhansi railway station after she suddenly experienced labour pain while travelling on the Hirakud Express, officials said. Poonam was travelling from Narmadapuram (Madhya Pradesh) to Amritsar in the 20807 Hirakud Express (going from Visakhapatnam to Amritsar), when she suddenly started experiencing severe labour pain before arriving at the Jhansi station, Manoj Kumar Singh, Jhansi Railway Division Public Relations Officer (PRO) said. Recommended Stories Upon receiving the information about Poonams condition, senior CCTC (Commercial Cum Ticket Clerk) Sunil Yadav and Sarika Sachan, who were on duty, informed the rail officials, following which Dr Abhishek and the railway medical team were immediately called to Jhansi railway station. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all As soon as the train reached platform number four at around 9.15 am, Poonam was safely taken to the womens waiting room with the help of the medical team, where she gave birth to a healthy boy. Later, after first aid, the mother and child were sent to the medical college for further treatment and care. PTI COR NAV MPL MPL Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: August 31, 2025, 21:30 IST News agency-feeds Passenger gives birth in waiting room at Jhansi railway station Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) is one of the best stocks to buy on Robinhood right now. On August 26, the company put the contract discussion with the striking machinists union on hold. The company is staring at a standoff involving 3,200 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Boeing Co (BA) Maintains Production as Machinist Workers' Strike Drags The Labor standoff arises from workers rejecting a four-year contract offer. The rejected offer includes a 20% general wage increase and a $5,000 ratification bonus, along with additional vacation time and sick leave. The workers on strike are tasked with assembling Boeing F-15 and F/A-18 fighters. Amid the standoff, the aerospace company has managed to maintain production, flight testing, and other work while using non-union workers. The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) is an aerospace company that develops and manufactures commercial airplanes, defense products, and space systems. Its products include commercial jetliners, military aircraft, satellites, and weapons systems, serving customers worldwide with manufacturing, services, and financing solutions. While we acknowledge the potential of BA as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 13 Best Long-Term Stocks to Invest in According to Warren Buffett and 12 Best Mid-Cap Value Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. UP woman kills husband for neglecting her over first wife; arrested Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 10:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Muzaffarnagar (UP), Aug 31 (PTI) Police here have arrested a woman for allegedly strangling her husband to death in his sleep for neglecting her over his first wife, officials said on Sunday. The incident occurred on August 29, and the accused, Kavita (30), was arrested on Saturday. Recommended Stories Sanjay Kumar (40) was killed by his second wife, Kavita," said Station House Officer (SHO) Dinesh Chand Bhagel, adding the police were alerted about the crime by the victims father, Bhopal Singh. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all During interrogation, Kavita told police that she strangled Sanjay to death while he was sleeping. She also said that Sanjay was neglecting" her over his first wife. Sanjay and Kavita got married in 2000. His first wife lives in his native village of Tanda Majra. PTI COR CDN NSD NSD Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: August 31, 2025, 10:45 IST News agency-feeds UP woman kills husband for neglecting her over first wife; arrested Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... When Travancore queen gifted Onakkodi to European Diwan two centuries ago Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 09:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 31 (PTI) As Onam is round the corner, people of Kerala are now busy purchasing new clothes to gift to their dear ones during the auspicious Thiruvonam" day. Records of history suggest that the practice of gifting onakkodi" (new cloths) was prevalent among the people of the erstwhile Travancore (southern Kerala) even centuries ago. Recommended Stories According to a historical document, a queen of Travancore had gifted an onakkodi to a British Resident over two centuries ago and requested him to accept it as a prasadam (gracious gift) of Lord Sree Padmanabha, the titular deity of Travancore royals. Rani Gouri Lakshmi Bai, who ruled the princely state from 1810-1812 as a queen and then as a Regent till her death in 1815, was the one who gifted new clothes to Colonel John Munro, the then British Resident, as a mark of Onam celebration. Munro was also the first European Diwan of Travancore. He initiated the modernisation of the administration in the princely state. Two separate letters sent by Queen Lakshmi Bai to Colonel Munro and his wife, while gifting them onakkodi", can be found in the Kerala Society Papers", a compilation of rare historical documents and royal decrees published by the state government. In the letter sent in the year 1812, the queen pointed out that Thiruvonam", the most auspicious day in the 10-day-long Onam festivities, was also the Thirunaal" (sacred birthday) of Lord Padmanabha. She pointed out in the letter that there had been a customary practice of gifting onakkodi" to loved ones on the occasion of Thiruvonam" day in the Malayalam month of Chingam, as both Onam and the Thirunal" of Lord Padmanabha fall on the same day. The queen also said that it was given with utmost love and affection". Therefore, I am sending the Onakkodi to Colonel, who is like a brother to me, your wife and children. I hope you may graciously accept my gift and make my heart happy," Lakshmi Bai said in the letter dated Chingam 11 in the 988th year of Malayalam calender. In a letter sent to Munros wife dated on the same day, the queen said her mind had been upset for some days learning about the health issues of the foreign woman and her children. Lakshmi Bai, the mother of visionary king Swathi Thirunal, also said that she prayed to Lord Padmanabha for the speedy recovery of the Diwans family from illness. In the letter, she requested Colonel Munros wife to update her about their health status and accept the onakkodi" as part of the traditional practice. Historian T P Sankarankutty Nair said the Thiruonam day in the Malayalam month of Chingam is very special to Travancore royals, as the Thirunaal" of the Lord also falls on the same day as per the belief. Gift exchange, including the presentation of new clothes in connection with the Onam ceremony, had been a practice prevalent among the royals here for centuries, and there was evidence for it since the 1800s, he said. There were also records which showed that Colonel Munro presented Onakkodi to the queen also as a return gift. That means the practice had been part of traditional custom those days," Sankarankutty told PTI. A former Head of the Department of History, University of Kerala, he said Onam had been celebrated across South India once, but in the course of time it was confined to just Kerala. There were records that rulers of other kingdoms visited Travancore during Onam days and presented their gifts to Lord Padmanabha and the then rulers here, he said. In the history of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple, there were references about the gifting of a precious crown to Lord Padmanabha by a Vijayanagara king during a Thiruvonam day," the historian said. A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar), a book written by Robert Sewell, had references about the Onam celebrations in the Vijayanagar Empire centuries ago, he pointed out. Nair further said the age-old practice of the members of the Kani tribe, living in the foothills of the Agasthyarkoodam forests, presenting thirumulkazhcha" (offerings) to the Travancore royal family during the Onam season still continues. Their offerings used to comprise honey, forest products, and their handmade articles. The royal family would give them Onakkodi in exchange. They travel all the way to the city from the deep forests just to keep alive the traditional practice," Nair said. Besides the tribals, members of many other prominent communities also used to present Onam gifts to royal family members, even though the monarchy is a thing of the past, he added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all According to folklore, Onam is a festival connected with the return of the mythical demon king Mahabali under whose reign everyone lived in happiness and equality. Legend has it that, envious of his popularity, the Devas sought the help of Lord Vishnu to get him banished into the netherworld but before going down, Mahabali secured a boon from Vishnu to visit his subjects every year on Thiruvonam Day. PTI LGK ADB Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: August 31, 2025, 09:45 IST News agency-feeds When Travancore queen gifted Onakkodi to European Diwan two centuries ago Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Woman assaulted while feeding stray dogs, five booked Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 22:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Bengaluru, Aug 31 (PTI) A woman was allegedly assaulted by a group of people while she was feeding stray dogs at Choodasandra here, police said. The incident occurred on August 27, when the complainant, identified as Neha Parween, went to feed stray dogs as usual at around 4 pm with her father. Recommended Stories She has been feeding stray dogs in the neighbourhood for four years now, said the police. The woman lodged a complaint at Parappana Agrahara Police Station and identified five from the gang Salim, Sudha, Kavita, Aminul Rehman and Vinod residents of the apartment that she stays in. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Police told PTI that the five were booked under relevant sections of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and BNS. Further investigation is on, they added. PTI JR KH Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: August 31, 2025, 22:45 IST News agency-feeds Woman assaulted while feeding stray dogs, five booked Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Aquarius Horoscope Today, August 31, 2025 Written By : GaneshaGrace Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 07:00 IST Aquarius Daily Horoscope, August 31, 2025: Ideal day for financial growth and business expansion. Focus on your career, take calculated risks, and collaborate to boost your success Aquarius Horoscope Today: Astrological predictions by Chirag Daruwalla for kumbha rashi on August 31 2025. (AI generated image) Aquarius Daily Horoscope Today, August 31 2025: Ganesha says today will be a great day for you financially. You will get an opportunity to implement your financial plans today. You can earn a good amount of money to improve your financial condition. Today, you will get an opportunity to make expansion plans to take your business forward. You will need to make maximum efforts to achieve success in your business. You will enhance professional networking and showcase your talents effectively. Recommended Stories Hard work will help you make your mark, ensuring continued success in your career. Your artistic skills will be recognized, leading to important decisions that will enhance your reputation. Collaboration and teamwork with peers will improve. You will increase your activity levels, which will resolve any systemic issues. You will take care of others while maintaining a sense of dignity. Your morale will be high and your health will be good. Aquarius Horoscope Today, August 31, 2025 Positive: If you are going to make a special decision, then taking advice from an experienced person will help you. You may have to help someone in need, and by doing this, you will get mental peace. If any property-related work is stuck, then that too can be solved. Negative: Do not do any kind of transaction with unknown people without thinking. You can be a victim of fraud or cheating. There is a need to be very careful in finance-related work. Too much thinking can make time go out of hand, so be alert. Business: Business-related pending government work can be completed with the help of officials. Keep a sharp eye on partnership-related business. There will be good profit if a business deal comes in hand. There will be a lot of running around, but the work will be completed on time. Financial: You may need to seek advice from a financial expert so that you can make your financial strategy even stronger. You should have full confidence in yourself to achieve success in your business today. Also, focus on expanding your business and branching out into new cities. News from abroad is likely to be profitable. If you work in an industry that provides services to customers abroad then today can be a very positive day for you. Keep track of incoming orders and ramp up your production to meet demands. However, dont compromise on quality, as you may find your profits diminish as quickly as they came. Employed people may suddenly face some unwanted situations. In some cases, you may get upset due to not getting help from the authorities. Love: There will be shopping for comfort-related items in the house. It is also a good time for love relationships to get approval from the family regarding marriage. Health: Negative thoughts can have a bad effect on health. Do spend some time on your favorite work. Lucky Colour: Blue Lucky Number: 2 (The author Chirag Daruwalla is the son of Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla). top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all About the Author Chirag Daruwalla Chirag Daruwalla, a renowned Indian astrologer with 18+ years of experience, provides expert guidance in career, health, finance, business, and more. He combines Vedic and Western astrology, I-Ching, ... Read More First Published: August 31, 2025, 07:00 IST News astrology Aquarius Horoscope Today, August 31, 2025 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Air India Flight Returns To Delhi After Mid-Air Fire Indication In Engine Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 09:31 IST The pilots received a fire indication for the right engine and landed the flight safely at the Delhi airport, the airline said. Air India (File photo) An Indore-bound Air India flight returned to the city shortly after takeoff on Sunday after the pilot received a fire indication" in the right engine of the aircraft, the airline said. The airplane was grounded for inspection, and the passengers were transferred to an alternative aircraft to Indore. Recommended Stories Flight AI2913, operating from Delhi to Indore on 31 August, air-returned to Delhi shortly after take-off, as the cockpit crew received a fire indication for the right engine. Following standard procedure, the cockpit crew elected to shut down the engine and returned to Delhi where the flight landed safely. The aircraft has been grounded for inspection, and passengers are being transferred to an alternative aircraft which will operate the flight to Indore shortly. The regulator has been duly informed of the incident. We regret the inconvenience caused to the passengers. At Air India, the safety of passengers and crew are our top priority," the airline spokesperson said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The pilots followed standard procedure, turned off the engine, and flew back to Delhi, where the plane landed safely. The airline said it has informed the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, about the incident. (With PTI inputs) About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More First Published: August 31, 2025, 09:25 IST News cities Air India Flight Returns To Delhi After Mid-Air Fire Indication In Engine Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Surya Devs Sunday: Built In 1026-27 CE, This Temple Saw Invasions, Disasters How To Reach From Mumbai Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 09:00 IST The Modhera Sun Temple in Gujarat, built in 1026 CE, is a stunning heritage site dedicated to Surya Dev. With Vande Bharat and the upcoming bullet train, reaching this historic marvel is now faster. (Photo Credit: X) The Modhera Sun Temple in Gujarat is one of Indias most stunning architectural marvels. Dedicated to Surya Dev (the Sun God), it reflects the unmatched artistry of the Solanki dynasty. Surrounded by serene landscapes and built along the Pushpavati River, this sandstone temple stands as a timeless reminder of devotion, craftsmanship and cultural richness. With its finely carved pillars, sculptures and grandeur, the temple offers not just history but also a spiritual experience. Visitors are often struck by the sheer detail of its carvings, which seem to narrate stories on stone. Recommended Stories Today, the temple is not only a heritage site but also a symbol of Gujarats pride. The history of the Modhera Sun Temple goes back to the Solanki dynasty The Modhera Sun Temple was built in 102627 CE during the reign of Bhima I of the Chaulukya (Solanki) dynasty. Historical texts and scriptures such as the Brahmapurana and Skanda Purana also mention the temple, underlining its importance in Indias spiritual and cultural traditions. The complex begins with the famous Suryakund, a large stepwell with 108 shrines dedicated to various gods and demigods. The Sabha Mandap (assembly hall) features 12 sculpted Adityas, representing the Sun God in each month of the year. Though the main sanctum no longer holds an idol, the temple is designed so that during the equinox, the first rays of the sun directly illuminate the sanctum, symbolising eternal energy. The location and timings of the temple make it easy for travellers The Sun Temple is located in Modhera village of Mehsana district in Gujarat, about 99 km from Ahmedabad. The temple is open every day from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. The best time to visit is between October and March, when the weather is pleasant. January is especially significant, as the Gujarat Tourism Department organises the Modhera Dance Festival inside the temple complex. Classical dancers from across the country perform here, transforming the temple into a stage of cultural beauty. Road, air and train options to reach the temple By Air: The nearest airport is Ahmedabads Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, located about 95 km away. From there, the temple can be reached in roughly 2 hours by road. By Train: Mehsana Junction is the closest railway station (26 km). Regular trains from major cities in Gujarat stop here. By Road: Modhera is well connected by road, with highways linking it to Ahmedabad (99 km), Gandhinagar (83 km) and Mehsana (26 km). Does Vande Bharat run from Mumbai to a station near Modhera Sun Temple? Yes, the Mumbai Central-Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express is one of the fastest and most convenient options. The train departs Mumbai Central at 6:00 am and reaches Gandhinagar by 12:25 pm, with stops at Surat, Vadodara, Anand, Navsari, Vapi, Valsad, Borivali and Ahmedabad Junction. Travellers heading to Modhera can disembark at Ahmedabad, which is about 75 km away from the temple. From there, a cab or bus can get you to the temple in about 1.5 to 2 hours. Alternatively, Mehsana Junction is the nearest railway station at just 26 km away from the temple, but Mumbai has no direct Vande Bharat to Mehsana yet. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train will make the journey even faster Indias first bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is set to further ease travel to Modhera. Running at a speed of 320 km/h, the bullet train will cut travel time to just over 2 hours. Starting from Mumbais Bandra-Kurla Complex, the train will stop at Vapi, Surat, Anand, Vadodara and Ahmedabad. Once operational, travellers from Mumbai will be able to reach Ahmedabad quickly and then continue by road (around 75 km) to Modhera. This will be a major boost for tourists planning day trips or short stays to explore the Sun Temple and nearby attractions. Best experiences and travel tips for visitors Visiting early in the morning is highly recommended, as the temple looks breathtaking in the golden rays of sunrise. Hiring a local guide can enrich the experience, as they share fascinating legends and details about the temples construction and history. While Modhera has a few small eateries, visitors may find better dining options in Mehsana or Ahmedabad. Gujarati thalis, snacks like dhokla and khandvi and local delicacies are worth trying. Accommodation ranges from budget hotels in Mehsana to luxury stays in Ahmedabad. A blend of history, architecture and modern travel top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Modhera Sun Temple is more than just a monument; it is an experience that combines history, devotion and art. With improved connectivity through Vande Bharat and the upcoming bullet train, reaching this thousand-year-old heritage site is becoming easier than ever. Whether you are drawn by its architecture, spiritual aura, or cultural events, the temple promises a memorable journey into Indias past and present. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: August 31, 2025, 09:00 IST News mumbai-news Surya Devs Sunday: Built In 1026-27 CE, This Temple Saw Invasions, Disasters How To Reach From Mumbai Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Would Boycott...': Women Journalists Allege Harassment At Maratha Quota Protest Site Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 01, 2025, 00:01 IST TV Journalists Association complained to Manoj Jarange about misconduct by supporters at Azad Maidan. Activist Manoj Jarange Patil during his indefinite hunger strike demanding Maratha reservation, at Azad Maidan, in Mumbai. (PTI photo) Maratha Quota Protest: The TV Journalists Association has filed a complaint with Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange regarding allegations of misconduct and misbehaviour by his supporters towards women reporters at Mumbais Azad Maidan. The journalists body has warned that if such incidents continued, the media would boycott the coverage of the agitation. Recommended Stories In a letter addressed to Jarange, the association said that while journalists had been covering his movement for the past several days, instances of misbehaviour, including attempts to obstruct women journalists from performing their duties, had surfaced. The association urged Jarange to intervene and ensure that the media was not disrespected. Reacting strongly, BJP MLC and the partys state womens wing president, Chitra Wagh, condemned the behaviour, questioning whether those involved could be considered true followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, emphasising the historical reverence for women and the importance of respectful conduct. What is this talk that village boys are used to such behaviour? Please do not invoke the names of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Mata Jijau, who are revered across the nation. Such conduct and such words are completely unacceptable to them. Jai Jijau, Jai Shivarai, Jai Maharashtra," she further said. Mumbai Press Club also condemned the harassment of women journalists and media representatives covering the protest. While addressing a press conference earlier today, Jarange referred to NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule being mobbed by slogan-shouting quota supporters after she visited him, as well as journalists being jeered. He said all those coming to the site must be treated with respect. Maratha Quota Protest The Maratha quota protests in Mumbai led by activist Manoj Jarange Patil entered the third day on Sunday, with the activist asserting that he will not leave the city until his demand for reservation to the Maratha community is met. The activist has hardened his stand by maintaining his demand was constitutionally valid, even as some Maharashtra ministers from the BJP said the community must avail the existing EWS quota. Meanwhile, Mumbai Police has granted Patil permission to extend his protest at Azad Maidan by one more day. Patil has been on a hunger strike for the past three days, demanding a 10 per cent reservation for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. He argues that Marathas share caste links with the agrarian Kunbi community. Asserting that he will not leave Mumbai till his demands are met, Jarange said, The government has records of 58 lakh Marathas as Kunbis." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Jarange, who refused to soften his stand after a delegation under retired HC judge Sandeep Shinde met him a day earlier, on Sunday said, From tomorrow, I will stop taking water as the government is not accepting the demands. But I am not going back till the quota demand is met. We will get Marathas reservation under the OBC category no matter what." (With inputs from PTI) About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More First Published: September 01, 2025, 00:01 IST News mumbai-news 'Would Boycott...': Women Journalists Allege Harassment At Maratha Quota Protest Site Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... PM Modi In China: Why Tianjin, Not Beijing, Was Chosen For The SCO Summit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 09:30 IST Chinas shift of the SCO Summit to Tianjin blends past and presentturning a once foreign-controlled city into a symbol of innovation, power, and diplomacy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets upon his arrival at the airport, in Tianjin, China. (Image: PTI) China is hosting the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit today. This time, the summit is witnessing a striking shift in tradition as the SCO leaders are scheduled to gather in Tianjin instead of Beijing or Shanghai, the capital and the SCOs birthplace. Chinas choice of Tianjin for the SCO Summit is symbolichighlighting the citys history, economic rise, and global role while showcasing Beijings wider ambitions. Recommended Stories By moving the summit from Beijing to Tianjin, China intertwines past and presenthighlighting a city once shaped by foreign dominance but now redefined as a hub of innovation and diplomacy. The choice is not just about venue; its about narrative. Tianjin Journey From Port City To Global Hub Home to more than 15 million people, Tianjin is Chinas third-largest urban hub after Beijing and Shanghai. Historically, it functioned as the gateway port for Beijing, just 120 km away. Between 1860 and 1945, it was a city of foreign concessionsnine in totaland even hosted a multinational military government. This unique past positioned it as a center of international influence. A popular Chinese saying captures its significance: If you want to understand 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation, look at Xian; 1,000 years, look at Beijing; modern China, look at Tianjin." Today, Tianjin is a thriving hub of trade, technology, and culture. Its port ranks among the worlds ten largest, anchoring shipping and logistics. It is also a key industrial base with strengths in manufacturing, automotive, and petrochemicals, while serving as a food supply centre for Beijing. As a hub for innovation, the city produces hundreds of thousands of graduates annually and houses the National Supercomputing Centre, once home to Tianhe-1Athe worlds fastest supercomputer in 2010. Global companies like Airbus, Motorola, and Mitsubishi have set up bases here, fueling rapid growth. Tianjins eclectic architectural landscapeshaped by European, Japanese, and other influencesoffers a unique charm, often described as a place where one can experience the world" without leaving China. Why Tianjin Over Beijing? Strategic Significance Chinas decision to hold the SCO summit in Tianjin is deliberate. By choosing a city once dominated by foreign powers, Beijing underscores how Tianjin now stands as a testament to sovereignty, revival, and progress. It sends a signal to the West that China has turned a page and is using this platform to redefine the global order. Tianjin also plays a crucial role in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). As a super-hub," it connects maritime and land routeslinking the ChinaMongoliaRussia corridor with the New Eurasian Land Bridge stretching across Central Asia to Europe. Cheng Yongmin, director of the Research Centre at the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, told Kazinform News Agency that Tianjin was chosen for its advanced infrastructure, open-door policy, and track record in hosting global events. The city, he adds, embodies Chinas ambition to anchor economic and diplomatic links across Eurasia. The Geopolitical Backdrop The timing of the summit makes the choice even more symbolic. With the world grappling with Russias war in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas conflict, and growing U.S.China tensions, the SCO positions itself as a platform for multilateralism. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Manoj Kewalramani, chairperson of the Indo-Pacific Studies Programme at the Takshashila Institution in Bangalore pointed out that SCO members see themselves as defenders of multilateralism in contrast to unilateral Western policies. Alejandro Reyes of the University of Hong Kong added that hosting in Tianjin underscores Chinas role as a bridge-builder," countering U.S. isolationist tendencies and projecting Beijing as a leader of productive global engagement. Tianjins Makeover For the Global Stage top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In the run-up to the summit, Tianjin has undergone a facelift. A massive lighting project has illuminated 217 buildings, 14 bridges, and over 8 km of riverfront along the Haihe River. Roads have been resurfaced, and nearly 1,000 student volunteers trained in protocol, emergency response, and language assistance stand ready to welcome guests. The city is hosting more than 20 heads of state including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and others, making this the largest SCO gathering to date. About the Author Surbhi Pathak Surbhi Pathak, subeditor, writes on India, world affairs, science, and education. She is currently dabbling with lifestyle content. Follow her on X: @S_Pathak_11. First Published: August 31, 2025, 09:30 IST News explainers PM Modi In China: Why Tianjin, Not Beijing, Was Chosen For The SCO Summit Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Bihar SIR Drive: 1.98 Lakh Pleas For Voter List Exclusion, 30,000 For Inclusion, Shows ECI Data Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 04:51 IST Officials say the substantial number of exclusion requests highlights the effectiveness of the SIR in detecting irregularities within the existing voter data Although the ECI asserts that the process is transparent and aims to preserve the electoral roll's integrity, critics say the disparity in the numbers underscores the political and social sensitivity surrounding the revision process, as the fate of hundreds of thousands of voters remains uncertain. (File pic/PTI) The Election Commission of India (ECI) has disclosed that as many as 1.98 lakh requests have been submitted in Bihar for the removal of names from the voter list, while only around 30,000 requests for the inclusion of new names have been received. Recommended Stories This information comes during the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, a thorough house-to-house exercise aimed at maintaining a clean and precise voter list in preparation for the upcoming assembly elections. The ECIs goal is to eliminate duplicate entries, deceased voters, and other ineligible names, while also enrolling all eligible citizens who may have previously been overlooked. The revision process commenced in late June, and the draft electoral rolls were published on August 1. The period for claims and objections, permitting the submission of these inclusion or exclusion requests, is set to end on September 1, with the final electoral rolls scheduled for publication on September 30. Officials say the substantial number of exclusion requests highlights the effectiveness of the SIR in detecting irregularities within the existing voter data. However, the process has also ignited controversy. Various opposition parties and activists have expressed concerns that the stringent documentation requirementsincluding a Supreme Court ruling that recognises Aadhaar as a valid document along with 11 others specified by the ECIcould result in the disenfranchisement of marginalised communities and migrant workers who may lack the necessary paperwork. This has led to appeals in the Supreme Court to extend the deadline for submitting claims and objections. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Although the ECI asserts that the process is transparent and aims to preserve the electoral rolls integrity, critics say the disparity in the numbers underscores the political and social sensitivity surrounding the revision process, as the fate of hundreds of thousands of voters remains uncertain. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More First Published: August 31, 2025, 04:51 IST News india Bihar SIR Drive: 1.98 Lakh Pleas For Voter List Exclusion, 30,000 For Inclusion, Shows ECI Data Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Did PM Modi, President Xi Discuss Trump Tariffs During Bilateral Talks? MEA Responds Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 21:14 IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping discussed global economic challenges and ways to strengthen India China trade ties in Tianjin, amid US tariffs and WTO concerns. PM Modi with Xi Jinping | Image: PMO Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the global economic situation and acknowledged the challenges arising from it during bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Sunday. While addressing a press conference in Tianjin detailing PM Modis visit to the neighbouring country, Mirsi was asked if the two leaders discussed the implications of US President Donald Trumps tariffs during their bilateral engagements. Recommended Stories In response, Misri said that the two leaders were mindful of international developments, however, the focus of their talks remained on the bilateral front. He said that PM Modi and President Jinping discussed how to advance the economic and commercial relationship between India and China in the midst of these evolving challenges The focus of the discussion remained in the bilateral domain. Of course, they recognise whats happening on the international plane and the challenges it creates, but they tried to see how to leverage that for building greater understanding between themselves and how to take forward the economic and commercial relationship between India and China in the midst of these evolving challenges," Misri said. #WATCH | Tianjin, China: On whether US tariffs were discussed during the bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, The two leaders discussed the international economic situation. They recognised the challenges pic.twitter.com/9WMDNply9w ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 The Foreign Secretary further said that there are common interests for India and China that are large actors on the international, commercial, economic, and financial stage. There is a deficit in how the WTO (World Trade Organization) is working, for instance. There is even a deficit in how the United Nations is working at this point in time. These are obviously common interests for two countries, such as India and China, that are large actors on the international, commercial, economic, and financial stage" he added. #WATCH | Tianjin, China: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, Obviously, there is a deficit in how the WTO (World Trade Organization) is working, for instance. There is even a deficit in how the United Nations is working at this point in time. These are obviously common pic.twitter.com/aleYqMTVsO ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 PM Modi and President Jinping considered it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges, Misri said. While speaking about India-China trade relations, Misri said that both leaders believe that the Indian and the Chinese economies can play in stabilising world trade. Both leaders underlined the need, once again, to proceed from a political and strategic direction to reduce their bilateral trade deficit, facilitate bilateral trade and investment ties in both directions, and increase policy transparency and predictability," he said. #WATCH | Tianjin, China: On PM Modis bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, On economic and trade relations, there was recognition of the role that the Indian and the Chinese economies can play in stabilising world trade. Both pic.twitter.com/DIzmEqLRUI ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 PM Modi and President Xi held wide-ranging talks to reset the bilateral relations between India and China, which have been on the mend over the past two years since a major rift following the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. This comes at a time even more significant amid a tariff tussle with the United States. Trumps Tariffs top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The US President has imposed a 50 per cent import duty on Indian imports and a 30 per cent duty on Chinese imports. Trump levied an additional 25 per cent import duty on Indian goods following New Delhis continued purchase of Russian oil, which he claimed was fuelling Moscows war effort in Ukraine. China, however, has been spared by the United States. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 21:14 IST News india Did PM Modi, President Xi Discuss Trump Tariffs During Bilateral Talks? MEA Responds Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Key Points BYD isnt a household name within the United States largely because it doesnt do business here. Nevertheless, this EV powerhouse does do business where electric vehicles are increasingly in demand. Whether its a millionaire maker or not, BYD is a compelling prospect for most growth investors portfolios. 10 stocks we like better than BYD Company Are you looking to turn a little money now into a lot of money in the future? Maybe even a seven-figure stash? Stocks are the answer, of course, although it's easier said than done. You need to find the right stocks at the right time and then stick with them long enough to achieve your goal. That can be a tall order. Enter BYD Company (OTC: BYDDY) -- one of a handful of names a growing number of investors are betting will get them to the seven-figure mark. But are they actually right about this stock's potential upside? What's BYD? Never heard of it? You might be more familiar with it than you think. Remember relatively recent headlines about Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) no longer being the world's biggest electric vehicle (EV) company? BYD's the outfit that eclipsed it. That may be a bit tough to believe given that you've never actually seen a BYD-made EV on American roads. There's a perfectly good explanation: BYD doesn't sell its EVs in the U.S. Its core market remains its home country of China, although it's doing pretty well in the rest of the Pacific region as well as in Europe. All told, the company sold nearly 607,000 battery-powered EVs in the second quarter of this year versus Tesla's deliveries of only 373,728 automobiles. Image source: Getty Images. And that's just battery-only EVs. The company sold even more hybrids during this three-month stretch. The company also manufactures buses, high-speed trains, electronics components, and perhaps most notably, lithium batteries ... including for other carmakers' EVs. That still doesn't tell the whole story. Unlike most other auto manufacturers, BYD is fiercely self-sufficient. It makes its own electronic components for its EVs, for example, and of course, its own EV batteries. It even owns seven of its own cargo ships, each of which is capable of delivering thousands of vehicles to overseas markets, providing the company with enormous flexibility rather than leaving it dependent on third-party maritime shipping services. Oh, yeah ... BYD is profitable too, and pretty consistently so. BYD is in the right place, at the right time, with the right product(s) Still, given what we know of the United States' EV market, it would be easy to conclude millionaire-making gains aren't in the cards anytime soon, if ever. The American Automobile Association (which you know better as AAA or just Triple-A) says the number of Americans who are likely to buy an EV is steadily falling, from 2022's modest figure of 25% to only 16% this year; drivers are mostly worried about the complicated logistics of keeping their batteries charged away from home. FIR Against TMC MP Mahua Moitra In Chhattisgarh For 'Hate' Remarks Against Amit Shah Curated By : Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 15:40 IST An FIR was filed against Mahua Moitra in Raipur over alleged hate remarks about Amit Shah. A case was registered against Moitra at the Mana police station. FIR against Mahua Moitra for her alleged "objectionable" remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah Mahua Moitras alleged controversial remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah triggered a controversy. A first information report (FIR) has been registered against Trinamool Congress MP in Chhattisgarhs Raipur. Based on a complaint filed by a local resident, a case was registered against Moitra at the Mana police station on Saturday under sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.) and 197 (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), an official said. Recommended Stories What Is The Controversy About? Moitra sparked a row after allegedly saying that if Amit Shah fails to stop infiltration from Bangladesh, the first thing you should do is cut Amit Shahs head and put it on your table". A video with such claims is doing rounds. However, its authenticity is not certain yet. As per the report, Moitra allegedly made the remark while speaking to reporters in West Bengals Nadia district on the sidelines of an event on Thursday. The TMC MP alleged that the Union government was neglecting its responsibilities on border security. The police official said that the complainant, Gopal Samanto, alleged that Moitras remarks were objectionable and unconstitutional. The complaint also stated that a large number of Bangladeshi refugees were settled in the Mana Camp area in Raipur in 1971, and Moitras statement has created fear among them, as such remarks may provoke anger from other communities against them, the official said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to take punitive action against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra. In a post on X, Vishnu Deo Sai shared, The remark made by the Trinamool Congress MP against the Honourable Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji is not only objectionable but also a serious criminal act. Such audacity to make such remarks would not be possible without the backing of the Trinamool Congress high command and Chief Minister Smt. Mamata Banerjee. Smt. Mamata Banerjee Ji should clarify whether she agrees with Mahua Moitra Jis statement or not. If she does not agree, then she should take punitive action against her party leader and apologise to the entire country for this act." Location : Raipur, India, India First Published: August 31, 2025, 15:20 IST News india FIR Against TMC MP Mahua Moitra In Chhattisgarh For 'Hate' Remarks Against Amit Shah Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Gave Me Global Recongnition': Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath On Stray Dog Order Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 11:26 IST Justice Vikram Nath headed the three-judge bench that stayed an earlier order from a two-judge bench mandating the sheltering of the stray dog. Justice Vikram Nath Thankful To CJI For Allotting Stray Dog Case To Him In a light-hearted conversation, Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath shared his experience with a recent stray dog hearing. He became everyones favourite by siding with the earlier order of sheltering the stray dogs. Speaking on the matter, Nath expressed that this case gave him global recognition. He also expressed gratitude to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) for assigning him the case related to the issue of stray dogs. Recommended Stories So [far], I have been known in the legal fraternity for the little work I do, but I am thankful to the stray dogs (case) for making me known to the entire civil society, not only in this country but worldwide. And I am thankful to my CJI for allotting me that matter," he was quoted as saying by Bar and Bench. His remarks came during an address at an event on growing challenges of human-wildlife conflict in Kerala. The conference, organised by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA), was held in Thiruvananthapuram and was attended by Supreme Court and High Court judges. During his address, Justice Nath was responding to the questions asked to him related to the stray dogs matter. Presidents of various lawyers associations asked the questions. And I have also been receiving messages saying that apart from dog lovers, dogs are also giving me blessings and good wishes. In addition to human blessings and good wishes, I have their good wishes also. Our courts have upheld the public trust doctrine, reminding us that natural resources are not the property of the state, but a trust to be preserved for present and future generations," he said. On August 11, the court directed the Delhi government and municipal authorities to immediately capture all stray dogs across Delhi-NCR and relocate them to designated shelters due to escalating dog bites. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On August 22, a three-judge bench, headed by Justice Vikram Nath, modified that initial order. It directed that stray dogs, once sterilised, de-wormed and vaccinated, must be released back to the locations from which they were picked up, except in cases where the dogs are rabid or show aggressive behaviour. First Published: August 31, 2025, 11:26 IST News india 'Gave Me Global Recongnition': Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath On Stray Dog Order Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Hindu Marriage Valid Even Without Registration Certificate, Rules Allahabad High Court Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 04:30 IST The court stressed that a legitimate marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, is based on the performance of essential ceremonies, not the possession of a registration document The High Courts decision highlights that the sanctity and legitimacy of a Hindu marriage are rooted in traditional rituals and customs, such as saptapadi (the seven steps around the sacred fire), which are crucial for a lawful marriage under Section 7 of the Act. Representational image In a pivotal decision, the Allahabad High Court has ruled that a Hindu marriage remains valid even without a marriage registration certificate. The court stressed that a legitimate marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, is based on the performance of essential ceremonies, not the possession of a registration document. Recommended Stories This verdict emerged from a case in which a man sought to nullify his marriage, arguing its invalidity due to the lack of registration. Justice Ajit Kumar, presiding over the case, dismissed this claim. The bench referred to Section 8 of the Hindu Marriage Act, which addresses the registration of Hindu marriages. The court clarified that while registering a marriage is important, it is a directory, not a mandatory, requirement. Therefore, the absence of marriage registration does not invalidate the marriage. The High Courts decision highlights that the sanctity and legitimacy of a Hindu marriage are rooted in traditional rituals and customs, such as saptapadi (the seven steps around the sacred fire), which are crucial for a lawful marriage under Section 7 of the Act. The court noted that a marriage certificate serves as evidence of the marriage but is not necessary for its validity. The primary purpose of registration is to provide documentary evidence and facilitate various legal and administrative functions. The ruling offers clarity and relief to numerous couples who, for various reasons, have not registered their marriages. It shields them from potential legal issues arising from the lack of a registration certificate. The courts judgement reasserts that the essence of a Hindu marriagethe performance of sacred ceremoniestakes precedence over the procedural formality of registration. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The HC ruling differentiates between the validity of a marriage and the proof of marriage. While not having a registration certificate may complicate providing legal proof, it does not, by itself, nullify the marriage. The judgment ensures that the legal status of a marriage is not compromised by bureaucratic procedures, preserving the sanctity of traditional Hindu marital customs. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More First Published: August 31, 2025, 04:30 IST News india Hindu Marriage Valid Even Without Registration Certificate, Rules Allahabad High Court Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Maratha Quota Row: Manoj Jarange Gets 1-Day Extension For Protest, Govt Sets Up Panel Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 21:53 IST The ruling Mahayuti govt has established a 10member ministerial committee led by Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Activist Manoj Jarange Patil during his indefinite hunger strike demanding Maratha reservation, at Azad Maidan, in Mumbai. (PTI photo) Mumbai Police on Sunday granted Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil permission to extend his protest at Azad Maidan by one more day. Patil has been on a hunger strike for the past three days, demanding a 10 per cent reservation for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. He argues that Marathas share caste links with the agrarian Kunbi community. Recommended Stories Kunbis are an agricultural caste that currently qualifies for reservation benefits under the OBC category. The activist has said he will not leave the protest site until the state government issues a formal resolution (GR) on the quota demand. Speaking to the media at Azad Maidan earlier in the day, Patil declared, We wont budge from the protest venue till demands are met even if the Fadnavis govt fires bullets at us". He also claimed that there are around 58 lakh official records proving that Marathas have historical links to the Kunbi caste. Those who want reservation will take it. Dont generalise Marathas as Kunbis if there is a legal issue," he added. 10Member Panel Formed In response to mounting pressure, the ruling Mahayuti government has established a 10member ministerial committee led by Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. The panel is examining whether the Hyderabad and Satara gazetteers, which describe Marathas as Kunbis, can be legally invoked to grant reservation rights. After a panel meeting, Vikhe Patil said that both the Advocate General Biren Saraf and retired High Court judge Sandeep Shinde will review the gazetteers. I will meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and apprise him of the deliberations the sub-committee had. There is a Supreme Court observation regarding the recognition of Marathas as Kunbis. We cannot override the SC observations (that Marathas and Kunbis are not the same). We are open to discussions as a solution needs to be found," the minister said. Political Row Erupts The Maratha quota agitation has triggered a political row, with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar stating that the government is working on a war footing" to resolve the issue. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has extended its support to the protest, while NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar has called for a constitutional amendment to lift the 50 per cent cap on reservationsa proposal also backed by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. Pawars suggestion, however, drew a pointed response from Ajit Pawar, who remarked that those now proposing such changes had themselves been in power for years. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Raut, meanwhile, urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to meet protest leader Manoj Jarange Patil directly at Azad Maidan, criticising the ministers handling of the reservations issue. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, on the other hand, defended the governments response and accused the opposition of politicising the agitation. (With inputs from agencies) About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More Location : Maharashtra, India, India First Published: August 31, 2025, 21:51 IST News india Maratha Quota Row: Manoj Jarange Gets 1-Day Extension For Protest, Govt Sets Up Panel Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Long-Term Cooperation': Xi Calls For 'Dragon-Elephant' Tango; Modi Talks Border, Flights | Key Takeaways Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 16:16 IST PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held wide-ranging talks to reset the bilateral relations between India and China PM Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting, in Tianjin, China on August 31. (Image: PMO/PTI) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday outlined a vision of long-term cooperation" with India even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said New Delhi is committed to taking forward its ties with Beijing based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity. Modi and Xi held wide-ranging talks to reset the bilateral relations between India and China, which have been on the mend over the past two years since a major rift following the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. This comes at a time even more significant amid a tariff tussle with the United States. Recommended Stories Modi spoke about border management as well as the resumption of flights between the two countries and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Follow PM Modi In China LIVE Updates Here Xi, meanwhile, spoke about how the relationship between India and China should take the form of a dragon-elephant" tango a dance between their emblematic animals and find a way to be good neighbours" to each other, especially as they mark the 75th anniversary of their bilateral ties. Here are the key takeaways from their meeting: PRESIDENT XI JINPING According to top sources, Xi said China wants cooperation with a long-term vision in all fields" with India. In his opening remarks he said: It is a great pleasure to meet you again, Mr Prime Minister. I welcome you to China for the SCO summit. Last year, we had a successful meeting in Kazan." On dragon-elephant tango: Xi spoke about how it is vital for India and China to be friends", good neighbours" and come together as the dragon and elephant". The world is going towards transformation. China and India are two of the most civilisational countries. We are the worlds two most populous countries and part of the Global South It is vital to be friends, a good neighbour, and the dragon and the elephant to come together" he said. On 75th anniversary of Indo-China ties: Xi reiterated that this was the 75th anniversary of bilateral ties between India and China. He said on such an occasion, both the countries need to step up historic" responsibilities and work together for peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world". VIDEO | Tianjin, China: In his opening remarks during delegation-level talks with PM Narendra Modi (@narendramodi), Chinese President Xi Jinping says, "This year marks the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic relations. Both nations need to handle our relationship from a pic.twitter.com/QXE7gYJAsT Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 31, 2025 This year marks the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic relations. Both nations need to handle our relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective. We must also step up to our historic responsibilities to uphold multilateralism, a multipolar world, and more democracy in international institutions and work together for peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world," he said. PM NARENDRA MODI In his televised opening remarks, Modi said the welfare of 2.8 billion people is linked to bilateral cooperation between India and China. He noted that there is peace and stability along the border following last years disengagement process, adding that direct flights between the two countries are being resumed. The prime minister also made a mention of the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. The prime minister also congratulated Xi on Chinas successful presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). He is in China on a two-day visit to attend the SCO summit after a gap of seven years. Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and pic.twitter.com/HBYS5lhe9d Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025 On strategic autonomy: Modi said India and China should pursue strategic autonomy" and their relations should not be seen through a third-country lens". He and Xi deemed it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges, like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms. On border management: Modi said there was consent between our Special Representatives on border management. India and China have a framework called the Special Representatives on the boundary question to address issues relating to the border. The atmosphere at the border is peaceful. An agreement has been reached between our special representatives regarding border management," he said. On flights, yatra: Modi said the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been resumed while direct flights between India and China will soon start. Direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On Kazan meeting: Modi said the positive direction" for the ties between India and China came about in Russias Kazan last year. Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created," he added. About the Author Oindrila Mukherjee Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing im... Read More First Published: August 31, 2025, 11:48 IST News india 'Long-Term Cooperation': Xi Calls For 'Dragon-Elephant' Tango; Modi Talks Border, Flights | Key Takeaways Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Trump Tariff: Voices Grow For 'Swadeshi' Push Amid Rising Calls To Shun American Products Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 08:50 IST Household names like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, KFC, and Subway now face the prospect of consumer boycotts in one of the worlds largest markets A file photo of PM Modi with Donald Trump (PTI) Calls to shun American products are gaining momentum in India after US President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods, citing New Delhis continued purchase of discounted Russian crude. The latest measure, a 50 per cent duty on Indian exports, including an additional 25 per cent penalty on Russian oil-linked trade, has triggered a backlash against US multinationals operating in the country. Recommended Stories Household names like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, KFC, and Subway now face the prospect of consumer boycotts in one of the worlds largest markets. Yoga guru Ramdev, a vocal advocate of self-reliance, urged Indians to abandon American products completely. Not a single Indian should be seen at the counters of Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Subway, KFC, or McDonalds. There should be such a massive boycott," he said, warning that such action could send shockwaves through the US economy. #WATCH | Noida, UP | On 25% additional US tariffs on India from August 27, Yoga guru Ramdev says, Indian citizens should strongly oppose the 50% tariffs that America has imposed on India as political bullying, hooliganism and dictatorship. American companies and brands should be pic.twitter.com/sJedjdNt0k ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2025 The potential stakes are high. Westlife Foodworld Limited, which runs McDonalds outlets in western and southern India, posted revenues of Rs 2,390 crore in FY24, up 5 per cent from last year. PepsiCo India, meanwhile, earned Rs 8,200 crore in FY24 and has invested nearly Rs 4,000 crore in India over the past three years. With India ranking among PepsiCos top 15 global markets, any large-scale boycott could disrupt operations and profitability for US majors. PM Modis Swadeshi Pitch Prime Minister Narendra Modi also renewed his pitch for swadeshi" consumption, telling citizens to adopt the vocal for local" mantra. When we decide to buy anything, there should be only one measure: it must be made by the people of India, using the skill and sweat of Indians," he said. PM Modi also aimed at Trumps move, describing it as part of a wider politics of economic selfishness" dominating global trade. The tariff hike, which came into effect on August 27, follows Trumps criticism that India is profiting from Russian crude resales while ignoring the human cost of the Ukraine conflict. India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then selling it on the open market for big profits. They dont care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine," Trump posted on Truth Social, justifying the penalty. India has rejected the US action as unfair, unjustified and unreasonable" and vowed to safeguard national interests. Boycott Sentiment Spreads The boycott sentiment is not confined to India. Similar protests against US products have recently surfaced in France, the UK, and Canada. But with Indias 1.5 billion consumers, a sustained boycott could inflict significant losses on US brands. Already, political voices are amplifying the threat. AAP MP Ashok Kumar Mittal, in an open letter to Trump, invoked the Swadeshi Movement of 1905. If 146 crore Indians were to channel that spirit today and initiate a strategic restriction of US businesses, the impact would be far more severe for the United States than for India," he wrote. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ???????????????? ???????? 146 crore Indians boycott American companies operating in India?My open letter to @realDonaldTrump on USs 50% tariffs for India, in which I ???????????????? him to choose dialogue over discord, coordination over coercion." Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/rQJXv8yhiY Ashok Kumar Mittal (@DrAshokKMittal) August 7, 2025 Some protests also broke out on the ground against Trumps tariff decision, with the Bangia Hindu Mahamancha staging demonstrations where American products were burned. The group urged people to boycott US goods and instead support Indian-made products. First Published: August 31, 2025, 08:48 IST News india Trump Tariff: Voices Grow For 'Swadeshi' Push Amid Rising Calls To Shun American Products Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Used To Neglect Me Over First Wife: UP Woman Murders Husband In His Sleep Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 14:54 IST 30-year-old wife was arrested for allegedly strangling her husband in his sleep in Muzaffarnagar after claiming he neglected her for his first wife. Representative Image A woman was arrested for allegedly strangling her husband to death while he was sleeping. As per the police, the accused said her husband used to neglect her over his first wife. Agitated by this, she reportedly killed him. The incident occurred on August 29 in Uttar Pradeshs Muzaffarnagar. The accused, 30-year-old Kavita, was arrested on Saturday. As per the officials, the victims father informed the police about the brutal crime. Recommended Stories Sanjay Kumar (40) was killed by his second wife, Kavita," Station House Officer (SHO) Dinesh Chand Bhagel told PTI. He added that the police were alerted about the crime by the victims father, Bhopal Singh. During interrogation, Kavita confessed to strangling Sanjay while he was asleep, citing neglect over his first wife as the motive. Sanjay and Kavita married in 2000. His first wife resides in his native village of Tanda Majra. Double Murder In Delhis Rohini In another case, a man was arrested by the police for killing his wife and mother-in-law. The double murder was reported in Delhis Rohini Sector 17 area on Saturday. As per the police, the incident occurred over a domestic dispute. As per a PTI report, the incident took place at around 3:50 pm. Police received a PCR call at the KNK Marg police station, stating that a woman and her mother had been murdered in a flat located in Sector-17, Rohini. Police found the blood-soaked bodies of two women inside a room on the third floor of the flat. The deceased were identified as Kusum Sinha (63) and Priya Sehgal (34). top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The accused, identified as Yogesh Sehgal, has been arrested by the police. The PTI report quoted Priyas brother, Megh Sinha, alleging that Yogesh, his brother-in-law, was behind the killings. We broke the lock and entered the house. We saw that our mother was stabbed with something. This incident occurred between 3:30 and 4:00 pm. Our brother-in-law did this. The children are with him" he said. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More Location : Muzaffarnagar, India, India First Published: August 31, 2025, 14:54 IST News india Used To Neglect Me Over First Wife: UP Woman Murders Husband In His Sleep Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Will PM Modi Combine His Mizoram Trip With A Stop In Manipur? What We Know So Far Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Ronit Singh Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 09:48 IST A visit to Manipur would carry major political and symbolic significance, as the Prime Minister has not visited the state since the outbreak of unrest in May 2023 Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Image: PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Manipur in the second week of September, marking his first trip to the state since ethnic violence broke out more than two years ago. Sources told CNN-News18 that the visit is expected to coincide with his scheduled programme in Mizoram on September 13, where he will inaugurate a new railway line. Recommended Stories They added that the Manipur leg is still under discussion and could take place either on September 12 or 13. The Mizoram programme is confirmed. The Manipur part is still being considered," one senior official said. If the Manipur trip is confirmed, sources said the Prime Ministers visit is expected to last around four hours. He is likely to tour both Meitei- and Kuki-dominated areas and hold meetings with senior officials during the brief stop. PM Modis Manipur Visit: Significance A visit to Manipur would carry major political and symbolic significance, as the Prime Minister has not visited the state since the outbreak of unrest in May 2023. If confirmed, the trip is expected to be brief and primarily focused on official meetings. Officials noted that the situation in Manipur has remained largely peaceful in recent months. Security forces continue to be deployed in strength, but incidents of violence have dropped sharply. Normalcy is gradually returning, with schools and markets reopening and displaced families beginning to go back home. The situation is calm and under control. People are trying to move on from the violence," a senior Manipur official said. Government sources also pointed out that ongoing peace-building initiatives and community dialogues have helped ease tensions in the state. Meanwhile, the Mizoram programme is finalised, with PM Modi set to inaugurate a new rail link that will improve connectivity between the state and the rest of the country. Recent Developments In Manipur At least 250 people have lost their lives and over 60,000 remain in relief camps since ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023. PM Modi has faced criticism from Opposition parties and sections of Manipurs population for not visiting the violence-hit State since the unrest began. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The State was brought under Presidents Rule on February 13 for six months, which was further extended on August 5 after a resolution moved by Home Minister Amit Shah was approved by both Houses of Parliament. Despite the extension, the Manipur Assembly has not been dissolved, and efforts continue to restore the elected government. Location : Manipur, India, India First Published: August 31, 2025, 09:42 IST News india Will PM Modi Combine His Mizoram Trip With A Stop In Manipur? What We Know So Far Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Xi Refers To Panchsheel In Meeting With PM Modi. What Is The Nehru-Era Pact About? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 16:48 IST The Panchsheel principles, which Xi mentioned, are a set of five key ideas for peaceful coexistence, first introduced by India and China in the 1950s Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google (From left to right) Amb. N. Raghavan, Premier Zhou Enlai, PM Jawaharlal Nehru, Chairman Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi and Song Qingling in Beijing, October 19, 1954. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday referred to the Panchsheel principles during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The talks took place on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin, China. This was the first meeting between the two leaders in over three years and marked a possible shift in tone. Both leaders stressed the importance of viewing each other as partners, not rivals, and agreed on the need to build trust through mutual respect and cooperation. Recommended Stories The Panchsheel principles, which Xi mentioned, are a set of five key ideas for peaceful coexistence, first introduced by India and China in the 1950s. Originally part of a treaty signed in 1954 between the two nations, the principles focus on mutual respect and non-interference in each others internal affairs. Modi-Xi Meet While Xi highlighted the Panchsheel agreement as a guiding framework for India-China ties, PM Modi underlined the importance of mutual respect, mutual interest, and mutual sensitivity as the basis for stability and long-term cooperation between the two countries. Prime Minister Modis visit to China his first in seven years comes as he attends the two-day SCO summit, which brings together leaders from Russia, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. The summit is seen as a show of unity among the Global South, with member nations focusing on regional security, economic cooperation, and multilateral dialogue. Chinese Presidents reference to the historic Nehru-era Panchsheel pact has brought renewed attention to the decades-old framework, which once offered a vision of peaceful relations between newly independent nations What Is The Panchsheel Principle? Panchsheel, or the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, is a framework for international relations based on mutual respect and non-interference. It was first formally articulated in the 1954 Agreement on Trade and Intercourse between the Tibet region of China and India, signed on April 29, 1954. What Are The Five Core Principles? top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Mutual respect for each others territorial integrity and sovereignty Mutual non-aggression Mutual non-interference in each others internal affairs Equality and mutual benefit Peaceful coexistence Later that year, in June 1954, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai issued a joint statement expanding Panchsheels scope, proposing it not just as the basis for India-China ties, but also as a model for global peace and diplomacy. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 16:48 IST News india Xi Refers To Panchsheel In Meeting With PM Modi. What Is The Nehru-Era Pact About? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Beyond Bestsellers: 10 Fictional Works Shaping Conversations Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 08:00 IST Thought-provoking yet accessible, these books invite reflection, spark conversation, and offer narratives that linger well beyond the final page 10 books you must read From evocative social dramas and compelling family sagas to imaginative fantasies and sharply written thrillers, this seasons most engaging works of fiction promise to resonate with a wide spectrum of readers. Thought-provoking yet accessible, these books invite reflection, spark conversation, and offer narratives that linger well beyond the final page. 1. Nowhere People Recommended Stories By: Manoranjan Byapari Nowhere People is a poignant chronicle of individuals living in squatter settlements. They are the forgotten, existing in the struggle for survival.The story moves around Nobo, a rickshaw driver and his friends living at Jadhavpur station. Nobos life takes a complete turn after he finds an infant abandoned at the station. Having a fragile life to his care, though his friends always lend a helping hand Nobo learns to protect and provide. 2. The Last Dragonors of Bowbazar By: Indra Das British fantasy award and subjective chaos kind of award winner, and finalist for the Locus awards, this is a haunting, moving coming of age tale of identity and belonging. This is the story of Ru, a boy from Kolkata. Always reminded by his peers that he doesnt look like them he feels he belongs to nowhere. As he tussles with questions of his identity, he dreams of dragons and serpent impossible. Rus neighbour and friend Alice starts realising the hidden mystery of Rus family and their origin. These questions haunts more strongly than ever. 3. Burns Boy By: Krupa Ge You wanted to hurt me. You always have. Would I burn my own children alive? Would I really? You think? She began to cry again. I heard you tell Appa that the day Aparna was born, you wanted me dead. Did you or did you not? This short conversation comes from Burns Boy by critically acclaimed author Krupa Ge, is a tense family drama presented from three contradictory perspectives from members of the same family. A fifteen year old in a burns ward, his mother and his sister have their varied version of what happened and brings a conclusion of being them all guilty. But the question arises: Which of them is more guilty? 4. The Museum Detective By: MAHA KHAN PHILLIPS The Museum Detective is a riveting new crime thriller inspired by a real-life antiquities scandal. Set in Karachi, it follows Dr. Gul Delani, a museum curator and archaeologist, who is thrust into a dangerous investigation after a drug bust uncovers an ancient mummy linked to Persia. As Gul unravels a web of corruption and conspiracy, her search intertwines with a personal quest to find her missing niece. Fast-paced, gritty, and layered with history, the novel combines crime, archaeology, and suspense. A must-read for lovers of intelligent thrillers, it offers both gripping action and thought-provoking insight into heritage and justice. 5. The Book of Death By: Jawed Khalid Translated by: A. Naseeb Khan This book has a story within a story, centered on a city that was submerged to build a hydroelectric dam. The narrator visits Gilgitia Til Mas, particularly renowned for a mental asylum 200 years ago to research whether steel plants can be set up there. The narrator finds a manuscript around the ruins of the asylum, which turns out to be a diary of a mad man who suffered head injury in the womb because of a violent father. As the diary unravels the second narrator of the book comes. It pens down the unhealthy relationship between him and his father, his idea of self harm and his encounters with the two women of his life. This novel masterfully blends the metaphysics and banality, creating an unique and compelling narrative. 6. Manto: The Greatest Stories By: Arunava Sinha This collection by Arunava Sinha features some of Saadat Hasan Mantos most controversial short stories. Being vocal about his powerful opposition to the partition of India and his unflinching explorations of taboo subject and obscenity, Manto has been a prominent and widely read Urdu writer. A highly acclaimed and award winning translator, Arunava Sinha has selected stories like Khol do, Thanda Ghost, Bu, Das Rupayee and others. This collection by Arunava and various young translators mentored by him has presented Manto for the modern and contemporary readers. 7. A Shimla Affair A Shimla Affair is a story of three Mistry sisters- Nalini, Noor and Afreen, who run the Royal Hotel Shimla, an opulent establishment, serving British high society. Their lives went upside down when a revolutionary group asks them to aid a murderous conspiracy during a high society ball. As Nalini falls for Charles Nayler, a British officer she finds her loyalty tested. As the night approaches, Mistry sisters are forced to make impossible choices, navigating a web of lies and shifting alliances. This is a story of love, duty and revenge where the price of freedom is everything. 8. The Menon Investigation The Menon Investigation is the story of Inspector General Vijay who reopens an old murder case. The investigation not only leads him to the truth and culprits but turns out to be his own trial too. By the time the case is solved, Vijay is forced to confess the fiction he has built about his values and himself. The book subverts the traditional police procedural via its cast of unusual perpetrators and imperfect victims. This story masterfully portrays profoundly Indian tragedy with sparkling dark humour. 9. The Drowning The story here moves around Viji, who, shattered by the loss of her twins, becomes the prime suspect of drowning her best friends baby. Investigator of the case ASP Kanika was also grappling with a personal tragedy, whereas Vijis eerie silence deepens the enigma. As Kanika digs deeper into the case, the evidence hints on Viji being involved in black magic to resurrect her twins. But the plot twist comes when Neha along with four pregnant women vanished, each leaving a blood streaked symbol. Kanika after finding Nehas body confronts the horrifying possibility of it not just being a serial killer but awakening of an ancient malevolent force coming after her. 10. Starry Starry Night top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Kunal, after losing his mother, is sent to a boarding school to live with his fathers cousin, Tara. Tara herself was dealing with the loss of her best friend, and being a music teacher she finds her solace in music along with the company of a figure known as Death, she sees everywhere. Both Tara and Kunal grieving from the loss seem uncomfortable sharing the pain. They might try growing stronger by being each others strength and healing power. This story tells how love, art and music help people overcome grief. About the Author Swati Chaturvedi Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in N... Read More First Published: August 31, 2025, 08:00 IST News lifestyle Beyond Bestsellers: 10 Fictional Works Shaping Conversations At a time when state pensions are quietly betting more on digital assets, the State Board of Administration of the Florida Retirement System has significantly increased its holdings in MicroStrategy (MSTR), increasing its indirect exposure to Bitcoin. Florida owns 221,860 MicroStrategy shares, valued at $88 million at market price, according to its latest SEC filing. The fund added 61,390 shares, representing a 38% increase from the previous quarter. The move comes as MicroStrategy, now Strategy, remains the world's largest corporate holder of Bitcoin with over 629,000 BTC worth tens of billions of dollars. Related: What is Crypto? Cryptocurrency explained For Florida's pension managers, this investment gives them a way to get exposure to Bitcoin through regulated equity without having to buy the cryptocurrency directly. At least 14 states now own Strategy stock, which is worth more than $632 million, according to data from public disclosures. California leads the way in MSTR holdings California is the leading state, with the Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) owning 357,183 shares and the State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) owning 336,936 shares, as of May 16. MicroStrategy co-founder Michael Saylor CalPERS, which disclosed a bond position in MicroStrategy worth just $10.5 million in its FY 202324 annual report, has evolved into one of the largest state pension funds backing the company. More news: The move effectively increases CalPERS' indirect exposure to Bitcoin even as Strategy itself holds over $50 million in bitcoin treasury. The Wisconsin State Investment Board holds 127,528 shares, and North Carolina's Treasurer's Office recently increased its position by 107,925 shares, representing a 41% increase as of May 16. The latest development comes amid the following states expanding their crypto exposure: Black-On-Black: Regina Cassandra Serves Glam In A Crop Top And Sparkling Pants Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 13:22 IST For her latest photoshoot, Regina Cassandra left her fans stunned as she donned a sleeveless black crop top with sparkling silver pants. Regina Cassandra is set to star in Madhur Bhandarkar's The Wives. Regina Cassandra has once again stolen the spotlight, not only with her dazzling fashion choices but also with a cryptic message that has fans buzzing with curiosity. The actress shared pictures from a glamorous photoshoot, looking breathtaking in black and paired them with a caption that instantly set social media on fire. View this post on Instagram A post shared by RegenaCassandrra (@regenacassandrra) Recommended Stories The actor wrote, There is a love story of Lilly Villi.. coming soon", leaving her followers guessing whether this is the first glimpse of a new movie, an upcoming web series or perhaps a never-before-seen character reveal. The suspense has certainly added intrigue to her already striking post. The post featured Regina Cassandra in a striking blend of boldness and elegance, effortlessly capturing attention with her high-fashion presence. Her choice of attire was nothing short of stunning. She sported a sleek, sleeveless black crop top. This minimal yet chic piece was perfectly balanced with heavily sequined, high-waisted flared pants. Adding to the charm was her hairstyle. Reginas voluminous, loose waves cascaded effortlessly, balancing the edginess of her attire. The textured waves not only frame her face elegantly but also elevate the overall sophistication of the photoshoot. A Glimpse into Regina Cassandras Acting Journey Regina has carved a unique space in the Indian film industry. She began her career with a supporting role in the Tamil film Kanda Naal Mudhal (2005), but it was her Telugu debut Siva Manasulo Sruthi (2012) that turned her into a household name. Over the years, she has impressed audiences with her versatility, appearing in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. Recently, she garnered critical acclaim for her portrayal in the period drama streaming series Rocket Boys. Whats Next? Regena Cassandrra in Madhur Bhandarkars The Wives Fans dont have to wait long to see more of Regena on screen. She will next be seen in The Wives, directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, known for his bold storytelling. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all View this post on Instagram A post shared by RegenaCassandrra (@regenacassandrra) This upcoming project dives into the glitzy yet turbulent lives of Bollywood star wives, exploring hidden truths, high-profile controversies and the extravagant lifestyle behind the glamour. Joining Regina in this much-anticipated film are Mouni Roy, Sonali Kulkarni and other powerhouse performers. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: August 31, 2025, 13:22 IST News lifestyle Black-On-Black: Regina Cassandra Serves Glam In A Crop Top And Sparkling Pants Kareena Kapoor's Style File: How To Elevate Denim With Designer Flair Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 11:58 IST Kareena Kapoor was spotted in Bandra after a dinner recently. For her latest appearance, she kept things casual yet stylish. Kareena Kapoor carried a Hermes Kelly clutch, adding luxury to her look. (Image: Viral Bhayani) Kareena Kapoor has returned to Mumbai after a picture-perfect European getaway, but she seems to have brought a little sunshine back with her. On Friday evening, the actress was spotted in Bandra after dinner, looking fresh-faced, luminous, and perfectly put together. It was one of those casual-yet-chic appearances that remind us why Kareena continues to reign as one of Bollywoods ultimate style icons. Casual Chic, Kareena Style Recommended Stories For her evening outing, Kareena Kapoor leaned into understated luxury. She wore a printed Dries Van Noten shirt with a relaxed, easy silhouette an effortlessly stylish choice that conveyed quiet confidence rather than an attempt to stand out. The shirt was paired with dark blue bootcut denims, a cut that flatters by elongating the frame and lends a subtle retro vibe. The pairing struck a fine balance between comfort and sophistication, showcasing Kareenas knack for turning wardrobe staples into something aspirational. Accessories That Elevate While her outfit was rooted in simplicity, Kareenas accessories told another story. On her feet, she chose minimalist and timeless black sandals. In her hand, however, she carried the evenings hero piece: a Hermes Kelly clutch. A global symbol of luxury, the bag added the right touch of opulence without overwhelming the look. It was a statement accessory, but on Kareena, it felt natural, not forced. The Glow That Stole the Show More than the clothes, what truly made heads turn was Kareenas glow. With barely-there makeup, glossy lips, and softly tousled hair, she looked relaxed, radiant, and refreshingly natural. Perhaps its the after-effect of crisp European air, indulgent family moments, and a well-deserved break, but the actress carried the kind of effortless luminosity that no highlighter can replicate. Style Lessons from Kareena Kapoor top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Over the years, Kareena has carved her own space in the fashion landscape, not by chasing trends but by wearing every look with ease. Whether its a breezy kaftan on holiday, a sharp pantsuit at an event, or denim and a shirt for a night out, she makes it her own. This latest appearance reinforces her enduring style mantra: true fashion is not about labels alone, but about the confidence and comfort with which you carry yourself. Back in Mumbai and already serving inspiration, Kareena Kapoor once again proves that understated elegance, paired with self-assured confidence, will always be in style. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: August 31, 2025, 11:58 IST News lifestyle Kareena Kapoor's Style File: How To Elevate Denim With Designer Flair Opinion | Mohan Bhagwat's Pragmatism Doesn't Mean RSS Is Dumbing Down Hindutva Written By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 16:23 IST The RSS has always been an organisation which favours gradual change through mellow, decent language and gritty, measured, and long-term action RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat speaks during the organisation's centenary event in New Delhi. (Image: PTI/Salman Ali) RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat is not very popular right now among those who not just tilt but tip Right-wards. They view his recent statements about minorities, especially Muslims, as accommodation bordering on appeasement. The more strident have even started mocking him as Imam-e-Sangh. They argue that while one can understand the BJPs compulsion to tone down Hindutva because it runs the government, the RSS should have been unencumbered. Recommended Stories They expect the Sangh to pressure the BJP government against the very minoritism the party bitterly opposed on its way to power, not join it in its meekness. They expect the RSS to remain the watchdog for Hindu interests and not turn into a tail-wagging pug of political correctness. Which is why many were disappointed when the RSS chief, at a three-day event in Delhi to commemorate the centenary of the Sangh, said: From the day Islam came to India, it has been here and it will remain here. I had said this earlier, too. Those who think Islam will not remain are not guided by Hindu thought. Hindu philosophy does not think this way. Only when there is trust on both sides will this conflict end. First, we must accept that we are all one." He said the RSS would not start an agitation to reclaim the Gyanvapi in Kashi or the Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, but cryptically with a tinge of mischief in his voice added that he cannot stop swayamsevaks from independently seeking to break status quo. He reiterated his previous widely contested assertion that Hindus should not go looking for Shivlings under every mosque", which could trigger a breakdown of trust. What trust, his critics argue, when Islamists still set towns on fire over imagined insults to their Prophet; oppose a Uniform Civil Code; or carry out demographic takeover, conversions, and love jihad? Why would the RSS pussyfoot on these issues, especially when it has ideologically aligned governments at the Centre and in most states? But what they forget is that the RSS has always been an organisation which favours gradual change through mellow, decent language and gritty, measured, and long-term action. Except for MS Golwalkar or Guruji, RSS chiefs have largely avoided blunt instruments of communication. Sanghs secret of success has been its resilience, inclusive and mature language, and ability to do quietly things that do not require noise. Mohan Bhagwat carries that pragmatism and patience, and the vision to forge much larger social and inter-communal alliances. But one must also realise that a new reality is upon us today. Since 2014, Indian polity and society have shifted a fair bit towards hard nationalism and Hindutva. It expects the RSS to be a step ahead of it, and not play catch-up. This parallax error makes the RSS look less determined to defend Hindus. But in reality, Mohan Bhagwats style and content is a continuum of Sanghs tradition of maintaining a soft exterior even when the hardest decisions are being taken inside. The sarsanghchalaks assertion that Bharat has been a Hindu Rashtra from time immemorial, his concerns about the declining Hindu fertility rate, and his caution about demographic change tell us that hectic deliberations, distillation, and decisions are taking place in the Sangh. A fast river is flowing beneath its calm surface. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all (Abhijit Majumder is a senior journalist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views) First Published: August 31, 2025, 16:23 IST News opinion Opinion | Mohan Bhagwat's Pragmatism Doesn't Mean RSS Is Dumbing Down Hindutva Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion | PM Modi's 'Vocal For Local' Push Can Be Powerful Engine For Farmer Prosperity Written By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 20:09 IST PM's Narendra Modi's broader vision of Viksit Bharat -- a developed India by 2047 -- cannot be realised without inclusive growth PM Narendra Modi has repeatedly stressed that food processing is the future of Indian agriculture. (Image for representation) On Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi outlined his vision for Indias journey towards Atmanirbhar Bharat and, ultimately, a Viksit Bharat by 2047. Addressing the nation from the Red Fort, Modi reiterated that Indias strength lies in its people, farmers, entrepreneurs, and its ability to innovate and build resilience in the face of global challenges. His call for Vocal for Local was a rallying cry to reimagine Indias economic model by nurturing domestic industries and creating globally competitive brands rooted in local value chains. Recommended Stories At the heart of this vision is agriculture, which sustains nearly half of Indias workforce and remains the backbone of rural livelihoods. The path to Atmanirbhar Bharat requires transforming Indian agriculture into a modern, resilient, and globally competitive sector through food processing, value addition, and stronger linkages between farmers and markets. Here, national enterprises have stepped up, showcasing how private sector innovation can be harnessed for inclusive growth. For decades, ITC has played a pioneering role in linking agriculture with rural employment generation. The companys recent initiative, ITCMAARS, is a phygital ecosystem that brings the power of digital technologies to farmers, with FPOs as the anchor. It builds on the well-known e-Choupal initiative, which has empowered millions of farmers. The ITCMAARS platform provides farmers with AI-enabled hyper-local, personalised crop advisories, access to credit, high-quality inputs, efficient market linkages, and the expertise of agri-tech start-ups. Their deep investments in food processing and agri-value chains have generated large-scale employment opportunities in rural areas. Its network of manufacturing units across the country not only sources raw materials from local farmers but also creates ancillary jobs in packaging, logistics, and distribution. This dual focus on procurement and processing exemplifies how private enterprises can act as catalysts for rural prosperity. The Prime Minister has repeatedly stressed that food processing is the future of Indian agriculture. By moving beyond raw crop production to processed foods, India can reduce wastage, increase farmer incomes, and enhance export competitiveness. Food processing is, in many ways, the bridge that connects farm productivity with consumer markets, both domestic and global. Cooperatives like Amul have demonstrated the power of food processing to transform rural economies. By creating world-class Indian food brands that are respected globally, they have showcased how Vocal for Local can become a powerful engine for national pride, farmer prosperity, and global competitiveness. Brands such as Aashirvaad atta or Amuls dairy products stand as proof that local value chains can be grown while sustaining millions of rural households. Modis speech also highlighted the importance of manufacturing in making India self-reliant. In agriculture, this translates to building a robust ecosystem of farm equipment, agri-processing units, and food manufacturing hubs that can reduce dependence on imports and provide large-scale employment in rural India. The integrated agri-business model already exemplifies this, sourcing from local farmers, processing domestically, and branding Indian products for both local and global markets. Today, nearly 90 percent of ITCs raw materials are sourced locally, a figure that not only boosts rural incomes but also enhances resilience in business operations by reducing exposure to global supply chain disruptions. This synergy between local sourcing, processing, and branding demonstrates how agriculture and manufacturing can come together in service of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The PMs broader vision of Viksit Bharat a developed India by 2047 cannot be realised without inclusive growth. Rural India must become an equal partner in this journey, and corporate India is showing the way. From farm to fork, their interventions create a multiplier effect: higher farmer incomes, rural job creation, skill development, and greater resilience in Indias food security. Equally important is the alignment with sustainability. As climate change impacts farming patterns, enterprises must innovate with climate-resilient crops, efficient irrigation practices, and circular economy models in waste management. ITC has begun integrating these elements into its operations, reinforcing the idea that responsible growth is the only path to long-term prosperity. To fully realise the potential of enterprises in nation-building, the government must create an enabling ecosystem. Enabling Ease of Doing Business, reducing regulatory hurdles, and offering fiscal incentives to enterprises investing in rural India will go a long way in strengthening their competitiveness. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Prime Ministers emphasis on Vocal for Local is not only about consumer choices but also about policy support. National enterprises that invest in food processing, agri-infrastructure, and rural employment should be recognised as strategic partners in the journey towards Viksit Bharat. With the right support, India can create a globally competitive food and agri-manufacturing sector that uplifts rural India while projecting Indian brands on the world stage. (Rajesh Mehta is an international affairs expert working on areas like market entry, innovation, and public policy. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views) First Published: August 31, 2025, 20:09 IST News opinion Opinion | PM Modi's 'Vocal For Local' Push Can Be Powerful Engine For Farmer Prosperity Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... CNN name, logo and all associated elements and 2024 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. CNN and the CNN logo are registered marks of Cable News Network, LP LLLP, displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of NEWS18.com does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them. Copyright Network18 Media and Investments Ltd 2024. All rights reserved. Disgraceful: War of Words Between BJP, TMC Over Mahua Moitras Hate Remarks Against Amit Shah Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 19:43 IST Mahua Moitras remarks against Amit Shah sparked a fierce TMC-BJP clash, FIR in Raipur, and condemnation from Yogi Adityanath while TMC leaders defended Moitra. Mahua Moitra and Amit Shah. (File) A political slugfest broke out between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitras alleged controversial remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah triggered a controversy. Her comments have drawn massive condemnation from the saffron camp, with various leaders making strong remarks. Recommended Stories What Mahua Moitra Said? While speaking to reporters about the infiltration of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants into the Indian territory, the Krishnanagar Lok Sabha MP brazenly said that Amit Shah must be beheaded and his severed head should be placed on the table for display. If Indias borders cant be protected, if infiltrators are entering in hundreds, disrespecting our women, taking over our lands, then it is your duty to cut Amit Shahs head and put it on the table," Moitra said. Referring to PM Modis Independence Day address, she remarked, Standing at Red Fort, the PM himself said infiltrators are causing demographic changes. But even as he was saying this, his Home Minister was standing in the front row, smiling and clapping." Moitra also questioned why infiltration continues despite the presence of the Border Security Force along the frontier. Her statements directly blamed the central leadership for the rising concerns over illegal immigration, particularly in border states like West Bengal. FIR Filed Against Moitra An FIR has been lodged against the TMC MP in Chhattisgarhs Raipur. Based on a complaint filed by a local resident, a case was registered against Moitra at the Mana police station on Saturday under sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.) and 197 (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), an official said. The police official said that the complainant, Gopal Samanto, alleged that Moitras remarks were objectionable and unconstitutional. The complaint also stated that a large number of Bangladeshi refugees were settled in the Mana Camp area in Raipur in 1971, and Moitras statement has created fear among them, as such remarks may provoke anger from other communities against them, the official said. BJP Livid At Moitra Moitras brazen remarks sparked strong reactions from the BJP, with party leader Pradeep Bhandari saying that such remarks are beyond politics, pure hate speech, drenched in venom." In a post on X, he said, Disgusting, Disgraceful! That line from Mahua Moitra is beyond politics, it is pure hate speech, drenched in venom. Her level has stooped this low under able guidance by Mamata Banerjees TMC!" he said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that Moitras remarks against Shah were unpardonable" and her party should apologise. This comment, which reveals the political malpractices of the Trinamool Congress, is an insult to every Indian who believes in democratic values. The Trinamool Congress should immediately apologise to the entire country for this indecent comment," he said. Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) August 30, 2025 BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya also hit out at the Lok Sabha MP and further accused her of mocking the Scheduled Caste Community. Posting a video on social media platform X, Malviya also claimed she has made shocking remarks against the Hindu community as well. On 28th August, at a Trinamool workers meet in Karimpur Block-2, TMC MP Mahua Moitra made shocking and shameful remarks against Sanatanis, specifically targeting the Namasudra community.She mocked Hindus by saying: All year youre Trinamooli, and during elections Sanatani?" pic.twitter.com/J4s0V9YKlL Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 31, 2025 All year you are Trinamooli, and during elections Sanatani?" she apparently said. The BJP inferred that it was an open declaration that one cannot be a Hindu and a Trinamool supporter at the same time!" TMC Defends Moitra Meanwhile, the TMC defended the Krishnanagar MP with state minister Sovon Deb Chattopadhyay saying, Mahua is not a fool that she will disrespect certain community. It is the BJP who is disrespecting Bengalis. They are targeting Mahua as she is the most prominent voice against the BJP in parliament". State minister Shashi Panja also objected to BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuris alleged derogatory remark against Moitra. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Panja said that the BJP has a history of insulting women. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Bengal, he too had insulted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by mocking her with Didi O Didi. But the people of Bengal gave a strong reply, and the BJP had to face defeat," she said. (With inputs from agencies) About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More First Published: August 31, 2025, 19:43 IST News politics Disgraceful: War of Words Between BJP, TMC Over Mahua Moitras Hate Remarks Against Amit Shah Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Will Appeal To All MPs': Oppn VP Pick Sudershan Reddy Aims For Cross-Party Support Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 05:11 IST Emphasising the non-partisan nature of the Vice President's role, Justice Reddy called for backing from all political parties Born in 1946 in Telangana, Justice Reddy served on the Supreme Court from 2007 to 2011, previously holding the position of Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court. (File Photo) Justice B Sudershan Reddy (Retd), the vice-presidential nominee of the opposition INDIA bloc, embarked on a nationwide tour on Friday to garner political support for his candidacy. During his visit, he announced his plan to personally write to every Member of Parliament in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, urging them to support his bid. Emphasising the non-partisan nature of the Vice Presidents role, Justice Reddy called for backing from all political parties. Recommended Stories I will appeal to all MPs, regardless of their political affiliations, to cast their conscience vote in this election. The Vice Presidents office, particularly as the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, requires impartiality, dignity, and a commitment to constitutional values," he stated while addressing a gathering in Hyderabad. A retired Supreme Court judge, Justice Reddy was nominated earlier this month by the Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), which also includes other major opposition parties like DMK, TMC, Shiv Sena (UBT), and RJD. His nomination is viewed as the oppositions strategy to introduce a neutral, constitutionally credible candidate against the ruling NDAs contender. Born in 1946 in Telangana, Justice Reddy served on the Supreme Court from 2007 to 2011, previously holding the position of Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court. Renowned for his progressive rulings and legal integrity, he has continued to be involved in legal and public service initiatives post-retirement. The vice presidential election, organised by the Election Commission of India, is scheduled to take place in the coming weeks. The elected Vice President also serves as the ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, a role critical in maintaining legislative order and facilitating debates. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Despite the BJP-led NDAs parliamentary majority, the INDIA bloc is relying on moral authority", opposition unity, and cross-party appeal to challenge the ruling candidate effectively. Justice Reddys outreach to MPs, including those from neutral or smaller parties, aims to depoliticise the election and emphasise the importance of constitutional propriety. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More First Published: August 31, 2025, 05:11 IST News politics 'Will Appeal To All MPs': Oppn VP Pick Sudershan Reddy Aims For Cross-Party Support Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Mere Presence Reduces Possibility: In South Korea, Hologram Police Keep Crime In Check Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 17:16 IST The hologram was installed in October 2024 in Jeo-dong Park in the centre of Seoul. South Korean Hologram Police (Reuters image used for representation) Imagine walking the streets of Seoul, the vibrant capital of South Korea, when suddenly a police officer appears before you. In case of an emergency, police will be dispatched in real time. CCTV is installed here," the officer announcesaddressing no one in particularbefore mysteriously vanishing into thin air. Dont worry, its not a ghost. South Korea has introduced a life-size 3D hologram of a police officer, standing about 170 cm tall and dressed in a seasonal dress uniform, as part of its innovative approach to public safety. Every evening between 7 PM and 10 PM, the hologram appears every two minutes, delivers a prerecorded audio message (reminding people theyre under CCTV surveillance and that police will respond in real time), and then vanishes. Recommended Stories The hologram was installed in October 2024 in Jeo-dong Park in the centre of Seoul. Ever since it was installed, the reported crimes in that park during the holograms active hours have dropped by approximately 22 per cent, as per some media reports. The police attribute this decline to the psychological deterrent effectthe perceived presence of law enforcement appears to curb impulsive crimes like drunken violence and disputes. If you look closely, you can see that it is not an actual police officer. But it has been confirmed that the mere presence of a hologram can reduce the possibility of crime," Ahn Dong-hyun, the chief of Jungbu police station, was quoted as saying. South Korea Crime Rate South Korea already maintains one of the lowest crime rates among OECD member countries, recording just 0.5 homicides per 100,000 people, according to World Bank data, cited by The Times. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all This is notably lower than the United Kingdoms rate of 1.0 and only slightly higher than Japans exceptionally low rate of 0.2 per 100,000. About the Author Anushka Vats Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can ... Read More First Published: August 31, 2025, 17:16 IST News viral Mere Presence Reduces Possibility: In South Korea, Hologram Police Keep Crime In Check Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Netizens Troll Pakistan PM For Dashing To Greet Putin After SCO Photo-Op: 'Pathetic' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 23:05 IST Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif caught internet's attention after a video of him from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 went viral. Screengrab of viral video The two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 began on August 31. Prominent global leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others, are attending the 25th SCO meeting. While the meeting witnessed participation from more than 20 world leaders, what caught the internets attention was Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. A video going viral online shows Sharif running to Russian President Putin to shake his hand after a formal photo session. Netizens are trolling the Pakistani leader for his behaviour. Recommended Stories While other leaders showed composure, Pakistan PM Shehabaz Sharif came running to Putin to shake his hand. Pathetic attention-seeking behaviour. Xi Jinping realised what Shehbaz was going to do, so he looked the other way and ignored him," wrote a social media user on X, sharing a small clip. In the viral clip, as Vladimir Putin walks alongside Xi Jinping, Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approaches from behind and suddenly extends a handshake to Putin. While other leaders showed composure, Pakistan PM Shehabaz Sharif came running to Putin to shake his hand. pathetic attention seeking behaviour.Xi Jinping realised what Shehbaz was going to do, so he looked the other way and ignored him pic.twitter.com/NAEeDw2oyY Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) August 31, 2025 However, this is not the first time Sharif has become a topic of discussion online. Another video from the 2022 SCO meeting, featuring Sharif and Putin, went viral earlier. During a bilateral meeting with Putin in Uzbekistan, Sharif appeared to fumble while trying to put on his translation headset. As the talks were about begin, the translation device kept slipping off, prompting a brief and visible laugh from Putin. Despite efforts from aides to assist, the the device kept falling for some time before the meeting could properly commence. Shehbaz Sharif is Putins annual source of amusement. pic.twitter.com/QMmPJnJEo4 Svengali (@Ronin212) July 5, 2024 top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Can somebody help me?," Sharif was heard saying in the viral clip. Several videos from that time also went viral, making Sharif a point of discussion. About the Author Anushka Vats Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can ... Read More Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 21:49 IST News viral Netizens Troll Pakistan PM For Dashing To Greet Putin After SCO Photo-Op: 'Pathetic' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... China Calls For Peaceful Coexistence After Modi-Xi Talks: 'Border Must Not Dominate Ties' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 15:09 IST Beijing underlined that the two countries must work together to maintain peace in the border areas and not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping (File Image: X/@narendramodi) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on Sunday, with leaders noting that the border issue should not overshadow the broader India-China ties. In a statement read out by Chinese officials, Beijing underlined that the two countries must work together to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship." Recommended Stories Xi described China and India as good-neighbourly friends and partners of mutual success," adding that the dragon and elephant dance should be the right choice for both countries." PM Modi, who hailed what he called the peaceful atmosphere" along the border area, noted that stability on the border is essential for the continued development of bilateral relations." Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and reaffirmed our commitment to cooperation based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity," said PM Modi in an X post. Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and pic.twitter.com/HBYS5lhe9d Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025 Both leaders expressed satisfaction over last years disengagement and the relative calm since then, while reaffirming their commitment to a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution" of the boundary issue. Five Principles Of Peaceful Coexistence The talks in Tianjin carry added significance as this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and China. China referenced the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, jointly championed by the two nations leaders more than seven decades ago, calling for their revival in todays context. The principles mutual respect for territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence were described as a foundation for a forward-looking relationship. Positive Momentum The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in its own readout, said both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress" since their last meeting in Kazan in October 2024. They agreed that India and China are development partners and not rivals" and stressed that differences should not turn into disputes." The MEA noted that Modi and Xi highlighted the importance of people-to-people exchanges, including direct flights, visa facilitation, and religious tourism such as the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. On trade, they acknowledged the need to expand investment ties and narrow the deficit, while recognising the stabilising role their economies play in global commerce. The growth and development of 2.8 billion people depend on a stable India-China relationship built on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity," the MEA statement added. The two leaders agreed to pursue cooperation with a long-term vision, signalling a thaw in ties strained since the 2020 Galwan clashes. The Tianjin meeting also comes at a time when both countries are positioning themselves closer together amid tariff disputes with the United States. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all This marks PM Modis first visit to China in seven years. His presence at the SCO summit which also brings together Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders underscores New Delhis intent to balance global alignments while keeping dialogue with Beijing open. Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 14:59 IST News world China Calls For Peaceful Coexistence After Modi-Xi Talks: 'Border Must Not Dominate Ties' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... As a special education teacher living on a fixed income, Mathiesen didnt have the cushion to absorb the hit. With no emergency savings to fall back on, the charge was devastating. It took almost a year, plus a follow-up call from ABC News 7 On Your Side, for Wells Fargo to promise to refund the transaction, including interest. According to Wells Fargos website, its built-in protections mean customers wont be held responsible for unauthorized transactions if reported quickly. I busted out in tears, she told ABC 7 News. My son is graduating from college next week ... and I cant even buy anything for him because I have $5,000 outstanding ... now its $5,500! After Mathiesen noticed the charge, she contacted Wells Fargo within five minutes. But despite the banks promise of zero liability protection for promptly reported fraud, she says little help was offered. For Mathiesen, a $5,000 tipping mistake wasnt just a moment of panic it became a financial crisis. Im just livid because Im like Im not going to pay $5,000 for something I never intended to happen, Mathiesen told ABC 7 News. At first, the clerk at San Bruno Exotic told her the charge couldnt be reversed. Then the story shifted he claimed the shop never received the money. But Mathiesens bank statement showed otherwise. Mathiesen said she meant to leave a $5 tip, but the payment terminal didnt show a decimal point, so when she entered 5000, the system took it literally. Thats precisely what happened to Linda Mathiesen. While buying CBD pain relief gel for her bad shoulder at a store in San Bruno, California, she accidentally tipped $5,000 on a $129.28 purchase. Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake heres what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how Sometimes, the issue isnt just pressure to tip its how easy it is to make a costly mistake. Nearly 89% of Americans believe the tipping culture has spiraled out of control, and one in five Americans say theyve accidentally tipped more than intended on digital checkout screens, according to a DailyMail poll. Americans have long grumbled about tipping culture but now digital checkout screens are turning that frustration into full-blown financial disasters. Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below. Story Continues Although experts recommend saving three to six months worth of expenses, 42% of Americans report having no emergency fund at all. Among women, the figure is even higher 49% lack emergency savings, compared to 36% of men, according to a U.S. News survey. Whats more, the average savings rate for Americans in June was just 4.5% of personal disposable income, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. One of the easiest ways to start is by saving your spare change. With Acorns, you can start investing your spare change every time you make a purchase. After signing up and linking your bank account, Acorns automatically rounds up the price of your purchases to the nearest dollar and puts the difference into a smart investment portfolio. Say you grab your usual morning coffee for $3.45. Acorns rounds it up to $4.00 and invests the extra 55 cents. If your daily round-ups average just $2.50, thats around $900 saved in a year just like that. Plus, if you sign up now with a recurring deposit, you can get a $20 bonus investment. Over time, such spare change can turn into real money enough to cover surprise expenses, ease your stress during emergencies, or simply give you more freedom to tip generously without worry. Read more: Rich, young Americans are ditching stocks here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Its not as rare as youd think Digital checkout screens may speed things up, but one wrong tap can turn a routine purchase into a nightmare. Mathiesen isnt alone in her tipping trouble. It happened to Vera Conner as well. The Georgia woman was ordering her usual No. 4 Italian sandwich at Subway priced at $7.54 when she accidentally left a $7,112.98 tip. Conner said she was entering her phone number for loyalty points when the screen suddenly flipped to the tipping prompt. Before she realized what had happened, the charge went through. After hours of calls with Subway and Bank of America, she eventually got the charge reversed but not without significant stress. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, there are steps you can take: Act fast. Report the error to your bank or card issuer immediately. Most banks allow 60 days to dispute a charge, but dont wait that long. Document everything. Screenshot the receipt, the payment screen, and keep all merchant communication records. Know the fine print. Many banks offer protection against unauthorized transactions. However, not all mistaken charges are protected, especially if they are technically authorized. Build an emergency fund. Its not just for layoffs or medical bills. Sometimes its for the unexpected stuff like tipping $5,000 for a $129 product, then having to make up the difference while you sort things out with your bank. Build your wealth to protect yourself Tipping errors and other money slip-ups are a reminder of why its smart to bake resiliency into your bank book. As discussed above, this starts with an emergency fund to help protect yourself from the unexpected tipping related or otherwise. From here, you could consider starting to play the long game with investing. Starting sooner rather than later with what you can, when you can, means that your finances can support you when you need them the most. One easy way to get going is with Arrived, which lets you invest in shares of vacation homes or rental properties. Arrived can be a good option for those who want to get into real estate, but arent ready or dont want to buy a home and deal with burst pipes or clogged gutters. And besides, the median downpayment for a home in 2024 was $63,188, according to reporting by Redfin. Thats a lot of money. If youre not quite there yet, Arrived can help you get into real estate with just $100. That way your money can get to work while you figure out if home ownership is right for you. The best part? Arrived is back by world-class investors, including Jeff Bezos, and their properties are pre-vetted for their long term growth potential and income appreciation. What to read next Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. Subscribe now. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Consensus Reached: Direct Flights Between India And China Would Resume Soon, Says MEA Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 21:59 IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced direct flights between India and China will resume soon after talks with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin. PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping (File Image: X/@narendramodi) The direct flights between India and China, which were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be resumed soon. The decision was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he held bilateral-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit (SCO) in Tianjin. Direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity," he said. Recommended Stories While detailing the significant development in a press conference in Tiajin, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the two sides have been intensely engaged in discussions over the past few weeks and months after they agreed to work on this issue earlier this year. This is something on which the two sides have been engaged quite intensely in recent weeks and months, following the direction and the understanding between the two sides at a higher level earlier this year, that this is one of the areas in which we should move forward," he said. #WATCH | Tianjin, China: On direct flights between India and China, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, ..We should see a resumption of direct flights soon."This is something on which the two sides have been engaged quite intensely in recent weeks and months, following the pic.twitter.com/0Antkdn4k1 ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 Misri further emphasised that several technical-level talks have been held, and a civil aviation delegation from India visited Beijing earlier this week for further discussions. My understanding is that at a broad level, an agreement or a consensus has been reached on restarting direct flights. And this is something that you heard the Prime Minister refer to in his comments this morning," he added. The Foreign Secretary, however, highlighted that there are certain operational issues in the process, and the two sides are in contact with each other. There are issues related to the air services agreement, issues related to scheduling, calendar, etcetera. My understanding is that these will be addressed in the coming few weeks, and we should see a resumption of direct flights soon," he added. The Prime Minister also spoke about the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and tourist visas during their meeting. India and China had resumed the pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet earlier this year. Last month, India began issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens. Both were suspended during the 2020 pandemic. PM Modi and President Xi held wide-ranging talks to reset the bilateral relations between India and China, which have been on the mend over the past two years since a major rift following the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. When Were Direct Flights Stopped? top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Since early 2020, direct commercial flights between the worlds major economies have been halted because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, travellers were required to connect through regional hubs such as Hong Kong, Singapore, or Bangkok, which adds to both travel time and expenses. The decision to restart direct flights between India and China occurs as tentative signs of improvement emerge in the bilateral relationship between New Delhi and Beijing. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 21:59 IST News world Consensus Reached: Direct Flights Between India And China Would Resume Soon, Says MEA Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Europe Willing To Sacrifice Ukraine: Ex-US Intel Official's Big Claim On Trump-Putin Ties Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 12:52 IST Former US intel officer Scott Ritter claimed that Ukraine would soon start sending 18-year-olds to the front line to fight the Russian soldiers. Europe willing to sacrifice Ukraine, claims ex-US intel officer (Reuters File Image) The European countries are ready to sacrifice" Ukraine to prevent any improvement in ties between the US and Russia, former US intelligence officer and ex-UN inspector Scott Ritter said. There is a tremendous amount of opposition inside the United States and Europe to prevent [US President] Donald Trump from having better relations with Russia. And unfortunately, these people who oppose better relations with Russia are willing to sacrifice Ukraine to achieve their outcome. And when I say sacrifice, I mean literally sacrifice Ukraine," Russian news agency TASS quoted Ritter as saying in an interview with the Dialogue Works YouTube channel. Recommended Stories They are destroying the genetic pool of Ukraine," he added. Ritter claimed that Ukraine would soon start sending 18-year-olds to the front line to fight the Russian soldiers. Since February 2022, Ukraine has announced a general mobilisation and kept extending it, trying hard to stop men of draft age from avoiding service. Social media often shows videos of forced recruitment and clashes between citizens and army officials in different cities, TASS reported, adding that the army is running short of soldiers, recruitment officers have stepped up raids in public places and sometimes beat those they catch. At the same time, many men of draft age are desperately trying to escape the country, often putting their lives at risk, the report claimed. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Earlier this month, the European leaders visited White House along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet Donald Trump and find ways to end Russias war in Ukraine. They also sought security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe and voiced support for an immediate ceasefire, even though Trump batted for a peace deal with Putin. After the meeting, Trump said that he had set up a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, adding that the date for the meeting will be decided later. However, no such meeting is in sight, as both Russia and Ukraine continue to send projectiles at each other in the war that has been continuing for over three years. About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @Ma... Read More Location : Russia First Published: August 31, 2025, 12:51 IST News world Europe Willing To Sacrifice Ukraine: Ex-US Intel Official's Big Claim On Trump-Putin Ties Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... From Xi To Muizzu: PM Modi Holds Series Of Bilateral Talks On The Sidelines Of SCO Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: September 01, 2025, 00:01 IST PM Modi's engagements ranged from discussions on border peace with President Xi Jinping to strengthening strategic partnerships with several Central Asian nations Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google From left to Right: PM Modi with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, Chinese President Xi Jinping & Nepals KP Sharma Oli. (Image via X) Prime Minister Narendra Modi held several key meetings on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on Sunday. His engagements ranged from discussions on border peace with Chinese President Xi Jinping to strengthening strategic partnerships with leaders from the Maldives, Egypt, Vietnam, Myanmar, Nepal, and several Central Asian nations. Prime Minister Modi arrived in China on Saturday for a two-day visit, his first trip to the country in seven years, to attend the annual SCO summit. Recommended Stories The Prime Minister also shared photos of his meetings with heads of state on his official X account. PM Modis Key Meetings Ahead Of SCO Summit The most notable interaction was with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders discussed recent developments and agreed to work towards a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable" solution to the long-standing border issue. Their talks also covered concerns over trade imbalance, cooperation on counter-terrorism, and ensuring fair practices in multilateral trade platforms. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and reaffirmed our commitment to cooperation based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity," PM Modi wrote in a post after his meeting with President Xi. Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and pic.twitter.com/HBYS5lhe9d Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025 PM Modi also met Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu and praised the developmental cooperation between the two nations, calling it greatly beneficial for our people". He also held talks with Myanmars Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the acting President and head of the military junta. This was their second meeting this year, following a previous discussion in April during the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. Myanmar is a vital pillar of Indias Act East and Neighbourhood First Policies. We both agreed that there is immense scope to boost ties in areas like trade, connectivity, energy, rare earth mining and security," the Prime Minister wrote. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and I held talks in Tianjin. Myanmar is a vital pillar of Indias Act East and Neighbourhood First Policies. We both agreed that there is immense scope to boost ties in areas like trade, connectivity, energy, rare earth mining and security. pic.twitter.com/Sxs32TsiTK Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025 With Nepals Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, PM Modi described IndiaNepal ties as deep-rooted and very special". After his meeting Vietnams Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, PM Modi said, India is very keen to further deepen ties with Vietnam in defence, trade, green energy and more." During his meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, PM Modi fondly recalled his previous visit to Egypt and reaffirmed the growing friendship between the two countries. India-Egypt friendship is scaling newer heights of progress!," he noted. Met PM Mostafa Madbouly of Egypt at the SCO Summit. Fondly recalled my Egypt visit a few years ago. India-Egypt friendship is scaling newer heights of progress! pic.twitter.com/SvPSY7llZ8 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025 He also met with Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith. Closer friendship between our nations is greatly beneficial, especially ties in trade as well as culture," the PM wrote. In a meeting with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, the two leaders noted the increasing trade and cultural linkages between their nations. President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus met with PM Modi and both expressed optimism about future opportunities for cooperation. With Kyrgyzstans President Sadyr Japarov, PM Modi spoke about the strong partnership between the two countries and the desire to enhance developmental collaboration. In his meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, PM Modi shared, India and Uzbekistan are bound by a dynamic partnership that continues to expand across culture, economy and people-to-people ties." Met President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan. India and Uzbekistan are bound by a dynamic partnership that continues to expand across culture, economy and people-to-people ties. pic.twitter.com/iysjTCJv2K Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025 top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Prime Minister Modi also held discussions with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, describing the IndiaArmenia relationship as warm and rooted in friendship and mutual cooperation". Additionally, PM Modi met Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedow, where the two exchanged views on diverse issues. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 23:52 IST News world From Xi To Muizzu: PM Modi Holds Series Of Bilateral Talks On The Sidelines Of SCO Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... In A First, Pakistan Establishes Diplomatic Ties With Armenia On The Sidelines Of SCO Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 23:02 IST This move came just a day after Pakistan hinted at recognising Armenias sovereignty, over 30 years after Armenia declared independence in 1991 Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, with Armenias Foreign Minister, Ararat Mirzoyan. (Image via X/@MFAofArmenia) Pakistan and Armenia formally established diplomatic relations on Sunday, with the signing taking place in Tianjin, China, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. At a formal event in Tianjin, Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Armenias Foreign Minister, Ararat Mirzoyan, exchanged a Joint Communique, thereby officially launching bilateral relations between the two nations. Recommended Stories The Pakistani Foreign Office statement noted that both leaders affirmed their commitment to the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter, and discussed potential areas of cooperation, including the economy, education, culture, and tourism. Today, FM @AraratMirzoyan & Deputy PM & FM @MIshaqDar50 signed a Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic relations between #Armenia & #Pakistan.By signing of the Communique, Armenia & Pakistan establish diplomatic relations. The two Governments are desirous to pic.twitter.com/92hDFJg6yk MFA of Armenia (@MFAofArmenia) August 31, 2025 The two leaders reaffirmed their desire to work closely with each other at bilateral and multilateral fora, to achieve their shared objectives of peace, progress, and prosperity for the peoples of their two countries," Pakistans Foreign Office said. Adding to the announcement, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shared a post on X, highlighting the establishment of diplomatic ties with Pakistan. By signing of the Communique, Armenia & Pakistan establish diplomatic relations. The two Governments are desirous to enhance friendly relations in accordance with the UN Charter, including the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty & territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference in each others internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit & peaceful co-existence," the post said. The Armenian foreign ministry further affirmed, The Governments of Armenia & Pakistan have agreed to exchange Representatives & to provide each other all the necessary assistance for the performance of diplomatic relations on reciprocal basis in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 & international customary practices." This move came just a day after Pakistan hinted at recognising Armenias sovereignty, over 30 years after Armenia declared independence in 1991, as reported by Dawn. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The intention was initially shared by Dar, who had posted on X following a phone conversation with Mirzoyan. Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia, H.E. Ararat Mirzoyan and I held a cordial conversation on phone today, and agreed to consider establishing diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Armenia," Dar had shared in his post. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 23:01 IST News world In A First, Pakistan Establishes Diplomatic Ties With Armenia On The Sidelines Of SCO Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Indonesia Revokes Lawmakers Housing Allowance After Nationwide Protest Claim 6 Lives Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 23:01 IST Demonstrations have at some places escalated into violence, with reports of looting, arson, and attacks on regional government buildings. Indonesia has been witnessing massive protests nationwide (Reuters image used for representation) Indonesia is currently witnessing widespread anti-government protests that have escalated across the nation, leaving at least six people dead. Amid the growing unrest, President Prabowo Subianto on Sunday pledged to revoke lawmakers perks and privileges, including the controversial USD 3,000 monthly housing allowance. By Monday, lawmakers will see certain allowances scrapped and overseas work trips suspended under a new moratorium," Subianto said, taking into consideration the public anger. He also cancelled a scheduled visit to China to focus on the domestic crisis. Recommended Stories The nationwide protest began on Monday in Jakarta over reports that all 580 lawmakers receive a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah (USD 3,075) in addition to their salaries. Death Of Youth Fuels Protest Tensions escalated further after a 21-year-old ride-hailing driver, Affan Kurniawan, died after being run over by a police armoured vehicle during demonstrations. A video of the incident also went viral on social media platforms, intensifying anger against authorities and adding momentum to the protest. Protest Across The Nation Turns Violent Major cities, including Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, and others, are witnessing massive protests. Demonstrations have at some places escalated into violence, with reports of looting, arson, and attacks on regional government buildings. The unrest has resulted in at least six deaths and thousands of arrests nationwide. Governments Response top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In response to the growing tensions across the country, President Prabowo Subianto pledged to revoke lawmakers housing allowances and suspend their overseas trips. At the same time, the government has taken a firm stance against violent protesters, labelling some actions as potentially leaning towards treason and terrorism. Security forces have been deployed to restore order. The rights to peaceful assembly should be respected and protected. But we cannot deny that there are signs of actions outside the law, even against the law, even leaning towards treason and terrorism," Prabowo said in a speech in Jakarta. About the Author Anushka Vats Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can ... Read More First Published: August 31, 2025, 22:52 IST News world Indonesia Revokes Lawmakers Housing Allowance After Nationwide Protest Claim 6 Lives Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... ISIS Terror Sanctuaries In Pakistan Endanger Afghan Peace, Warns Ex-US Envoy Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 16:33 IST The warning from Zalmay Khalilzad comes at a time when there has been a hike in ISKP-linked violence, including high-profile suicide attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US envoy for Afghan peace negotiations (Reuters image) Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US envoy for Afghan peace negotiations, has raised concern about the increasing presence of ISKP (Islamic State Khorasan Province) in Pakistan and referred to it as a major threat to both regional and international security. He further called on the United States to exert pressure on Islamabad to take firm and effective steps against ISKP cells that are reportedly operating within Pakistans borders, reported TOLO News. Recommended Stories Khalilzad highlighted recent counter-terrorism actions by the Taliban-led Afghan government and noted that it has driven numerous ISKP leaders out of Afghanistan. Many of them, he noted, have now crossed the Durand Line, the boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and are believed to be seeking refuge in Pakistani territory. His warning comes amid a surge in ISKP-linked violence, including high-profile suicide attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which have targeted both security personnel and civilians. Some recent attacks include: 1. Darul Uloom Haqqania Seminary Bombing: February 28, 2025 A suicide bomber targeted the seminary during Friday prayers, killing 8 people, including the head cleric Maulana Hamid Ul Haq Haqqani, and injuring about 20. ISKP was suspected of orchestrating the attack. 2. Mastung Bus Bombing (Balochistan): April 15, 2025 An improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near a bus transporting Balochistan Constabulary personnel, killing 3 security officers and injuring 20. ISKP claimed responsibility, calling the victims apostate" police. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all 3. ISKP Declares War on Baloch Separatist Groups: May 25, 2025 ISKP released a Pashto-language video via its Al-Azaim media outlet, declaring formal war against Baloch separatist groups like the BLA (Baloch Liberation Army) and BLF. The announcement followed an earlier alleged attack by Baloch militants on an ISKP camp in Mastung that killed around 30 ISKP fighters. About the Author Anushka Vats Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can ... Read More First Published: August 31, 2025, 16:33 IST News world ISIS Terror Sanctuaries In Pakistan Endanger Afghan Peace, Warns Ex-US Envoy Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Islamic Republic Facing Collapse In Iran, Civil War Possible If Khamenei Regime Falls: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 13:45 IST A report claimed that the regime collapse in Iran could lead to a situation of civil war in the country. Iran could soon witness winds of change, claims report (Reuters Image) Iran could soon witness winds of change as the Islamic Republic is facing collapse, a report claimed, further cautioning of a danger of civil war in the country. A UK-based Henry Jackson Society claimed in its report this week that the Islamic Republic was collapsing, the New York Post reported. Recommended Stories The United Nations has accused Tehran of executing around 900 people this year as a tool of intimidation". If the Islamic Republic falls, there is a danger that regime collapse could lead to a vacuum of governance that is accompanied by civil war," the findings of the report said, according to NYP. This is an outcome that must be avoided at all costs for the Iranian people, and every step must therefore be made to ensure that any transition is quick and painless," the report added. The existing Iranian region of Ali Hosseini Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the country, remains wedded to the Iranian revolution", according to the report. The report claimed that the Ayatollahs regime is firm on reconstituting its nuclear programme, which was largely destroyed in Israeli and American strikes on its nuclear sites during the 12-day war between June 13 to June 24 this year. Iran also struck back at Israel and the American military bases in Qatar and Iraq. Targets included the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar (the largest US base in the region) and the Ain al-Asad base in western Iraq. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The regime is also committed to exporting terrorism both regionally and internationally makes it an ongoing danger to the West", NYP quoted the report as saying. The Israeli and American air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities set back the regime", but it has not eliminated the strategic and security threats posed by the regime", the report said. About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @Ma... Read More First Published: August 31, 2025, 13:45 IST News world Islamic Republic Facing Collapse In Iran, Civil War Possible If Khamenei Regime Falls: Report Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Israel Confirms Hamas Spokesperson Abu Obeida Eliminated In Gaza Strike Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 19:19 IST Abu Obeida had long served as the public voice of Hamas military wing. He frequently appeared in videos wearing military fatigues and a red keffiyeh to cover his face Rapid Read + Follow us On Google Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for the armed wing of Hamas. (Photo by HAMAS MEDIA OFFICE via AFP) Israels Defence Minister Israel Katz on Sunday announced that the army had killed Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for the armed wing of Hamas, following a targeted airstrike in Gaza on Saturday. Hamas terror spokesperson Abu Ubaida was eliminated in Gaza and sent to meet all the liquidated members of the axis of evil from Iran, Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen at the bottom of hell," Katz wrote in a post on X. Recommended Stories Further congratulating Israeli security forces for what he called a flawless execution", Kats said, Soon, with the intensification of the campaign in Gaza, many more of his criminal partnersHamas murderers and rapistswill join him there." , , , . " " . , , . pic.twitter.com/e6cb0CRLYy " Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) August 31, 2025 Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had confirmed that Abu Obeida was the target of Saturdays strike but had stopped short of confirming his death. We have struck the Hamas spokesman, the spokesman for this criminal and murderous organisation, Abu Obeida," Netanyahu said during a government meeting. I hope he is no longer with us, but I notice that there is no one on the Hamas side to clarify this matter," he added. As of now, Hamas has not issued a statement on Israels claim. Abu Obeida had long served as the public voice of Hamas military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades. He frequently appeared in videos wearing military fatigues and a red keffiyeh to cover his face. His last public statement came on Friday, just as Israel began a new phase of military operations in Gaza City, declaring it a combat zone. Obeida is one of several high-profile Hamas figures to be targeted and killed by Israel in recent months. The strikes are part of Israels continued efforts to weaken Hamas military leadership following the October 7, 2023 attack, in which Hamas militants killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Earlier today, Hamas confirmed the death of Mohammed Sinwar, believed to have been leading Hamas in Gaza. Sinwar was the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the alleged mastermind of the October 7 attack. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Mohammed Sinwar reportedly headed the Al-Qassam Brigades military council after the death of commander Mohammed Deif. Israel said Sinwar was killed on 13 May in a strike, and his body was later found in a tunnel beneath the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. (With inputs from agencies) About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More Location : Israel First Published: August 31, 2025, 19:19 IST News world Israel Confirms Hamas Spokesperson Abu Obeida Eliminated In Gaza Strike Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Nepal PM Opposes India-China Trade Via Lipulekh In Talks With Xi Jinping Ahead Of SCO Summit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 07:26 IST Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli conveyed the message directly to Chinese President Xi Jinping during bilateral talks in Tianjin, held just ahead of the 25th SCO Summit Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin | Image: ANI Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday raised strong objections to the India-China agreement to resume border trade through Lipulekh, asserting that the area is Nepali territory under the 1816 Sugauli Treaty. Oli conveyed the message directly to Chinese President Xi Jinping during bilateral talks in Tianjin, held just ahead of the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and the SCO Plus meeting. Recommended Stories According to Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, Oli reminded Xi that the Sugauli Treaty had demarcated the Mahakali River as the boundary, and all areas east of the river including Lipulekh belong to Nepal. The issue of Lipulekh was also raised (by the Prime Minister). Regarding that matter, the Prime Minister stated that the Sugauli Treaty of 1816 AD has made the demarcation of Nepali territories; as per which all the areas that lies on the east of Mahakali River is of Nepal and those areas are being used Lipulekh is being used for trade through an agreement should not have been made and China should not cradle the agreement as Nepal have objection over it, this clear message was conveyed," Rai said. The bilateral discussion between the Rt Honble, Mr. KP Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal and His Excellency Mr. Xi Jinping, the President of the Peoples Republic of China was held at the Tianjins Guest House on August 30, 2025. pic.twitter.com/4f3Z0wq12j PMO Nepal (@PM_nepal_) August 30, 2025 The Prime Ministers office also said Oli made Nepals stance unambiguous: During the meeting with President Xi, the prime minister clearly conveyed Nepals objection to the India-China agreement to develop Nepali territory Lipulekh as a trade route." The Nepal Embassy in Beijing echoed the same position in a statement, stressing that Oli had firmly reiterated Kathmandus opposition. Referring to the recent understanding reached between India and China on border trade through Lipu Lekh Pass, the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister stated that the territory belongs to Nepal and the Government of Nepal has registered its strong objection to the same," the Embassy said. The controversy reignited earlier this month after India and China agreed in New Delhi to reopen trade through the Lipulekh Pass, located in Nepals Darchula district. In response, Nepals Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed on August 20 that the official map of Nepal enshrined in its Constitution includes Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani as integral parts of the country. India, however, has maintained that border trade through Lipulekh has been in place since 1954 and was only disrupted in recent years due to the pandemic and other developments. Both sides have now agreed to resume it," New Delhi said in a statement. After his meeting with Xi, Prime Minister Oli described the talks as fruitful." In a post on X, he wrote: Glad to meet President Xi for the second consecutive year and hold fruitful bilateral talks. We reviewed progress on various issues and agreed upon to enhance bilateral cooperation. I thank President Xi for inviting me to the SCO Plus Summit." Nepal has been participating in SCO gatherings as a dialogue partner since 2016, but has long sought an upgrade to observer or full-member status. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all While full membership would secure Kathmandus seat at every summit of the regional grouping, its unique geopolitical position between India and China has made the decision complex. This marks Olis second visit to China since returning as prime minister for a fourth term in July 2024. His previous official visit was in December last year. Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 07:24 IST News world Nepal PM Opposes India-China Trade Via Lipulekh In Talks With Xi Jinping Ahead Of SCO Summit Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Pillars Of Global South': Here's How Chinese Media Covered PM Modi's Visit, Meeting With Xi Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 22:39 IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi's China visit for the SCO summit receives major coverage, highlighting India-China cooperation, Xi Jinping's remarks, and bilateral talks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and his wife Peng Liyuan arrive for the Official Reception for Heads of States and Heads of Governments at the SCO, in Tianjin (X) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached China after seven years to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet, the spotlight shone brightly on him, with Chinese state media giving significant coverage to the visit, highlighting both countries growing cooperation and proactive approach to foreign policy. Additionally, reactions on Chinese social media showed a mix of optimism and doubt. While many users hailed PM Modis defiance of US trade pressure, some others remain sceptical of India and call for closer cooperation with Beijing. Recommended Stories Here are some of the headlines of the Chinese media in their coverage of PM Modis visit to Tianjin. The Global Times: The Global Times, a prominent state-run Chinese media outlet, published an article titled "China and India are cooperation partners, not rivals: Xi," highlighting Jinpings remarks about the bilateral meeting, saying, "as long as the two countries stick to this overarching direction, China-India relations can sustain steady and long-term growth." The news outlet further echoed Jinpings remarks that China and India should become neighbours on good terms and partners helping each other succeed. A cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant" should be the right choice for the two countries, the news outlet reported, quoting Jinpings oft-repeated phrase The dragon and the elephant as metaphors for China and India. Xinhua: Another Chinese state-run media outlet, Xinhua, said that President Xi Jinping welcomed PM Modi to the SCO summit, emphasising the importance of the two countries viewing their bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective, pursuing further improvement from the Tianjin meeting onward, and working for their sustained, sound, and steady development. It also highlighted Jinpings remarks, which frame India and China as two pillars of the Global South. Apart from state media reports, Chinese journalists covering the summit also commented on the significance of the meeting. Zhang Xiao, a Hindi-speaking Chinese journalist, pushed for deeper cooperation between the two nations. Speaking in Hindi, she said, We are neighbouring nations and leading developing countries of the world. We are two of the largest economies. Our trade cooperation is extensiveSo, the opportunities are immense. We should not have tensions between us. We should join hands and work togetherI believe Chinas high technology is well-known across the world. We can cooperate on this." Chinese journalist Wu Lei, Chief Editor at China-based outlet CGTN, emphasised the importance of the leaders commitment to keep the border issue from overshadowing broader ties. Indian Prime Minister reaffirmed that the two countries should move on to boost their bilateral ties, and border issues shouldnt be affecting the bilateral relations and the direct flights between the two countries are expected to resume and the hope to expand the collaboration from security to economic and people to people exchanges and as member states of the SCO as well as the BRICS collaboration. They are expected to share more responsibility as global South partners," Wu said. PM Modi-Xi Jinping Bilateral Talks PM Modi and Xi Jinping held wide-ranging talks to reset the bilateral relations between India and China, which have been on the mend over the past two years since a major rift following the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. This comes at a time even more significant amid a tariff tussle with the United States. PM Modi spoke about border management as well as the resumption of flights between the two countries and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. He said that the welfare of 2.8 billion people is linked to bilateral cooperation between India and China. He said that India and China should pursue strategic autonomy" and their relations should not be seen through a third-country lens". He and Jinping deemed it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges, like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms. Meanwhile, Jinping spoke about how the relationship between India and China should take the form of a dragon-elephant" tango a dance between their emblematic animals and find a way to be good neighbours" to each other, especially as they mark the 75th anniversary of their bilateral ties. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Jinping also stressed that the two Asian neighbours must ensure "peace and tranquillity in their border regions, and should not let the border issue define the overall China-India relations." (With inputs from agencies) About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 22:39 IST News world 'Pillars Of Global South': Here's How Chinese Media Covered PM Modi's Visit, Meeting With Xi Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Key Points Carnival's ships are full, prompting the company to expand its fleet. The cruise line has managed its heavy debt load successfully. Carnival sells at a lower P/E ratio than its peers. 10 stocks we like better than Carnival Corp. Perhaps one of the more dramatic recoveries over the past few years has been that of Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL). The forced shutdown of the cruise industry during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the company losing its only significant revenue source for over a year. Even when Carnival ships could sail again, relaunching its ships and drawing back its customer base was a years-long process. Today, the environment is different. Not only are its ships full, but also, demand is such that it has had to build additional cruise ships. Amid that recovery, Carnival's stock price saw massive gains. The question now for investors is whether they can still benefit from buying the stock, or have they missed the boat on significant gains? Image source: Carnival Corp. The state of Carnival The good news for Carnival Cruise Lines investors is that it remains the industry leader. Although numerous companies compete in this industry, Carnival and its multiple cruise brands (including Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, and Princess Cruises) account for 42% of the industry's passenger count, according to Cruise Market Watch. Moreover, even though the state of the economy is uncertain, it is filling these ships. In the first six months of fiscal 2025 (ended May 31), the occupancy percentage stood at 104% (the industry defines 100% occupancy as two people in every cabin). This is critical, as it shows that concerns about an economic slowdown have not dampened demand for cruise vacations. Additionally, bookings for 2026 match record levels. This means it is filling its cabins without having to offer as many discounts, thereby bolstering its top and bottom lines. With that, it is working to increase its capacity, planning for the launch of the Carnival Festivale in 2027 and the Carnival Tropicale in 2028. Carnival's financials Amid those improvements, revenue increased by 9% year over year to $12 billion for the first half of fiscal 2025. In contrast, Carnival limited cost and expense growth to 3%. Thus, the $486 million in net income for the first two quarters of 2025 was well above the $123 million loss in the same year-ago period. Furthermore, this occurred despite a $718 million interest expense for the period. The high interest costs are due to the aforementioned pandemic shutdown, which led the company to incur massive debts to stay in business. Despite efforts to pay it down, total debt stands at just over $27 billion, a heavy burden considering the $10 billion in book value. Last Updated: September 01, 2025, 00:03 IST PM Narendra Modi China Visit Updates, SCO Summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit on Sunday. The meeting went on for around an hour, during which NSA Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri were also present from the Indian side. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi took part in the meeting. PM Modi arrived in China yesterday and will take part in the SCO Summit today. This years SCO summit will review 25 years of the organizations achievements and also adopt a ten-year development strategy. China is hosting the SCO Summit for the fifth time, with President Xi Jinping chairing the proceedings. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among the prominent participants. PM Modi is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Follow updates: PM Modi, Xi Jinping Hold Bilateral Meet As India-China Reset Ties Amid Trump Trade War Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 10:03 IST SCO Summit 2025: PM Modi and Xi Jinping sat down for bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Summit in Tianjin today, as the two leaders look to reset India-China ties. PM Narendra Modi in China: PM Modi meets Xi Jinping on SCO Summit sidelines (Photo: YouTube / Narendra Modi) The world will be watching as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin join Chinas Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin today. The three powerful leaders converge on a single stage amid the shaking world order forced by Donald Trumps erratic foreign policy and trade war waged against India and China, and fears of stricter sanctions on Russia. Recommended Stories The trio, being seen on one platform at this juncture of the global order which is seeing a tectonic shift, will be a clear message to the US President, who has tried to pressure each of the three countries with his tactics of tariffs. ALSO READ | All Eyes On Xi-Modi-Putin Troika As SCO Summit Opens Today Amid Trumps Tariff Heat PM Modi landed in China after seven years. The last time he was in the country was in 2018. PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with Jinping on the sidelines of the Summit on Sunday, while he will hold a meeting with Putin tomorrow. #WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, China.(Source: ANI/DD News) pic.twitter.com/BNRfDkDtCW ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 The Trump administration soured its relations with New Delhi by imposing 50% tariffs on imports from India and increasing Washingtons proximity with Islamabad. The White House officials have launched a series of attacks on India over its decision to continue buying Russian oil, accusing New Delhi of fueling Moscows war machine in Ukraine". Trumps trade adviser Peter Navarro went on to claim that Ukraine was Modis war". top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all India has, however, made it clear that its national interest is paramount and will not budge to any pressure. India is the second-largest buyer of Russian oil after China. Washington has imposed tariffs on New Delhi for this, however, no such levies were made on Beijing for the same. The two neighbours have looked to reset ties in recent months. PM Modis visit to China is being seen as part of the efforts to improve relations, as the US pressure mounts on both nations on trade. India and China have been vocal about a multipolar world, which goes against the American concept of its dominance across the globe. The Prime Ministers meetings with Jinping and Putin hold all the way more significance in this context, as the three countries set eyes on showing unity against what Beijing calls the US bully". About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @Ma... Read More Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 07:02 IST News world PM Modi, Xi Jinping Hold Bilateral Meet As India-China Reset Ties Amid Trump Trade War Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Trust, Respect, Sensitivity': PM Modi Pledges To Advance Ties In Talks With Xi, Cites Calm Border Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 10:58 IST PM Modi hailed the "peaceful atmosphere" at the India-China border areas, following the disengagement at the two friction points of Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh PM Modi with Xi Jinping | Image: PMO Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said India and China are determined to strengthen ties based on mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity." During the bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, PM Modi hailed the peaceful atmosphere" at the border areas, which took shape following the disengagement at the two friction points of Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh. Recommended Stories Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions, which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created," said PM Modi. #WATCH | Tianjin, China: During his bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere pic.twitter.com/IT9leLWI3j ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 The dialogue marked the first notable easing in India-China relations since the 2020 Galwan clashes, gaining further weight in light of New Delhis frictions with Washington over President Donald Trumps tariff hike linked to Russian oil imports. During the meeting, PM Modi and President Xi underlined the need to strengthen bilateral ties, while simultaneously projecting a message of cooperation amid trade tensions. PM Modi announced that India and China have reached an agreement between their Special Representatives on border management, while also resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and direct flights between the two countries. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity." #WATCH | Tianjin, China: During his bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, An agreement has been reached between our Special Representatives regarding border management. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been resumed. Direct flights pic.twitter.com/ctxwPLlWXr ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 Cooperation With Long-Term Vision Xi said it was a great pleasure" to meet PM Modi again on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. I welcome you to China for the SCO summit. Last year, we had a successful meeting in Kazan," Xi said in his opening remarks. Underscoring the importance of closer ties, Xi added, The world is moving towards transformation. China and India are two of the most civilizational nations, the worlds two most populous countries, and part of the Global South. It is vital to be friends, good neighbours, and for the Dragon and the Elephant to come together." According to sources, the two leaders agreed to pursue cooperation with a long-term vision following their meeting in Tianjin. Both PM Modi and President Xi held talks on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Tianjin, a day after Modi arrived in China for the gathering, which also features Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other world leaders. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Its PM Modis first visit to China in seven years, sending a strong signal to the US amid steep tariffs that have drawn the two Asian neighbours closer. Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 10:19 IST News world 'Trust, Respect, Sensitivity': PM Modi Pledges To Advance Ties In Talks With Xi, Cites Calm Border Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Vital For Dragon & Elephant To Come Together, Be Friends': China's Xi To PM Modi In Bilateral Meet Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 15:21 IST PM Modi in China: President Xi Jinping underscored the necessity for India and China to be "good neighbours" and "be friends", during a bilateral with PM Modi. PM Narendra Modi in China: PM Modi meets Xi Jinping on SCO Summit sidelines (Reuters File Image) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday underlined the necessity for India and China to come together" and be friends" in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin. Xi also called upon India to handle the New Delhi-Beijing relations from a long-term perspective" and voiced his support for a multipolar world". Recommended Stories PM Modi-Xi Jinping Bilateral Meeting The Chinese leader said that India and China are civilisational nations and must come together. The World is going towards transformation. China and India are two of the most civilizational countries. We are the worlds two most populous countries and part of the Global South It is vital to be friends, a good neighbour, and the Dragon and the Elephant to come together," Xi said. VIDEO | Tianjin, China: In his opening remarks during delegation-level talks with PM Narendra Modi (@narendramodi), Chinese President Xi Jinping says, The World is going towards transformation. China and India are two of the most civilizational countries. We are the worlds two pic.twitter.com/o68nwHXFjH Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 31, 2025 His remarks came as both India and China are looking to mend strained ties, five years after the Galwan Valley clashes. The turn of events in the two neighbours also comes as the two nations face pressure from the United States over tariffs. While India faces 50% levies already, China has been threatened by Donald Trump with 200% tariffs if Beijing restricts exports of rare-earth magnets to the US. India, China Must Uphold Multilateralism: Xi Jinping To PM Modi The Chinese President referred to the historic responsibilities" of both India and China to uphold multilateralism" in the world and work in tandem for peace and prosperity in Asia. This year marks the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic relations. Both nations need to handle our relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective. We must also step up to our historic responsibilities to uphold multilateralism, a multipolar world, and more democracy in international institutions and work together for peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world," he said. VIDEO | Tianjin, China: In his opening remarks during delegation-level talks with PM Narendra Modi (@narendramodi), Chinese President Xi Jinping says, This year marks the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic relations. Both nations need to handle our relationship from a pic.twitter.com/QXE7gYJAsT Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 31, 2025 India and China have taken steps to improve bilateral relations in recent months. PM Modi highlighted this in his opening remarks in todays meeting, where he said that India is committed to taking forward its ties with China based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity. Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions, which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created," PM Modi told Xi. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and pic.twitter.com/HBYS5lhe9d Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025 The two leaders will attend the SCO Summit later in the day. The SCO has emerged as a cornerstone of Xi, Putin, and Indias drive to rebalance global power. About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @Ma... Read More Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 10:52 IST News world 'Vital For Dragon & Elephant To Come Together, Be Friends': China's Xi To PM Modi In Bilateral Meet Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... PM Modi Invites Xi Jinping To 2026 BRICS Summit In India; China Backs New Delhi's Presidency Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 15:16 IST Chinese President Xi Jinping thanked PM Modi for the invitation and assured Beijings support for Indias upcoming BRICS Presidency. PM Modi with Xi Jinping | Image: PMO Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended an invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the BRICS Summit that India will host in 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. President Xi thanked PM Modi for the invitation and assured Beijings support for Indias upcoming BRICS Presidency. Recommended Stories India is set to assume leadership of the grouping from Brazil next year. During the meeting, Modi also expressed support for Chinas presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and its ongoing summit in Tianjin. The two leaders last met in October 2024 in Kazan, Russia, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. Indias BRICS Agenda At the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro earlier this year, PM Modi had announced that India would seek to give the grouping a new form" during its chairmanship. He said BRICS would stand for Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability, with a strong emphasis on people-centric and Global South priorities mirroring Indias approach during its G20 presidency. The Rio summit, held under the theme Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance," saw commitments across areas such as finance, health, climate, AI, and peace and security. The grouping, now expanded to 11 members Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran has become a key platform for Global South coordination. Border Stability Stressed Alongside BRICS, the ModiXi talks in Tianjin focused heavily on bilateral issues, particularly the border. PM Modi underscored the importance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas" as a prerequisite for stronger relations. Both leaders welcomed last years disengagement along friction points and the relative calm since then. According to the MEA, they reiterated their commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable" resolution of the boundary question, guided by the larger perspective of bilateral ties and the long-term interests of their peoples. They also took note of progress made during recent Special Representative-level talks on the boundary issue and agreed to support further engagement. The MEA added that PM Modi and Xi reaffirmed that India and China are development partners, not rivals," and stressed that differences should not become disputes." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China home to 2.8 billion people is vital not only for the growth of both nations but also for a multipolar Asia and a multipolar world," the statement said. The meeting marked PM Modis first visit to China in seven years and comes amid a broader push by both countries to project unity against the backdrop of global trade tensions with the United States. Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 15:16 IST News world PM Modi Invites Xi Jinping To 2026 BRICS Summit In India; China Backs New Delhi's Presidency Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... PM Modi Poses For Family Photo With World Leaders At SCO Summit In China Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 17:30 IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other leaders at the SCO Summit 2025 in Tianjin, China. Foreign leaders pose during a family photo of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin (AFP) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other global leaders on Sunday gathered for the customary family photo of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, which is being held in Chinas Tianjin. In the traditional photo session, PM Modi was seen in the front row, while Russian President Vladimir Putin stood alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping. Recommended Stories Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also featured in the photograph. 1ST image of SCO summit family photo #BREAKING pic.twitter.com/HBnthDNibN Siddhant Mishra (@siddhantvm) August 31, 2025 Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, hosted a banquet in the port city to welcome international guests ahead of the 25th edition of the annual summit. PM Modi and Shehbaz Sharif were in the front row, but there were at least eight people between them. This marked the first time since Indias Operation Sindoor precision strikes that PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Sharif, were seen sharing the same platform. PM Modi also met several leaders, including those from the immediate neighbourhood, for individual chats. On his X handle, he shared photos too, such as one with Nepals KP Oli, calling the two countries ties deep-rooted and very special". He also met Senior General Min Aung Hlaing of the Myanmar junta, too, and expressed hope for free and fair elections soon in the country. SCO Summit 2025 China welcomed world leaders with ceremonial fanfare in Tianjin as the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit officially began on Sunday. The high-level gathering brings together more than 20 nations including major powers such as Russia, India, China, Iran, at a time of rising geopolitical tensions and a shifting global order. This years SCO summit will review 25 years of the organisations achievements and also adopt a ten-year development strategy. China is hosting the SCO Summit for the fifth time, with President Xi Jinping chairing the proceedings. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Leaders from Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia will attend the summit in what China aims to portray as a powerful show of unity among the Global South", referring to developing and lower-income countries, mostly in the southern hemisphere. The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or dialogue partners". About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 17:30 IST News world PM Modi Poses For Family Photo With World Leaders At SCO Summit In China Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... PM Modi Mentions Cross-Border Terrorism In Talks With Xi, Gets China's Backing Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 20:14 IST PM Modi underlined that cross-border terrorism was a priority concern for India and emphasised its impact on both India and China. PM Modi holds a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of cross-border terrorism with Chinese President Xi Jinping during bilateral talks and sought Beijings support in addressing the challenge, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Sunday. While addressing a press conference in Tianjin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, Misri said that the Prime Minister underlined that cross-border terrorism was a priority concern for India and emphasised its impact on both India and China. Recommended Stories He did underline the fact that this is something that impacts both India and China, and that its important, therefore, that we extend understanding and support to each other as both of us combat cross-border terrorism," Misri said while addressing the press briefing. #WATCH | Tianjin, China: On cross-border terrorism, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, Cross-border terrorism was mentioned by the Prime Minister as a priority. He did underline the fact that this is something that impacts both India and China, and that its important, pic.twitter.com/W8jMWeZJ8J ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 The Foreign Secretary added that PM Modi underlined the need for both countries to extend mutual understanding and cooperation in combating terrorism. Misri further said that Beijing has extended its support to New Delhi in dealing with the issue. I would, in fact, like to say that we have received the understanding and cooperation of China as we have dealt with the issue of cross-border terrorism in the context of the ongoing SCO Summit," he added. Misri further said that PM Modi also emphasised the importance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas for further developing ties with China, as both leaders committed themselves to a mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary issue and to working together to stabilise the global economy. We expect that the existing mechanisms, which is the working mechanism for coordination and cooperation in the border areas between India and China, will meet in the coming days and weeks and the respective leaders of this mechanism from the two sides will come to an understanding on how these mechanisms for the delimitation-related talks are going to go forward," he added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all #WATCH | Tianjin, China: On border talks, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, Dedicated mechanisms have been created for taking these talks forward. We expect that the existing mechanisms, which is the working mechanism for coordination and cooperation in the border areas pic.twitter.com/jcr6F0jF7m ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 PM Modi is on a two-day visit to China, a first in seven years,to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin. He met Xi Jinping for the second time since the two sides agreed last October to end a military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which began in April-May 2020. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More Location : Tianjin, China First Published: August 31, 2025, 20:03 IST News world PM Modi Mentions Cross-Border Terrorism In Talks With Xi, Gets China's Backing Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... PM Modi Stresses Strategic Autonomy, Tells Xi Ties Shouldn't Be Seen Through Third-Country Lens Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 15:24 IST PM Modi and Xi Jinping held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of SCO Summit in China, during which the Prime Minister stressed on strategic autonomy of both countries. PM Modi China visit: PM Modi holds bilateral with Xi Jinping (Reuters Image) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a crucial bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin on Sunday, where the two leaders hailed the improvement in ties in recent months and spoke in detail about their perspectives on how to take the relations forward. While the Prime Minister stressed on the strategic autonomy" of both India and China, the Chinese President called upon New Delhi to work together to promote a multipolar world". Recommended Stories PM Modi told Xi during the meeting that India-China ties should not be seen through the lens of a third country, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release. In turn, the Chinese President pinpointed the need for the two neighbours to come together and be friends. What Was Indias Message To China? While the two leaders at the table expressed satisfaction over the successful disengagement at the border last year and the subsequent peace and tranquility along the border areas since then, they also expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests, MEA said. Prime Minister noted that India and China both pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens. The two leaders deemed it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges, like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms," the MEA statement said. Taking to X, PM Modi said that the two leaders agreed on the importance of maintaining peace in the border areas and they reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity". Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and pic.twitter.com/HBYS5lhe9d Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025 What Was Chinas Message To India? Xi called upon PM Modi to work together to uphold multilateralism and work for the democratisation of relations among countries in yet another message to the US, which is targeting the BRICS nations for their de-dollarisation push. India, being a part of this grouping, however, has not joined the echo and maintained its stance against any de-dollarisation in trade. We must jointly demonstrate historical responsibility, uphold multilateralism, strengthen communication and cooperation on major international and regional issues, defend international fairness and justice, work together to promote a multipolar world and the democratization of international relations, and make due contributions to maintaining peace and prosperity in Asia and the world," the Chinese statement said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Earlier in the day, Xi said it is vital" for both countries to be good neighbours and proposed that both nations should come together" in the transforming world. The World is going towards transformation. China and India are two of the most civilizational countries. We are the worlds two most populous countries and part of the Global South It is vital to be friends, a good neighbour, and the Dragon and the Elephant to come together," Xi said during the bilateral meeting with PM Modi. About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @Ma... Read More Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 15:00 IST News world PM Modi Stresses Strategic Autonomy, Tells Xi Ties Shouldn't Be Seen Through Third-Country Lens Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Smiles, Handshakes, Interpreters: Xi, Putin's Minute-Long Chat At SCO Stage | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 31, 2025, 23:18 IST Both the leaders were seen having a lengthy and friendly conversation while others lined up for the SCO family photo. Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan attend a welcoming ceremony of the SCO (AFP) SCO Summit: Leaders across Asia, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russias Vladimir Putin, Maldives Mohamed Muizzu, gathered in Chinas Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. In the two-day summit, which will see discussions on pressing issues like trade, development, and regional conflicts, some lighter and relaxed moments are also being witnessed. Recommended Stories In a light-hearted moment before the group photo, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were seen smiling and chatting. A video of the interaction has been doing the rounds on social media, which showed both leaders exchanging smiles and calling their interpreters to continue their chat for over a minute. Xi IMMEDIATELY calls for interpreter after photo-op with PutinThey have lengthy convo while everyone lines up for family photo Judging by the smiles, a very friendly chat https://t.co/atIo7ASrAJ pic.twitter.com/RcYYz3vvSb RT (@RT_com) August 31, 2025 Both the leaders were seen having a lengthy and friendly conversation while others lined up for the SCO family photo. SCO Summit 2025 China welcomed world leaders with ceremonial fanfare in Tianjin as the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit officially began on Sunday. The high-level gathering brings together more than 20 nations including major powers such as Russia, India, China, Iran, at a time of rising geopolitical tensions and a shifting global order. This years SCO summit will review 25 years of the organisations achievements and also adopt a ten-year development strategy. China is hosting the SCO Summit for the fifth time, with President Xi Jinping chairing the proceedings. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Leaders from Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia will attend the summit in what China aims to portray as a powerful show of unity among the Global South", referring to developing and lower-income countries, mostly in the southern hemisphere. The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or dialogue partners". About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More Location : China First Published: August 31, 2025, 23:18 IST News world Smiles, Handshakes, Interpreters: Xi, Putin's Minute-Long Chat At SCO Stage | Watch Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Key Points Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing holds nearly 70% of the global foundry market. Nvidia, AMD, and cloud hyperscalers alike rely heavily on TSMC's fabrication capabilities. As AI workloads become more sophisticated, the need for additional chips is inevitable. 10 stocks we like better than Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing When investors debate the future of the artificial intelligence (AI) trade, the conversation generally finds its way back to the usual suspects: Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and cloud hyperscalers like Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet. Each of these companies is racing to design GPUs or develop custom accelerators in-house. But behind this hardware, there's a company that benefits no matter which chip brand comes out ahead: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM). Let's unpack why Taiwan Semi is my top AI chip stock over the next 10 years, and assess whether now is an opportune time to scoop up some shares. Agnostic to the winner, leveraged to the trend As the world's leading semiconductor foundry, TSMC manufactures chips for nearly every major AI developer -- from Nvidia and AMD to Amazon's custom silicon initiatives, dubbed Trainium and Inferentia. Unlike many of its peers in the chip space that rely on new product cycles to spur demand, Taiwan Semi's business model is fundamentally agnostic. Whether demand is allocated toward GPUs, accelerators, or specialized cloud silicon, all roads lead back to TSMC's fabrication capabilities. With nearly 70% market share in the global foundry space, Taiwan Semi's dominance is hard to ignore. Such a commanding lead over the competition provides the company with unmatched structural demand visibility -- a trend that appears to be accelerating as AI infrastructure spend remains on the rise. Image source: Getty Images. Scaling with more sophisticated AI applications At the moment, AI development is still concentrated on training and refining large language models (LLMs) and embedding them into downstream software applications. The next wave of AI will expand into far more diverse and demanding use cases -- autonomous systems, robotics, and quantum computing remain in their infancy. At scale, these workloads will place greater demands on silicon than today's chips can support. Meeting these demands doesn't simply require additional investments in chips. Rather, it requires chips engineered for new levels of efficiency, performance, and power management. This is where TSMC's competitive advantages begin to compound. With each successive generation of process technology, the company has a unique opportunity to widen the performance gap between itself and rivals like Samsung or Intel. Pope Leo XIV held a private audience with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday, August 30. Afterwards, President Mnangagwa met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. According to the Holy See Press Office, the talks in the Secretariat of State emphasized the good relations between the Holy See and Zimbabwe. The parties spoke about several aspects of the southern African countrys political and economic situation, especially its work with the local Church in the areas of healthcare, education, and the environment. During the discussions, said a press release, there was also an exchange of views on regional issues, highlighting the importance of promoting multilateralism, dialogue and cooperation among nations. Vatican News In the 1950s and '60s, a kid named Bobby Prevost grew up in his family's small and unassuming home in the Chicago suburb of Dolton, Illinois. Today, that home has become what a story in Chicago magazine calls "an unofficial pilgrimage site." Because, of course, Bobby Prevost grew up to become Pope Leo XIV and now resides in Rome. The story by Kelley Engelbrecht sets the tone: The house had coincidentally been up for sale when Leo was elected pope, and the village ended up buying it for $375,000 after threatening first to take it by eminent domain. The question now is whether the site will boost the fortunes of the village, which was once a "typical postwar south suburb" but has since fallen on harder times thanks to "decades of corruption and disinvestment," writes Engelbrecht. She spends time talking with the locals, including the police officer whose full-time job is to park in front of the house, and describes a mixture of pride and wry bemusement. As the 81-year-old local bar owner puts it, referring to people flocking to the home: "You could probably just go down the street to a lawn he probably walked on. Rub your butt on the grass." Read the full story. Below the dark blue waters of Denmark's Bay of Aarhus, archaeologists are searching for coastal settlements swallowed by rising sea levels more than 8,500 years ago. And this summer, divers descended about 26 feet below the waves close to Aarhus and collected evidence of a Stone Age settlement from the seabed, per the AP. It's all part of a $15.5 million, six-year international project to map parts of the seabed in the Baltic and North seas, funded by the EU and including researchers in Aarhus, as well as from the UK's University of Bradford and Germany's Lower Saxony Institute for Historical Coastal Research. The goal is to explore sunken northern European landscapes and uncover lost Mesolithic settlements as offshore wind farms and other sea infrastructure expand. Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize have announced plans to create a huge reserve of tropical forest spanning across the three countries. Pushing out criminal gangs and protecting the land from ranchers, miners, and loggers won't be easy, reports the AP . The nature reserve announced last weekcalled the Great Mayan Jungle Biocultural Corridorwould stretch across jungle areas of southern Mexico and northern parts of the two Central American nations, encompassing more than 14 million acres. It would become the second largest reserve in the Americas, behind only the Amazon. In interviews this week, the environment ministers of Mexico and Guatemala emphasized the need for security, while also expressing the intention of administrations in both countries to avoid destructive projects in the area. "The first thing is that the security forces begin to have a presence," because the region has been abandoned and left to organized crime, Guatemala Environment Minister Patricia Orantes said. "This is not primarily an environmental battle. We're talking about the Guatemalan state needing to retake control of its territory." Environmental groups have long said that the jungle on both sides of the Mexico-Guatemala border is dotted with clandestine landing strips for cocaine-laden planes, smugglers moving migrants north, and illegal loggers. Mexico Environment Secretary Alicia Barcena said that all three countries will need to boost their security presence in the reserve. Just sending troops will likely be insufficient, as Mexico's experience along another part of its southern border in Chiapas has shown. Organized crime has infiltrated economically-strapped communities with few options and it has been difficult to root them out. Guatemalan lawyer and environmental activist Rafael Maldonado said it will be vital "to convert communities that are believed to participate in drug trafficking into allies of the park." To do that, Orantes said the government must offer economic alternatives to those residents. One proposal from Mexico is the expansion of its "Planting Life" program, which offers landowners money to grow certain kinds of trees either for fruit or timber. The program has a $2 billion budget, Barcena said. (The AP has much more here.) A flotilla of ships departed from Barcelona to the Gaza Strip Sunday with humanitarian aid, activists, and celebrities on board seeking to break the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory. This comes as Israel has stepped up its offensive on Gaza City, reports the AP , limiting the deliveries of food and basic supplies in the north of the Palestinian territory. Food experts warned earlier this month that the city was in famine and that half a million people across the strip were facing catastrophic levels of hunger. The Global Sumud Flotilla is carrying food, water, and medicine. Activists on board demanded safe passage to deliver the much-needed aid and the opening of a humanitarian sea corridor. The maritime convoy of about 20 boats and delegations from 44 countries is claimed to be the largest attempt to date to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip by sea, which has now lasted 18 years. They will be joined by more ships from ports in Italy, Greece, and Tunisia in the coming days, organizers said. Thousands of supporters flocked to the Barcelona pier, some of them wearing kaffiyehs and chanting "Free Palestine!" and "Boycott Israel!" A wide variety of boats, flying Palestinian flags, were waiting to set sail, from run-down old luxury yachts to tiny wooden sailboats and industrial-looking vessels. "The story here is about Palestine. The story here is how people are being deliberately deprived of the very basic means to survive," said Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. She will be one of the most recognizable figures on the expedition, alongside actors Susan Sarandon and Liam Cunningham, as well as activists, politicians, and journalists. It is not the first time Thunberg has attempted to reach Gaza waters this year. She was deported in June when the ship she was traveling on with 11 other people was stopped by the Israeli military. "It has been very clear that Israel has been continuously violating international law by either attacking, unlawfully intercepting the boats in international waters, and continuously preventing the humanitarian aid from coming in," said Thunberg. Cunningham played a video showing a girl singing while planning her own funeral. The girl, Fatima, died four days ago, he said. "What sort of world have we slid into where children are making their own funeral arrangements?" Cunningham told reporters. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 When Cracker Barrel unveiled a sleek new logo this August scrubbing the beloved Old Timer icon from its branding it wasnt just nostalgic fans who cried foul. The chains own co-founder went on the record expressing concerns the chain had lost its way under CEO Julie Felss Masino. Masino, who took the helm in 2023 after executive stints at Taco Bell and Starbucks, had promised to reinvent the 55-year-old brand for a new generation. But her $700 million transformation strategy including a logo redesign that stripped away the chains beloved Old Timer icon has been branded an expensive misstep. At 93, Tommy Lowe didnt mince words, calling the chains logo redesign pitiful and accusing leadership of throwing money out the window in an interview with local outlet WTVF. Lowe, who helped open the first Cracker Barrel in Tennessee back in 1969, warned that the chain risks losing the very identity that made it beloved: If they dont get back to keeping it country, then it aint gonna work. Must Read Tommy Lowe speaks out The controversy began in August when the company revealed a new logo that scrubbed its Old Timer visual. The backlash was immediate. Investors, fans and even President Donald Trump slammed the move. The stock slumped, and within a week the board reversed course. But Lowe argued the problem wasnt just cosmetic. They need to work on the food and service, and leave the barrel the logo alone, he said. Spending $700 million doing that is throwing money out the window. He criticized new leaderships fastfood background and questioned what Taco Bell could possibly know about country hospitality, a pointed jab at current CEO Julie Felss Masino and her modernization vision. Investors watch as their value erodes Investors have been losing patience for years. Cracker Barrel shares have plummeted nearly 70% over the past five years, with the stock falling from highs above $180 in 2018-2019 to around $60 today. While competitors in the casual dining space have thrived with Darden Restaurants and Texas Roadhouse delivering strong returns over the same period Cracker Barrel shareholders have watched their investment crumble. A Texas mother is facing a murder charge after authorities say she "intentionally" left her 15-month-old child in a parked car for more than two hours on a 95-degree day. The child did not survive. Vanessa Esquivel, 27, allegedly left her toddler inside a vehicle without working air conditioning while she was at work in Frisco on August 16, according to a press release from the Frisco Police Department. Investigators believe Esquivel arrived at work around 2pm and knowingly left the child in the sweltering car. After the US government loaded children onto planes overnight to be sent back to their native Guatemala, a federal judge temporarily blocked the flightswith the youngsters still insideas their attorneys said authorities were violating US laws and sending vulnerable kids into potential peril. The AP reports the extraordinary drama played out over predawn hours on a US holiday weekend and vaulted from tarmacs in Texas to a courtroom in Washington. The New York Times reports the administration has been barred from deporting the kids, some as young as 10, for 14 days. More: We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. By Marianna Parraga HOUSTON (Reuters) -A $5.89 billion bid from an affiliate of hedge fund Elliott Investment Management has been recommended as the winner of a U.S. court-organized auction of shares in the parent of Venezuela-owned refiner Citgo Petroleum, according to documents filed late on Friday by the officer overseeing the sale process. Improved bids emerged in the final stages of the auction, spurred by court rulings in parallel legal cases that encouraged revisions. Delaware Judge Leonard Stark is expected to make a final decision on the winner following a court hearing next month. The recommendation from court officer Robert Pincus came despite a last-minute effort from a subsidiary of miner Gold Reserve earlier this week to sweeten its $7.4 billion offer, which had previously been marked as the frontrunner. Earlier this month, Pincus said an improved bid from Elliott's affiliate Amber Energy was superior. The court gave three days to the Gold Reserve group to try and match it. Pincus said on Friday that the transaction proposed by Gold Reserve's Dalinar Energy "did not match or exceed the Amber sale transaction, and therefore, the Amber sale transaction continues to constitute a superior proposal." However, he left the door open for the court to request a future revision of his recommendation based on "intervening events." The auction's proceeds are expected to compensate some of the 15 creditors that have been fighting since 2017 to recover nearly $19 billion in U.S. courts after Venezuela expropriated assets and defaulted on debt. Amber's offer fully covers nine claimants, one of the filings showed, compared with the 12 claimants that the Gold Reserve group proposed to compensate. However, it includes a separate agreement with more than 75% of the holders of a defaulted Venezuelan bond collateralized with Citgo equity to settle their claim by paying them $2.13 billion in cash. Amber is also offering partial compensation of $500 million to Gold Reserve, which wants the auction proceeds to cover the expropriation of its mining assets in Venezuela. The miner has not accepted the offer, one of the filings said. Gold Reserve and creditors Siemens Energy, Consorcio Andino and Valores Mundiales this week filed motions to disqualify Amber's bid, saying that Pincus' determination that its price was superior "discarded the bidding procedures." Those motions are under review. (Reporting by Marianna Parraga; Edited by Nathan Crooks) Fairbanks, AK (99701) Today Snow showers early, with a steadier snow developing late. High 8F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 90%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected.. Tonight Areas of fog early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low -17F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. TDT | KAIFENG Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com JMC Aljazeera Motors (Jetour Bahrain) was honored with the prestigious CSR Contribution Award from Jetour China at the Jetour Fan Festival & Global Traveler Conference. The award was presented to only eight countries worldwide, recognizing Jetour Bahrains outstanding commitment to community impact and meaningful initiatives. This international recognition highlights Jetour Bahrains ongoing efforts to create positive change beyond its core business. The company has focused on partnerships and programs that support education, empowerment, and inclusion, reflecting Jetours global vision for sustainable growth. Receiving the CSR Contribution Award is a powerful affirmation of our dedication to giving back, said Saad Alzowayed, Assistant General Manager of Jetour Bahrain. We are honored to represent Jetours values here in Bahrain, and this recognition reflects who we are as a company committed to making a difference. The award further strengthens Jetour Bahrains reputation as a forward-thinking brand that integrates community support into its business strategy, demonstrating a genuine commitment to lasting positive change. A new feature-length animated adaptation of Peleliu Guernica in Paradise is coming to theaters, built on a collaboration with Mone Kamishiraishi, who performs the theme song titled A Miracle-like Thing. The story is based on the brutal Battle of Peleliu, where only 34 soldiers survived out of an estimated 10,000, and is being released to coincide with the 80th year since the end of the war, offering a depiction of friendship forged in the midst of devastating conflict. TOKYO, Sep 01 (News On Japan) - Prime Minister Ishiba rode the Tohoku Shinkansen with Prime Minister Modi on August 30 as Japan promotes its bullet train system for Indias first high-speed rail project, highlighting safety, comfort, and reliability. The two leaders boarded a Hayabusa service at Tokyo Station on the morning of August 30 and traveled to Sendai Station. As India pushes ahead with construction of its high-speed line, the leaders reaffirmed cooperation toward introducing Japans latest Shinkansen technologies, and from the drivers cab they observed the train running at its top operating speed of 320 kilometers per hour. Ishiba said that there are aspects of comfort you can only understand by actually riding, and he was able to experience the speed. After arriving, the leaders visited a chipmaking equipment manufacturer, where Ishiba said he aims to strengthen economic security, including semiconductor supply chains. Source: TBS TOKYO, Sep 01 (News On Japan) - Rice plants are generally developing on schedule ahead of the new-crop harvest, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Using meteorological data through August 15, the ministry presented its estimate for rice yield per unit area. By prefecture, Shizuoka is expected to surpass last years level, while 12 prefectures including Yamagata are forecast to be slightly above. Four prefectures, including Miyagi and Akita, are seen slightly below, and areas such as Niigata and Hokkaido are projected to be broadly in line with a year earlier. So far, the impact of extreme heat and water shortages has been limited, and overall growth remains generally steady. The ministry expects national rice production to increase by 560,000 tons from last year. The outlook assumes average weather conditions; if the heat persists or damage from rice stink bugs expands, the forecast could deteriorate. Source: TBS As of 2025, Europes Muslim population is estimated at around 46 million, or about 6% of the continents total population of roughly 745 million. This is up from 4.9% in 2016, driven by migration (about 50-60% of growth) and higher fertility rates (40-50%). Most Muslim migrants come from the Middle East and North Africa (e.g., Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Morocco), South Asia (e.g., Pakistan, Bangladesh), and Sub-Saharan Africa (e.g., Somalia, Nigeria). In recent years (2010-2023), over 3 million Muslim migrants arrived in Europe, with peaks during the 2015-2016 refugee crisis. Pakistanis specifically number around 1-2 million across Europe, concentrated in the UK (1.2 million), Italy, Spain, and smaller groups in Denmark and Norway. Muslims are unevenly spread. France has the largest absolute number (about 6-7 million, 9-10% of population), followed by Germany (5-6 million, 6-7%), the UK (4-5 million, 6-7%), and Italy (2-3 million, 4-5%). From 2010-2023, key entry points include Germany (1.5+ million Muslim migrants), Sweden (500,000+), and the UK (400,000+). Muslim women in Europe have a total fertility rate (TFR) of about 2.6 children per woman, compared to 1.6 for non-Muslims. Europes overall TFR is 1.5, below replacement (2.1), leading to population decline without migration. Muslims account for disproportionate growth: e.g., in France, they contribute ~30% of births despite being 9-10% of the population. By 2050, France could have more muslim births than native French births. Another cryptocurrency play is set to enter the public marketswith the help of Elon Musks personal lawyer. Investors are receiving pitches for a Dogecoin treasury company that will invest in the token, according to six sources, who declined to be named while talking about private business dealings. Three of the sources were pitched directly, and three heard about the deal from parties involved. The company plans to raise at least $200 million, according to two of the sources. Details about the structure of the public vehicle or when it would launch were not immediately available. House of Doge, the official corporate entity behind the cryptocurrency, is said to have signed off on the treasury play as the official Dogecoin vehicle, per three sourcesan approach that treasury companies have taken with other cryptocurrencies foundations to boost the projects legitimacy. Launched in early 2025 by the Dogecoin Foundation and headquartered in Miami, House of Doge is tasked with developing and promoting the popular memecoin. And Alex Spiro, a personal attorney for Musk, plans to be chairman of the public company, according to a pitch sent to a potential investor and five sources familiar with the matter. It was not clear what role, if any, Musk would play in the new entity. A spokesperson for X, Musks social media network, did not respond. A spokesperson for House of Doge declined to comment. Spiro did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Dogecoin is the original memecoina cryptocurrency that references an online joke and doesnt have any underlying utility. The value of a memecoin is often tied to its online popularity. Dogecoin refers to a popular meme featuring a picture of a Shiba Inu surrounded by absurdist text, like so amaze, in Comic Sans font. Since its launch in 2013, Dogecoins price movements have become increasingly correlated with public remarks from Musk, who has frequently referenced the memecoin, including during an appearance on Saturday Night Live in 2021. Often, when Musk posts about the meme or memecoin, the token has jumped in price. In fact, the worlds richest man has become so enamored with the Doge meme that he named his government-slashing initiative after it: the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Musks influence over the price of Dogecoin has been so extreme that some investors claimed in a lawsuit filed in 2022 that he was manipulating markets and cashing in on sales of the memecoin after he posted about it on social media. Spiro, a lawyer for not only Musk but other celebrities like Jay-Z and Alec Baldwin, defended the billionaire in court. And in August 2024, Spiro helped win dismissal of the lawsuit. By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Alphabet's Google (GOOG) is set to face a modest EU antitrust fine in the coming weeks for allegedly anti-competitive practices in its adtech business, three people with direct knowledge of the matter said. The decision by the European Commission follows a four-year long investigation triggered by a complaint from the European Publishers Council that subsequently led to charges in 2023 that Google allegedly favours its own advertising services over rivals. The modest fine will mark a shift in new EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera's approach to Big Tech violations from predecessor Margrethe Vestager's focus on hefty deterrent penalties. The sources said Ribera wants to focus on getting companies to end anti-competitive practices rather than punish them. The EU competition enforcer declined to comment. Google referred to a 2023 blog post in which it criticised what it said was the Commission's flawed interpretation of the adtech sector and that both publishers and advertisers have enormous choice. The fine will likely not be on the scale of a record 4.3 billion euro penalty imposed on Google by the EU competition enforcer in 2018 for using its Android mobile operating system to quash rivals. The company was also slapped with a 2.42 billion euro fine in 2017 for using its own price comparison shopping service to gain an unfair advantage over smaller European rivals, and a 1.49 billion euro fine in 2019 for abusing its dominance to stop websites using brokers other than its AdSense platform. Google's 2024 advertising revenue, including from search services, Gmail, Google Play, Google Maps, YouTube, Google Ad Manager, AdMob and AdSense, amounted to $264.6 billion or 75.6% of total revenue. It is the world's dominant digital-advertising platform. Google does not provide revenue figures for its adtech business which relates to advertising on other websites and not Search ads. Ribera will not order Google to sell part of its adtech business, despite her predecessor's suggestion that the company could divest its DoubleClick for Publishers tool and AdX ad exchange, the people said, confirming a Reuters story last year. They said the EU may not have to issue a break-up order at all as a U.S. judge has set a September trial date on potential remedies for Google's dominance in ad tools used by online publishers. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Tyger Cho graduated from Stanford University in 2019 with an economics degree and a plan to climb the investment ladder. Yet, four years later, after stints at Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), a startup, and an insurance firm, he moved to South Korea to launch a business for the Korean diaspora, Business Insider reported. From Chicago Suburbs to Wall Street Cho grew up about 25 miles northwest of Chicago in a Korean American family whose roots trace back to parents who immigrated in the mid-1970s. "Although we celebrated the main Korean holidays, such as the Korean New Year's traditions of eating rice cake and dumpling soup before our annual bowing ceremony, we were not able to invest in teaching our kids the Korean language or more of its culture," his mother, Gina Cho, told Business Insider. Don't Miss: Would You Have Invested in eBay or Uber Early? The Same Backers Are Betting on This Vacation Home Platform They Sold Their Last Real Estate Company for Nearly $1B Now They're Building the Future of U.S. Industrial Growth Financial challenges struck when Cho's father lost his business, an experience that triggered his fascination with money management during adolescence. By high school, Cho devoured economics books and dreamed of professional investing, a passion that eventually took him to Stanford and then Goldman Sachs. At Goldman, he worked on trades, market research, and presentations for wealthy clients but quickly became disillusioned by the hierarchy and long hours, telling Business Insider, "I felt like a dead person." Life in Seoul Offers Lower Costs and Cultural Connection After leaving Goldman, Cho tried a startup and later worked as chief of staff at an insurance firm before saving for six months to fund a move to Seoul in September 2024. He initially planned to stay two or three months, without speaking the language or knowing anyone, yet he told Business Insider by "day two or three" he already felt comfortable, describing the food, sounds, and culture as "very warm." Trending: An EA Co-Founder Shapes This VC Backed MarketplaceNow You Can Invest in Gaming's Next Big Platform Cost-of-living differences also reshaped his view. I had expected that my quality of living would maybe take a slight bump down, he said. In Chicago, however, Cho paid $2,300 a month for a one-bedroom apartment, while in Seoul, a similar place costs him $1,600. When he injured his ankle and knee, X-rays and physical therapy cost less than $50 without insurance. Building K-Bridge to Connect the South Korean Diaspora Within seven months of moving, Cho founded K-Bridge, a platform designed to serve the global Korean diaspora. Using a visa provided under South Korea's Overseas Koreans Act, he started hosting monthly events in Seoul, with some drawing more than 70 professionals, Business Insider reported. A suspicious fire involving several parked Hackensack Police vehicles on Saturday night is under investigation, according to officials. The Hackensack Police Department and Hackensack Fire Department responded to the fire at about 8:09 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Bergen County Prosecutors Office. After suppressing the fire, the police and fire departments informed the Bergen County Prosecutors Office Arson Squad that the fire involving the city police vehicles appeared to be suspicious in nature, the office said. The police cars were parked at 78 Trinity Place in Hackensack, which is a parking lot used as an overflow parking area for police vehicles, investigators said. The vehicles were unoccupied, and no injuries were reported, authorities said. The Bergen County Prosecutors Office and the Hackensack Police Department are investigating the incident. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Cherry Hill Township will increase patrols at schools in response to last weeks shooting at a Minneapolis, Minn. Catholic school that killed two and wounded 17 people, officials said. Cherry Hill Police Department will conduct increased patrols at all township schools as the new school year begins on Tuesday, Mayor David Fleisher said in a statement posted on Facebook. The department has also implemented higher-visibility patrols at all houses of worship in the township, Fleisher said. The mayor said there is no known threat to Cherry Hill, and the increased safety measures are out of an abundance of caution. On Wednesday, a shooter opened fire through the windows of a Minneapolis Catholic church while nearly 200 children were celebrating Mass during the third day of school at Annunciation Catholic School. Two children, ages 8 and 10, died in the shooting. 14 other children and three parishioners were injured but are expected to survive. The shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, died by suicide. Westman was a former student of the school and a member of the church. Westmans mother had worked for the school for five years. While the motive for the shooting is unclear, Westman had an obsession with the idea of killing children and expressed hatred towards nearly every group of people according to acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson. Violence such as this is always heartbreaking and disturbing, Fleisher said. It is particularly cowardly and shameful when such acts take place at houses of worship. Council and I extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones and those injured in this senseless attack. This article contains material from the Associated Press. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Rebecca Heath may be reached at RHeath@njadvancemedia.com. A Hudson-Bergen light rail train stops at the Newport Mall in Jersey City. Almost 100 light rail trains were canceled on this line last week. Close to 100 trains were canceled in a week on NJ Transits most ridden light rail line last week, including many during the afternoon commuting rush, due to lack of a person to operate the train. The cancelations happened last week with the most occurring on Monday, August 24, when 37 Hudson-Bergen Light rail trains were canceled between 3:54 p.m., and 10:39 p.m., according to NJ Transit alerts for the line. Riders complained on social media about crowded platforms at some stations and some asked if the cancelations were going to affect their next morning commute. One questioned if the lack of operators was due to a strike or job action. Another 24 trains canceled between 5:07 p.m. and 11:10 p.m. due to operator availability on August 26, according to NJ Transit alerts for the light rail line. A total of 25 trains were canceled on August 24 due to operator availability. On August 19, 13 Hudson-Bergen Light rail rains were canceled due to operator availability While the 34-mile long River Line is the longest NJ Transit light rail line, the 20.6-mile-long Hudson Bergen Light rail line has the highest ridership at 1.5 million from July 2024 to July 2025, which is the most recent available. NJ Transits Hudson Bergen Light rail is operated under contract by 21st Century Rail Corporation. The Amalgamated Transport Union that represents light rail workers approved a new contract with the contractor in July 2024. NJ Transit reached out to the contractor as soon as the issue was identified with operator availability affecting service delivery and directed them to get the issue addressed as quickly as possible, said Jim Smith, an NJ Transit spokesperson. They were able to resolve the issue and all afternoon runs were covered yesterday (Thursday). A subsequent alert on Thursday said Hudson Bergen light rail trains reported intermittent 10-minute delays due to two operator assignment not being covered. No trains were canceled for lack of an operator on Friday. We apologize to our HBLR customers for any inconvenience experienced while the contractor worked to resolve the issue, Smith said. We will continue to monitor the situation through the holiday weekend. The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system has been operated by 21st Century for 28 years under a design build operate contract. Last November, NJ Transits board of directors voted to award a new contract to ACI-Herzog Joint Venture of Boston after the old one expires this year. Three companies bid on the contract, including 21st Century. The $1.56 billion, 15-year contract includes three main components, rail operations, maintenance of way, and vehicle maintenance. An additional scope includes work to bring the system to a state of good repair and capital work. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X@CommutingLarry and on BlueSky@commutinglarry.bsky.social Andrew Ferguson, the Trump-appointed chair of the Federal Trade Commission, recently expressed concern that Alphabets administration of Gmail is designed to have partisan effects. In a letter addressed to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Ferguson pointed to a recent story in the New York Post describing complaints by Targeted Victory (a consulting and PR firm thats worked with the Republican National Committee and Elon Musks X) claiming that Gmail flags emails linking to the Republican fundraising platform WinRed as spam, without doing the same to emails linking to the Democratic platform ActBlue. My understanding from recent reporting is that Gmails spam filters routinely block messages from reaching consumers when those messages come from Republican senders but fail to block similar messages sent by Democrats, Ferguson wrote. He warned Alphabet that if Gmails filters keep Americans from receiving speech they expect, or donating as they see fit, the filters may harm American consumers and may violate the FTC Acts prohibition of unfair or deceptive trade practices, adding this could lead to an FTC investigation and potential enforcement action. In response, a Google spokesperson told Axios that Gmails spam filters look at a variety of objective signals like whether people mark a particular email as spam, or if a particular ad agency is sending a high volume of emails that are often marked by people as spam, and they said the company applies this approach equally to all senders, regardless of political ideology. The spokesperson also said, We will review this letter and look forward to engaging constructively. Conservatives frequently complain that they are being censored or otherwise treated unfairly by digital platforms, including Gmail. In 2023, the Federal Election Commission dismissed a complaint from Republicans over Gmails spam filters, and a federal court also dismissed an RNC lawsuit with similar complaints. (The RNC seems to be reviving that lawsuit.) Earlier this month, a federal judge blocked the FTCs investigation into the left-leaning group Media Matters over its research into antisemitic content on X, describing the investigation as a retaliatory act. (Reuters) -Intel said on Friday it amended the CHIPS Act funding deal with the U.S. Department of Commerce to remove earlier project milestones and received about $5.7 billion in cash sooner than planned. The move will give Intel more flexibility over the funds. The amended agreement, which revises a November 2024 funding deal, retains some guardrails that prevent the chipmaker from using the funds for dividends and buybacks, doing certain control-changing deals and from expanding in certain countries. As part of the deal, Intel issued the U.S. government 274.6 million shares and promised the government the option to buy up to 240.5 million more shares under certain conditions. Intel said it has set aside 158.7 million shares in an escrow account to be released after the government makes available more CHIPS funds for the Secure Enclave program, designed to expand advanced chips manufacturing. The company also said it has spent at least $7.87 billion on eligible CHIPS Act-funded projects. The U.S. government's move to take a 9.9% equity stake in Intel sparked questions about the outlook for corporate America after President Donald Trump said he plans to do other similar deals. The government's $8.9 billion investment is in addition to the $2.2 billion in grants Intel has previously received, making for a total investment of $11.1 billion, the company has said. The Intel stake, announced by the U.S. government last week, is an incentive for the chipmaker to retain control of its contract manufacturing business, or foundry, Intel's finance chief David Zinsner said at an investor conference on Thursday. (Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru and David Shepardson; Editing by Alan Barona) DEIRDRE Kearns from Woodfield, Birr, is celebrating after hitting the top of the Amazon charts in multiple categories becoming a Number 1 best-selling author in Spotlight on Success: When Passion meet Purpose. Penning her own powerful chapter alongside 13 others, Spotlight on Success is a bold, heartfelt collaboration created to reach performers, creatives, and entrepreneurs around the world. With raw honesty and unwavering hope, Spotlight on Success proves that your talent, tenacity, and creativity are not confined to just one spotlight. The book hit Number 1 in Ireland, the UK and Germany in Small Business, Self-Employment, Circus, Musicals and Choreography. Together, these authors prove that when passion meets purpose, your next act could be your most powerful yet. This book is a powerful reminder for anyone at a crossroads. Whether you're navigating your own next step, dreaming of something more, or seeking reassurance that life beyond the spotlight and applause is just as wonderful, vibrant and most importantly meaningful; this book has it all. In the book Spotlight on Success, Deirdre Kearns shares how pursuing her passion for performing, teaching and choreographing in dance has brought her from Birr to the US, UK, France, and aboard cruise ships! Deirdre now runs her own dance school in Tullamore and Birr called The Original Dance Academy. Deirdre, who courageously put pen to paper said: Im delighted to be a part of this collaborative project. I decided to take part in this book because I wanted to show others in my position that there are many versions of success, and no matter where or when you start, you can always find a way to pursue your passions. Im excited to be a best-selling author and hoping that in our shared accounts, many more performers or anyone with a burning passion to do more, will find the courage and confidence to build their own businesses and find their way. The book hosted by Nicole Louise Geddes founder of PerformerPreneur, was launched to celebrate the range of ways that success beyond the West End stage can be celebrated. She said, This book is creating a huge buzz because its written with heart and its exactly what people in the industry need right now: hope and inspiration that no matter where you are in your journey, still waiting in the wings or already mid-pivot, you can be and do anything you want to. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. FIRST-TIME buyers in Offaly face a sizeable affordability gap, with new analysis from Chill showing a single applicant would need to earn 66,038 to qualify under Central Bank mortgage rules. That compares with the countys median income of 40,000, leaving an income shortfall of 26,038. Chills study compared median first-time-buyer home prices in every county with median local incomes, applying Central Bank limits of 90% loan-to-value and a maximum loan of four times gross income. The findings show that no county in Ireland is fully affordable for a single buyer on the national median salary of 43,221. In Offaly, the median first-time-buyer home price now stands at 293,500, placing it among the less affordable counties outside the top five, but still highlighting the gap between local incomes and property prices. The affordability gap in Offaly: Median price for first-time-buyer home: 293,500 Median Offaly income: 40,000 Salary required under mortgage rules: 66,038 Income shortfall: 26,038 READ NEXT: Calls for Government action as over 200 Offaly children remain on Early Years waiting lists Ian OReilly, Head of Personal Lines Sales at Chill, said: Offalys figures highlight how affordability is a challenge across the country, not just in the most expensive counties. Buyers in Offaly still face a clear shortfall between local incomes and the mortgage requirements. To bridge that gap, many will look to combine salaries, apply for exemptions or consider homes priced below the countys median. Key national findings: No county affordable for a single buyer on the national median salary (43,221) Six counties now require salaries above 80,000 The top five least affordable counties are all in Leinster Connacht and Ulster dominate the most affordable list For the full county-by-county figures, methodology and our tips to get a larger mortgage, see the full report here: https://www.chill.ie/blog/incomes-required-to-afford-homes/ READ NEXT: Offaly columnist reflects on Camino de Santiago experience in Spain A LARGE crowd turned out in Tullamore this morning (Sunday, August 31) for the annual Fiona Pender Memorial Walk and Run. Tullamore woman Fiona (pictured below) was 25 years old and seven months pregnant when she disappeared on August 23, 1996 and gardai believe she was murdered. Her remains have not been found and no one has ever been brought to justice for her murder. A number of friends of Fiona and her family organise the walk and run in her memory and it begins at a memorial stone erected in the young woman's memory by her brother John. The stone is located on the bank of the Grand Canal just a few hundred metres from where Fiona grew up and marks the beginning of Fiona's Way, a public amenity named in her memory. Marie White, one of the organisers of the walk and run briefly addressed all those who came along for the event. Ms White made an appeal for information which could help the 29-year investigation into Fiona's disappearance. We'd like to get the word out there that if anybody has any information, please, please, come forward and help put Fiona to rest, she said. She then asked everyone to observe a moment's silence to remember Fiona, her unborn baby, her late mother Josie, her aunts and all her family. Speaking to the Tullamore Tribune, Ms White said it was great to see such a big crowd at the memorial event. She also commented on the searches that took place near Killeigh and Clonaslee in May. Bogland at Graigue, Killeigh was excavated, as was land in a forested area in the Slieve Bloom mountains. Nothing was found which helped locate Fiona's remains but the garda investigation, which was upgraded from a missing person's case to murder before the two searches, remains live. Speaking after all the walkers and runners set off along the 4.5km course, Ms White said: You love to hear that something is being done about it and that there is a search going on and maybe [the guards] get information this time. You never know, one year it just might work but you don't build your hopes up. It's good [that there are searches] but it's hard on the family as well because you can't help but get your hopes up and there's nothing after that. It is tough but hopefully some day something will come up. The first two people home after the run were Irene Walsh, a Dun Laoghaire resident whose husband is from Birr who has taken part on three previous occasions, and David Soria, originally from Mexico City, living in Virginia, US, and in Tullamore visiting relations of his wife. Ms Walsh (62), remarked: I always do it for Fiona, for her memory. David Soria's wife Shannon is a niece of Marie White and there was a big gathering in Tullamore on Saturday night for the extended family at Sean Lawlor's 80th birthday party in the Tullamore Court Hotel and the Goalpost pub. Mr Soria (57) accepted the perpetual trophy and said: I loved the run. I run in the United States, six miles almost every day. He said he has been told the story of Fiona Pender's disappearance. I think it's sad that we haven't figured out what really happened. READ NEXT: Offaly woman's murder probe: two sites ruled out after searches Fiona Pender's mother Josephine said she knew who killed her daughter and until her death in 2017 regularly made pleas for anyone with information which would help the gardai to come forward. The prime suspect is a man who was in a relationship with Fiona and gardai believe he has been living outside of Ireland for some time. Fiona was last seen alive at her flat in Church Street, Tullamore at about 6am on August 23, 1996. People were questioned shortly afterwards but nobody has ever been charged with any offence connected with her disappearance. Tragedy first hit the Pender family when Fiona's brother Mark was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1994. Fiona's father Sean died tragically at home in 2000. Prior to her death Josephine Pender (pictured below at a previous memorial run and walk) said of the killer: He destroyed all of us. He didn't just destroy Fiona, he destroyed every member of the family. Fiona's other brother John has previously spoken of the struggle the family endured: My mother and father both died of a broken heart and I have only been able to say goodbye to one family member, my mother, who passed away from natural causes while no one else in my family did. Gardai continue to appeal to any person who may have previously come forward, but who felt they could not provide gardai with all the information they had at that time, to contact the investigation team again, at Tullamore Garda Station on 057 932 7600, or any garda station. Anyone who wishes to provide information confidentially is advised to contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code Gumi confirmed its board of directors approved the acquisition of XRP to complement the companys existing Bitcoin exposure. According to the official announcement, Gumis board approved a strategic investment of 2.5 billion Japanese Yen ($17 million) in XRP, targeting the acquisition of 6 million tokens through a phased approach spanning September 2025 to February 2026 In February 2025, the company invested 1 billion Japanese Yen ($6.6 million) into Bitcoin, marking its first allocation into crypto. The new plan extends this approach, with XRP purchases scheduled between September 2025 and February 2026. The company hints that the XRP acquisition reflects a longer-term strategy to align its balance sheet with blockchain-driven revenue opportunities. By adding Ripples token, Gumi seeks to strengthen its dominance within the growing global payments and remittance ecosystem supported by XRP. Gumi also emphasized that XRP, unlike Bitcoin , offers financial utility beyond store-of-value properties. Bitcoin will remain the companys income-generating and stability asset, while XRP is intended to provide access to growth areas in blockchain-based financial services. Gumi XRP Purchases Deepens Ripple-SBI Holdings Partnership Gumi cited its shareholder relationship with SBI Holdings as a key factor in the decision. SBI is Ripples largest partner in Japan and co-manages SBI Ripple Asia, a joint venture focused on deploying blockchain payment systems across Japan and wider Asian markets. The company described XRP as strategically compatible with its operations given SBIs influence. Ripple and SBI recently announced plans to introduce the RLUSD stablecoin into Japan by early 2026, aiming to provide enterprises with a regulated and reliable settlement option. Gumi said the XRP purchase aligns with this broader strategy, as the token continues to anchor cross-border payments and liquidity networks in the region. The company confirmed it will evaluate its Bitcoin and XRP holdings at market value every quarter, reporting gains and losses through its income statement. This approach emphasizes intent to manage digital assets with transparency and integrate them into its financial reporting structure. In addition to its Bitcoin holdings, XRPs central role in cross-border payments infrastructure, particularly in remittances and liquidity provision offers alternative use cases By adopting a dual-asset strategy, the company expects to balance stability through Bitcoin and growth potential through XRP exposure. In terms of price reaction, Ripple (XRP) price is trading at $2.82 down 5% intraday as profit-taking intensified on Friday after losing the vital $3 support earlier in the week. I recently published an article called "The Case Against a Military Intervention to Stop the Gaza Genocide," not because I like either of the two choices on the usual, supposedly exhaustive list of options (lie back and take it, or kill-kill-kill) but because I think there is another way -- or thousands of varieties of another way. That is, the options for nonviolent, strategic, mass resistance to genocide have neither been run dry nor become less likely to succeed than mirroring the violence of the Israeli military. I think the argument made at the link above also applies to what we face when the military occupations drift from Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, and countless foreign locations, to places like Los Angeles, Washington, and Chicago. In fact, I think people in these cities, and much of the rest of the United States as subjected to ICE raids (and the use of military bases for abductions), are now presented with a golden opportunity to study the productive or counterproductive results of nonviolent action or violence at closer range. For those who haven't caught on to the rather negative results of Hamas' October 7 attack, or Ukraine's coup and assaults on its Eastern provinces, or Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there is now the possibility to observe what works and what doesn't work in resisting the ICE/National Guard invasions. As in distant conflicts, those living by the sword on the other side, long for your violence. In fact, Trumpolini's excuse for his military occupations of U.S. cities is the supposed existence of violence -- even as the reality is record declines in violent crime. So, violently attacking the so-called National Guard will give the Trumpers exactly what they want, namely evidence to justify their abuses. But what else is there? There's already a long string of successful creative actions being employed nonviolently. My best advice is to watch this video discussion among some of those doing and reporting on what's working: "Blocking ICE: A Public Service and How to Do It." Also read this account from DC. If you are near Washington, D.C., here is an upcoming mass mobilization that could turn the tide if made large enough and strategically extended and built upon. I also recommend asking those who haven't to sign the Pledge of Non-Cooperation With Mass Deportation. Meanwhile, Chicago -- the site of tremendous nonviolent action in the past -- should be getting ready to make Trumpsteak very very sorry he ever noticed it. Powerful mass movements can eventually compel decent behavior out of corrupt institutions, so don't forget to tell Congress to abolish ICE. This is all going to be the furthest thing from easy. Enjoy this new song from Neil Young while working at it. This is Oregon Insight, a weekly look at the numbers behind the state economy. Dave Killen/The Oregonian Thousands of union members will gather Monday at Oaks Park in Southeast Portland for the Northwest Oregon Labor Councils Labor Day picnic, an annual event that showcases the strength of the states labor movement even as union membership has been in steady decline nationally. Nearly 300,000 Oregon workers belong to a union, according to federal data, about 1 in 6 workers statewide. Union membership rates have fluctuated since the 1980s but have gradually increased over the past two decades. By comparison, the share of workers nationally who belong to a union has fallen by almost half since 1986. Fewer than 1 in 10 American workers were union members last year. Thats according to data compiled by unionstats.com, a research site maintained by three university professors. Oregon is a progressive state led by a Democratic Party that has historically been friendly to unions. The Labor Day picnic is a key stop every year for ambitious politicians looking to establish their bona fides with the unions. Unions won a major victory during this years legislative session, with lawmakers approving a bill that allows striking workers to collect 10 weeks of unemployment insurance payments. Only a few other states grant jobless benefits to striking workers, and this years bill made Oregon the only state that pays benefits to workers on strike in both the private and public sectors. The states labor movement is concentrated in the public sector, where about half of all workers belong to unions. Fewer than 10% of Oregons private-sector workers are unionized, down from 14% in 1986. Oregons unions have flexed their muscles repeatedly in recent months, with a series of high-profile strikes and major new contracts. This is Oregon Insight, The Oregonians weekly look at the numbers behind the states economy. View past installments here. The city of Portland broke ground on its $2 billion Bull Run water filtration plant near Gresham in 2024. City of Portland The city of Portland announced Friday that it has recovered the $6.7 million dollars it sent to a person posing as a vendor on the $2 billion Bull Run water filtration project. Portland rolled out a new vendor management system earlier this year. In February, a person posing as a real vendor sent an email to the system asking to change the vendors bank account information. The person eventually convinced an employee to send a link that allowed them to reset the vendors payment information. On March 21, the city initiated a payment of $6,748,680.68 to what they thought was a vendor on the Bull Run water filtration project. At this point though, the persons suspicious activity came to the attention of the FBI, according to a lawsuit the city filed to recover the funds, and the banks handling the transaction alerted the city and stopped the payment. The U.S. Marshals Service had custody of the funds in April while local and federal law enforcement agencies investigated the fraud, according to a news release from the city at that time. Friday, the city issued a release saying it received the $6.7 million this week. It also said that the criminal investigation is ongoing and expected to be lengthy. The Oregonian/OregonLive Evergreen Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, as negotiations continue with the districts classified employees union. The school district had already delayed the start of the school year by a week because of the negotiations. On Sunday, Superintendent Christine Moloney said in a letter to families and staff that bargaining remains ongoing. We remain hopeful that we will be able to reach an agreement with the union and get students back in the classroom, she said in the letter. Starting Tuesday, the district will send a daily message around 4 p.m. about whether schools will open the next day. Also starting Tuesday, the district will make breakfast and lunch available to students for no cost. Meals will be available for pickup at Heritage High School from 9:30 10:30 a.m., at Mountain View High School from 10 to 11 a.m. and at Marrion Elementary School from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. The classified union represents approximately 1,400 employees, including paraeducators, bus drivers, security officers and maintenance staff. The unions contract expired on Aug. 30. Negotiations on a new contract have been ongoing since March. A state-appointed mediator joined the process in July through the Public Employee Relations Commission. Jessica Hovermale leads a patron of the South Corvallis Food Bank through the aisles of food and collecting what they pick out on a cart. JESS HUME-PANTUSO, Corvallis Gazette-Times Ashlie Stoddard reads stories to four of her eight children in the back of a 3,800-square-foot warehouse off Highway 99W in South Corvallis. Some 40 other people sit patiently in the corner, waiting for someone to guide them through their grocery shopping and make sure they get just what they need but no more. The South Corvallis Food Bank only has so much food, and there are a lot of hungry people. And the food supply is dwindling as the demand for it is expanding. Were grateful that there are food banks that help us out, Stoddard said. We dont come here unless we absolutely have to. The end of the month is always the hardest. As with many individuals and families, Stoddards Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known as SNAP, are strained to the breaking point toward the end of the month. The food bank opens at 1 p.m. Wednesdays and stays open for only two hours. By 1:10 p.m. this week, more than 30 households had already signed in. Many people waited outside for the better part of an hour for the doors to open so they could be among the first in line. Executive Director Cathy Zollinger said people are more nervous than usual these days. And with good reason. President Donald Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill, signed July 4, includes cuts to SNAP and the food other local food banks once received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Weve already had people say they expect to get their SNAP benefits cut, so theyre coming in sooner than they would normally to try to stock up a little bit, Zollinger said. I dont blame them. I would be doing the exact same thing. The Oregon Food Bank supplies U.S. Department of Agriculture products to local food banks, but those supplies have been cut by 20%. That means no more things like milk, butter and eggs. Those items are still available at the Corvallis food bank, but only because Zollinger pays for them from the agencys own pocket. Now our fundraising dollars, instead of going to other options, are going to things we used to get at a reduced cost or free, Zollinger said. I spend more than $2,000 per month just on milk, she said. Its sustainable right this minute. I cant guarantee that next month well still be able to provide dairy. Ive already decided that when the butter runs out, were not going to buy any more. The South Corvallis Food Bank looks and feels more like a grocery store as patrons are guided by their own personal shopperes who help them pick out food, grooming supplies and other personal items at the South Corvallis Food Bank. JESS HUME-PANTUSO, Corvallis Gazette-Times People dont use their SNAP benefits at the food bank. The food bank is where they turn as their benefits (if they have them) run out. People are asked if they meet poverty guidelines for the size of their households. Beyond that, no other questions are asked. SNAP comes with other strings attached especially these days. Trumps bill requires SNAP recipients ages 18 to 64 to work at least 20 hours per week or participate in a training program. The bill also removed exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness and people formerly in the foster care system. The bill created a new limit for parents seeking an exemption. Before, parents with children under 18 could be exempt. Now the exemption is for parents with children under 14. Starting in 2028, states will be required to cover a share of SNAP benefits a requirement that has never before existed. As part of the Trump administrations policies aimed at immigrants and refugees, the bill also denies benefits to anyone who isnt a lawful permanent resident of the United States. Oregon Food Bank statistics estimate 2,900 Oregonians are refugees, humanitarian parolees and asylum seekers. A 2022 report from the Pew Research Center estimated about 12,000 undocumented immigrants live in Oregon. Andrea Williams, president of the Oregon Food Bank, said the One Big Beautiful Bill is grotesquely misnamed. There is nothing beautiful about legislation that takes away food assistance and health coverage from millions of Americans, Williams said. These programs are vital lifelines for millions of families. One in six Oregonians (more than 700,000 people) depend on SNAP to put food on the table, she said. These cuts will have a devastating impact on communities across the state, Williams said. Statistics compiled by the Oregon State University Policy Analysis Lab report that one in eight people in the state experience hunger and one in six children dont have enough to eat. The Oregon Food Bank distributed food to more than 1,200 local food banks last year representing 2.5 million visits from people seeking food. Thats a 31% increase compared with the prior year. Locally, between 800 to 850 households receive help from the South Corvallis Food Bank every month, Zollinger said. That represents between 2,200 and 2,500 people. As more SNAP cuts come, Im anticipating a huge increase in our numbers, Zollinger said. Were already trying to figure out how to handle it. We might have to open another day because we cant take any more people than were already taking. The South Corvallis Food Bank, 1800 SW Third St., Suite 110, is open from 1 to 3 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, from 5 to 7 p.m. Fridays and from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Ordinarily, she said, people wait a half-hour or less for help once they arrive at the food bank. The last week or two, its been about an hour, Zollinger said. Weve added more volunteers, but it takes a process. It takes time to let people choose their food. We want them to have adequate time to really look at things and see what they need. Williams said the situation will only get worse. This bill will increase hunger in Oregon, she said. Theres no way to sugarcoat it. It takes away food assistance in a number of cruel ways and puts additional barriers in front of people already struggling to meet their basic needs. The blows dont just come from the federal level. The Oregon Legislature (controlled by Democrats in both the House and Senate) failed to pass Senate Bill 611 this year. The bill would have established the Food for All Oregonians program and provided food assistance to families, regardless of their immigration status. Despite passing through the Senate Committee on Human Services with a positive recommendation, it was sent to the Joint Ways and Means Committee where it was never heard from again. Nonetheless, it generated a lot of controversy across the state with many Linn and Benton County residents expressing their opinions about it. Chad Kernutt of Albany submitted written testimony on the bill when it came up for a hearing in the Senate committee March 25. Taxpayers have to foot the bill for them already in myriad ways, such as their kids flooding our classrooms, bloating the sizes and taking resources and focused time from teachers with our American children, Kernutt said of immigrants in the country without legal documentation. Fellow Albany resident Liz Wolfe expressed similar sentiments in her testimony: We are attracting (undocumented immigrants) to this state that cannot afford to support themselves, and you are expecting the taxpayers to support poor people that are not even citizens when we can barely support ourselves. William Glassmire of Corvallis, however, was supportive. Recent actions of the U.S. government have destroyed the plans and financial security of many of our fellow Americans, Glassmire wrote. The happiest countries in the world (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) have strong commitments to take care of their people, he said. Lets join those communities of human well-being. Patty Nobles, who gathers food for people through the Gleaners, testified she met a diverse range of people over her many years with the organization. All people deserve the right to eat healthy, the Corvallis resident testified. These people come from many different backgrounds, but they all had one thing in common, she wrote. They just wanted to have access to food. I find it outrageous that in a state that produces an array of food many people are still not afforded the ability to purchase the food that they help grow. Despite all the controversy the bill sparked, it met such a quiet death that Zollinger said she had never even heard of it. Efforts to deny people food are steeped in prejudices and misperceptions, Zollinger said. They think the people who are on SNAP just dont work, she said. Thats just not accurate. We have people who come in who have two incomes or single parents working three jobs. They just cant make ends meet. The economy is crazy. The federal government confirms that. USDA statistics found that food prices rose by 23.6% from 2020 to 2024. Officials at the U.S. Department of Labor report that overall consumer prices in June rose 2.7% from the previous year. And between May and June of this year, prices increased 0.3%. Federal officials dont have to tell Katherine Ross of Lebanon that times are tough. Shes been coming to the South Corvallis Food Bank for two months. My teenage kids eat me out of house and home, Ross said. We have SNAP benefits now, but they dont last until the end of the month because theyre teenage kids. Ive learned that I can stretch my food out for the whole month if I use the food bank to where my kids arent just scraping by at the end. Zollinger said the South Corvallis Food Bank is getting by largely on the generosity of local residents. Were getting some produce, not as much as we used to, but weve had a lot from the community, she said. Nonetheless, Assistant Director Sidney Shaw said keeping up with increasing demand and diminishing supply is daunting. Were just trying to figure things out as we go, Shaw said. One things gone, another things gone. We just keep adjusting the budget. Her fellow assistant director, Jessica Hovermale, said the overwhelming need is also motivating. We have people who show up three hours before we open, Hovermale said. It makes you realize how much this place is needed. Williams said every food dollar cut comes at the expense of an individual human being with a name, a face and a story. Hunger is a policy choice, she said. The outlook is getting better for his blended family, Matthew Moore, Ashlie Stoddards partner, said. They just recently acquired housing after being homeless and seeking shelter where they could in Salem, Albany and Sweet Home. They also have a car for the first time in a long while. However, their money and SNAP benefits only go so far. Its rough, he said as he looked down and shook his head. Its rough. A reconstructed entry guard tower is silhouetted by the sunset at Minidoka National Historic Site, Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Jerome, Idaho. The original guard tower was one of eight such structures manned by United States military on the site surrounded by miles of barbed wire. AP When Mary Abo first heard the Trump administration was canceling a massive wind project that would have been within view of the Minidoka National Historic Site in southern Idaho, she felt uneasy relief. For roughly four years, survivors of Japanese American incarceration during World War II and their descendants have fought against the Lava Ridge Wind Project. They argued the 231-turbine development would desecrate the land where roughly 13,000 people of Japanese descent were imprisoned. Their forced removal and incarceration is now widely viewed as a blatant violation of civil rights. Wind turbines as tall as the Space Needle would mar the horizon, said Abo, who was 2 years old when she and her family were forced to move from their home in Juneau, Alaska, to the camp in 1942. The planned wind farm just didnt fit with the solemnity of the location, she said. But the political victory came at the hands of the Trump administration, which immigrant advocates and social justice groups have denounced over its expansive deportation campaign, attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and efforts to cover up parts of American history. I dont give him any credit at all, said Abo, 85, who now lives in Bremerton. Still, the reality has left her and other advocates for protecting the Minidoka National Historic Site feeling a mix of emotions. The Lava Ridge Wind Project, which was being developed by LS Power, a subsidiary of Magic Valley Energy, was approved in December 2024. The approval was part of an effort under the Biden administration to expand renewable energy projects on federal lands. The closest turbine to the historic site would be about 9 miles away. The project faced significant scrutiny from people of various political allegiances and priorities Republican lawmakers in Idaho, environmental groups, local ranchers and tribal communities. It was very ironic that the politicians that helped were the Republicans who were friendly with Trump, Abo said. We didnt agree with anything Trump had to say, but it was kind of like having strange bedfellows. Dan Sakura, a Maryland-based adviser to the Minidoka Pilgrimage Planning Committee, which has led the local charge against the wind farm, said working with people from across the ideological spectrum was necessary to build a winning coalition. Our country is very divided right now, obviously, but theres an area of consensus, and preserving these sites transcends politics, said Sakura, a fourth-generation Japanese American whose family was incarcerated at the camp. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized wind and solar energy projects, signed an executive order halting the project on his first day in office. The order makes no mention of the incarceration camp or efforts by survivors and descendants to stop the project. On Aug. 6, the U.S. Department of the Interior formally canceled the project, arguing renewable energy developments received preferential treatment during the previous administration. By reversing the Biden administrations thoughtless approval of the Lava Ridge Wind Project, we are protecting tens of thousands of acres from harmful wind policy while shielding the interests of rural Idaho communities, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement. Some Japanese American survivors and their descendants said that while they abhor Trumps agenda, they had also already become disillusioned with Democratic politicians. Paul Tomita, a Minidoka survivor and lifelong Democrat, said he felt betrayed by President Joe Biden when his administration approved the wind farm. What that proved to me is unfortunately with America, with white America, they dont give a shit about us, said Tomita, 86, who now lives in Bellevue. Regardless of whats after their name, Democrat, Republican, independent, it doesnt matter. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on Feb. 19, 1942, authorizing the forced removal and incarceration of more than 110,000 people of Japanese descent about 70% of whom were U.S. citizens from the West Coast. Roughly 7,000 living in Seattle were expelled from their homes, with the majority sent to Minidoka. There, families lived in hastily built tar paper-covered barracks, surrounded by barbed-wire fences. For those from the Pacific Northwest accustomed to its lush, green forests, the vastness of the arid desert was startling. What remains of the original camp at the historical site today is sparse the mess hall, a root cellar and just one of the more than 400 barracks has been preserved. Most of Abos memories of her time at the barren camp are shaped by her older siblings stories of fear and indignity. My mother thought the Army would starve us, so she started storing toast from the mess hall under the cot, Abo said. Once, when her brother took wood from a scrap pile to build a table, Abos mother became hysterical, afraid he would be taken away and punished if guards found out. A deep feeling of shame clung to Abo even after her familys release, she said, one that took years to erase. When she and her sister returned to Minidoka as adults as part of a pilgrimage with other survivors, she was struck by the immensity of the empty fields. This was sacred lands, she said. In some ways, they had moved beyond their trauma, Abo said. But protecting this landscape and commemorating the cruelty that occurred here remains an urgent mission, she realized. While halting the wind project was what advocates ultimately sought, the win has been tempered for many by the Trump administrations actions to hide and rewrite depictions of Americas painful history. Trump has directed the Interior Department to remove content from plaques, signs and other materials at national parks and historic sites that inappropriately disparage Americans. At Minidoka and other national historic sites where Japanese Americans were incarcerated, signs were posted in June asking visitors to report materials that were negative about either past or living Americans or that fail to emphasize the beauty, grandeur, and abundance of landscapes and other natural features. Survivors and park advocates gathered at a recent rally at the Overlook Walk near Pike Place Market to decry the Trump administrations directives. Graham Taylor, with the National Parks Conservation Association, described the federal governments efforts as an attempt to sanitize history. Playing with and revising history is just another way to promote lies and misunderstandings, said Lawrence Matsuda, a Seattle-based poet and author who was born at the camp in 1945 and spoke during the rally. Failing to acknowledge and confront the injustices of the past has ripple effects, Tomita said, enabling the continued erosion of civil liberties. The U.S. has a long history of imprisonment, he said. Indigenous tribes were forced onto reservations, and Native children were stolen from families and sent to boarding schools as part of a brutal assimilation effort. Black people in the United States were enslaved for nearly 2 centuries. As immigrants are rounded up in militarized raids and by masked agents for detention and deportation, local activists have highlighted parallels between the Trump administrations aggressive enforcement crackdown and the federal governments treatment of people of Japanese descent during World War II. They took away our civil rights; we had no right of appeal, Tomita said. We had to leave our businesses, our homes, our animals, our cars, our everything. Trump has invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, last used to incarcerate Japanese, German and Italian nationals during World War II, to deport Venezuelan migrants that federal officials accuse of being gang members. When the guy uses the same law to try and round people up, its brazen, said Erin Shigaki, a Seattle-based artist and a member of Tsuru for Solidarity, a local social justice and immigrant rights organization led by Japanese Americans. A new immigration detention center at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas which held dozens of Japanese immigrants in 1942 before they were sent to incarceration camps has further incensed advocacy groups. Once fully built out, the center is set to become the countrys largest detention site. Its disgusting, said Shigaki, whose family was incarcerated at Minidoka. As of now, there are no other projects in the permitting pipeline near Minidoka, Sakura said. But LS Power could legally challenge the revoked permit, he said, and there are no administration protections preventing future projects near the former camp. Were very encouraged, but were not out of the woods yet, Sakura said. This is a long fight for our heritage, this is sacred ground, a place for learning and healing. The Oregonian/OregonLive's Hood to Coast team celebrates completing the "mother of all relays" on Saturday, Aug. 23, at the beach in Seaside. The Oregonian/OregonLive Our journalists regularly persist through uphill battles, grueling time crunches and seemingly never-ending avenues of reporting. That all remained true a week ago when 10 of us participated in Oregons iconic Hood to Coast relay -- emphasis on the seemingly never-ending and toss in a record-setting heat wave. Our team of employees and two of our teen-age daughters joined runners from around the world to run nearly 200 miles from Mount Hood to Seaside. The Oregonian/OregonLive has fielded a team for Hood-to-Coast, the mother of all relays, several times over the past 20 years. There may be more, but Im pretty sure Ive blocked out some of those earlier, blister-filled memories. I talk a lot about how much our journalists care deeply about this place we cover and call home. This is the perfect example. Many of our team members trained for months for the opportunity to run (mostly) through some of the more beautiful parts of our state. Engagement Editor Julie Evensen was the runner in Van 1 who kicked us off at 4 a.m. with a 6.26-mile leg down the mountain from Timberline Lodge. Business reporter Mike Rogoway launched Van 2s six runners with a 5.25-mile section starting at Sandy High School. (Its important to note here that shortly after Rogoway finished his first leg, he heard Trumps announcement that the federal government would buy $8.9 billion in Intel stock. So, he spent part of his rest period writing that story from the van.) About 36 hours later, after our team had wound its way up the Coast Range and through the towns of Mist, Birkenfeld and Jewell in the wee hours, business reporter Matt Kish led us across the finish line in the sand at Seaside late Saturday afternoon. The rest of our team of journalists included Lizzy Acker, Hillary Borrud, Yesenia Amaro, Kristine de Leon, Michael Russell and Chiara Profenna. Hood to Coast runners and supporters at exchange point 12 near OMSI in Southeast Portland on Aug. 22, 2025. Teresa Mahoney | The Oregonian/OregonLive As with many other beloved Oregon events, weve covered the relay fairly consistently through the years. Intern Maddie Khaw covered the Hood to Coast or as she hilariously put it, Hood to Roast for us this year, noting the record triple-digit highs that Friday afternoon. We typically note traffic disruptions and forecasts and, this year, reporter Profenna recorded a Peak Northwest podcast episode on how to train for such a grueling race. In 2020, there was the story on how the relay was canceled due to the pandemic and in other recent years, numerous reports on runners persevering through wildfire smoke. Theres even been breaking news from the run, showing that the hazards go beyond the physical strain of running. In 2021, a drunk driver hit a team van and injured its five occupants and in 2017, a competitor stole a porta-potty truck and ran over another runner as he fled the scene. The runners in both those cases sustained only minor injuries, thankfully. Comedian Kevin Hart made headlines when he competed in 2016 and gushed in a video, Ive never seen people more encouraging and more supportive of one another in my life. Yep, sounds pretty Oregon-y. I recall a moment on Friday afternoon, halfway through my first 4-mile leg, as the sun beat down on a treeless stretch of the Springwater Corridor. My ear buds had stopped working. I knew I had a long way to go on that leg and two others left to do. Thats when I began to question why Id thought this was a good idea. Then she came, the runner who looked far more in shape than me. Man, this is blowing my mind, she said, slowing to a walk. I couldnt have agreed more. We chatted a bit and cheered each other on as we alternated between a slow jog to a blessed walk and back up again. There was that traffic light that we luckily hit wrong and got to chat more until the darned thing switched from green to red. We got this, she called out as she lurched forward. While I wasnt immediately convinced, it helped. The sentiment kept me going until I reached the other lovely woman sitting near an apartment complex who offered to spray runners down with a yard hose. That very well may be the reason I was able to finish that and the little girl handing out Dixie cups of icy water a little farther down the trail. Yep, thats Oregon-y. We regularly share stories illustrating Oregonians kindness, dedication, generosity and love of this place and its wacky traditions. And as Oregonians, we enjoy being a part of it, too. The story of the deportation of Moises Sotelo was both heartbreaking and infuriating, (Oregon family shares tearful goodbye at PDX as wife follows deported husband to Mexico, Aug. 19). Sotelo has lived in America since 1993. He started up a company that services grape-growing clients, employing people to help grow, maintain and harvest crops. His arrest stirred outrage in the wine industry and sorrow among friends and family. He sounds like the ideal, hard-working small businessman who contributes to our region and economy. Who is responsible for the deportation of this upstanding member of American society? President Donald Trump, who, in a 2005 tape, was recorded bragging about groping women. In a civil case, Trump was found liable for sexual abuse. Trump was indicted for keeping secret government documents after his first term as president, although that case was dismissed. Trump was convicted for falsifying business records in a case involving a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. Trump insults and threatens everyone who crosses him, including heads of state of other countries. And he is a chronic liar who claims that he supports working class people and American businesses except, apparently, anyone he chooses to dislike.Normal, hard-working, law-abiding immigrants - many of them refugees from authoritarian governments - are repeatedly designated by Trump as sexual predators, thieves and criminals. Yet data shows that immigrants have lower incarceration rates than native-born citizens. Something is very wrong here. JoAnne Knowles, Portland To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion. The Peoples Depot, an alternative bottle drop site, may soon move to a permanent, indoor location a mile and a half south of its current perch off of Southeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard under the Morrison Bridge. The Depot has existed in an outdoor format since the city authorized it at several locations when grocery stores were tightly regulated during the early days of the pandemic. It later moved to its current spot under the east side of the Morrison Bridge. The bottle drops exact location in the city now matters to more than just the hundreds of people, many of them homeless, who use the site to get immediate cash payouts for their collected cans. Among other changes, the new bottle bill signed by Gov. Tina Kotek in June allows grocery stores within up to 3.5 miles of alternative can redemption sites like The Peoples Depot to entirely shut down their individual can redemption programs. A purchase order has been signed for the planned new site at 1041 SE Brooklyn St. in the Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood, according to Taylor Cass Talbott, a co-executive director of Ground Score, the nonprofit that runs the depot. That would move the approximately 7-mile-wide circle of grocery store exemptions a ways down the road, covering more of Milwaukie and less of Northeast Portland. The plan is for Ground Score to lease the Brooklyn Street property from a private buyer, whose name has not been released. The next step will be to apply to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission for a permit, a process that will include a 30-day public comment period, Cass Talbot said. We are confident The Peoples Depot will be a good neighbor and contribute positively to the neighborhood and the city of Portland, Cass Talbott said in a statement Thursday. The Depot has a reputation for being a less problematic neighbor than some of the areas other bottle drop locations, a contrast that showed up in reporting by The Oregonian/OregonLive this spring. A reporter covering the bottle bill as it sailed through the Legislature found that the scene at The Peoples Depot contrasted dramatically with the activity at the BottleDrop near Delta Park. Outside the BottleDrop (near Delta Park), multiple people heated substances on aluminum foil or spoons, according to the story from May. Others handed each other pills and loitered in the area for hours. At The Peoples Depot, a reporter saw no active drug use though local business owners said it did happen nearby. Peoples Depot staff told the reporter that polite requests to not deal drugs in the immediate area did most of the work. A no-nonsense sign Buying, Selling, or Using fentanyl anywhere around The Peoples Depot threatens our ability to keep providing this service and will result in an automatic ban from our services seemed to help as well. The People's Depot, under the Morrison Bridge in Southeast Portland, officially sets a 400-can limit per person per day. But a manager says the site will often accept as many as 1,000 cans per person, which is the most of any site in Portland. Aimee Green/The Oregonian Ground Score leaders hope the new permanent location will allow The Peoples Depot to serve more canners and recycle more containers. It would also be inside, out of the weather, and away from the traffic. Attempts to open new Bottle Drops in the past, like one that tried to move into Portlands St. Johns neighborhood last year, have been met with fierce resistance. This one, at least, already has support from two of Oregons top elected officials: Kotek and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson. The Peoples Depot has shown a commitment to being a thoughtful and responsible neighbor, Wilson said in a statement Thursday. This new facility in Southeast Portland reflects their dedication to serving the community with care and contributing to a cleaner, more inclusive city. In 2024, the Peoples Depot redeemed over 9.4 million cans 6% of all individual containers redeemed in Portland, even though its currently open only 11 hours a week. Lillian Mongeau Hughes covers homelessness and mental health for The Oregonian. Email her with tips or questions at lmhughes@oregonian.com. Or follow her on Bluesky @lmonghughes.bsky.social or X at @lrmongeau. Shark Tank host Kevin OLeary has a broad portfolio of strong opinions and is rarely shy to share them. In a recent Fox Business interview, the Montreal-born entrepreneur confidently asserted that a growing number of Americans are fleeing to Canada in recent months because of the nations relatively open immigration policies. The immigration policy there is currently more liberal than it is in the U.S., he told host Stuart Varney. In the US, immigration has fallen to zero here, and many people would like to see it addressed in a more organized and legal way. But while it remains so tight, many people are taking advantage of policies that were implemented during the Trudeau era that have not yet been modified. So, theyre not leaving because they dont like the U.S. Varney responds. OLeary seems to have misunderstood the question heres the catch: U.S. citizens dont need immigration leniency to move abroad. And the data shows Americans are leaving the country for very different reasons. Heres a closer look at recent statistics and what they actually mean. Must Read U.S. Citizens moving abroad More Americans sought refugee status in Canada in the first half of 2025 than during all of 2024, according to Canadas Immigration and Refugee Board. The agency doesnt reveal the reasons specified by applicants, but there are concerns of the Trump administrations crackdown on LGBTQ rights and general political unrest. Trans Americans, in particular, are increasingly seeking asylum in Canada, lawyers told Reuters. Gay couples who spoke to CTV News in April pointed to growing threats to marriage equality and gun safety concerns as reasons for moving north. Even academics are making the move. In an opinion video for the New York Times, three Yale professors said they were relocating to the University of Toronto because of rising concerns about authoritarianism in the U.S. Read more: Rich, young Americans are ditching stocks here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead A global trend: Not just Canada Many Americans are also moving, not just to Canada but other parts of the world, due to economic concerns. Roughly 1,285 U.S. citizens expatriated in the first quarter of 2025, up 102% from the last quarter of 2024, according to federal government data analyzed by CS Global Partners. The report suggests the rate of expatriation could break a previous record set in 2020. Ive been using Windows for as long as I can remember. It was on the very first PC I recall using, literally on my fathers knee. But I dont need it anymore. Thats a weird thing to say as a writer for a site named PCWorld. But its been a long time coming, a slow mix of broad tech trends, feeling betrayed by multiple brands, and a little bit of intention on my part. To be clear, I still use Windows. Its what Im using right now to type this, on a beefy gaming desktop I assembled myself, with triple monitors and all sorts of googaws attached. But I dont need all that anymore, and for the first time in my adult life, I can see myself transitioning to an entirely different operating system. Thats a big deal for me, and I suspect Im far from alone. Microsoft might want to make a note of it. Why I dont need Windows So heres what I mean when I say that I dont need Windows anymore: Every tool, program, and piece of information I rely upon is now essentially separate from whatever machine Im using at the moment. Im writing the words youre reading right now in Google Docs. When Im done, Ill edit them in WordPress. Throughout my work day Im talking with my coworkers and bosses on Slack, Im chatting with my friends via text, WhatsApp, and some other platforms. Im managing my own to-do list in Google Keep, updating my work tasks in a tool called Monday, and checking personal and professional email in Gmail and Outlook, respectively. Im keeping an eye on news and social trends in BlueSky and The Old Reader for RSS. I still use local files, of course. But theyre all backed up weekly via Backblaze and accessible wherever I go, with whatever hardware I have to hand. Most of the time I dont even need that. Aside from installed game files, the odd business/tax document, and a huge library of photos, both my own and my familys, I barely even think about the storage on my PC. Michael Crider/Foundry Heres a screenshot of my main Windows taskbar: Vivaldi, Gmail, Outlook, the PCWorld logo for WordPress, a certain green P Ill address shortly, Slack, Explorer, Monday, Google Keep, Google Docs, YouTube. If you havent spotted the common thread here: every single one of these experiences is either a web tool or has a web interface. I use my favorite browser, Vivaldi, to access almost all of them, usually in a progressive web app (PWA) or merely a shortcut wrapper without a full browser interface. Its one of my most essential features of modern browsers, allowing me to separate these tools more easily and focus on them when I need to. Every one of them is accessible on the web, and on other platforms. I can use all of them on a tablet or even my phone, and most of the time not lose any functionality. In fact even though I work from home, I access a lot of that on my phone during the day, on the same platforms. At this point Windows is basically just a means for accessing the web in a comfortable way, on expensive hardware Im familiar with. I think a lot of users feel the same way, especially younger folks who grew up post-iPhone. Photoshop was the last holdout The very last domino to fall in this chain was image editing. Ive been using Photoshop for over 20 years. Since I learned it in a high school media class, its been incredibly difficult to break myself of the reliance on it for creating article header images or editing review photos. Not that I didnt want to Ive had a chip on my shoulder for Adobe for almost as long, especially after it transitioned its extremely expensive Creative Suite software to an even more expensive Creative Cloud subscription setup. It reeked of youll own nothing and youll be happy. I liked owning Photoshop, and I was not and am not happy that the option was taken away. Until a few weeks ago I was still keeping an ancient copy of Creative Suite 6 from 2012 (the last time it was offered as a real purchase) alive and kicking. Ive tried alternatives many times, including the tastelessly-titled GIMP, Affinity Photo, and Pixlr X. All are pretty good tools, but to my shame, I kept crawling back to the familiarity of Photoshop. Foundry My memory, both conventional and muscle, made it difficult to use any of these programs, even though each one of them covers the vast majority of Photoshops core functions. Ive spent years of my life using Photoshop, a few of them using it for up to eight hours a day in a print shop. Its a hard experience for me to quantify if youre not married to a piece of software like that imagine it as the feeling you get from wearing someone elses prescription glasses. Its that kind of functional discomfort. Im fairly certain Adobe banks on this, and thats why you can access Photoshop and other programs at a huge discount if youre a student or otherwise working at a school. To paraphrase Aristotle, Give me a high-schooler until they are 17, and I will show you the foundations of a life-long subscription customer. But after a long-overdue Windows reinstallation, I decided to forego the hassle of getting my trusty, rusty copy of CS6 operational. Instead I tried out Photopea, an online raster image editor with a shameless and wonderful clone of the Photoshop interface. Attack of the Clones Ive tried Photopea a few times before, with this exact aim in mind. And I couldnt quite get it to stick. To be honest I cant recall if it was a lack of performance in the tool, or simply that it wasnt as capable as CS6 even over a decade later. But whichever part of the equation has changed the performance in a modern browser on a powerful desktop, the server-side performance, or the image editing options being improved it just clicked. Now Im using Photopea (pronounced photo-pee if youre wondering, but the creators dont really care) in place of Photoshop for all my work purposes. I dont even have the latter installed, though I still have my copy just in case. Im paying $5 a month for the ad-free version of Photopea, which still rankles my just let me buy it heart a bit. But the fact that its completely free with ads, not to mention far, far cheaper than an Adobe subscription even if you banish them, is a balm to my skinflint soul. Photopeas interface apes Photoshop closely enough that I can use it without problems. And yes, I used it to edit this storys header image, and even this screenshot. Photopea And after all, Photopea is a web tool hosted on a server it at least has a basic justification for charging a subscription. Nothing stops Adobe from selling a stand-alone, non-subscription version of Photoshop. Except greed. Photopea is a clone of Photoshop, not a perfect replacement. There are things it cant do, notably load up custom fonts without a lot of extra steps, that would make it unsuitable if I were still doing graphics full time. And to be perfectly honest, Im not quite as good at it as I used to be with Photoshop. Some of the effects Id throw together with ease just dont look as good. That could be equal parts my own unfamiliarity with the deeper tools and the web-based programs lack of Photoshops most powerful, deeply buried options. Maybe Ill get back to my old expertise in time. But Im not a graphic designer anymore. Im a keyboard jockey who needs a lot of cropping for PR images, a bit of background work, clone-stamp and color adjustments for original photos, that sort of thing. And I can do all that, without sacrificing speed or most capability, and without local software. I can do it on any machine, from a laptop or a tablet or even my phone in a pinch (with a mouse and keyboard), and I can log in on all of those to get access to it ad-free. Samsung Oh, and even if you prefer to pay Adobes exorbitant prices, you might still not need a local installation of the program. Photoshop has an online version now, very similar to Photopea, included with the subscription. Everything I need to do my job, and most of whatever else I want, is completely divorced from Windows. Or if not divorced, then at least amicably separated. I realize that a lot of people got to this place before I did, people younger than me, older than me, both more tech-savvy and less. But it still feels like a personal milestone. Gaming still lives on Windowsfor now Im still using Windows 11, warts and all, even while I moan about ever-encroaching advertising in allegedly premium software, not to mention the hard upsell for AI tools I dont want. These are where Microsoft is hoping to get that real (read: recurring) money out of me, and where I refuse to let it go. But Windows is still my personal and professional home, even as I increasingly live on my phone, just like everyone else. Gaming is a big part of this. I own a Switch and a PS5 and a nice tablet and a few other wingdings for games over a recent vacation I even played through Skies of Arcadia to the end on an Android emulator. But PC gaming is where I really sink my teeth into the medium, and thats unlikely to change. Not just because I like building desktop PCs (again, check the name of the site up top!), but because Steam is my primary means of acquiring and playing games. Lenovo/Valve And even that is not a sacred cow Im unwilling to eat. Valve is making Steam its own OS, spreading into hardware from partners like Lenovo and Asus, and I think it has a legitimate shot at dethroning Windows as the home of PC gaming. To say nothing of trends that let you access your games anywhere, including Nvidias cloud-powered GeForce Now (which plays my Steam games!) and Microsofts own Xbox Game Pass streaming. Ive used both of them on the go, enjoyably if far less smoothly than on my fancy-pants desktop at home, and been keenly aware of their platform-agnostic nature. I played the PC version of Fortnite, complete with mouse and keyboard, by using my Samsung phones DeX desktop mode, a USB-C monitor, and GeForce Now. Hey, at least one tiny sliver of the future doesnt suck. A new world of options This newfound freedom is liberating, if only in a consumer sense. For the first time I can seriously consider a Mac or a Chromebook laptop, safe in the knowledge that everything I need will be accessible with barely even an adjustment to my routine. An iPad Pro, while not my first choice, would probably be doable. I could even see myself trying out Linux on the desktop, though I confess Id probably keep it dual-booting at first. And maybe using SteamOS or a derivative like Bazzite, just to satiate my degenerate gaming needs. I dont need Windows anymore. Theres a pretty good chance you dont, either, or at least that its easier than ever to work around it. I think you should keep it in mindespecially if youre a Microsoft executive who wants me to buy a new laptop. Twenty-seven Rite Aid pharmacies will close in September. The prescription files from all 27 stores will be transferred to CVS. In some cases, CVS will take over the Rite Aid stores. In May, Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy for a second time to pursue a strategic and value-maximizing sale process for substantially all of its assets. Rite Aid is closing all of its stores. Rite Aid announced that it had entered into agreements for its pharmacy assets of more than 1,000 stores across the country. Those agreements were approved in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, according to Reuters. Heres when these 27 Rite Aid pharmacies will close: In this photo illustration, Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 (top) and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines sit in boxes at Borinquen Health Care Center on May 29, 2025, in Miami. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images/TNS) TNS By Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times (TNS) LOS ANGELES A week of fast-moving developments has left some with questions about access to the COVID-19 vaccine. While experts and officials say the new federal guidance surrounding COVID vaccine authorization could make it more difficult for many people to be inoculated, there are still unresolved questions and wrinkles yet to emerge. But here is what we know: Can I get a COVID vaccine now? It may be a few days before updated 2025-26 COVID vaccines are available in some locations. Now that the shots have been approved for the upcoming season, retail pharmacy chains Walgreens and CVS said they would soon be prepared to offer the vaccines, where available. But at those pharmacies, getting the vaccine may not be a straightforward process for everyone. Why is this so complicated? In recent years, the federal governments recommendation for COVID-19 vaccines was simple: Everyone age 6 months and up should get an updated shot in the fall. This year, however, under the leadership of the vaccine skeptic Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Food and Drug Administration only approved the updated vaccines for people age 65 and up, as well as younger people with at least one health condition that puts them at high risk for severe COVID should they get infected. That means, for the first time ever, its possible that younger, healthier people will need to consult with a health care provider to get an updated COVID vaccine. How hard might it be for a younger, healthy person to get the vaccine? It might depend on what state you live in. Whether your state considers pharmacists health care providers and how much latitude those pharmacists have to authorize the shots off-label are key. CVS, for instance, said it can offer FDA-authorized vaccinations in several states, but not for most Pennsylvanians without a prescription. CVS is asking people to attest to their eligibility during the appointment scheduling process or at the pharmacy or MinuteClinic when people fill out their health screening forms. Walgreens said that in accordance with FDA approval and state requirements, we will offer the vaccine to all adults ages 65 years and older, as well as to individuals under 65 who are at higher risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19, as determined by the CDC. CVS and Walgreens have identified a wide array of conditions that they say may put people at higher risk for severe COVID-19 including diabetes, heart disease, being overweight or obese, being a past or current smoker, being pregnant, having a substance use disorder, having a mental health condition (including depression), being physically inactive, and having high blood pressure, as well as other conditions. Younger people who do not say they have an underlying health condition may need to find a venue outside of a pharmacy like a doctors office to get vaccinated. Whats the federal governments rationale behind this change? Kennedy, who has a history of disparaging vaccines, has said he wants more studies on the COVID-19 vaccine. In a post on X, Kennedy said the guidance would keep vaccines available to people who want them, especially the vulnerable, while demanding additional research. The American people demanded science, safety, and common sense, he wrote. This framework delivers all three. Other health experts have said seeking additional testing for COVID vaccines is unnecessary, given the extensive testing done before they were first distributed, and their track record since. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco, said that requiring people to speak with a health care provider before getting a COVID-19 vaccine is completely wrong and a barrier, and he expects it will make it harder for those who dont have a regular health care provider to get vaccinated. The Infectious Diseases Society of America on Wednesday said the new federal guidance completely contradicts the evidence base, severely undermines trust in science-driven policy and dangerously limits vaccine access, removing millions of Americans choice to be protected and increasing the risk of severe outcomes from COVID. The group said it is working with other medical societies to finalize their updated guidelines for COVID vaccination for adults this fall and winter. In another change, the CDC earlier year asked that parents talk with a health care provider before getting the COVID vaccine for healthy children. The CDC also recently offered no guidance as to whether healthy pregnant women should get the COVID vaccine. In response, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended that people receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine or booster at any point during pregnancy, when planning to become pregnant, in the postpartum period, or when lactating. Vaccination during pregnancy can help protect infants against requiring hospitalization, the group said. And the American Academy of Pediatrics on Aug. 19 recommended that infants and children age 6 months to 23 months get the updated COVID vaccine, since they are at high risk of severe illness should they get COVID. The group also said children age 2 through 18 should be offered a COVID-19 vaccination if their parent or guardian wants them to get inoculated. By AAMER MADHANI, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday said that the Trump administration will soon expand immigration operations in Chicago, confirming plans for a stepped-up presence of federal agents in the nations third-largest city as President Donald Trump continues to lash out at Illinois Democratic leadership. Noems comments come after the DHS last week requested limited logistical support from officials at the Naval Station Great Lakes to support the agencys anticipated operations. The military installation is about 35 miles north of Chicago. Weve already had ongoing operations with ICE in Chicago... but we do intend to add more resources to those operations, Noem said during an appearance on CBS News Face the Nation." Noem declined to provide further details about the planned surge of federal officers. It comes after the Trump administration deployed National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to target crime, immigration and homelessness, and two months after it sent troops to Los Angeles. Trump lashed out against Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker in a social media posting Saturday, warning him that he must straighten out Chicagos crime problems quickly or were coming. The Republican president has also been critical of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. Johnson and Pritzker have pushed back against the expected federal mobilization, saying crime has fallen in Chicago. They are planning to sue if Trump moves forward with the plan. Johnson has already signed an order barring the Chicago Police Department from helping federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement or any related patrols, traffic stops and checkpoints during the surge. Chicago is home to a large immigrant population, and both the city and the state of Illinois have some of the countrys strongest rules against cooperating with federal government immigration enforcement efforts. That has often put the city and the state at odds with Trumps administration as it tries to carry out his mass deportation agenda. Pritzker, in an interview aired Sunday on Face the Nation, charged that Trumps expected plans to mobilize federal forces in the city might be part of a plan to stop the elections in 2026 or, frankly, take control of those elections. Noem said it was a Trump prerogative whether to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago as he did in Los Angeles in June in the midst of immigration protests in the California city. I do know that LA wouldnt be standing today if President Trump hadnt taken action, Noem said. That city would have burned if left to devices of the mayor and governor of that state. An aerial drone view of the Black History Matters mural in front of the Woodson African American Museum of Florida in St. Petersburg has been painted over. (Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times/TNS, file) TNS By Colleen Wright, Tampa Bay Times (TNS) TAMPA, Fla. Two pastors were arrested Friday night as they attempted to block state crews from covering up a street mural, according to St. Petersburg Police. Florida Department of Transportation crews arrived to paint over a Black History Matters street mural outside the Woodson African American Museum of Florida around 8 p.m. Friday, police said in a news release. About 15 minutes later, Rev. Andy Oliver, an activist and pastor of Allendale United Methodist Church, and Benedict Atherton-Zeman, a minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church, walked by police officers and sat down in the road on the mural to block state machinery, police said. Officers warned them to move, according to police, but they refused and were arrested. Both were charged with obstruction and obstructing or hindering traffic as a pedestrian and booked into the Pinellas County Jail. Online records show they were released on cash bond early Saturday. The mural was ultimately covered up. Oliver and Atherton-Zeman both told The Tampa Bay Times that they were kneeling on the mural, praying. They said officers asked them to move, but they didnt. Several officers carried them to nearby grass and placed them into handcuffs. For me, living out my faith, resisting tyranny and fascism and white supremacy was the most important thing last night, Oliver said. I had to do what I had to do. I said Im just going to stay here and pray until my prayers are answered, Atherton-Zeman said. The state has erased four out of five St. Petersburg street murals identified for removal as part of a statewide effort. Last month, state officials issued a memo to make all roads uniform, giving new orders to eliminate non-compliant street art to keep roads free and clear of political ideologies by Sept. 4. The fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore is pictured on March 31, 2024. (Associated Press/Mike Pesoli, file) AP By Sam Janesch, Baltimore Sun (TNS) BALTIMORE In the days after President Donald Trump threatened to pull federal support for Marylands most pressing and expensive infrastructure project, Gov. Wes Moore quickly dismissed the idea. Trump falsely claimed he approved the money to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge and doesnt have the power now to revoke it, Moore said repeatedly as he and the president exchanged personal barbs in their largest confrontation to date. Hes talking about pulling [something] that he did not give us in the first place, Moore said on MSNBC, adding that Trump had made such an ignorant comment. The bridge collapsed just over a year ago after being hit by a cargo ship, killing six men working on it. But as Moore emphasized Congress role in controlling federal spending, Trump has continued to push the boundaries of how much of that authority he can claim risking, some say, commitments like those to pay for the Key Bridge. I take it very seriously, said U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski Jr., who grew up in the Dundalk community on one side of the collapsed bridge. This is probably the most important infrastructure project in the state of Maryland and in the mid-Atlantic. And so anything that even potentially jeopardizes it is of significant concern to me and should be of significant concern to Marylanders. Rebuilding the bridge is estimated to cost up to nearly $2 billion, though Trumps transportation secretary reportedly said this week the cost could double. Maryland officials lobbied aggressively for months to secure the full funding commitment from Congress at the end of last year before Trump took office. Trump raised the idea of reversing that commitment in an Aug. 24 social media post that said Moore had been rather nasty and provocative as they differed on whether the president should send troops to address crime in Baltimore. Also, I gave Wes Moore a lot of money to fix his demolished bridge. I will now have to rethink that decision??? Trump wrote, which sparked additional back-and-forth comments. Trump would need approval from Congress to not spend the Key Bridge funds. Olszewski and others said they believe there isnt enough support, even in a Republican-controlled Congress, to do that. By Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times (TNS) The Trump administration has moved to lay off more than 500 employees who work for the federally funded network Voice of America, which provides global reporting in places with restricted press freedom. In March, Trump officials first attempted to close down some of the organizations newsrooms. But Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia called for the networks restoration last April, citing a law that requires the Voice of America broadcast to be continued. Despite the ruling, Kari Lake, the acting chief executive of Voice of Americas oversight agency, posted on social media Friday evening that 532 government positions were eliminated. Before the downsizing, Voice of America was responsible for broadcasting news in 49 languages to 360 million people every week, including in Russia and China. Now, the network airs programming in four languages: Persian, Mandarin, Dari and Pashto. The layoffs will likely improve [the agencys] ability to function and provide the truth to people across the world who live under murderous Communist governments and other tyrannical regimes, wrote Lake on X. Most of the 1,300 Voice of America journalists had already been fired or remained on paid leave prior to these layoffs. Only 100 journalists and other staff members remain employed by the organization. After being asked by the remaining employees to ensure the administration was in line with his April ruling, Lamberth found that they appeared to be noncompliant. Earlier this week, he ordered Lake to provide sworn testimony at a deposition and threatened to hold her in contempt for going against court orders. He also blocked the administration from firing the Voice of America director, Michael Abramowitz, the day before these layoffs were announced. Williams-Sonoma (WSM) said it saw minimal impacts from tariffs in its second quarter results but expects tariffs to pressure its top-line growth and operating margins in the current quarter. "Our incremental tariff rate has doubled since our last earnings call," CFO Jeffrey Howie said in the company's earnings call. "At our May earnings call, our incremental tariff rate was 14%. As of today's call, it has doubled to 28%. This includes the additional 30% China tariffs, 50% India tariff, 20% via non-tariff and averaged 18% tariff on the rest of the world as well as the 50% steel and aluminum tariffs and a 50% copper tariff." The furniture company, which houses brands such as West Elm and Pottery Barn, reported better-than-expected earnings of $2.00 per share. Wall Street expected EPS of $1.80. Williams-Sonoma stock was down 1.4% in early afternoon trading. The stock sank earlier this week, along with other furniture stocks, after President Trump posted on social media that his administration would open an investigation into furniture imports and impose additional tariffs on the sector. "It's early to speculate I think we're day 5 of a 50-day probe, there's not a lot of information on this subject," Laura Alber, Williams-Sonoma's CEO, said about possible furniture tariffs. "But I will say that it's going to be very difficult for the industry, even if tariffs are put on to bring a huge amount back to the United States in a short window of time, because there aren't the factories available to do a lot of production." "For us, of course, we will be in a much better position than most if that were to happen because of our strong USA manufacturing capabilities already," Alber continued. "We have ... [a] good chunk of our upholstery in the United States as we speak, and we can do more there, and that would be something we'd really push." Thomas Eychenne's Dream Becomes Reality in the EPT Barcelona Main Event David Salituro Live Reporter Copy link For his entire poker career, Thomas Eychenne would lie awake at night and imagine himself on a big stage, surrounded by bright lights and the blinding flash of cameras, as he hoisted a major trophy in the air. There were many opportunities for him to achieve that dream, but he always came up just a bit short. Still, he never gave up hope that it would happen one day. Those hopes were realized today, as the 35-year-old Frenchman defeated Sebastian Ionita heads-up to win the PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona Main Event title and 1,217,175*. With it came his biggest career score after conquering the massive 2,045-player field, but also, just as importantly, his first-ever live tournament win. EPT Barcelona Main Event Final Table results Place Player Country Prize 1 Thomas Eychenne France 1,217,175* 2 Sebastian Ionita Romania 1,117,175* 3 Umberto Zaffagnini Italy 641,200 4 Tomasz Brzezinski Poland 493,250 5 Julian Pineda Lozano Colombia 379,350 6 Anton Suarez Sweden 291,800 7 Marc Foggin United Kingdom 224,450 8 Cesar Garcia Spain 172,700 *denotes heads-up deal Winner's Reaction It feels just amazing. Its my first tournament win. I obviously didnt expect to win when entering a 2,000-player field. Its tough to put words on such emotions. Its incredible, Eychenne, the confetti that was once just the stuff of dreams laying around him, said after lifting the PokerStars Golden Shard trophy. "I was for many years sleeping and visualizing myself at some point winning a trophy" I was for many years sleeping and visualizing myself at some point winning a trophy and answering questions like I am doing now. It helped a lot. I knew it would come at some point. It was just a matter of time. My work paid off today. Obviously, I was very lucky, but its a great accomplishment. Eychenne was already established as one of the top pros on the high-roller circuit. He had more than $2.7 million in live earnings, including a run to 47th place at the WSOP Main Event this summer and seventh in the 2023 PSPC in the Bahamas. He entered the final table as the most accomplished player remaining in the field, first making a name for himself by streaming online bankroll challenges, running up 50 to 50,000 in 50 days, then turning 10 into more than 1,000,000. But he still didnt have a win on his resume. Four times he had reached heads-up, only to finish second every time, including a 25,000 at EPT Monte Carlo in 2023 and a 10,000 6-Max at last years EPT Barcelona. All those close calls wore on him, but finally finishing the deal today allowed it all to disappear. From now on, he wont have to live with those unrealized expectations. I think I will feel a bit less pressure, because at some point I was starting to feel, you know, when you cant win and you end up second, second, it gets mental at some point. I think from now on I will play with less pressure, I would say, he said. Final Table Action The final six players returned to the main stage inside the Casino Barcelona today to crown a champion. Ionita began atop the leaderboard, but Eychenne took the chip lead early when he called down Julian Pineda Lozano with two pair while Pineda Lozano could only show a missed straight draw. Anton Suarez, seeking to join Stockholm neighbor Simon Brandstrom as an EPT Barcelona champion, lost most of his chips when Ionita flopped trip queens and fired out 1,800,000 on the river. Suarez went deep into the tank but eventually folded two pair, leaving himself with less than 5,000,000. Just a few hands later, Suarez turned a pair of queens and bet 2,500,000 on the river. Eychenne, though, had spiked trip fives and moved all in. Suarez, with just 1,030,000 behind, eventually called off the rest of his stack and hit the rail in sixth place as Eychenne approached 20,000,000. Umberto Zaffagnini, the Italian amateur who runs a manufacturing company, took the lead when he and Ionita both showed down a pair of aces, but Zaffagninis eight-kicker played to earn him the pot. Eychenne then tried a bluff for 3,500,000 on the river with the board showing four queens, but Ionita called with a king to retake the lead. Table short stack Tomasz Brzezinski shoved for his last 3,300,000 from the small blind with king-five and Eychenne called with jack-seven. Brzezinski hit a king on the flop, while Eychenne picked up a straight draw but didnt improve and Brzezinski doubled up. Pineda Lozano then got his last 5,225,000 in with king-four against Ionitas pocket eights. The board offered no reprieve, and Pineda Lozano was sent back to Colombia with 379,350 for his fifth-place finish. Brzezinskis hopes of getting back into contention didnt last long as he shoved for 6,000,000 under the gun and Zaffagnini called with pocket tens in the big blind. Zaffagnini spiked a set on the flop, then improved to a full house on the turn to leave Brzezinski drawing dead and heading to the rail in fourth place. Eychenne became the short stack with less than 10,000,000 during three-handed play. Zaffagnini, nearly tied with Ionita for the chip lead, attempted a bluff with queen-high and raised to 5,500,000 on the turn, but Ionita had made a straight and put in a reraise to 8,500,000 that eventually chased Zaffagnini away and gave him a big advantage. After Ionita opened on the button, Zaffagnini moved all in for 11,225,000 in the small blind. Eychenne reshoved in the big blind and Ionita folded, leaving his two opponents heads-up with Eychenne having most of his stack at risk as well. It was a race, pocket fives against ace-jack, with Ionita folding an ace to take away one of Eychennes outs. The flop gave Eychenne a straight draw, while the turn left Zaffagnini a card away from a double up. He could barely look, covering his face with his scarf as the dealer turned over the river, which came a queen to make Eychennes straight and send Zaffagnini to the rail in third place. Ionita and Eychenne had similar stacks at the start of heads-up play, with Ionita leading slightly, 32,300,000 to 29,050,000, and they agreed to an even chop for 1,117,175 each while leaving 100,000 for the champion. Ionita took the first three hands of heads-up, but Eychenne hit the river twice to take the chip lead. During deal discussions, Eychenne mentioned to Ionita that this was his specialty. He had played countless hours of heads-up and understood the format in ways that, he was sure, Ionita did not. Ionita didnt protest, and Eychenne knew then that he had the advantage. I definitely knew I had an edge when he didnt say anything when I told him I was a heads-up specialist. Its normal. I played lots of hands heads-up, whether its PLO4, PLO5, Holdem. I have a better understanding. Ive played a bunch more than him, Eychenne said. I was confident I would win most of the time, but obviously its, not a crapshoot, but we play 10-15 hands per level so its still very high variance. So, if I had an edge, it was a small one in such a structure. Eychennes experience showed over the coming hands, as he took down nearly every pot to open a sizable lead. On the final hand, Ionita limped the button before Eychenne raised to 2,400,000. Ionita shoved for 14,450,000 and Eychenne snap-called with ace-king. Ionitas ace-six was dominated, and the king on the river served only to seal the victory for Eychenne. Ionita took the loss in stride, even staying behind to snap a photo with Eychenne holding the trophy. For someone who has long dreamed of becoming a professional poker player and saw this tournament as the stepping stone he needed, the life-changing money was a nice consolation prize. The EPT began right here in Barcelona two decades ago. Photos of the past champions adorn the walls in the hallway of Casino Barcelona, serving as a reminder that, over 20 years, this has become one of the largest and most prestigious titles in poker. Eychenne is now part of that storied history Thats just crazy. A friend of mine won it a few years ago, Simon Wiciak. Im very happy to be along him. I will definitely come back to defend the title. I love this stop. I like the food, the sun, the beach, everything. The people, the organization. Its just amazing," he said. For someone who often dreamed of what it would finally feel like to win a major tournament, Eychenne picked a nice place to start a trophy collection. That concludes PokerNews coverage of the 2025 EPT Barcelona. The EPT next heads to Malta for the first time since 2016, with the festival taking place October 1-12. Share this article For his entire poker career, Thomas Eychenne would lie awake at night and imagine himself on a big stage, surrounded by bright lights and the blinding flash of cameras, as he hoisted a major trophy in the air. There were many opportunities for him to achieve that dream, but he always came up just a bit short. Still, he never gave up hope that it would happen one day. Those hopes were realized today, as the 35-year-old Frenchman defeated Sebastian Ionita heads-up to win the PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona Main Event title and 1,217,175*. With it came his biggest career score after conquering the massive 2,045-player field, but also, just as importantly, his first-ever live tournament win. EPT Barcelona Main Event Final Table results Place Player Country Prize 1 Thomas Eychenne France 1,217,175* 2 Sebastian Ionita Romania 1,117,175* 3 Umberto Zaffagnini Italy 641,200 4 Tomasz Brzezinski Poland 493,250 5 Julian Pineda Lozano Colombia 379,350 6 Anton Suarez Sweden 291,800 7 Marc Foggin United Kingdom 224,450 8 Cesar Garcia Spain 172,700 *Denotes heads-up deal It feels just amazing. Its my first tournament win. I obviously didnt expect to win when entering a 2,000-player field. Its tough to put words on such emotions. Its incredible, Eychenne, the confetti that was once just the stuff of dreams laying around him, said after lifting the PokerStars Golden Shard trophy. I was for many years sleeping and visualizing myself at some point winning a trophy and answering questions like I am doing now. It helped a lot. I knew it would come at some point. It was just a matter of time. My work paid off today. Obviously, I was very lucky, but its a great accomplishment. Thomas Eychenne Eychenne was already established as one of the top pros on the high-roller circuit. He had more than $2.7 million in live earnings, including a run to 47th place at the WSOP Main Event this summer and seventh in the 2023 PSPC in the Bahamas. He entered the final table as the most accomplished player remaining in the field, first making a name for himself by streaming online bankroll challenges, running up 50 to 50,000 in 50 days, then turning 10 into more than 1,000,000. But he still didnt have a win on his resume. Four times he had reached heads-up, only to finish second every time, including a 25,000 at EPT Monte Carlo in 2023 and a 10,000 6-Max at last years EPT Barcelona. All those close calls wore on him, but finally finishing the deal today allowed it all to disappear. From now on, he wont have to live with those unrealized expectations. I think I will feel a bit less pressure, because at some point I was starting to feel, you know, when you cant win and you end up second, second, it gets mental at some point. I think from now on I will play with less pressure, I would say, he said. Final Table Action The final six players returned to the main stage inside the Casino Barcelona today to crown a champion. Ionita began atop the leaderboard, but Eychenne took the chip lead early when he called down Julian Pineda Lozano with two pair while Pineda Lozano could only show a missed straight draw. Anton Suarez, seeking to join Stockholm neighbor Simon Brandstrom as an EPT Barcelona champion, lost most of his chips when Ionita flopped trip queens and fired out 1,800,000 on the river. Suarez went deep into the tank but eventually folded two pair, leaving himself with less than 5,000,000. Just a few hands later, Suarez turned a pair of queens and bet 2,500,000 on the river. Eychenne, though, had spiked trip fives and moved all in. Suarez, with just 1,030,000 behind, eventually called off the rest of his stack and hit the rail in sixth place as Eychenne approached 20,000,000. Anton Suarez Umberto Zaffagnini, the Italian amateur who runs a manufacturing company, took the lead when he and Ionita both showed down a pair of aces, but Zaffagninis eight-kicker played to earn him the pot. Eychenne then tried a bluff for 3,500,000 on the river with the board showing four queens, but Ionita called with a king to retake the lead. Table short stack Tomasz Brzezinski shoved for his last 3,300,000 from the small blind with king-five and Eychenne called with jack-seven. Brzezinski hit a king on the flop, while Eychenne picked up a straight draw but didnt improve and Brzezinski doubled up. Pineda Lozano then got his last 5,225,000 in with king-four against Ionitas pocket eights. The board offered no reprieve, and Pineda Lozano was sent back to Colombia with 379,350 for his fifth-place finish. Brzezinskis hopes of getting back into contention didnt last long as he shoved for 6,000,000 under the gun and Zaffagnini called with pocket tens in the big blind. Zaffagnini spiked a set on the flop, then improved to a full house on the turn to leave Brzezinski drawing dead and heading to the rail in fourth place. Tomasz Brzezinski Eychenne became the short stack with less than 10,000,000 during three-handed play. Zaffagnini, nearly tied with Ionita for the chip lead, attempted a bluff with queen-high and raised to 5,500,000 on the turn, but Ionita had made a straight and put in a reraise to 8,500,000 that eventually chased Zaffagnini away and gave him a big advantage. After Ionita opened on the button, Zaffagnini moved all in for 11,225,000 in the small blind. Eychenne reshoved in the big blind and Ionita folded, leaving his two opponents heads-up with Eychenne having most of his stack at risk as well. It was a race, pocket fives against ace-jack, with Ionita folding an ace to take away one of Eychennes outs. The flop gave Eychenne a straight draw, while the turn left Zaffagnini a card away from a double up. He could barely look, covering his face with his scarf as the dealer turned over the river, which came a queen to make Eychennes straight and send Zaffagnini to the rail in third place. Umberto Zaffagnini Ionita and Eychenne had similar stacks at the start of heads-up play, with Ionita leading slightly, 32,300,000 to 29,050,000, and they agreed to an even chop for 1,117,175 each while leaving 100,000 for the champion. Ionita took the first three hands of heads-up, but Eychenne hit the river twice to take the chip lead. During deal discussions, Eychenne mentioned to Ionita that this was his specialty. He had played countless hours of heads-up and understood the format in ways that, he was sure, Ionita did not. Ionita didnt protest, and Eychenne knew then that he had the advantage. I definitely knew I had an edge when he didnt say anything when I told him I was a heads-up specialist. Its normal. I played lots of hands heads-up, whether its PLO4, PLO5, Holdem. I have a better understanding. Ive played a bunch more than him, Eychenne said. I was confident I would win most of the time, but obviously its, not a crapshoot, but we play 10-15 hands per level so its still very high variance. So, if I had an edge, it was a small one in such a structure. Eychennes experience showed over the coming hands, as he took down nearly every pot to open a sizable lead. On the final hand, Ionita limped the button before Eychenne raised to 2,400,000. Ionita shoved for 14,450,000 and Eychenne snap-called with ace-king. Ionitas ace-six was dominated, and the king on the river served only to seal the victory for Eychenne. Thomas Eychenne - Sebastian Ionita Ionita took the loss in stride, even staying behind to snap a photo with Eychenne holding the trophy. For someone who has long dreamed of becoming a professional poker player and saw this tournament as the stepping stone he needed, the life-changing money was a nice consolation prize. The EPT began right here in Barcelona two decades ago. Photos of the past champions adorn the walls in the hallway of Casino Barcelona, serving as a reminder that, over 20 years, this has become one of the largest and most prestigious titles in poker. Eychenne is now part of that storied history Thats just crazy. A friend of mine won it a few years ago, Simon Wiciak. Im very happy to be along him. I will definitely come back to defend the title. I love this stop. I like the food, the sun, the beach, everything. The people, the organization. Its just amazing," he said. For someone who often dreamed of what it would finally feel like to win a major tournament, Eychenne picked a nice place to start a trophy collection. That concludes PokerNews coverage of the 2025 EPT Barcelona. The EPT next heads to Malta for the first time since 2016, with the festival taking place October 1-12. In the morning of August 31, President Xi Jinping met at the Tianjin Guest House with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who is in China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2025 and the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. President Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Azerbaijan are good friends and good partners. Over the past 33 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have enjoyed increasingly deepened traditional friendship and continued to strengthen political mutual trust, and their mutually beneficial cooperation has yielded fruitful results. In April this year, the two sides announced the establishment of the China-Azerbaijan comprehensive strategic partnership, ushering in a new chapter of all-round cooperation between the two countries. China and Azerbaijan are companions on the journey towards development and revitalization. China is willing to work with Azerbaijan to maintain the robust momentum of bilateral cooperation, and jointly open new vistas in the pursuit of win-win development. President Xi Jinping stressed that the two sides should maintain strategic communication and give firm support to each other. The two sides should foster greater synergy between their development strategies, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, accelerate trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, continue to enhance the efficacy of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, expand cooperation in traditional areas such as infrastructure, agriculture, and energy, and cultivate new growth drivers for cooperation in emerging areas such as digital economy, green development, and artificial intelligence. The two sides should strengthen exchanges on education, science and technology, culture, tourism, youth and at subnational levels, so as to pool greater resources and strengths and firm up the popular foundation for the development of bilateral relations. China supports Azerbaijan in joining the SCO, and stands ready to enhance multilateral coordination with Azerbaijan in a joint effort to safeguard the common interests of the Global South, and advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. President Aliyev noted that the Azerbaijan-China comprehensive strategic partnership demonstrates the high level of bilateral relations. The two countries have maintained close high-level exchanges, extended mutual support on issues relating to each others core interests and major concerns, and actively advanced cooperation across the board. Two-way trade between the two countries has registered rapid growth. The Azerbaijani side firmly abides by the one-China principle and opposes Taiwan independence. Azerbaijan is willing to work with China to deepen cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, science and technology, connectivity, and tourism, so as to bring greater benefits to the two peoples. Azerbaijan is willing to deepen cooperation with China within the SCO and jointly contribute to peace and development in the region and the world. The two sides signed multiple bilateral cooperation documents in areas such as artificial intelligence, scientific and technological innovation, finance, and media. Cai Qi and Wang Yi, among others, were present at the meeting. NatWest Group PLC (NYSE:NWG) is one of the best very cheap stocks to buy according to hedge funds. On August 22, the company joined a syndicate of financial institutions to provide funding for the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Program (HARP). HARP is a major water infrastructure project in the United Kingdom. It involves the refurbishment of the Haweswater Aqueduct. This aqueduct, originally built in the 1950s, requires essential upgrades and tunnel replacements. NatWest (NWG) Joins 3B Water Infrastructure Financing Syndicate NatWest now becomes a member of the debt financing syndicate, where it will act as a Mandated Lead Arranger and contribute 140 million (about $189.32 million) in lending. The total project cost is an estimated 3 billion ($4.06 billion). A consortium that includes UK infrastructure sponsors GLIL and Equitix, as well as the Strabag Group, will manage the financing. The project is one of the largest water infrastructure initiatives in the UK. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026 and will involve replacing six tunnel sections using advanced tunneling techniques. The program is expected to create up to 1,200 jobs at its peak. United Utilities, the owner and operator of the aqueduct, will oversee the project, with Strabag UK handling the design and construction of the new tunnels. NatWest Group PLC (NYSE:NWG) is a British banking and financial services company. It provides retail banking, commercial banking, private banking, and wealth management services across the United Kingdom and internationally. The company operates through a network of branches and digital platforms. While we acknowledge the potential of NWG as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: Cathie Wood Stock Portfolio: Top 10 Stocks to Buy Now and Ken Fisher Stock Portfolio: 10 Stocks to Buy. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Senior Politics Reporter Caitlin Byrd is the senior politics reporter at The Post and Courier. An award-winning journalist, Byrd previously worked as an enterprise reporter for The State newspaper, where she covered the Charleston region and South Carolina politics. Raised in eastern North Carolina, she has called South Carolina home since 2016. PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-31 17:03:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 337 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / August 31, 2025 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims on behalf of purchasers of Roblox Corporation ("Roblox" or "the Company") (NYSE:RBLX). Investors who purchased Roblox securities are encouraged to obtain additional information and assist the investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/RBLX Investigation DetailsOn August 14, 2025, the State of Louisiana filed a lawsuit against Roblox, alleging that the Company fails to protect children from predators on its gaming platform. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said, "Due to Roblox's lack of safety protocols, it endangers the safety of the children of Louisiana. Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety. Every parent should be aware of the clear and present danger poised to their children by Roblox so they can prevent the unthinkable from ever happening in their own home." Following this news, Roblox's stock price dropped more than 6.3% on August 15, 2025.What's Next?If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation or purchased Roblox securities, you can assist this investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/RBLX . You can also contact Peretz Bronstein or his client relations manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC: 332-239-2660There is No Cost to YouWe represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & GrossmanBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.ContactBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-31 14:20:46 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 523 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 After the EPA dismissed employees who publicly criticized its leadership, attention is turning to the Drug Enforcement Administration's Diversion Control Division, long accused of obstructing FDA-approved cannabis research. With DEA officials Matthew Strait and Thomas Prevoznik retired and attorney Aarathi Haig facing ethical questions, patient advocates warn that new DEA Administrator Terry Cole may soon be forced to take similar disciplinary action against insiders who blocked MMJ BioPharma Cultivation's clinical trials for Huntington's disease and Multiple Sclerosis.WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESS Newswire / August 31, 2025 / The Environmental Protection Agency made headlines this week afterfiring at least eight employeeswho signed a dissent letter criticizing the Trump administration's policies under Administrator Lee Zeldin. The move has sent shockwaves across federal agencies and raised a critical question:could the same kind of purge happen at the Drug Enforcement Administration?TheDEA's Diversion Control Divisionhas already come under intense scrutiny for its handling of medical cannabis licensing, particularly the seven-year stall ofMMJ BioPharma Cultivation's application to produce marijuana for FDA-approved clinical trials in Huntington's disease and Multiple Sclerosis. With two longtime officials - Matthew Strait and Thomas Prevoznik - now retired, insiders describe a Division "in transition." But one controversial figure remains: DEA attorney Aarathi Haig, who has continued prosecuting MMJ's case despite questions about her bar compliance and eligibility in New Jersey. Patient advocates and legal experts argue that if other agencies are firing employees for dissent, the DEA may eventually be forced to act against officials accused of bias, obstruction, or ethical violations.A Culture of ObstructionUnlike the EPA dissenters, who criticized the agency's direction under Trump, DEA critics point to constitutional violations and bad-faith tactics used to block cannabis research: moving goalposts on "supply agreements," retroactive rulemaking, and excessive security demands costing MMJ hundreds of thousands of dollars.MMJ argues that these actions aren't policy disagreements - they are unconstitutional abuses of power. Recent Supreme Court rulings in Axon v. FTC (2023) and SEC v. Jarkesy (2024) have already undermined the DEA's use of in-house Administrative Law Judges, raising the stakes for employees who defend the system.Will Terry Cole Clean House?New DEA Administrator Terrance "Terry" Cole has pledged accountability. But whether he will follow through - and whether firings could come to Diversion Control the way they did at EPA - remains an open question."Justice delayed is justice denied," said Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ International Holdings. "If Administrator Cole wants to restore credibility, he must look hard at the people inside Diversion who've obstructed science for seven years. The EPA has already set the precedent - the DEA could be next." What's at StakeThe issue is larger than internal agency politics. For patients with Huntington's and Multiple Sclerosis, every delay means lost time against diseases that relentlessly progress. For researchers and investors, it means wasted capital and lost opportunity. And for federal agencies, it signals a reckoning: those who obstruct science and defy constitutional precedent may face the same fate as the EPA dissenters - dismissal.MMJ is represented byattorney Megan Sheehan .CONTACT: Madison Hisey MHisey@ mmjih.com 203-231-85832SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-31 05:24:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 626 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / August 30, 2025 / WHY: New York, N.Y., August 30, 2025. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE: NVO) between May 7, 2025 and July 28, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important September 30, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.SO WHAT: If you purchased Novo Nordisk securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Novo Nordisk class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=34168or call Phillip Kim, Esq. at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for more information. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 30, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.WHY ROSEN LAW:We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants provided overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating materially false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of Novo Nordisk's growth potential. Notably, Novo Nordisk's asserted potential to capitalize on the compounded market greatly understated the potential impact of the personalization exception to the compounded GLP-1 exclusion and overstated the likelihood that such patients would switch to Novo Nordisk's branded alternatives. Further, defendants greatly overstated the potential GLP-1 market or otherwise, Novo's capability to penetrate said markets to achieve continued growth. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the Novo Nordisk class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=34168 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for more information.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. On 16 August, the Nigerian government announced it had captured two leaders of Ansaru, an al-Qaeda franchise in Nigeriabut little is known about these bigwigs. In this report, we profile them based on interviews with local sources and secondary data collated by jihadi experts. The two men: Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Baraa, and Mahmud al-Nigeri, notoriously known as Mallam Mamuda, were arrested after a months-long, intelligence-driven operation between May and July, according to National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu. Mr Ribadu, who described Abu Baraa as the Emir of Ansaru, said he was the overall coordinator of the groups sleeper cells across Nigeria and mastermind of several kidnappings and terrorist financing operations. He explained that Abu Baraa was deputised by al-Nigeria (Mallam Mamuda) , who headed the notorious Mahmudawa faction of Ansaru based in and around Kainji National Park and trained in Libya under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria, specialising in weapons handling and IED fabrication. In this report, PREMIUM TIMES digs deep into the background of the terrorists. From prison to power: The rise and fall of Abu Baraa An ex-inmate and longtime jihadist, that is what experts said about the captured overall leader of Ansaru. Before the 2012 schism that led to the formation of Ansaru, Mr Abu Baraa was one of the remaining early Boko Haram leaders who, according to security analyst Daniel Simon and researcher Vincent Foucher, became a qaid [mid-level commander] in the amniyya, the internal security section that Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf created within his movement between 2005 and 2007. The terror leader was, sometime around 2011, arrested by the military before a negotiation between the Nigerian government and Boko Haram. Taiwo Adebayo, a Lake Chad Basin researcher with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Abu Baraa was to represent Boko Haram in that negotiation. He was subsequently imprisoned in Koton Karfe, a 50-bed prison facility about 25 kilometres from Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State. But he was set free in February 2012 when his brothers-in-arms stormed the prison facility with explosives. The prison break resulted in the escape of more than 100 inmates, including Mr Abu Baraa and six other Boko Haram members, Mr Adebayo said. The ISS researcher said it was after the prison break that an internal fracas erupted, splitting Boko Haram for the first time. The schism was caused mainly by two things: the disagreement over how the money sent to Boko Haram by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden should be utilised, Mr Adebayo said. The second reason was their dissatisfaction with Shekaus ultra-takfirism, which justifies the killing of civilians, including Muslims who do not subscribe to jihadi ideology. Mr Abu Baraa became one of the founding members of Ansaru. He rose to the groups leadership position after the well-known Ansaru leader Khaled al-Barnawi was arrested in 2016. Mr Abu Baraas ethnicity is Ebira, from Okene, Kogi State. The Maiduguri-raised terror leader, nicknamed Abbas before becoming a terrorist, had an ambition to become a military officer, but was denied entry, according to Messers Simon and Foucher. Mr Abu Baraa finished his secondary school studies at El Kanemi College of Islamic Theology, a private institution where his father, a respected mainstream Islamic scholar, served as a department head. After completing his secondary studies, Abbas, who had a strong vocation for military life, attempted to enter the National Defence Academy, Messers Simon and Foucher wrote in an article spotlighting Mr Abu Baraa. Lacking the necessary connections and patrons, he failed to join the defence establishment and, around 2001 at the age of 18 or 19, found himself disillusioned and at a crossroads. While his father encouraged him to pursue further studies for a regular university degree, Abbas remained uncertain about this path. Mr Abu Baraas foray into jihadism dates to his post-secondary education stage when a group of students led by a Saudi Arabian deportee, Mohammed Ali, began to challenge the Islamic establishment in Maiduguri. It also coincided with the time that Mr Ali (killed in a battle in 2003) and some of his Salafi-Jihadi followers travelled to Niger, Algeria and Mali for training with the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC). Although the group didnt adopt any name, the media referred to them as Nigerian Taliban. However, the authors couldnt tell whether Mr Abu Baraa was part of those movements, but they opined that: By generation, class, and education, he (Abu Baraa) resembled the Nigerian Taliban or early GSPC associates more than Yusufiyya (Boko Haram founder) followers. Mr Abu Baraa, according to security sources cited by these authors, was trained by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) between 2013 and 2015. Around 2017, he held the position of Amir (leader) and authored or reviewed a lengthy article for al-Qaeda propaganda outlet, Risala, under a pseudonym, Sheikh Abu Usamatul Ansary. The wealthy warlord Mr Mamudas background is not fully known to researchers. Although some sources said he is from Kano State, there is no substantial evidence to prove that. Until his recent capture, Mr Mamuda, the feared leader of an Ansaru faction operating from the Kainji forest, built a reputation that blended deception, coercion and ruthless profiteering. Locals told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Mamuda first presented himself as a protector, casting his presence as a form of community defence. He allowed villagers and artisans into the otherwise restricted forest reserve, granting them access to hunt, fish, farm and log. But this access came at a cost. Those who sought to earn a livelihood inside the reserve were compelled to pay him heavy levies. A logger who encountered Mr Mamuda last year said logging groups paid as much as N1.5 million every week to his fighters. His younger brother, Aiman, coordinated the extortion, said the logger whose identity has been concealed for security reasons. If you disobey them, either not renewing your fee or going beyond a marked area, they kidnap you and collect a ransom ranging between N5 and N10 million. While he could not estimate revenues from other activities, he admitted that Mamuda profited massively from farming, hunting and other illegal exploitation of forest resources. Beyond this structured extortion, Mamudas gang orchestrated a series of high-profile kidnappings that spanned Nigeria and parts of the neighbouring Benin. Among the incidents were the abduction of seven surveyors working on the Lagos-Badagry-Sokoto highway, whose release was negotiated through the emir of Yashikira after ransom payment. They kidnapped the surveyors the very first day they came into the town, a resident of Karonji told PREMIUM TIMES. They seized their equipment and matched them into the forest. In another case around Nanu village, the group abducted car dealers returning from Cotonou, Benin Republic, collecting about N12 million. Also, the terrorists recently kidnapped one Isah Abubakar, a lawyer and businessman. They collected N20 million for his release. Mr Isahs brother was fatally shot during an escape attempt. He died a few days later. The group also staged violent raids on Babana, Luma in Niger State. It also raided Karonji and Kemanji in Kwara. In Dagazi, a border village in Benin, they kidnapped worshippers from a church, demanding 10,000 CFA, a resident of Gbesasi, another border village near the scene of the incident, said. In audio messages to residents, Mr Mamuda branded vigilantes as his sworn enemies and vowed revenge on communities that collaborated with the military. Ansaru Ansaru, formally known as Jamaatu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, broke away from Boko Haram in 2012 as a more humane faction. But it quickly became violent, targeting civilians, security forces and public infrastructure. The group, which pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), took part in high-profile crimes including the 2022 Kuje prison break in Abuja, the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina, the 2019 kidnapping of the Magajin Garin Daura, Musa Uba, the abduction of the Emir of Wawa and the deadly attacks on a Niger uranium facility and other cross-border operations. The arrest of Messrs Abu Baraa and Mamuda, experts believe, will unsettle the Ansaru group. It could lead to infighting that may further decimate it and possibly split it into factions. After a rough stretch in the red throughout the past year, semiconductor testing firm Teradyne (TER) could have a light at the end of the tunnel. Analysts at UBS wrote earlier this summer that the company could potentially a second-source tester for chip industry leader Nvidia (NVDA). While nothing is confirmed, UBS believes that Nvidia is dual-sourcing its supply chain, which means that as Nvidia scales its Blackwell infrastructure, an opportunity may give this under-the-radar company a major boost. More News from Barchart About Teradyne Stock Incorporated in 1960 and headquartered in North Reading, Massachusetts, Teradyne provides automated test equipment and advanced robotics systems. With a market capitalization of $18.8 billion, the company offers testing solutions for semiconductors and electronic products. Teradyne is an ATE partner for artificial intelligence (AI) device manufacturers. This means that global companies rely on Teradyne to ensure the quality and performance of their products. Teradynes advanced robotics segment offers mobile robots that help in manufacturing and warehouse operations. The companys stock has given up gains over the recent past due to its growth stalling. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has declined by 11%. Teradynes shares reached a 52-week high of $144.61 on Jan. 7, but are now down 19% from this high. However, over the past three months, the stock has experienced a resurgence, rising by 45%. www.barchart.com Why Nvidia Could Be the Spark Teradyne Needs? UBS analysts, led by Timothy Arcuri, wrote in July that they believe Teradyne could see meaningful upside if it secures even a small slice of Nvidias business as a second-source testing supplier. The investment bank estimates that landing even a modest 10% share of Nvidias business could add several hundred million dollars in annual revenue, no small feat for a company looking to rebound. What adds to the opportunity is the increased complexity of Nvidias Blackwell chips. According to UBS, test times for Blackwell are significantly longer than for its predecessor, Hopper, thanks to its dual compute tile architecture. This means any incremental test wins could translate to even greater revenue potential for Teradyne. While Teradyne has long been linked to Apple (AAPL), UBS believes investors are beginning to recognize a broader set of catalysts. With Nvidia potentially in play, Teradyne could be entering a new phase of relevance in the semiconductor supply chain. Anti-corruption advocates have condemned a ruling by a judge of the Kano State High Court in Bichi, Musa Ahmad, accusing him of shielding a senior state government official from investigation in a multi-billion-naira scandal. On 18 August, the judge restrained the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from investigating Abdullahi Rogo, Director-General of Protocol to Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf. Apart from running counter to judicial precedents, Mr Ahmads ruling potentially undermines an earlier decision of the Federal High Court in Kano ordering the forfeiture of some of the proceeds of the alleged corrupt activities. Mr Rogo is accused of diverting public funds and receiving laundered cash. He approached the court alleging harassment, intimidation, and double jeopardy by the anti-graft agencies. In his suit, he sought N20 million in damages, N2 million in legal fees, and 10 per cent annual interest on any judgment sum. The ICPC and EFCC argued that double jeopardy applies only to prosecution and trial, not to investigations. They maintained that Mr Rogo had merely been invited to explain his role in the alleged diversion and laundering of state funds. While acknowledging that Mr Rogos rights had not yet been violated, Mr Ahmad held that there was a likelihood of breach, given the overlapping invitations and threats of arrest. The judge declared ICPCs invitation unlawful, restrained further investigations against Mr Rogo, and awarded him N2 million in costs against the anti-graft agencies. Activists kick The judgment has triggered criticism from rights and anti-corruption groups, who described it as judicial sabotage of Nigerias anti-corruption fight. The chairperson of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Olanrewaju Suraj, said the ruling amounted to deliberate ignorance or sabotage of the anti-corruption fight. He faulted the judges reliance on overlapping invitations by the agencies, arguing that a single crime can attract multiple charges under different mandates. For instance, ICPC cannot prosecute money laundering, but EFCC can. The Code of Conduct Bureau can also prosecute for false asset declaration, Mr Suraj explained. It is wrong to stop agencies from discharging their statutory duties. It will be for the suspect to raise abuse of the court process if prosecuted for the same offence by multiple agencies. He accused public officials of exploiting court orders to evade scrutiny, citing cases of former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah and ex-Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello, who at various times explored administrative and judicial processes to stop their trials. Mr Suraj urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to sanction judges who undermine anti-corruption efforts. Judicial recklessness On his part, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjani, echoed similar concerns. He said the ruling contradicts established Supreme Court judgments affirming the powers of anti-graft agencies to investigate public officials. He described the order as judicial recklessness that undermines the rule of law and ridicules the judiciary. On the judges reliance on overlapping invitations by the agencies, Mr Rafsanjani said, It is an abuse of judicial privilege for any judge to stop a constitutionally established agency from performing its duties. This is the kind of judicial corruption, immorality, and ethical misconduct we continue to see in Nigeria. In the past, some judges even issued perpetual injunctions shielding governors and other officials from corruption investigations. Such rulings only aid and protect corrupt individuals. No public official should fear investigation if they are transparent, Mr Rafsanjani said, adding, The real danger is a judiciary being used to obstruct accountability. Both Messrs Suraj and Rafsajani urged civil society and the media to hold judges accountable and protect the integrity of Nigerias anti-corruption campaign. Background on the judge Mr Ahmad, who gave the controversial ruling, is a judge in the Bichi Judicial Division of the Kano State High Court. Less than one and a half years on the bench, Mr Ahmad was inaugurated by the Kano State Governor in March 2024. His inauguration followed his appointment by the National Judicial Council in December 2023. He is currently presiding over a lawsuit filed by palace officials against Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II regarding alleged illegal eviction and demolition of residences within the palace. The ICPC has vowed to appeal the ruling, describing it as an attempt to shield a powerful official from accountability. Counter to judicial precedents Mr Ahmeds decision deviates from judicial precedents and established principles of the appellate courts. For instance, in Hassan & Ors v. EFCC (2014), the Court of Appeal held that no court can stop the investigative powers of the Nigerian police, the EFCC or any agency established under our laws to investigate crimes where there is reasonable suspicion of the commission of a crime by a suspect. Similarly, the Supreme Court in Gani Fawehinmi v. Inspector-General of Police (2002) ruled that even constitutional immunity from prosecution enjoyed by the Nigerian president, vice-presidents, governors and deputy governors does not prevent investigations. Also in IGP & Anor v. Ubah & Ors (2014), the Supreme Court unequivocally affirmed that restraining orders blocking investigations are unconstitutional. It interferes with powers given by the Constitution to Police Officers to investigate and prosecute crimes and reaffirmed that no court has the power to stop the police from investigating a crime whether to or how it is done is a matter within the discretion of the police. The judicial precedents have shaped NJCs disciplinary decisions over time. In 2021, a Federal High Court judge in Zamfara State granted an injunction shielding state officials from EFCC scrutiny. The Court of Appeal later overturned the ruling, affirming the EFCCs powers to investigate state finances. The NJC subsequently suspended the judge, Aminu Baffa Aliyu, for misconduct. It also placed Mr Aliyu on the watch-list for three years, during which period he was barred from elevation. Hon. Justice Baffa was found liable for an act of judicial misconduct in Suit No. FHC/GS/CS/30/2021, the Government of Zamfara State vs EFCC, wherein His Lordship granted an order restraining security agencies from carrying out their statutory duties, and disregarded the doctrine of stare decisis in adjudication of the case, the NJC said at the time. Also Ebiowei Tobi of the Appeal Court, in setting aside the Zamfara ruling, criticised politicians growing practice of seeking injunctions against EFCC invitations, describing it as irresponsible and contrary to the role of the judiciary. Mr Ahmads ruling in Kano has now raised similar questions about judicial complicity in shielding politicians from accountability, anti-corruption advocates said. Mr Suraj and Mr Rafsanjani insist the ruling should not stand. They called on citizens, civil society, the media and lawmakers to resist attempts to weaken anti-corruption agencies. The judiciary must not be used as a refuge for public officials running from accountability, Mr Rafsanjani warned. N1.3bn recovered during probe against top official Rogo PREMIUM TIMES reported details of the staggering N6.5 billion corruption scandal now under investigation by the EFCC and the ICPC, Nigerias two foremost anti-graft agencies. Investigators allege that Mr Rogo masterminded the diversion and laundering of billions of naira belonging to the Kano State Government, funnelling the funds through suspicious companies, bureau de change operators, and personal accounts. Although probes are still ongoing, the ICPC has already recovered N1.3 billion linked to Mr Rogo, including funds laundered through corporate fronts and his private accounts. On 2 July, the Federal High Court in Kano issued a final forfeiture order, granting the Federal Government control of a portion of the suspected loot traced to the governors aide. The case broke in April when the ICPC approached the court by ex parte motion, seeking forfeiture of N142 million reasonably suspected to have been acquired illegally. On 7 May, the judge granted interim forfeiture of the funds and directed that a notice be published in a national newspaper, inviting anyone with interest to show cause within a month why the money should not be permanently forfeited. No claimant emerged. By 2 July, the court ordered a final forfeiture of the N142 million, ruling that it represented proceeds of corruption connected to Mr Rogo. READ ALSO: NJC sends nine Imo judges on compulsory retirement over age falsification But investigators insist that the forfeited sum is only a fraction of the illicit transactions traced to the top Kano government official. PREMIUM TIMES follow-up reporting revealed how some bureau de change operators have implicated Mr Rogo in the multi-billion-naira corruption scandal. The operators, in detailed statements given to EFCC and ICPC, described how they moved huge sums of public funds at Mr Rogos request, transactions investigators say form the backbone of a suspected N6.5 billion fraud and money laundering scheme. The Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko branch, says it is withdrawing services from the institution over the failure of the Ondo State Government to pay the salaries of its members. The notice of the service withdrawal, signed by the Chairperson of the union, Boluwaji Oshodi, and Secretary, Olusegun Taiwo, was issued on Sunday. The union said the decision was in line with the resolution taken at the Congress on Thursday, 21 August, over the non-payment of salaries and arrears. Sir, by this memo, our members have been directed to withdraw their services from all academic activities in the university until all our outstanding salaries and arrears are paid, the notice stated. In June, the union, under the Joint Action Committee of Ondo State-owned tertiary Institutions (ODSTI), announced a 14-day warning strike to protest poor funding and unfair living conditions of workers of the institutions. The warning strike came after it said it made several efforts to call the attention of the state government, especially the Visitor of the institutions, to the plights and poor living conditions of the workers. JAC had said the poor living conditions of the workers had resulted from several reasons including poor and inadequate funding of the various institutions; failure to implement the National Minimum Wage, failure to pay accumulated arrears of the previous National Minimum Wages, failure to pay the last tranche of our Wage Award, failure to pay gratuities to our retired members and failure to pay six months outstanding salary arrears to the workers of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo. Although the institutions have suffered low funding over the years, the state government insisted it was doing its best to ensure they have adequate funding. The state Commissioner for Information, Idowu Ajanaku, who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, said the issues will be resolved permanently with the increase in subvention to the state-owned universities and other tertiary institutions. A committee was set up to resolve the issue. It has met and recommendations have been made. For the salaries arrears, the governor has given a directive to the university for the payment of the outstanding salaries. I know that within the next few days the issues will be resolved, he said. On the increase in the subvention, Mr Ajanaku noted that the recommendations of the committee would be incorporated in the process of budgeting for next year to ensure the tertiary institutions in the state get adequate funding. Ondo State has three universities. Every month, Bolanle Oyebamji was tormented by her menstrual cyclewaves of pain from her lower back, down her legs, and through a swollen, throbbing pelvis. For the recent graduate of Ekiti State University, periods were more than a biological occurrence; they were a disruptive force that derails daily life. That was until a friend suggested she try Postpill, a contraceptive pill, not for its primary purpose of preventing pregnancy, but for her debilitating cramps. The outcome was unexpected. Her period became irregular, with a seven-day break before returning with heavier force. Fortunately, the heavy flow came with no menstrual cramps. After that, I didnt see my period for two months, and that got me worried. That was my first time using the drug, and I had no choice but to consult a doctor, she said. I felt a lot of dizziness and headaches when I used the drug, and that affected my academics and daily activities for some days. Ms Oyebamji went for a diagnosis and learned she had a simple ovarian cyst. Ovarian cysts are found around the pelvic area in premenopausal women. They occur when there is a persistent change in the menstrual cycle. According to the Cleveland Clinic, an online medical report, recurrent infections can cause ovarian cysts. For Ms Oyebamji, the diagnosis was both a relief and a concern, knowing it wasnt something more severe but still needed proper treatment. She was placed on a drip for three days and was administered a metro infusion and normal saline along with drugs like doxycycline, flagyl, and cefuroxime. Ms Oyebamjis experience mirrors a growing trend among Nigerian women who are turning to hormonal contraceptives, originally manufactured to prevent pregnancy, to suppress or regulate menstruation. For some, its a last resort to regain control over their lives. For others, its a risky gamble, often taken without medical guidance, in a society where both menstrual disorders and contraception remain heavily stigmatised. Contraceptive usage patterns among Nigerian women Contraceptive pills, also known as birth control pills, are oral contraceptives that use hormones to prevent pregnancy at a 99 per cent effective rate when used as prescribed. In Nigeria, contraceptive use among women of reproductive age (1549 years) remains relatively low, with 31 per cent having either previously used a contraceptive or currently using one, while 12.2 per cent are currently using modern methods. According to the National Institute of Health, contraceptives can be used to manipulate or shorten menstrual flow, but this practice comes with potential health risks and implications. Some women use birth control pills, patches, rings, or injections to skip periods or make them lighter and less frequent. This is sometimes called menstrual suppression or period manipulation. The report added that common methods used for this purpose are combined hormonal contraceptives containing estrogen and progesterone. They work by preventing ovulation and thinning the uterine lining, which leads to lighter, shorter, or no periods. The effectiveness and satisfaction rates of these methods vary based on the type of contraceptive used and individual experiences. Hormonal Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) are notably effective for menstrual suppression. Studies indicate that after one year of use, approximately 20 per cent to 50 per cent of women experience amenorrhea (complete cessation of menstruation). Though another method, Progestin-Only Pills (Mini-Pills), can aid in menstrual suppression, they often lead to irregular bleeding patterns. Up to 70 per cent of users report breakthrough bleeding, and one-third to one-half experience prolonged periods. A study conducted in a secondary health facility in Kebbi State revealed that among women who used contraceptives, 87.5 per cent reported satisfaction with their chosen method. However, many women who use contraceptives also express dissatisfaction, primarily due to side effects, complexity of use, or concerns about reliability. Despite their potential benefits, various factors limit the widespread use of contraceptives for menstrual suppression in Nigeria. Many women remain wary of possible side effects, including weight gain, irregular bleeding, and concerns about long-term fertility. These fearsoften fueled by misinformation or lack of proper medical guidancediscourage women from exploring contraceptives as a solution to menstrual challenges. In some communities, contraceptive use is still considered taboo or seen as contrary to religious beliefs. These perceptions can significantly influence womens decisions, especially in patriarchal households where the husbands opinion takes precedence. In such settings, a womans autonomy over her reproductive health may be restricted, even when faced with debilitating menstrual symptoms. The Personal Toll: Ayobamis story Ayobami*, 26, worked as a food attendant at a hotel, where her daily routine was demanding and physically draining. But each month, her period represented a battleone that cost her more than just physical comfort. Her symptoms were extreme: a swollen vagina, aching legs, splitting headaches, overwhelming fatigue, restlessness, and frequent vomiting. These episodes left her barely able to get out of bed, let alone commute to work. There are times I find it hard to get out of bed, let alone make it to work, which is about 30-minute journey from my home, and that causes me to miss workdays every month, she explained. Over time, her repeated absences strained her relationship with her employer, who grew less tolerant with each episode. He usually views my absences as a lack of commitment rather than a battle of forces of nature. I cant explain in full detail my plight, she said. Eventually, Ayobami lost her job. The dismissal came as a devastating blow. Even worse was the feeling of helplessnessdespite trying different medications, her pain persisted, her cycle remained unpredictable, and her quality of life declined. I had tried several pain relief drugs, from Felvin to diclofenac and paracetamol, and they have only made my periods fluctuate unpredictably. All the drugs offered little to no relief. In desperation, Ayobami turned to contraceptive pills, hoping they might offer the relief traditional painkillers failed to provide. While most women find that using contraceptives in this way is generally safe, studies prove that there are potential adverse effects, including irregular spotting, breakthrough bleeding, headaches, nausea, breast tenderness, and mood changes. Some are also concerned that suppressing long-term menstruation could mask underlying conditions like endometriosis or uterine fibroids. A gynaecologist, Unimke Agim, said hormonal contraceptives prescribed by a gynaecologist to treat women with diagnosed menstrual disorders have similar side effects when used for contraceptive purposes. Mr Agim added that the side effects can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abnormal menstrual bleeding, mood changes, headaches, migraines, breast tenderness and enlargement, and weight gain, among others. For those diagnosed with menstrual abnormalities by a gynaecologist, the use of hormonal contraceptives prescribed to them is effective in regulating and inducing menstruation, he said. Also, access to menstrual health can be limited by several factors, such as finance, religion, and the unavailability of gynaecologists. He stated that apart from the use of contraception to space childbirth and give the woman time to return to her baseline state before another pregnancy fully, other situations where contraceptives can be used include patients with endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Other cases are patients undergoing treatment for cancer, and patients with renal disease, where pregnancy is contraindicated. However, he cautioned that contraceptives should not be used without consulting a doctor, as they can interact with certain medications and have higher failure rates in some cases. Prevalence of dysmenorrhea Menstrual pain, also known as dysmenorrhea, is a widespread condition with serious implications for womens daily lives. In Nigeria, studies show that 70 per cent of adolescent girls and women of reproductive age experience dysmenorrhea, and it is a leading cause of absenteeism. An online research conducted at a private university revealed that 69.8 per cent of female students suffered from menstrual pain, with 54.5 per cent rating it as moderate and 4.7 per cent experiencing it as severe. The consequences of this pain go far beyond discomfort. In the same studies, 50.2 per cent reported that the pain disrupted their normal work, 44.8 per cent withdrew socially, and 38.8 per cent struggled to sleep. Another study emphasised the importance of addressing physical aspects like poor access to water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities, lack of privacy, and inadequate menstrual materials, as well as psychosocial factors related to cultural taboos and stigmas surrounding menstruation, which can lead to embarrassment, stress, and reduced confidence among girls in school. Elaborating on the causes of menstrual disorders, Idoko Sunday, a reproductive health expert, noted that some causes of irregular menstrual flow include submucous fibroids, which are associated with heavy menstrual flow or bleeding, and endometriosis. Mr Sunday explained that Combined Oral Contraceptive (COC) pills, implants, and devices inserted in the uterus prevent ovulation and menstruation, and if a woman doesnt menstruate, then she wont feel any pain associated with menstrual cramps. There are lots of medications that can be used to correct problems associated with menstruation irregularities. Contraceptive devices, including pills containing estrogen and progesterone, can regulate menstrual cycles and reduce pain, he added. More cases Just like Ms Oyebamji, Oluwanifemi, a 25-year-old serving corps member, shared her experience with PREMIUM TIMES. While in camp, she began to notice light spotting a week earlier than expected, attributing it to stress. Oblivious at first, she only became aware of the spotting when a fellow camp member pointed out the stains on her clothes. Surprised, Ms Oluwanifemi realised the bleeding was real, though she initially thought she was imagining it, feeling just a slight slipperiness. The little spotting went on for four days, and it was then that I knew I needed to see a doctor. Before then, I thought it was because the flow was coming in early, but it didnt show up as a full menstrual flow. By the end of camp, Ms Oluwanifemis bleeding intensified and persisted all day, stretching over 10 days. Concerned, she went to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with a hormonal imbalance. They prescribed a five-day medication to halt the bleeding and planned additional treatment once it stopped. The drugs were expensive. I used the drugs, but the bleeding didnt stop; it was more blood I was seeing. It was more like the drugs increased the volume of blood. It was already 20 days into the bleeding, nonstop. After I finished the drugs, it had been over 20 days already, and I went back to the hospital. I did a scan, and they realised it was polyps. She explained that the bleeding was the only symptom of the infection, which is around her uterus lining, and required surgery for its removal. By the time I had the surgery, I was already 30 days into the bleeding. After the surgery, I had only a little bleeding, and since then, my menstrual flow has become normal, she added. Cervical Cancer risk Speaking on the effects of using contraceptives for menstrual purposes, Mr Agim, the gynaecologist, noted that combined oral hormonal contraceptives have been linked to the risk of cervical cancer when used for longer periods, but also have some protective effects against ovarian cancer. He advised that both government and non-governmental organisations in the field of reproductive medicine should educate and create awareness about menstrual disorders, their implications, and how to get help. Sex education should be introduced in schools, and menstruation and menstrual disorders should be emphasised. This will help women with such problems seek healthcare on time without letting it affect their socio-economic lives. Just like Mses Oyebamjia and Oluwanifemi, and countless other Nigerian women, the search for relief from debilitating menstrual symptoms often leads down a complicated, and sometimes risky, path. Whether its turning to contraceptives out of desperation or enduring prolonged bleeding and pain in silence, many women are simply trying to reclaim their bodies and their lives. Yet, in a country where menstrual health is still wrapped in stigma and misinformation, and where access to accurate information and professional care remains a privilege, not a right. Until there is widespread education, accessible reproductive healthcare, and a shift in societal attitudes, women will continue to navigate this struggle largely aloneresorting to whatever means they can to find comfort in a system that too often ignores their pain. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa region, in collaboration with African Union Member States, have launched a Continental Cholera Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan for 20252026. The plan, announced by Africa CDC in a LinkedIn post on Friday, seeks to reduce cholera deaths by 90 per cent and eliminate the disease in more than 20 countries by 2030. It also aims to strengthen rapid-response vaccination campaigns and boost investments in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) across the continent. Africa CDC said the region continues to bear the heaviest burden of the disease, accounting for about 82 per cent of global cases and 93.5 per cent of cholera-related deaths. It also noted that fragile, conflict-affected and underserved communities remain the most vulnerable. Cholera burden Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It can kill within hours if untreated, though most cases are mild or asymptomatic. The disease thrives in areas with poor access to safe water and sanitation. This year, Nigeria and several other African countries have witnessed a surge in outbreaks. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported in March that within just five weeks, from 27 January to 2 February 2025, cholera cases rose by 75 per cent compared to the same period in 2024. Deaths linked to the disease increased by a staggering 250 per cent in the same timeframe. Integrated emergency response At the heart of the new strategy is the establishment of a Continental Cholera Incident Management Support Team (IMST). Rather than creating a new body, the IMST will be embedded within the existing mpox response platform, enabling the cholera effort to benefit from shared expertise, streamlined coordination and more efficient use of resources. The Africa CDC and WHO revealed that the new model will follow the 4-One principle that guided the mpox response across 26 countries during the 20242025 outbreak: one team, one plan, one budget and one monitoring framework. The approach, the health bodies said, would allow for faster decision-making, joint mobilisation of resources and stronger accountability across Member States. Roadmap to 2030 The roadmap envisions an Africa free of cholera outbreaks by 2030. Its central goals include cutting cholera deaths by 90 per cent, maintaining a case fatality rate below one per cent, and eliminating the disease in more than 20 countries. To coordinate these interventions, a Continental Task Force on Cholera will be established. Member States will lead its activities, while Africa CDC and WHO will provide secretariat support. The task force they said, will oversee longer-term interventions including surveillance, vaccination, community engagement and investments in safe water and sanitation. Both organisations noted that the initiative aligns with the global cholera elimination plan and will help ensure continuity of emergency response operations across multiple health threats. At least five farmers were reported killed by Boko Haram insurgents on Saturday in Goshe, a community in the Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State. Sources said the victims were working on their farms in the morning when the insurgents attacked them. Junaid Jibrin, a legislative aide to the districts senator, Muhammad Ndume, commented on the attacks in a Facebook post. A dark cloud has once again fallen on the Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State. By mid-morning on Saturday, while innocent farmers were simply tilling their land in search of daily sustenance, suspected Boko Haram insurgents descended upon them in cold blood, Five precious lives were cut short, Mr Jibrin wrote. Ordinary people, whose only fault was to step into their farms to feed their families and contribute to the community, were silenced forever. This is our story, such horrors visit us almost daily, especially upon our farmlands. May the Almighty forgive their shortcomings, grant them eternal rest, and shield us all from the hands of those who take innocent lives. Ameen, Jibrin added. However, the police spokesperson in Borno, Nanum Keneath, when contacted by this reporter, said they were yet to receive the information. Reuben Kovangiya, a spokesperson of the Nigerian militarys Operation Hadin Kai fighting the insurgency, also said he could not confirm the attack. Recent offensives by troops of Operation Hadin Kai had led to the killing of about 20 Insurgents. Carried out between Saturday and Sunday, the operations hit terrorist hideouts in Tamsu Ngamdu, Dalakaleri, Gaza and Loskori Kura villages. A former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, is dead. Mr Arase, 69, died on Sunday. President Bola Tinubu mourned Mr Arase in a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga. President Tinubu commiserates with the family, friends and associates of the highly resourceful officer. Arases reforms as IGP and later as Chairman of the Police Service Commission brought lasting changes to the force, Mr Onanuga wrote. Read the full statement below. President Bola Tinubu condoles with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) over Solomon Arase, the 18th indigenous Inspector-General of Police (IGP), who died on Sunday at 69. President Tinubu commiserates with the family, friends and associates of the highly resourceful officer. Arases reforms as IGP and later as Chairman of the Police Service Commission brought lasting changes to the force. The President acknowledges the dedication of the former IGP to enhancing security in the country, through initiatives such as the Intelligence Response Team, the Complaint Response Unit, and Safer Highway Patrols. Reflecting on Arases laudable service to the country, President Tinubu remarks, Arase served the police force meritoriously from 1981 to 2016. During his career, he led tactical, operational, and intelligence units, including United Nations Peacekeeping in Namibia, the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom, and the Principal Staff Officer to three IGPs. He was Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department. After retirement, he continued to serve the nation in various public roles, including as Chairman of the Police Service Commission and as head of the Task Force on implementing the Edo State Anti-Community Development Association Law. His expertise extended to consultancy roles with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the European Centre for Electoral Support, the Human Rights Centre at the University of Oslo, and as a member of the Committee on Prevention of Torture in Geneva, Switzerland. I pray for the peaceful repose of the soul of this dedicated security expert, whose experience and contributions will be deeply missed by our nation. Bayo Onanuga Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy) August 31, 2025 Mariya Shuaibu, a PREMIUM TIMES aviation, climate change, and agriculture reporter, has been shortlisted alongside five other finalists for the Isu Elihle journalism award. The finalists were selected from a pool of 178 applicants from 26 African countries. The award rewards innovative journalism about children, and has been organised by Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) for the past nine years. Each finalist will receive financial support of R10,000 (N864,938) to develop outstanding children-focused story pieces for publication in their countrys preferred mainstream media, which will ultimately determine the Elihle award winner. The top six finalists for the award are Mariya Shuaibu from Premium Times (Nigeria), Gibson Mhaka from The Chronicle (Zimbabwe), Jasmine Odera from MediaMax Network Limited (Kenya), Winifred Lartey from Asaase Radio (Ghana), Joyce Kimani from The Star Newspaper (Kenya), and Mokgadi Mogy Mashako from Mukurukuru Media (South Africa). While congratulating the top six finalists, the organisers said the award continues to ensure a meaningful difference in the lives of African children, as they pegged the 2025 Isu Elihle Award winners announcement for November 2025. The awards process will now enter its second phase, which includes mentorship from media and child rights experts to provide the finalists with guidance and support as they navigate the challenge of taking their brilliant story idea and turning it into an outstanding piece that can be published in any mainstream media of their choice in their respective country. Finalists will also receive financial support up to R10 000 to realise their story. This support is intended to alleviate the strain of resources that many journalists find themselves in when trying to write and publish a story. MMA will announce the 2025 Isu Elihle Award winner in November 2025, the organisers said. The story entries were judged through a two-step adjudication process, the first round of which was conducted by members of the MMA team who shortlisted the top 31 finalists, namely Ntombifuthi Kubeka; the project coordinator of research and analysis, Ntsako Manganyi; the programme manager of Community Building and Engagement, Musa Rikhotso, project coordinator of Childrens Programme and Jacques Ndong; project coordinator of policy programme. Subsequently, the second adjudication round to select and shortlist the 2025 Isu Elihle Awards top 6 finalists was conducted by a set of external, independent adjudicators who are experts on issues relating to children and the media across the African region. These judges were Sudeshan Reddy, communication specialist at UNICEF South Africa, Lister Namumba, the programme manager at research, monitoring, and analysis at MMA, and Moraa Obiria, senior gender Journalist at the Nation Media Group in Kenya. Isu Elihe awards The name of the award was derived from an isiZulu phrase, meaning great idea. This award encourages fresh reporting, innovative approaches, and insightful investigations that seek to give children a voice and elevate the status of the African child. The awards also continue to honour the legacy of Mandy Rossouw through the Isu Elihle Mandy Rossouw Accountability Category, which is awarded to the journalist who made the best attempt at holding the powerful to account. READ ALSO: Ondo varsity ASUU begins indefinite strike Mariya Shuaibu Ms Shuaibu is an editorial assistant and reporter on PREMIUM TIMES Business Desk, focusing on aviation, climate change, and agriculture. She also amplifies womens and childrens voices through her reportage across Nigeria and Africa. Additionally, through her solution-focused reporting, the journalist covers issues around health, gender-based violence, climate change, education, agriculture, and underserved communities across Nigeria. This recognition is a testament to Mariyas resilience and innovative reporting, and it is very well deserved, says Oladeinde Olawoyin, business editor and head of economy desk at PREMIUM TIMES. The federal government on Sunday defended President Bola Tinubu against allegations of favouring some regions over others in the distribution of projects and appointments, insisting his leadership has been marked by equity, justice, and inclusivity. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in a statement said the administration has, at all times, been guided by the principles of fairness, justice, and equity in the distribution of federal government projects, appointments, and opportunities across all six geopolitical zones. The president has faced repeated criticism over alleged favouritism in governance. The most recent came from Ali Ndume, a senator, who accused him of lopsidedness in federal appointments. The figures are there. You can look at the figures. I sent you one. I sent you figures. Its not that Im just making accusations. And its not that Im saying, well, the president has no right to do that kind of thing. But its a constitutional provision. Section 13, I mean, Section 14 (3) of the constitution is very, very clear, Punch newspapers quoted him as saying on Arise TVs Prime Time. Mr Idris described recent criticisms as half-truths and fake information aimed at distorting the record of the Tinubu administration. He said capital projects have been equitably shared across the country, with no region ignored. No region is playing a second fiddle or ignored, he said, adding that all six zones now have Regional Development Commissions to drive local growth. He cited the LagosCalabar Coastal Highway in the South and the SokotoBadagry Superhighway in the North as examples of balance in flagship projects. This sense of balance runs through all the major infrastructure projects being implemented today, he said. Infrastructure spending Government data showed the Northwest as the biggest beneficiary of federal projects, receiving N5.97 trillion- over 40 per cent of approvals. The South-South received N2.41 trillion, North Central N1.13 trillion, South East N407 billion, North East N400 billion, and South West (excluding Lagos) N604 billion. Ongoing legacy road projects include the LagosCalabar Coastal Highway, SokotoBadagry Superhighway, Trans-Sahara Highway in Ebonyi, and the AkwangaJosBauchiGombe road. Out of the total length of these projects, Mr Idris said the North accounts for 52 per cent and the South 48 per cent. Projects in northern states include the dualisation of the SokotoGusauFuntuaZaria Road (N824 billion), the AbujaKadunaKano Road (N764 billion), and the BUA Tax Credit Road across Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano. Others include the ZariaHunkuyi Road, Kano Northern Bypass, and key roads in Borno, Yobe, Kebbi, and Benue. The LokojaOkene dualisation and KadunaKatsina Roads, worth N150 billion, were also listed among major works. In the South, the minister highlighted the LagosIbadan and LagosSagamu roads, the OyoOgbomosoIlorin project, and rehabilitation of Carter, Third Mainland, and Eko bridges in Lagos. In the South-east, major projects include the EnuguOnitsha Road funded through MTN and CBC tax credits, the EnuguAbakaliki Road, the second Niger Bridge Access Road, and the LokpantaEnugu Road. The South-south region, he added, has projects such as the ElemeOnne Road, EastWest Road Section 2, NembeBrass Road, LokojaBenin dualisation, the BodoBonny Road in Rivers, and access roads to the 2nd Niger Bridge in Delta State. Rail and others Mr Idris said the government has secured funding for light rail projects in Kano (N150 billion) and Kaduna (N100 billion), alongside metroline projects in Lagos and Ogun. Together, these efforts and other rail rehabilitation projects, including the Eastern Corridor linking Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, are expected to generate more than 250,000 jobs. The minister also pointed to the revival of the 255MW Kaduna Power Plant, progress on the AjaokutaKadunaKano gas pipeline, and new oil exploration in the North, with three wells drilled in the Kolmani region of Bauchi and Gombe States. The KanoMaradi rail line, inherited at just 5 per cent completion, has now reached 67 per cent following increased government support, he said. Fairness in governance The presidents appointments, Mr Idris said, have reflected Nigerias diversity. President Tinubu has consistently appointed capable Nigerians from every part of the country, guided by competence and inclusivity rather than sectional considerations, he said. He added that the creation of five new Regional Development Commissions and the Ministry of Livestock Development showed the governments determination to address Nigerias unique developmental needs in a manner that benefits all sections of the country. The minister described Mr Tinubu as a fair, pragmatic, and consequential reformer whose leadership is inclusive, vision unifying, and commitment to equity and justice unwavering. President Tinubu is building national infrastructure, not local trophies, he said. Nigerians can rest assured that under his watch, no part of this country will be left behind. The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is delighted to announce that Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, and former chairman of NCDMBs Governing Council, will serve as the Role Model and Guest Speaker at the NCDMB Business Mentorship Lecture Series (BMLS) for Q3 2025. This edition of the BMLS will be held on Monday, 8 September 2025, from 10 a.m. via Zoom Webinar and NCDMBs YouTube channel. The session will be moderated by Richmond Osuji, a leading event compere in the oil and gas industry. Launched in 2019 under Section 67 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010, the Business Mentorship Lecture Seriespromote the Acts implementation for operators, contractors, and stakeholders. This one-day capacity-building initiative engages seasoned leaders to foster growth among service and operating companies in Nigerias oil and gas industry. This event is aimed at empowering oil and gas companies across Nigeria through targeted training, motivation, and business advisory support, and is in line with the Boards mandate developing the capacities of oil and gas companies, and enhancing the capabilities of Nigerians to play key roles in the sector. Mr Kachikwu, a trailblaser in Nigerias oil and gas sector brings an unparalleled wealth of experience and brilliance to the series. His illustrious career spans over three decades in the energy sector, including roles as Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and Chairman of its Board, and one-time Executive Vice Chairman and General Counsel at ExxonMobil Nigeria. As Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, he spearheaded transformative policies such as the National Gas Policy (2017) and National Petroleum Policy (2017), which were instrumental in reshaping Nigerias energy landscape and advancing the Petroleum Industry Bill. An author of four books on the Nigerian oil and gas industry launched in 2021, and a first-class law graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Mr Kachikwu excelled as the top student at the Nigerian Law School, securing multiple prestigious awards including the Chief T O Elias Prize for Overall Best Student. He further distinguished himself with a Master of Laws (LLM) from Harvard Law School, graduating as the best in his class with exceptional grades. Internationally, Mr Kachikwu has held leadership positions as President of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO), and the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). His accolades include the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Lifetime Achievement Award (2022) and numerous honors for leadership and public service excellence. His insights are expected to inspire participants and offer practical strategies for navigating industry challenges. Hosting this edition of the NCDMB Business Mentorship Lecture Series underscores the Boards commitment under the leadership of its Executive Secretary, Felix Omatsola Ogbe. Mr Ogbe is also overseeing key capacity-building programmes, including the Centre for Marine and Offshore Technology Development (CMOTD) training and the graduate-trainee initiatives with PFL Engineering, among others. These programmes are designed to equip indigenous firms with the skills, operational efficiency, and strategic advantage needed to achieve sustained growth in Nigerias oil and gas industry. We are honoured to have a visionary like Dr Kachikwu share his expertise in our Business Mentoring Series, said Engr. Ogbe His remarkable journey and contributions will undoubtedly motivate emerging companies, driving sustainable development in the oil and gas value chain. Previous BMLS editions have featured eminent figures such as Mr Atedo N A Peterside, Founder of StanbicIBTC Bank Plc; Tony Attah, former Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Limited; Mr. MutiuSunmonu, former Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited; Mr Mike Sangster, Managing Director/Chief Executive of Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria; and Mrs Elohor Aiboni, former Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited. These sessions have empowered over 2,500 service companies to date. Oil and gas companies interested in participating are urged to visit the Boards website and social media channels for registration and updates. The Sokoto State Government has rolled out new measures to strengthen Islamic propagation and support clerics across the state, including the introduction of monthly allowances for Imams, their deputies, and Muazzins, as well as direct cash allocations to Jumuat mosques. Governor Ahmed Aliyu announced the initiatives at the graduation ceremony of 111 memorizers of the Quran from the Sokoto branch of the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation on Saturday. The governor explained that his administration had placed Islamic propagation as a top priority, ranking second only to security in his Nine-point Smart Agenda. We have awarded contracts for the renovation of 65 Jumuat Mosques, out of which 25 had since been completed and 15 successfully commissioned. We have also introduced monthly cash allocations to all our Jumuat Mosques, ranging from N300,000 to N500,000 depending on their category. In addition, monthly allowances had been introduced for Imams, their deputies, and Muazzins across the state to support them in the discharge of their duties, he said. Governor Aliyu reaffirmed his governments commitment to creating an enabling environment that would encourage Quranic memorization among children, stressing that it would help nurture a generation that upholds Islamic teachings in line with the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He also directed the school management to identify land for the establishment of its permanent site and forward the proposal to the state government. At the event, the Sokoto State Government, through the Ministry of Religious Affairs, donated N20,000 and clothing materials to each of the 111 graduands. The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Saad Abubakar, commended Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi for establishing the foundation and praised the role of scholars in promoting Islamic ideals and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria. Former Sokoto State Governor and Senator, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, represented by Aminu Sufi, urged parents to encourage their children to memorize the Quran, while also commending the Sokoto government for its support for Islamic affairs. Senator Abdulaziz Yari, represented by Lawal Liman, also praised the foundation and announced a donation of N10 million to the graduands, N10 million to the organizers, and N2 million plus food items to the school management. In his remarks, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, represented by Ibrahim Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, said the school, which began in Bauchi, has expanded to other states to enable children memorize the Quran within four years. He emphasized that the initiative helps keep children engaged in structured learning rather than roaming the streets begging, a problem he said could be significantly reduced if such schools are replicated across the North. The ceremony ended with recitations from the Quran by the graduating pupils and presentation of prizes to them. Beyond networking, Nvidia is expanding its presence in areas that could become the next multibillion-dollar market. Its CUDA-Q quantum platform now works with over 300 ecosystem partners, including AWS, Quantinuum, and Google (GOOGL) Quantum AI. Meanwhile, the company introduced Nvidia Thor, a new robotics computing platform with 10 times the AI performance and efficiency of its predecessor, Orin. Leading companies such as Amazon Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Caterpillar (CAT), Figure AI, Medtronic (MDT), and Meta (META) are using Thor to enable cutting-edge robotic applications. The company is ensuring that robotics will be a long-term demand driver for Nvidias data center business. While Nvidia is well-known for its hardware, it is its software stack that keeps customers coming back. The CUDA ecosystem has developed a formidable moat. Millions of developers worldwide are creating workflows on it. Nvidias gaming business also reached new heights, generating $4.3 billion in revenue, a 49% increase. Growth was driven by the increased production of Blackwell GeForce GPUs, which are still in short supply due to high demand. Professional visualization revenue increased 32% to $601 million, owing to strong demand for AI-accelerated design, simulation, and prototyping. Automotive revenue increased by 69% year over year to $586 million, fueled by Nvidia's push into self-driving compute. Nvidias second-quarter fiscal 2026 results proved once again that it is the most powerful force in the AI ecosystem. It reported $46.7 billion in revenue, exceeding expectations and continuing its streak of historic growth. Data center revenue, now the companys growth engine, increased 56% year over year. Nvidias latest GPU generation, the Blackwell platform, is already setting a new standard for AI training and inference. So far this year, the stock is up 30%, outperforming the broader market. Lets find out if Nvidia can maintain its AI dominance as competition heats up and geopolitical risks grow. Valued at $4.4 trillion, Nvidia (NVDA) continues to prove why it holds the title as the most important company in the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem. The company reported another strong quarter in computing, networking, gaming, robotics, and automotive, demonstrating that its leadership extends well beyond graphic processing units (GPUs). Story Continues Geopolitical Tensions Exist, But Demand Outpaces Supply Despite the impressive product roadmap, not everything is in Nvidias control. In late July, the U.S. government began reviewing licenses for selling the H20 chip to Chinese consumers. If geopolitical tensions ease, the company expects to ship $2 billion to $5 billion in H20 revenue in the third quarter alone. The stakes are high, with China being one of the largest markets for AI infrastructure. Management believes that prolonged restrictions will allow domestic Chinese competitors to grow. Even with these headwinds, Nvidia is struggling to keep up with rising demand. Nvidia predicts that $3 trillion to $4 trillion will be spent on AI infrastructure by the end of the decade, including sovereign AI projects, enterprise adoption, and the rise of physical AI in robotics. The company is positioning itself as the default provider of this infrastructure, not just through GPUs, but through its entire ecosystem. Nvidias financial position remains as strong as its technological pipeline. The company reported adjusted gross margins of 72.7%, with a modest boost from an H20 inventory release. Inventory increased from $11 billion to $15 billion in the second quarter to support Blackwell and Blackwell Ultra. Nonetheless, the company maintains discipline in capital allocation, returning $10 billion to shareholders in the quarter through buybacks and dividends. Furthermore, the board approved an additional $60 billion share repurchase program. Nvidia ended the quarter with $56.8 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. Looking ahead, Nvidia expects $54 billion in revenue in Q3, plus or minus 2%, with gross margins rising to around 73%. Importantly, management emphasized that this outlook excludes any H20 shipments to China, allowing for potential upside if geopolitical conditions improve. Analysts who follow the stock predict a 58% increase in revenue to $206.1 billion in fiscal 2026, followed by a 49.8% increase in earnings. Revenue and earnings could increase by 31.1% and 40.5%, respectively, in fiscal 2027. Currently, Nvidia stock is trading at 40 times forward earnings. Is Nvidia Stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell on Wall Street? Overall, Nvidia stock is a Strong Buy on Wall Street. Out of the 46 analysts that cover the stock, 38 have a Strong Buy recommendation, with two Moderate Buy ratings, five Hold ratings and one Strong Sell rating. The average target price for Nvidia stock is $199.28, which implies potential upside of 10.6% over the next 12 months. The high price estimate of $250 implies the stock can rally as much as 39% from current levels. www.barchart.com Can Nvidia Keep Its AI Crown? As AI spending approaches trillions of dollars, Nvidias position at the heart of the AI ecosystem appears as secure as ever. For now, it appears that Nvidia will maintain its AI leadership. Investors must watch to see if Nvidia can continue to balance explosive demand with supply constraints while dealing with competition and headwinds aimed at diminishing its dominant position. On the date of publication, Sushree Mohanty did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com The All Progressives Congress (APC) has swept the polls in Saturdays local elections in Rivers State, according to a report by Punch newspaper. According to the paper, the APC won in 20 out of the 23 councils, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in three. The paper said the Chairperson of the local election commission in Rivers, Michael Odey, announced the election results on Sunday afternoon in Port Harcourt, and that the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, lost his Opobo-Nkoro Local Government Area to the APC. Low voter turnout marred the elections. Rivers has been a PDP state, but its politics has been greatly controlled by a former governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, a PDP member, who has not hidden his loyalty to the APC. Mr Wike, who is now the FCT minister, has been engaged in a protracted political battle against his successor, Mr Fubara, for control of the political structures in the oil-rich state. During Saturdays election, a PDP agent in one ward said his party had unanimously endorsed the candidate of the APC, apparently indicating Mr Wikes grip on both parties. Mr Fubara is seeking to return to office soon, after President Bola Tinubu suspended him and the state legislature for six months in March this year. He and his supporters had shunned the local elections in the state. Mr Wike helped Mr Fubara to win the 2023 Rivers governorship election against all odds, but the two politicians fell apart a few months after. Before Governor Fubaras suspension, his administration conducted local elections in October last year, in which a relatively unknown political party, the Action Peoples Party (APP), won in 22 local government areas. The governor and his supporters went to the APP because of Mr Wikes control of the PDP and the APC. But the Supreme Court later nullified the elections. President Tinubu appointed sole administrator for Rivers, Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired naval chief, sacked members of the election commission that conducted the local elections under Fubaras administration, and appointed new ones who conducted Saturdays election. NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 27 and 29, 2025, the Chinese Embassy in the United States, the Chinese Consulate General in New York and the State Council Information Office of China co-hosted the "Experience China A Symphony of Stories on China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship" event, revisiting the deep friendship forged between the Chinese and American people during the World Anti-Fascist War through the innovative form of "symphony & immersive storytelling & graphic exhibition". Ambassador Xie Feng and Consul General Chen Li attended two events and delivered remarks. Photos from the event site Recalling the history of Chinese and American people fighting side by side against fascism for peace and justice, Ambassador Xie called on all to pay tribute to history, and remember the vital contribution made by the main Eastern battlefield; to pay tribute to friendship, and cherish the inseparable bond formed between the two peoples in the flames of war; and to pay tribute to the future, and build mighty momentum for people-to-people exchanges. Ambassador Xie said that as President Xi Jinping pointed out, the hope of the China-U.S. relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in our societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels. Going forward, we need to bring our people closer, rather than sow fear and hostility; encourage and facilitate travels and people-to-people exchanges, rather than erect barriers; and promote win-win cooperation, make the list of cooperation longer and the cake bigger, rather than seek decoupling and turn back the wheel of history. Consul General Chen noted that eighty years ago, in that fight for justice, China and the United States stood shoulder to shoulder. The Chinese people cherish friendship. We will never forget those who lent China a hand in times of crisis. To remember the past, is to safeguard the future. And to reflect on war, is to affirm our duty to peace and justice. As major countries, China and the United States bear a special responsibility: to draw wisdom from history and work together for a more peaceful, inclusive, and secure world for generations to come. The event was organized by the China International Communication Center and the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation. An image and video exhibition titled "Fighting Side by Side: Chinese and American Peoples Against Fascism" was also held during the event. Descendants of those who personally went through World War II and people from both China and the U.S. evoked strong emotional resonance through music and storytelling, built a bridge to the shared history, and called for passing on the friendship and spirit of cooperation forged between the two countries in fighting together. Minister Jing Quan, Chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation Jeffrey Greene, descendants of the Flying Tigers, kinsman of Weihsien Concentration Camp and more than 400 people from various sectors attended two events. SOURCE CICC Skydream is set to revolutionize the industry On August 29, the company made its global debut at the CARAVAN SALON DUSSELDORF, Germany, where two types of new energy smart caravan nearly ready for mass production were unveiled to public. It is reported that Skydream is committed to realizing user's dream of future caravan trips through cutting-edge technology by deeply integrating the latest new energy and intelligent driving technologies already applied to the passenger vehicle, intelligent technologies in smart home controls, as well as mature research and manufacturing experience from Europe and the United States. The Company is collaborating with global users to create an entirely new breed of caravan an intelligent, mobile and flexible living space that can be placed anywhere. This appears to be another generation-leading breakthrough in the history of the industry. Innovative Design: A Perfect Blend of Avant-Garde Aesthetics and Ultimate Comfort At the CARAVAN SALON DUSSELDORF, the appearance of the two caravans made by Skydream left a deep impression on the participants. Their contrast with other traditional caravans was so dramatic that it felt like comparing today's smartphone with a keypad phone around year 2000 as if they were products of two entirely different eras. This sense of disruption stems from the design team's bold breakthrough: they completely abandoned the decades-old tradition of "white box-shaped vehicle", they created futuristic designs based on the concepts of "interstellar camping" and "land yacht". Farewell to Tradition: A New Energy Revolution for Caravan Many users of caravan are in pursuit of a truly free and movable lifestyle. Yet, the "freedom" offered by caravan is extremely limited: weak off-grid capabilities and heavy dependent on campsite utilities, making it difficult to realize their dream of long term outdoor stay. According to Skydream, their latest models are equipped with a high-safety-grade LFP battery ranging from 45kWh-85kWh, combined with a 1100W-2200W solar charging system, enabling up to 14 days of true off-grid camping capability. Additionally, it features reverse EV charging functionality. User-centered: An Unprecedented Intelligent Travel Experience Some users may also encounter some challenges during driving and parking. For instance, driving the caravan requires high maneuverability and stability. Furthermore, operations such as parking, hitching are time-consuming and laborious. Skydream claims to have launched world's first caravan smart driving assistance feature for all main scenarios, using body stability and dynamic assistant technology to suppress swaying during travel. At the campsite, even the most troublesome hitching and unhitching the caravan become so simple. as the caravan can automatically complete the aiming and docking process in just a few minutes. The camping experience has also undergone a revolution. Traditional caravans are cluttered with remote controls and keys, While Skydream is equipped with the intelligent control system, allowing users to control lighting, door locks, air conditioning, and other equipment via voice commands, mobile app, etc. After decades of stagnation, the caravan industry seems to have finally found the force to shake up the era. It is reported that Skydream plans to launch pre-sales in the first half of 2026, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds. Skydream website: https://skydreamcaravans.com/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2761496/1__1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2758135/4.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2758136/2.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2758137/nnn.jpg 21 % more press release views with Request a Demo If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) is one of the best very cheap stocks to buy according to hedge funds. The company announced on August 18 that a field it operates surpassed 900,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), a new production record. The Buzios Field, located in Brazils Santos Basin, achieved the milestone thanks to the activation of the fifth well on the Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) Almirante Tamandare unit. Petrobras (PBR) Surpasses 900K bpd Production at Buzios Field Pixabay/Public Domain The Buzios Field is situated approximately 180 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. Its productive area is described as being more than double the size of Guanabara Bay. The field currently has six production units in operation: the platforms P-74, P-75, P-76, and P-77, as well as the FPSOs Almirante Barroso and Almirante Tamandare. A new unit, the P-78, is en route to Brazil to further increase production. Petrobras operates the field together with a consortium of partners, including PPSA, CNPC, and CNOOC. This new record brings the Buzios Field closer to surpassing the Tupi Field, which is currently the largest oil producer in Brazil. Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) is an integrated energy company based in Brazil. It explores, produces, refines, and distributes oil and natural gas. The company also engages in petrochemicals, power generation, and logistics. While we acknowledge the potential of PBR as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: Cathie Wood Stock Portfolio: Top 10 Stocks to Buy Now and Ken Fisher Stock Portfolio: 10 Stocks to Buy. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Macro analyst Raoul Pal said Thursday that many parts of the cryptocurrency market are in a consolidation or waiting room phase, but are showing signs of breakouts. Crypto Ready To Launch? In an X thread, Pal, founder of research publication Global Macro Investor, said that the total cryptocurrency market. excluding Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), is ready to launch from the waiting room. Pal showed what appeared to be an Ascending Triangle pattern, which is a consolidation pattern indicating strong buying demand. Trending: The same firms that backed Uber, Venmo and eBay are investing in this pre-IPO company disrupting a $1.8T market and you can too at just $2.90/share. In the subsequent post, he focused on altcoins outside the top 10 biggest cryptos by market capitalization, saying that they are also in the waiting room, but will take longer to launch. As for ETH, Pal noted a full port, suggesting an imminent upside, to be followed by Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) and Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE). See Also: Wealth Managers Charge 1% or More in AUM Fees Range's AI Platform Does It All for a Flat Fee (and Could Save You $10,000+ Annually). Book Your Demo Today. Global Money Supply Is The Key People need to learn patience. The path is clear...but never, ever expect tick-for-tick perfection. Its the pattern that counts, he emphasized. He further noted that the rate of change in Total Global Liquidity is set to increase, with the U.S., EU, China, and Japan needing to roll over debts. He described this as an absurdly bullish backdrop for cryptocurrencies. Will Pals $100 Trillion Prediction Come True? Pals forecasts follow his previous prediction about the insane demand for the blockchain space. He had projected that cryptocurrency would become a $100 trillion asset class over the next 6-8 years. In May, he suggested that crypto was entering "Phase 2 of the Banana Zone," a period where liquidity increases and prices accelerate after initial consolidation. This phase, according to Pal, represents the last leg of Bitcoin's bull run. Budget carrier Spirit Airlines said Friday that it has filed for fresh bankruptcy protection months after emerging from a Chapter 11 reorganization. The ultra low-cost airline said it plans to keep flying as usual during the restructuring process, meaning passengers can still book trips and use their tickets, credits and loyalty points. Employees and contractors will also continue to get paid, the company said. CEO Dave Davis said the airline's previous Chapter 11 petition focused on reducing debt and raising capital, and since exiting that process in March, it has become clear that there is much more work to be done and many more tools are available to best position Spirit for the future. Flight attendants, meanwhile, were warned by union leaders to "prepare for all possible scenarios. We are being direct because even as we have many ways to fight because of our union, we also want to get you the truth about the situation at our airline and how each of us can take actions to protect and prepare ourselves for any challenge, the Association of Flight Attendants said Friday in a letter to its members. Spirit, known for its bright yellow planes and no-frills service, has had a rough ride since the COVID-19 pandemic, struggling to rebound amid rising operation costs and its mounting debt. By the time of its first Chapter 11 filing in November, Spirit had lost more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020. The airline now carries $2.4 billion in long-term debt, most due in 2030, and reported a negative free cash flow of $1 billion at the end of the second quarter. Friday's news comes as budget carriers like Spirit are under pressure by bigger airlines, which have rolled out their own low-cost offerings. Spirit, meanwhile, is attempting to tap into a growing market for more upscale travel with its new tiered pricing that includes more perks on the higher end. But in a quarterly report issued earlier this month, Spirit Aviation Holdings, the carrier's parent company, revealed that it had substantial doubt about its ability to stay in business over the next year. The company cited adverse market conditions" the company faced after its most recent restructuring. That included poor demand for domestic leisure travel and uncertainties in its business operations that the Florida company expected to continue through at least the end of 2025. Spirit's cost-cutting efforts continued after emerging from bankruptcy protection in March, including plans to furlough about 270 pilots and downgrade some 140 captains to first officers in the coming months. Key Points Shares of the "flying taxi" maker are now trading below $10, their IPO price. Archer is working toward building its air taxi network, but is burning a lot of cash. Continued uncertainty around its future financials makes this a risky stock. 10 stocks we like better than Archer Aviation It has been decades since the world saw a true physical transportation innovation. Sure, Uber Technologies and Lyft -- and now Waymo -- have innovated in how we interact with cars, but people are still riding around in the same old type of vehicle (whether electric or internal combustion engine). Commercial planes were introduced after World War II, and the high-speed rail networks of Japan were actually invented in the 1960s. This may all change with electric air taxis and companies like Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR). The upstart company is building electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) and plans to build an air taxi network to disrupt urban travel. In recent months, its stock has begun to dip, falling below its SPAC IPO price of $10. Does all this mean investors should buy the dip on this transportation disruptor before it goes parabolic? Developing air taxi networks In the early stages of development, Archer Aviation is planning to host point-to-point air taxi networks with its electric taxi vehicle called the Midnight. Think of the service as similar to helicopter pads in different areas across a city, allowing customers to bypass traffic and quickly get from point A to point B. Plans call for air taxi networks in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Abu Dhabi within the next few years. In Los Angeles, the company is racing to be ready for the 2028 Summer Olympics. To get there, the Midnight aircraft still needs certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is taking a long time to inspect this new type of transportation vehicle. Midnight aircraft will be flying above residential and commercial areas in cities, so they need to be extremely safe and reliable. Archer Aviation management is hoping the vehicles get fully certified by the FAA shortly, but it is unclear what the exact timeline will be or if there will be any hiccups along the way. It is a huge roadblock in Archer Aviation's growth plans that investors should track closely. Once the Midnight is certified, it will be ready to start scaling up production and getting these air taxi networks operational (and making money). Image source: Getty Images. Huge cash burn, necessary scale Building out an entirely new form of transportation is expensive, which you can see from Archer Aviation's financials. The company is scaling up manufacturing facilities around the United States, with plans to eventually hit a rate of 50 Midnight aircraft sold each year. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera on Sunday claimed that a staggering 89 lakh complaints of irregularities were flagged by the party's Booth Level Agents (BLAs) in Bihar during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, but all were rejected by the Election Commission. IMAGE: Congress leader Pawan Khera addresses a press conference in New Delhi. Photograph: @INCInia/X Alleging that the irregularities cast a doubt on the intention of the EC, Khera demanded that the entire exercise be conducted again. However, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar asserted that, till date, no BLA authorised by any district president of the Congress in Bihar has submitted any claim or objection on any deleted name. The EC keeps getting news planted through its sources that no complaints are coming from any political party. The truth is that the Congress submitted 89 lakh complaints pertaining to irregularities in the SIR to the EC, chairman of the media and publicity department of the Congress said in a press conference. When our BLAs went to file complaints, their complaints were turned down by the EC. The EC categorically told our BLAs that complaints could be accepted by individuals only, not by political parties, Khera claimed. The Congress demands that the entire SIR exercise be re-conducted, he said, adding that the large-scale irregularities in the SIR cast a doubt on the intentions of the EC. Our BLOs left no stone unturned in filing complaints and objections of those voters whose names were deleted, and all applications were submitted to the District Election Officer (DEOs) concerned, he said. The senior Congress leader said that the names of 65 lakh voters of Bihar were deleted from the electoral rolls by the EC from 90,540 booths in the state. While 25 lakh voters were deleted due to migration, the names of 22 lakh people were removed as they are not alive. Names of 9,70,000 voters were deleted as they were found absent at the given addresses, he said. The total number of booths where more than 100 names were deleted is 20,368, and the number of booths where more than 200 names were deleted is 1,988. There are 7,613 booths where more than 70 per cent of women's names were deleted, Khera claimed. There are 635 booths where more than 75 per cent of the deleted names in the migrant category are women, he said, adding that it is very important to verify these figures. There are plenty of cases where a single voter has been given two EPIC numbers, Khera claimed. We also have their receipts, and now this fact cannot be denied. We hope that the data we have provided will be verified by the EC, and an investigation conducted into that. There is a need for door-to-door verification again to correct these mistakes, he added. However, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer denied the charges, saying, Till date, no BLA authorised by any district president of the Indian National Congress in Bihar has submitted any claim (Form 6) or objection (Form 7) on any name in the draft electoral rolls published on August 1 in the prescribed format so far. On the allegations of duplicate voters in the draft rolls, the CEO's office said in a statement that the current draft rolls published under the SIR are not final. They are explicitly intended for public scrutiny, inviting claims and objections from electors, political parties, and all other stakeholders, it said. Any alleged duplication at the draft stage cannot be construed as a final error or illegal inclusion, as the law provides a remedy through the claims/objections period and subsequent verification by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), it said. The figure of 67,826 dubious duplicates cited in certain sections of the media is based on data mining and subjective matching of name/relative/age combinations, it said. These parameters, without documentary and field verification, cannot conclusively prove duplication. In Bihar, especially rural constituencies, it is common for multiple individuals to share identical names, parental names, and even similar ages. The Supreme Court has recognised such demographic similarities as insufficient proof of duplication without field inquiry, the statement said. If demographically similar entries are found, they are being identified and removed during the claims and objections period, the CEO's office said. In such cases, it said, All stakeholders can inform the Electoral Registration Officer, file their objections, and necessary action can be taken. On ECI's Deduplication Mechanism, the ECI uses its ERONET 2.0 software for detecting Demographically Similar Entries, which flags probable duplicates. These flagged cases are not automatically deleted but are subjected to ground verification by Booth Level Officers and EROs. Merely giving out a number on an imaginary basis does not establish any fact as correct, the CEO's statement said. The presence of some provisional duplicate entries in the draft roll does not invalidate the SIR exercise, it said. Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader and Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal has convened a meeting of Other Backward Class leaders to discuss the demand of activist Manoj Jarange seeking reservations for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes category. IMAGE: Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader and Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal. Photograph: ANI Photo Talking to PTI, Bhujbal, a prominent OBC face in Maharashtra politics, said the meeting will be held on Monday at 3pm here. Representatives of the Samata Parishad headed by him and other OBC organisations have been invited, Bhujbal said. "The Kalelkar commission and later Mandal commission have not included Marathas as a backward community. A chief minister can implement the commission recommendations and not include castes on his own," Bhujbal said on criticism that NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad Pawar didn't do anything for Marathas. Bhujbal said even the high court and Supreme Court have said Kunbis and Marathas are not same. Jarange has been staging an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai since Friday over his demand for 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. He has demanded that Marathas be recognised as Kunbis -- an agrarian caste included in the OBC category -- which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education. Peace and tranquility at the border is like an "insurance policy" for India-China ties and Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed it very clearly to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanges a handshake with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Official Reception for Heads of States and Heads of Governments at the SCO Summit, in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. Photograph: Narendra Modi Photo Gallery/ANI Photo India's assertion came after Xi said that the border issue should not define the overall China-India relations. PM Modi and President Xi held wide-ranging talks earlier in the day with a focus on rebuilding the bilateral ties that came under severe strain following the over four-year border standoff in eastern Ladakh that ended in October last year. In the meeting Modi underlined the importance of peace and tranquility on the border areas for continued development of bilateral relations. Asked about Xi's remarks, Misri said at a media briefing that India has been consistently maintaining that peace and tranquility at the frontier is essential for the overall development of the relations. "From the very beginning, we have maintained at various levels that the situation on the boundary will inevitably have some impact on bilateral relations," the foreign secretary said at a media briefing. "And that is precisely why the most important kind of 'insurance policy' for our bilateral ties is to maintain peace and tranquility on the boundary." "So today, the prime minister himself also conveyed this very clearly to President Xi, and we will continue to maintain this position," Misri added. Misri said the boundary issue figured in the Modi-Xi discussions and both leaders took note of the successful disengagement of troops last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border regions since then. "In voicing certain principles related to this issue, the prime minister underlined the need for peace and tranquility on the border areas for continued and smooth development of bilateral relations," he said. "There was an understanding on the need to maintain peace on the borders using the existing mechanisms and avoid disturbances to the overall relationship going forward," he added. The foreign secretary said Modi and Xi also expressed a commitment to "a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question, proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and in the long-term interests of the two peoples." In the last few months, both sides have initiated a series of measures to reset their ties that came under severe strain following the deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020. To a question on when the de-escalation will take place along the border, Misri said the discussion on it will take place in the designated mechanisms. Misri said Modi also mentioned the challenge of cross-border terrorism and pitched for extending support to each other to combat it. "Cross-border terrorism was mentioned by the prime minister as a priority. And, I would add that he did underline the fact that this is something that impacts both India and China," he said. "And, that it's important therefore that we extend understanding and extend support to each other as both of us combat cross-border terrorism." "And I would in fact like to say that we have received the understanding and cooperation of China as we have dealt with the issue of cross-border terrorism in the context of the ongoing SCO summit," he said. Misri said President Xi made four suggestions to further upgrade bilateral ties. "The suggestions are namely: to strengthen strategic communication and deepen mutual trust; to expand exchanges and cooperation to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results; to accommodate each other's concerns; and finally to strengthen multilateral cooperation to safeguard common interests," he said. "All of these were responded to positively by Prime Minister Modi," Misri added. The foreign secretary said the two leaders were of the view that differences between India and China should not be allowed to be turned into disputes. Manoj Jarange's stir at Mumbai's Azad Maidan for Maratha quota entered the third day on Sunday with the activist hardening his stand by maintaining his demand was constitutionally valid, even as some Maharashtra ministers from the Bharatiya Janata Party said the community must avail the existing EWS quota. IMAGE: Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil's supporters stage a protest outside Mantralaya demanding Maratha reservation, in Mumbai on Friday. Photograph: ANI Photo He has been demanding 10 per cent quota for Marathas and wants them to be recognised as Kunbis -- an agrarian caste included in the Other Backward Classes category -- which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education. Asserting that he will not leave Mumbai till his demands are met, Jarange said, "The government has records of 58 lakh Marathas as Kunbis." Jarange, who refused to soften his stand after a delegation under retired HC judge Sandeep Shinde met him a day earlier, on Sunday said, "From tomorrow, I will stop taking water as the government is not accepting the demands. But I am not going back till the quota demand is met. We will get Marathas reservation under the OBC category no matter what." Meanwhile, Maharashtra ministers Chandrakant Patil and Nitesh Rane, both from the BJP, have said the Maratha community should benefit from the existing EWS quota rather than being categorised as OBCs. Both Patil and Rane belong to the Maratha community. Rane also accused Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar MLA Rohit Pawar of funding Jarange's protest Speaking to reporters in Solapur district on Sunday, Chandrakant Patil said Marathas never faced untouchability and were not backward by caste, but shrinking landholdings over the years pushed them into financial distress. Patil also said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is never rigid but there are some constitutional limitations. "Normally, delegations come to meet the CM, not the other way round. However, he (Fadnavis) is so flexible that he can even go. But it must bring a solution, not just lead to humiliation," Patil said. Rane claimed Jarange's demand to classify all Marathas as Kunbis and include them in the OBC category would not be acceptable across Maharashtra. "If Jarange restricts his demand to Marathwada, the government may examine it. But in Konkan, where I come from, Marathas and Kunbis have distinct identities and are content with their present status. Marathas cannot get quota benefits through the OBC category," Rane said. The BJP leader also alleged Opposition NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar had funded Jarange's protest and said he could provide proof if the latter denied it. Meanwhile, efforts to reach a solution continued at the state government level with Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil meeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis late Saturday night, sources said. Vikhe Patil heads a cabinet sub-committee on issues related to the Maratha community's demand for reservation and its social, educational and economic condition. The sub committee is expected to meet again during the day. Fadnavis has said the government was trying to find a solution to the issue within the constitutional and legal framework. Asked about Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's statement that all questions on the Maratha stir must be addressed to Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, Jarange said the "Thackeray brand" and both brothers (Raj and Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray) are good. But he (Raj) is a person who can easily believe what others say, the activist claimed. In January last year, Jarange's march to Mumbai had stopped in Navi Mumbai following a request by the then government headed by Shinde who assured that quota demands would be met. On Saturday, a delegation under retired HC judge Sandeep Shinde failed to get Jarange to call off the stir, with the latter steadfast on the demand that all Marathas of Marathwada be recognised as Kunbis for the purpose of quota. Amid the area around the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus resembling a camp due to the presence of thousands of quota supporters, many of them sleeping and cooking on the footpaths and platforms alleging lack of amenities from the BMC, Jarange appealed that they not be considered as a 'crowd'. "They have come here with a lot of pain," he said, while urging his supporters to park vehicles in designated spots and come to the protest site by train. He also said meals should should be distributed through food trucks to the protesters at Vashi, Chembur, Sewri, Masjid Bunder and other places, wherever they are parking their vehicles. 'As the Agitation at Azad Maidan still continues, agitators are present at CSMT Junction Impacting traffic in the area and near by junctions. Motorist are advised to avoid these route and take alternate route to reach their destination,' the Mumbai Traffic Police said on X. Since Friday, the area around CSMT and the BMC headquarters, both just a few hundred meters away from Azad Maidan, has witnessed unprecedented scenes, including youth cooking on the streets and bathing in the open using water from tankers arranged by the organisers or the BMC. A group of seven to eight young men was on Saturday seen bathing in a fountain near the BMC building. The protesters have arrived here from across Maharashtra, mostly from Marathwada, in some 8,000 vehicles, as per police. Nearly 800 sanitation workers have been deployed to maintain cleanliness and arrangements also made for more than 300 toilets for the Maratha quota protesters, the BMC said on Sunday. It also said arrangements have been made for drinking water and garbage collection. We recently published 11 Fresh Stocks On Jim Cramers Radar. The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX)s shares, like those of its off-price retail peers, are in the green in 2025. They have gained 12.9% year-to-date, and have been driven by strong earnings catalyzed by spending by budget-conscious Americans. The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX)s stock jumped by 2.7% in August after the firms second-quarter earnings beat estimates and the low end of its full-year earnings guidance beat analyst estimates. Cramer discussed the spending at The TJX Companies, Inc. 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Ive seen a lot of good things happening, but I dont want to jump all over it because in the end it is brick and mortar, Id rather be in TJX. While we acknowledge the potential of TJX as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. The Election Commission plans to issue new voter identity cards to all electors of Bihar after the completion of the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls in the state, officials said on Sunday. IMAGE: RJD senior leader Rabri Devi with party legislators protest against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, during the Monsoon session of state Legislative Assembly, in Patna. Photograph: ANI Photo They added that a final call on when the new cards will be issued is yet to be taken by the poll authority. Officials said while the plan is to issue every Bihar voter with a new voter card, a final call on when and how the exercise will be carried out is yet to be taken. When electors were given enumeration forms, they were asked to submit the filled up document along with their latest photograph. The new photograph will be used to update records and issuing fresh voter cards. According to the draft electoral roll of Bihar published on August 1, the state has 7.24 crore electors. The final voters list will be published on September 30 and assembly elections in the state are likely to be held in November. The term of the present assembly ends on November 22 and a new House has to be constituted before that. According to the EC, 99 per cent of those who had filled up enumeration forms have so far submitted their documents. Nearly 30,000 people have filed pleas for inclusion in the voters list as their names were missing from the draft rolls. Separately, Bihar has become the first state where the number of electors per polling stations has been reduced from 1500 to a maximum of 1200 as part of rationalisation exercise to ensure lesser crowding of polling stations on voting day. Due to rationalisation, the number of polling stations in the state has gone up from 77,000 to 90,000. The rationalisation exercise will eventually be carried out pan India. In the last Lok Sabha elections, there were 10.5 lakh polling stations in the country. The Sunday meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping was fruitful and the two leaders reached a new important consensus on the development of bilateral relations, a senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official said. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanges a handshake with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Official Reception for Heads of States and Heads of Governments at the SCO Summit, in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. Photograph: Narendra Modi Photo Gallery/ANI Photo Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC central committee and close confidant of Xi said China is willing to work with India to enhance friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage and resolve differences, and promote the further improvement and development of China-India relations, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. A press release from the Ministry of External Affairs on Modi, Xi meeting said the prime Minister also had a meeting with Cai, Member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China. The Prime Minister shared with Cai his vision for bilateral relations and sought his support to realise the vision of the two leaders. Cai reiterated the Chinese side's desire to expand bilateral exchanges and further improve relations in line with the consensus reached between the two leaders, the press release said. India is likely to seal two mega submarine deals worth over Rs 1 lakh crore by the middle of next year to crank up its undersea warfare capabilities against the backdrop of China's increasing naval prowess, authoritative sources said on Sunday. Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: ANI Photo The first project that is being negotiated is for the procurement of three Scorpene submarines, which will be jointly constructed by state-run Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) and French defence major Naval Group. Though the defence ministry cleared the nearly Rs 36,000 crore deal over two years back, there have been delays in negotiations to firm up various technical and commercial aspects of the project, the sources said. The second project that the defence ministry is eyeing to seal is for the acquisition of six diesel-electric stealth submarines at a cost of around Rs 65,000 crore. The procurement was initially cleared by the ministry in 2021. "We are expecting both contracts will be firmed up by the middle of next year," a source said. Leading German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has partnered with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd for the project, billed as one of the biggest 'Make in India' initiatives in recent years. The sources said the cost negotiations for the deal will start soon and the entire process may take six to nine months before a contract is concluded. While the proposed acquisition of six stealth submarines under Project 75 India (P75-I) is a completely new programme, the plan for the three Scorpene submarines will be a follow-on order of a previous acquisition. Under the Indian Navy's Project 75, six Scorpene submarines have already been constructed by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in collaboration with the Naval Group. The Navy wants both deals to be firmed up soon as it is looking at bolstering its underwater capabilities, said an official aware of the matter. The sources cited above said finalising the cost negotiations process for the diesel-engine programme will take time. The commercial negotiations for Scorpene-class submarines have almost been completed, they added. If everything goes as per plan, then the Scorpene project will be finalised early next year as it has already suffered significant delays, the sources said. The delivery of boats under both projects will start around six years after the signing of the contracts, they said. Asked if the MDL will have the capabilities to implement both the projects simultaneously, the sources said it was for the shipbuilder to augment its infrastructure. "There have already been inordinate delays in the Scorpene submarine project and we hope it will be concluded soon," said one of the sources. While the defence ministry had given its in-principle approval for the additional Scorpenes as well as procurement of 26 naval variants of Rafale jets from France, the first project remained in limbo. In April, India and France inked an intergovernmental agreement sealing a mega deal to procure 26 Rafale marine jets at a cost of Rs 64,000 crore (Euro 7 billion) for deployment on board the Indian Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Congress attacked the Centre on Sunday and asked whether the "new normal" is to be defined by Chinese bullying and "government's spinelessness". IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold bilateral talks in Tianjin, China on August 31, 2025. Photograph: Press Information Bureau The Congress also asked whether the Modi government's push on reconciliation with China is de facto legitimising its territorial aggression. In his meeting with President Xi in Tianjin, Modi said India is committed to taking forward its ties with China based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Prime Minister Modi's meeting with Xi Jinping today must be evaluated in the following context - In June 2020, Chinese aggression in the Galway Valley cost 20 of our bravest of brave jawans to sacrifice their lives. Yet, rather than identify the Chinese aggression, on June 19, 2020, Prime Minister Modi gave an (infamous) clean chit to China." He said the Army Chief has demanded a full restoration of the status quo on the border with China in Ladakh. "Despite failing to achieve that, the Modi government has pushed forward on reconciliation with China, de facto legitimising their territorial aggression," he said. On July 4, 2025, the Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen Rahul Singh spoke forcefully and candidly on China's 'jugalbandi' with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, he said. "Rather than respond to this unholy alliance, the Modi government has quietly accepted it as fait accompli and is now rewarding China with state visits," Ramesh said on X. China has announced a gigantic hydel project on the Yarlung Tsangpo that has very grave implications for our Northeast, he said, adding the "Modi government has not spoken a word on this issue". Ramesh claimed that uncontrolled 'dumping' of imports from China continue to devastate our MSMEs. "Unlike other countries, we have largely let the Chinese importers have free rein," he said. "Is the 'new normal' to be defined by Chinese aggression and bullying and our Government's spinelessness?" Ramesh said. In his televised opening remarks during his meeting with Xi, Modi said the welfare of 2.8 billion people is linked to cooperation between India and China. The talks between the two leaders on the margins of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in this northern Chinese city came against the backdrop of turbulence triggered by the Trump administration's tariff tussle. Modi landed in Tianjin on Saturday evening from Japan in the second leg of his two-nation trip. It is the Indian prime minister's first trip to China after the eastern Ladakh border row that began in May 2020. The prime minister held talks with the Chinese president in October last year in Russia's Kazan, which took place days after India and China reached an understanding to end the standoff in eastern Ladakh. Glacial lake outburst leading to floods is a serious threat to Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, a comprehensive risk assessment has stated, warning that it puts lives, infrastructure, and the fragile ecosystem in grave danger. IMAGE: Indian Army, SDRF, police and local administration carry out a search and rescue operation in flash flood-hit Chasoti village, in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, August 17, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo According to the GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood) Management Plan for Kishtwar 2024-25, the tehsils of Padder, Machail, Dachhan, Marwah, and Warwan are in peril of being the worst-affected due to their proximity to glacial lakes. The report notes that these regions, along with the Kishtwar High Altitude National Park, remain highly vulnerable to sudden flooding. "These regions are especially vulnerable due to their proximity to glacial lakes, making them prone to sudden flooding events that can have devastating impacts on local communities, infrastructure, and the environment," the report cautioned. The danger is not theoretical. Chishoti village in Padder tehsil, the last motorable stop en route to the Machail Mata temple, was ravaged by a cloudburst-triggered flash flood on August 14 during the yatra, killing 65 people and injuring over 115. The report underlined that critical infrastructure such as roads, schools, hospitals, and government buildings in these tehsils are "at considerable risk". "The tehsils of Marwah and Warwan, often designated as 'Shadow Areas' due to their remoteness, house low-lying settlements and agricultural communities that face increased vulnerability due to limited disaster preparedness and emergency response capacities," it added. Hydroelectric projects under CVPPL Limited, including the Pakal Dul, Kiru, Kwar, and Dangduru, are also susceptible to high risks. "Rising water levels or potential dam breaches could threaten project infrastructure, disrupt operations, and increase downstream flood risk," the report said. It highlights major vulnerabilities across four tehsils of the Kishtwar district due to the threat of glacial lake outburst floods. The report highlighted significant ecological concerns as well. "Contamination of local water sources due to floodwaters could further impact public health and ecological balance," it said, while warning of potential habitat loss and biodiversity threats in the Kishtwar High Altitude National Park. Two lakes -- Mundiksar and Hangu -- have been classified as high-risk, while Palta Pani and another unnamed lake have been categorised as moderate-risk. Explaining the scientific basis of the warning, the report said, "The presence of multiple glacial lakes at varying elevations and their proximity to each other heightens the risk of outburst floods, which could be triggered by factors such as rapid ice melt, landslides, or seismic activity." Kishtwar, located in the Western Himalayas, has 197 glacial lakes -- the highest in Jammu and Kashmir -- and accounts for over one-third of all such lakes in the Union Territory. Many of these are small, but recent decades have seen a rapid expansion due to climate change, the report said. "The accelerated retreat of glaciers, driven by rising temperatures, has resulted in the formation and expansion of several glacial lakes in the region, increasing the risk of GLOFs." The report called for immediate mitigation measures, including continuous monitoring, early warning systems, drainage and reinforcement of moraine dams, risk mapping, and community preparedness. "Local communities in Kishtwar must be educated about the risks of GLOFs and trained in emergency response," it stressed. About long-term strategies, it recommended climate-resilient construction, afforestation to stabilise slopes, and sustained research and development on glacial dynamics. It also suggested earmarking a portion of District Planning and Development Council funds specifically for GLOF preparedness. "Our commitment to safeguarding lives and infrastructure against GLOFs reflects a broader vision of building a resilient future for Kishtwar," the plan said. "Through sustained efforts, we can significantly mitigate the risks posed by natural hazards and foster a safe, secure environment for current and future generations," it added. Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis late night to discuss the ongoing hunger strike by activist Manoj Jarange in Mumbai to press for Maratha quota, sources said on Sunday. IMAGE: A high-level government delegation led by Justice Sandeep Shinde (retired) meets Maratha quota reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who is on an indefinite fast and protest for Maratha reservation at Azad Maidan, in Mumbai on Saturday. Photograph: ANI Photo Vikhe Patil heads a cabinet sub-committee on issues related to the Maratha community's demand for reservation and its social, educational and economic condition. Jarange has been staging an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai from Friday over his demand for a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. He has demanded that Marathas be recognised as Kunbis -- an agrarian caste included in the OBC category -- which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education, A government-appointed delegation led by retired high court Justice Sandeep Shinde on Saturday met Jarange, who demanded that Marathas in Marathwada be given the Kunbi status and a government resolution (GR) be issued saying Kunbis and Marathas are same. Justice Shinde heads a committee set up to scrutinise Kunbi records of the Maratha community, Vikhe Patil met CM Fadnavis late Saturday night to discuss the issue. The meeting lasted for an hour, according to sources. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Girish Mahajan was also present at the meet. The cabinet sub-committee headed by Vikhe Patil will meet again on Sunday. Jarange on Saturday slammed CM Fadnavis for sending Justice Shinde to hold talks with him. "It is not Justice Shinde's job to issue a GR announcing grant of reservation to Marathas," Jarange said, vowing to continue the agitation. Fadnavis has said the government was trying to find a solution to the issue within the constitutional and legal framework. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday attended the official reception for Heads of State and Heads of Government at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, where he met with several world leaders and dignitaries. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a group picture with Chinese President Xi Jinping, his wife Peng Liyuan, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other SCO leaders during the Official Reception for Heads of States and Heads of Governments at the SCO Summit, in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. Photograph: Narendra Modi Photo Gallery/ANI Photo Modi was received at the venue by Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan. On arrival, the Prime Minister exchanged greetings with the Chinese President before joining other leaders for the customary family photo session. Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other heads of state were also present for the group photograph. During the reception, PM Modi interacted with leaders of several nations. He first met Nepali Prime Minister KP Oli, describing the long-standing cultural and historical ties between India and Nepal. PM Modi wrote on X, "Delighted to meet Nepal PM Mr. KP Oli in Tianjin. India's relations with Nepal are deep-rooted and very special." He then held a conversation with Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu. He noted the developmental partnership between the two nations. "Interacted with President Muizzu of Maldives on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin. India's developmental cooperation with Maldives is greatly beneficial for our people, PM Modi wrote on X, posting a picture with Muizzu Modi also interacted with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. Recalling his earlier visit to Egypt, the Prime Minister wrote, "Met PM Mostafa Madbouly of Egypt at the SCO Summit. Fondly recalled my Egypt visit a few years ago. India-Egypt friendship is scaling newer heights of progress!" At the reception, Modi met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Reflecting optimism about bilateral ties, PM Modi said, "Glad to have met President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus. We both are very optimistic about the beneficial opportunities ahead as far as our nations are concerned." He later greeted Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, highlighting the growing ties between the two nations. Sharing the moment, PM Modi posted, "Always a pleasure to interact with Mr. Emomali Rahmon, the President of Tajikistan. India's trade and cultural linkages are increasing and this is a wonderful sign." Further, PM met President Tokayev of Kazakhstan and mentioned that both "nations are working closely in many key sectors, including energy, security, healthcare and pharma." Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan hosted a banquet in Tianjin for international guests attending the SCO Summit, Xinhua reported. The gathering provided an opportunity for leaders to strengthen bilateral ties in an informal setting ahead of the formal sessions. The official programme of the SCO Summit will commence on the morning of September 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, following the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said on Sunday. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives to attend the Official Reception for Heads of States and Heads of Governments at the SCO Summit, in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. Photograph: Narendra Modi Photo Gallery/ANI Photo During a special briefing in Tianjin, Misri confirmed that the prime minister will first address the SCO plenary session before meeting President Putin. "Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will be addressing the plenary session of the Summit, where he will outline India's approach to fostering regional cooperation under the SCO umbrella. After this engagement, he is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, following which he will depart for India," Misri said. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO leaders' summit. This was their first meeting after the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in 2024. Modi later joined the official reception of the summit, hosted by President Xi at the Tianjin Meijiang International Convention and Exhibition Center. He was greeted warmly by Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, before joining other world leaders for a group photograph symbolising regional unity. Russian President Vladimir Putin also attended the official reception along with senior members of his delegation, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, Deputy Chief of Staff Maxim Oreshkin, Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov and Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to Russian news agency TASS. Further, PM Modi invited Xi Jinping to the BRICS Summit that India will host in 2026, the external affairs ministry said. President Xi thanked Modi for the invitation and offered China's support to India's BRICS Presidency. Russia is also a part of BRICS nations. India is preparing to take over the leadership of BRICS from Brazil, the current president.PM Modi also held a bilateral meeting with the acting President and military chief of Myanmar, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tianjin. Modi noted that India attaches importance to its ties with Myanmar as part of its 'Neighbourhood First', 'Act East', and Indo-Pacific policies. The two leaders reviewed bilateral ties and discussed the way forward on several aspects of bilateral cooperation, including development partnerships, defence and security, border management, and border trade issues, the MEA stated. India is committed to taking forward its ties with China based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity as cooperation between the two countries is linked to the welfare of 2.8 billion people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, China, on Sunday. Photograph: DD/ANI Video Grab In his televised opening remarks at the meeting, Modi also noted that the disengagement of troops by the two sides on the border created an atmosphere of peace and stability. The talks between the two leaders on the margins of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin came against the backdrop of turbulence triggered by the Trump administration's tariff tussle. "Our cooperation is linked to the interests of 2.8 billion people of our two countries. This will also pave the way for the welfare of all humanity," Modi said. "We are committed to advancing our relations based on mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity," he said. It is learnt that the overall focus of the Modi-Xi talks was to carry forward the process to normalise the bilateral ties that came under severe strain following the eastern Ladakh border standoff. Modi landed in Tianjin on Saturday evening from Japan in the second leg of his two-nation trip. It is the Indian prime minister's first trip to China after the border row that began in May 2020. In his remarks, Modi also listed measures initiated between the two sides since his meeting with Xi in October last year. "Last year in Kazan, we had very productive discussions, which gave a positive direction to our relations." "After the disengagement at the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability is now in place. Our Special Representatives have also reached an agreement on border management," Modi said. "The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has resumed. Direct flights are also being resumed between the two countries," he added. The prime minister held talks with the Chinese president in October last year in Russia's Kazan, which took place days after India and China reached an understanding to end the standoff in eastern Ladakh. India and China have a framework called the Special Representatives on the boundary question to address issues relating to the border. The prime minister also congratulated Xi on China's successful presidency of the SCO. "I congratulate China on its successful presidency of the SCO. Once again, we extend heartfelt gratitude for the invitation to visit China and for our meeting today," Modi said. The specific outcomes of the Modi-Xi talks are not yet known. Ahead of his trip to Tianjin, Modi said it is important for India and China to work together to bring stability to the world economic order. In an interview with Japan's The Yomiuri Shimbun, Modi said stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China can have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity. "Given the current volatility in world economy, it is also important for India and China, as two major economies, to work together to bring stability to the world economic order," Modi said in the interview published on Friday. Modi's trip to China comes less than a fortnight after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India. Following Wang's wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the two sides unveiled a series of measures for a "stable, cooperative and forward-looking" relationship. The measures included joint maintenance of peace along the contested frontier, reopening border trade and resuming direct flight services at the earliest. In the last few months, both sides have initiated a series of measures to reset their ties that came under severe strain following the deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020. India and China on Sunday agreed to work towards a "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable" solution to their festering border issue as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to expand trade and investment ties to stabilise global trade. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold bilateral talks in Tianjin, China on August 31, 2025. Photograph: Press Information Bureau In their talks on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, Modi and Xi focused on deepening bilateral economic ties at a time India is going through possibly the worst phase of its relations with the US in over two decades with the strain exacerbated by President Donald Trump's tariff policy and constant criticism of New Delhi by his administration. PM Modi, on his first visit to China in seven years, underlined the importance of peace and tranquility on the border areas for continued development of bilateral ties and asserted that New Delhi is committed to advancing the relations based on "mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity". "Our cooperation is linked to the interests of 2.8 billion people of our two countries. This will also pave the way for the welfare of all humanity," Modi said in Hindi in his televised opening remarks. An Indian readout said, Modi and Xi, delving into economic and trade relations, recognised the role of their two economies to stabilise world trade. After over four years of frosty ties over the eastern Ladakh military standoff, India and China began to repair the relations following a meeting between Modi and Xi in the Russian city of Kazan in October last year that took place after the face-off ended. The talks between Modi and Xi covered a range of issues including reducing their trade deficit, tackling challenges like terrorism and ensuring fair trade in multilateral platforms. At a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said maintenance of peace and tranquility at the border is like an insurance policy for India-China ties and PM Modi conveyed this position to President Xi. VIDEO: Modi holds talks with Xi in Tianjin The prime minister also mentioned the challenge of cross-border terrorism and pitched for extending support to each other to combat the menace as both India and China have been impacted by it, he added. Modi and Xi recognised the role of the two economies to stabilise world trade and underlined the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to expand bilateral trade and investment ties and reduce trade deficit, the ministry of external affairs said in the readout. "They expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples," it said. The MEA said the prime minister noted that India and China both pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens, it said. "The two leaders deemed it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges, like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms," it added. In a social media post, Modi described his talks with Xi as "fruitful". "We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and reaffirmed our commitment to cooperation based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity," he said. In the last few months, both sides have initiated a series of measures to reset their ties that came under severe strain following the deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020. In his remarks, Xi made an indirect reference to turbulence triggered by the US policies on trade and tariff. The Chinese president talked about "both fluid and chaotic" global situations and said India and China, as important members of the Global South, should strengthen cooperation on major international and regional issues, defend international fairness and justice, uphold multilateralism, and promote a multipolar world. Modi said in the meeting that an atmosphere of peace and stability has been prevailing along the border since he and Xi met in October last year in the Russian city of Kazan. "Both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan in October. They reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners and not rivals, and that their differences should not turn into disputes," the MEA said. "A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion peoples on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multipolar world and a multi-polar Asia befitting the trends of the 21st century," it said. Modi noted that India and China both pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens, according to the MEA. "The two leaders deemed it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges, like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms," it said. It said the two leaders noted with satisfaction the successful disengagement of troops last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquility along the border areas since then. "They recognised the important decisions taken by the two Special Representatives in their Talks earlier this month, and agreed to further support their efforts," it added. Modi and Xi also noted the need to strengthen people-to-people ties through direct flights and visa facilitation, building on the resumption of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and tourist visas. "On economic and trade relations, they recognised the role of their two economies to stabilize world trade. They underlined the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to expand bilateral trade and investment ties and reduce trade deficit," the MEA said. Modi also expressed support for China's presidency of the SCO and the summit in Tianjin. He also invited President Xi to the BRICS summit that India will be hosting in 2026. President Xi thanked Modi for the invitation and offered China's support to India's BRICS Presidency, according to the MEA. Modi also had a meeting with Cai Qi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China. The prime minister shared with Cai his vision for bilateral relations and sought his support to realise the vision of the two leaders, the MEA said. "Cai reiterated the Chinese side's desire to expand bilateral exchanges and further improve relations in line with the consensus reached between the two leaders," it said. Polygon is starting the week with some fresh energy as Giottus, a major Indian crypto exchange, now offers QuickSwaps QUICK token in INR and USDT trading pairs. The listing is opening the door for even more users in the Indian market, as we know how big the Indian crypto scene is. POL, the Polygon crypto token, is testing its $0.38 support level as the market dips. The hum around Polygon is also likely due to its recent government boosts. The US Department of Commerce posted GDP data on the blockchain, which was a big move. (Indian crypto market, source Statista) Meanwhile, the Philippines has notarized public funds via BayaniChain, a platform on Polygon. One of the senators, Bam Aquino, has been pushing for national budget tracking using Polygon, citing the need to prevent falsification as his reason. These data show Polygon crypto strength, especially in regulated finance. (POLUSD, source TradingView) Polygon Catalysts and The Global Crypto Sentiment Today, Polygon saw a 10% monthly gain, a bump to $0.25. The jump is driven by Courtyard NFTs, which stand at the #1 spot in 24-hour sales, with a volume of 826 million POL crypto tokens. Bull is thinking about the potential 53% rally to $0.90 once the $0.58 resistance level is breached, although it is far from its Polygon Matic all-time high. Polygon crypto POL was MATIC before being rebranded as POL. Grayscale is another catalyst as the company decided to add Polygon to its spot ETFs. However, the crypto market is experiencing a big decline this week, with the total market cap falling from $4 trillion to $3.77 trillion after a big $900 million in liquidations. dropped below $110,000 for the first time since July, while remained steady around $4,300, a notable big dip after it reached ATH close to $5,000. Altcoins, particularly and Hyperliquid, managed to rebound, with above $200 SOL, and close to $45 HYPE. Cronos saw a big spike to multi-year highs, although it cooled down afterward. Trumps DJT surely was the catalyst. DISCOVER: Top Solana Meme Coins to Buy in 2025 Pig Butchering: Cryptos Darker Side On the darker side of things, pig butchering scams wreaked havoc this week, with authorities in the APAC region freezing $47 million in USDT linked to fraudulent schemes. Victims is lossing millions through fake romance scams and farudulent crypto investment. One of the victim is woman from Virginia, which in the end lost her $1.3 million. (Crypto scam revenue, source Chainalysis) The US Department of Justice has also seized $225 million from a stablecoin investment fraud scheme, part of a larger $5.8 billion in losses projected for 2024. Scammers are continuing their playbook by refunding small amounts to build trust before disappearing. Along with these scams, ransomware and wrench attacks are also on the rise. It contributed to an illicit market volume that ranged between $45 billion and $51 billion last year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in Tianjin on Sunday, their first in about 10 months, for wide-ranging talks aimed at improving relations. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives a rousing welcome from Chinese artists upon his arrival at a hotel, in Tianjin on Saturday. Photograph: DPR PMO/ANI Photo The meeting assumes significance in view of a sudden downturn in India-US ties triggered by Washington, DC's policies on trade and tariffs. Modi and Xi will meet on the sidelines of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit beginning Sunday. Considering the scope of issues for discussion, official sources indicated that they could meet again later in the day. The two leaders last met in October in Kazan, Russia, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. Before leaving for India on Monday, Modi is also expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. The SCO summit will begin with an official banquet hosted by Xi on Sunday. Twenty foreign leaders are attending the SCO Plus summit being organised by China, which is this year's rotating chair of the 10-member bloc comprising Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus and China. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also taking part in the summit. Leaders who arrived in Tianjin included Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu. The leaders' summit will be held on Monday. This summit, the largest so far by the SCO, will be one of the most important head-of-state and home-ground diplomacy events in China this year, China's Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin had said earlier. In his keynote speech at the summit, Xi will elaborate on China's new vision and propositions for the SCO in carrying forward the 'Shanghai Spirit', shouldering the mission of the times and responding to people's expectations, he said. Most of the leaders are expected to stay beyond the two-day summit to witness China's largest military parade to be held in Beijing on September 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday agreed to work towards a "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable" solution to the India-China border issue and pledged to expand trade and investment ties recognising the role of the two economies to stabilise global trade. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, China, on Sunday. Photograph: Modi website/ANI Photo In their wide-ranging talks, the two leaders largely focused on boosting trade and investment ties, a move that came against the backdrop of disruptions in global trade triggered by US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs including a whopping 50 per cent on Indian goods. In the meeting held on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, PM Modi underlined the importance of peace and tranquility on the border areas for the continued development of India-China ties and said that New Delhi is committed to advancing the relations based on "mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity". The two leaders vowed to expand bilateral trade and investment ties, reduce trade deficit and agreed to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms, according to an Indian readout. "Our cooperation is linked to the interests of 2.8 billion people of our two countries. This will also pave the way for the welfare of all humanity," Modi said in Hindi in his televised opening remarks. Modi and Xi recognised the role of the two economies to stabilise world trade and underlined the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to expand bilateral trade and investment ties and reduce trade deficit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in the readout. "The prime minister noted that India and China both pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens," it said. "The two leaders deemed it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges, like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms," it added. In a social media post, Modi described his talks with Xi as "fruitful". "We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and reaffirmed our commitment to cooperation based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity," he said. In the last few months, both sides have initiated a series of measures to reset their ties that came under severe strain following the deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020. Modi, who landed in China last evening after a gap of seven years, said in the meeting that an atmosphere of peace and stability has been prevailing along the border since he and Xi met in October last year in the Russian city of Kazan. "Both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan in October. They reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners and not rivals, and that their differences should not turn into disputes," the MEA said. "A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion peoples on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multipolar world and a multi-polar Asia befitting the trends of the 21st century," it said. It said the two leaders noted with satisfaction the successful disengagement of troops last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquility along the border areas since then. "They expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples," it said. "They recognised the important decisions taken by the two Special Representatives in their talks earlier this month, and agreed to further support their efforts," it added. Modi and Xi also noted the need to strengthen people-to-people ties through direct flights and visa facilitation, building on the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and tourist visa. "On economic and trade relations, they recognised the role of their two economies to stabilise world trade. They underlined the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to expand bilateral trade and investment ties and reduce trade deficit," the MEA said. Modi also expressed support for China's presidency of the SCO and the summit in Tianjin. He also invited President Xi to the BRICS summit that India will be hosting in 2026. President Xi thanked Modi for the invitation and offered China's support to India's BRICS Presidency, according to the MEA. Modi also had a meeting with Cai Qi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China. The prime minister shared with Cai his vision for bilateral relations and sought his support to realise the vision of the two leaders, the MEA said. "Cai reiterated the Chinese side's desire to expand bilateral exchanges and further improve relations in line with the consensus reached between the two leaders," it said. Chinese President Xi Jinping told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday that it is the 'right choice' for the two countries to be 'friends' and they should not let the border dispute define their relations. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, China, on Sunday. Photograph: Modi website/ANI Photo The talks between the two leaders took place on the margins of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin. Xi told Modi that the two Asian neighbours should work together to ensure peace and tranquility in their border regions, and should not let the border issue define the overall China-India relations. India and China are cooperation partners, not rivals, and the two countries are each other's development opportunities rather than threats, Xi said. As long as the two countries stick to this overarching direction, China-India relations can sustain steady and long-term growth, Xi said. "It is the right choice for both to be friends who have good neighbourly and amicable ties, partners who enable each other's success, and to have the dragon and the elephant dance together," he said. The meeting between the two leaders took place against the backdrop of Washington's tariff tussle that has impacted almost all leading economies across the world. Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of China-India diplomatic relations, Xi said the two countries need to view and handle bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective to ensure their sustained, sound and steady development. Xi said China and India should become neighbours on good terms and partners helping each other succeed. A 'cooperative pas de deux (dance) of the dragon and the elephant' should be the right choice for the two countries, he said. He called on New Delhi and Beijing to strengthen strategic communication to deepen mutual trust, expand exchanges and win-win cooperation, heed each other's concerns to seek harmonious coexistence, and enhance multilateral collaboration to safeguard common interests. We both shoulder the historical responsibility of improving the well-being of our two peoples, promoting the solidarity and rejuvenation of developing countries, and propelling the progress of human society, Xi said. In an apparent dig at US President Donald Trump's unilateral policies, he also said both countries should uphold multilateralism. "We must also step up our historic responsibility to uphold multilateralism, work together to bring about a multipolar world and more democracy in international relations and to make our due contributions to peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world," he said. Xi also told Modi that the world is currently going through once-in-a-century transformations. The international situation is both fluid and chaotic. China and India are two ancient civilisations in the east, we are the world's two most populous countries, and we are also the oldest members of the Global South, he said. This was the first meeting of the two leaders in about ten months and it assumed significance in view of a sudden downturn in India-US ties triggered by Washington's policies on trade and tariffs. Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday said tribals of the northeast and other areas of the country will be kept out of the ambit of the proposed Uniform Civil Code so that they can live their lives "freely" as per their systems. IMAGE: Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju cuts the ceremonial ribbon during the Suru Summer Festival at Namsuru Village in Suru Valley, in Kargil, Ladakh, August 27, 2025. Photograph: @KirenRijiju X/ANI Photo Speaking at an event organised by RSS-affiliate Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram in Kargil, he clarified the Union government's stand on the issue, saying that "some people create a bizarre atmosphere on social media these days and build a narrative" against the Centre. Rijiju, however, did not mention anybody's name. "Being a Union minister, I want to share the stand of our government. Our government and party (BJP) think about (bringing) a Uniform Civil Code in the country as per the Constitution. When criminal law is equal for all, why should the civil law also not be (equal for everyone)," the minister said. He said some states have already initiated work in this connection. "But we have clearly said that tribals will be exempted from this. Let advisais be given freedom to live in their own way. This (UCC) will not be implemented in Schedule 6, Schedule 5, the northeast and other tribal areas in the country," the minister added. The issue of UCC is currently being examined by the Law Commission. Uttarakhand has so far implemented UCC in the state. Speaking at the inauguration of a Tribal Research and Training Centre at Bhagwan Birsa Munda Bhavan, Rijiju launched a veiled attack at the Congres, saying there was a time when there was "no big institution or place for advisais in Delhi". Representation of elected MPs from tribal communities in the council of ministers at the Centre was also inadequate then, he said. "Arvind Netam, a very senior leader from undivided Madhya Pradesh, was a minister of state then. When I met him and asked how many more leaders from scheduled tribes are senior ministers or state ministers in the Union government, he said just one or two," Rijiju told the gathering. "He told me that he won parliamentary elections several times but he was given the status of a minister of state only. He was expressing his agony," he added. Rijiju hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the work done under his leadership for the welfare and uplift of tribals in the country. "What the Narendra Modi government has done for the uplift of tribals in this country nobody had ever even thought about it before," he said. Rijiju said there are three Cabinet ministers, including him, and four ministers of state from the tribal community in the Modi government today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday flagged concerns over cross-border terrorism in his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and pitched for cooperation between India and China to combat the menace as both the countries are its victims. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. Photograph: DPR PMO/ANI Photo Foreign secretary Vikram Misri, at a media briefing, said the issue of cross-border terrorism was mentioned by PM Modi as a "priority". Modi and Xi held wide-ranging talks with a focus on rebuilding the bilateral relations that came under severe strain following the over four-year border standoff in eastern Ladakh that ended in October last year. "Cross-border terrorism was mentioned by the prime minister as a priority. And, I would add that he did underline the fact that this is something that impacts both India and China." "And, that it's important therefore that we extend understanding and extend support to each other as both of us combat cross-border terrorism," he said. "I would in fact like to say that we have received the understanding and cooperation of China as we have dealt with the issue of cross-border terrorism in the context of the ongoing SCO summit," he added. The foreign secretary's remarks are seen to be an indication that the SCO declaration to be unveiled on Monday may comprise some criticism or condemnation of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. Pakistan has been an all weather ally of China and Beijing in the past had blocked New Delhi's efforts to designate a number of Pakistan-based terrorists by the UN Security Council. Misri said the two leaders exchanged views on jointly fighting terrorism. To a question on whether PM Modi raised the Pahalgam terror attack and use of Chinese equipment by the Pakistan army during India-Pakistan military conflict in May, Misri did not give a direct reply. "All I'll say is that, without going into the specifics, that the issue was discussed. It was raised by the prime minister, and he outlined his understanding very, very crisply and very specifically on this issue," he said. "He outlined the fact that this is a scourge that both China and India have been victims of, and India is still combating this menace. And he asked for China's support on this particular issue. And, as I said, the Chinese have extended their support in various ways on addressing this issue," he noted. Modi landed in China on Saturday on a two-day visit that came after a gap of seven years. He is in China to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. BRATTLEBORO Archeology along the recently restored floodplain on Birge Street helps illustrate the rich industrial history of Brattleboro. "This research conducted has proven to be a valuable dataset that contributes, in many ways, to shaping the historical narrative of mill workers in Vermont," said Danielle Duguid, project manager and principal investigator with Hartgen Archeological Associates. "Most importantly, it's added direct ties to the families who toiled and prospered living in the lumber yard of the Holden & Martin sawmill." In a virtual event Thursday, Duguid presented information about her group's discoveries. Hartgen was hired for archeological work of the floodplain restoration project now known as Kikitta Ahki, with funding from the town, Vermont River Conservancy and Vermont Emergency Management. The Brattleboro Historical Society provided information. Duguid said the archeological site was initially identified during test excavations in 2018 during archeological permitting for the floodplain restoration project. "The plans for the larger project involve removing many feet of modern and historic fill across the 12 acres of the floodplain to allow natural flooding of the area and prevent catastrophic flooding from overflowing into the rest of downtown Brattleboro, which had occurred in 2011 following Hurricane Irene," she said. "Large scale archeological excavations and research are conducted to preserve as much of the information as possible before the site gets destroyed by the planned development or construction. The information and knowledge that's gained from this effort is then gathered into a large report, discussed with community and given to museums to preserve the history for future generations." 'The listening place': Brattleboro soon to take ownership of new park BRATTLEBORO In the 1970s, a group of kids known as the Esteyville Gang cavorted, swam and Duguid said indigenous peoples began to set up permanent settlements and built villages in the study area. Her group found a few small fragments of stone tools they used. Brooks traveling the Connecticut River "provided ease of transportation and more importantly hydropower for the 18th and 19th century settlers along the Whetstone Brook," Duguid said. "Dozens of saw mills, woolen factories, tanneries and other water powered industries began to pop up during the 18th and 19th century," she said. "Subsequent mill operations ran adjacent to the study area from the 1830s to the 1960s as well as in many more other locations." John Birge, who the street was named for, constructed a woolen mill in 1838. It changed hands over the years. In the 19th century, David and Catherine Leahy bought 8 acres of the meadow right next to a mill to build their home. The Irish immigrant couple ended up splitting up, and their land and house were sold to the up-and-coming Holden & Martin Milling Company in 1904. The home housed families employed at the mill. "With a reputation of investing in their employees," Duguid said of Holden & Martin, "they applauded themselves on providing reasonable priced worker housing throughout Brattleboro, utilizing a rent-to-own model for any of their housing and never defaulting on a loan." Duguid counted a total of 5,968 architectural artifacts found by her group during excavations. They included wooden beams, slate shingles, window glass, nails, hardware and bricks. These materials "vastly outnumbered the domestic and personal assemblages," Duguid said. A total of 4,300 nails were catalogued. They're "actually particularly useful for historic archeologists as the shapes and sizes are diagnostic," Duguid said. Slate discovered by her group was "definitely local to the area," Duguid said. They made the determination based off its color. "Faunal remains were found throughout the site as well, helping archeologists understand what the families at the Leahy home were consuming," she said. "Through looking at the bones, researchers can determine the species and also examine cut marks and butcher marks for information about how animals were processed." Duguid said bones from cattle, pig, sheep, goat and horse bones were identified in the approximately 300 final remains analyzed. Personal items discovered included tobacco pipe stems, leather shoes, children's toys, burnt vinyl records and a rosary. Duguid suggested the large number of toys at the site may indicate they were used to distract families from the dangers of the nearby mill. Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has vowed that Tehran will not bow to pressure despite the impending triggering of a UN mechanism that would restore sanctions over its alleged grave noncompliance" of the 2015 nuclear deal. "We are not volunteering for sanctions, but this time, too, the Iranian people will neither back down nor bow to pressure," Aref said on August 31 during a weekly cabinet meeting, according to the ISNA news agency. His comments come as Iran weighs its response to a decision by Britain, France, and Germany -- known as the European 3 (E3) -- on August 28 to formally initiate the "snapback" process, which is due to become effective in 30 days, leaving open the possibility of further negotiations. The E3 foreign ministers said, "We will use the 30-day period to continue engaging with Iran regarding our extension offer or any meaningful diplomatic efforts to restore its compliance with commitments." They emphasized that they "share the fundamental objective that Iran must never seek, acquire, or develop a nuclear weapon." Despite the defiant talk, Tehran may have few alternatives than to negotiate in hopes of fending off the sanctions, given the state of its economy and isolation from much of the world economy following previous rounds of sanctions. Aref questioned whether the E3 nations have the legal authority to trigger snapback mechanism at the UN Security Council. "Of course, if the snapback is implemented, the necessary decisions will be taken accordingly," Aref added, without offering specifics. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on August 29 rejected Tehran's assertion that the E3 did not have the authority to trigger the mechanism and said the 30-day window before the sanctions took effect provided an "opportunity" for diplomacy. "We have these 30 days to sort things out," she told reporters. The action puts Iran at risk of facing renewed sanctions that had been removed as part of the 2015 landmark nuclear accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Western nations have justified the reimposition of sanctions because of what they say are repeated Iranian violations of the 2015 accord. The deal was designed to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon -- something Tehran has long insisted it is not pursuing. It outlines strict rules for independent monitoring of Iran's nuclear activities and imposes caps on both the amount of uranium it can possess and the level to which it may be enriched. Iran started to roll back its commitments after the United States withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. Iran has progressively accelerated its nuclear program since, now enriching uranium to 60 percent purity -- far above the 3.67 percent cap under the JCPOA. Iran suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency in July in response to the US and Israeli bombing of its key nuclear sites in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz. One of the conditions that the E3 had set to delay the process was for Tehran to resume full cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog before the end of August. The sanctions related to the nuclear deal and other issues have severely damaged the Iranian economy and often led to street unrest amid rising prices and shortages of crucial goods and energy supplies. They have also stymied Iranian industry as important sectors have been cut off from replacement parts and other resources. With reporting by Reuters and AFP LVIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian authorities launched a manhunt for the attacker who brazenly shot dead former parliamentary speaker Andriy Parubiy on the streets of the western city of Lviv on August 30. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the killing of the internationally well-known politician a "horrific murder" and said "all necessary forces and means" will be used to capture the culprit. The crime was, unfortunately, carefully prepared. But every effort is being made to solve this crime, Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian Security Service, the country's main internal security agency, was involved in the investigation and was "instructed to ensure that accurate, verified information be shared promptly with the public." Mykola Meret, Lviv's chief prosecutor, said all potential motives for the killing were being investigated, including any possible Russian involvement. Parubiy, 54, was a prominent political figure and key participant in Ukraines 201314 Revolution of Dignity, also known as the Maidan revolution against the Russian-allied Ukrainian government at the time. He served as chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraines parliament, from 2016-19. Additionally, he was secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council from February to August 2014, a critical period when fighting began in eastern Ukraine and Russia annexed the Crimea Peninsula. The shooting occurred around noon on Yefremova Street, near Parubiys residence, according to a correspondent from RFE/RLs Ukrainian Serviceat the scene. Law enforcement confirmed that the former lawmaker died instantly from his injuries. Authorities found eight shell casings at the crime scene. Sources told reporters the shooter was dressed like a courier for a delivery service and fled the scene on an electric bicycle. The BBC, citing sources, reported that the drivers uniform was that of the delivery company Glovo. The British news outlet quoted a spokeswoman for Glovo as saying the firm was "deeply shocked by the brutal crime" and would cooperate fully with the investigation. Parubiy was widely praised by Ukrainian political leaders Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called Parubiy as "a patriot and statesman who made an enormous contribution to the defense of the freedom, independence, and sovereignty of Ukraine." "He was a man who place rightfully belongs in history textbooks," Sybiha added. Former President Petro Poroshenko said the killing of Parubiy was "a shot fired at the heart of Ukraine," the BBC reported. "Andriy was a great man and a true friend. That is why they take this revenge, that is what they are afraid of," he wrote on Telegram, referring to Parubiys efforts to build the Ukrainian military. What can be said for certain is that these monsters are afraid, and that is why they kill true patriots and strong people, he wrote on social media. This crime is not just shots fired at a person. It is a shot at the army. It is a shot at the language. It is a shot at faith. It is a shot at the heart of Ukraine. Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, wrote on X that she was deeply shocked by the terrible murder, while Geoffrey Pyatt -- a former US ambassador to Ukraine -- said Parubiy was a "truly historic figure who played a pivotal role in building a democratic and European Ukraine." With reporting by Reuters, CNN, and the BBC On the morning of August 31, 2025, President Xi Jinping met at the Tianjin Guest House with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is in China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2025 and the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The two leaders announced the establishment of a strategic partnership between China and Armenia. President Xi underscored that China and Armenia enjoy a time-honored friendship, which has grown ever stronger over time. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 33 years ago, the two countries have respected and trusted each other, and benefited and learned from each other, leading to the sustained, sound, and steady development of bilateral relations. The establishment of the strategic partnership is an important milestone in the history of China-Armenia relations. The two sides should carry forward their traditional friendship, lend each other firm support, deepen cooperation in various fields, and strive for continuous progress in bilateral relations from a new starting point. President Xi stressed that the two sides should work together to pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, strengthen connectivity, and promote exchanges in such areas as education, science and technology, culture, and tourism, to deliver more benefits to the two peoples. China supports Armenia in joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and stands ready to work with Armenia to practice true multilateralism and build a community with a shared future for humanity. Prime Minister Pashinyan noted that under the leadership of President Xi, China has made remarkable development achievements. Armenia hopes to learn from Chinas experience to boost its own economic and social development. The establishment of the strategic partnership will elevate Armenia-China relations to a higher level and bring new opportunities and vitality to bilateral cooperation. Armenia is firmly committed to the one-China principle. It looks forward to expanding economic and trade cooperation with China, maintaining close coordination in international and regional affairs, and promoting greater development of bilateral relations. The two sides issued the Joint Statement Between the Peoples Republic of China and the Republic of Armenia on Establishing the Strategic Partnership, and signed multiple bilateral cooperation documents in such areas as market regulation, metrology, and media. Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Chen Miner, among others, were present at the meeting. Nvidia surpassed analyst expectations when it reported earnings this week, but it also revealed the influence of its two biggest customers has grown. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the chipmaker disclosed two anonymous customers together made up 39% of its revenue for the second quarter, an increase from the same period last year. Nvidias second-quarter earnings narrowly beat analyst expectations, but the company also revealed the growing influence of two of its biggest customers who, together, accounted for 39% of its revenue. Two anonymous customers, identified in a filing as Customer A and Customer B, made up 23% and 16% of the companys Q2 revenue, respectively, according to Nvidias most recent quarterly filing with the SEC. In the same quarter last year, buyers identified as Customer A and Customer B made up just 14% and 11%, respectively. Nvidias stock was the hottest of 2024 and is up about 30% year to date, but its customer concentration raises questions about vulnerabilities. If these two mystery customers change their buying habits, for instance, it could cost the chipmaker greatly. Nvidias chief financial officer, Colette Kress, also said in a statement that half of the revenue brought in by its biggest moneymaking segment, its data-center business, relied on cloud providers. Nvidia controls more than 90% of the AI GPU market, but some cloud providers, namely Google and Amazon, have begun offering alternatives to Nvidia chipsand have even started developing their own hardware. Still, at least one analyst downplayed the influence of Nvidias mystery customers. Although its buyers spending could change, the demand for AI progress remains high, and Nvidias chips are the best in the industry, said Dave Novosel, senior investment analyst for telecommunications, media, and technology at Gimme Credit. The concentration of revenue among such a small group of customers does present a significant risk, Novosel told Fortune. But fortunately for Nvidia, these customers have bountiful cash on hand, generate massive amounts of free cash flow, and are expected to spend lavishly on data centers over the next couple of years. In its SEC filing, Nvidia noted that both of its biggest anonymous buyers are direct customers. These customers buy directly from Nvidia, but may not be the ultimate user of the chips. Some examples listed in the filing include, but arent limited to, add-in board manufacturers, distributors, original design manufacturers (ODMs), original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and system integrators. NOVI SAD, Serbia -- Serbian universities are hoping to reopen their doors in September following months of student boycotts, but Jelena Stankovic is adamant: "I will not return to my studies." Stankovic is a student at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, the city in northern Serbia that is the epicenter of the biggest wave of nationwide anti-government protests in nearly 30 years. It was here, back in November, that a railway station roof collapsed and killed 16 people. Ever since, students have been leading protests calling for accountability. "The fight must continue," Stankovic told RFE/RL's Balkan Service, while preparing an exhibition on the campus organized by students who are blockading it. She's part of a generation who sacrificed a year of their studies and are now weighing whether to continue the boycott -- or return to class. Stankovic insists it has not been a lost year. "I have met incredible people, both students and professors, with whom I expect to stay in touch even after all this is over," she said. "For me, the most beautiful realization in life is that I can do something else, not just play the piano. That I can think for myself and have other skills in life." In Belgrade, Konstantin Cvetanovic shared photos of student protests at the Physics Faculty, with the word "Blockade" chalked on a blackboard. He agreed that the past year has given him a different kind of education. "Even though we have a shortened academic year, what we have learned about professional integrity during this blockade will be worth much more than the knowledge we may lose," he said. However, he also said it might now be time to go back to school, adding that the protests can still continue. "To be in a situation for months where only the universities are not operating simply makes no sense, and we would only give the authorities motivation to shut down the university, which would in turn reduce the chances for any future uprising," he adds. Some schools took the unusual step of trying to reopen in June, before the summer break. Among them was the Higher Technical School in Subotica, in northern Serbia, where Nenad Gojkovic is enrolled. Gojkovic said he doesn't want to study but noted that many students have already gone back. "I know that many colleagues have already sacrificed a lot, both financially and in terms of time. Many have found jobs to cover expenses. Some are not supported by their parents and manage on their own. Many have lost their scholarships," he said. Stankovic was prepared for the same issue in Novi Sad. "I cannot say that I will feel any resentment toward colleagues who, for objective reasons, cannot continue the struggle as passionately as at the beginning," she said. Belgrade and Novi Sad are the largest universities in Serbia. Data they provided appeared to suggest classes would soon resume. Novi Sad University has opened over 9,500 places for new students for the upcoming academic year. In the first "round," more than 5,300 students enrolled, with the next round in September. The University of Belgrade announced that in the first enrollment 10,984 students were admitted -- 538 fewer than last year. Kyiv's European allies are working on pretty precise plans and a "clear road map" for a potential deployment of troops to Ukraine should a peace deal be struck between Kyiv and Moscow, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. Von der Leyen, in comments published in The Financial Times on August 31, added that any such venture would have the full backing of the United States, which has swayed back and forth on potential involvement over the past year. Security guarantees are paramount and absolutely crucial. We have a clear road map, and we had an agreement in the White House...and this work is going forward very well, von der Leyen told the FT. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has insisted on strong security guarantees from the Western allies, especially the United States, as part of any cease-fire deal with the Russians, who have so far shown no indication of seeking a peace deal. Von der Leyen has been visiting EU member states close to Russia over the weekend, focusing on efforts to increase national defense spending and military readiness. She said European leaders were working on the framework for a multinational troop [deployment] and the backstop of the Americans. Of course, it always needs the political decision of the respective country, because deploying troops is one of the most important sovereign decisions of a nation. [But] the sense of urgency is very high...its moving forward. Its really taking shape. Russia Strikes Odesa Power Facilities by RFE/RL No media source currently available 0:00 0:00:43 0:00 President [Donald] Trump reassured us that there will be [an] American presence as part of the backstop. That was very clear and repeatedly affirmed, she added. European leaders have spoken of potentially sending tens of thousands of troops should a peace deal be struck. US forces would reportedly provide command and control, intelligence, and surveillance asset, but not ground troops. French President Emmanuel Macron has invited European leaders to Paris on September 4 to conduct high-level talks, the FT reported, citing three diplomatic sources. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO chief Mark Rutte, and von der Leyen are among those expected, the report said. Merz, in an interview with German broadcaster ZDF, cautioned that the war could still last for a substantial period but that ending it quickly at Ukraine's expense was not an option. We are trying to end it as quickly as possible. But certainly not at the price of Ukraines capitulation. You could end the war tomorrow if Ukraine surrendered and lost its independence, Merz said. Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine -- which began with Russia's full-scale invasion of February 2022 -- a top priority of his administration. He has grown increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to meet with Zelenskyy and Russia's continued campaign of massive air strikes against Ukrainian civilian targets. Putin has not changed. He is a predator, von der Leyen said. [Trump] wants peace and Putin is not coming to the negotiation table...He has a negative experience with Putin, more and more, Putin does not do what he says. As politicians talked, the violence continued in the war, with Russia maintaining its relentless air attacks on Ukraine on August 31, hitting energy facilities in at least two regions and targeting several other locations across the country. In response, Zelenskyy said Ukraine will continue to defend itself on its own territory and launch long-range strikes at targets in Russia. "We will continue our active operations in exactly the way needed for Ukraines defense. The forces and resources are prepared. New deep strikes have also been planned," Zelenskyy wrote on X on August 31 after receiving a status report from the Ukrainian commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Syrskiy. With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, The Financial Times, Reuters, and dpa KYIV/LVIV -- Russia kept up its relentless air attacks on Ukraine, hitting energy facilities in at least two regions and targeting several other locations across the country amid uncertainty over the prospects for peace efforts following summits in the United States in recent weeks. Drone strikes damaged four facilities in the Odesa region early on August 31, cutting power to more then 29,000 customers, regional head Oleh Kiper said on Telegram, adding that private homes and other buildings were also damaged and one person was injured. "Critical infrastructure is being powered by generators," Kiper said. He said Chernomorsk, a coastal city south of Odesa, was hit hardest. A drone attack hours later hit civilian energy infrastructure in the Chernihiv region in northern Ukraine, leaving 30,000 house households in the Nizhyn district without electricity, regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus said. He said power had been restored to the main hospital and the city water system. The new attacks came as allies of a prominent Ukrainian politician shot dead in the western city of Lviv a day earlier pointed the finger at Russia, and as Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China for the annual meeting of a regional organization that also includes China, India, and seven other countries. Russia Strikes Odesa Power Facilities by RFE/RL No media source currently available 0:00 0:00:43 0:00 Nationwide, air defenses neutralized 126 of the 142 drones they detected overnight, while the rest hit in 10 locations and fragments of downed drones rained down at six other sites, the Ukrainian Air Force said. The barrage followed attacks in the northeastern Sumy region on the Russian border on August 30, where a top village official was wounded, authorities said. In Tianjin, China, Putin attended a reception hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping for leaders arriving for a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which also includes Belarus, India, Iran, and four Central Asian nations, among others, amid tensions with the West over Russia's invasion of Ukraine and other issues. September 1 is the main day of the SCO summit. Putin and Xi met on August 31 and discussed recent contacts between Russia and the United States, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told Russian media outlets. Putin met with US President Donald Trump in Alaska on August 15, his first meeting with a US president since before the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. China has been a crucial partner for Russia since Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, fueling its war economy with oil and gas purchases, providing dual-use items for its military arsenal in the face of Western sanctions, and giving Moscow diplomatic backing on the world stage. Putin is due to remain in China after the summit and attend ceremonies in Beijing marking the defeat of Axis power Japan and the end of World War II, including a military parade on September 3. The Kremlin says he is expected to meet with several leaders including Kim Jong Un of North Korea, a dictatorship that has supported Russia's war against Ukraine by sending weapons and troops. Mourners Pay Tribute To Andriy Parubiy Meanwhile, in Lviv, mourners brought flowers to the site where Andriy Parubiy, a nationalist lawmaker and former parliament speaker, was shot dead in broad daylight on a street near his home on August 30. As law enforcement authorities sought to identify and apprehend the attacker and searched for clues to a possible motive in the shooting, several associates of Parubiy blamed Russia. Lawmaker Mykola Knyazhytskiy said he believed Parubiy's killing was "Russian revenge for his stance," suggesting he was targeted for his support for Ukraine's sovereignty, security, and unity in the face of the Russian invasion. "This is a murder [intended] to frighten and destroy those people who are real, strong, responsible Ukrainian leaders, so that the Ukrainian nation has no future," Knyazhytskiy said. Parubiy, 54, played a prominent role in the Maidan protests of 2013-14, known in Ukraine as the Revolution of Dignity, when huge rallies over then-President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to distance Kyiv from the European Union and move closer to Russia instead led to the collapse of his rule and his flight to Russia. Parubiy was also an important figure in the Orange Revolution, when the declared victory of Yanukovych, the Kremlin favorite in a 2004 presidential election, was overturned following massive protests over evidence of widespread fraud. Whoever carried it out, the one who ordered it and the one who must bear responsibility is Putin, former President Petro Poroshenko, who heads the European Solidarity party, of which Parubiy was a member, said of his killing. Ukrainian authorities have not named any suspects in the contract-style killing of Parubiy, who was speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, from 2016-19. When asked by RFE/RL why Parubiy may have been targeted, the head of the regional police in Lviv said there were many possible theories, including a political motive and the involvement of Russia. No evidence has been presented. The developments came amid questions about the future of efforts to end the war following Trump's August 15 meeting with Putin in Alaska and his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House three days later. Kremlin Praises Trump, Criticizes Europe Trump and Zelenskyy have called for a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents, but Russian officials have thrown cold water on the idea, suggesting that the positions of the two sides are too far apart to make that worthwhile. Many in the West say Putin is playing for time in hopes of taking more territory and has no intention of ending the war unless he succeeds in his goal of subjugating Ukraine. Trump, in an interview with conservative news site Daily Caller aired on August 30, expressed less confidence than he had earlier in the prospect of a one-on-one Putin-Zelenskyy meeting in the near future, but said he believed a three-way meeting with him included would happen. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, meanwhile, praised Trump for seeking to broker a peace and asserted without providing evidence that a "European party of war" is undermining those efforts and pushing Kyiv to pursue a "policy of intractability." Peskov signaled that Russia has no plans for a let-up in attacks, claiming in a state-TV interview that Moscow is ready to seek peace but adding that "so far we don't see reciprocation from Kyiv, and are continuing our special military operation" -- Putin's term for the invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskyy said Ukraine will continue to defend itself on its own territory and launch long-range strikes at targets in Russia. "We will continue our active operations in exactly the way needed for Ukraines defense. The forces and resources are prepared. New deep strikes have also been planned," Zelenskyy wrote on X on August 31 after receiving a status report from the Ukrainian commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Syrskiy. The Pope And An Angel Pope Leo, in remarks following a Sunday prayer on St. Peter's Square, called for a cease-fire, something that the United States and Ukraine have backed but Russia has rejected. "I strongly reiterate my urgent appeal for an immediate cease-fire and a serious commitment to dialogue," Leo said. "Sadly, the war in Ukraine continues to sow death and destruction," he said, mentioning an August 28 attack that killed at least 25 people in Kyiv. "Now is the time for those responsible to renounce the logic of weapons and take the path of negotiation and peace, with the support of the international community," said Leo, who did not mention Russia by name in the remarks. On August 31, mourners held a farewell ceremony for Nadiya, 24, and Anhelina, 2, a mother and daughter who were among 22 people killed in a single Kyiv apartment building in the strike three days earlier. "She was just an angel. We all loved her so much," a woman at the ceremony outside the ruins of the building said of Anhelina. "And Nadiya, our Nadiya, she was our angel too." Key Points These top performers all gained 25% or more in July compared to just 2% for the S&P 500. Only two of those five are up for August so far. 10 stocks we like better than Invesco There were only 22 trading days in July. But that was all the time that the five best-performing S&P 500 stocks that month needed to gain 24% or more. This quintet raced past the 2% return of the S&P 500 and undoubtedly made their shareholders quite happy. Should investors expect more such gains from these five stocks as the rest of 2025 progresses, or should they expect pullbacks? Turns out, this is probably the entirely wrong question to be asking. Image source: Getty Images. Meet the five best stocks in July According to data from Google Finance, the five best-performing S&P 500 stocks in July were 1. Generac (NYSE: GNRC), 2. Invesco (NYSE: IVZ), 3. Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE: NCLH), 4. AES (NYSE: AES), and 5. GE Vernova (NYSE: GEV). Each stock gained between 24% and 36% during the month. Now, here are some interesting observations about those stocks: Four out of these five stocks were up in 2024, and three outperformed the S&P 500. Only GE Vernova stock was up year to date in the first half of 2025, gaining 61% compared to a less than 6% gain for the S&P 500. As of Aug. 28, only two of these five have posted positive returns in August -- Invesco and AES. Do you see a pattern here with the five top-performing stocks from July? If you don't, then congratulations. I submit that there's no pattern there. Wait, what? While it's exciting when a stock performs well, measuring stock performance over a single month doesn't usually lead to actionable takeaways. It's simply too short a time horizon to be meaningful. There's data to back this up. Boston Consulting Group published a study in 2006 showing top stock performers over rolling 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year periods. Among the single-year performers, a stock's valuation was the biggest contributing factor. Put another way, when time horizons shrink, the correlations between a company's business results and its stock price also fade. When short-term thinking rises, the importance of a stock's valuation also rises. Therefore, to predict how a stock will perform over any short time period, investors need to know how to predict how it will be valued by the market. Therein lies the problem. Valuations have a lot to do with investor sentiment, which is fickle. Consider Nvidia as an example. Back in late 2018, investors worried about the company's long-term prospects, and the stock dropped to around 6 times sales. Today, investors feel much better about its future, and it trades at 30 times sales. By Jonathan McCambridge, PA Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly has said she believes every person in Ireland has a trust problem with the US. The left-wing independent TD also spoke about her weekend visit to the Electric Picnic music festival in Co Laois, saying it had energised her. Ms Connolly is the only candidate who has secured the backing needed to get on the presidential ballot paper for the election to replace Michael D Higgins, which is expected at the end of October. The Galway TD has the backing of Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit-Solidarity and independents, and is hoping to attract the support of Sinn Fein. Ms Connolly said she had been energised by a visit to the Electric Picnic festival. Photo: Niall Carson/PA. During an appearance on the RTE This Week programme, she said she is incredibly proud to be the only candidate standing so far. She added: I have been canvassing now for over five weeks all over the country. I am just back from Electric Picnic, I still have the wristband on my wrist. That was an incredible experience, 80,000 people, let me say I was absolutely inspired by the engagement from people who came up to me to talk about the presidency, the election and the role of it. Young people are very much engaged and wishing to talk about the events. It would seem to me from my experience going around the country there is actually a disconnect from the official conversations and commentary and what people are feeling on the ground, on all ages in all parts of Ireland. She added: Electric Picnic was absolutely energising. Ms Connolly was asked about past comments she had made that Ireland cannot trust the US, England or France. She responded: The comments I made in relation to France and America in relation to not trusting them was very much in the context of the genocide in Gaza, very much in context. Have I a trust problem with America? I think every person in the country has a trust problem with America. We have a president, (Donald) Trump, who is volatile, unpredictable, acting like a bully, bringing in tariffs when it suits him. We keep talking about the consequences of tariffs but we dont talk about the consequences of genocide. We have famine in Gaza. Famine has been created in Gaza, created once again like it was in Ireland in 1845, a man-made famine. I would love to be talking about my policy in relation to that. The Galway TD was also asked whether, as president, she would be prepared to sign off on government legislation which changed Irelands position on neutrality. She said: The role of the president is to look at the legislation and to see if it is compliant with the constitution. Obviously no president does that on his or her own, they take advice from the Council of State. You look at the legislation in a very specific manner. You scrutinise that legislation with expert advice, you listen and then you make a decision whether to send it off to the Supreme Court or not, with the differing consequences arising from that. I have been asked would I be able to carry out that role, I would have no problem carrying out that role. Jim Gavin has secured the backing of a number of ministers to be Fianna Fails candidate in the presidential election. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA. Meanwhile, Childrens Minister Norma Foley has become the latest Fianna Fail TD to back Jim Gavin as her partys candidate in the election. She told the programme: We would be blessed beyond measure to have him as a Fianna Fail candidate and ultimately as president. Ms Foley was asked why party leader and Taoiseach Micheal Martin had backed Mr Gavin rather than first allowing all candidates to make their pitch to the parliamentary party. She said: The Taoiseach has been very clear that the ultimate decision in relation to this will be with the Fianna Fail parliamentary party and he will be accepting of the decision of the Fianna Fail parliamentary party. But I do think it is only fair that people do know where the leader of the party stands. Asked if Mr Gavin had joined the party, she said: Not every person who supports Fianna Fails ethos and vision is a card-carrying member of the party, but Jim Gavin is very clear if he is to receive the Fianna Fail nomination he will be running as a Fianna Fail candidate. Fianna Fail MEP Billy Kelleher has also declared his intention to seek backing, and former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has refused to rule himself out of the race, despite expressing disappointment that his partys leadership had failed to support him. Former government minister Mary Hanafin ruled herself out of seeking the Fianna Fail presidential nomination on Sunday. Its parliamentary party is expected to make a decision on the presidential election in the early autumn. Heather Humphreys and Sean Kelly are in a race to secure the Fine Gael nomination, after the withdrawal of Mairead McGuinness in mid-August on medical advice. To be eligible to run, a candidate must be nominated either by 20 members of the Oireachtas or four local authorities. Although figures such as MMA fighter Conor McGregor and Riverdance star Michael Flatley have said they are looking to run as presidential candidates, they would need to have this support to be on the ballot paper. A 107 acre farm holding is on the market in County Roscommon with a guide price of 975,000, or just over 9,000 per acre. The farm at Slevin, Tulsk, comes with some outbuildings. The land is of good quality and includes 15ac of forestry. This will be one of the biggest farms for sale in Roscommon this year, according to Cathal Meares of Sheehy Meares Team Earley Roscommon The property is ideally suited to a variety of farming enterprises, including beef, sheep or mixed use. "A key feature of the holding is a circa 15-acre forestry plantation of sitka spruce, planted in 2013. This plantation generates an annual premium of 2,500 approximately with seven years of payments remaining providing a secure and ongoing income stream," said Mr Meares. On-site infrastructure includes a two-bay hay shed with lean-tos, a cattle crush, pen and handling facilities. The lands also benefit from a reliable water supply. "This is a rare opportunity to acquire a substantial, well-laid-out and income-generating farm in a strong agricultural location. The property is located just a short drive from both Tulsk village and Castlerea town, offering a balance of rural setting with accessible amenities. Viewings are by appointment only," said the auctioneer. For further details or to arrange a viewing contact Sheehy Meares Team Earley, Stone Court Roscommon on 090 66 26579 or Cathal on 086 1409158. Email: info@sheehymeares.ie or log onto www.sheehymeares.ie Punjab: Aides of foreign-based Gangster Prabh Dassuwal Arrested, Probe underway to Unearth Network They carried out the firing on his directions for extortion and planned a sensational crime in Punjab. Punjab, Aides Of Foreign-Based Gangster Prabh Dassuwal, Gopi Ganshampur Gang Arrested Latest News: In a major breakthrough against organized crime, Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), Punjab, in a joint operation with Tarn Taran Police, apprehended two associates of the foreign-based Prabh DassuwalGopi Ganshampur gang, officials said. The arrested accused Gurpreet Singh alias Gandhi and Jaskaran alias Karan were allegedly involved in a recent firing incident at a salon in Patti, TarnTaran in Punjab, the DGP Punjab Police said in a post on X. Advertisement In a major breakthrough against organized crime, Anti-Gangster Task Force (#AGTF), Punjab, in a joint operation with @TarnTaranPolice, apprehends two associates of Prabh Dassuwal Gopi Ganshampur gang. The arrested accused Gurpreet Singh @ Gandhi and Jaskaran @ Karan are pic.twitter.com/SaHL5ZWOld DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) August 31, 2025 According to the preliminary investigation, as cited by the police, the arrested accused were in touch with the foreign-based Gangster, Prabh Dassuwal, they allegedly carried out the firing on his directions for extortion and planned a sensational crime in Punjab. The police have recovered three 30-bore country-made pistols from the possessions of the duo. Further investigation is underway to unearth the entire network, the post added. Advertisement Punjab Police reaffirmed that it remains committed to dismantling organized crime networks and ensuring the safety of citizens. (For more news apart from SCO Summit 2025: China Uses Humanoid AI Robot To Assist Media Personnel, Language Translation & More, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) Punjab Extends School Holidays For Next Few Days, Very Heavy Rain In Next 36-48 Hoursol Holidays For Next Few Days, Very Heavy Rain In Next 36-48 Hours The government has urged parents and students to prioritize safety and comply with the instructions issued by the administration. Punjab Government Declares School Holidays For The Next Few Days Amid Floods Latest News: Punjab Government, keeping in view the flood situation in Punjab, has declared holidays in all government and private schools in the state until September 3, 2025, at the direction of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. In accordance with the directives of the Honorable Chief Minister of Punjab, S. Bhagwant Singh Mann Ji, keeping in view the flood situation in Punjab, holidays have been declared in all government/aided/recognized and private schools in the state until September 3, 2025," SAD Punjab education Minister Harjot Singh Bains Advertisement The government has urged parents and students to prioritize safety and comply with the instructions issued by the administration. The fresh holiday announcement comes after the earlier holidays from August 27 to August 30 ended yesterday and amid fresh warnings of deteriorating weather conditions in the state. IMD Chandigarh has issued a Red alert in nine Western districts of the state for today, warning of very heavy rainfall for today, while it has also warned of widespread rainfall activity with Heavy to Very Heavy Rain at a few places during the next 36-48 hours over Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh. Advertisement Meanwhile, disaster management, rescue, and relief operations are ongoing round-the-clock in the state as over 800 villages in the state are inundated for the first time in 40 years. Further rain will make the situation worse, leading to more devastation. Read Weatther Updates for today and tomorrow. (For more news apart from Punjab Extends School Holidays For Next Few Days, Very Heavy Rain In Next 36-48 Hours, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) Police have recovered 3.5 Kg Heroin along with Rs 2 lakhs drug money from his possession Manjit Singh, a resident of Khambra, Jalandhar Police reaffirmed that it remains fully committed to striking at the roots of cross-border drug syndicates Punjab News: Heroin Being Smuggled from Pakistan Through Sutlej Floodwaters, Narco-terrorism News: In a joint operation by BSF and Punjab Police, a 19-year-old smuggler, Sonu was arrested with 8 kg of heroin, smuggled from Pakistan through Sutlej floodwaters. The arrested accused is identified as Sonu, who was arrested near Hussainiwala, Firozpur, the Police told Media on Sunday. Police said that the drugs, smuggled from Pakistan through Sutlej floodwaters, were hidden on his motorcycle. Authorities have stepped up vigilance with BSF and Navy patrols on the border to foil attempts to exploit flood conditions for smuggling, he added. Advertisement Further investigations are underway. Punjab: In a joint operation, BSF and Punjab Police arrested a 19-year-old smuggler, Sonu, with 8 kg of heroin near Hussainiwala, Firozpur. The drugs, smuggled from Pakistan through Sutlej floodwaters, were hidden on his motorcycle. Authorities have stepped up vigilance with BSF pic.twitter.com/8bvWRSmL9i IANS (@ians_india) August 31, 2025 Menace of narco-terrorism: Advertisement In a similar case of narco-terrorism, Jalandhar Commissionerate Police apprehended a resident of Jalandhar with 3.5 kg of Heroin, the DGP Punjab Police informed on Sunday. The accused arrested is identified as Manjit Singh, a resident of Khambra, Jalandhar, and the police have recovered 3.5 Kg Heroin along with Rs 2 lakhs drug money from his possession. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway to identify and dismantle the entire network, including its forward and backward linkages, the DGP Punjab Police added. Advertisement Police reaffirmed that it remains fully committed to striking at the roots of cross-border drug syndicates and protecting the people of Punjab from the menace of narco-terrorism. (For more news apart from Punjab News: 8 kg heroin Smuggled from Pakistan Through Sutlej Floodwaters, Police Arrests Smuggler, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) August 31, 2025 A roundup of local and world news Newsflash Newsroom, 31.08.2025, 14:00 LANGUAGE DAY The President of Romania, Nicusor Dan, on Sunday paid an official visit to the Republic of Moldova to participate, jointly with President Maia Sandu, in the events marking Romanian Language Day, celebrated on both banks of the Prut River. The two leaders took part in the opening of the Great National Dictation event, which takes place in the Great National Assembly Square in Chisinau. Approximately 2,000 participants attended the event, which has become a tradition for Romanian Language Day, and tested their knowledge of writing in Romanian. The two presidents celebrated the event jointly with the residents of the town of Straseni, where they paid floral tributes to the statue of poet Mihai Eminescu. They also attended a special concert dedicated to the Romanian Language. This is Nicusor Dans third visit to the Republic of Moldova since taking office, after the official one on June 10 and the private one on August 8. Romanian Language Day is celebrated every year on August 31 in Romania, the Republic of Moldova and in Romanian and Moldovan communities abroad. SHOW New flight demonstrations by pilots participating in the Bucharest International Air Show were held on Sunday in the capital-city. The largest air show in Romania was venued at Baneasa Airport and included live concerts, fireworks, exhibitions, as well as special activities for children. Over 200 civil and military aircraft and 200 pilots and parachutists, including from abroad, participated in the air show. The event marks 115 years since the first Romanian flight, by Aurel Vlaicu. For the first time, one of the most famous aerobatic formations in the world Patrouille de France, part of the French Air Forces, took part in the event, which the public could attend free of charge. REFORM The sixth package of measures designed to curb Romanias budget deficit, the one regarding public administration, the only one that was not adopted on Friday by the government, is discussed on Sunday. The government meeting is taking place under pressure from employees in city halls and prefectures, whose unions have threatened that they will interrupt all public activity as of Monday, protesting the prospect of layoffs announced in the local administration. With the adoption of this latest project, the government wants to take responsibility in Parliament as soon as possible for all six parts of the second package of measures, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said. On Saturday, the Permanent Bureaus of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies decided that the meeting in which the Romanian government will take responsibility for the second package of reform measures will take place on Monday evening. The opposition announced its intention to file a motion of no-confidence if the government decides to seek responsibility in Parliament again. If the motion fails, the package will be formally adopted. IMF A delegation of the International Monetary Fund is arriving in Bucharest on Wednesday to analyze recent developments in the Romanian economy. The team of experts will meet with officials from the Ministry of Finance, the National Bank and other institutions, as well as representatives of the private sector and NGOs. Talks will continue until September 12 and represent a surveillance exercise, which is mandatory for all IMF member states. Meanwhile, Romanias budget deficit rose to 4.04% of GDP after the first 7 months of 2025, from 3.68% at the end of June and reached about 15 billion, according to the Ministry of Finance. During this period, total state revenues and expenditures increased by approximately 11%. Last year, the budget deficit in the same period also stood at 4.04% of the GDP. VISIT European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to pay a visit to Romania on Monday. She is scheduled to meet with Romanian President Nicusor Dan and Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan near the Black Sea port city of Constanta. Talks will focus on strengthening cooperation between the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as well as on issues related to the prevention, detection and deterrence of maritime and hybrid threats. In May, Brussels adopted a Black Sea security strategy, which includes investments in ports, railways and airports for better troop mobility in case of need. The strategys main objective is to create a maritime security hub to monitor security at sea and issue early warnings for the whole of Europe. Romania is the final stopover on the European officials tour of several countries on the EUs eastern border, which the European Commission defines as states on the frontline in the face of Russian aggression. (VP) August 31, 2025 UPDATE (1) A roundup of local and world news August 31, 2025 UPDATE (1) Newsroom, 31.08.2025, 16:32 LANGUAGE DAY The President of Romania, Nicusor Dan, on Sunday paid an official visit to the Republic of Moldova to participate, jointly with President Maia Sandu, in the events marking Romanian Language Day, celebrated on both banks of the Prut River. The two leaders took part in the opening of the Great National Dictation event, which takes place in the Great National Assembly Square in Chisinau. Approximately 2,000 participants attended the event, which has become a tradition for Romanian Language Day, and tested their knowledge of writing in Romanian. Romania and the Republic of Moldova share common values and need each other, so as to make the future brighter, Nicusor Dan said in his opening address. Moldova serves as an example for Europe for its efforts to defend democracy in the face of pressure coming from Russia. The Romanian language brings us together, it is the strongest bridge between the two banks of the Prut and must be honored and cherished every day, president Maia Sandu said in turn. This is Nicusor Dans third visit to the Republic of Moldova since taking office, after the official one on June 10 and the private one on August 8. Romanian Language Day is celebrated every year on August 31 in Romania, the Republic of Moldova and in communities abroad. FIRES A new unit of 40 Romanian firefighters arrived in Greece as part of a rotation designed to support firefighting activities and monitor risk areas in eastern Athens. Romanian firefighters also participated in training sessions and exercises jointly with Greek and French counterparts. They also conducted field reconnaissance to familiarize themselves with the specifics of the area, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations reported. The unit will remain in Greece until September 15. This week the 51 Romanian firefighters who helped their Spanish colleagues extinguish the fires that broke out in several regions of the Iberian Peninsula in the last week also returned home. (VP) August 31, 2025 UPDATE (2) A roundup of local and world news August 31, 2025 UPDATE (2) Newsroom, 31.08.2025, 20:00 LANGUAGE DAY The President of Romania, Nicusor Dan, awarded the Order of Cultural Merit in Degree of Knight for promoting culture to the Alexei Mateevici Memorial House in Zaim commune, Causeni district of the Republic of Moldova. The distinction was granted on the occasion of Romanian Language Day during a ceremony organized at the headquarters of the Romanian Embassy in Chisinau. There is no identity without roots, even more so in the context of the Romanian language, which we celebrate today, with the history it has in Bessarabia, a troubled history, and with the courage that the people here have had in preserving this identity the Romanian president said. Previously, Nicusor Dan and Moldovan President Maia Sandu participated in the Great National Dictation, an event organized in Chisinau, where over 2,000 people demonstrated their knowledge of the Romanian language. On this occasion, Dan said that Romania and the Republic of Moldova have common values and need each other to prosper. In turn, Maia Sandu stated that the Romanian language is the strongest bridge between the two banks of the Prut and must be honored and respected every day. This is Nicusor Dans third visit to the Republic of Moldova since taking office, after the official one on June 10 and the private one on August 8. Romanian Language Day is marked every year on August 31 in Romania, the Republic of Moldova and in Romanian-language communities abroad. SHOW New flight demonstrations by pilots participating in the Bucharest International Air Show were held on Sunday in the capital-city. The largest air show in Romania was venued at Baneasa Airport and included live concerts, fireworks, exhibitions, as well as special activities for children. Over 200 civil and military aircraft and 200 pilots and parachutists, including from abroad, participated in the air show. The event marks 115 years since the first Romanian flight, by Aurel Vlaicu. For the first time, one of the most famous aerobatic formations in the world Patrouille de France, part of the French Air Forces, took part in the event, which the public could attend free of charge. REFORM After five hours of talks, ruling coalition leaders failed to reach a decision regarding the reform of the local public administration. The Social-Democrats insisted on continuing to fund local investments and on capping layoffs in local administration at 25%. Discussions on this topic will continue in the coming period. On Monday evening, the Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan is expected to appear before Parliament to present the fiscal measures included in the five draft laws of the second package, approved on Friday by the government. These refer to the fiscal field, the pensions of magistrates, the health reform, the reform of a number of regulatory and control institutions, as well as of state-owned companies. The opposition announced its intention to file a motion of no-confidence, if the government takes responsibility in Parliament. If the motion fails, the reform package will be formally adopted. FIRES A new unit of 40 Romanian firefighters arrived in Greece as part of a rotation designed to support firefighting activities and monitor risk areas in eastern Athens. Romanian firefighters also participated in training sessions and exercises jointly with Greek and French counterparts. They also conducted field reconnaissance to familiarize themselves with the specifics of the area, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations reported. The unit will remain in Greece until September 15. This week the 51 Romanian firefighters who helped their Spanish colleagues extinguish the fires that broke out in several regions of the Iberian Peninsula in the last week also returned home. IMF A delegation of the International Monetary Fund is arriving in Bucharest on Wednesday to analyze recent developments in the Romanian economy. The team of experts will meet with officials from the Ministry of Finance, the National Bank and other institutions, as well as representatives of the private sector and NGOs. Talks will continue until September 12 and represent a surveillance exercise, which is mandatory for all IMF member states. Meanwhile, Romanias budget deficit rose to 4.04% of GDP after the first 7 months of 2025, from 3.68% at the end of June and reached about 15 billion, according to the Ministry of Finance. During this period, total state revenues and expenditures increased by approximately 11%. Last year, the budget deficit in the same period also stood at 4.04% of the GDP. VISIT European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to pay a visit to Romania on Monday. She is scheduled to meet with Romanian President Nicusor Dan and Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan near the Black Sea port city of Constanta. Talks will focus on strengthening cooperation between the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as well as on issues related to the prevention, detection and deterrence of maritime and hybrid threats. In May, Brussels adopted a Black Sea security strategy, which includes investments in ports, railways and airports for better troop mobility in case of need. The strategys main objective is to create a maritime security hub to monitor security at sea and issue early warnings for the whole of Europe. Romania is the final stopover on the European officials tour of several countries on the EUs eastern border, which the European Commission defines as states on the frontline in the face of Russian aggression. (VP) ALBUQUERQUE A 14-year-old lay dead with blood pooling from a gunshot wound to the head as police stood by for 40 minutes while a resident assistant struggled to find the right key to the University of New Mexico dorm room. Several UNM Police officers watched surveillance video of an inebriated 18-year-old, the alleged shooter, doing a backflip in a parking lot after dropping a gun and disappearing into the night. Those are a few of the details released by UNM weeks after John Fuentes allegedly shot Michael LaMotte, of Rio Rancho, in the head as a group of young men played video games at the Casas del Rio dormitory. Prosecutors allege Fuentes was high on LSD, cocaine, alcohol and cannabis during the July 25 shooting. UNM released 911 calls Aug. 29, including from Fuentes mother, and a 34-page report on the polices actions after an Inspection of Public Records Act request submitted by the Journal. The documents and files provided the most clarity on the universitys response after weeks of unanswered questions. The university in a statement distanced itself from any culpability in the outcome, saying an autopsy found LaMotte died almost instantly and hours before UNMPD found his body. UNM also noted that the other two people in the dorm room, a student and Zion Miera, LaMottes stepbrother, did not alert police to the shooting. Instead, UNMPD was provided fragmented information from several third-party sources, including family members, who reached out to authorities over the course of the night, according to the statement. UNM said, as a result, police did not have a full picture of what had happened until much later. By then, Fuentes was gone. Despite these circumstances, UNMPD and first responders worked quickly, striving to locate the suspect and protect the campus community under rapidly unfolding and difficult circumstances, according to the statement. In the statement, UNM said officers responded immediately to a report of a person brandishing a gun in a campus parking lot around 12:13 a.m. UNMPD arrived by 12:17 a.m. and began searching for the subject, although UNMPD had received no reports or alerts of shots fired. It was not until nearly 45 minutes later that UNMPD received information indicating shots may have been fired, according to the statement. Ad It would be another two hours before UNMPD would get into the dorm room. After some fumbling around for the right key by the RA, they ended up entering through a window. UNMPD Lt. Tim Delgado, the departments spokesman, did not return a call Friday evening seeking further comment. Fuentes, who was arrested the following day by State Police in Los Lunas, has been charged with an open count of murder and lesser charges in the fatal shooting. The documents paint a picture of the chaos the responding officers dealt with as calls came in throughout the early morning hours. Tessa Cannon frantically called the UMPD in the early hours of July 25, begging police to track down her son, Fuentes, who called her and said he had overdosed on drugs. My son is missing, they said you guys are the ones in charge of this, Cannon told UNMPD. Ive been calling around for over an hour. He said over an hour ago he was ODing or something. I have no idea, and Im freaking out. Cannon told police her son had FaceTimed Joseph Fuentes, his father, on the roof of an unknown building while shirtless. The UNMPD officer told Cannon that officers found Fuentes on the roof of Mesa Vista Hall and they were attempting to get him off the roof. Cannon screamed, They found him, to someone in the background before she asked UNM officers what she should do. The responding officer told her he would find out before he hung up. Please let him be OK, Cannon said while gasping. By the time the sun rose, UNM officers had found LaMotte but were still left with a suspect at large. At 2 a.m., while searching for Fuentes, an officer reviewed surveillance video that showed Fuentes escape from campus. The officer noted that at 12:09 a.m. Miera and Daniel Archuleta, a student who was also shot by Fuentes, were seen running toward UNM Hospital, where Archuleta would be treated for his gunshot wound. One minute later, Fuentes, who matched the description provided by Miera, was spotted on surveillance in a parking lot, brandishing a firearm at passersby before he dropped a magazine and did a backflip. Fuentes stayed in the parking lot for two minutes before he headed toward the dorms. He was spotted at 12:13 a.m., shirtless, holding the gun in his right hand and a phone in his left. He then headed toward Mesa Vista Hall and was last seen on security footage for the next hour atop the halls stairwell at 12:18 a.m. He appeared again at 1:37 a.m. with injuries to his hands, wearing just socks and underwear near the Zimmerman Library, before heading north. He was then picked up by a large pickup truck around 1:40 a.m. Four officers were on the hunt for Fuentes, according to the reports, and began their search around 1:20 a.m. after being informed that he had called his parents, consumed drugs that were laced and passed out on a roof. According to one report, someone reported glass breaking at 1:37 a.m., accompanied by screaming in the direction of Mesa Vista Hall. Then, officers found a trail of blood and eventually requested a K-9 unit from the Albuquerque Police Department, which one report said was never provided. An officer who was called to secure the crime scene and arrived at 3:55 a.m. eventually located a black handgun near a laser pointer, a magazine, and a set of car keys at 5:55 a.m. Other officers who were on the hunt for Fuentes had shifted their priorities after 2 a.m., with at least three reporting to the Casas del Rio dorm after dispatch notified them the mother of a possible gunshot victim was on campus outside the dorm. A dispatcher told UNMPD LaMottes mother said that her sons location was at UNM, but she did not know what room he was in or how he was. They all left, and I guess her son stayed, the dispatcher said. I dont know if he stayed. According to the reports, around 2:30 a.m. officers located the dorms RA and asked for help getting a key to enter the room where LaMotte was. The two keys provided by the resident assistant did not work. As a result, at 3:09 a.m., two officers decided to enter the dorm through a broken window. There, they would find LaMotte laying sideways across a chair with his head on the floor and blood pooling. Police tried to interview Archuleta during the morning hours. He declined to answer questions until his parents were present. But Miera, the stepbrother of LaMotte, talked. Miera told officers that Fuentes and the friends were hanging out and had a few drinks when, out of nowhere, Fuentes pulled out a gun and fired it towards Miera and Archuleta. Miera said that he and Archuleta jumped out a window away to safety after being shot at. He said he did not know where his stepbrother was, or if he was still in the room. We recently published 10 Stocks With Double-Digit to 100% Upside in Just a Week. Wheels Up Experience Inc. (NYSE:UP) is one of the worst performers on Friday. Wheels Up Experience rallied by 35.02 percent week-on-week, as investor sentiment was generally buoyed by the divestment of its three non-core businesses that would rake in millions in cost savings in the future. On Thursday alone, Wheels Up Experience Inc. (NYSE:UP) touched a new all-time high of $3.5, representing a jump of 62 percent from last weeks close, before trimming gains from profit-taking to end Friday slightly lower. Wheels Up (UP) Climbs 35% on Million-Dollar Cost Savings Expectations During the week, the company said it was able to raise $20 million in fresh funds from the sale of Baines Simmons, Kenyon International Emergency Services, and Redline Assured Security to TrustFlight, one of the leading aviation safety and compliance solutions providers. It said the sale would result in some $50 million in cost savings expectations, and support the companys strategic focus, investments in products, fleet, and operations, as well as strengthen its balance sheet. The sale, along with our recently announced initiatives estimated to drive approximately $50 million of cost efficiencies, is expected to create meaningful tailwinds on our path to sustained, profitable growth, said company CEO George Mattson. On Thursday, September 4, Mattson is set to present in person at the Jefferies Industrials Conference in New York, where investors will closely watch out for any cues about Wheels Up Experience Inc.s (NYSE:UP) business plans and outlooks. While we acknowledge the potential of UP as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Pete Campos The New Mexico Legislature has taken advantage of several years of extraordinary revenue growth by investing in New Mexicos future: education, health care access, economic development and funding stability. With state coffers filled by the revenue boom, we created endowments for higher education scholarships, expanded career-technical education in community colleges and high schools, and made early childhood care nearly universal. We established supports for rural hospitals, expanded access to health care coverage and took steps to recruit and retain health care providers. Weve funded infrastructure improvements, creating jobs at the same time we improved public facilities, and funded workforce and industry development. Weve created endowments that generate income for natural resources, health care and other services; added billions to state investment funds that generate stable interest income; and created systems for capturing excess revenue to save for the future. And thats just a partial list. Unfortunately, those years of double-digit revenue growth are over. The latest revenue estimates put growth for the budget year we are in now at less than a half percent and growth for the budget year starting in July 2026 at 2.9%. Exacerbating the slow-down in revenue growth is the pressure to spend more on basic services to partially offset the federal cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and other programs. But that doesnt mean the end to investing in New Mexicos future. It just means we must focus on the programs that have the potential to do the most good. We will not abandon the many New Mexicans who rely on Medicaid or the hospitals in their communities. We wont leave families hungry. We will take care of our most vulnerable neighbors even as we build on the revolutionary efforts of the last few years. Perhaps no area of state government needs thoughtful, strategic investment more than the public schools. Funding for the public schools has increased 70% in the eight years since the state district court in the Martinez-Yazzie found the state was providing New Mexicos children with an inadequate education, but the dismal student performance that triggered that finding has changed little. Now that money is tightening, New Mexico budget drafters will have to focus new spending on those programs that make the most difference language arts and math programs that actually improve performance, early childhood education that sets up very young children for future academic and life success, secondary education with robust career and technical options that prepare our teens for college or career. New Mexico spends more on higher education than almost any state investments in higher education have made an education at one of the states public colleges basically tuition free but we still have one of the poorest graduation rates. Future investments in education must focus on approaches that will keep students in school. Budget drafters must also continue to work to make health care accessible, not just by making it affordable but also by ensuring health care providers are available. We must develop strategic plans to support our hospitals, especially those in rural communities that are fragile and may be on the verge of closing. It is also crucial to support the University of New Mexico Hospital, the hub of New Mexicos health care system. UNMH provides needed emergency care for people throughout our state, conducts research leading to cures, provides culturally sensitive that recognizes the traditions of our diverse population; and is growing its educational programs to increase the number of healthcare providers serving all parts of our state. Finally, we must continue to invest in the states economy by supporting worker and business development and by continuing to build water and wastewater systems, parks and roads all contribute to our quality of life, and their construction stimulates spending and creates jobs. Ad A purposeful approach to investing in New Mexico is not just about repairing outdated facilities or filling gaps. Its about shaping a future where resources are directed with a vision for how New Mexicans will learn, grow and thrive. We must not just fund state programs we must invest with a deep commitment to the whole of New Mexico and on solutions that strengthen our educational system, uplift communities and prepare every student for success. Already a bestseller in Brazil, Honda PCX 160 adds more value with some exciting colour options introduced with the 2026 model Honda introduced the PCX 160 scooter in Brazil in 2012. It has remained a bestseller in the country of its segment since then and currently accounts for around 33% of the market share in its class. Honda has now introduced the 2026 model with some new colour options. Lets check out the details. 2026 Honda PCX 160 Whats new? There are three variants on offer PCX CBS, PCX ABS and PCX DLX ABS. The base PCX CBS variant continues with the Pearl White colour option as earlier. It is available at R 18,340 (Rs 2.98 lakh). 2026 Honda PCX ABS variant gets new Pearl Spencer Blue colour, priced at R 20,170 (Rs 3.28 lakh). The top-spec PCX DLX ABS variant is now offered with a Metallic Black colour. It is available at a starting price of R 20,640 (Rs 3.35 lakh). Performance, specs Much of the hardware for 2026 Honda PCX 160 remains the same as earlier. Powering the scooter is a 156.9 cc, single-cylinder, OHC, liquid cooled engine. It generates 16 hp and 14.7 Nm of peak torque. It is paired with a V-Matic automatic transmission. Honda PCX 160 has all-LED lighting, large windscreen, step-up seat and upswept exhaust. With a seat height of 764 mm, the scooter is suitable for a wide spectrum of users. Ground clearance is 134 mm, which seems adequate for on-road environments. CBS variant weighs 124 kg, whereas the ABS variant is two kilos heavier at 126 kg. 2026 PCX 160 utilizes an underbone frame, with telescopic forks at front and dual rear shock absorbers. Suspension travel is 100 mm at both ends. Wheel size is 14-inch front and 13-inch rear, wrapped in 110/70 and 130/70 tyres, respectively. Braking setup comprises 220 mm disc brakes at the front and rear. Single channel ABS is offered as standard. The CBS variant has a 130mm drum brake at the rear. Tech kit includes an easy-to-read LCD screen that displays a comprehensive range of information. Users can access the trip meter, speedometer, low battery voltage indicator, fuel consumption readout, odometer, fuel gauge and V-belt replacement alert. A 3D bezel structure surrounds the LCD display, which enhances the scooters sporty profile. The scooter also offers front storage, 30 litres of underseat storage and a USB Type-C charging port. Honda PCX 160 Will it come to India? Honda has trademarked many two-wheeler products in India and the PCX 160 is one of them. While filing a trademark does not necessarily result in a launch, market dynamics appear to be in favour of products like PCX 160. Rivals are already present such as Aprilia SXR 160, Hero Xoom 160 and Yamaha Aerox 155. In the future, this segment is expected to register strong growth. TVS has also announced that it will be launching the Ntorq 150 on 4th September. With this segment gaining traction, Honda could be looking to introduce products like the PCX 160 in India. Its only about time Aprilia will update SXR 160 to SXR 175. However, apart from the patent filing for PCX 160, there is no official statement about the scooters launch in India. The mid-capacity motorcycle segment (350cc450cc) in India posted a strong performance in July 2025, with total sales rising to 85,197 units, a healthy 19.52% increase YoY compared to 71,285 units in July 2024. On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, growth was marginal at 0.36%, indicating demand stability in this competitive segment. Royal Enfield continued its dominance with multiple models at the top, while newer entrants like Triumph and Aprilia tried to carve their space. Royal Enfield Maintains Strong Hold Royal Enfield accounted for the lions share of sales in this segment. The Classic 350 led the pack with 26,516 units sold, up 24.06% YoY but down 9.10% MoM, showing a slight slowdown after a robust June. The Hunter 350 followed with 18,373 units, up 30.39% YoY and 12.99% MoM, proving its popularity among younger buyers. The Bullet 350 registered a stellar 59.28% YoY growth at 15,847 units, although MoM sales fell 7.28%. The Meteor 350 also contributed significantly with 8,600 units, an 8.85% YoY and 14.44% MoM increase. However, the Royal Enfield Himalayan struggled, with sales falling 43.81% YoY to 1,556 units and 23.58% MoM. Similarly, the new Guerrilla 450 managed only 688 units, down 53.17% YoY and marginally lower than June. These numbers suggest that while the classic and retro-styled REs remain strong, the brands adventure-focused models are under pressure. Rising Competition and Segment Shifts Outside Royal Enfield, several brands posted encouraging results. The Triumph 400, built in collaboration with Bajaj, sold 3,538 units, marking a 14.09% YoY and 10.77% MoM gain. Hondas CB350 showed impressive progress with 2,072 units, more than doubling YoY sales (104.95%) but down 12.24% MoM. Its sibling, the HNess 350, however, declined 10.96% YoY and 11.16% MoM at 1,170 units. Performance-focused models also showed varied results. The KTM 390 surged with 1,507 units, up 154.13% YoY and 48.62% MoM, while Bajaj Pulsar 400 declined sharply YoY (-65.27%) but improved MoM (25.27%) at 1,160 units. The Harley-Davidson X440 continued steady growth with 1,099 units, rising 34.68% YoY and 54.79% MoM. Premium models like the Aprilia RS 457 and Tuono 457 remained niche with 157 units and 15 units, respectively, while the Husqvarna 401 sold just 20 units. Among laggards, Hero Mavrick collapsed to 5 units, down 98.14% YoY, showing customer disinterest. The 350cc450cc category continues to expand, driven largely by Royal Enfields dominance and increasing traction for new-age models like Triumph 400 and KTM 390. While July 2025 numbers highlight YoY growth across the board, MoM stability indicates the segment is consolidating. Going ahead, upcoming launches and festive demand could further fuel momentum in this mid-capacity space. Thirty-year bond yields have notched multiple new record highs thus far in 2025 - for all the wrong reasons. That on the 30-year bond had stayed at around 5.6%, near a three-decade high. That is also the highest yield among G7 countries. Should a country's rate of economic growth not be set to exceed the average rate on its debt, then it is in trouble, as that is taken as a sign of future default. France's prime minister seems to be facing the impossible task of cutting spending and raising taxes to lower its deficit. In Britain, there is talk of a fiscal hole of as much as 40bn. The US deficit meanwhile could jump by over $2trn over the next 10 years as a result of President Trump's tax cuts. - The Sunday Times France's government is on the edge of collapse, its budget out of control, emergency taxes are being readied and the rioters preparing to take to the streets. Business as usual in France. But this time around it might turn out to be more than just political drama in Paris. That is because of worries about too generous welfare systems that are constantly being expanded. Thus, France may be about to set off a market crash. - The Sunday Telegraph BAE Systems has clinched a 10bn contract to build Type 26 anti-submarine frigates for Norway. The deal is the largest ever UK export deal and Oslo's largest defence order. It is expected to boost the UK's economy by 10bn and support 4,000 jobs "well into the 2030s". The vessels will be constructed in Glasgow. - Guardian The appointment of Robert Moorhead to the board of Greggs on 1 October has been postponed. That follows Moorhead's petition to delay appointment until a review by Deloitte of an accounting error at WH Smith, where he had held the post of finance director, was complete. News of the blunder triggered a 600m drop in the stock market value of WH Smith last week after it was revealed that its North America profits had been erroneously estimated to be roughly 30m higher than they really were. - The Financial Mail on Sunday The long-awaited second location of Trader Joe's is nearing its opening as it begins to hire workers. Advance/SILive.com | Jillian Delaney STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Brace yourselves, Staten Island: Trader Joes is inbound. The second location within the borough is presently hiring staffers, according to signage sprinkled around the parking lot at 6400 Amboy Road. The store itself has been empty since 2019 after SuperFresh vacated the premises, and prior to that, it was Walbaums. The long-awaited second location of Trader Joe's is nearing its opening as it begins to hire workers. Advance/SILive.com | Jillian Delaney Trader Joes announced it would be taking over the storefront back in 2024, though the timeframe of its arrival in Pleasant Plains has been under wraps. Now, posters claim it is coming soon and with the iconic red Trader Joes logo finally mounted onto the building, residents have hope it will be a swift coming. Materials covering the windows had prevented any passersby from sneaking a peek into the store until recently, as well. The long-awaited second location of Trader Joe's is nearing its opening as it begins to hire workers. Advance/SILive.com | Jillian Delaney An Advance/SILive.com reporter could see checkout lanes outfitted with computers and a variety of shelving units within the store, though it was otherwise barren. No goods have landed yet, though with interviews underway, its not a stretch to imagine that they will arrive soon. The second Staten Island location is just one of a dozen new locations announced by the brand earlier this year. The first Trader Joes on Staten Island opened in New Springville nearly 15 years ago. The company currently has more than 600 stores throughout the United States, and opened 34 locations in 2024. The long-awaited second location of Trader Joe's is nearing its opening as it begins to hire workers. Advance/SILive.com | Jillian Delaney Here is where the new stores will be located: Alabama Hoover at 1771 Montgomery Highway California Northridge at 9224 Reseda Boulevard Sherman Oaks at 14140 Riverside Drive Tarzana at 18700 Ventura Blvd. Maryland Rockville at 225 N. Washington Street New York Staten Island at 6400 Amboy Road Pennsylvania Berwyn at 550 Lancaster Ave. Tennessee Murfreesboro at 2305 Medical Center Parkway Washington Bellingham at 4255 Meridian Street, Suite 200 Seattle at 8726 Greenwood Avenue Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. at 5335 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington, D.C. at 701 Monroe Street, NE An armed carjacking was reported near the intersection of Cary Avenue and Broadway on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2025. Image courtesy of Google STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Police responded to a report of an armed carjacking in West Brighton early on Sunday morning. The incident occurred around 2:15 a.m. near the intersection of Cary Avenue and Broadway, according to a spokesperson for the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. According to the NYPD, a 32-year-old man was sitting in a parked Nissan Pathfinder near the intersection when an unknown individual approached with a gun and ordered him out of the vehicle. The armed individual then got into the SUV and drove away in an unknown direction, the police spokesperson said. There were no injuries reported during the carjacking and the investigation remains ongoing, police said. Police described the perpetrator as a male with a light complexion wearing a face mask and dark colored clothing during the incident. Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, seen here at Annadale Terrace in this file photo from 2022, was injured in a car crash in New Hampshire, according to a new report. Advance/SILive.com | Jason Paderon Rudy Giuliani was injured in a car accident on Saturday night, according to a new report from the New York Post. The former mayor of New York City was hospitalized with injuries that were described as serious after being involved in a car accident in New Hampshire, a spokesperson for Giuliani told the Post. After attempting to assist someone who flagged him down for help, Giulianis vehicle was struck from behind after he had re-entered it, the outlet reports. The 81-year-old was admitted to the hospital with a fractured vertebrae, cuts and bruises but is said to be recovering, according to the Post. On the morning of August 31, President Xi Jinping met at the Tianjin Guest House with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, who is in China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2025 and the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. President Xi Jinping pointed out that the peoples of China and Belarus, fighting side by side in the past, made important contributions to defeating militarism and fascism, and forged a profound friendship. At present, century-defining transformation is accelerating across the world, and humanity once again stands at a crossroads. China is willing to work with the Belarusian side to shoulder the responsibilities of the times, practice true multilateralism, and jointly advance peace, development, and win-win cooperation in the world. President Xi Jinping stressed that the China-Belarus all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership has enjoyed high-quality development, and the two sides should continue to extend firm mutual support on issues relating to each others core interests and major concerns. The two sides should advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, strengthen the alignment of their development strategies, and continue to cultivate new highlights and growth drivers for their cooperation. The two sides should fully harness the outcomes of the China-Belarus years of science and technology innovation from 2024 to 2025, and accelerate the development of new quality productive forces to facilitate the development and revitalization of both countries. The two sides should expand exchanges on education, culture, tourism, youth and at subnational levels, and foster greater amity between their peoples. The two sides should enhance coordination in multilateral mechanisms such as the SCO and BRICS, and work for the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. President Lukashenko noted that every time he came to China, he would always be deeply impressed by the countrys vibrant development and progress. Under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping, China is committed to pursuing a path of development that suits its national conditions. Having achieved great success in development, China now faces an even brighter prospect, and no force can stop Chinas development and revitalization. In international and regional affairs, China keeps a just position, upholds multilateralism, and defends fairness and justice. China has played a leading role in fostering cooperation within multilateral mechanisms such as the SCO, and made major contributions to peace and stability on the continents of Asia and Europe, and in the wider world. Belarus is an all-weather partner to China and a friend that can always be relied upon. Belarus is ready to work with China to increase exchanges on governance experience, deepen practical cooperation across the board, and bring bilateral relations to new heights. The two sides signed multiple bilateral cooperation documents in areas such as science and technology, finance, metrology, media, transportation, and customs inspection and quarantine. Cai Qi, Wang Yi, Chen Miner, among others, were present at the meeting. Chinese investors have attempted to circumvent Australian government orders to sell down a stake in a key rare earth mining project by shifting around millions of dollars of shares instead of offloading them, court documents allege. The federal government is becoming increasingly alarmed by Chinese efforts to gain control over Australias strategically important mineral tenements, including supplies of rare earths needed to make an array of products such as electric motors, wind turbines and missiles and other military hardware. Northern Minerals is working on a rare earth project in Western Australia. Newly released court files detail for the first time the specifics of the Albanese governments claim against one Chinese-linked investor, Indian Ocean International Shipping and Services Company, as it faces landmark proceedings for allegedly breaching foreign investment law. The documents allege that one of the biggest shareholders in West Australian rare earths miner Northern Minerals late last year, Chinese national Jing Tian, was secretly holding stock on behalf of Indian Ocean. The allegations have not been tested and this masthead does not suggest they are true, only that they are made in filed court documents. As he revealed over the course of a leisurely morning, Malone remains in the middle of the action: He discussed deals with David Ellison, the new owner of Paramount, at the annual summer camp for billionaires in Sun Valley, Idaho, in July. He calls or texts David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, on a daily basis. Rupert Murdoch says Malone is the most brilliant businessman I have ever met. Credit: Getty Decades before anyone had heard of streaming, Malone wired together a network of cable companies through hundreds of deals, eventually signing up roughly 20 per cent of US households to his cable colossus, Tele-Communications. Theres no fun as much as running a monopoly, Malone said. He sold TCI to AT&T for $US48 billion ($73.4 billion) at the turn of the century, then embarked on a second act as an investor, an entrepreneur and a CEO, helping to pull off the $US43 billion deal for Warner Bros. and building an international cable company, Liberty Global, which has become one of the largest broadband providers in the world. Malone also did business with many of the defining media figures of the 21st century, according to his memoir. Turner, clad in a suit and tie, dropped to his hands and knees and begged Malones executives to carry his channels. (Later, Malone lent Turner money for a divorce, Malone said.) Before Murdoch started Fox News in 1996, he called Malone and sought his advice. Even Bill Gates made a cameo in his career, talking Malone out of a major investment in AOL. Malone acknowledges some missteps in his career, particularly as Netflix disrupted the cable industry. As Netflix exploded in popularity, traditional media companies sold the streaming service the weapons it needed to compete with them: great movies and TV shows. Malone, who tried unsuccessfully to persuade Netflix founder Reed Hastings to merge that company with one he chaired, says that cable giants consistently underestimated Netflix at every turn. Malone also says he shouldnt have stuck around at AT&T after selling TCI, advising other entrepreneurs to learn from his mistake: Do not go on the board. Do not hang around. You will be trapped. Loading Some of the famous figures Malone did business with, like Murdoch and Turner, became friends. Barry Diller, the maverick chief executive of IAC, is now an occasional yachting shipmate, after a long and at times complicated friendship that included a lawsuit briefly pitting them against each other over a corporate spinout. While he often says hes just an engineer, he has been by far, very far, the most creative-thinking executive in every part of the media universe over the last decades, Diller said. Murdoch is similarly effusive. John is the most brilliant businessman I have ever met, he said in a statement. He has also drawn his share of detractors, including Gore, who once called Malone the king of the cable Cosa Nostra. But the relationship that looms the largest over Malones professional life is the one with his father, who worked for General Electric and did classified work for the US Navy during the Korean War. Over time, Malone said, he realised that both he and his father had autistic traits that they had different wiring. Malone spent much of his childhood working for his fathers approval, just as he devoted the first decades of his professional life to pleasing the man he regarded as a surrogate father, the colourful TCI founder Bob Magness. After Magness died in 1996, Malone began seeing a therapist and realised he would never be able to continue winning the approval of his father, surrogate or otherwise. Instead, Malone has become a mentor to the next generation of moguls. One of them is Zaslav, a former corporate lawyer whose relationship with Malone helped catapult him to the top of the media industry. In his memoir, Malone acknowledged the criticism of Zaslavs stewardship of Warner Bros. Discovery but called it noise, adding: I trust him to get this right. Another rising mogul Malone recently conferred with is Ellison, the Paramount CEO who is setting out to remake the company after orchestrating an $US8 billion merger. Malone said he had met with Ellison to talk about further consolidation in the media industry, declining to be more specific. Malone speculated that the Ellison family could be crucial to the future of the media industry. He noted that Oracle the company co-founded by Ellisons father, Larry already had a relationship with TikTok, which could put the Ellisons in pole position to somehow fuse streaming and social media, Malone said. As the tech titans keep an eye on TikTok, traditional media companies are scrambling to distance themselves from the decline of cable TV. In June, Warner Bros. Discovery announced it would split into two companies, with one owning the HBO Max streaming service and the other its cable channels. Malones personal history is a chronicle of American media, tracking the rise and fall of cable TV, the ascendance of tech giants like Netflix and how Americans have become glued to their phones. Credit: Getty Images One of those channels is CNN, which Malone reveals in his memoir he considered buying from AT&T in 2020 after Turner suggested a deal. Malone says in his memoir that CNN is now a shadow of what its founder had envisioned. Malones reflections on the state of the media industry have led him to some surprising conclusions. Although he has opposed government regulation over the decades, Malone writes in his memoir that he favours increased regulation of tech giants. (In a follow-up email, Malone qualified his remarks, saying regulation should protect innovation.) Despite the strong support for tax reform at last months economic reform roundtable, perhaps the most important single reform hardly rated a mention: a carbon tax or, in the economists preferred euphemism, a price on carbon. I dont doubt that virtually every economist attending the meeting would have agreed that a carbon price is needed. So why was it unmentionable? Because Anthony Albanese and his faint-hearted troops have convinced themselves that the main reason the infighting-riddled Rudd-Gillard-Rudd Labor government was sent packing at the 2013 election was Julia Gillards introduction of a carbon price in 2012, which that great statesman Tony Abbott repealed in 2014. Yeah, sure. Our present policies wont allow us to meet our climate targets without further piecemeal, unpopular and hideously costly measures. Credit: Add in Labors promise to make a minor change to franking credits at the 2019 election, the misrepresentation of which probably does most to explain why it lost, and you see why Labors brave warriors have concluded that any mention of tax changes brings instant political death. It feels like only yesterday that Jo Haylen, the former state transport minister with a penchant for private cars, was dumped from her role and from Chris Minns cabinet. But for those with ambition, theres always a way back home. Lets recap: Haylen was sacked in February after she sent a taxpayer-funded driver on a 446-kilometre, 13-hour round-trip to ferry herself, Housing Minister Rose Jackson, their partners and another couple to a Hunter Valley winery for a boozy lunch. And as the Herald later reported, there were more trips: at least 14 trips, in fact, between Sydney and her Caves Beach holiday house (plus another winery trip). Premier Chris Minns and former transport minister Jo Haylen. Credit: Steven Siewert While all this was, remarkably, within the rules, punters werent impressed and the premier decided he couldnt lose any more political capital. Haylen was gone, Jackson apologised and the rules were tightened. The trial to remove shark nets from three Greater Sydney beaches this summer will proceed, the NSW government says, but nets will be temporarily installed as usual on Monday while details of their removal are worked out. The news comes as documents obtained under freedom of information laws show more than 200 sea creatures, including dolphins, turtles and critically endangered grey nurse sharks, were killed by the controversial nets over the 2024-25 summer. Documents released by the NSW Government under freedom of information reveal more than 200 sea creatures were caught in mesh shark nets last summer. Credit: NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said the government would work with Waverley, Northern Beaches and Central Coast councils over the coming weeks, before implementing a trial. The NSW governments priority is the safety of beachgoers, and at the same time is committed to protecting the states marine life, Moriarty said. Advertisement Eating outRestaurant news High-profile Chippendale eat street to lose prized restaurant as Longshore set to close The contemporary venue, which brought a coastal vibe and new seafood focus to the former Automata home, is one of several in the neighbourhood to shut in recent years. Scott Bolles September 1, 2025 Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A tough start to spring for chefs hatted Sydney restaurants is shaping as an even bigger blow for a high-profile Chippendale eat street, with Kensington Streets Longshore restaurant to close this month. Hot-on-the-heels of the closure of Monopole restaurant on Saturday, September 6, the chefs hatted Longshore will shut the following week. The dining room at Longshore. James Brickwood. Longshore chef Jarrod Walsh said the decision to shut followed his resignation to take up the head chef role at glamour CBD fine-diner Shell House. Since my resignation [as executive chef at Longshore and the neighbouring Old Clare Hotel], the management team has come to the hard decision that Longshore will no longer operate and the last service will be September 13, Walsh said. Advertisement Its a bitter blow for Kensington Street, which opened in 2015 with lofty food ambitions, but has churned through some high-end restaurant talent since. First to go was Silvereye restaurant in 2016, which had former Noma sous chef Sam Miller in charge in the kitchen. British celebrity chef Jason Atherton followed in 2018 at Kensington Street Social. One of Longshores go-to dishes: Salt-and-pepperberry fried whole John dory with XO butter. Edwina Pickles Local talent was drafted to take Athertons former digs, but when the Chippendale branch of Marrickvilles Barzaari restaurant closed after less than a year in 2019, The Sydney Morning Herald opined: Thankfully, the precinct has a pin-up in chef Clayton Wells its difficult to imagine what itd be like without Automata. A year later, Wells had pulled the pin at A1 Canteen on the strip, and in December 2022, he called it a day at his award-winning Automata restaurant. Its the perfect time to zip up and move on, Wells said at the time. Upmarket Korean restaurant Jung Sung joined the departees in 2023. While the Spice Alley hawker area on the strip does well, Walsh said it was a tougher proposition for more upmarket restaurants, with uni students a large part of the foot traffic. Advertisement We were more of a destination restaurant, Walsh said. When we did Hartsyard [in Newtown], we had a lot of people who ate there once or twice a week. Head chef Ryan Perry and executive chef Jarrod Walsh at Longshore. Edwina Pickles Walsh has ticked plenty of boxes at Longshore since its mid-2023 opening in the former Automata site. With a seagrass matting feature wall and freestyle cuisine combining coastal ingredients with Asian techniques, the restaurant landed a coveted chefs hat and impressed the team at Shell House. Were really excited to have Jarrod join us, said Brett Robinson, group chief executive of The Point, the hospitality group behind the two chefs hatted Shell House. Walsh will replace outgoing head chef Brad Guest this month, with Robinson enthused about their new hire. Its his creative energy, the detail the way he plates his food, Robinson said of Walshs skill set. Advertisement As for whats next at the Longshore site, Walsh said the hotel would most likely bring in a new external operator to take the Longshore space. Related Article Exclusive Bentley team to close two-hatted French restaurant Monopole Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up The former chairman of an Indigenous community organisation that runs Koori Radio has faced accusations of poor governance after he transferred more than $200,000 to a debit card in his name from the companys funds for expenses. A financial audit also found nearly a quarter of a million dollars was not transparently managed under his leadership but said there was no misappropriation of funds. Former Koori Radio board member John Leha. Credit: AbSec The organisation has now been barred from applying for state government grants, and insiders have described its operations as being in dire straits and in chaos. John Leha held the roles of chair and treasurer of Gadigal Information Service Aboriginal Corporation (GIS), which operates Koori Radio, from 2019 until a vote of no confidence against the board removed him from his position in April 2023 amid bullying claims. Police estimate 15,000 people joined an anti-immigration march in Sydney on Sunday, where protesters chanted send them back and a neo-Nazi organisation handed out fliers and led chants of heil Australia. The March for Australia protest march from Belmore Park near Central Station to Victoria Park in Camperdown, organised by a disparate collection of online groups, was one of several held across capital cities on Sunday. The March for Australia protesters in Haymarket on Sunday. Credit: Max Mason-Hubers It was one of three protests held in Sydney on Sunday, which, along with the Sydney Marathon, made for a taxing day for NSW Police. Acting assistant commissioner Scott Tanner said officers estimated about 15,000 people were at the anti-immigration rally, while between 2000 and 3000 people gathered at a pro-Palestine march. A few hundred people also attended a rally supporting refugees. Violent incidents broke out in Sydney following Sundays anti-immigration protest. Two men have been charged over the alleged assault of a police officer in an inner city pub, and a brawl was caught on video at Redfern train station. Police rushed to Bar Broadway in Chippendale about 5.40pm, amid reports that a brawl had broken out in response to a group of pub goers who were offensively yelling at passers-by, and loudly singing the national anthem. While dispersing the group, a male constable was allegedly assaulted by 48-year-old Matthew Smith. Attempts by three officers to arrest Smith were thwarted when another man, 29-year-old Sean Raics, allegedly attacked the same officer. Police believe the pair had earlier attended an anti-immigration rally where 15,000 people marched from Sydneys CBD to Victoria Park in Camperdown. Thanks for joining us for our live blog of news happening around Brisbane and further afield this Monday. Well be back tomorrow morning with another live coverage hope to see you then. In the meantime, here are some of the big stories making headlines today: The last stage of the Gold Coasts light rail has been scrapped, with the LNP government saying an independent review exposed a potential multibillion-dollar cost blowout. The Bank of Queensland is set to shed up to 200 jobs through a new partnership with a tech firm that will result in an increased use of AI and Australian jobs moved offshore. The body of a man involved in a fatal crash was found by police almost 24 hours after his car left the road, marking a tragic conclusion to a horror weekend on Queensland roads. The search for alleged police killer Dezi Freeman in rural Victoria enters its seventh day after his wifes desperate plea for him to surrender, amid controversy over a sign depicting support for Freeman was carried by a protester at a March for Australia rally on Sunday. Hundreds were feared dead and injured in an earthquake of magnitude 6.0 that struck Afghanistans rugged north-eastern province of Kunar, authorities said on Monday, as rescuers combed the rubble of homes in a hunt for survivors. Seven deaths in 18 months have sparked fear of a single man-eating Sumatran tiger. Property values across the nation are growing at their fastest rate in more than a year as cuts in official interest rates hit a housing market struggling from a lack of supply. Anti-immigration and counter protesters have clashed across Australia as thousands of nationalists took to the streets calling for an end to mass migration. March For Australia supporters donned Australian flags and shouted expletive-laden slogans, with neo-Nazis and right-wing politicians among those at the rallies. Police tangle with protesters on Sunday. Credit: Chris Hopkins Crowds across the country were mostly non-violent but police were forced to use pepper spray to separate some anti-immigration protesters and counter-protesters. Protesters and speakers insisted they were not against immigration but wanted migration numbers reduced as nationalist slogans such as love it or leave and Aussie, Aussie Aussie, oi, oi, oi were chanted. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson received a rock star welcome in the nations capital, where hundreds of people gathered at Commonwealth Park and marched across a bridge to Parliament House. If you dont love it, Ill be the first one to take you to the airport and put you on a plane, the firebrand Queenslander told the crowd. One man in the crowd was heard celebrating being kissed on the cheek by Senator Hanson when he asked for her small flag. One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts also addressed the ACT crowd, which included a man on horseback, saying mass migration had made people feel the death of Australian identity. Counter-protesters chanted as crowds gathered before the march, screaming f--- off Nazis, f--- off, go home white trash and immigrants are welcome here. An anti-fascism protester was also marched away by police after officers had to break up a scuffle in Canberra. The man broke ranks to join the anti-immigration side and was put in a headlock by a man draped in an Australian flag. Police were forced to separate protesters with pepper spray in Melbourne as the riot squad was deployed to manage clashes. March for Australia protesters in Sydney on Sunday. Credit: Max Mason-Hubers Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell addressed a mostly male crowd that numbered in the thousands. They congregated outside Flinders Street Station before marching through town. A row of young men in uniformed black jackets and pants stood together, with one wearing a shirt marked with the words f--- off were full. Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines described the anti-immigration marches as grubby and hateful and warned people who broke the law would be dealt with by authorities. Thousands more people attended a rally in Sydney that ran alongside a weekly pro-Palestine protest and the citys annual marathon. NSW Libertarian MP John Ruddick called for a five-year immigration moratorium while another speaker spouted a conspiracy theory that there was a clear global agenda to shame, beat down and replace people with Anglo-Celtic and European heritage. Police detained a woman hurling abuse at the pro-Palestine crowd and prevented her from joining the Hyde Park demonstration. NSW Police said one arrest had been made for breaching the peace but no charges had been laid. Crowds also gathered in Brisbane and Townsville, where federal MP Bob Katter and Katters Australia Party Queensland MPs Robbie Katter and Nick Dametto joined the march. Ahead of the rallies, political leaders called for calm and warned violence and racism had no place in Australia. Cabinet minister Murray Watt said he absolutely condemned the anti-migration rallies. The fact that this is being organised and promoted by neo-Nazi groups tells us everything we need to know about the level of hatred and division that these kind of rallies are about, he said. Liberal senator James Paterson, who has long championed strict migration laws, said many Australians held sincere views on the topic but warned neo-Nazis would be present at the rallies. He expressed concern about the targeting of multicultural communities, including Indian Australians, labelling it shameful and wrong. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley urged people not to let hatred and fear tear at the countrys social cohesion. AAP Young people should be paid to voice their views on the shape of their communities, says a youth advocacy group. In a submission to a state parliamentary community consultation inquiry, the Youth Affairs Council Victoria has called for young people to be given a seat at the table during community consultation and to be offered payment for their time. Youth Affairs Council Victoria officer Finn Stirling, 26, says its a problem that home owners over 45 are overrepresented in consultation processes. Credit: Simon Schluter Finn Stirling, 26, a youth participation officer at the Youth Affairs Council, said: Were in a cost-of-living crisis and a young person likely has to leave uni early or reject a shift of work. Remunerating them recognises the effort it takes to participate. Remuneration is a broadly accepted method to ensure people who face greater participation barriers are getting involved, and the idea is echoed in several other submissions to the inquiry. Dezi Freeman was a churchgoer who attended Mass just days before he allegedly shot dead two police officers and wounded another in Porepunkah, in Victorias alpine region, last Tuesday, according to locals. Parishioners at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Bright a tourist town about seven kilometres from Porepunkah recognised Freeman in media coverage of the shootings as the man who often attended Mass with his wife and baby. Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Bright, where Dezi Freeman often attended Mass, was closed on Sunday. Credit: Carolyn Webb On Sunday, as police continued to search nearby bushland where Freeman reportedly fled, a handful of local Catholics arrived at the church for 11am Mass, braving a cold but fine morning. However, they found the church locked and parish priest Father Tony Shallue nowhere to be seen. Police, including public order response teams and mounted officers, swiftly formed lines to try to keep the opposing groups apart as they taunted each other, at times from a distance of only metres. Even so, a large number of people were involved in skirmishes and dozens were subdued by capsicum spray. One woman, wearing the anti-immigration rallys uniform of an Australian flag draped over her shoulders, was attacked by protesters from the other camp on Swanston Street. Meanwhile, the March for Australia group targeted several people of colour throughout the rally despite repeated declarations from some who said were not racist. An Asian man was heckled by the NSN contingent before police pulled him away; another man was called rag-head and beaten after he yelled Nazi scum at the NSN protesters. A tense scene from the anti-immigration rally. Credit: Chris Hopkins Far-right commentator Avi Yemini, who is Jewish and pro-Israeli, was attacked by neo-Nazis as he tried to join the March for Australia. Outside State Parliament, one man boomed at officers: Were going to take a stand, and were going to do it f---ing now Were not f---ing racist. He then joined in as the crowd turned on a person of colour, booing him and screaming, F--- off, get out of here. Loading Melbournes March for Australia was one of a number organised around the country. In Adelaide, someone held up a sign depicting alleged Porepunkah shooter Dezi Freeman. The sign was emblazoned with the words free man. Freeman is the subject of a massive manhunt in Victorias High Country after allegedly killing Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart last Tuesday. National Socialist Network and other anti-immigration protesters confront a line of riot police on St Kilda Road. Credit: Michael Bachelard Later in the afternoon, Indigenous activists at the Camp Sovereignty site in Kings Domain published a video showing what appeared to be some anti-immigration protesters, including National Socialist Network members, storming their site and attacking camp members. Some of the protesters can be heard on the video chanting, Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi oi, oi, before they flee when police arrive. Loading Anti-immigration protesters in Brisbanes Roma Street parklands were met by counter-protesters holding Palestinian and pro-transgender flags. And in Sydney, a large crowd of anti-immigration demonstrators estimated by police at 15,000 chanted Send them back. Members of a neo-Nazi organisation associated with the NSN also handed out flyers, made a speech to the crowd and led chants of Heil Australia. Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines labelled the anti-immigration protesters attending Sundays rally as unhinged grubs. We know what theyre there for: to promote hate in the community, to blame people for their gripes and their complaints and their whinges, he said. A clash with a counter-protester outside Flinders Street Station. Credit: Christopher Hopkins They can march up and down all they like, their views are of no consequence to this government. NSN leader Tom Sewell said in a speech that the disparate groups that made up the anti-immigration march should unify because they were all united in their opposition to mass migration. He was met with loud and enthusiastic cheers from the crowd. After acknowledging his own group was controversial, he told the crowd it was the NSN that had defended the Aussie flag against the Palestinians and the communists. We are here today to set aside our minute differences on historical events or versions of ideology. We are here as Australians, proud and true and thoroughbred. Police confronted by protesters outside Parliament House. Credit: Cassandra Morgan The National Socialist Network has become more overt and militant on Melbournes streets in recent years, co-ordinating various stunts in an effort to get media attention, attract recruits and appear threatening to the public. The group is known to leverage political issues to recruit and try to normalise its presence. Also speaking at the rally were Hugo Lennon, the organiser of the anti-immigation protest, and Harrison McLean, a leading Melbourne freedom rally organiser, who became well-known for his role in the anti-lockdown protests during COVID-19. Loading When an Indigenous man briefly spoke on the microphone at the parliament building, saying Always was, Always will be Aboriginal land, he was pushed violently offstage by the neo-Nazis. A speaker countered saying, We [white people] built Australia. Speakers foreshadowed that they would organise another, even larger, rally for Australia Day. Age photographer Luis Enrique Ascui was covering the anti-immigration protest when one demonstrator launched at him, hitting his camera. Opinion among anti-immigration protesters was split on the presence of neo-Nazis. One woman told this masthead they would be fine if they gave up all that Australia for the white-man stuff. Another marcher, who wanted to be known only as Jim, said the rally had nothing to do with Dezi Freeman, saying every country has its nutcases. This is wholly and solely about immigration. As for the neo-Nazis, Jim said they were paid agitators and this is not what this movement is about. One pro-Palestinian demonstrator set fire to the Australian flag, fielding offers of hand sanitiser and a bollard pole to aid its ignition. The counter-protesters levelled their anger at police, questioning why they were defending Nazis. Get those animals off those horses, they screamed at officers on horseback. Cops and the Klan go hand in hand. The pianist whose performance was cancelled by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra says its brand has taken a nosedive internationally, following a protest during its performance at Londons BBC Proms. A group called Jewish Artists for Palestine claimed responsibility for disrupting the MSOs performance at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday (UK time). Jewish Artists for Palestine protesters at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Friday night. The group disrupted the MSOs performance during a live broadcast for the BBC Proms. Credit: Artfrontline/X The concert was for a live BBC Radio 3 broadcast, but the music had to be stopped and the event restarted. The MSO has blood on its hands, yelled a woman in the crowd, in a video uploaded to social media. You silenced Jayson Gillham! The MSO is complicit in genocide! South Australian Police believe they have identified the man who held up a poster of alleged police killer Dezi Freeman at an anti-immigration protest in Adelaide on Sunday. South Australia Police want to speak with the man who held a poster of an image of Dezi Freeman at an anti-immigration protest in Adelaide on Sunday. Credit: Getty Images South Australia Polices acting commissioner, Linda Williams, said officers could not locate the man at the time of the protest but have since identified him and were attempting to find him. This is a man who is wanted by Victoria Police for the shooting of two police officers whose families would no doubt have seen this image and would be likely distraught by what they have seen as would every right-minded person particularly every right-minded police officer, Williams said. I can only underscore how outrageous that behaviour is on the face of it and thats why seek to locate this man and speak to him about the behaviour. Williams said the man was likely to be charged with offensive behaviour. Thousands of people marched to WAs Parliament House as part of a national anti-immigration rally movement on Sunday. WA Police put the crowd at around 10,000 people, issuing 11 move on notices and three arrests during the mostly peaceful protest, as more violent scenes played out at other March for Australia rallies across the country. The protesters were opposing the increase in the countrys migration rates, with one sign at the rally reading, Its the pace, not the race. The Australian Bureau of Statistics shows WA, in the year to December 2024, had an extra 70,300 people added to its net population; 45,124 from overseas, 12,576 from natural increase, and 12,612 from interstate. Advertisement Reviews & adviceTripologist Opinion Seven ways to get a cheaper flight (including in business class) Michael Gebicki The Tripologist September 1, 2025 5:00am September 1, 2025 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share 69 View all comments Key points To find the cheapest airfare, use multiple search engines and have flexible travel dates Flight search engines plus fare alerts help you take advantage of fare price dips Split ticketing, online travel agencies and direct airline bookings each have pros and cons Whats wrong with these statements? Book your airfare on a Tuesday at midnight; Book your flights at the last minute and youll get a better deal; Clear your cookies and the fares will drop; Key your parameters into ChatGPT and itll find you the best flights. Theyre all wrong or, at best, only partially true. Theres no secret formula that works every time to find the best airfare, but there are tools and strategies to put wings on your travel dollars. Qatar Airways Qsuite. Split ticketing can get you a better price on business class if you opt for a route with fewer business travellers. Use multiple flight search engines In the search for the best airfare a flight search engine is your best friend. Not all search engines will give you the same result, some are strong in one area, and none is guaranteed to always find you the best price and quickest flight time. Advertisement When it comes to finding the cheapest way across the skies, a few search engines stand out. Skyscanner is a great starting point, and its flexible date tool and Everywhere search are tailor made for dreamers with itchy feet and no fixed destination, but some airlines flights dont appear on there. Google Flights is a sharp tool for tracking fares and comparing routes, and its price calendar is hard to beat. Kayak is optimal for stringing together multi-city journeys or keeping your dates loose while Momondo often finds deals that slip through the cracks elsewhere. Related Article Opinion Air travel Frustration over a Qantas upgrade changed the way I travel Tony Wright Associate editor and special writer Budget airlines such as Scoot and AirAsia are often excluded from their search results, you might need to dig deeper to find their airfares. When youve found the best flight, go to the airlines own website and check their price. If its only slightly more expensive, there are some good reasons to buy your ticket from the airline. The tools of the trade Fare search engines have a tonne of information at their fingertips that can help you find the best deal. Skyscanner has a flexible date search option. Enter your departure and destination cities, click Flexible dates in the date field and Cheapest month, or your preferred month and youll get a day-by-day breakdown of the cheapest fares. Advertisement As soon as you key in your origin and destination, Google Flights shows you the cheapest days to fly in each month, which reveals itself as you scroll month-by-month. Momondos flight insights is another data-rich resource. Key in your origin and destination, click on the flight insights tab at the top of the page and a graphical display pops up showing the cheapest month to fly that route, the cheapest weekday to depart, the number of days before departure when flights are cheapest and even what time of day to depart to get the best value. Set flight alerts Related Article Opinion Tripologist R is for reclining: Everything to know about plane seats, from A to Z Michael Gebicki The Tripologist The ideal time to start looking for international flights is between six and nine months before you intend to fly. Most flight search engines have price trackers that let you know when prices change for the flights youre interested in. Dont be wedded to a particular price, its not up to you. Air ticket prices are determined by market conditions, essentially supply and demand, and thats beyond your control. If the price dips, grab it. It might fall further, but it could also go the other way. Advertisement Is there a cheap day to fly? Its almost impossible to make the case that its cheaper to fly on one particular day of the week. If you are so rash, someone will come up with an exception that shoots you down. However, its usually cheaper to fly between Monday and Thursday, and usually more expensive from Friday to Sunday. When to book your ticket According to Expedias 2025 Air Hacks Report, intended to help travellers track down the best deals on airfares, Booking too far in advance can actually cost travellers. Booking at least three months before their international flight is the sweet spot for savings of up to 12 per cent [compared with] booking more than five months ahead. This conclusion is based on data collected from airlines across the world, and ticket prices for international flights are often cheaper three or four months before departure compared to prices six months pre-departure. However, for peak seasons such as school holidays, Christmas and the summer period in Europe and North America, extend your booking horizon to six to10 months ahead as seats sell out months in advance, and prices rise. Advertisement Where to buy your ticket Chances are the cheapest price will come from an online travel agency (OTA) rather than from the airline itself. Although you might be tempted by the flight price offered by flycheapwithus.com, you need to weigh up the pros and cons of booking via a third party. In general, youre better off giving your money to the operator providing the service. The OTAs fare might come with more restrictive conditions, such as a reduced baggage allowance, or a higher fee if you need to make changes to your booking, and a much greater cancellation penalty. However, some OTAs do a creditable job. In 2024, I had to book return premium economy flights from Sydney to Rome. China Eastern came up with the best price by a huge margin, but their booking site is a nightmare. After several failed attempts using three different browsers I gave up and resorted to booking.com. The job was easy, and the price was comparable with China Easterns. I subsequently had to change the date of my return ticket and this was accomplished with minimum fuss and at a reasonable cost through booking.com. Split ticketing Advertisement Split ticketing is an air travel hack that can make a big dent in the cost of getting from A to B. Instead of booking a flight from Melbourne to Rome with a single airline for example, it might be cheaper to book a flight to Kuala Lumpur with one airline and with another airline from KL to Rome. Split ticketing works best on long-haul flights, and particularly if youre looking to fly business class on sectors that dont get a lot of business traffic. Related Article Opinion Tripologist Want an upgrade on your flight? Heres what works (and what doesnt) Michael Gebicki The Tripologist For example, you could fly business class return from Kuala Lumpur to Paris in March 2026 for $4350. Thats with Qatar Airways, in one of the worlds best business class seats. To get to KL that month from Australia, a return business class seat with Malaysia Airlines would cost about $3400, making the total cost of your trip $7750. This is about $1700 cheaper than a single Qatar Airways return business class ticket from Australia to Paris. Since its unlikely that your first carrier will transfer your checked baggage to your connecting flight you need to collect your baggage from your first flight and check in for your connecting flight. That might also involve passing through immigration and customs for both incoming and outgoing flights. If so, four hours between flights is the absolute minimum. Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. The GHF is favoured by the Trump administration and Israel to carry out humanitarian efforts in Gaza as opposed to the United Nations-led system, which Israel says lets militants divert aid. In early August, the UN said more than 1000 people had been killed trying to receive aid in Gaza since the GHF began operating in May 2025, most of them shot by Israeli forces operating near GHF sites. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it had killed Hamas long-time military spokesperson as Israels security cabinet met to discuss expanding its offensive in some of Gazas most populated areas. There were no plans to discuss negotiations for a ceasefire at the meeting, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak with the media. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz identified the spokesperson as Abu Obeida, the nom de guerre for the official who represented Hamass Qassam Brigades. Hamas has not commented on the claim, but Obeidas last statement was issued on Friday as Israel began the initial stages of the new offensive and declared Gaza City a combat zone. Obeida said the militants would do their best to protect living hostages but warned that they would be in areas of fighting. He said the remains of dead hostages would disappear forever. Israels military said Obeida, whom it named as Hudahaifa Kahlout, had been behind the release of videos showing hostages, as well as footage of the October 2023 Hamas-led attack in which about 1200 people were killed and 251 people were abducted from southern Israel. Abu Obeida (not pictured) was spokesperson for Hamass armed wing. Credit: Bloomberg The Israeli military also reiterated a threat against remaining Hamas leaders abroad. Israel has killed many of Hamas military and political leaders as it attempts to dismantle the group. The Israeli military has gradually escalated its operations around Gaza City over the past three weeks. On Friday, it ended temporary pauses in the area that had allowed for aid deliveries, designating it a dangerous combat zone. On Sunday, the World Food Program said Israels designation would impact food access and put humanitarian aid workers in danger. A report released last month by the global hunger monitor, Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), said approximately 514,000 people nearly a quarter of Gazas population face famine conditions. Israel has dismissed the IPCs findings as false and biased, saying it had based its survey on partial data largely provided by Hamas, which did not take into account a recent influx of food. A death trap while seeking food At least 43 Palestinians were killed over the weekend, most of them in Gaza City, according to local hospitals. Shifa Hospital, the territorys largest, said 29 bodies were brought to its morgue, including 10 people killed while seeking aid and others struck across the city. Where are the resistance fighters that [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu claims he is bombing? Does he consider stones resistance fighters? said a relative of one of the dead at Shifa Hospital, who did not give her name. She said they would not be displaced. Displaced Palestinians fleeing northern Gaza Strip move with their belongings along the Sea Road, near Wadi Gaza on Saturday. Credit: AP Witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire on crowds in the Netzarim Corridor, an Israeli military zone that bisects Gaza. We were trying to get food, but we were met with the occupations bullets, said Ragheb Abu Lebda, who saw at least three people bleeding from gunshot wounds. Its a death trap. At least 63,371 Palestinians have died during the war, according to the territorys Health Ministry, which does not say how many were fighters or civilians, but says about half were women and children. Thunberg warning as flotilla departs In another development, Israel is reportedly planning to treat activist Greta Thunberg as a terrorist as she and other campaigners set off from Barcelona on board a flotilla of boats attempting to travel to Gaza in the largest attempt yet to break the long Israeli blockade of the territory. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg (centre) before boarding a boat in Barcelona, part of a civilian flotilla bound for Gaza to break the Israeli blockade and deliver humanitarian aid. Credit: AP The Global Sumud Flotilla departed on Sunday carrying food, water and medicine on about 20 boats, and organisers said more would join at ports along the way. Some 70 boats are expected to take part in the final leg of the journey. Israels national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, will present Netanyahu with a proposal to detain the activists in harsh terrorist-level conditions in the Ktziot and Damon detention centres for females, the London Telegraph said, citing reports in Israel Hayom, one of Israels biggest newspapers. In June, Thunberg and 11 other activists aboard a previous flotilla were detained by the Israeli Navy 185 kilometres west of Gaza, where they were given water and sandwiches before being escorted to the port of Ashdod in Israel. Yemen's Huthis say PM killed in Israeli strike Sanaa, Aug 30 (AFP) Aug 30, 2025 Yemen's Huthi rebels said Saturday their prime minister had been killed in an Israeli air strike earlier this week, the most senior official known to have died in a series of attacks during the Gaza war. An Israeli army statement later Saturday confirmed the strike and that it had killed Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser Al-Rahawi. The Iran-backed Huthis, who have launched repeated drone and missile attacks on Israel since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023, vowed to avenge his death. Rahawi, who was appointed last year, was killed along with other officials during the attack Thursday, the rebels said. Israel has been striking Huthi targets for months in response to the rebels' attacks, which they say are in support of the Palestinians in Gaza. "We announce the martyrdom of the fighter Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser Al-Rahawi... along with several of his ministerial colleagues, as they were targeted by the treacherous Israeli criminal enemy," a Huthi statement said. "Others among their companions were injured with moderate to serious wounds and are receiving medical care since Thursday afternoon," it added. On Thursday, Israeli forces had said they "struck a Huthi terrorist regime military target". Unsourced Yemeni media reports of Rahawi's death were not confirmed at the time. But on Saturday, Israel's military said in a statement: "Among the senior officials present at the site during the strike was the Huthi Prime Minister, Ahmed Al-Rahawi, who was eliminated in the strike, along with additional senior officials." - Miftah takes over - The Huthis called Thursday's gathering "a routine workshop organised by the government to evaluate its activities and performance over the past year". The head of the rebels' supreme political council, Mehdi al-Mashat, vowed to avenge the killings. "We promise to God, to the dear Yemeni people and the families of the martyrs and wounded that we will take revenge," Mashat said in a video message posted on Telegram. He warned foreign companies to leave Israel "before it's too late". US-based Yemen analyst Mohammed Al Basha noted that previously, the Israelis had targeted infrastructure such as ports and power stations. "The strikes indicate a shift in Israeli operational focus away from transportation and energy infrastructure toward targeted assassinations of high-value personnel," Basha, author of the Basha Report, told AFP. It is "an escalation that, regardless of the final casualty count, is likely to shake the Huthi leadership at its core", he added. "This operation bears the hallmarks of a signals intelligence-driven strike, and it is possible that additional senior Huthi leaders were en route to the location." Rahawi had made a public appearance on Wednesday, attending an event organised by the Huthi endowments ministry in Sanaa. He was from the southern province of Abyan, which is not part of the large swathes of Yemen under Huthi control. The rebels have traditionally reserved the premiership for southerners in an attempt to win hearts and minds in the south. Deputy prime minister Mohammed Ahmed Miftah was appointed as interim prime minister following Rahawi's death, the Huthis announced separately. The rebel group is part of Iran's "axis of resistance", an anti-Israel alliance. burs-jj/gv Hamas confirms death of Gaza chief Mohammed Sinwar Jerusalem, Aug 31 (AFP) Aug 31, 2025 Hamas on Sunday confirmed the death of Mohammed Sinwar, its presumed leader in Gaza, more than three months after Israel said it had killed him in an air strike. Pictures released by the Palestinian Islamist group on Saturday showed him alongside other political and military leaders described as "martyrs of the military council". Mohammed Sinwar was the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, accused by Israel of masterminding the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. He reportedly led the Al-Qassam Brigades' military council after the death of commander Mohammed Deif. Israel said it had identified Mohammed Sinwar's body in June in a tunnel beneath the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, central Gaza. The military said it had "eliminated" him on May 13. Hamas's October 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Of the 251 hostages seized during the attack, 47 are still being held in Gaza, around 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 63,371 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza that the United Nations considers reliable. Norway picks BAE Systems for navy frigates order Oslo, Aug 31 (AFP) Aug 31, 2025 The Norwegian government has chosen BAE Systems to build five to six frigates as part of its strategic partnership with Britain, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announced Sunday. The contract is worth an estimated 100 billion kroner ($10 billion), according to media reports. BAE beat out competing bids for the frigates from French, German and US groups. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had all travelled to Norway in recent months to push for their respective offers. "Their capabilities and the closeness of our partnership supported our common belief that the British frigate is the best, as well the very strong integration between the Norwegian and British navies over the years," Store said. "We've just agreed a pound10 billion deal with Norway to export our world-leading Type 26 frigates. Supporting thousands of UK jobs, from apprentices to engineers," Starmer said, in a social media post. phy/ef/js/dc BAE Systems Indonesia cuts lawmaker perks as president tries to quell protests Jakarta, Aug 31 (AFP) Aug 31, 2025 Indonesia cut financial perks for lawmakers on Sunday, after at least five people were killed in protests against economic hardship that have escalated into anger against police. Southeast Asia's biggest economy was rocked by protests in major cities in recent days after footage spread of a motorcycle taxi driver being run over by a police vehicle at a rally against lucrative perks for lawmakers. "The parliament leadership conveyed that they would revoke several policies, including the amount of allowance for lawmakers, and a moratorium on overseas visits," President Prabowo Subianto said, without specifying which allowance he was referring to. The ex-general said protests should take place peacefully and if people destroyed public facilities or looted private homes "the state must step in to protect its citizens". "The rights to peaceful assembly should be respected and protected. But we cannot deny that there are signs of actions outside the law, even against the law, even leaning towards treason and terrorism," Prabowo said in a speech in Jakarta. Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin later said military and police would take "firm action" against "rioters and looters" who entered private homes or state institutions. Their comments came after the house of Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati was looted overnight, soldiers guarding her residence and a witness told AFP on Sunday. Anger has spread to lawmakers and several have reportedly had their houses ransacked in recent days. The grievances of protesters are many but rallies before the driver's death this week focused on the revelation that lawmakers were receiving a housing allowance nearly 10 times higher than the minimum wage in Jakarta. Rights groups said Prabowo's speech and the olive branch from parliament did not go far enough. "The president's statement was insensitive to all the complaints and aspirations that the people were voicing during the demonstrations," Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid said in a statement. "The state should respond demands from various groups of people with a series of comprehensive policy changes." - Major test - Protests have spread from capital Jakarta to other major cities, including Yogyakarta, Bandung, Semarang and Surabaya in Java, and Medan in North Sumatra province. At least three people were killed after a fire Friday started by protesters at a council building in the eastern city of Makassar. Another victim died in Makassar on Friday after he was beaten by mob on suspicion that he was an intelligence officer, local disaster agency official Muhammad Fadli Tahar told AFP on Sunday. A local council building was burned on the island of Lombok on Saturday while a police headquarters in the eastern Java city of Surabaya was set on fire. In response to the protests, social media app TikTok on Saturday temporarily suspended its live feature for "a few days" in Indonesia, where it has more than 100 million users. Some institutions were anticipating protests to continue on Monday. One international school said its classes would take place online until Tuesday and civil servants working in Jakarta were asked to work from home. A Jakarta police spokesperson in remarks aired by broadcaster Kompas TV said patrols would be carried out in the capital to "protect" citizens and give a sense of security. The protests are the biggest and most violent of Prabowo's presidency, a key test less than a year into his rule. He pledged an investigation into the killing of motorcycle gig driver Affan Kurniawan and promised to help his family. Seven officers in the tactical van were detained for further investigation. Analysts said his speech could provide a "temporary calming effect" among political elites but not the wider public. "On the ground frustrations over economic hardship and perceived government privileges remain," said Dedi Dinarto, senior associate at public policy advisory firm Global Counsel. "Unless those deeper concerns are addressed, the speech alone is unlikely to fully diffuse the unrest." The crisis has forced Prabowo to cancel a planned trip to China next week for a military parade commemorating the end of World War II. Prabowo has pledged fast, state-driven growth but has already faced protests against widespread government budget cuts. Allow Google Search To use the search feature, we need your consent to load Google Custom Search, which may use cookies or similar technologies. Please click 'Allow and Continue' below to enable search. See our privacy policy for more information. Allow and Continue Appearing after Ms Phillipson on the Sky News programme, Mr Tice was asked if he could be clear there has been no encouragement from the party to the sort of person who wants to break into asylum hotels in masks and to intimidate asylum seekers. Texas Rep. Rafael Anchia speaks against Senate Bill 8, the "bathroom bill," in the House chamber at the Texas Capitol on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman For more than a generation, whenever a politician suggested or said outright that a particular piece of legislation would either please the Lord or draw his fury, the general assumption was that the speaker was a Republican. The notion dates back to the 1980 presidential campaign, when a still-budding but fast-growing organization called the Moral Majority pushed back against what it saw as the permissiveness of the 1960s and '70s and coalesced around the candidacy of Republican Ronald Reagan. And it came at the expense of Democratic President Jimmy Carter, who ironically had worn his born-again Christianity on his sleeve during his successful race for the White House four years earlier. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That marriage of piety and politics has worked out pretty well for Republicans. Over the past 45 years, the GOP nominee for president has won seven of the 12 elections, and Christian conservatives have provided the bedrock of the party's coalition up and down the ballot pretty much every step of the way. One knock on Democrats over that time is that, as a party, they have come across as indifferent and perhaps even hostile to religion. That may help explain why Democrat Joe Biden, a practicing Catholic, won only 18% of the white evangelical vote in 2020, while Republican Donald Trump, who has never been much of a churchgoer, captured 81%, according to an AP VoteCast post-election survey. But now there's at least some anecdotal evidence in Texas that Democrats are no longer waving the white flag of surrender whenever the political topic migrates toward the spiritual. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Case in point: When state Rep. Rafael Anchia of Dallas, as liberal a Democrat as anyone presently serving in the Legislature, made his case Thursday that a bill to limit the bathroom choices of transgender people should be defeated, he told his colleague he was speaking as a disciple of Christ. Advertisement Article continues below this ad READ MORE: Redistricting proves that what happens in Texas does not stay in Texas "I stand up here as a Christian because we've heard from hundreds of religious leaders across this state who oppose this bathroom bill and have continued to call on us to act within one of the most sacred teachings of Jesus Christ: Love thy neighbor," said the 56-year-old Anchia, who has served in the House since 2005. He went on to quote passages from the New Testament and to warn against using "faith as a weapon" against marginalized people. Hearing heckling and snickering from the chamber floor, Anchia responded: "I'm sorry that my profession of faith offends you. But it is mine and is not yours. I'm sorry the Bible offends so many. I'm sorry it caused the Holy Spirit, my profession of faith, caused one to get out of their seat and speak ill." Anchia's speech, some parts aided with notes and others off the cuff, was reminiscent of recent public remarks by a younger Democrat, state Rep. James Talarico of Austin. At 36, Talarico is a divinity student and has used his social media platforms to link his progressive politics to religious doctrine. Earlier in the summer, he spent more than two and a half hours with podcaster Joe Rogan, who has a national reach and is a favorite of many young conservatives. The first hour was dominated by questions and answers about religion and faith. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Talarico, now in his fourth term, is considering a run for the U.S. Senate next year and is actively courting voters who have gravitated toward Republicans because they see little in the message of traditional Democrats that appeals to them. Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) and a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter air crew conduct flight training evolutions in the Caribbean Sea, July 15, 2025. (Corrie Gill/U.S. Coast Guard) The Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk returned to Key West, Fla., on Friday after a 75-day deployment to the Coast Guard Southeast District area of responsibility, targeting illegal drug trafficking and unlawful migration in the region. Mohawks crew conducted maritime security patrols in the Windward Passage, Florida Straits and Caribbean Sea and contributed to the disposition of 21 drug smugglers, 2,425 pounds of cocaine, and 4,300 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of nearly $23 million, according to a service news release. Our efforts over the last 75 days have served as a deterrent to criminal organizations seeking to exploit our waterways and reinforce our dedication to a safe and secure maritime environment, said Cmdr. Taylor Kellogg, commanding officer of Mohawk. Im proud of our crew for their selfless service, teamwork and devotion to duty. Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) and a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter air crew conduct flight training evolutions in the Caribbean Sea, July 15, 2025. (Corrie Gill/U.S. Coast Guard) Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard patrol vessel HMJS George William Gordon and U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) conduct an at-sea transfer of contraband and suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea, Aug. 23, 2025. (Andrew Ferderer/U.S. Coast Guard) Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) crew members aboard a 26-foot, Mk-V over-the-horizon cutter boat, the services newest, conduct pursuit training in the Caribbean Sea, July 2, 2025. (Andrew Ferderer/U.S. Coast Guard) Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) crew members conduct a gunnery exercise on the cutters .50-caliber machine gun while underway in the Caribbean Sea, July 23, 2025. (Andrew Ferderer/U.S. Coast Guard) The Coast Guard Cutter Mohawks (WMEC 913) 26-foot, Mk-V over-the-horizon cutter boat, the services newest, transits at sunset off Miami, Fla., Aug. 7, 2025. (Andrew Ferderer/U.S. Coast Guard) The crew supported Operation Vigilant Sentry to prevent illegal migration along the coast of Haiti, and they also supported Joint Interagency Task Force South to detect and monitor illegal drug shipments. Mohawks recent operations demonstrate our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nations maritime approaches, said Kellogg. Throughout the deployment, Mohawk worked with and assisted partners including the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Jamaica Defence Force, Coast Guard air and surface assets, and the Navys USS Cole and USS Jason Dunham. Mohawk is a 270-foot, Famous-class medium endurance cutter. The cutters primary missions are counter-drug and alien interdiction operations, enforcement of federal fishery laws and search and rescue throughout the Western Hemisphere. The cutter falls under the command of the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area. An Immigration and Customers Enforcement officer speaks to a U.S. Marine at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on May 22, 2025. (Nadia Rossin/U.S. Air Force) Purple Heart recipient Jose Barco thought he had paid his debt to society after he served 15 years in prison for attempted murder. The federal government decided otherwise. Barco, a U.S. Army veteran who was injured in Iraq, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in January when he was granted parole. Hes now being held in Denver and is slated to be deported to Venezuela, where he was born after his family fled Cuba, under a federal law that allows noncitizens to be stripped of legal residency and removed from the country if they are convicted of a crime. The Biden administration issued a directive in 2022 making it harder for ICE to deport noncitizen veterans. But the Trump administration has sought lists from jails and prisons of noncitizen inmates and detainees as part of its mass deportation campaign. At least four veterans all of whom have criminal records and were lawful permanent residents before their service are in ICE detention facilities and facing deportation proceedings, The Washington Post confirmed through interviews with family members and attorneys. More than 80 noncitizen veterans were in the federal prison system as of late August, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. For those who have been released from prison after serving sentences, deportation feels like an unjust second punishment, said Jennie Pasquarella, legal director at the Seattle Clemency Project, which provides legal aid to formerly incarcerated people. Scott Mechkowski, who spent 22 years in ICEs Enforcement and Removal Operations division and over 30 years in the Army, said he and his ICE colleagues always had to give discretion to military service by looking for legal ways to grant relief from deportation to veterans convicted of certain nonviolent crimes, such as drug possession. Barcos case is different because he was convicted of an aggravated felony, Mechkowski said. But he said Barcos situation still represents a catastrophic failure across the board because his attorney says he filed for naturalization before his crime and the system failed to process his applications. He shouldnt be deported, Mechkowski said. He answered the call when we needed him. Removing former service members from the country also infringes on their access to Department of Veterans Affairs health care and other earned benefits, said Danitza James, who served in the Army and advocates against deporting veterans. Were not saying that theyre not guilty. Were not saying dont make them serve their time, James said. All were saying is dont deport them. Dont take them away from their benefits their support, their families, everything that they fought and some of them bled for. Though troops are eligible to apply for naturalization while serving, the process isnt always clear to them. Some also wrongly assume that the oath of enlistment guarantees their permanent status in the country, said Rose Carmen Goldberg, an expert on veteran law at Yale Law School. Kimlis Tek, a Cambodian refugee who served in the Army and National Guard for about three years, said he thought he was automatically made a citizen when he took the oath of enlistment, based on information from his recruiters. He came to the United States in 1984 as a toddler, and his family settled in Southern California as lawful permanent residents. Amanda Schuft, director of legal services at Immigrant Defenders Law Center in Los Angeles, said the promise of naturalization is used in recruitment efforts but that commitment is not followed up on, which can leave people vulnerable to deportation. After leaving the military, Tek was convicted of assault and domestic violence, court records show. He served 14 years in a state prison in Washington, where he worked toward an associates degree and developed carpentry and bakery skills. Tek was released in May and immediately placed in ICE custody. We had a room ready for him, said his younger brother, Syleaph Tek, who became a citizen more than a decade ago. He was going to be living with me until he could get up on his feet, that was the plan. Now Kimlis Tek is being held at a detention center in Tacoma, Washington, and faces deportation to Cambodia where he has no remaining family, his brother said. He was born at a refugee camp in Thailand. Barco, the Purple Heart recipient, was sentenced to prison after firing a weapon outside a party in 2008 and injuring a pregnant woman. He had recently been medically retired from the military after being diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury following a deployment to Iraq. He was 23. Barco has said he has no memory of the crime, according to his lawyer, who said his client had experienced a flashback at the time of the shooting. Barco has also been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder a condition, his brother said in a letter to the court, that has been severely exacerbated in ICE detention. Advocates for Barco have attempted to get him access to Veterans Affairs health care while he is detained, but the requests have been denied or gone unanswered, according to an email reviewed by The Post. VA is restricted from providing health care services to veterans who are inmates if another government agency in charge of a jail or prison has a duty to provide care or services, according to a department directive included in an email explaining the denial. VA officials did not respond to a request for comment on Barcos case. Barco who served in uniform for about six years had attempted to gain citizenship twice, said his lawyer, Kevin OConnor. The first time, the military lost his application, a U.S. Army officer wrote in a court filing. The shooting outside the party took place as the second attempt was being processed, OConnor said. (Barco declined an interview through his lawyer because proceedings are ongoing.) He was good enough to serve our country, good enough to help rescue two fellow soldiers, Tia Barco said of her husband, referencing an incident during his first deployment to Iraq, where he sustained severe burns while lifting the front end of a car off two trapped soldiers, according to Ryan Krebbs, the company medic. But now hes not good enough to be forgiven for a mistake, his wife said. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, noted the severity of Barcos crime in a statement and called him and Tek heinous criminal aliens. For Krebbs, who served with Barco in Iraq, fighting his friends deportation doesnt mean denying the seriousness of his crime. He accepts full responsibility, Krebbs said. But the fact that a combat veteran could be deported, he said, has been eye-opening. This month, Barcos attorney tried a new tactic. While Barco is not eligible for asylum because of his criminal conviction, OConnor is asking the court to grant him relief under the Convention Against Torture, arguing that his status as a former U.S. service member would put him at special risk of persecution or torture if he is deported to Venezuela. The judge in Barcos case has scheduled a hearing for Thursday, and the veterans family is hopeful he will consider Barcos military service, OConnor said. Tia Barco said she has let herself feel slightly optimistic about her husbands case. Margaret Stock, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve and an expert in military and immigration law, said Barcos potential deportation feels particularly unjust because his combat injury may have contributed to or caused the action that landed him in prison. Thats not what America is about, she said. Were supposed to treat the veteran and restore them to health if we can, not deport them. For the family of Marlon Parris, another Army veteran who is facing deportation after serving time in prison, the process feels like double jeopardy, said his wife, Tanisha Hartwell-Parris. Parris arrived in the U.S. from Trinidad and Tobago when he was 19. He served in the military for more than five years. When he completed his probation in 2016 after serving time for distributing cocaine, he received a letter of no interest from ICE, stating that the agency is not amenable to deportation, according to a copy of the letter shared by Parriss attorney. But in August 2024, during the Biden administration, Parris received a notice to appear for removal proceedings. The family was preparing to challenge it. ICE detained Parris on Jan. 22, and he has since been held at a facility in Arizona, said his lawyer, Douglas Kouffie. McLaughlin, the DHS spokeswoman, said Parris will remain in custody pending his removal. Kouffie said his client feels like hes paid for his crimes and that this detention is unjustified, adding: The government went back on their word. For the veterans facing removal and their loved ones, a feeling of betrayal lingers over their memories of military service. I was willing to go fight and die for this country, Tek said in a phone interview from the detention center. I didnt know they could deport veterans. New York Attorney General Letitia James claims her offices settlement with the owners of the Van Duyn nursing home in Syracuse holds them accountable for taking huge profits while vulnerable residents suffered neglect, harm and even death. Yes and no. The AGs $2 million penalty against owners Efraim Steif and Uri Koenig is a pittance compared with the $37.6 million the state said Van Duyn diverted from the nursing home instead of spending it on resident care. The AG documented more than $100 million in upfront profit-taking by the owners since they took over the facility from Onondaga County in 2013. The $2 million will pay back New Yorks taxpayer-funded Medicaid program. James said Steif and Koenig committed financial fraud by paying themselves inflated rent from 2015 to 2022. They also transferred over $2 million to themselves by paying themselves salaries, some of it for work that was not performed. The settlement also requires approval of any payments Van Duyn makes to companies controlled by Steif and Koenig to provide services to the nursing home another way to wring money out of the operation but it does not ban the practice. Nor does it provide any compensation to the hundreds of residents whose health and dignity were compromised because of chronic understaffing and poor building maintenance. The settlement does mandate that the owners put $10 million into fixing those problems money they should have been spending anyway. Independent monitors, chosen by the AG and paid for by the nursing home, will oversee health and financial operations. Also, Steif and Koenig cannot close or sell the facility for five years, which prevents them from unloading their problems on a new owner but also may deprive residents of a better one. We recognize that the settlement is better than letting Van Duyns owners just walk away. That would force more than 500 residents to seek care from an already overburdened long-term care system. Still, after an eight-year investigation, we had hoped much stiffer sanctions would result. James said she did not bring charges against Steif and Koenig because their conduct did not rise to the level of criminal behavior. If thats the case, we need stronger laws. A syracuse.com investigation found the nursing homes staffers ignored, mistreated and forced out some of its frail population. Residents faced malnourishment for refusing to eat inedible food. Showers had only cold water for weeks. At least five residents died, and 40 others were injured, because of neglect at Van Duyn, state officials said in court papers. The settlement with Van Duyn follows a pattern the Attorney Generals Office has established to deal with recalcitrant nursing home owners: Pay a penalty, put money into improving operations, provide for more oversight and move on. To date, the AG says it has secured over $70 million from nursing home operators. The hope is that these settlements make immediate improvements in the care of residents, rather than making them wait for lawsuits to wind their way through the courts. Well see if that strategy pays off. Meanwhile, what about the residents who were harmed over all of these years? Some families have brought civil actions against Van Duyn. The vast majority get nothing. They are left to hope that current and future residents dont suffer the way they or their family members did. Its worth noting that poor conditions at Van Duyn existed before, during and after the Covid pandemic. Well also remind you that after the scandal over Covids toll in nursing homes, state legislators enacted minimum staffing ratios for nurses, a cap on profits and a requirement that 70% of revenue be spent on patient care. To the AGs credit, the settlement sets a minimum staffing level that satisfies that requirement and prevents Van Duyns owners from taking any profits unless it can show that residents care needs have been met to the satisfaction of the independent monitor. The fact remains that hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars keep flowing to nursing homes, like Van Duyn, that fail to provide even the minimum standard of care. Routine inspections by the state health department routinely find horrendous violations. And yet it is powerless to compel nursing home operators to shape up. The fact that it took a complicated, years-long probe of financial misconduct to ensure compliance is an indictment of the states current approach to regulating these facilities. James may be making a small dent through these settlements. But it feels inadequate when weighed against the suffering of injured, elderly and vulnerable people who literally have nowhere else to go. About Syracuse.com editorials Editorials represent the collective opinion of the Advance Media New York editorial board. Our opinions are independent of news coverage. Read our mission statement. Members of the editorial board are Tim Kennedy, Trish LaMonte and Marie Morelli. To respond to this editorial: Submit a letter or commentary to letters@syracuse.com. Read our submission guidelines. If you have questions about the Opinions & Editorials section, contact Marie Morelli, editorial/opinion lead, at mmorelli@syracuse.com By Dan Clark | Times Union, Albany, N.Y. (TNS) Albany, N.Y. Its rare that a major bill receives bipartisan support in the state Legislature, but thats what happened when lawmakers approved a first-in-the-nation law to regulate how social media platforms interact with children. It received nearly unanimous support in both the state Senate and Assembly, with only one vote against the measure before it was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul in June 2024. The law bars social media companies from displaying content to minors using an algorithm that pulls from their activity online without the consent of their parents. It also prohibits notifications from being sent to children during overnight hours. Its considered by Hochul to be one of her most significant achievements since she took office and one she often invokes in the context of youth mental health. She touted its intent at a recent education roundtable in western New York. Theres such a negative influence on our young people coming from addictive algorithms that are bombarding students, Hochul said. We stopped all that in New York. Not quite: More than a year after Hochul sign the bill into law, it has yet to be implemented. A set of regulations required for it to take effect havent been finished by the state attorney generals office, which cant enforce it without them. That is expected to change soon. A source familiar with the development of those regulations confirmed to the Times Union that theyre expected to be released in a matter of weeks. The task for the attorney generals office is incredibly complicated and twofold: Its staff has to both craft the laws inaugural regulations and develop a legal strategy in anticipation of a lawsuit seeking to strike down the statute altogether. Its not an unlikely outcome, said Alex Spyropoulos, director of government relations for Tech:NYC, a trade group that previously warned about the laws potential vulnerabilities. I think were seeing a trend throughout the country of these types of bills facing legal challenges due to the common thread around concerns of violation of the First Amendment and things of that nature, Spyropoulos said. That trend is also bipartisan. The states of Arkansas, California, Florida and Colorado are among several that currently face litigation related to similar laws enacted in their states. Those lawsuits have all been brought by NetChoice, a trade group for companies with large digital platforms that advocates against government regulation of online content. It condemned New Yorks law as an assault on free speech when Hochul signed it last year but hasnt sued the state over it. Carl Szabo, vice president and general counsel for NetChoice, implied at the time that a lawsuit was on the table. NetChoice has defeated similar unconstitutional bills in three other states, where the judges in each of those cases highlighted the serious First Amendment and privacy concerns with this type of legislation, Szabo said. That may not happen, if at all, until the law takes effect. That wont be until next spring at the earliest, with implementation expected sometime after April of 2026. Thats because of the states regulatory process and what the text of the law requires. The first step is the promulgation of the regulations anticipated from the state attorney generals office in the near future. Those regulations will set the rules for how social media platforms will identify which users are children, how parents can opt them out of the law and what guidelines are needed for language access. Its been nearly a year since the attorney generals office closed the window it opened to solicit input on those rules from the public. The time it has taken since is not a surprise, Spyropoulos said. The office has had a monumental task and continues to have a monumental task of trying to figure out how this rolls out, he said. This is a very complex issue. Its the first time the attorney generals office has had to develop a new framework for age verification online, something lawmakers opted to delegate rather than legislate when they approved the law last year. When the regulations are released, theyll have to go through a public comment period before they can be adopted. That takes about two months and could ultimately result in changes that are subject to another public comment period. But even when the regulations are finalized, the law still requires a six-month waiting period before they can take effect. Leaving those gaps now to the (attorney generals) team and figuring out how that works ... kind of creates a much lengthier, more complex and I think less transparent process, Spyropoulos said. The lawmakers that sponsored the bill state Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblywoman Nily Rozic did not offer comment on the status of the regulations and the laws implementation. Tech:NYC is one of a handful of entities that have been in contact about the regulations over the past year with the attorney generals office, which declined to detail its progress on the rules to the Times Union. Google, Roblox, Snapchat and Meta (the company that owns Facebook and Instagram) reported lobbying the office on those regulations in state filings this year as well. The four companies, alone, reported spending more than half a million dollars on lobbying efforts at the state Capitol this year. That includes work to influence those regulations and other matters of interest. All of them, except Roblox, are also members of NetChoice. That means they could end up fighting the regulations theyve sought to help craft if the group sues New York. This story first appeared in Capitol Confidential, the Times Unions weekday newsletter on New York government, politics and policy. You can subscribe to that newsletter here. 2025 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WhatsApp has patched a critical security flaw in its iOS and Mac apps that hackers were exploiting in a stealthy spyware campaign, without users ever clicking a link or opening a file. The Meta-owned messaging platform said the vulnerability tracked as CVE-2025-55177 was paired with another vulnerability (CVE-2025-43300) in Apples software that the company patched last week. Together, they created what security experts call a zero-click exploit a hack that allowed hackers to sneak into iPhones and Macs with no action required from the user. Incomplete authorization of linked device synchronization messages in WhatsApp [..] could have allowed an unrelated user to trigger processing of content from an arbitrary URL on a targets device, WhatsApp wrote in a Friday security advisory. We assess that this vulnerability, in combination with an OS-level vulnerability on Apple platforms (CVE-2025-43300), may have been exploited in a sophisticated attack against specific targeted users. This zero-click flaw affected WhatsApp for iOS before version 2.25.21.73, WhatsApp Business for iOS v2.25.21.78, and WhatsApp for Mac v2.25.21.78. Earlier this month, Apple rolled out emergency updates to fix the CVE-2025-43300 zero-day flaw, noting that it had already been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack. While the two companies have to publicly identify who was behind the attacks, Donncha O Cearbhaill (the head of the Security Lab at Amnesty International) said that WhatsApp recently alerted some users who were hit by an advanced spyware campaign that ran for about 90 days. This campaign has affected fewer than 200 people around the world, including members of civil society. WhatsApps Response Weve made changes to prevent this specific attack from occurring through WhatsApp. However, your devices operating system could remain compromised by the malware or be targeted in other ways, the WhatsApp alerts read. Donncha O Cearbhaill described that the campaign was designed to break into iPhones and Macs remotely, with no warning signs received by the victims that their devices were compromised, while giving attackers access to private messages and sensitive data. Also important: the Apple vulnerability was in a core image library, targeting possible through other apps besides WhatsApp, added Donncha O Cearbhaill. This isnt the first time WhatsApp has been used as a delivery channel for government-grade spyware. In 2019, the company sued Israeli spyware vendor NSO Group after its Pegasus malware infiltrated over 1,400 devices, including journalists and activists. More recently, WhatsApp said that it disrupted another campaign targeting civil society groups in Italy. Security experts caution that these attacks show the growing power of the surveillance industry. By exploiting previously unknown vulnerabilities, attackers can infiltrate even the most up-to-date devices. Unlike phishing attempts, zero-click exploits dont depend on user actions, which makes them nearly impossible to prevent and defend against. What Should You Do? For everyday WhatsApp users, the risk is extremely low. However, it is critical to update your apps and operating system as soon as possible. For journalists, activists, and others in sensitive fields, security experts also recommend turning on Apples Lockdown Mode or Androids Advanced Protection Mode for an extra layer of defense. As spyware makers are constantly hunting for weaknesses, keeping devices patched and up to date is the best line of defense once patches are available. Press Release from Business Wire: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (AFP) Aug 31, 2025 DUBAI, Aug 31, 2025 (BSW) - Under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) will organise the 27th edition of the Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) from 30 September to 2 October 2025 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250830023664/en/ WETEX opens broad investment horizons for international companies (Photo: AETOSWire) WETEX embodies the UAE's pioneering position in clean and renewable energy and sustainability. It also supports Dubai's ambitious vision of a sustainable economy. The exhibition covers multiple areas including water, energy, smart cities, green mobility, artificial intelligence and digital transformation. "WETEX reflects the UAE's unwavering commitment to sustainability and strengthens Dubai's position as a leading global green economy hub. The exhibition has established itself as one of the world's leading specialised events, providing a platform to showcase the latest innovations in clean energy, water and sustainability. It also supports building partnerships that contribute to achieving global climate goals and accelerating the transition to a green economy. WETEX annually brings together industry leaders, investors, innovators and government officials from around the world to share knowledge, explore opportunities and collaborate in building a more sustainable and resilient future," said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA and Founder and Chairman of WETEX. WETEX is a leading platform that brings together organisations from the government and private sectors to explore the latest innovations, build cross-sectoral partnerships, enhance co-operation in sustainability and energy transformation, as well as support global efforts to adapt to climate change. WETEX also provides a strategic opportunity for international companies and organisations wishing to enter new markets and conclude investment deals within one of the green economies most prepared for the future. Since its launch, WETEX has witnessed rapid growth. In 2024, it welcomed 50,598 visitors and more than 2,800 exhibitors from 65 countries, and featured 21 international pavilions. WETEX 2025 will provide exceptional access to international markets, promote cross-border dialogue and pave the way for tangible results through partnerships, innovation and investment. Visitors and exhibitors can register and get more information at https://www.wetex.ae/en Source:AETOSWire View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250830023664/en/ Contact Shaikha Almheiri, +971552288228 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Activists throw paint on Barcelona's Sagrada Familia over Spain fires Madrid, Aug 31 (AFP) Aug 31, 2025 Climate activists daubed Barcelona's Sagrada Familia basilica with red and black paint on Sunday to express outrage at summer forest fires that have ravaged swaths of Spain, the Futuro Vegetal activist group said. In a video the group posted to social media, police officers are seen arresting two protesters as they shouted for "climate justice". The Sagrada Familia, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, is one of Barcelona's main tourist attractions. Futuro Vegetal slammed what it alleged is insufficient government action on climate change, notably to quell the recent clutch of fires that have caused extensive damage. The fires have left four people dead and ravaged some 350,000 hectares of land (870,00 acres) in the past fortnight alone, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Spain's government called the fires "one of the biggest environmental catastrophes" the country has witnessed in recent memory, and acknowledged a link with climate change. This weekend saw the scope of the problem recede, with civil protection services director Virginia Barcones saying Saturday that the emergency was "coming to an end". Futuro Vegetal, which has links to similar groups abroad, has staged dozens of similar protests, including one in 2022 when they glued their hands to the frames of paintings by Spanish master Francisco de Goya at Madrid's Prado Museum. Paint was also thrown at a super yacht in Ibiza reportedly belonging to Nancy Walton Laurie, the billionaire heiress of US retail giant Walmart, and a mansion of former FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi in Ibiza. Spanish police said last year they had arrested 22 members of Futuro Vegetal, including the two who took part in the Prado protest and the group's three main leaders. du/cw/js When Adam Kay walked away from his job as a junior doctor 15 years ago, he was in a bad way. He had left his position in obstetrics and gynaecology after a woman he was treating lost her baby during a caesarean delivery owing to an undiagnosed condition, and then had to have an emergency hysterectomy. Kay wasnt to blame, but the case affected him profoundly. After a long period of lying in bed and being totally useless, he began writing about his experiences, drawing on the diaries he had kept during his years in medicine. Kay had few expectations for the resulting memoir: I knew that when your book comes out, you go to a local bookshop and read some of it out, you drink some warm white wine and then go home and no one ever mentions it again. But 2017s This Is Going to Hurt, a tragicomedy documenting the hell of 97-hour working weeks in a chronically under-resourced NHS, went on to sell 3 million copies and was turned into a Bafta-winning comedy drama starring Ben Whishaw, for which Kay also wrote the screenplay. That Kay also embarks on sporadic stand-up tours where he performs material about his medical career means he is required to keep on reliving these experiences, which, he says, is good and bad. Its good primarily because I hadnt had any therapy, so it meant I was, and still am, addressing and acknowledging [what happened]. And the bad part? I think the fact that its mostly with me. But its my decision that its mostly with me because I choose to keep talking about it, and to remind people that doctors are human beings who need support. Kay, 45, is talking over Zoom from an outhouse at his home in Oxfordshire that he calls the barn, though that underplays the massiveness of the building, which has a vaulted timber ceiling and is strewn with Chesterfield sofas. He is good company: open, thoughtful and happy to keep talking after our allotted hour is up. He does an amusing line in self-mockery, too, which is his way of talking about past difficulties. The barn is where he works and gets peace and quiet away from his young family. He and his husband James Farrell, a television executive, have two young children, Ruby and Ziggy, born via two surrogates four months apart. They had planned to have them at the same time, since friends with children had warned them against having a toddler careening around while having a baby that needs 24/7 attention. But, he adds, the vagaries of IVF mean things dont always happen first time, and Ruby was born early, which is why we ended up with a gap. There have been more books since This Is Going to Hurt: 2019s Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas, containing diarised dispatches from A&E over the festive season; 2022s Undoctored, an account of the authors life outside of the wards, including his time as a medical student during which he hid an eating disorder; plus a clutch of childrens books including Kays Incredible Inventions and Dexter Procter the 10-Year-Old Doctor. This month brings the release of the darkly funny A Particularly Nasty Case, Kays first foray into adult crime fiction. It follows the fortunes of Eitan Rose, a wildly dysfunctional consultant rheumatologist who has recently returned from a break after a mental health crisis, and who gets through the working day by ingesting liquid cocaine through a nasal inhaler. Rose turns sleuth when one of his supervisors dies at work in suspicious circumstances. The setting is, of course, one that Kay knows inside out. You could say that Im really lazy and I didnt want to do the research required to set it, say, in a zoo, he grins. But I know what a morgue smells like, and what rheumatology outpatients is like. I spend a lot of the book talking about hospital porters, which isnt traditionally where the thriller writer goes. open image in gallery A Particularly Nasty Case is Kays first foray into adult crime fiction ( Orion ) When Kay told his publishers of his plans, they were initially perplexed. They said, We dont know where that fits within crime genres. And its true that it isnt cosy, it isnt gritty, and its not procedural. There was no existing category for it, and this initially stressed me out. I thought, Oh God, theyve just noticed that I dont know what Im doing. But then I came to terms with it, because when This Is Going to Hurt came out, it wasnt a traditional autobiography either. While much of A Particularly Nasty Case is played for laughs, theres a serious seam examining prejudice around mental illness. Eitan is bipolar, a diagnosis that his medically trained colleagues view with a combination of disdain and alarm. It is a paradox that the way mental health is treated in the NHSs own ranks is at least a decade behind the rest of society in terms of stigma, says Kay. There are now two types of mental illness. Theres the socially acceptable kind that were prepared to talk about at dinner parties: anxiety, depression, OCD. And then theres the scary kind, where theres a thought disorder, and its bipolar or schizophrenia. That [fear] is absolutely shared in the NHS. I know people, some closely, who have these conditions and who would never mention it because they know how it will go down in their workplace. Kays move from medicine to comedy writing may seem an unlikely leap, though the foundations were laid at medical school, where he and his peers would perform songs and sketches as part of an annual event called The Soiree every Christmas at Imperial College, London. It was an ideal place for stressed students to let off steam. After Kay packed in medicine, alongside writing his memoir, he began doing bits of live comedy, opening for other comics, even though the maths didnt work. The petrol to get to the gigs usually cost as much as the fee. open image in gallery Kay (right) with his husband James Farrell in 2022 ( Getty ) If the runaway success of Kays memoir took him by surprise, so did the backlash that erupted after the TV version aired in 2022. Some commentators took exception to the shows depiction of women going through childbirth as figures of fun, deeming it disrespectful and misogynistic. Others criticised it for its negative depiction of medicine the stress of the job leads one character, Shruti, to take her own life and claimed that it could put would-be doctors off the profession. Did the naysayers have a point? It was deliberately provocative, Kay replies. There could have been a version of this show where the character who is based on me but who obviously isnt me is this superhero whos an amazing doctor. But instead, I made him complicated and a bit of an arsehole. He is struggling badly with all these external pressures and is therefore behaving badly and doing inexcusable things. This was a production with a female director and a female producer, so it wasnt just a mans-eye view. Also, if that show is going to put you off medicine, then medicine is really going to put you off medicine. So I am proud of it and what it was able to do, which was get people talking about suicide rates among healthcare staff, which are still unacceptably high. Kays success has led to him becoming a de facto spokesperson on the iniquities of the NHS. Though uncomfortable with this at first, he came to realise he had a responsibility to use my platform, though Im not about to run for office. He recalls being backstage at the Garrick Theatre in London several years ago, rehearsing for a stand-up show, and being surprised to see a poster on the wall of his dressing room with details of a free helpline for workers dealing with stress or financial difficulties. Not long afterwards, the then health secretary Matt Hancock got in touch. He had read This Is Going to Hurt and wanted to chat. Theres not many who can say their career highlight was meeting Matt Hancock, Kay notes, sardonically. But we met and he asked what single thing would make life better for doctors. So I told him about the poster at the theatre and how there is no such poster in any hospital in the UK. He said that didnt sound right. But then a spad got in touch a week later to say, Yeah, it turns out youre right. So Hancock chucked loads of money into a nationwide practitioner [support] programme and namechecked my book at the announcement. And that has been, by far and away, my biggest achievement so far. When Labour was elected in 2024, Kay was hopeful that things would improve for the NHS, which by then was in a far worse state than when he was an employee. How does he feel a year on? He sighs. I mean, its tough because the country is skint and theres no cheap answer. But its hard not to be disillusioned by the lack of any meaningful change. I always thought the laziest thing that people can say about politicians is, Theyre all the same, arent they? But weve got this new administration that, in theory, is 180 degrees from the last one, but you wouldnt know it. The 10-year plan was announced, which was like every other 10-year plan full of gaps and vague [pledges] that we know arent going to make any difference. Though the horrors of Kays old job are never far away, he says he is better at looking after himself. When he feels life getting too busy or overwhelming, he immediately seeks help from a therapist. The eating disorder he wrote about in Undoctored, triggered after a one-night stand referred to him as a big lad but symptomatic of his broader distress, is under control inasmuch as it ever can be. Kay loves the life of a writer, not least because it means I can hide out in my weird barn. One of his great pleasures is going out for lunch by himself Table for one, please! he says, delightedly. You can see people looking at you and thinking, Does he not have friends? He has adapted well to the sleep deprivation of early parenthood, largely because the hours are not so different to working in medicine. My brain was going, Oh, were doing this again, are we? Although the big difference is that, however bad your shift is on the labour ward, and however much it overruns, it still ends. But the parental shift never ends. This is a job hes happy to stick with, however. The hours are terrible, but Im in a good place now, so I can live with it. A Particularly Nasty Case by Adam Kay is published by Orion Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Post-Soviet Russian history is treated as the stuff of dark fairy-tale in French director Olivier Assayass uneven new feature, The Wizard of the Kremlin, which is screening in competition at the Venice Film Festival. Adapted from the prize-winning novel by Giuliano da Empoli, the film chronicles the rise and fall of Vadim Baranov (Paul Dano), the new Rasputin, as he is styled. Hes a fictional figure, reportedly partly inspired by Russian spin doctor and politician Vladislav Surkov, but most of the other major characters are drawn from reality. Jeffrey Wright plays an American author fascinated by Vadim, who we initially learn has disappeared into the shadows following years as Vladimir Putins right-hand man. Out of the blue, the author is summoned to meet Vadim at his country house deep in the forest, and to hear his story. We learn in flashback that Vadim is from a once prominent family that lost its influence when the Soviet Union collapsed. We see him in the heady days of the early Nineties in Moscow, when he was a radical young theatre director. He falls in love with Ksenia (Alicia Vikander), a mysterious artist who puts on S&M performances at wild parties. She soon forsakes him, though, for Dmitri Sidorov (Tom Sturridge), a handsome and clever chancer who is getting very wealthy, very quickly. Vadim then moves into television, where he is hired by leading businessman Boris Berezovsky (Will Keen). Its Berezovsky who masterminds Putins rise to power after an ill and enfeebled President Yeltsin steps down. For reasons the film never fully explains, Vadim promptly throws in his lot with Putin, played here by Jude Law. In what could easily have been a banana skin of a role, Law is surprisingly sure-footed. The British star has clearly studied his subject closely. He captures the Russian president with metronomic precision his mannerisms, his cunning, his smirks and scowls. Sensibly, hes relatively restrained in the role, too, projecting an air of intense but suppressed fury whenever he feels humiliated as well as a keenness to show off his buff torso. What is bound to rankle many viewers, however, is the films softball portrayal of Putin overall. As shown here, he is no monster. The ex-KGB man is a brutal but resilient figure who provides the vertical leadership that, its suggested, many Russians craved after the horizontal chaos of the Nineties, when the oligarchs were running amok and growing filthy rich at everybody elses expense. Given the ongoing war in Ukraine, it doesnt seem like the most propitious moment for a movie like this. open image in gallery Paul Dano in The Wizard of the Kremlin ( Carole Bethel/Cinetic Media ) At its best, The Wizard of the Kremlin has some of the same anarchic energy found in Martin Scorseses The Wolf of Wall Street. But its ultimately very short on emotional heft its characters are sketchily drawn, and Vadim is a strangely aloof figure, his motivations impossible to fathom. Two other films premiering in Venice this week, Alexander Sokurovs monumental, archive-based Directors Diary, and Alexander Rodnyanskys autobiographical Notes of a Criminal, deal with the consequences of the break-up of the Soviet Union with much greater insight and nuance than is found here. Dir: Olivier Assayas. Starring: Paul Dano, Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge, Will Keen, Jeffrey Wright, Jude Law. 156 minutes. The Wizard of the Kremlin is awaiting UK release Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Coronation Street actor Adam Hussain has said he decided to quit the popular soap after five years to spread my wings. Having joined the cast of the long-running programme during Covid, the 24-year-old, who plays Aadi Alahan, the son of Dev (Jimi Harkishin) and Sunita (Shobna Gulati), left the soap this week. He said he felt it was the right time to leave and that the producers understood his decision. I am going to be 25 in October, and I felt it was the right time to leave, he told The Mirror. It was my decision, and the producers were so understanding. He said: I want to spread my wings a little, go out in the big world and see what else I can do. Hussain said he is really excited after landing a new role in a horror feature film. I cant say too much yet, but I am looking forward to it, he said. The opportunities have been plentiful for the actor who said he has had lots of other auditions since filming his last Coronation Street scenes in June. Ive filmed a part in a short film, Spice For Life, too, he continued. We are sending it off to film festivals at the moment. Its an exploration of cultures coming together. open image in gallery Adam Hussains character has set off for India ( ITV ) Reflecting on his last days on the show, he said the experience of leaving had been both scary and exciting. I had a whole mix of emotions because I did get very nostalgic, he said. I also knew it was the right decision to go. As part of Hussains final storyline, his character Aadi moves to India and the actor said this was an intentional decision by bosses not to kill him off. The characters storyline has been left open-ended so that he can return whenever he is ready. Its very relieving to know I can always return whenever I want to, he said. And theyve told me the door will always be left open if I ever want to come back. My friends on set were gutted when I first told them, but they also understood. open image in gallery Sue Cleaver announced she was leaving the programme earlier this year ( ITV ) Describing the experience of joining the show during the pandemic as a weird and surreal time to take on a new character, Hussain said he has grown in confidence and learnt so much about how it works on a soap set as well as the industry as a whole. My life has changed for the better since I joined Corrie and it has been such an honour to be part of the amazing cast, he said. Ive loved playing Aadi, I have made good friends on the set, and I am going to miss Corrie dearly. Coronation Street has recently been hit with a series of cast departures, including Harry Lowbridge, who played the villain Logan Radcliffe, and Sally Ann Matthews, known for playing the fiery Rovers Return landlady Jenny Connor, who announced shes leaving the soap after decades on screen. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice On 16 November 1989, 25-year-old Billy Dunlop strangled 22-year-old pizza delivery girl and mother-of-one Julie Hogg to death, and hid her corpse behind a bath panel in her home in Billingham, County Durham. She was found decomposing by her mother Ann Ming 80 days later and, despite evidence against Dunlop, juries twice failed to find him guilty of the crime. He was acquitted and released. While in jail for another violent offence, Dunlop boasted to a prison guard about getting away with the killing. He was sentenced to six years in jail for perjury but couldnt be prosecuted again due to the double jeopardy law: 800-year-old legislation, which protects individuals from being tried for the same crime multiple times if new evidence emerges. Ming vowed to overturn this law, to win justice for her daughter. It was horrible he was bragging in pubs about committing the perfect murder, she said. I was absolutely incensed. The infamous case is being dramatised in I Fought the Law, a new four-part ITV series, based on Mings book, For the Love of Julie. It stars Sheridan Smith as Hoggs mother, who embarked on a 15-year-long fight to change Britains double jeopardy law and put Dunlop behind bars. Ahead of the shows launch, heres the real-life story The murder Dunlop killed Hogg after a night of partying at Billingham rugby club, where hed been binge drinking and harassing strippers. After getting into a fight, Dunlop went to hospital for an eye injury, was discharged, and visited Hogg whom he knew from the local area at home, expecting sex. Hogg declined Dunlops advances and made a joke about his eye, he later told officers. He spun into a rage and strangled her to death, in what prosecutors called a truly horrendous attack. open image in gallery Julie Hogg was murdered on 16 November 1989 ( Cleveland Police ) The search for Julie Ming reported her daughter missing the day that she was killed. Shed driven over to Hoggs house and immediately knew something was wrong when the curtains were closed and doors were locked. Police wouldnt officially consider Hogg missing until two days later. A week later they agreed to send round a forensics team to her house. The officers searched for five days and found nothing suspicious, promising Ming nothing untoward had happened to her daughter in the property. Three months after Hoggs disappearance, Ming agreed that Hoggs husband, who shed been in the process of separating from when she was killed, could move back into her daughters house with their three-year-old son, Kevin. When her son-in-law entered the property, he complained a strange smell was coming from the bathroom. Ming noticed the bath panel was loose and pulled it away, uncovering her daughters body, wrapped in a blanket: That was the start of a living nightmare, she said. open image in gallery Hogg's mother Ann Ming found her body hidden behind the bath, 80 days after her disappearance ( PA ) When police searched Hoggs house for a second time, they discovered her bank cards and diary hidden in the loft. A full-scale murder investigation was launched and officers began looking into men Hogg had recently been linked to. The DNA on the blanket she was wrapped in ruled out all but one: Billy Dunlop, who lived two streets away. Hoggs keys were found hidden under his floorboards and he was arrested on 13 February, 1990 89 days after she vanished. The trial Dunlop went on trial at Newcastle Crown Court on 7 May 1991. There was finger print evidence on Hoggs keys, his sperm was on the blanket hed wrapped her in, and there were fibres from the jumper hed been wearing at the rugby club at the scene. The prosecution team felt it was sufficiently strong evidence to satisfy a jury but they were wrong. The jury failed to reach a verdict and the judge ordered a retrial for 3 October 1991. Dunlops defence team attempted to convince the jury Hogg had died of natural causes following a consensual act at the second trial. The jury failed to reach a verdict for a second time and Dunlop was acquitted and could never be trialled again due to the double jeopardy law. He walked out a free man and weeks later, Ming heard hed been publicly bragging about killing her daughter in their town. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. open image in gallery William Billy Dunlop gloated about Hoggs murder but couldnt be tried again after he was acquitted in 1991 ( Cleveland Police ) Dunlops confession In 1998, while Dunlop was serving time in prison for attacking another woman, he wrote letters to his ex and a friend admitting to Hoggs murder. The police wanted to arrest him for perjury but needed more evidence than a simple admission. So, a female prison officer wore a wire and obtained 90 hours of material about what happened on the night of Hoggs death. He was arrested, pleaded guilty to the murder, and jailed for six years to be served consecutively to his existing sentence. Anns fight for justice Ming wasnt satisfied with Dunlops perjury sentence and asked her MP, Frank Cook, to help her meet Home Secretary Jack Straw to change the double jeopardy law. He recommended she speak to the Law Commission and, in 2002, her 13 years of campaigning finally broke through. A white paper advising changes be made to the legislation, to affect both future and retrospective cases, was presented in parliament by David Blunkett, and in April 2005, the 800-year-old law was scrapped. Ming told reporters at the time: I just cant believe it. For once in my life Im speechless. open image in gallery Ming was awarded in MBE in 2007 for changing the double jeopardy law ( PA ) In September 2006, Dunlop went on trial at the Old Bailey, was found guilty and sentenced to life behind bars. All his requests for parole and to be moved to an open prison have been denied. Meanwhile, Ming, now 79, was awarded an MBE for changing the double jeopardy law in 2007. She said of the honour: Id have given anything to have my daughter [back] instead of getting a badge. I Fought the Law debuts on ITV at 9pm on Sunday 31 August. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice 1000-lb. Sisters star Tammy Slaton has returned to TikTok following the death of her cousin, Katie. Katie, who appeared on multiple episodes of 1,000-lb Sisters alongside her cousins Tammy and Amy Slaton, died at the age of 37 after being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Tammy, who has not acknowledged her cousins death on social media, posted a TikTok over the weekend after a week-long absence from the platform. Sitting in the car with her fiancee, Andrea, the two smiled and laughed while the title song from Footloose played in the background. The couple shared sweet glances and giggles and made faces at the camera, even after Tammy proclaimed: I look awful. The TikTok was posted just days after Tammy and Amys sister, Amanda Halterman, announced the news of Katies death August 27 on Instagram. open image in gallery Tammy has not acknowledged her cousins death on social media ( Creative Chaos Podcast ) It is with a completely crushed heart and spirit that I have to post this. My little cousin went to sit at the feet of Jesus yesterday, Amanda wrote alongside a photo of them both. She was a force to be reckoned with and showed love that was accepting and given freely. She was the life of the party and my best friend. I know both our grandparents and friends was there to welcome you home, she added. Please pray for my aunt, uncle and cousins but mostly for the babies and for Natalie to be strong. Please pray for everyone who loves her. Thank you all who has come out and supported her. #cancerscks. Katies obituary page on Whitsell Funeral Homes website confirmed that the late 1000-Lb Sisters star passed away Monday, August 25, at Linda White Hospice House in Evansville, Indiana. She was diagnosed with stage 4 gastric adenocarcinoma, a rare type of stomach cancer, earlier this year and had been receiving chemotherapy in the months that followed. Her death comes months after Tammy took to Instagram to detail her cousins cancer battle and to ask for support from the TLC reality shows fans. Yall I'm so sorry to be asking a big favor like this but if anyone can help, even if its a dollar would help my cousin out so much, she wrote. She has been on my show but this is something new. Our family just found out about her having cancer. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Our fans have been there for us for so long now and yall mean the world so any act of kindness is and will be greatly appreciated, Tammy added. Thank you so much and before anyone asks, yes Ive donated myself. A GoFundMe page raised more than $2,000 before her death and detailed the enormous expenses that came with her cancer treatment. Xi says China always a trustworthy partner of UN Xinhua) 15:04, August 31, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Guterres is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) TIANJIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China will always be a trustworthy partner of the United Nations (UN), Chinese President Xi Jinping said when meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in the port city of Tianjin on Saturday. China is willing to deepen cooperation with the UN, support the UN in playing a central role in international affairs, and jointly shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding world peace and promoting development and prosperity, Xi told Guterres, who is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2025. Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th founding anniversary of the UN, Xi said history has revealed that multilateralism, solidarity and cooperation are the right answer to global challenges. Xi called for restoring the UN's authority and vitality under new circumstances, so that it can serve as the main platform for all countries to coordinate actions and jointly address challenges. In a world of profound changes unseen in a century, China has provided stability and certainty and will continue to bring new opportunities to the world with its new development, Xi said. With multilateralism, international law, and the UN's authority currently facing challenges, Guterres said the international governance architecture is in urgent need of reform, and it is timely to renew the original aspiration and values of the UN when it was established 80 years ago. Hailing China as a cornerstone in defending multilateralism, Guterres said the UN is willing to strengthen cooperation with China to promote world multipolarization, enhance the representation of developing countries, and enable the UN to play a greater role in international affairs. Senior officials Cai Qi, Wang Yi and Chen Min'er attended the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Guterres is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liu Ning) On the morning of August 31, President Xi Jinping met at the Tianjin Guest House with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, who is in China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2025 and the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. President Xi Jinping noted that since the beginning of the year, the two leaders have had two successful meetings, during which they made a comprehensive plan for the development of China-Kyrgyzstan relations and reached broad consensus on deepening all-round cooperation. China will continue to work with the Kyrgyz side to extend firm mutual support, strengthen the alignment of development strategies, jointly pursue modernization and national revitalization, and build a close China-Kyrgyzstan community with a shared future. President Xi Jinping stressed that China and Kyrgyzstan should build on past foundation and make pioneering efforts to open new vistas for bilateral relations, and expand practical cooperation in both breadth and depth. The two countries should have a higher level of trade and investment, deepen connectivity, better harness science and technology, and expand cooperation in emerging areas such as clean energy, green minerals and artificial intelligence. The two countries should enhance cooperation in areas such as culture, tourism, education, and health, and foster greater amity between their peoples. China will fully support Kyrgyzstan in taking over the rotating presidency of the SCO and in playing a bigger role in international and regional affairs. China is ready to enhance coordination with the Kyrgyz side on multilateral occasions, and jointly defend the international system with the United Nations at its core, so as to make new contributions to peace and development in the world. President Japarov noted that China is a good neighbor and a good friend of Kyrgyzstan. There is an old saying in China: An amicable and close neighbor is an invaluable asset of a nation. The most valuable advantage for Kyrgyzstan is to be the neighbor of China. Whenever in time of difficulty, the Kyrgyz side would always receive Chinas firm support and assistance. Under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has achieved great development and grown into an important engine of the world economy. The Kyrgyz side is willing to learn from Chinas experience, and enhance cooperation with China in areas such as connectivity, clean energy, artificial intelligence, and scientific and technological innovation, so as to bring more benefits to the people. On the Taiwan question and other issues concerning Chinas core interests, the Kyrgyz side will, as always, firmly support Chinas position. During Chinas rotating presidency of the SCO, the organization has enhanced its influence, and made solid advances in cooperation across the board. The Kyrgyz side is willing to enhance coordination with China to push for new progress in the SCOs development. The Kyrgyz side highly commends and supports the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by China, and stands ready to enhance multilateral coordination with China and jointly uphold international fairness and justice. The two sides signed multiple bilateral cooperation documents in areas such as connectivity, human resources, civil aviation, and subnational cooperation. Cai Qi, Wang Yi, Chen Miner, among others, were present at the meeting. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice After introducing a new membership perk in June and following a subsequent grace period, Costcos latest rule is taking effect. Costco shoppers with the Executive Membership have access to an hour of shopping in the morning without other customers. The exclusive window has been subject to a grace period, but its now coming to an end. Starting today, only those with the Executive Membership will be allowed in stores from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. each day. The hour is slashed to a 30-minute window on Saturdays, with all customers allowed to enter the store from 9:30 a.m. Customers who do not hold the Executive Membership will be denied entry before 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays, and 10 a.m. all other days of the week. The policy has been met with controversy by Costco members. However, the company defended its decision, saying in a statement to Business Insider: Our Executive Members are our most loyal members, and we want to reward them for their commitment to Costco. Costos latest membership change has been met with pushback by some customers ( AFP via Getty Images ) The shopping warehouse has different membership tiers with an annual fee: the $65 Gold Star and the costlier $130 Executive. The chain also offers a Business Membership for $65 annually, though that tier is exempt from the extra shopping hour. Each membership tier comes with its own perks, including the exclusive shopping hour. Costco also rolled out a $10 monthly credit for Executive members earlier this summer. The shopping window change is just the latest affecting Costco members. Shoppers have been divided over the recent move by the wholesaler to transition from selling Pepsi to exclusively Coca-Cola products. The switch, which elicited a mixed response from customers on Reddit, was finalized earlier in August with a complete Coca-Cola takeover appearing in Costco food courts across the country. All of Costcos food courts will be stocked solely with Coca-Cola products by the fall. The company used to serve Coca-Cola before it made the switch to Pepsi products in 2013 to maintain the price of its signature $1.50 hot dog combo, CNN reported. Then in January, the wholesaler announced it would ditch Pepsi in favor of President Donald Trumps soda brand after selling the competitions products for over a decade. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Robin Wright has reflected on the difficulty of parenting with her ex-husband Sean Penn, saying that they were both opposite extremes. The House of Cards actor, who was married to the two-time Oscar-winning star between 1996 and 2010, said in a new interview that Penn was the tougher parent, who would come home after being away on set and resume the role of the policeman. He was gone so much of the time. Hed come back and be the policeman and then hed leave me with the residue, Wright told The Times. Wright said that she would try to soften the blow of Penns strictness, but they struggled to find a middle ground in their parenting styles. We were both extremes, she added. They didnt get that grey area in the middle, which is stern, and that is what they needed. Wright and Penn, who share 34-year-old Dylan Frances Penn and 32-year-old Hopper Jack Penn with the actor, escaped Hollywood for Ross, a small town north of San Francisco, when their children were young. Wright explained that she declined big roles during her career to focus on family, such as Maid Marian in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, in which Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio was cast instead. The actor said she doesnt regret her decision to prioritise her children, but would have done things differently, adding: I have a huge regret as a mother and have experienced the fallout of this regret for many years with my kids I wasnt hard enough on them. The Independent has contacted Penns representatives for comment. open image in gallery Wright and Penn pictured in 2008 ( Getty Images ) The couple met on the set of State of Grace in 1990 and had an on-off relationship before marrying in 1996. They separated in 2007, got back together for a while and divorced in 2010. Their son Hopper, an actor and model, has spoken about struggling with an addiction to crystal meth and being put into rehab by his father. Wright reflected on motherhood more generally, saying: Every day if the phone rings youre, like, Is he alive? Is she alive? I went through that for so many years with both of them. She added that both of her children are in a really good place right now. open image in gallery Robin Wright pictured in 2025 ( Getty Images ) Hopper told People of his fathers parenting style in 2022: He was strict, and I was always getting into trouble. We butted heads for a long time. But it's very lax now. He's chilled out in his older age. After Penn, Wright was twice engaged to American actor Ben Foster, but they never wed. She later married French fashion executive Clement Giraudet in 2018 before splitting in 2022. Wright said she has now found my person: her partner, a British architect named Henry Smith, whom she met in an English country pub. He is a sweetheart and just a good, decent adult, she said. Wright is best known for playing Jenny in the 1994 classic Forrest Gump, and the title character in 1987s The Princess Bride. Loading Its been a rollercoaster ride for local investors, though a lucrative one for those who invested in June 2022 at $2.41 a share. With users now flocking to its paid subscription business, Life 360 is on the cusp of reporting its first profit and shares hit a record high of $46.48 last week pushing the groups valuation towards $11 billion. The recent massive stock price gains have also been driven by the monetisation of Life360s entire 88 million monthly active users the vast majority of whom dont pay for a basic form of its service. Earlier this year, Morgan Stanley described this base as highly engaged, affluent and underappreciated. Life360 is gaining financial traction from selling location-specific advertising, which targets these customers as well as selling their anonymised aggregated location data to interested parties. The potential is enormous, according to investors. Life360 remains in the early stages of monetising its huge global audience, and one of our favourable takeaways from the recent results was a doubling of advertising revenues for the quarter Sydney firm LHC Capital said in a newsletter to investors last month. Randi Zuckerberg is an investor and director of ASX-listed Life360. That Life360 is now installed on 14 per cent of all mobile phones in the US speaks to the potential in front of the business on a global scale and relevance as the cross-platform leader. The future includes tracking for both elderly parents and pets, and a nascent deal with global satellite group Hubble that means Life360s Bluetooth tracking devices will no longer be limited to places with mobile coverage. And the company has some high-profile investors and board members like Randi Zuckerberg, sister of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. The hope is that Life360 has finally put to rest any controversy over the dark side of tracking services. In 2022, the company had to cull many of its contracts to sell customer data to third-party data vendors when it became evident that some vendors were able to identify individual customers and track them. Life360 does not currently face any legal action, but recent court documents spelt out the potential for serious issue, for example if a customer could be tracked to an abortion clinic or drug abuse centre. Life360 has been mentioned in US court action against US data broker Arity, a subsidiary of an insurer Allstate Insurance that allegedly embedded tracking software into apps like Life360 and used the data to raise insurance premiums or deny coverage. Our investigation revealed that Allstate and Arity paid mobile apps millions of dollars to install Allstates tracking software, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton when initiating legal action this year. It doesnt take a fictional TV series to see what else can go wrong with this technology through nefarious use. Loading Forbes magazine published a story on how Life360, Americas favourite safety app, is being used by sex traffickers to control victims. In response to the story, Life360 founder Chris Hulls told this masthead that in a user base of the magnitude Life360 serves there will inevitably be outlier cases of technology misuse. Before Life360 listed on the ASX, he told the Australian Financial Review: We all know the phrase, Thats like playing with fire, but the point is that we wouldnt have evolved from caveman times if we didnt have fire, so I think that is a good analogy that there are many nefarious uses for what we do, as there is for almost every type of tech out there. Last year, the NSW Crime Commission highlighted how prevalent its use was in both domestic violence and organised crime settings. Brokers and fund managers are split on whether ASX tech darling Life360 is severely overvalued or has plenty of growth left to run. Credit: Paul Rovere Analysis of records of 5500 tracking devices sold over the previous 18 months showed that 37 per cent of customers were adversely known to police, while 25 per cent had a history of domestic and family violence and 15 per cent had criminal history. Morningstar analyst Roy Van Keulen says regulation is a real risk given location tracking services are inherently fraught with privacy considerations. Such considerations may also protect Life360 from predators such as Apple and Google, which are very mindful of privacy concerns. However, these larger companies also offer services for family tracking, helping to normalise this behaviour. Sixty-eight years ago, tickets in the biggest lottery ever held in NSW went on sale to help build the Sydney Opera House. First prize of $200,000 a life-changing fortune in 1957 benefited hundreds of winners from cooks to CEOs until the final round was drawn in September 1986. Now three of Australias most eminent promoters of arts philanthropy have thrown their weight behind a proposal to create a national cultural lottery to fund the sector amid rising costs and stagnating government funding. University of NSW Chancellor and philanthropist David Gonski, former head of Creative Partnerships Australia Fiona Menzies and media lawyer Michael Napthali say resurrecting an Opera House-style lottery is a simple and clever initiative to future-proof funding for the arts. Architect Jrn Utzon drawing the winner of Sydney Opera House lottery number three in April 1958. Credit: Fairfax Archive Its one of five key recommendations the experienced trio have made, alongside a fixed-term incentive for giving to help arts organisations rebuild their reserves decimated in the COVID lockdowns; capital gains concessions for artworks donated from private collections to galleries that would unlock unseen treasures to the public; and greater acknowledgement and celebration of the donors who actively engage in arts. As Tenielle Jordan was wheeled into an operating theatre, her gastroenterologist told her not to worry. The colonoscopy was just precautionary, there wouldnt be anything in there to find. Then she woke up. He said: We found a tumour, and it looks like cancer, Jordan recalls. He was so upset. I felt so bad for him that he had to tell me. I had just turned 33. Tenielle Jordan, 36, was diagnosed with colorectal cancer after precautionary investigations. Credit: Steven Siewert For seven months, she had been vomiting uncontrollably after every meal. She was misdiagnosed with a condition called delayed gastric emptying. National comedy institution Dave Hughes is slowly recovering from five broken ribs and a punctured lung sustained during a controversial AFL Legends game on Thursday night. Hughes attended the post-match function at Marvel Stadium, but his wife, Holly, rushed him to hospital the following morning. He had been caught up in on-field clashes during the game with Dan Gorringe, Mitch Robinson and Andrew Embley. From his hospital bed, Hughes did what any self-respecting celebrity who has been canny enough to remain near the pinnacle of their profession for decades would do generate as much content as possible. Dave Hughes in hospital on Saturday with wife Holly and their daughters. Credit: Instagram In other words, he Nora Ephroned the heck out of the situation. (The US writer of When Harry Met Sally lived by the mantra everything is copy). The Albanese government has leapt upon new research showing an array of tools can effectively verify or estimate the age of internet users to justify its world-first move to ban people under 16 from having social media accounts. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X and YouTube will have to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians aged under 16 from creating or keeping accounts from December under legislation passed last year. Companies could be fined up to $49.5 million if they fail to take sufficient steps to stop under-16s from holding accounts on their platforms. Australian children aged under 16 will be banned from having social media accounts under new rules. Credit: AP Tech giants say the rules will be difficult to put into effect and that they could be easily circumvented by tech-savvy teenagers through the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) and other workarounds. Anti-immigration protesters carrying placards and Australian flags clashed with counter-protesters during Sundays March for Australia, which attracted thousands of people to Brisbanes CBD and led to one arrest. The march, which comes just a week after the huge March for Palestine, began about midday in Roma Street Parklands before the large crowd flowed into the city centre, through King George Square and down Adelaide and Edward streets towards the Botanic Gardens. On Sunday afternoon, police confirmed an estimated 6000 people attended the rally, including the counter-protesters. Assistant Acting Commissioner Tod Reid said one man was arrested and charged with two counts of assaulting police, while another was detained for breaching the peace. But its powers are carefully limited and circumscribed so as not to impinge upon parliaments sovereign powers to make laws and the governments capacity to govern. Although it is very new and remarkable in many ways, it draws on established constitutional processes and consultation mechanisms to bring First Peoples much closer the centre of power, where previously they have been marginalised and excluded. First Peoples Assembly co-chairs Ngarra Murray and Reuben Berg said Aboriginal people were not being well served by the status quo. Successive governments have failed to deliver improvements in health, education and housing for First Peoples, they said. Treaty is about putting decision making in our hands so we can develop the practical solutions that will close the gap between our people and non-Aboriginal Australians. Loading Once a treaty is signed, all subsequent legislation will include a Statement of Treaty Compatibility. This will report on whether the First Peoples Assembly was consulted before the Bill was introduced to parliament and whether its aims are compatible with addressing the unacceptable disadvantage inflicted on First Peoples by the historic wrongs and ongoing injustices of colonisation. If legislation is incompatible with this and other aims, such as advancing the self-determination of Victorias First Peoples, the Bill must declare this but can still be passed into law. After a Bill is introduced, the First Peoples Assembly can request further information about it and publish the advice it receives. This mirrors the mechanism already in place for Victorias Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, which was legislated nearly 20 years ago. The annual, operating budget for Gellung Warl, to be taken out of the governments consolidated fund, will be set at just over $70 million for its first full year of operations, and increase by 2.5 per cent every year. This means that any future decision to cut Gellung Warls funding will require a change to legislation. The First Peoples Assembly negotiating team, which included its co-chairs and Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service chief executive Nerita Waight, pushed hard for this protection to ensure that Gellung Warl did not repeat the history of ATSIC, a national indigenous representative body established by the Hawke government but defunded by former prime minister John Howard. Cabinet approved the treaty legislation last Monday and had intended to introduce it to parliament during the previous sitting week but postponed its plans after the fatal shooting of two police officers near the Alpine village of Porepunkah. A government source confirmed the Bill would be introduced when the parliament next sits. Opposition Leader Brad Battin has declared the Coalition parties oppose treaty and questioned the governments judgment in bringing the legislation to parliament. The Victorian people have already voted no to a Voice to parliament, they have sent their message quite clearly, he said last week. Many of the things they want to talk about, whether it is Closing the Gap, making sure we can keep indigenous people out of the justice system, better health outcomes, better education outcomes, you dont need a treaty. The Greens have been briefed on the legislation and will support it in the upper house, where the government will need just one additional cross-bench vote to secure its passage into law. Leader of the Victorian Greens Ellen Sandell described the legislation as history in the making. The Greens are incredibly proud to support treaty legislation, the first of its kind in the country. This is our chance to make history and for First Nations people to have the power to determine their own futures and for all of us to walk towards a better tomorrow. First Peoples Assembly co-chairs Rueben Berg and Ngarra Murray. Credit: Chris Hopkins The Animal Justice Partys Georgie Purcell, one of seven independent MPs who holds the balance of power in Victorias upper house, confirmed she had been briefed on the bill and would support it. Kevin Bell said the most significant difference between Gellung Warl and the Voice is there was no legislation for the Voice setting out its legal structure and intended functions released before people were asked to vote for its inclusion in the constitution. The First Peoples Assembly, which will be re-elected in May for a four-year-term by traditional owners and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders from elsewhere living in Victoria, is the engine room of Gellung Warl. The assembly is intended to be self-determining and independent from government. It has no ministerial oversight and its members cannot be parliamentarians or work for one. However, it will have strict internal accountability mechanisms, legislated standards of conduct and come under the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman, the Auditor-General and Victorias anti-corruption agency. Under the treaty legislation, the First Peoples Assembly exercises broad consultation, advisory and accountability powers given to Gellung Warl and appoints the members of the truth telling body, to be known as Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuma, and an accountability and oversight body known as Nginma Ngainga Wara. Nginma Ngainga Wara, in effect a First Peoples productivity commission, will monitor the impact of state government policies on First Peoples. It can conduct inquiries but will not have coercive powers to compel witness testimony. The legislation unreservedly leans into the black armband of history lamented by former prime minister Howard and includes a lengthy preamble which sets out the unique custodianship and connection of First People to country and their assertion that sovereignty was never ceded. The historic wrongs and ongoing injustice of colonisation have resulted in unacceptable levels of discrimination, disadvantage and intergenerational trauma for First Peoples, the preamble states. These acts of injustice must not continue or be repeated. The State of Victoria commits to not repeating past injustices. Past and existing laws have not been able to fully recognise the inherent rights of First Peoples or address disadvantage and trauma. It is acknowledged that since colonisation Traditional Owners of Country in Victoria have fought for and won back some of the rights and status they hold under Aboriginal Lore and Law. These rights have been shaped by First Peoples Ancestors and are a foundational pillar in the ongoing journey to self-determination. Australias youngest workers are rejecting the work-from-home revolution. New research shows nearly nine in 10 now want at least two days a week in the office. A nationwide survey of thousands of early career jobseekers by online employment platform Hatch has revealed a dramatic shift in workplace priorities, including a sharp reversal from the remote-first enthusiasm seen during the pandemic. Salary, which topped the list of priorities last year, has slipped behind learning and growth opportunities, as young Australians signal they want long-term skills and a clear career path rather than just a fatter pay packet. Google, Canva and Amazon were named the top three dream employers, reflecting Gen Zs desire to join organisations that are both industry leaders and seen as providing structured pathways to development. Twelve of the top 20 spots went to Australia-founded or based companies, including Atlassian, Qantas and The Iconic. Advertisement InspirationLuxury holidays Five years after being destroyed, iconic Aussie lodge is back to its best Ben Groundwater September 1, 2025 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share It takes a few moments to realise how the artworks have been created. At first glance, theyre just patterns, swirls, figures, artistic renderings that work well with the overall design of the new Southern Ocean Lodge. But get a little closer, and you discover familiar objects: a cocktail strainer, spoons and forks, pairs of tongs, shards of coloured glass. All of these are blackened, some twisted, some broken, though now formed in beautiful ways. Artwork at Southern Ocean Lodge. And you realise, these are from the old lodge. These are from the fire. Most of the artworks are by Janine Mackintosh and Indiana James, Kangaroo Island locals who lived through the devastating 2020 bushfires, who saw so much of this beautiful outcrop in the Great Australian Bight burn. Advertisement The artists were commissioned to complete a large series of works for the rebuilding of one of the most famous establishments that disappeared during those fires, Southern Ocean Lodge. Well before we had the go-ahead to actually rebuild, they were already working on collecting things from the sites and starting to put ideas in place, says Craig Bradbery, chief operating officer of Baillie Lodges, which owns Southern Ocean Lodge. From day one, there was a strong belief that were going to rebuild it. Before the site was even cleared, those artists went in and started collecting things. Southern Ocean Lodge. The resulting artworks are a highlight of a stay at the new property, with their blend of relics and natural materials such as leaves and shells, a motif that runs throughout the lodge. The works are not only beautiful, but also represent life pulled from the ashes, a literal demonstration that not all was lost during those terrible days five years ago. Advertisement The new lodge has been open for a year now, after a long, painstaking clearing and rebuilding process, one that was aided financially by the South Australian government. The rebuilt Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island. Those who visited the previous iteration would certainly recognise it today: the experience begins, again, at the circular great room, its huge picture windows framing a panorama of Hanson Bay and its cool, clear waters, an expanse that stretches to Antarctica. On a windswept Kangaroo Island day theres still no better place to be than a couch at the front of that great room, with a cup of coffee or maybe a glass of red wine, spotting whales and dolphins amid the whitecaps. Everyone agreed that the original was pretty damned good, says Bradbery of the rebuilding and redesign. The great room and restaurant, theyre literally created like for like same furniture, same artwork. Advertisement Waking up to an ocean view. We redesigned the configuration of the suites, particularly the beds, so that in every suite you can lie in bed and look at the ocean or the stars at night. It was a great opportunity to honour the old but add new features and iron out a couple of little things that werent ideal. Some little things, it has to be said, still dont seem ideal. The lodges lower suites are a long, uphill trek from the great room and restaurant. And the pale tiles used on most of the resort this time around already show signs of wear. The new features, however, provide balance. The Baillie Pavilion is an exclusive private residence, an ultra-premium space perched on a clifftop above the main lodge. The Southern Spa features three treatment rooms, a sauna and outdoor plunge pools. Walk-in wine cellar at Southern Ocean Lodge. Advertisement The walk-in wine cellar, which was always an attraction, a space in which guests could help themselves to a wide range of South Australian wines, is back, and its bigger. It now includes a second room with a table for private tasting and dining experiences. Related Article Kangaroo Island Nine must-do highlights of Kangaroo Island Guests of the new Southern Ocean Lodge take their joy in various places, in various ways. It might be in the restaurant, or a la carte food with a view. It could be on one of the included signature experiences, group tours to places such as Kelly Hill Caves, Seal Bay and Hanson Bay Sanctuary. For me, its early morning in my suite, lying in bed and watching the sky as it is slowly lit with purples and pinks, as the sun cracks the horizon and the ocean comes into view, and youre reminded, once again, that every dawn brings a new day. The writer stayed as a guest of Southern Ocean Lodge and Luxury Lodges of Australia. Advertisement DETAILS FLY Qantas flies from Australian ports to Kangaroo Island, via Adelaide. See qantas.com STAY Stays at Southern Ocean Lodge include all dining and all drinks (with some premium wine and spirits extra), in-suite minibar, signature experiences, use of all lodge facilities and transfers to and from Kangaroo Island Airport. Rates from $3200 a suite a night. See southernoceanlodge.com.au and luxurylodgesofaustralia.com.au Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Luxury holidays Kangaroo Island Bushfires Ben Groundwater is a Sydney-based travel writer, columnist, broadcaster, author and occasional tour guide with more than 25 years experience in media, and a lifetime of experience traversing the globe. He specialises in food and wine writing about it, as well as consuming it and at any given moment in time Ben is probably thinking about either ramen in Tokyo, pintxos in San Sebastian, or carbonara in Rome. Follow him on Instagram @bengroundwater Connect via email Traveller Guides Advertisement InspirationFoodie travel Two Aussies created the worlds southernmost distillery half a world away Craig Tansley August 30, 2025 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share For a bloke from central Queensland, Matt Oberg speaks pretty bloody good Spanish. Ive rung a doorbell outside an old timber pea-green cottage on the highest street in a little town at the end of the Earth. Oberg has answered, greeting me in perfect Spanish: Buenas noches, entre. Last Hope Distillery, Puerto Natales Chile. Then hes there at the top of the stairs in a smart, button-up shirt with a well-groomed moustache: the star of a bar which looks to me part farmhouse, part speakeasy, complete with chandeliers, a long wooden bar fringed by bottles reaching to the ceiling, and a view out back over endless snow-capped mountains of southern Patagonia. This bar, Last Hope Distillery, is legendary here in Puerto Natales, gateway to world-famous Torres Del Paine National Park (90 minutes drive north). And its owners Oberg and his Australian partner, Kiera Shiels are Puerto Natales favourite adopted locals. Id heard stories all the way back in Australia of travellers adding a day to their Patagonian holiday just to spend an evening here. And when bar staff at my hotel in Santiago, Chiles capital 3000 kilometres north, hear my Aussie twang, they tell me I have to come. Advertisement Matt Oberg and Leila Shiels never did go back to mining. So here I am. And Obergs ordering me a cocktail called Who Shot Tom Collins, a local take on a classic made with their own gin, distilled from local Calafate berries. No pisco sours [Chiles most famous drink] here, mate, he says with a grin. Its barely 6pm and the bars already buzzing. Patrons are stacked alongside the bar on stools, or theyre standing; others are settled in at tables. Whens closing time? I ask. When everyone feels like going home, Oberg says. Part of the thrill of travel is in discovering the endless possibilities the world presents us. Most of us are happy seeing them in passing and then going home. Others, like Oberg and Shiels, change their entire lives for them. And its these kinds of traveller tales I find the most fascinating. I follow Oberg outside. He lives next door with Shiels, their two small girls, and their 15-year-old German shepherd, Linda. From their back steps, you can see the Andes. Advertisement Patagonian cool... Last Hope Distillery. We never get sick of that view, Shiels says. We really do spend an awful amount of time outside just staring. Once coal miners working in central Queensland, the couple decided to travel for a year. That was 10 years ago. They fell for the wilderness in this part of Patagonia and the uber-casual manana approach to living. Then they began working 15-hour days setting up the worlds southernmost distillery. They bought a 100-year-old house, turned the living room into a bar and built a small warehouse in the back for a distillery. We came to do the W Hike [in Torres Del Paine] and fell in love with it all, Oberg says. Then we realised Puerto Natales was lacking a good, late-night place. Advertisement Last Hope Distillery is legendary in Puerto Natales, gateway to the world-famous Torres Del Paine National Park. Not content with just running a bar for the first time, they set about producing their own gin, too. I was a chemical engineer, Shiels says. Thats essentially about any liquid that goes through a tube. So maybe you can say theres a synergy to it. Their iconic Calafate gin is made from berries they forage in the mountains outside town. And its the pure Patagonian water they credit for that gins and their Dry Gins clean, wholesome taste. They run a free tour each day during high season, and gin-making workshops next door. Though Im just as happy to sit and drink. They add new cocktails each month, inspired by local flavours that cant be found elsewhere. Gin-making and coal mining have a certain synergy. Advertisement The bars twilight glow, from the light bouncing off all those white mountains outside, is replaced by a darker bar room atmosphere and its heaving not in a crowded, Aussie sports-bar kind of way bodies pushed together, queues for drinks but in an easier-going, shell-be-right-mate South American kind of way. Related Article Chile A land of giants so stunning, it looks like it was created by CGI Obergs working the floor tonight, but the couple found the thrill of 3am finishes dissipated somewhat when the babies came along. Anyway, the point of manana isnt about working until you reach it, its about waiting until tomorrow to bother doing anything at all. People dream about coming here for a weeks holiday, Oberg says. And we live here. How goods that? TRIP NOTES Advertisement FLY Qantas (qantas.com.au) and LATAM (latamairlines.com) fly from Sydney to Santiago four times a week. From $2500 return, with onward connections with LATAM to Puerto Natales. DRINK Last Hope Distillery is open Tuesdays to Saturdays during high season (October to April) and Thursdays to Saturdays during low season (May to August), lasthopedistillery.com TOUR Guided By Nature offer seven-day guided tours of the W Hike in Torres Del Paine National Park from $9895 a person, with an overnight stay in Puerto Natales, guidedbynature.com/torres-del-paine-patagonia The writer travelled courtesy of Guided By Nature. Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now. Traveller Guides In the village of Kalibata Atas, on the western side of Indonesias Lampung Province, Karims wife Supami Ningsih was growing anxious. It was unusual for her husband to be home any later than 2.30pm, let alone after dark. With this evidence, the men called for reinforcements. By nightfall, almost 60 people had joined them. Villager Rochmat, who goes by one name, displays the paw prints of a suspected serial killer. Credit: Amilia Rosa Arriving at Karims one-hectare plot, they found spattered blood. Nearby were the missing mans shoes and ripped pants. When they found his machete, they noted it was flecked with woodchips, meaning hed been pruning, his back exposed. They were a handful of men, friends and neighbours of Karim Yulianto, a father and husband who hadnt come home. Slung over their shoulders were tubular, homemade sound guns. Machetes, should it come to that, were sheathed on their waists. The search party went at dusk on battered trail bikes, inching up narrow jungle paths and steep ridges towards the small coffee farms carved over generations from the wild highlands of southern Sumatra. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Rushing over, the friends discovered Karims right leg missing and the back of his neck punctured with bites. About 9pm, one of the searchers yelled out to his fellows. He had found Karim. The mangled body was so well covered by twigs and leaves the man had actually stepped on it. When she was informed of the search partys initial discoveries, she knew she was getting bad news. It couldnt have been a road accident a farmer friend had spotted his motorbike still at the plot. Perhaps he had fallen ill, she thought. After all, Supami was sick herself. Normally, shed go up with her husband. But on September 21, 2024, Karim had gone alone. From no deaths in years, there have now been seven in Suoh and bordering districts in the past 18 months. The furthest distance between any two fatalities is about 20 kilometres. Some have been only kilometres apart. The village was rattled. No one knew how to tell his wife Juminem how he had died. Only at the wake did she overhear people talking. Until then, I thought hed had an accident, she says. Villagers in the Suoh region of Lampung have no recent memory of the critically endangered tigers attacking humans. This changed in February last year, when a man named Gunarso was found dead at his newly purchased coffee plot, only a kilometre from the familys home in Sumber Agung. Until there is DNA testing of gathered hair and faeces, which apparently no organisation or government department can afford, it is impossible to know for sure whether a sole maneater is on the loose or if several tigers have simultaneously decided to start hunting humans. Both animals made it home alive. Unfortunately for the goat, it was promptly slaughtered for a feast. Yes, it would be sad to lose someones pet, Kalibata Atas village head Jawahir, who goes by one name, says. But its sadder to lose a person. Park authorities set up two traps in the area near Karims coffee plot, baiting one with a goat, the other with a donated pet dog. There is another, less scientific reason: All the victims were missing their right legs. Was this the tigers favourite part, its calling card? Villagers believe its a single tiger responsible. A bona fide maneater. They base this on the fact identical paw prints were discovered near bodies. Juminem points to the spot her husband was killed, only a kilometre from their home. Credit: Amilia Rosa The one survivor was likely not attacked to be eaten. Firstly, he was attacked from the front and was not alone. Tigers attack after lying in wait. They dont confront. Tiger attacks can happen for several reasons, such as a human being in their territory. But we have eight attacks towards humans, and seven were followed by consumption, she says. Based on patterns of behaviour and a tigers ability to cover the distance between the eight reported attacks in and around Suoh, she tentatively subscribes to the one-tiger theory. Veterinarian Erni Suyanti Musabine, who has worked with Sumatran tigers for years, is also a member of HarimauKita, a community organisation set up in 2008 to help conserve the tigers. In February last year, the suspected killer tiger was caught on a jungle camera near the second fatality. Erni and others noticed that its features were strikingly similar to a male tiger photographed in a neighbouring region in 2017. It was already an adult back then. Now, it would be getting elderly, possibly choosing to hunt humans because they were easier to catch than wild deer or boar. Erni theorises that the tiger moved into the Suoh region some time after 2017 because there were too many males in its old hunting grounds. The paw size can indicate that its one individual, but we didnt find paw prints at all the attack sites, she says. We collected faeces and hair from the last two attacks. That could genetically provide hard evidence that the attacks are by the same individual. Heeding warnings from experts like Erni, the coffee growers have changed the way they work. Before February last year, they would usually go to their plots alone. Now they travel in groups, working together on one familys farm one day, another farm the next and so on. After 100 days of mourning, Karims widow, Supami, went back to their small plot accompanied by about 25 villagers. It was a show of solidarity and safety but also, the overgrown plantation needed many hands. Villagers preparing a feast in Indonesias Lampung province. Credit: Amilia Rosa I was scared. I was sick. I was sad, she says. But someone needed to tend to the coffee farm. Supami doesnt go up there any more. She has hired someone instead, splitting the meagre profits 50-50. Despite her grief, she doesnt want the tiger harmed. I just want that one tiger captured and removed from the area, she says. This is a common refrain in the villages. Killing the tigers is not an option anyway. Hariyo T. Wibisono, director of conservation foundation Sintas Indonesia, estimates there are only 350 Sumatran tigers left in the wild. The breed has been victim of poaching and habitat loss due to illegal logging. The island of Java once had its own species of tiger. So did Bali. Both are extinct. Indonesia and the world cannot afford the Sumatrans to go the same way. The tiger whisperer Some people in his village think Samanan is a Pawang Harimau the possessor of an otherworldly tiger-human mind meld. A tiger whisperer, of sorts. The reason is that Samanan, born in 1983 but unsure of his birthday, is the only person to have survived the recent spate of attacks. Samanan and his daughters at their small shack home. Credit: Amilia Rosa There have been other close encounters. In one of them, a man on his trail bike supposedly came face to face with a tiger and braked before they hit. According to villagers, the man brought his hands together in prayer and said: Please, I beg your forgiveness. I am human. Please go. And it did. But only Samanan has the scars. The biggest runs from the back of his head to his forehead. He occupies a three-quarter-hectare coffee plot that he bought from his brother for 150 kilograms of rice. Like dozens of others from these tropical villages, he is technically farming illegally because it is inside the borders of the South Bukit Barisan National Park. Authorities turn a blind eye. Villagers have been farming up there for generations. They say no new plots have been cut from the park in years, if not decades long before the first attack. And if they werent allowed to grow coffee in the park, how then to feed their families? Samanan says he has harvested 250 kilograms of coffee this year. At the current low prices, the haul is not even worth the equivalent of $1500. Samanans injuries after he was attacked by a tiger. The landscape, about eight hours by car from the provincial capital of Bandar Lampung, is stunning, like a location set for Jurassic Park. And as in the movies, the park can be deadly. All but one of the seven deaths happened in its boundaries. On the morning of March 11 last year, Samanan and a friend rode the three-kilometre, 30-minute journey to his plot to spray weeds. Having finished by about 2pm, he planted some cucumber seeds and set about pruning weak branches from his coffee. I didnt see or hear it coming. It was from the front, but I was occupied on the branches, he says. He demonstrates how he put up his forearms to protect himself as the snarling tiger tried to bite his face. It had already dragged its sharp claws across his head, creating the long cut. Screaming Allahu Akbar (God is greatest), he pushed the animal off. Miraculously, it ran. I unsheathed my machete and chased it. After about 50 metres it was where my colleague was standing. He was stunned. He didnt know what to do. But when the tiger [ran in the other direction], I stopped running. Samanan in hospital. Blinded by the blood and seriously injured, Samanan had the presence of mind to bury his weed spray so no one could steal it. Then, he got on the back of his friends bike and they rode home. He spent four days in hospital and recovered at home for another 15. On the 20th day, he went back to work. The friend, however, chose never to return. I take my wife now, he says. Im too scared to go up there alone. There were two times when I went alone, and she yelled at me, you are not allowed to do that!. Definitely I am not a Pawang. I do not have such abilities. Its God that wanted me alive. A group of farmers agreed to take this masthead up to one of the coffee plots as part of a convoy. However, when word of this reached authorities, police and military showed up and shut the mission down. The reasons they gave were related to safety and the official paperwork needed to go into the national park. Loading This masthead was told that later that day, more than 20 officials arrived at one of the villages asking about the questions and reporting. Indonesias BKDSA, the agency with overarching responsibility for animal conservation, declined an interview with this masthead a month after the request was made. It instead referred questions to the management of the national park. The park then requested a letter. At the time of publication, it had not responded. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. August in Washington is a humid, miserable affair. There arent many tourists, and anyone who can escape from the city will use any excuse to do so. This year, though, President Donald Trump used this to his advantage, becoming the only player in town and turning the capital into a summer camp for his dictatorial ambitions while Congress and the courts were on holiday. Over the last month, hes been unshackled by any other political realities. He mistook an empty Washington for a captive audience and chose to create more chaos at home and abroad. The recess showed how far hell go when no ones watching and the test that awaits when Washington crowds back in. President Donald Trump at the White House earlier this month. Credit: AP Trump used the break to try and seize what he cast as an opening in Russias invasion of Ukraine, hosting both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky on US soil not to resolve the conflict so much as to present himself as the big strong man in charge. Putin flew home with the footage he wanted, Zelensky avoided a repeat of his February disaster, alongside an armada of European allies and Trump whisperers, while Trump himself got nothing for his troubles. In his second stint in the White House, part of Trumps mission has been to bring the Federal Reserve to heel, demanding lower rates as a matter of instinct, not economics. Despite repeated warnings that politicising the Fed could risk a recession, Trump used the recess to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook (Cook refused to resign, setting up a legal fight that experts say could run to the Supreme Court). Eco-friendly endeavour The remarkable journey of artificial tanks from 6 to 419 By Kaushik Bhattacharya NMC and people both worked together to make the change in society and transformed Ganesh Visarjan into an environment-friendly event n Former Mayor Anil Sole first introduced the use of artificial tanks for Ganesh Visarjan in 2012 Habit is a very strong force in resisting change even where the argument for behavioural change is compelling. Instead of changing the people, just change the environment in which they act. Make it easier for them to adopt positive practices that benefit masses. The same practice was adopted by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), which helped the local body to defeat the habit of Nagpurians to pollute water bodies during festival season and compelled them to accept the change to immerse Ganesh idols in artificial tanks. When the administration and people both work together to effect a change in the society, Ganesh Visarjan is a perfect example of this co-ordination. For the sake of environment, the then Mayor of Nagpur Prof Anil Sole initiated the innovation of idol immersion in artificial tanks, which was wholeheartedly adopted by Nagpurians in 2012. The journey started with half-a-dozen such artificial tanks in 2012 and it reached 419 tanks in 2025 -- covering all 10 zones of the city -- with full support of the citizens. The success of the initiative is not just limited to the second capital, but also adopted by other cities of Maharashtra and in the country in last 13 years. Immersion of idols during Ganesh festival and Navratri in city lakes was an annual practice a decade ago. As a Mayor of this city, I was concerned about pollution of water bodies. However, the idea of visarjan of idols in artificial tanks came while discussing this with a local NGO Green Vigil Foundation, Prof Anil Sole, former MLC and former Mayor told The Hitavada. I was concerned about the depleting condition of city lakes during my tenure. Mainly, the use of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols was causing major damage to the lakes, said Sole. Good things start from your own home. With this belief, I asked the then Municipal Commissioner Shyam Wardhane to buy half-a-dozen artificial tanks from my Mayors Fund. It cost Rs 36,000 per tank. Me and my family were the first who immersed our own eco-friendly Ganesh idol in an artificial tank, which was appreciated by many in 2012, said Prof Sole. The idea of eco-friendly Ganesh immersion was liked by all corporators of the city. Within three days, we purchased 57 more such tanks from Corporators Fund, he added. Thanks to the people of Nagpur, who showed their concern towards our water bodies and they adopted this change in no time. Today, this campaign has turned into a spirit of Nagpurians and each and every idol during the festival is immersed only in artificial tanks, acclaimed the former Mayor. After my tenure, former Mayor of the city and present MLA Pravin Datke also continued the campaign and he initiated barricading city lakes to apply complete brake on idol immersion in water bodies, he added. We joined NMCs eco-friendly Ganpati Visarjan in 2010, when devotees were not even ready to hand over nirmalya. Maximum number of idols were immersed in lakes, but now, after 15 years, not a single idol is immersed in lakes, claimed Kaustav Chatterjee, Founder, Green Vigil Foundation (GVF) and Ambassador for NMC of Swachh Bharat Mission. Previously, GVF used to conduct water quality test of city lakes before and after Ganesh Festival every year. After banning idol immersion in lakes in 2019, the NGO stopped this study. Normally, a healthy lake has Dissolved Oxygen (DO) level of 6 mg/l, but, Nagpur lakes do not have any source of artificial aeration. Atmospheric diffusion is the only source of DO in lakes. Thus, the DO levels vary between 4.5 to 5 mg/l. But, during our lake water monitoring study, the DO level was reported as low as 2.5-3 mg/l. DO dropping below 2 mg/l is highly detrimental to aquatic life, said Chatterjee. For Nagpurians, Change Achha Hai Changing peoples mindset was the biggest challenge for the local body. However, NMC made it easier for citizens by providing artificial tanks very close to their homes, which helped them to adopt this positive practice that benefited masses. Initially, many people raised questions over the change as it was directly challenging the belief. Even I also did. But, with passage of time, it was accepted by all, said Adv Rajeev Pande, a resident of Ayodhya Nagar. Visarjan in artificial tanks is a good decision by NMC as it helped to avoid pollution in city lakes during festival season, said Ashutosh Bhange, a resident of Pratap Nagar. Barricading all lakes in the city is a good step by NMC and as a replacement, the civic body is installing hundreds of artificial tanks every year is also praise-worthy, said Seema Badhe. India ready to deliver the appropriate signalto Russia: Zelenskyy after dialling PM Modi TIANJIN : (China) INDIA supports all efforts for peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a phone conversation on Saturday. Modi is scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with Putin on Monday on the sidelines of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in this Chinese city. The Ukraine conflict is expected to be one of the focus areas of the talks. Zelenskyy dialled Modi and conveyed his readiness for a meeting with the top leadership of Russia and that the end of the war must begin with an immediate ceasefire. In a social media post, the Ukrainian President said India is ready to make the necessary efforts and to deliver the appropriate signal to Russia. Zelenskyy also briefedModi on his August 18meeting with USPresident DonaldTrump in the WhiteHouse that took placethree days after Trumpheld a summit withPutin in Alaska. Thank President Zelenskyyfor his phone call today. Weexchanged views on the ongoing conflict, its humanitarianaspect, and efforts to restorepeace and stability. India extends full support to all efforts in this direction, Modi said on X. The PM landed in Tianjin this evening to attend the two-day SCO summit beginning Sunday. An Indian readout said Modi reaffirmed Indias steadfast and consistent position for a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict and support for efforts aimed at the earliest restoration of peace. The Prime Minister reiterated Indias commitment to extend all possible support in this regard, it said. In a lengthy post on social media, Zelenskyy said he informed Modi about the talks with President Trump, adding India is ready to make the necessary efforts and to deliver the appropriate signal to Russia and other leaders during the meetings on the sidelines of the SCO summit. It was a productive and important conversation, a shared vision among partners on how to achieve real peace. Ukraine reaffirmed its readiness for a meeting with the head of Russia, he said. Almost two weeks have passed, and during this time, when Russia should have been preparing for diplomacy, Moscow has given no positive signal only carried out cynical strikes on civilian targets and killed dozens of our people, Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian President said he thanked PM Modi for his words of condolences to the families of the victims. We coordinated our positions ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. The end of this war must begin with an immediate ceasefire, with the necessary silence, he said. Kundalini & Spine - A Neuroscientific View By DR BHUSHAN KUMAR UPADHYAYA : K undalini Yoga is a very fascinating stream of Yoga practices. It mainly forms the part of Tantra and the Hatha Yogic traditions. Kundalini is said to be existing in the subtle body of humans. It is compared to a serpent and remains in a dormant position coiled at the base of the spine yogically known as the Muladhara Chakra or the root phlexus. It rises through purification practices followed by meditation, Pranayamas, Mantra chanting, visualisation, etc. The question arises whether it is just metaphorical or we can draw some parallels with neuroscientific findings. The spine plays a very vital role in the awakening of Kundalini. According to neuroscience, the spine is one of the most important parts of the central nervous system including brain cells and spinal column. Yogis treat the spinal column as the abode of three energy channels or Nadis; Ida - lunar and left energy channel Pingala - solar and right energy channel Sushumna - central energy channel Lunar energy channel is the parasympathetic nervous system which keeps the body calm and relaxed. On the other hand the solar energy channel aligns with the sympathetic nervous system which keeps the body active and in fight or flight mode. The central or Sushumna channel flows when both lunar and solar are harmonised. Neuroscientifically, this is the state of perfect homeostasis. Yogis talk of Amrit or the nectar secreting from the Bindu Chakra situated in the backside of the head. Actually this nectar is the CSF or cerebro spinal fluid flowing up and down in the spinal column. The CSF lubricates the spinal column and keeps it healthy and energised. Scientific studies have found that breathing exercises and Yogic postures have positive impacts on the CSF. Yoga describes seven chakras which are located in the subtle body corresponding to the different junctions of the spinal column. They are as follows; Muladhara or the root chakra. Survival instincts. Swadhisthana - sacral chakra. Pleasure, emotions, etc. Manipura solar chakra. Power, confidence, etc. Anahat - heart chakra. Love, compassion, etc. Vishuddhi - throat chakra. Speech , communication, etc. Ajna - third eye chakra. Wisdom, insight, etc. Sahasrara - crown chakra. Enlightenment, higher consciousness, etc. These chakras align with different endocrine glands and are akin to the physical, psychological and emotional functions of brain stems, limbic system and prefrontal cortex. Studies have found that meditation and breathing exercises quieten the Default Mode Network of the brain and leads to higher awareness and cognitive clarity. The awakening of Kundalini is also associated with a deeper understanding and high level of consciousness. The pineal gland corresponds with the Sahasrara chakra. Research has found that prolonged practice of meditation increases grey area in the brain and causes permanent structural changes. This is what the concept of neuroplasticity talks about. The effects of Kundalini awakening are certainly the neurobiological changes which can be scanned and examined. The spine is central to both neuroscience and Kundalini Yoga. For one it is just a structural column, while the other treats it as the sacred column of spiritual awakening and axis of consciousness. DR BHUSHAN KUMAR UPADHYAYA (The writer is Former DG Police & CG, Homeguards, Maharashtra) Modi, Ishiba visitsemiconductorfacility in Japan TOKYO : PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited a semiconductor plant at Sendai in the Japanese prefecture of Miyagi, a day after New Delhi and Tokyo resolved to deepen cooperation in the critical technology sector. Modi, accompanied by his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba, travelled in a bullet trainto Sendai, situated at a distance of over 300 km from Tokyo. Prime Minister Ishiba hosted a lunch in honour of Modi in Sendai that was joined by the Governor of Miyagi prefecture and other dignitaries. PM Modis visit to the Tokyo Electron Miyagi Ltd (TEL Miyagi) in Sendai highlighted the complementarity between Indias growing semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem and Japans strengths in the sector, an Indian readout said. TEL Miyagi, a leading Japanese company in the semiconductor sector, has plans for collaborations with India. Modi was briefed about TELs role in the global semiconductor value chain, its advanced manufacturing capabilities and its ongoing and planned collaborations with India. The visit gave the leaders a practical understanding of the opportunities that exist between the two countries to forge collaboration in the field of semiconductor supply chain, fabrication and testing, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in the readout. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperationinthissector,building on the Memorandum of Cooperationonthe JapanIndia semiconductor supply chain partnership as well as ongoing partnerships under the IndiaJapan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership and Economic Security Dialogue, it said. It said the joint visit by Modi and Ishiba to the facility also underscored the shared vision of India and Japan to develop robust, resilient and trusted semiconductor supply chains. PM Modi conveyed his appreciation to Prime Minister Ishiba for joining him in this visit and reaffirmed Indias readiness to work closely with Japan in this strategic domain, the MEA said. new world order IT IS as interesting as intriguing to watch changing trends in global politics pointing to a possible and plausible new world order -- particularly when Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi is on his visit to Japan and then China where he will have bilateral meetings with Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping and Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The recent months have indicated newer possibilities on the diplomatic horizon with India as part of the international focus -- naturally as a player of a more critical global role. Though no specific predictions are possible at this stage, criss-cross speculations are doing the rounds about how India will be a dominant player along with Russia and China as against the hegemonistic United States, making the entire scenario quite interesting to watch. Though US President Mr. Donald Trump is unwilling to change his obstinate stance on tariffs on Indian goods, he has begun facing increasingly acidic criticism at home for having spoilt a great diplomatic repair of twenty-plus years to build strong and comprehensive bonds with India. But if that is the internal situation for Mr. Trump in the US, long-time American allies such as Japan and Australia also are beginning to understand the negativism in his diplomatic misadventures and are beginning to back India, thanks mainly to Indias gentlemanly overall conduct. Most countries that have been slapped with unfair tariffs by Mr. Trump also are realising that they must put up a stiff resistance to Americas diplomatic and economic hooliganism. And as they muster the courage to confront the US, India comes up as a role model for them. Though India -- or Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi -- never aimed for any such status, it is emerging as a leader of the countries not just of the Global South but also of the other parts of the world. This is the reward India seems to have earned for itself for standing up against the US bullying without uttering any negative word. Of course, the current tensions between India and the US are not likely to continue for long since the Americans are not likely to allow their President to continue with his high-handed economic politics. No matter that, the global politics will turn against the US in the next some time with India, China and Russia taking first firm steps to start changing the world order. What is on the cards is the diminishing status of the US as a superpower. The American influence is slated to wane in the next few years -- if the US does not mend its ways drastically and dramatically. In sharp contrast, the world will start looking at Russia, India and China (RIC) as an acceptable alternative to the American barnstorming. There may be some irritants between India and China, but both the countries appear to be ready to iron those out in larger interest of a logically just world order. Both of them have shown enough maturity to handle each others points of insistence in the past three years or so. That may lead to a better coordination between them, with Russia acting as a mutually-acceptable anchor of the grouping. If this grouping gets revived amicably and appropriately, then the world can expect a new international order replacing the existing one. What the world expects from the new order is elimination of one-sided tilt of the international power balance. If that present tilt is erased, things will change for the better. Tianjin, August 31, 2025 Dear Colleagues, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends, Good evening. Tonight, we are gathered here by the glittering banks of the Haihe River in Tianjin, a city defined by its embrace of waters from all corners. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, I welcome all our distinguished guests to Tianjin. Today is a joyful day for leaders of SCO member states to have this happy gathering with old and new friends. It is also the Independence Day of Kyrgyzstan and the National Day of Malaysia. I wish to take this opportunity to offer our heartfelt congratulations to President Sadyr Japarov, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and the friendly peoples of Kyrgyzstan and Malaysia. Tianjin is an open and inclusive metropolis. It has served as a strategic guardian city for our nations capital throughout history, and pioneered Chinas reform and opening up as a pilot zone. In recent years, Tianjin has implemented the national strategy of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development, and written its new and dynamic chapter in advancing Chinese modernization. We believe that as the host of this Summit, Tianjin will give fresh impetus to the sustainable development of our Organization. Since its founding, the SCO has stayed committed to the Shanghai Spirit, strengthening solidarity and mutual trust, deepening practical cooperation, and taking an active part in international and regional affairs. The SCO has grown into a significant force in promoting a new type of international relations and building a community with a shared future for humanity. At present, the century-defining transformation is accelerating across the world, with a marked increase in factors of instability, uncertainty, and unpredictability. The SCO thus bears an even greater responsibility for maintaining regional peace and stability and promoting development and prosperity of all countries. At this Summit, we are tasked with an important mission: to build consensus among all parties, ignite momentum for cooperation, and draw up a blueprint for development. Tomorrow, I will join our colleagues at the Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States. We will also convene the SCO Plus Meeting with leaders of non-SCO members and international organizations. We will focus on how to strengthen cooperation, promote development, and improve global governance. I am confident that with the collective efforts of all parties, this Summit will be a complete success and the SCO will play an even greater role, achieve greater development, and make greater contribution to strengthening solidarity and cooperation among the member states, pooling the strength of the Global South, and promoting the cause of human advancement. As a Chinese saying goes, In a race of a hundred boats, those who row the hardest will lead. Let us uphold the Shanghai Spirit and set out from Tianjin on a new voyage filled with hope toward an even brighter future. Now, please join me in a toast: To a productive and fruitful Summit; To the advancement of the SCOs goals and tasks; To the development and prosperity of all countries and the well-being of our people; and To the health of all distinguished guests and your families. Cheers! Norway has a new complaint. Its too rich. Economist Martin Bech Holte titled his cautionary bestseller: The Country That Became Too Rich. On book tours across the nation, he has been warning citizens about the side-effects of oil wealth. With a per capita GDP of Rs87 lakh ($100,000), Norway is richer than the US, China, Japan, Britain, France and other developed nations. Besides, in theory, the per capita share in its booming $2 trillion oil fund, the worlds largest sovereign wealth fund, is an additional Rs3 crore. So why is Holte grumbling? The high-profile author laments that Norway is now grappling with stagnant wages, reduced purchasing power due to currency depreciation, low productivity, few science students, fleeing capital that is needed to create private sector jobs at home and municipalities burdened by economic difficulties. He despairs oil wealth has made Norwegians complacent. But evidently, not complacent enough to stop complaining, himself and his critics included. Journalist Terje Erikstad of Norways financial newspaper Dagens Naeringsliv mockingly argued that this is a manifestation of Norways complaints-industrial complex (CIC). This complex thrives in Norway just like the military-industrial complex (MIC) thrives in the US, Russia and Britain. The MIC lobbies with governments to enrich themselves with lucrative defence contracts, allegedly even start and prolong wars. The CIC is powerful and entrenched in Norway, a small, peaceful country in the northern rooftop of Europe. Both complexes are driven by values: the MIC for money, the CIC for equal treatment of citizens. Imaging: Deni Lal In most countries, the MIC is viewed with suspicion, if not hostility. But Norwegian society respects complainers, even see them as saviours. Embedded in Norwegian DNA, complaining is a national pastime for several reasons. Janteloven, the unwritten law that dictates nobody is above others. An egalitarian citizenry strongly conscious of individuals rights, fairness and rule of law that kings and hikers must obey. A vigilant society that spots and neutralises deviant behaviour. A nation that believes life can and should be better. Especially because they pay high taxes. Norwegians prioritise health, happiness and free time for leisure activities. Holte argues that even before the oil revenue, Norwegians enjoyed a good quality of life. But now oil wealth makes the state spend unwisely, he says. His book struck a chord and a nerve, with supporters disparaging wasteful spending and high debt and detractors claiming he had Golden Age syndromebemoaning the passing of an exaggeratedly glorious past. Unlike many nations that boast about their achievements, past and present, fiction and fact, Norwegians indulge in self-criticism. Business leader yvind Eriksen Sreide forewarns, Norwegian business is not suitable for the future. Economic historian Ola Innset counters Holtes narrative. He says Norways problem is not that the country is too rich, but that there are too many rich people. He notes, widening inequality and a weakening welfare state are the real concerns. Critics say the complainers are absurd because Norway is rich, well-run and democratic with high longevity. But arguably, Norway is a well-administered country because of the complainers watchfulness. The national habit of attentive criticism keeps politicians, bureaucrats and citizens in check, curtailing wrongdoing and enabling course corrections. Journalists, bureaucrats and economists are among the biggest complainers. A saying goes, The best way to complain is to create. Norwegians are nifty at that, too, inventing quirky items like cheese slicer to advanced avionics. The nation has among the highest per capita patents in the world. The delicious irony is that those who complain against the complainers are complainers, too. Pratap is an author and journalist. Dr Christine Fair, a prominent American political scientist and Georgetown University professor specialising in South Asian security and counter-terrorism, recently called President Donald Trump a ch***yaseveral timesduring an interview with Pakistani-origin British journalist Moeed Pirzada, a man who himself is no stranger to the word on air. It is not the first time Trump has been bestowed with this title. Last year, X users were calling him a certified ch***ya several times (which, in the Indian context would translate pretty much to ek number ka ch***ya or ch***ya #1 ) but as far as I know, it is the first time somebody (especially somebody so erudite) has actually mouthed the wordnon-ironically as the Gen Z sayon camera. When South Asian users tried decoding the word for global audiences last year, many described it as translating to c**ty idiot, which isnt too far off the mark. In modern colloquial Hindi, ch***ya does mean foolish, stupid, or incompetent, but with a stronger, more offensive connotation due to its vulgar roots (it derives from a rude word for female genitalia). Illustration: Deni Lal Could ch***ya be on the verge of going mainstream? It wouldnt be the first profanity with foreign roots to make the leap to respectabilityand even to the Oxford English Dictionary. One is tempted to imagine language to be a sort of London Season in Regency England, with OED playing the part of the patronesses of Almacks, and ch***ya as an audacious upstart, hoping to make the cut, emboldened by the success of equally vulgar predecessors like putz, schmuck, pendejo and others (putz and schmuck both derive from Yiddish and originally meant penis, but have now been prettified to mean moron or sucker. Pendejo is Spanish and literally translates to pubic hair, but is now also used as a synonym for stupid). And its not like other desi words havent made the cut. Theres chaddi for onea homely word for underwearwhich was popularised through the phrase kiss my chaddis in the show Goodness Gracious Me, to the point where keep it in your chaddis and chaddi-buddies are common parlance today. Theres Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a superhit musical and film, based on a book by Ian Fleming; a title inspired by a bawdy British army ditty, where soldiers had to get a chitty or permission slip to leave their base and visit brothels to bang the ladies there. So ch***ya can dare to hope. Delhiites (and Punjabis on both sides of the border, probably) would claim it to be an extremely useful and practically wholesome wordand hey, all cusswords sound cute/softer/exotic in the mouths of people who are not native speakers. But theres no getting away from the fact that if used in professional, academic, or public settings, it is never short of crass and disrespectful. But then crass and disrespectful are words more and more people are associating with Trump, who himself recently used f**k while talking to the press about the Israel-Palestine conflict. The usage was rendered even more offensive because it was an English word in the mouth of a native English speaker, so there was zero scope for either exoticity or cuteness. Theres a reason why the casual use of mother-tongue expletives is frowned upon in formal, high-stakes settings. It creates an informal, wham-bam-care-a-damn shoot-from-the-hip slackness where anything goes, like say planning to bomb countries on an unsecured Signal chat, randomly hiking tariffs, and issuing executive orders with the rat-a-tat-tat-tat-ness of machine gunfire. Pausing long enough to use good languages helps us keep our fingers off triggers. Countries and people in crucial jobs everywhere need to resist the temptation to swear. editor@theweek.in For decades, the lives of Delhis middle-class parents have been defined by relentless aspiration, often shadowed by a quiet undercurrent of desperation. They tightened household budgets, postponed holidays, cut corners on personal dreams, so that their children could attend private schools that promised a brighter tomorrow. Yet, year after year, many of these families were ambushed by sudden fee circularsannouncing hikes of 20, 30, sometimes even 40 per centissued with the cold efficiency of an ATM receipt. It was not just money being demanded, it was dignity being denied. Once a child enters a school, shifting becomes almost impossible. To pull a child out midway is to uproot friendships, disrupt learning, and risk rejection elsewhere. Schools are acutely aware of this, and they know that parents, trapped by circumstance, cannot easily walk away. Each arbitrary hike, therefore, acquires the character of blackmail; a cruel demand to pay up or risk imperilling your childs future. This is why, earlier this year, hundreds of parents gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest fee hikes of up to 45 per cent, carrying placards that told their own story of anxiety and helplessness. This month, however, a long-awaited moment of relief arrived. The Delhi Assembly passed the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, a reform parents had been demanding for more than 50 years. Ever since the Delhi School Education Act of 1973, most of the citys private schools had operated beyond the reach of government oversight. In her address, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta described this long absence of regulation as a vanvas (living in forest) for parents, and declared that the exile has now come to an end. Illustration: Deni Lal The new law brings all 1,700 unaided schools under regulation and ensures that fee hikes can occur only once in three years, and even then only with the scrutiny of committees where parents have a voice. It also establishes a layered appeal system, giving parents a clear path to seek redress for their grievances. These provisions carry strong deterrents, including hefty fines, withdrawal of recognition, and even government takeover of non-compliant schools. This achievement bears the imprint of determined political will. CM Rekha Gupta and Education Minister Ashish Sood deserve full credit for carrying this law through. It is one thing to sympathise with parental distress, quite another to take on the powerful private school lobby and deliver justice. Their resolve has given parents in Delhi what they had been denied for so long: a fair chance at transparency and stability. This reform also resonates deeply with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has consistently emphasised that the foundation of a Viksit Bharat must rest on fairness, inclusivity and opportunity for all. By lightening the load on Delhis middle-class, this law transforms anxiety into assurance and restores education to its rightful place as the great equaliser of Indian society. Parents in Delhi have waited half-a-century for this relief. Their long vigil at protest sites, endless petitions to authorities, and resilience against intimidation, all find vindication in this law. The children who watched their mothers and fathers fight these battles will remember that justice in a democracy could be delayed, but it is never denied. And, perhaps, when they sit in positions of power, they will recall that the right angle of education is not the privilege of the few but the protection of the many. Bansuri Swaraj is the Lok Sabha member from New Delhi. Thomas Marshall, vice-president under Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1921, once lamented: Once there were two brothers. One ran away to sea; the other was elected vice-president of the United States. And nothing was heard of either of them again. Vice-presidents of yore made no newsin India or the US. Who remembers S. Radhakrishnan or Zakir Husain as VPs? We remember their presidencies. How many remember G.S. Pathak? The job, as John Garner who was Franklin Roosevelts veep from 1933 to 1941, said, was as "useful as a cow's fifth teat". No longer so. VPs make news these days. Look at J.D. Vance! He has emerged as Don Trumps hatchet man. There used to be a pattern to the vice-presidency in India. The first three became president, the next three didnt, the three after them did, and the three who followed didnt. The pattern got broken when a fourth VP in a row, Venkaiah Naidu, missed the top job. Illustration: Deni Lal A few created constitutional historyM. Hidayatullah as the first judge to get the job, and also as the only one who has been chief justice, vice-president and acting president. When Zakir Husain died in office and V.V. Giri quit to contest as president, Hidayatullah, then CJI, was sworn in as acting president. Later he was elected unopposed as vice-president. B.D. Jatti created a flutter when he initially refused the Janata regimes request to dismiss nine Congress state governments. A few of the recent ones brought vibrancy to the postHamid Ansari with his intellectual acumen (also as the only one to get a second term after S. Radhakrishnan), Naidu with his popularity (he loved hosting events, holding book launches, and meeting people), and Jagdeep Dhankhar with his brash conduct. Dhankhar will go down in history as the only VP who was threatened with impeachment. He goes unmourned. He angered those whom he tried to please, and alienated the opposition with his partisan conduct in the Rajya Sabha. Dhankhars exit was dramatic. He wanted to get the motion to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma moved in the Rajya Sabha which he presided over, rather than in the Lok Sabha where the government wanted to put up its show. In the end, he quit over health reasons. That was Dhankhars second quit act. Back in 1990, he had grabbed headlines by resigning as a deputy minister in protest against V.P. Singh sacking deputy prime minister Devi Lal. The next morning he quietly took back the resignation. Much of the role, rules, and traditions around the presidency is derived from the British monarchs, but the Brits have no parallel to our vice-president. Our veep, if at all, is modelled after the USsto the extent of he (no woman till date) being the ex-officio chairman of the upper house. Thats what earns him his pay. The VP is the only official who doesnt get any salary or perks for his designated post. His pay, Rs4 lakh currently, is for his work as Rajya Sabha chairman. But when he acts as president, he is entitled to the salary and privileges of the president. The vice-presidents, if you ask me, is a tougher grind than the presidents. Dear old Shankar Dayal Sharma once broke into tears, trying to run an unruly house. Its worse these days. There are ceremonial tasks, too. The VP is chancellor of the Panjab, Delhi and Pondicherry Universities, visitor to Makhanlal Chaturvedi University of Journalism, and president of the Indian Institute of Public Administration. All these would now be tasks before C.P. Radhakrishnan or B. Sudershan Reddy, whoever among them makes it. Good luck, gentlemen! We will see one of you in the house. prasannan@theweek.in Just a year and a half after back-to-back emergency brain surgeries, Sadhguru completed the Kailash Yatra on a motorcycle, returning yesterday to a grand welcome at Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore. Locals and villagers welcomed him to the ashram, turning it into a grand procession of devotion and reverence. During an online interaction with Bollywood actor Dino Morea, Sadhguru had earlier explained, I am not going to see Shiva. For me, the dimension we refer to as Shivawhen I close my eyes, that is where I am. I dont have to go to Kailash for that. Kailash is the most spectacular library, but these days I am not going even for that." I'm taking a few hundred people with me. People, when they wake up in the morning, do they say Shiva? No, they'll say stock market or cinema. So for those people with altitude and variety of other challenges, it lowers their concerns about stock market and we can get them to focus on something more profound, he added. Speaking to journalists at Coimbatore Airport, Sadhguru emphasised, As per medical advice, I was not supposed to ride a motorcycle, yet I went to 18,000 feet above mean sea level. This demonstrates the power of yoga." Describing how he overcame the challenges of the journey, despite the two surgeries and his advancing age, he said, Yoga means you become one with the very source of creation, which is within every one of us. So when you are in touch with the source of creation, this is not a challenge. Effortlessly, I have done this at this stage. Responding to the question of US tariffs on India, Sadhguru commented, When challenges are thrown at us, it's for us to stand up sharper and stronger, which I think India will do for sure. Maintaining India's sovereignty, its freedom to do its business the way it wants to do, is something that we cannot give up as a free nation. Sadhguru began his yatra on a motorcycle from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, on August 9. He travelled through Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Thulikhel in Nepal, reaching the Nepal-Tibet border. He then proceeded through Zhangmu, Nyalam, and Saga in Tibet to reach Lake Manasarovar, from where he undertook a trek to visit Mount Kailash. The route was fraught with challenges, including landslides, continuous rain, rugged terrain, and high-altitude regions ranging from approximately 15,000 to 20,000 feet above sea level. With India and China bolstering their ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, a geopolitical expert called US President Donald Trump a "bully" who "steals lunch money" from classmates. Einar Tangen, Senior Fellow at Taihe Institute in Beijing, said Trump felt he could force India into submission by levying 50 per cent tariffs over import of discounted Russian oil but New Delhi has stood up to the "bully". Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and pic.twitter.com/HBYS5lhe9d Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025 "Belittling a country like India, which is of such great importance for the markets and labour, I don't think it makes sense," Tangen told NDTV during a panel discussion. This comes as Modi and Xi agreed to find a "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable" solution to the border disputes while improving trade and investment relations. Calling the SCO Summit a "moment of optics", the expert said it "sends a strong message to Washington for its arbitrary actions towards India." Tangen said the US is worried about India staying non-aligned and not giving in to its "colonial games" by pitting India against other powers like Russia and China. "Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on 180 countries, including some penguins. At this juncture, India has an opportunity. We are at a time when a bully is striding the world stage, literally trying to take everyone's lunch money for no apparent reason. India can stand up to it. India has been the balancing power both at SCO and BRICS," he said during the discussion. The expert went on to claim that PM Modi's leadership keeps the US up at night. "It is an opportunity to stand up, be counted, and for Modi to take the mantle of leadership," he added. During the SCO summit, Modi backed China's presidency of the SCO while inviting Xi to the BRICS summit that India will host in 2026. Following a heat spell in Chennai over the past few days, rainfall suddenly intensified in the state late on Saturday night, with local meteorologists calling it a cloudburst. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Chennai's Manali area and its surrounding districtsnow issued with a red alertwere primarily affected by cloudburst-like rain. Heavy rain lashed various places in Chennai including Vadapalani, Guindy, Kodambakkam, Kolathur, Kasimedu, Valasaravakkam, Thandaiyarpet, and Puzhal. Suburban areas like Ambattur, Korattur, Kathivakkam, and Thiruvettyur were also hit. Massive rains will continue in #Chennai for another 1 hour , few places may record upto 80-100mm stay safe #ChennaiRains pic.twitter.com/eiZGjCOIHe Eastcoast Weatherman (@eastcoastrains) August 30, 2025 Although the IMD has not explicitly called it a cloudburst, 6 rain spells in various parts of the state crossed the 100mm/hour mark, meeting the criteria for a cloudburst as defined by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). Various low-lying areas in Chennai were waterlogged as the city received more than 100mm of rain in an hour. Manali received the highest rainfall of 160mm, followed by Korattur with 130mm. More than 15 flights into various parts of Tamil Nadu were delayed. 4 inbound domestic flights were also forced to return due to inclement weather, a local media report said. The sudden rains can be attributed to the southwest monsoon winds currently circulating in Kerala, which brought on rainfall in western Tamil Nadu, as well as hilly areas in the interior of the state, the report added. The IMD has also predicted light to moderate rainfall over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, in addition to strong winds reaching 40-50km/h. Cloudbursts, which are sudden, intense spells of rain over a particular area, have wrought havoc on various parts of north India this year, such as Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar, Ramban, and Chashoti, as well as Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Tianjin, where he reiterated New Delhis commitment to improving ties with Beijing. This is Modis first trip to China in seven years and comes amid the India-US standoff over Trump Tariffs. ."We are committed to progressing our relations based on mutual respect, trust, and sensitivities," Modi told Xi during the meeting, according to a video clip posted on the Indian leader's official X account. The landmark visit is also the first since India-China relations thawed after both countries reached a pact last October on patrolling their disputed Himalayan border following a deadly clash between troops in 2020. In the televised opening remarks, Modi did mention the peace and stability along the border and hailed the resumption of direct flights between the two countries. He added that the welfare of 2.8 billion people is linked to bilateral cooperation between India and China. There was consent between our Special Representatives on border management, Modi said. Sharing my remarks during meeting with President Xi Jinping. https://t.co/pw1OAMBWdc Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025 "The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity," he said adding that it was important for both countries to be "friends and good neighbours". "The world is going towards transformation. China and India are two of the most civilizational countries. We are the world's two most populous countries and part of the Global South... It is vital to be friends, a good neighbour, and the Dragon and the Elephant to come together," he said. Modis statement comes as China urged India to stand against the bully US and offered support to stand with India against Washingtons steep tariffs. Analysts think both countries are on the path to recalibrate their relations. "Both India and China are engaged in what is likely to be a lengthy and fraught process of defining a new equilibrium in the relationship," said Manoj Kewalramani, a Sino-Indian relations expert at the Takshashila Institution think tank in Bengaluru, told Reuters. A Malayalam journalist on Sunday claimed that she met the woman who was threatened by Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in the leaked phone conversation. Senior scribe Lakshmi Padma said that the woman is in mental trauma due to ongoing slut-shaming and the health issues caused by the unscientific abortion. Lakshmi Padma, in a post on Facebook, claimed that she wanted to confirm that such a woman exists, as many are claiming that she was an imaginary character, and so were her pregnancy and abortion. The survivor and her family were not mentally prepared to move legally against Rahul Mamkootathil, the post claimed. She was concerned that her identity would be revealed to the public. ALSO READ | Why Rahul Mamkootathil resigned? Here's how Rini Ann George, Priyanka Gandhi contributed to Palakakd MLA's exit as Kerala Youth Congress chief Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil had to step down as the chief of the Kerala unit of the Youth Congress after an actress accused a "young political leader" of inappropriate behaviour. Meanwhile, multiple audio clips of a telephonic conversation reportedly alleged Rahul of forcing and threatening a woman to terminate her pregnancy. While the woman insisted that she wanted to keep her child, Rahul wanted her to abort as he was worried it would affect his life. The woman maintained that nobody would have to know that Rahul was the child's father, but the Congress leader was not convinced. The conversations included Rahul asking if she was okay with raising a child who would be seen as a bastard by society, before claiming that it would only take him a few seconds to kill her. FULL REPORT | Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil asks pregnant woman: 'How many seconds do you think it will take me to kill you' After Malayalam news channels aired the audio clips, it was revealed that as many as nine women had filed complaints against him with the All India Congress Committee (AICC), and he remains suspended from Congress membership. "I met her," began Lakshmi Padma's Facebook post in Malayalam. "This is to those saying that the audios that came out in connection with Rahul Mamkootathil are fake, that no such girl exists, and that there was neither a pregnancy nor an abortion. Such a girl does exist, and she is under severe psychological trauma. There are after-effects of an unsafe abortion and the constant slut-shaming happening around her. I saw a person who was completely shaken, someone who hasnt been able to properly sleep or eat for many days. Still, she finds some solace in the thought that, if this issue coming out helps at least a few women escape such traps, then it isnt entirely in vain," the post read. Lakshmi Padma accused Rahul Mamkootathil of still being able to control many of his victims. "The realities are much more serious than what we know outside. From what I have understood, he (Rahul) is still managing to control even the people he has victimisedand the investigation must reach into that," the post read. "And one more thing: to all those groups asking if I personally had a bad experience with himI havent. He has always interacted with me respectfully," the post said. ALSO READ | Rahul Mamkoottathil row: Cyber attack against KC Venugopal MP's wife for criticising Palakkad MLA "After listening to her, I felt deeply that in our society, girls often cannot come forward with complaints because of the circumstances around them. While there are efforts on social media to whitewash the predator, how many women are crushed underfoot in the process? Add to that the political mudslinging from all sides. If we want to make our land a place where women can live with their heads held high, collective efforts are needed." Following the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that the discussion was bilateral in nature. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, while responding to a question on whether Modi and Xi discussed the impact of Donald Trump's tariffs, said though the two leaders were mindful of international developments, they focused on bilateral issues, including improving the economic and commercial ties between India and China. #WATCH | Tianjin, China: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, "... Obviously, there is a deficit in how the WTO (World Trade Organization) is working, for instance. There is even a deficit in how the United Nations is working at this point in time. These are obviously common pic.twitter.com/aleYqMTVsO ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 "The focus of the discussion remained in the bilateral domain. Of course, they recognise whats happening on the international plane and the challenges it creates, but they tried to see how to leverage that for building greater understanding between themselves and how to take forward the economic and commercial relationship between India and China in the midst of these evolving challenges," said Misri. He also pointed out that there is a deficit in how the World Trade Organisation and even the United Nations works. "These are obviously common interests for two countries, such as India and China, that are large actors on the international, commercial, economic, and financial stage" he said. #WATCH | Tianjin, China: On PM Modi's bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, "On economic and trade relations, there was recognition of the role that the Indian and the Chinese economies can play in stabilising world trade. Both pic.twitter.com/DIzmEqLRUI ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 Misri said both Modi and Xi recognised how the Indian and Chinese economies can stabilise world trade, while emphasising the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to expand bilateral trade and investment ties and reduce trade deficit. This comes as The New York Times claimed on Saturday that US President Donald Trump is not planning to visit India for the Quad Summit later this year amid strains in ties over 50 per cent tariffs imposed on New Delhi. The West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) on Saturday released the 2016 tainted candidates list as per the Supreme Court order, which directed the commission to release the names within a week. The list, uploaded at 8 pm on the commission's website, includes the names, roll numbers, and serial numbers of the 1,804 'tainted' teachers. The SSC officials claim these candidates had either tampered with OMR sheets or jumped ranks with the help of influential people to avail the jobs. According to the commission, out of the 25,753 appointments invalidated by the Supreme Court's April 3 verdict, 5,303 teaching and non-teaching staff were found to be tainted. Of these, 1,804 are teachers. The number of untainted teachers stands at 15,803. West Bengal Government has ruined lives of Thousands of Students: Supreme Court The Top Court had directed the School Service Commission (SSC) to release the names of tainted candidates who paid the government officials, including close aides of CM Mamata Banerjee. As a pic.twitter.com/zUlvdsWibV LawBeat (@LawBeatInd) August 31, 2025 Details of the tainted list According to local media reports, some of the tainted candidates are children of former ministers, councilors, and some are closely connected to former education minister Partha Chatterjee, who was jailed after the scam was uncovered. Most of the names in the tainted list are allegedly connected to the ruling Trinamool Congress, according to TV9. There are also allegations that the list is vague. Though the SSC published the names and roll numbers, it did not provide the addresses of 'tainted' teachers or the schools they taught in. Therefore, there is still a high possibility of names being omitted. Some of the names include Ankita Adhikari, the daughter of former state minister Paresh Adhikari. Her case had gained attention long back, and the Trinamool leader was accused of squeezing in his daughters name using his influence in the list. The matter reached the Calcutta High Court, which cancelled her job and ordered her to return her salary. Other names in the list include Bivas Malik, a powerful Trinamool leader from Khanakul, Hooghly, who is a member of the Zilla Parishad. He was working in a school in Tarkeshwar until he lost his job. Interestingly, his wife was also on the tainted list. Priyanka Mondal, daughter of Debes Mondal, the Trinamool president of Hingalganj, and Namita Adaka, wife of another Trinamool leader from Khanakul, are also in the list, according to TV9. Sahina Sultana, a member of the Hooghly Zilla Parishad, and Kavita Burman, a councilor from Uttar Dinajpur, are also in the list. Burman was a Trinamool member at that time, but later switched to the BJP. Another high-profile Trinamool candidate is Ajay Majhi, the regional president of the Trinamool Congress for the Jalchak area in West Midnapore district. Kuheli Ghosh, a Trinamool councilor of Ward No. 18 of Rajpur Sonarpur Municipality, is also on the list. The West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) on Saturday released the 2016 tainted candidates list as per the Supreme Court order, and one of the prominent names included in the list was that of Ankita Adhikari, daughter of former Trinamool state minister Paresh Adhikari. Ankitas name was the 104th in the list of 1,804 'tainted' teachers, lending support to the claims that she used her fathers influence to get into the list. Interestingly, her name was linked to the SSC recruitment scam, which rocked West Bengal early on. Paresh Adhikari, a former Left Front leader, switched to Trinamool on August 31, 2016. Shortly after, the SSC list came out and Ankitas name was on the list for policial science teacher. She soon got an appointment at Indira Girls' High School, which is just 1 km from her home. The allegation was that the entire merit list was changed so as to include Ankitas name. Also read: West Bengal SSC tainted candidates list: Children of ministers, councillors included. Details expose political connections The allegations were that Ankita scored just 61 marks while another candidate, Babita Sarkar, had 77. However, Ankita was selected instead of Babita due to her fathers influence. Babita went to court against this. The Calcutta High Court managed to annul Ankitas appointment, and the post went to Babita. Ankita also went to the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court's verdict, but the bench by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, also called her appointment 'suspicious'. Babitas appointment was later annulled, and the post went to another candidate, Anamika Roy. Interestingly, Ankita was seen in the job rally called by the Trinamool Congress in April. Though many be interpreted that it was an attempt by her to prove her eligibility, Ankita refused to comment on it. The case is pending in the court. I have completed my PhD. Now I am not thinking about whether I will give the SSC exam or not," she added. Trinamool later tried to justify the rally, stating it was a protest against the conspiracy being hatched by the BJP and CPM to remove qualified teachers from their jobs." However, with the tainted list, Trinamools claims have been rendered baseless. Meanwhile, Ankita is not the only ministers daughter to get into the list. Roshnara Begum, daughter of Chopra Trinamool MLA Hamidul Rahman, also features on the tainted list. She has been teaching at the Kaliganj High School since 2018. On August 27, 2025, Turkiye unveiled an integrated air defence system called "Steel Dome," which bolsters its military's defence capabilities "against low, medium and high-altitude threats through land-based and sea-based air defence platforms and sensors. Notably, the system has been developed indigenously by Turkish defence electronics company Aselsan for $460 million. The system consists of 47 vehicles that would likely complement the S-400 air defence system that Turkiye procured from Russia in 2019. The unveiling of the Steel Dome was accompanied by the announcement that Aselsan would be building a new defense manufacturing facility the Ogulbey Technology Basein Ankara for US$1.5 billion, which was dubbed the "single largest defence industry investment" in Turkiye's history. The facility is expected to become operational by mid-2026 and would serve as the key base for developing the Steel Dome system. #BREAKING The new Steel Dome air defense system has been officially delivered to the Turkish Army. With todays activation, 783,000 km of Turkeys skies are now shielded from enemy threats. Inshallah, this same protection will soon extend into Syria, uniting pic.twitter.com/MwVHmnWFG6 Levantine Revival (@SyriaRetold) August 27, 2025 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the new defence system as ushering in a new era in Turkiye's military and defence capabilities during the inauguration. The development is notable given Ankara's challenges in its relations with its NATO partners, especially the US. Turkiye's procurement and partial deployment of the Russian S-400 air defence system had led to Ankara being ousted from the US-led F-35 stealth jet programme, causing ruptures in bilateral ties. The announcement of Steel Dome is noticeable given Israel's Iron Dome defence system, which has a proven track record in detecting and neutralizing enemy projectiles over the years, including during the 12-day June 2025 Israel-Iran war. Turkiye in the past procured defence equipment from Israel, but has gradually moved towards reducing its external dependence. The bilateral relationship, already tense due to growing differences over regional issues, has nosedived since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. Erdogan, during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Ogulbey base and unveiling of the Steel Dome, stated No country that cannot develop its own radar and air defence system can look to its future with confidence in the face of current security challenges, especially in our region underlining the Turkish quest for bolstering its defence capabilities in light of the fragile regional security situation. The announcements come at a time when Turkiye has become a major global manufacturer and supplier of UAVs, particularly its Bayraktar TB2 drones. Turkish UAVs have reportedly proved to be a game-changer in many recent conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Turkiye has also been noted for its ship-building and frigate capabilities. In recent years, it has signed deals with many countries in the Middle East, Africa and South and Central Asia to supply its UAVs and naval ships, including with Pakistan and Bangladesh. According to SIPRI data for 2020-2024, Turkiye was the third-largest supplier of defence equipment to Pakistan, after China and the Netherlands. The unveiling of the Steel Dome underscores Turkiye's growing quest for self-reliance in defence manufacturing and its aspiration to emerge as a leading supplier of defence and military equipment in the Middle East. Turkiye has consistently improved its global ranking as a defence supplier. Hence, from 14th during 2016-2019, it improved to 11th during the 2020-2024 period, according to SIPRI data. Notably, Ankara has utilized its defence manufacturing capabilities not only to enhance its self-reliance but also as a means to diversify its economic and industrial base, and expand its influence in regional and global arenas. Between 2020 and 2024, Turkiye was the fourth-largest military supplier to countries in West Africa, after China, France, and Russia. Moreover, the growing self-reliance in defence manufacturing has boosted Turkiye's regional ambitions in the Middle East. Hence, it has military intervened in many regional countries in recent years, including in Libya, Syria and Iraq, alarming many of its regional partners and competitors. In Libya, for instance, Turkiye has emerged as a significant external actor, alongside several other regional and global powers. Similarly, in Syria, the HTS led by Ahmed al-Sharaa gained an upper hand over rival factions primarily due to the support and patronage provided by Ankara. This proved decisive in the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024. Its intervention in northern Iraq against reported PKK bases, too, was incessant in recent years. Analysts underline that these might have been instrumental in the recent PKK's decision to disarm and disband, giving peace with the Kurds a fresh chance. Despite the strides in the defence manufacturing sector, Turkiye continues to face serious economic and political challenges. The Turkish economy has suffered due to numerous domestic and international factors, with its growth rate fluctuating between highs and lows over the past decade and a half. For example, in 2021, Turkiye's GDP growth rate, according to the World Bank, was 11.4 percent, a significant improvement from 1.9 percent in 2020. However, since then, it has consistently dropped to 3.2 percent in 2024. Politically too, the situation is far from ideal, especially as many CHP and Kurdish leaders, including the now dismissed Mayor of Ankara, Ekrem Imamoglu, who has been under arrest since March 2025 on charges of corruption, money-laundering, extortion, and aiding the outlawed PKK. Imamoglu was touted as the likely opposition candidate for the next presidential election and has been reportedly targeted by Erdogan due to his growing popularity. According to media reports, since the beginning of 2025, over 1,900 opposition members have been arrested and put behind bars for protesting against the government. The Turkish quest for self-reliance in defence manufacturing and its emergence as a major military supplier have been boosted in recent years. This has been achieved through an ambitious foreign policy that has enabled Turkey to gain influence in the neighbourhood and the Global South, and has helped enhance its status as a global defence supplier. However, domestic economic and political instability remains a major hurdle in Ankara's realizing its ambitions and is likely to persist as a challenge under the prevailing circumstances. The author is an Associate Professor at the Centre for West Asian Studies, JNU, New Delhi. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening rapidly as Israel ends local tactical pauses for aid deliveries and intensifies its military offensive in Gaza City. The decision is expected to deepen the famine already gripping the north. International organisations and several European governments have condemned the move as a further blow to civilians. ALSO READ | Israel assasinates Houthi rebel PM Ahmed al-Rahawi in airstrike over Yemeni capital Sanaa UN aid agencies warn of a massive famine unfolding. The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification group estimates that half a million people are already at the worst level of food insecurity, with a further 160,000 expected to fall into that category soon. Experts stressed that the entire Gaza Strip needed food. The toll is mounting: Gazas health ministry recorded ten deaths from malnutrition and starvation in a single day, including three children on August 30. Since the start of the war, more than 63,000 Palestiniansmost of whom were civilianshave been killed. Aid deliveries remain far below what is required. Israels decision to halt daytime pauses, end airdrops, and cut back the number of trucks, has worsened an already dire situation. Previous measures fell far short of the 600 trucks of aid needed daily. Medical supplies are also critically short. Stocks of treatments for Guillain-Barre Syndrome and common anti-inflammatories have been completely exhausted. Residents describe conditions in which no food or water is available, forcing families into purely survival mode. Children are especially vulnerable, with a third of outpatients in Medecins Sans Frontieres hospitals being youngsters treated for wounds. The military escalation is centred on Gaza City, now designated a dangerous combat zone. The Israeli army says it has entered the initial stages of a planned ground assault. Strikes have intensified, causing mayhem and chaos, destroying apartment blocks and leaving many children wounded. ALSO READ | Why did US deny visas to Palestinian leaders ahead of UN General Assembly? Trumps major policy shift EXPLAINED Entire neighbourhoods such as Zeitoun have been razed. Military leaders say they aim to establish full military control of Gaza City and have signalled that the displacement of its residents (around half the Strips population) is inevitable. Displacement is now taking place on an unprecedented scale. Around 80 per cent of Gaza is under evacuation orders, pushing hundreds of thousands into one-fifth of the territory. Even areas designated as humanitarian zones are unsafe. The International Committee of the Red Cross and senior UN officials have condemned the orders as unfeasible and incomprehensible. They argue mass evacuation cannot be achieved in a safe and dignified way when there is widespread destruction and extreme shortages of food, water, shelter and medical care. Many families have been uprooted several times. Some, like those sheltering in the Holy Family Church, refuse to move, fearing that fleeing would be a death sentence for the weak and malnourished. The offensive continues despite mounting international and domestic pressure. European countries including Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain have condemned both the military action, as well as plans for a permanent Israeli presence. Led by UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini, UN bodies have repeated urgent appeals for a ceasefire, warning that civilians are at risk of dying from bombardment, hunger and lack of aid. Pope Leo XIV has joined the calls, demanding an end to what he described as collective punishment. Inside Israel, dissent is growing. Polling shows that most Israelis would prefer ending the war in exchange for the release of hostages. Critics argue that the offensive endangers the captives who remain alive and places a heavy burden on soldiers. Rallies demanding a ceasefire and the return of the 48 remaining hostages have gathered momentum, with relatives warning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that if another living hostage comes back in a bag he will be held responsible. ALSO READ | Pope Leo's urgent plea for Gaza peace: Calls for ceasefire, aid, hostage release and civilian protection Hamas has reportedly accepted a ceasefire proposal, but Israeli leaders have not engaged. Netanyahus far-right coalition partners have threatened to withdraw from government if the fighting stops, creating political deadlock. Critics describe the policy as outrageous and even as ethnic cleansing, saying only pressure from the United States could bring it to an end. The Israeli military itself is facing difficulties. Commanders are concerned about reduced training time for reservists and rising cases of draft avoidance. The discovery of hostage remains, such as those of Ilan Weiss, has further underscored the human cost of the conflict. The UN and aid agencies insist there is no time to lose. Life-saving aid operations must be enabled, not rolled back, one statement declared, adding that every hour today counts. Indeed, for the 2.2 million people trapped in Gaza, the urgency of de-escalation and humanitarian access could not be greater. Thousands took to the streets of Australian cities for an anti-immigration protest and demonstration today. The event was organised by the March for Australia, a group deemed to be far-right users on social media. The organisers of the march called for an end to mass migration, claiming immigration policies have eroded Australias unity. The protestors also distributed flyers that asked them to take our country back and defend our culture. Some flyers that were distributed before the march by the organisers had inflammatory messages against immigrants on them, especially targeted towards Indians. The flyer said, More Indians in 5 years than Greeks and Italians in 100. The march for Australian organisers said on X about the flyer, This is not a racial statement. This is a statement to put into perspective how unprecedented even the last 5 years of migration are into Australia. No one can deny the cultural and demographic impact of Greeks and Italians, so why do our political class ignore the cultural and demographic impact of Indians coming in and with many orders of magnitude higher amounts? Another part of the flyer says, the majority is with us. The flyer accused political leaders in Australia of ignoring the public opinion. Senator Murray Watt and Opposition senator James Paterson earlier expressed their concern over neo-Nazis attending the rallies. Senator Paterson said he was concerned about some of the material that organisers have posted, which targets Indian Australians in a way that I think is shameful and wrong. The March for Australia organisers have strongly opposed accusations that they were associated with neo-Nazis. An investigation into the website of the group showed that it had a connection to white nationalist ideologies. One organiser was also found to have shared memes supporting the Nazi ideology, according to ABC News. Meanwhile, Tom Sewell, a self-proclaimed neo-Nazi, addressed the crowd at the protest in Melbourne. He spoke to the crowd, saying, We are here as Australians, proud and true and thoroughbred," and called for an end to mass migration. ABC news reported that counter protestors showed up to the march. Some signs by them said you are all immigrants. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, when asked about the protest, said minority view .. that doesnt represent what the overall majority of South Australians believe and know. 2.4 per cent of the South Australian population is Indigenous. That means that 97.6 per cent of South Australians have an immigrant heritage. Im proud of mine, and I think most South Australians are proud of theirs. Let me make this perfectly clear the overwhelmingly majority of South Australians dont just tolerate diversity and multiculturalism, we celebrate it. Its part of who we are. It is not just something that is part of our social fabric; it is the very essence of our social fabric. An estimate of 15,000 protestors attended the anti-immigration march. The much small counterprotestor numbers were estimated to be between 2000 and 3000 and were organised by the Palestine Action Group. The protests took place in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide,Canberra, Perth, Hobart, Darwin In a major geo-political recalibration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday in the Chinese city of Tianjin, adding momentum to an Indo-Sino thaw. While analysts hail the meeting as a key development, especially in the shadow of Trump's tariff on India, the spotlight is also on how Pakistan, a Chinese ally, would react to the move. While Islamabad has yet to officially respond to the event so far, the former president of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has called on Islamabad to be vigilant about the new development. Masood Khan, a former ambassador of Pakistan to the US, UN, and China, attempts to downplay Indias current rapprochement to China as just tactical manoeuvring rather than a tectonic shift in the global order. In the piece that appeared in Geo News, Khan argues that India and China remain competitors. Only after the conclusion or collapse of India-US tariff talks will the durability of Indias tilt toward China become clear, he claims. Khan then goes on to warn Islamabad, calling on it to remain vigilant. He says Pakistan has no reason to be worried about the Sino-India thaw. But vigilance remains essential. Even during periods of Sino-Indian friction, New Delhi sought to obstruct Chinese loans to Pakistan under various pretexts, he says, adding that the pattern may persist. For Islamabad, the prudent course is to monitor dynamics carefully without overreacting, he writes. Reasserting that Pakistan has no reason to worry, Khan goes on to state that India is just manoeuvring between great powers rather than genuine reconciliation with China. Beijings engagement with New Delhi is unlikely to dilute its strategic partnership with Pakistan, Khan says in a bid to allay fears. He says Beijings interest in New Delhi is to enhance regional influence and chip away at Washingtons hold on New Delhi, while for India, it is leverage in tariff disputes with the US. He says Pakistan has to remain watchful yet confident. Its ties with China are much deeper and strategic, while its renewed partnership with Washington has created a favourable balance and a new space, he argues. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in China for the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit that will begin on Sunday. The landmark visit, happening almost seven years ago, will see him meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Tianjin. Modis visit has assumed global significance in view of the sudden downturn in India-US ties triggered by Trumps tariffs. This also comes amid a thaw in India-China relations, characterised by restoring peace along the border, easing of visa restrictions for Chinese in India, and restarting of direct flights between the two countries. The visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India added momentum to the relations between the foes. But, despite the optics of Modi with Xi and the messaging it would give to the Trump administration, many feel it is unlikely that Xi would be reluctant to give much limelight to Modi. Reason: Beijing could see the visit as an opportunity to teach India a lesson. Its possible that Xi Jinping will have a side meeting with Modi, but I dont think the Chinese will be highlighting the Indian presence, Stimson Centres Yun Sun as quoted by Financial Times. Many share a similar sentiment. According to Brahma Chellaney, a professor of strategic studies at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi, the timing of Modis China visit could hardly be worse after Trumps tariffs and Chinas recent military support for Pakistan. Modi would be seen as travelling to China with a weakened hand as he seeks rapprochement with Xi, he told FT. Narendra Modi arrived in China on 30 August 2025, marking his first visit in seven years. He met President Xi Jinping in Chengdu, ahead of the SCO summit. The visit is closely watched due to tensions along the India-China border and the need to strengthen bilateral ties. pic.twitter.com/Ie77OqYHin THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) August 30, 2025 #WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi watches performances based on Indian classical music and dance, as he arrives at a hotel in Tianjin, China. The performers are Chinese nationals who have been learning Indian classical music and dance for years now. (Video: ANI/DD) pic.twitter.com/tHJeQPm1n3 ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2025 Chinese state media Global Times also struck a cautious tone, downplaying the impending meeting and chances for a sudden warmth. It highlighted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakuns statement welcoming Modi to China, but went on to quote Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, who said, India continues to maintain a balanced approach among major powers to maximise geopolitical and economic benefits. The report also quoted statements from PM Modis Japan visit that Japan and India are to express serious concern over the situation in the East and South China Seas amid China's maritime expansion. Practical steps such as direct flights, visa facilitation, and cultural exchanges align with the current state of China-India relations, Qian was quoted by Global Times. Despite all the perception of dragon-elephant tango, there is too much history between the country for an instant thaw in relations. Since the first time conflict in 1961, the mutual distrust has only deepened, and the economic disparity and US intervention hasnt helped. Then there is Chinas overt support to Pakistan, which many watchers feel is unlikely that the dragon and the elephant will dance together. They believe New Delhi is just using its relationship with China to hedge against the strategic risks of the United States to a certain extent. The issues at stake in the China-India relationship, just frankly, are very hard for India to resolve, whether on the nationally sensitive border issues, or the various potential domestic flash points when it comes to trade and economic matters, according to Alyssa Ayres of the Council of Foreign Relations. A Northland confrontation remains under investigation early this evening as even the nice parts of the metro sometimes under can sometimes confront a scare that requires police assistance. Here's the aftermath and the report that police are sharing with media . . . Clay County Sheriffs-Officer Involved Shooting 5200 block of N Oak. On August 30th, 2025, at approximately 3:50PM, the Clay County Sheriffs Department requested the assistance of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department to investigate an officer involved shooting that occurred within the Kansas City limits around the 5200 block of North Oak Trafficway. This afternoon, at approximately 2:21PM, Kansas City Missouri Police Officers were called to a reported disturbance involving an adult male armed with a large knife in the shopping center at the intersection of NE Englewood Rd. and N. Oak Trafficway. The individual had left the scene prior to police arrival. A suspect description was obtained, provided to dispatch via police radio, and broadcasted out to other patrol officers, to include the Clay County Sheriffs Department. At approximately 2:27PM, a Clay County Sheriffs Deputy was patrolling the area of NE 50th St and N. Oak Trafficway and located the described suspect involved in the disturbance. The Deputy attempted to contact the male subject for further investigation. The male presented a large knife from within his waistband and began running northbound on N. Oak Trafficway. A foot chase was initiated, and additional deputies were called to assist with apprehending the armed individual. The male suspect refused to comply with verbal commands and ran into a wooded area while being pursued by multiple Clay County Sheriffs Deputies. The male stopped and was given further verbal commands to drop the knife. The male subject charged at the deputies before coming to a stop again. Additional resources, to include Sheriff K-9s, were being called to the scene to deescalate the situation. Deputies continued giving verbal commands for the male suspect to drop the knife and peacefully surrender. The male subject refused to comply and ran towards the deputies a second time while armed with a weapon. At 2:33PM, two Clay County Sheriffs Deputies discharged their duty weapons striking the adult male subject. Deputies on scene immediately began rendering medical aid until EMS responded and transported the male to an area hospital for medical treatment. The male is suffering from non-life threating and is expected to be released from the hospital this evening. A large knife was recovered from the scene where the suspect had been shot. No deputies were injured during this incident. This investigation is active and ongoing, and the information provided at this time is preliminary. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Clay County deputies open fire, strike suspect Saturday afternoon Clay County Sheriff's deputies opened fire on a subject Saturday afternoon, Aug. 30, in the Northland. Clay County deputies shoot man armed with machete in Northland; suspect expected to recover A shooting involving Clay County sheriff's deputies sent one person to the hospital Saturday afternoon in Kansas City's Northland. Developing . . . Only the most KICK-ASS TKC READERS check us on Saturday afternoon and so we hope you're doing well as we admire the eternal hotness of Brit presenter hottie KB and, once again, check pop culture, community reporting and top headlines focused on some fun health news. Check TKC news gathering . . . Irish TKC Was There . . . Music, dance and culture on full display at Kansas City Irish Fest The 23rd Annual Irish Festival is underway at Crown Center, showcasing Irish culture and performers throughout the weekend, day and nigh South Side Trending Sunnyside Park gets new pickleball courts The city celebrated an official grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, August 26. More Hard Times In The Dotte Storm aftermath leaves KCK family on brink of homelessness For the first time in their lives, Aundrea Charleston and her three children, aged 16, 12, and 8, may be homeless. Show-Me Public Safety Tactics Suspected drunk driver dies in crash after Missouri Highway Patrol trooper used maneuver to end car chase A suspected drunk driver died early Saturday morning in a car crash after a Missouri Highway Patrol trooper used a special maneuver in an attempt to end to stop the driver from fleeing. Golden Ghetto Exit Interview JoCo podcaster taken off Kansas governor candidate list after running mate drama If Doug Billings wants to continue his campaign, he and a new running mate will have to re-file with the Secretary of State's office. Tracking Kansas Mystery Plane Plane found, not sure if lost; Douglas County Sheriff's office looking for pilot A passerby made an unusual discovery Saturday morning in Douglas County Kansas: A plane with no pilot or passengers. Emo-Rock Revival Is Actually Objectively Great Linkin Park is back in Kansas City after long hiatus. Here's what to know The countdown from zero ends Sunday for Kansas City fans waiting for this acclaimed rock band's return. KB Forever . . . Kelly Brook's curves burst out of teeny bikini as fans ask 'do you ever age' Model Kelly Brook recently stripped off to pose in a white bikini while on holiday in Italy as fans gathered to fawn over her curves and brand her a "natural beauty" MAGA Money Talk Trump facing "self-inflicted disaster," Nobel Prize-winning economist says A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that most of President Trump's tariffs were illegal. Like It Or Not: Workers Love MAGA GOP Reclaims Labor Day as U.S. Enters Trump's 'Golden Age' The Republican Party is reclaiming Labor Day under Trump, thanks to the pro-worker policies he has long championed and is delivering on. Progressive Call To Action Where is the Party?: time for Democratic leaders to 'fight with both hands' or 'step aside' Even in easy times, this democracy needs care. And right now it is in dire need of defense. And it needs defenders who are willing to do whatever it takes. Americans are begging for more. Begging for Democrats to get off the mat and back into the fight. Time To Cheer Up Mental Health Disorders Slash Life Expectancy By Up To 20 Years People with depression, schizophrenia, PTSD, and other mental health disorders die 10-20 years earlier - mostly from heart disease. Nanner A Day . . . Eating these simple foods could drastically cut your risk of death, new study shows A new study shows that increasing your potassium intake can reduce the risk of heart disease by 24% Everybody Needs To Canoodle The Sex Recession: The Share of Americans Having Regular Sex Keeps Dropping Americans are having a record low amount of sex, especially young adults. Gear For Only The Most Dedicated Cowtown Hipsters Early Bird Special: Get The Bridge CommuniTee! Snag your Bridge CommuniTee in our Fall Funding Drive Early Bird Special, from Aug. 25 to Sept. 3. JoCo Lost & Found One person hospitalized, cat missing after apartment fire in Overland Park KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One person is in the hospital after a fire at an Overland Park apartment complex on Friday. Shortly before 4 p.m., the city said firefighters from Overland Park and Olathe fire d... Grigs Works Weekend . . . Kansas City weather: Rainy Labor Day Weekend, taste of fall ahead A soggy holiday weekend is in store for the Kansas City metro, with scattered showers and thunderstorms expected through Labor Day. And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. This week Mayor Q shared a scathing critique of President Trump with the American Beltway paper of record that speaks to nationwide progressive criticism of recent White House National Guard power moves. Defenders of MAGA might contend that it's hard to argue with the reduction in crime that's even acknowledged by several D.C. officials. However . . . Democratic Party leaders across the nation have been adamant in their opposition to this National Guard crime reduction tactic championed by MAGA. The local angle . . . MAYOR Q EARNS PROGRESSIVE STREET CRED FOR FIERCE MAGA CRITICISM!!! In fact . . . From our vantage . . . It seems Mayor Q attempts to downplay his harshest criticism against the Prez for local followers given that KC resides in MAGA country between to traditionally red states. Take a look at Mayor Q's Washington Post quote that has mostly escaped local scrutiny . . . As Trump ramps up the military presence in Washington and hints that he may move to take over other cities his crackdown punctuates a frequent Republican message that American cities embody chaos, lawlessness and immorality, despite widespread recent drops in violent crime. With cities increasingly liberal and rural stretches ever more conservative, Republicans have a growing incentive to attack urban areas as the epitome of all that is wrong with America. He recognizes he has a wedge issue, and, Id argue, not a bad one, said Quinton Lucas, the Democratic mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. The only defense mayors have usually is, Yes, we have crime its less than before, but, yes, there are still homicides, there are still issues. I think he is trying to exploit that. Here's the more moderate Super hero quote Mayor Q shared with followers . . . Lucas, the Kansas City mayor, said American cities are embedded deeply in the countrys culture. President Ronald Reagan, he noted, called America a shining city upon a hill. On the other hand, Lucas said, we were all raised on Batman and the notion of a sinister metropolis that requires a savior because even the police cannot control it. He added, You can try to demonize the American city, but I think the American city will persevere. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . WaPo: Trump, GOP portray cities as chaotic dystopias in need of occupation TKC doesn't to do this very often but sometimes context is important . . . Of course, if you're always reading WaPo, then you should BUY one of their subscriptions to help support their reporters & staff. However . . . Shown to us by BEST & BRIGHTEST TKC READERS . . . Right now we'll share the archived version of this report for close readers who just want to occasionally jump the paywall. You decide . . . We've heard the Kansas City argument . . . Here's outcry and perpsective from the other side of state line: At the time he spoke, the FBI listed the District of Columbia as the 29th most violent city in the U.S., with an average of 926 violent crimes per each 100,000 residents. Thats above the national averagebut also well below Kansas City, KS, which the FBI ranked 21st, with an average of 1047 violent crimes per 100,000 people. (Kansas City, MO, is ranked higher still.) Socould Trump invoke emergency authority to send troops into Kansas City? After all, KCK has seen two law enforcement officers killed just this past summer, and the its police department has a sad legacy of corruption. Maybe the Unified Government of Wyandotte County has lost control as well? Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . HP: Could President Trump take over policing in Wyandotte County? Developing . . . TIANJIN, China, August 31. President Ilham Aliyev will hold extensive meetings with leading Chinese companies, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told media in Tianjin, Trend reports. "The political spirit of our cooperation is also reflected in our economic and trade relations, in our connectivity initiatives, and in our growing technological partnership. Today, President Ilham Aliyev will hold extensive meetings with leading Chinese companies across a wide range of sectors, including energy, renewable energy, technology, communications, and many others. We are confident that this visit will make a meaningful contribution to the further strengthening of ChinaAzerbaijan economic and trade relations," he said. Hajiyev added that Azerbaijan-China bilateral trade has already demonstrated growth of more than 40 percent this year. "We believe this is not the final limit, and we expect further expansion of our partnership. Today, cooperation between Azerbaijan and China spans a wide range of areas, including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and other emerging sectors," the assistant to the President noted. In recent years, relations between Azerbaijan and China have reached a new qualitative level, largely thanks to the special dynamic between President Ilham Aliyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Their close dialogue and personal partnership have not only laid the foundation for stronger bilateral ties between Baku and Beijing, but have also become an important factor shaping international processes across Eurasia. On Sunday, the two leaders met again in Tianjin, ahead of the SCO summit. The talks were held in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and friendship, once more underscoring that Beijing and Baku see their relationship as both strategic and long-term. It is telling that Xi Jinping traditionally greets Ilham Aliyev with the words my dear friend, emphasizing the personal connection and the significance of the Azerbaijani leader - an element that undoubtedly adds new momentum to the political and economic partnership of the two countries. Xi Jinping thanked President Ilham Aliyev for participating in the SCO Plus summit and in the military parade marking the 80th anniversary of Chinas victory over Japan. These gestures by President Ilham Aliyev were not only a mark of respect for Chinas historical legacy, but also a signal of Bakus willingness to actively engage in Chinas multilateral initiatives. A major focus of the dialogue was economic cooperation. Between January and July of this year, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and China reached $2.5 billion - 26.7% higher than in the same period of 2024. Azerbaijani exports to China grew 4.5 times, reaching $53.3 million, while imports from China exceeded $2 billion, making China Azerbaijans largest supplier of goods. This growth reflects not only the strengthening of bilateral relations but also Azerbaijans role as a key link in the One Belt, One Road initiative. The country lies along crucial Middle Corridor routes, giving Beijing direct access to European markets. Energy, renewables, digital technologies, and artificial intelligence are also becoming important areas of cooperation. Chinese companies are showing strong interest in Azerbaijans green energy projects, which fully align with Bakus development priorities. Political support remains another cornerstone of the partnership. Azerbaijan consistently backs Chinas territorial integrity and expresses solidarity on issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang. Beijing, in turn, supports Azerbaijans growing role in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, where the country is a dialogue partner and has applied for observer status. With Chinas support, Azerbaijans deeper involvement in the SCO looks increasingly realistic, offering the country a stronger international profile - from a regional player to a participant in major Eurasian processes. In essence, what is taking shape is a durable axis of trust and mutual benefit between Baku and Beijing. The personal rapport between President Ilham Aliyev and President Xi Jinping provides the strength behind this axis, turning bilateral relations into a driver of broader cooperation. At a time of growing global turbulence, such partnerships - based on mutual respect, strategic vision, and personal diplomacy - are becoming a vital foundation for long-term stability and development across Eurasia. TIANJIN, China, August 31. Peace has already been established between Azerbaijan and Armenia, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said at a meeting with President of the People's Republic of China in the city of Tianjin, Trend reports. President Ilham Aliyev also stated that negotiations on normalization of relations and a peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia are progressing on a bilateral basis, emphasizing that peace has already been established between the two countries. On September 1, 2025, Trend News Agency celebrates an important milestone - its 30th anniversary. Over three decades, Trend has grown from a small editorial office into one of the regions leading and most respected multilingual agencies, covering key events in the South Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Caspian region. Thanks to the professionalism and dedication of its team, the agency has earned recognition from politicians, diplomats, and business leaders around the world. Looking ahead, Trend aims to expand further into European and Asian media markets. Platforms have already been established in Turkiye and across Europe, providing a foundation for the agency to compete with media outlets in these regions. Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director of the Pakistani Research Center for a Community with Shared Future (PRCCSF), shared his impressions of cooperation with Trend News Agency. "Trend News Agency plays a vital role as a trusted source of regional information at the international level. It serves as a reliable bridge connecting Azerbaijan with the global community through accurate, timely, and unbiased reporting. The high journalistic standards and commitment to transparency strengthen its credibility among Pakistanis and global audiences. Trends coverage helps foster international or regional cooperation and understanding, making it a valuable partner for governments, investors, scholars, and academic institutions alike," he said. He pointed out that Trend's news coverage and analysis provide foreign investors with reliable, timely, and well-researched insights into the regions economy and development. "With a strong focus on fair and positive reporting, Trend helps create a welcoming environment for international business and cooperation and emphasizes trade, finance, and strategic partnerships, which leads to valuable context for investment planning. Trusted by global ministries, financial institutions, and think tanks, Trends reports are widely respected. As an international relations expert, I appreciate its positive highlight of key developments in energy, politics, and finance, making it an essential guide for building investment opportunities in Azerbaijan," the analyst elaborated. Furthermore, Khalid Taimur Akram highlighted that Trend News Agency plays a significant role in presenting a balanced and objective image of Azerbaijan to the world through offering accurate, timely, and multilingual news, ensuring global accessibility and transparency. "This unique positioning not only boosts Azerbaijans image but also supports informed decision-making worldwide and highlights Azerbaijans development, peace efforts, and regional partnerships responsibly. Overall, Trend News Agency is one of the trusted voices that also promotes intercultural dialogue and counters misinformation effectively," the expert concluded. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to Sadyr Zhaparov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Trend reports. "Dear Sadyr Nurgozhoevich, On the occasion of the National Day of the Kyrgyz Republic Independence Day, I am pleased to extend my heartfelt congratulations and convey my best wishes to you and, through you, to your entire people, on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan. Under your leadership, extensive construction works and reforms have been carried out in brotherly Kyrgyzstan, achieving significant successes in socio-economic development. It is gratifying to see the current dynamic development of relations between our countries, which are bound by shared spiritual values and historical-cultural roots. The elevation of Azerbaijan-Kyrgyzstan relations to the level of strategic partnership is a clear manifestation of our peoples steadfast will and our determination to further deepen our cooperation. I am confident that we will continue to successfully pursue our joint efforts to preserve and strengthen the good traditions of friendship and brotherhood, and to further expand our bilateral and multilateral cooperation. On this remarkable day, I wish you good health, happiness, and success in your endeavors, and I extend my wishes for lasting peace and prosperity to the brotherly Kyrgyz Republic," the letter reads. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, Trend reports. "Your Majesty, On the occasion of the National Day of Malaysia Independence Day, I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to you and, through you, to your entire people, on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan. It is gratifying to see the development and expansion of Azerbaijan-Malaysia intergovernmental relations, based on good traditions, mutual trust, and cooperation. I am confident that, in accordance with the will of our peoples, the friendship between our countries and our bilateral and multilateral cooperation will continue to grow and strengthen through our joint efforts. On this remarkable day, I wish you good health, happiness, and success in your work, and I extend my wishes for lasting prosperity and well-being to the friendly people of Malaysia," BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has congratulated Kyrgyzstan on Independence Day, the Azerbaijani MFA wrote on its X page, Trend reports. "Sincere congratulations to the brotherly Kyrgyz Republic and its people on the joyous occasion of the #IndependenceDay! Happy Independence Day!" the publication says. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan TIANJIN, China, August 31. On August 31, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Ni Zhen, Interim President and Chairman of China Energy Engineering Corporation Limited ("Energy China"), in Tianjin, China, Trend reports. They expressed satisfaction with the effective cooperation between Azerbaijan, including SOCAR, and the company, particularly in alternative and renewable energy projects. In this regard, the collaboration with "Energy China" in the field of green energy, including the construction of solar power plants and offshore wind energy facilities in Azerbaijan, was highlighted. Ni Zhen expressed the companys interest in implementing new projects in Azerbaijan, including wastewater treatment, processing, and reuse, optimization of water resource management operations, as well as the joint construction of photovoltaic power panels in water basins. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan TIANJIN, China, August 31. On August 31, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Xie Yi, the Founder and Chairman of Sichuan Sunsync Photovoltaic Technology Co, in Tianjin, China, Trend reports. The meeting involved an exchange of views on future cooperation between Azerbaijan and the company. Discussions focused on the establishment of a modern facility in the Alat Free Economic Zone for the production of solar panels, meeting the highest technological standards in the near future. It was emphasized that a significant portion of the products manufactured there is planned to be exported to global markets. Xie Yi noted that, considering the favorable investment environment created in Azerbaijan and the strategic relations between Azerbaijan and China, the company decided to invest in Azerbaijan. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31. The UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan Fergus Auld has paid visit to the city of Lachin, the diplomat on his X page, Trend reports. "I also came and saw Lachin. At the local entrepreneurs' market I got acquainted with the delicious gifts of Lachin. Thank you for your hospitality," the publication says. On September 1, 2025, Trend News Agency celebrates an important milestoneits 30th anniversary. Over three decades, Trend has grown from a small editorial office into one of the regions leading and most respected multilingual agencies, covering key events in the South Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Caspian region. Thanks to the professionalism and dedication of its team, the agency has earned recognition from politicians, diplomats, and business leaders around the world. Looking ahead, Trend aims to expand further into European and Asian media markets. Platforms have already been established in Turkiye and across Europe, providing a foundation for the agency to compete with media outlets in these regions. Omar Eldarov, Peoples Artist of Azerbaijan, sculptor, recipient of the Sharaf, Istiglal, first-degree Labor, and Heydar Aliyev Orders, and former rector of the Azerbaijan State Academy of Fine Arts, shared his thoughts on Trends 30th anniversary. He mentioned that Trend has really hit the nail on the head when it comes to boosting Azerbaijans information sector and shining a light on Azerbaijans truths for the world to see. Your endeavors are of paramount significance and embody a commendable commitment to the nation. I would like to underscore Trend's strategic initiative in advancing the cultural and artistic landscape, preserving our time-honored heritage, and your focus on fostering innovative talents. I extend my best wishes for your forthcoming achievements and the celebration of numerous additional milestones, he added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31. Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder and head of the IDEA Public Union, Leyla Aliyeva, along with the head of Baku Media Center, Arzu Aliyeva, participated in a coastal cleanup campaign in Bilgah, Trend reports. The campaign, organized by the IDEA Public Union, saw the participation of over a hundred volunteers. During the cleanup, nearly five tons of waste were collected and handed over to the Balakhani solid waste sorting plant operated by "Clean City" OJSC. The main goal of the campaign is to promote adherence to cleanliness along coastlines and to encourage collective efforts to protect the coastal environment. To preserve the unique biodiversity of the Caspian Sea and other water basins in the Caucasus region, IDEA carries out sustainable activities aimed at cleaning and restoring coastal areas. The IDEA Public Union calls on citizens to be mindful of environmental protection while relaxing on beaches, to keep coastlines clean, to avoid littering, to exhibit responsible behavior, and to not leave waste behind in the area. TIANJIN, China, August 31. The opening of the Zangezur Corridor will create additional opportunities for connectivity between Azerbaijan and China, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told media in Tianjin, Trend reports. "Another important dimension of our cooperation is connectivity. Azerbaijan plays a central role in the development of the Middle Corridor, which runs through our territory and forms part of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative," the assistant to the President said. As Hajiyev pointed out, this year, transportation of Chinese cargo via the Middle Corridor has increased by over 40 percent, strengthening its role as a vital connectivity route across Eurasia. "Looking ahead, we believe that the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process and the opening of the Zangezur Corridor will create additional opportunities for connectivity," he added. Kazakhstan sees rise in ATM numbers by July 2025 As of July 1, 2025, Kazakhstan saw an increase in the total number of ATMs, rising from 12,674 to 12,823. However, ATMs with only cash withdrawal capabilities dropped, while those supporting both withdrawals and deposits grew significantly. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register Kazakhstan pulls back curtain on leading recipients of remittances come July 2025 Photo: Bank of Lithuania In July 2025, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Turkiye were the main recipients of remittances from Kazakhstan. While the total number of transactions declined, the overall transfer amounts increased, suggesting a rise in the average transfer size. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register Tajikistan discloses bitumen production in 7M2025 Tajikistans bitumen production rose slightly in the first seven months of 2025 compared with the same period last year, while overall oil output continued to grow, reflecting steady activity in the countrys fuel sector. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31. Armenian and Pakistani Foreign Ministers Ararat Mirzoyan and Ishaq Dar signed a joint communique on Sunday on establishing diplomatic relations, Armenian MFA says, Trend reports. According to the information, the ceremony took place in the Chinese city of Tianjin as part of the SCO summit. The parties confirmed their intention to develop cooperation based on the principles of the UN Charter - respect for sovereignty, non-interference and peaceful coexistence. The parties also agreed to exchange representatives and provide mutual support in accordance with the Vienna Convention of 1961. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Meet Safeena Husain whose Educate Girls won Magsaysay Award 2025 Educate Girls Globally, the organization founded by Safeena Husain, has won Ramon Magsaysay Award 2025 for its contributions towards education of girls and young women Sunday August 31, 2025 9:50 PM , ummid.com News Network Mumbai: Educate Girls Globally, the organization founded by Safeena Husain, has won Ramon Magsaysay Award 2025 for its contributions towards education of girls and young women. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is considered Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize. It recognises greatness of spirit shown in selfless service to the peoples of Asia, according to news agency PTI. First Indian Organization to win Magsaysay Award The Foundation to Educate Girls Globally, widely known as 'Educate Girls,' has made history as the first Indian organisation to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award, a statement from the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation said. "Safeena Husain's Educate Girls has been named for Asias Premier Prize and highest honour for its commitment to addressing cultural stereotyping through the education of girls and young women, liberating them from the bondage of illiteracy and infusing them with skills, courage, and agency to achieve their full human potential', the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) said in a statement. The other two winners include Shaahina Ali from the Maldives for her environmental work and Flaviano Antonio L Villanueva from the Philippines. The 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees will each receive a medallion bearing the likeness of President Ramon Magsaysay, a certificate inscribed with their citation, and a cash prize, the statement said. The 67th Ramon Magsaysay Award Presentation Ceremonies will be held on November 7 at the Metropolitan Theatre in Manila. A Historic Moment A historic moment for Educate Girls and the country, Safeena Husain said after the organization founded by her won the coveted prize. Safeena Husain is a graduate from London School of Economics. She returned to India in 2005 from San Francisco with the aim of tackling female illiteracy through her work. Educate Girls since its foundation in 2007 has enrolled over 1.1 million girls and impacted more than 15.5 million people across India. The NGO brings out-of-school girls into classrooms, supports them to continue their education, and works to break cultural barriers that limit their opportunities. [Safeena Husain with her father and Bollywood actor Yusuf Hussain in a file image. Yusuf had died due to Covid-19 aged 73.] Safeena Husain initially focused on working with the Ministry of Education in partnering with schools in Pali and Jalore which had the worst education gender gaps at the time. Safeena Husain later contacted Pratham and UNICEF to learn best practices. Educate Girls work has been partially funded by the world's first education related Development Impact Bond. Safeena's father Yusuf Hussain, a Lucknow native and businessman, who later joined the film industry and shifted to Mumbai. Yusuf was known for his work in various Bollywood films including Dhoom 2, OMG Oh My God!, Raees, Dil Chahta Hai and Krrish 3. Safeena Husain is married to Indian filmmaker Hansal Mehta. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic On the afternoon of August 31, 2025, President Xi Jinping met at the Tianjin Guest House with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who is in China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2025. President Xi noted that during his state visit to Viet Nam in April, the two sides reached important consensus on advancing the building of the ChinaViet Nam community with a shared future under the new circumstances. Government departments and local authorities on both sides need to accelerate the implementation so that the comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries will deliver more tangible outcomes. In the context of the accelerating global transformation unseen in a century and the fluid and volatile international situation, China and Viet Nam need to firm up confidence in their paths and systems, step up solidarity and cooperation, and steer the ship of the community with a shared future steadily forward in the right direction. President Xi extended congratulations on the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and underscored Chinas support for Viet Nam in successfully convening the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam. He expressed Chinas readiness to deepen exchanges on party and state governance with Viet Nam, maintain high-level exchanges, and take well-coordinated steps to advance bilateral strategic cooperation. The two sides need to actively promote cooperation in connectivity, digital economy, and artificial intelligence, and enhance experience sharing in the development of free trade zones and special economic zones, so as to facilitate their respective modernization drive. Continued efforts should be made to ensure the success of the commemorative activities marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the Vietnamese youths red study tours to China, and develop more programs to bring the two peoples closer together. It is important for the two sides to strengthen multilateral cooperation and uphold the shared interests of the Global South. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh conveyed the cordial greetings of General Secretary To Lam and President Luong Cuong to General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, and noted that the frequent high-level exchanges between the two parties and the two countries reflect their profound friendship featuring camaraderie plus brotherhood. Viet Nam and China share common strategic interests and are fellow companions in the journey of socialism. Viet Nam sees growing its relations with China as a strategic choice and top priority in its foreign policy. Viet Nam is ready to foster greater strategic synergy with China, expand trade and investment, enhance connectivity, deepen people-to-people exchanges, stand united and look out for each other with a view to jointly advancing modernization, which serves the interests of both countries and contributes to global peace and stability. Viet Nam is heartened to see Chinas significant development achievements and its important contributions to the world economy. The three major global initiatives proposed by President Xi have steered global governance and offered Chinas wisdom and proposals to address common challenges. The upcoming SCO Summit is unprecedented in scale. Viet Nam will uphold the Shanghai Spirit and work with China to contribute to the organizations greater development. Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Chen Miner, among others, were present at the meeting. Massive crowd in Genoa to celebrate departure of flotilla as city collects 300 tons of food for Gaza in five days. Tens of thousands of people on Saturday night joined a torchlit procession in the north-western Italian city of Genoa to celebrate a flotilla which will attempt to take food by sea to Gaza. Genoa's centre-left mayor Silvia Salis participated in the event which was organised to celebrate the voyage of the Global Sumud Flotilla which is attempting to bring aid by sea to starving civilians in the war-torn Gaza Strip. The huge crowd - estimated by some Italian news outlets as numbering 40,000 people - marched to the port to symbolically load the food and aid supplies onto boats heading for Catania in Sicily on Sunday. Global Sumud Flotilla Dozens of other boats laden with food and humanitarian aid for Gaza are also set to depart from Barcelona in Spain on Sunday. Once in Catania, the boats will join a flotilla of more than 40 vessels, including from Tunis, in a humanitarian mission scheduled to depart for Gaza on Thursday. "When the world stays silent, we set sail", says the Global Sumud Flotilla, whose stated aim is "to break the illegal siege on Gaza by sea, open a humanitarian corridor, and end the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people." Israel imposed a naval blockade on Gaza after Hamas took control of the coastal enclave in 2007, saying its aim is to stop weapons from reaching the militant group. "Civilian vessels carrying humanitarian aid or engaging in peaceful protest in international waters are protected under maritime law", the Global Sumud Flotilla says, adding that its "decentralised modelwith hundreds of small boatsbuilds resilience, distributes responsibility, and amplifies grassroots leadership." Genoa digs deep In recent days, a major food drive was organised in Genoa, with 300 tons of food supplies donated in just five days. The appeal was launched by the humanitarian organisation Music for Peace together with CALP, a collective of Genoa dockworkers, with the end result far exceeding the organisers' initial target of 40 tons. "I wanted to be here wearing the tricolour sash because I truly want to represent all of Genoa and its extraordinary solidarity and humanity", the city's mayor Silvia Salis said during the torchlit procession, which was led by a large "Free Palestine" banner. Sono orgogliosa di essere la sindaca di Genova, stasera ancora di piu. Ho partecipato alla fiaccolata da Music for Peace al Porto Antico, dove partira la #GlobalSumudFlotilla verso la Striscia di Gaza. Grazie a chi lo sta rendendo possibile. Tutta la citta e al vostro fianco. pic.twitter.com/0VmzYl50pn Silvia Salis (@silvia_salis) August 30, 2025 Salis said the response to "the food drive for Palestine and the stream of citizens marching tonight is truly moving", adding: "The entire city is behind the mission". Venice Film Festival Separately, several thousand people joined a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Venice on Saturday evening, to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis during the city's star-studded film festival. Organisers, the Venice4Palestine (V4P) collective, stated: "The Venice Film Festival must not remain an event isolated from reality, but rather become a space to denounce the genocide being carried out by Israel, the complicity of Western governments, and to offer concrete support to the Palestinian people. Last week hundreds of film industry professionals signed an open letter from V4P urging the festival's organisers to take a clear and unambiguous stand [in] condemning the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing across Palestine carried out by the Israeli government and army. Photo Genova24 Siena Express to run on select weekends this autumn. Italy is launching a new rail service between Rome and Siena this autumn, on board vintage trains, in what is being hailed as a slow-paced journey "into the soul of Tuscany". The Espresso Siena, part of Italy's tourist train initiative, will operate on three weekends, departing from Roma Termini on Saturday mornings at 07.42 on 27 September, 4 October and 1 November, arriving in Siena at 13.20. The return journey departs Siena on Sundays at 15.05 on 28 September, 5 October and 2 November, arriving in Rome at 21.03, with prices starting from 29. The new rail experience is described as "a unique opportunity to slow down, connect deeply with the beauty of the landscape, and savour the most authentic essence of this region". Passengers will travel aboard newly restored 'Gran Confort' carriages which "evoke the elegance of 1970s train travel", according to FS Treni Turistici Italiani, while "the slow pace of the train allows you to calmly admire the landscape passing by the window: vineyards, villages, and hills leading to Siena". The itinerary passes through the Argentario and Val d'Orcia areas, with stops in Tarquinia, Capalbio, Orbetello, Grosseto, Montepescali, Monte Antico, Buonconvento and Monteroni d'Arbia. For more details see FS Treni Turistici Italiani website. Photos Carrozze Gran Confort TEE FS Treni Turistici Italiani. The Gardai have made an appeal for assistance from the public in helping them trace the whereabouts of a man reported missing on Wednesday, August 27. John Connors (42), who is from Wexford, was last seen in the Dunmore Road area of Waterford City at approximately 10.30pm on Monday, August 25. He is described as being approximately 5 foot 9 inches in height, of a broad build, with short grey hair. When last seen, John was wearing a black t-shirt and navy chinos. Gardai and John's family are concerned for his well-being. Anyone with information on John's whereabouts is asked to contact Waterford Garda Station on 051 305 300, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. Waterford councillor Donnchadh Mulcahy is urging young people to register to vote. Cllr Mulcahy said there has been a growing concern that young people are not voting in elections. But with candidates declaring for the upcoming presidential election, now is a good time for people to get registered. I still remember the first time I went to the ballot box. It was an empowering moment the realisation that my voice mattered just as much as anyone elses, and that I could play a part in shaping the future. That is a right no one should take for granted. Your vote is your voice, and its how we all have our say on the decisions that shape our country and our communities, said Cllr Mulcahy. Cllr Mulcahy said measures like compulsory voting in countries like Australia highlight the importance of voting to democracies. Ireland does not have such a system, but he said it does raise the question as to whether we should have more initiatives to encourage people to vote. Registering to vote might seem like a daunting task, but Cllr Mulcahy said he is here to help. I have already helped many people to register, and I am more than happy to help anyone who needs assistance. "Dont leave it until the last minute. If you need help, you can contact me directly on 086 399 1153. Your vote matters. Make sure your voice is heard, said Cllr Mulcahy. If you are unsure if you are registered, you can check the register here. A range of exciting culinary tours are available at this year's Harvest Festival, running from September 5 to September 7. City Select Taste Tour The three-hour 'City Select Taste Tour' lets Irelands oldest city reveal its rich food and drink past, whilst discovering the award-winning culinary delights of today. Highlights include coffee cupping at Trade Coffee, Blaa tastings at The Reg by Walshs Bakehouse, hearing interesting food stories and your experienced local tour guide Pamela Flanagan. The Tasteful Tour This tour gives tour-goers a sense of time, taste and place, blending Waterfords historical events and social stories with contemporary food products, producers and businesses. Guests will meander from the quayside to off-the-beaten-track areas and meet with friendly independent cafe and gastropub staff to hear about their product offerings and food stories. Your guide will lead you through a Medieval Quarter of cobbled streets and city walls, pass by historical buildings and wander down ancient laneways, before continuing through the Cultural Quarter surrounded by a vibrant street art scape, stopping along the way to enjoy the famous Waterford blaa. The Food History Tour of Waterford City A one hour tour combining history, food history, humour and lots of things you never knew about Waterford and its fascinating web of historic connections. The tour will be hosted by well known local guide Jack Burtchaell, who has been conducting Walking Tours of Medieval Waterford for over 25 years Harvest Tea Cruise A signature river experience with Keith and Carmel Boyle. Guests will travel along the River Suir from Waterford Marina to Waterford Castle. Aboard the beautifully appointed Osprey, guests will be treated to a refined selection of finger sandwiches, buttery scones, handmade pastries, and exquisite sweet creations, all showcasing the finest seasonal ingredients, presented with the finesse and attention to detail Chef Boyle is known for. Dates and times for all the tours are available at waterfordharvestfestival.ie An Afternoon Tea party in support of support of Waterford Hospice will take place on Wednesday, September 18, at 1pm. The event, in addition to being aid of one of the most highly regarded organisations in the Deise, will also benefit from the surroundings in which it will take place. It will be held at the beautiful Woodhouse Estate near Stradbally. Guests will enjoy an elegant setting, tasty treats, and great company and all in aid of the vital work done by Waterford Hospice. The price is 30 per person and booking is essential. To reserve your place call 051 293105 or email 1woodhouseestate@gmail.com. As one of the organisers commented: "Come along, indulge in a special afternoon, and help make a difference to a cause that touches many lives." Glenn Loury, who has admitted to picking up streetwalkers and smoking crack at Harvard, is not your typical conservative intellectual. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share 22 View all comments When people learn that African-American intellectual Glenn Loury is politically conservative, they tend to jump to conclusions. Some presume he voted for Donald Trump (he didnt although he believes the Democrats deserved their loss in 2024). Others accuse him of being an Uncle Tom or an apologist for white racism (he abhors race-based prejudice while rejecting affirmative action as a means of redress). But the most common misconception Loury encounters is that he must be married to a white woman. People just assume that Im somehow estranged or alienated from my blackness, says the economist and academic, whose new book, Self-Censorship, was published this month. But Im no less black [on account of my political beliefs]. Indeed, Lourys wife, LaJuan, whom he wed in 2017, is both black and left-wing. Its definitely a source of tension in our relationship, but its a fruitful source of tension that keeps me alive and on my toes, Loury says via Zoom from his home in Providence, Rhode Island. Were always able to resolve it; we never go to bed angry. Last year, Loury published a memoir titled Late Admissions: Confessions of a Black Conservative. His unvarnished honesty left The New York Times agog. In a lengthy review, the paper listed some of his more colourful disclosures, from picking up streetwalkers and smoking crack in a Harvard faculty office to cuckolding a friend and keeping a bachelor pleasure dome decorated with a bearskin rug, a brass four-poster bed and a fat marijuana plant. In that book, he also detailed his political evolution as a Reaganite who swung from the right to the left and back again. All of which lends him a unique perspective on what drives us to edit or suppress our public utterances, which he explores in Self-Censorship an updated version of his 1994 essay about political correctness. Advertisement The pressures to conform to acceptable opinion about the Israel-Palestine conflict made the arguments of the book relevant again in a way that I would not have anticipated, he says. Loury is not speaking theoretically: although he maintains that Israel has a right to defend itself, he began harbouring doubts about what he believes to be the unjustified collective punishment that was being visited upon the innocent civilians of Gaza. Fearful of losing professional opportunities, he kept quiet until the topic came up during a podcast discussion with colleague Omer Bartov. Earlier this year, Loury was fired by conservative think tank the Manhattan Institute, which justified its decision on the grounds of a lack of shared priorities. Does he find it ironic that an organisation that so publicly espouses the value of free speech gave such an evasive reason for his dismissal? Yes, he replies. And I dont think I can improve on that. University is meant to be disquieting and uncomfortable and unsettling. Glenn Loury But as Loury explains in Self-Censorship, there is no such thing as truly unfettered speech because nobody can be assured of expressing themselves without consequence. There ought to be social sanctions for, say, compulsive liars, he writes. However, when a society shows a low degree of tolerance for speech about matters of political importance, self-censorship proliferates and public discourse and policy suffer. Advertisement Universities that prioritise their students cultural safety and emotional wellbeing, he argues, are part of the problem. A university is not just a forum for discussion, but intellectual growth, he says. Its meant to be disquieting and uncomfortable and unsettling. You come in thinking one thing, then someone presents a contrary argument, and youre challenged to defend what you think. In doing so, you become wiser and more adept at political deliberation. Thats certainly the way I try to conduct my own classrooms. Related Article Exclusive Racism The young, black moderate who argues that anti-racism is racist At Brown University, where he has taught since 2005, he encourages debate about topics that many of his peers would be afraid to touch. George Floyd, a black man, was killed by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, in 2020 and the country understands that to be an expression of white supremacy and structural racism, he says. But how do we know that the motives of the people involved had anything to do with race? What would be the evidence we need in order to draw that conclusion? The mere fact that Loury raises such questions will be taken by his critics as proof of sinister intent. Some may choose to smear his character or sow doubt about his motives in other words, with an ad hominem attack. They may be surprised to hear Loury state that although such accusations are often fallacious, theyre not always without value. When you express yourself in public, people are making a judgment not just about the content of your argument, but about your character, he says. The speaker has to be mindful of the possibility theyll be misinterpreted. Yet, some people really do believe that blacks are genetically inferior, and thats why theyre underrepresented in elite colleges. The person who thinks this horrible thought is more willing to take the risk of speaking recklessly, so it ends up having a self-confirming quality to it. Advertisement But when those with moderate views choose not to ask uncomfortable questions, lest they be accused of bigotry, the most extreme voices end up dominating. This creates echo chambers, often to the detriment of activists who lose touch with broader public opinion. Consider the issue of transgender rights. According to the Pew Research Center, only 26 per cent of Americans believe healthcare professionals should be permitted to provide cross-sex hormones or transition surgery to minors (down from 31 per cent in 2022), while 15 per cent support trans athletes competing on teams that match their gender identity rather than their biological sex (compared to 17 per cent in 2022). In the UK, a recent YouGov poll revealed that a mere 3 per cent believe children under 16 should have access to gender reassignment surgery, while 12 per cent are supportive of biological males competing in womens sport. Self-Censorship by Glenn Loury. Polity No one wants to be thought of as being on the wrong side of certain sensitive issues, which creates social pressures to conform, Loury says. But as views begin to evolve, and the enthusiasm with which people embraced a cause begins to wane, it creates an unravelling dynamic in which the previous consensus gets overtaken. Shortly after the 2024 US presidential election, Loury declared that he was happy Trump won even though he didnt vote for him. In a Substack essay, Loury explained: I felt disdain toward the Democrats blithe insistence that nothing is really wrong; that the status quo is more or less okay; that we can continue funding and fighting endless foreign wars; continue placating the working class while handing over policy to over-educated professional elites; and continue intimating that anyone who criticises them must be racist or homophobic or transphobic or fascist. Its this willingness to question the status quo that has impressed former ABC Radio Sydney presenter Josh Szeps, who now hosts the popular Uncomfortable Conversations podcast. Advertisement Advertisement NationalHealthcare This was published 3 months ago False information: Doctors denounce popular fertility test Christine Lee and and Kate Aubusson August 31, 2025 3:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share After her mother took years to conceive, Jessica Scard worried she and her fiance may also face challenges having a baby when they were ready. So the 30-year-old Sydney speech pathologist visited her GP, who advised her to get an AMH test. Also known as the egg count or ovarian reserve test, the AMH test measures the level of anti-Mullerian hormone in the blood to estimate the number of eggs in a womans ovaries. Dr Devora Lieberman says it is misleading to call an AMH test a fertility predictor, and is left to counsel patients like Jessica Scard when they receive a low result. Peter Rae Scards initial level was 20, within the average range for her age. But, three months later, a routine follow-up test showed it had dropped to nine. She became convinced her next step would be to start IVF. Advertisement But what Scard wasnt told was the AMH is an unreliable test: it can give false readings for women with polycystic ovarian syndrome or on hormonal contraceptives, and levels can fluctuate over a matter of weeks. At the time Scard was tested, she had just come off the pill. Related Article Medical misogyny At 31, Kirsty had just been pregnant but she suddenly faced a brutal reality In the most damning indictment of businesses and clinics offering AMH testing to date, an editorial in world-leading medical journal Fertility and Sterility last month strongly discouraged using the test to predict a womans fertility. The authors warned the test provided false information and its use was likely driven by financial incentives. They cited several studies that confirmed AMH levels were not associated with womens ability to conceive naturally, or predicted time-to-menopause. Advertisement Fortunately, Scards fertility specialist Dr Devora Lieberman, medical director at City Fertilitys Sydney CBD clinic, reassured her the results were not a reliable predictor of her ability to conceive. I walked out of her office with a different mindset, Scard said. If we froze embryos now versus in two or three years, it wouldnt make a drastic difference. Leiberman said she has seen patients fall down a deep, dark hole of anxiety after receiving a low AMH result. Conversely, normal AMH level may give a woman false reassurance that everything is okay, Lieberman said. While the test estimates the number of eggs, it cannot determine their quality. I have concerns about marketing any service or product to healthy women and preying on fears, whether that is egg freezing or AMH testing, Lieberman said. Advertisement Leiberman said AMH testing was only appropriate in the context of considering egg freezing or IVF to guesstimate how many eggs they may be able to retrieve. Related Article Fertility This at-home egg timer test is an Aussie first. What does it tell us about fertility? Its not suitable if youre just curious about your fertility, she said. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) board director Associate Professor Jared Watts said the college did not recommend women base lifelong decisions on AMH testing. Whether it be career choices or egg freezing ... which can be time-consuming and costly, he said. Advertisement The college has endorsed a pamphlet highlighting the limitations of the test, which typically costs between $80 and $120 and is not subsidised by Medicare. That pamphlet says AMH results may be useful for doctors to estimate how a womans ovaries may respond to fertility treatments, such as IVF and egg freezing. However, it denies that the AMH test can predict fertility or menopause, stating that a womans age is the biggest predictor of their fertility. The University of Sydneys Dr Tessa Copps research has tracked fertility clinics and online companies, which she says co-opt feminist language using phrases such as empower your fertility to market AMH testing to asymptomatic women. At the bottom of the page in tiny legal print, it might say, not predictive of fertility, Copp said. But whos going to scroll right to the bottom of the page and read the fine print? I think its incredibly unethical and misleading. University of Sydney researcher Dr Tessa Copp is concerned by marketing approaches used. Janie Barrett Advertisement Copp contacted several companies about these concerns. She said some have updated their websites, while others have not responded. Dr Mary Wong, chief medical officer at womens telehealth clinic SISTR, said interest in their AMH test was increasing. A lot of our patients are in their early to mid-30s, delaying family for work or study, and theyve heard about AMH through the news or social media, Wong said. However, she also urged women to understand what their AMH level actually means, stressing other factors impacted fertility. [Fertility] is not just an AMH number. It also depends on age, health and partner factors, she said. Advertisement The anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test: Is it reliable? What is the anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH)? Follicles are small sacs that contain eggs in the ovaries. These follicles produce the anti-Mullerian hormone. As women age, the number of follicles in the ovaries declines, and AMH levels decrease along with it. What does the AMH test measure? It measures the levels of AMH in the body through a blood test. The test gives an estimate of how many eggs remain in the ovaries. However, it does not reveal the quality of those eggs. Can the AMH test predict fertility or menopause? No. A womans age is the biggest factor affecting fertility. Women of the same age generally have the same monthly chance of getting pregnant regardless of AMH level, and people with low AMH have been shown to conceive naturally. Similarly, the test cannot accurately predict the timing of menopause for an individual. Who might benefit from having an AMH test? Doctors may use AMH results in the process of assisted reproductive treatments (ART), like IVF or egg freezing. The test can help estimate how the ovaries will respond to fertility drugs and give women general expectations about how many eggs can be collected. Are there other fertility tests? There is no single reliable test for measuring fertility. The only true method is trying to get pregnant when youre ready. This information is based on a RANZCOG endorsed pamphlet for would-be parents that highlights the limitations of the test. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. Advertisement NationalNSWUniversity This was published 3 months ago Strange behaviour is being observed in job interviews. Its a sign of the times Christopher Harris August 31, 2025 5:34pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share One of Australias top graduate recruiters, Lendlease, recently started to notice strange behaviour from its job candidates. One step of the application process required applicants to film themselves answering questions within a set time-frame. Judging from the videos, it soon became apparent some were reading scripted or AI-generated responses. Software multinational company Canva encourages candidates to use artificial intelligence software in the application process. Multinational software company Canva has had a similar problem. The rise of AI interviewing tools has changed the landscape entirely, its head of platform, Simon Newton, said in a post on the companys website. Advertisement Candidates are increasingly using AI assistance during technical interviews, sometimes covertly through tools specifically designed to avoid detection. Related Article Jobs Learn to code? Maybe not any more The explosion of AI has turned recruitment into a minefield, in which it is difficult to assess if candidates are actually saying what theyre saying, or have the skills they might appear to be able to demonstrate. At the same time, recent graduates must navigate a digital recruitment process that includes AI software designed to filter them out, amid broader fears that the very entry-level jobs they are applying for will soon be replaced with the same technology. While candidates are using AI in interviews at the company, a Lendlease spokesman said AI had also helped streamline its recruitment process, although he said the firm remained focused on attracting strong undergraduate and graduate talent through its early careers program. Advertisement A first-of-its-kind study from Stanford University released last week identified a trend in corporate America that might feel eerily familiar to some young Australian jobseekers. Analysing payroll software, it found those aged 22 to 25 years in AI-exposed occupations had experienced a 13 per cent relative decline in employment, while less exposed industries and age groups had remained stable. It said there was large-scale evidence consistent with the hypothesis that the AI revolution was beginning to have a significant and disproportionate impact on entry-level workers. Bachelor of commerce student Lara Veidners, who is also vice president of the Sydney University Business Society, said there was a feeling among her peers that finding graduate employment was difficult. But she is not afraid of AI. Lara Veidners and Xavier Sawaqed from the Sydney University Business Society. Steven Siewert I think utilising artificial intelligence to the best of our abilities has become a real sort of power of the undergraduate, demonstrating how we can effectively use it. Thats how you can differentiate yourself between those who might fear it or be anxious, she said. While shes positive about AI, Veidners said it was nevertheless tough to get a graduate job, which she attributes to higher quality graduates. Advertisement The sentiment amongst jobseekers and also fresh graduates is it is far more challenging than we expected it to be, she said. Related Article Explainer AI Why AI chatbots get it wrong and how to handle their hallucinations Its a very rigorous process to go through each and every company and track all those things, but rigorous for the better because, at least in that way, youre hopefully more likely to find a company which is a good fit for you. The rapid change in recruitment practices has been keenly observed by fellow University of Sydney student Xavier Sawaqed, who, after finishing high school, contemplated going straight into the workforce and applied for a few jobs. Ultimately, he decided to study commerce and finance at university and five years later, hes now looking for a graduate job. Straight out of school, my experience was very different, he said. Advertisement The text boxes he used to have to fill out in a job application form are now gone, rendered useless because anyone can spit out a cogent answer using artificial intelligence. This video screening step is kind of new, he said. Dean of UNSW Business School Frederik Anseel says banks want graduates who can hold themselves in a room. Louie Douvis Dean of UNSW Business School professor Frederik Anseel said that while graduates might feel the market was competitive, it is very difficult to know if this is because of AI ... or because of an economic slowing down and the uncertainty around US tariffs thats happening. He said that while the Stanford study showed a decline in jobs deemed to be exposed to AI, there was also growth in areas where workers could utilise it. Advertisement Instagram account Aussie Corporate, which surveys graduates, says a Google information technology software graduate was paid $200,000 this year, while Macquarie paid $186,000 to graduates in its investment banking stream. Neither company would verify this information. Anseel said there was an increased interest in banking graduates with strong communication skills: for example, students who could hold themselves in a room when being challenged. This is not something you can learn from home behind a laptop. You need to do it. We try to give people as much exposure to these sorts of things, he said. Australian Catholic University deputy chancellor academic Julie Cogin, whose university will next year offer a bachelor of computer science and master of data science course co-designed with Amazon Web Services, said artificial intelligence was an opportunity for current university students. There is job displacement... but equally, there has been a lot of job creation and new roles, says Australian Catholic Universitys Julie Cogin. Louis Treirse Advertisement AI is already reshaping our whole marketplace, but theres both positive and negative impacts. Without a doubt, there is job displacement ... but equally, there has been a lot of job creation and new roles, she said. Canva head of talent acquisition Lorraine Dooley said AI had not had an impact on the number of people being hired, but it had changed the hiring process. We expect candidates in backend, machine learning and frontend engineering interviews to use [AI] tools like Copilot, Cursor or Claude, because those tools are part of everyday problem-solving at Canva, she said. Related Article Exclusive Workplace Seeking connection, Gen Z turning its back on remote-first work In interviews, were looking for thoughtful, intentional communicators, people who explain their thinking with clarity, who listen well. Advertisement UNSW head of employability Esmond Esguerra said employers were seeking graduates who could solve problems, communicate and work with others. To cater for that, the university runs programs to expressly teach students communication skills in which nothing is too baseline. Like even pausing when youre trying to make a point, looking people in the eye when you are sending a message, and even the professional way of greeting people or speaking to people is something we consider, he said. It certainly doesnt involve reading from a script. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. There was a working fire inside the kitchen and roof, which caused multiple agencies to be called in to help. Kentucky State Police in Richmond said in a release 34-year old Ester Stevenson walked away from the Bluegrass Career and Development Center Saturday in Madison County. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit The question of who will take over the family farm is one of the biggest issues facing rural Ireland today, according to Michael Gill, Head of the Department of Organisational Development at the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) with programmes in Castlebar, Mountbellew and Galway. Speaking on his farm in Coolaght, between Kiltimagh and Claremorris last week, Mr Gill told the Western People that succession is becoming an ever more pressing concern. One of the biggest issues were grappling with at the moment is succession and succession planning for young people coming up, so that theyre there to actually take over the family farm, he said. Unless you have the young people coming up to take it over, theyre simply going to close down. Thats true here and its true right across Ireland. Mr Gill, who oversees ATU Mountbellews agricultural programmes in agri-business and and agri-science, was hosting visitors at his small family farm in Coolaght. The village, strikingly beautiful in its setting between two lakes and bounded by a river, is a patchwork of native woodland, forestry and pasture. On the day, visitors Debra and Ken Shutika, from Virginia, USA both lecturers at George Mason University, Fairfax joined him to view his herd of White-Belted Galloway and Highland cattle. These breeds are ideal for the type of ground we have here, Mr Gill explained. Theyre lighter animals with bigger hooves, which means they dont churn up the land. Theyre also good for rooting out invasive species and letting native grasses come through. Ive had Highlanders for four or five years now, and they suit this land perfectly. He also keeps other cattle, including Frisians and Aberdeen Angus, but believes the Highlanders and Galloways are best matched to the farms mixed terrain. While acknowledging that they may not achieve the same commercial weight as continental breeds such as Charolais or Limousin, Mr Gill stressed that the economics balance out. Theyll never be as big as the continental breeds, but theyre cheaper to keep and ultimately theyre destined for the butcher. Its a system that works here. His concern, however, lies less with breeds and more with the future of farming families. This is a small family farm, and Id love to see more small family farms keep going. The more families that leave farming, the harder it is to get back in. Thats why succession is such a big issue, he said. The American visitors shared his appreciation of the local landscape and farming traditions. Debra Shutika, who previously spent nine months in Mayo as a Fulbright Scholar at ATU, said returning to a Mayo farm was a highlight of her trip. I grew up on a small farm in West Virginia, so coming here feels very familiar, she said. When I was in Mayo before, I researched farming and traditional practices. I really love the life here the land, the people, everything about it. Ms Shutika, who lectures in folklore, explained that her research had focused on how Irish farming has changed over the past fifty years. She also taught at ATU, including courses in digital storytelling, where Mayo students created short films exploring local history. The students from Mayo did a wonderful project on the history of ATU-Mayo, which used to be an asylum. It was brilliant work, she said. For Mr Gill, blending modern education with hands-on farming remains at the core of his role in ATU. At the Mountbellew campus, students train across 120 hectares of working farmland with access to livestock, milking parlours, grain stores and handling facilities. Its all about giving students the practical experience they need, he said. But on his home ground in Coolaght, Michael Gills thoughts return to the future of the family farm. Having animals on the ground is a nice way of maintaining the land and keeping activity in the local area, he said. But without succession, without young people coming through, small farms like this will disappear. And once theyre gone, theyre very hard to get back. Weather Alert Bulletin: ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM SATURDAY TO 1 PM EST SUNDAY... * WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 2 and 4 inches. * WHERE...Portions of central and northern Delaware, northeast Maryland, central, northern, northwest, and southern New Jersey, and southeast Pennsylvania. * WHEN...From 7 PM Saturday to 1 PM EST Sunday. * IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. Be prepared for slippery roads. Slow down and use caution while driving. If you are going outside, watch your first few steps taken on stairs, sidewalks, and driveways. These surfaces could be icy and slippery, increasing your risk of a fall and injury. && Info: Type: Winter Weather Advisory start_time_local: 2025-12-13T19:00:00-05:00 end_time_local: 2025-12-14T13:00:00-05:00 county_name: state: PA headline: Winter Weather Advisory from SAT 7:00 PM EST until SUN 1:00 PM EST county_fips: category: Met url: urgency: Expected severity: Moderate certainty: Likely geographicname: Upper Bucks County state_name: Pennsylvania EXCLUSIVE: Venice Film Festival chief Alberto Barbera has attracted another stellar lineup with A-list talent and awards hopefuls in plentiful supply. Deadline sat down with the festival boss at midway point for a wide-ranging chat, during which we asked him about the reception to the films so far, what he makes of the awards industry, the health of U.S. studio movies, and his thoughts on yesterdays Gaza march. Check out our chat below. DEADLINE: Thanks for taking the time. How are you feeling about the festival so far? More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ALBERTO BARBERA: Im happy because there seems to be happiness about the lineup and quality of the films. We havent had any big problems to solve so far. There are a lot of people here. Most of the screenings are sold out. I think it has been a success so far. DEADLINE: What should people be excited about heading into the second week? BARBERA: We have a lot of good films left. Maybe less big names and talent but we still have Bigelow, Ozon, some excellent films. I dont think the attention will decrease. DEADLINE: Im interested in how movies are so often instantly framed and judged today as to whether they are Academy Awards contenders or not. Some may say thats reductive. There may be financial reasons for why that happens. But does it feel to you like the U.S. awards season is even more important than ever, for festivals, the international industry and the U.S. industry? BARBERA: I would say, yes, its certainly more relevant, especially for the Americans. I think Europeans are less involved in this craziness and the expectations around the Oscars DEADLINE: And yet with international films flying so high at the Oscars of late and with many good international films being amplified in recent years the Park Chan-wook movie might be the best reviewed film here so far it feels like U.S. awards may have become more important for the international business too. Theres a lot of competition BARBERA: Yes, and the way the Academy has expanded, you can see how much theyre investing in international outreach Lee Byung-hun in a scene from the movie No Other Choice DEADLINE: Conversely, do you think there has been a dip in the quality of U.S. studio movies in the last decade or so? BARBERA: Thats an issue, of course. The industry has been through a lot of transformation. The crisis of identity among the major studios is one of the main issues. The reliance on franchise material, the repetitiontheyve moved away from doing what they did in the past: investing in new types of creation, creating new ways of involving the audience and thats a huge problem. You cant repeat yourself endlessly, and these movies are so costly DEADLINE: Netflix, which has had an important presence on the Lido for years now, has been chasing a Best Picture Oscar for some time. What do you think their chances are this year? BARBERA: Who knows. It has become very unpredictable. There are many things that go into it, not only the quality of the film. The campaign lasts for months and months: the marketing, the audience response, the amount being spent, it all plays in DEADLINE: Does one of their three playing here [Frankenstein, Jay Kelly, A House Of Dynamite] stick out to you as more likely Best Picture material? BARBERA: Im not sure. The three films have been largely well-received [A House Of Dynamite launches next week]. There are a lot of potential contenders. Some films we wont even know about until later in the year. Some are playing at other festivals now DEADLINE: Hamnet and Ballad Of A Small Player have seemingly gone down well at Telluride BARBERA: I saw all of them. I cant really talk about the ones that arent here, though DEADLINE: Youve attracted a lot of films that feature in the Oscar race. There was a period you also had the midas touch with Best Picture winners. Five of the last six Best Picture winners havent debuted at any fall festival, however. Why do you think that is? BARBERA: Im not sure. It depends on the release dates, whether films were ready, whether they worked for Venicelast year Anora won. I tried to get Anora for Venice and until the last minute it was up in the air but they decided to go to Cannes. It depends on different elements DEADLINE: Do you think Sorrentino will be Italys Oscar entry? BARBERA: It cant because it doesnt release in Italy until January DEADLINE: Oh, strange. Its at the fall festivals this year. I loved the movie. I found it very moving BARBERA: Yes, it is a very good movie, one of his bestIn terms of the release, its strange. Im not sure why they did it like that 'La Grazia' movie reviews: What the critics are saying DEADLINE: Weve spoken to filmmakers from the Middle East recently who have said the festival has a poor track record of taking Palestinian films and that you havent selected any in Competition during your tenure. What would you say to that? BARBERA: There are very few Palestinian films each year, this year even less perhaps, because of the war. I saw only one film that could have had the profile of a Competition film. It wasnt quite good enough for us, from my point of view, so we declined and I think the film will screen at another festival. DEADLINE: Was it the right decision that yesterdays Gaza march couldnt enter the festival grounds? BARBERA: They didnt want to enter. I think around 30 people tried. I asked the organizers of the protest whether they wanted to send a delegation to the red carpet and they said they werent interested in doing that and that they didnt want to interfere with the festival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DEADLINE: I thought they had said they wanted to march to the festival center BARBERA: No, I dont think so. I offered them a place on the carpet and they said no. DEADLINE: Do you feel morally obliged to make a stronger statement about Israels killing and displacement in Gaza, something the organizers of the march were calling for? BARBERA: We made an initial statement and then at the pre-opening of the festival the President of the Biennale made a very strong statement against the war in Gaza. There was a priest alongside him who had been refused entry to Israel in recent weeks and who has been very supportive of Palestine DEADLINE: Would you personally like to make a stronger statement? BARBERA: I would do but the Biennale doesnt make political statements. Thats the reason I havent so far. Gaza demonstration DEADLINE: If you were to get another mandate as festival head, what would you like to build on? BARBERA: In these 14 years weve finalised all the projects we had in mind in those early years: improving the infrastructure, the organisation, the profile of the festival, the relationships with the majors, Biennale college, immersive cinema etc It took a lot of time. Id say 90% of our plan has been achieved. DEADLINE: So your work is largely done? BARBERA: [Laughs] No, cinema changes so fast. Every year there are new things to think about. The new frontier is AI. This is something we have to face. It will be a deeper and more important revolution than the shift from analogue to digital. This will change the whole way of conceiving, writing, producing, directing and distributing films. We still dont know what the real impact on cinema will be Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DEADLINE: Youve achieved so much here. Industry Ive spoken to have said that a stronger market and a slightly stronger Horizzonti (which is already good) could be opportunitiesand a personal suggestion: more toilets! There are always such long queues BARBERA: [Laughs] Weve built a lot of toilets. Its difficult due to the lack of space. Its a lot better than it was 15 years ago. It used to be a nightmare. In terms of the market, its hard to build and construct. We are getting stronger and numbers are good. We have added an extra day. DEADLINE: Next year Toronto will have a bigger and better-funded market than previous years BARBERA: Yes, I know. Well have to see Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Heres a novel idea: Vladimir Putin had his own version of reality producer Mark Burnett aiding in his rise to power, morphing from a TV producer to a key figure in everything from Russias global social-media misinformation campaigns to its political assassinations to the war in Ukraine. Well, maybe he didnt have somebody just like that, though its the premise of French director Olivier Assayas The Wizard of the Kremlin, a long and dense portrait of Russian politics over the last 35 years that premiered on Sunday at the Venice Film Festival. The film, based on the satiric novel of the same name by Giuliano da Empoli, announces in its opening frames that its an original work of fiction with artistic intent, and says that its characters are fictional even while admitting that some of them are based on real people. More from TheWrap Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The character at the center of the film appears to be based on Russian politician and former Putin advisor Vladislav Surkovin, but hes clearly fictionalized to become Vadim Baranov, a onetime student radical and reality producer who rises to power and wields that power in service of Putin. A Zelig type who finds himself in the thick of every significant movement in Russian politics since the early 1990s, Baranov is the lens through which da Empoli and now Assayas view Putins Russia through the dense and fitfully disturbing two hours and 36 minutes of this film. While the characters biography does bear more than a passing resemblance to Surkovin but as played by Paul Dano, Baranov is something of a blank slate. If hes conniving, ambitious and amoral, its because the Russia of these times was engineered by men like that but to watch Dano in action is to see a mastermind who seems preternaturally calm, never even raises his voice. Hes not an Everyman so much as a No Man, and Dano plays him as an agent of chaos who never seems the least bit chaotic. In a way, the whole point is how unlikely a mastermind this guy is. He speaks softly (and, like everyone else in the film, in lightly-accented English), and the doughy blandness of his features work as a way of masking the scheming thats taking place beneath them. Danos Baranov wields power with a whisper, but as the film goes on the whisper contains a strain of regret and sadness that never goes away, even as its masquerading as strength. Its an unnerving performance, circling the bluster of Jude Laws Putin as he directs the anger that drives the man consistently and affectionately referred to as the Tsar rather than the president. The films framing device takes a while to set up, but it features Jeffrey Wright as an American writer and expert on Russian geopolitics who visits Moscow and replies to an anonymous social-media post that quotes Russian writer Yevgeny Zamyatins 1924 dystopian novel We, considered a key influence on George Orwells 1984. Wrights character has recently published a magazine story pointing out how the mysterious Russian advisor Baranov had followed Zamyatins blueprint for establishing a totalitarian state, and hes contacted by someone who wants to show him someone. Reason enough to hop into a car for parts unknown, right? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The anonymous person who summoned him turns out to be Baranov, of course, breaking his lengthy self-imposed exile to essentially tell his story to the American reporter, who pretty much disappears for all but the bookends of the film. The telling begins with the fall of the Soviet Union and the rise of the wild Russian version of capitalism in the early 1990s, which turned the country into a dizzying experiment that didnt go well. Assayas co-opts the dizzying atmosphere for his filmmaking style; the opening stretch of the film is dense and frantic, a barrage of arguments about capitalism, communism and the Russian mind. The talk comes fast and furious, rarely stopping or even slowing down to give viewers a foothold. Everybodys in a hurry to create a new Russia, including the artsy revolutionary students that attract Baranov, an aspiring avant garde theater director. Of course, priorities change, and Baranov takes a job producing TV with the aim of mixing game shows and politics. That somehow puts him in the orbit of a reluctant politician and former KGB official named Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, who rebuffs them by saying, Why me? Im a civil servant. But it turns out that the civil servant has ambitions and is willing to let the TV producer help him achieve them, as long as it remains clear that he calls the shots and that, by the way, he probably going to want to invade Chechnya at some point. The Wizard of the Kremlin dives into an exploration of the various ways of gaining and retaining power, and of the soul of the Russian nation. At one point, Putin grumbles that while hes way ahead in the polls against his political opponents, hes not as popular as Stalin even these days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People think Stalin is popular in spite of the killings, he explains to Baranov. Stalin is popular because of the killings. You could say that the film is a portrait of evil, but its about process more than ideology; its a nuts-and-bolts portrait of how you engineer evil. As the one person who always seems to be a couple of steps ahead of Baranov (which might be why he falls in love with her), Alicia Vikander is a valuable voice of morality, or at least a compromised version of morality, in a film in which most of the characters are far more concerned with how they can do something than with whether they should do it. Read all our Venice Film Festival coverage here. The pace of the film slows down after its first hour, but the ideas remain dense and relentless. For a satire, theres not much lightness here. Instead, with each new injustice of the Putin regime, Baranov finds a way to justify it and to make the regime more efficient. When students lead an uprising in Ukraine, Baranov recruits pro-Russian biker gangs, hooligans, communists, skinheads and religious fanatics; when the government supports a warehouse full of computer whiz kids coming up with ways to undermine voices from the West and get their own message out, Baranov scoffs and says that they forget about posting about politics and concentrate on sowing confusion and conspiracy theories to create mistrust and chaos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Americans wrote the algorithm, he says. Well use it better than them. The hours of strategizing and maneuvering make for a massive and at times exhausting experience, but theres certainly a timeliness to a story about Putin and to a story about a powerful head of state getting a boost from a reality TV producer. And mostly, The Wizard of the Kremlin is a loud, bold film that is held together by the quiet performance at its center. Dano always lets us see just how much effort Baranov is expending to hold himself in check, even as the film around him is more in the go big or go home camp. Read all of our Venice Film Festival coverage here. The post The Wizard of the Kremlin Review: Paul Dano Is the Only Quiet Thing in This Big Satire About Putins Rise appeared first on TheWrap. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelces engagement has already spawned endless theories from how her friends knew he was different from Joe Alwyn early on, to whether Swifts legendary Easter eggs could be hinting at Kelces retirement timeline. Now, its not just Swifties plotting out a dream wedding scenario for the occasion: a whole country is campaigning to host whats being billed as Pops next Royal Wedding. On Friday, New Zealands tourism board posted an open invitation to Swift and Kelce, urging the couple to say I do in Aotearoa. We think the Swifties would agree, its the perfect backdrop for a star-studded I do, the board wrote, alongside photos of Fiordlands peaks, Wanaka vineyards, and even a chapel made entirely of trees. The caption closed with a wink: Catch the bouquet in the comments to manifest your dream wedding down under. More from SheKnows At first glance, the pitch reads like a clever bit of fan-service tourism. But Swifts ties to New Zealand run deeper than a glossy Instagram carousel. During her 2013 Red Tour, she turned a single day off into a tourism boom after posting barefoot vineyard photos from Waiheke Island to her then-44 million followers. By the time she left with cases of Chardonnay and Syrah, the countrys tourism minister was hailing her impromptu vineyard crawl as priceless PR. Five years later, her sold-out 2018 Reputation tour stop in Auckland drew thousands and marked her last New Zealand performance to date. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That absence still stings. In fact, Swifts name is frequently invoked in political debates about Aucklands sluggish live events economy. Local leaders argue over a proposed bed levy a hotel tax designed to fund major concerts with Swift often cited as the prime example of what the country is missing, per The Spinoff. A Taylor Swift show is the missing link, Auckland mayor Wayne Brown admitted earlier this year, as New Zealand watched neighboring Australia rake in stadium tours and festival lineups that skipped Aotearoa entirely. All of which makes New Zealands wedding plea feel less like whimsy and more like strategy. Swift has already proven she can spike tourism just by posting vineyard selfies so the idea of a full-scale ceremony isnt far-fetched. And with fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchezs Venice wedding reportedly pumping more than $1.1 billion into Italy, with the party itself costing upwards of $50 million, the appetite makes sense. Before you go, click to see all of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelces cutest PDA moments. Best of SheKnows Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Nearly a decade after she won Dancing With the Stars Season 21, Bindi Irwin is headed back to the ballroom. But this time, shell be an audience member, as younger brother Robert Irwin will compete for the Mirrorball Trophy in DWTS Season 34. In an Instagram video on Saturday, Bindi revealed she had moved from Queensland, Australia where her family operates the Australia Zoo, a legacy of Bindis father, the late Steve Irwin for a temporary stay in Los Angeles. Gday guys, I wanted to pop on here and share a little bit of a life update with you. We have officially moved to Los Angeles, Bindi said in the August 30 clip. Not forever. Its for the next three months. Australia Zoo will always be home. But we are here to support my incredible brother on Dancing With the Stars. Oh my goodness! Bindi reminded fans that she and pro dancing partner Derek Hough took the Mirrorball in DWTS Season 21 a decade ago, and she called that victory a life-changing experience for which she will always be grateful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And now my little brother is going to be on the show except hes not so little anymore, she said with a laugh. I cant wait to support him and cheer him on every week in the audience and maybe lend some advice here and there. He is going to shine, though, and I know in my heart that hes going to make it far because he is such a fantastic human being. Bindi also told fans she had to talk quietly since Grace, her 4-year-old daughter with her husband, Chandler Powell, was napping at the moment. The time zone [difference] is real when you fly from Brisbane to L.A., she said. But were really glad to be here. Be sure to give my brother a follow to be able to see the journey as it unfolds, and Ill send updates whenever I can here on social media, too. We cant wait. What We Know About 'DWTS' Season 34's Cast, Premiere Date & More Related And in her caption, the conservationist wrote, If youre wondering who will be cheering the loudest in the audience, it will definitely be me and Grace. She has already chosen all her dresses to wear in the ballroom audience each week. Were super proud of you, Robert. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, DWTS has announced four other competitors who will join Robert on the dance floor in Season 34: The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast members Jennifer Affleck and Whitney Leavitt, yoga instructor Hilaria Baldwin (wife of Alec), and social media personality Alix Earle. The fancy footwork will begin on Tuesday, September 16, at 8/7c, on ABC and Disney+. Dancing with the Stars, Season 34 Premiere, Tuesday, September 16, 8/7c, ABC & Disney+ Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A new documentary series following a group of Memphis Rox climbers on their journey to climb Mount Kenya will premiere on Hulu Friday, Sept. 5. Memphis to the Mountain follows nine rock climbers from Memphis as they train and attempt to climb the second tallest mountain in Africa, known as one of the most dangerous and challenging climbs in the country. Filmed between December 2023 and January 2024, Jarmond Johnson, a beloved Memphis Rox employee who was shot and killed earlier this year, is featured prominently throughout the series. The series is dedicated in his memory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I never knew something that I used to escape the drama going on in front of me could lead me all the way to Africa, said Jarmond Johnson, months prior to his death in an interview with Mens Health. Memphis Rox reopens with memorial to slain employee To celebrate the release of the series, Memphis Rox is holding a special premiere Thursday at the Crosstown Theater. The showing will start at 7 p.m. You can reserve a free ticket here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Meghan Markle shared a heartwarming detail about her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, on the second season of her Netflix show. The Duchess of Sussex revealed that the young royals sometimes mimic their father, Prince Harry's British accent, while also sharing playful details about family life and cooking. The Netflix series, which debuted on August 26, features celebrity guests like Chrissy Teigen and Tan France, highlighting Meghan Markle's passion for food, entertaining, and her As Ever product line. Meghan Markle Reveals Archie And Lilibet's Sweet Habit Of Copying Prince Harry's British Pronunciation Instagram | Meghan Meghan has revealed a sweet detail about how her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, take after their father, Prince Harry, particularly in the way they speak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although the couple's kids are growing up in California, Meghan shared in the second season of her Netflix series "With Love, Meghan" that Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4, sometimes surprise her with a distinctly British twist to their words. One example? The way they pronounce "zebra." It's a story Meghan has told before. Back in March, while chatting with Drew Barrymore on "The Drew Barrymore Show," the proud mom laughed as she explained that Archie and Lilibet usually speak with American accents, but occasionally, they mimic their dad's accent. "Oh, some of the words that they still say with a British accent. So they'll say, 'Ze-bra,' and what else do they say? They have these little moments where it comes out. They have very American accents, but they say words that are just like him, and I think it's adorable," she said. The Young Royals Prefer To Use Their Mother's Pronunciation Of 'Herbs' For This Adorable Reason Instagram | Meghan Meghan also shared a playful detail about life at home with Harry, explaining that she and Harry don't always agree on pronunciation, particularly when it comes to the word "herb." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My husband always laughs when I say 'herbs' he's like, 'Herbs.' He's like, 'You're so American 'Erbs, erbs," the Duchess explained, per People Magazine. According to Meghan, Archie and Lilibet have picked up on her version and used the U.S. pronunciation for cooking terms because she joked, "Papa's not cooking as much." Meghan Markle Speaks About Her Quest For 'Normalcy' In Montecito, California MEGA In a recent conversation with People, Meghan opened up about what life feels like now in Montecito, the California town she and Harry have called home since stepping away from their royal duties in 2020. Meghan said the community has been incredibly protective of them. She explained: "Once you know us, I think you want us to have the same normalcy as parents and for our children as they do, despite however unique our situation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That sense of normalcy, she added, includes casual outings with friends. "We go to a lot of dinners, and not just in people's homes or private rooms; we just go into the restaurant," she said. "I really love that we can just have fun." The Duchess Brings Star Power To Season 2 Of 'With Love, Meghan' On Netflix MEGA Meanwhile, Meghan's second season of "With Love, Meghan" premiered with eight new episodes on Netflix on August 26. Just like the first season, which debuted in March, the series showcases Meghan's passion for cooking, creating, and entertaining, often alongside friends. This season features appearances from Chrissy Teigen, Tan France, Jay Shetty, Radhi Devlukia, Jose Andres, Clare Smyth, David Chang, and Samin Nosrat, as well as Meghan's longtime friends Jamie Kern Lima, Heather Dorak, and Daniel Martin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the series, viewers see Meghan in the kitchen more than once, baking sourdough bread for Teigen and teaming up with France to make apple pies inspired by McDonald's, using ready-made puff pastry. Meghan Markle Shares Why She Doesn't Like 'Baking' MEGA While chatting with chef Christina Tosi, she confessed: "Usually, I don't like baking because it's so measured." That perspective ties in neatly with her As Ever product line, launched in March, which includes ready-made shortbread cookies and crepe mixes with pre-measured ingredients. Reflecting on her playful approach to baking, Meghan recalled how apple pies from McDonald's were once her treat after successful acting auditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Let's get our puff pastry ready," she said while preparing the dessert. "We're going to use pre-made, good puff pastry as opposed to making our dough from scratch." She added, "I love the idea of being able to rethink baking to be just a little more spontaneous." Since the show's release, the Duchess of Sussex has been subjected to renewed scrutiny, with the second season facing an even more unfavorable reception from critics. So far, there has been no news about a third season of "With Love, Meghan." All products featured on Conde Nast Traveler are independently selected by Conde Nast Traveler editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Conde Nast may earn an affiliate commission. Tuul & Bruno Morandi On a cold march morning in the Qizilqum, or Red Desert, of Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic in the far west of Uzbekistan, I woke in darkness to watch the sun rise. It peeked over the horizon just as I was clambering up the sprawling central enclosure of Ayaz Kala 3, an 1,800-year-old mud-brick citadel near the textile-wrapped yurt where I'd spent the night, staining the bastions and battlements a dazzling cadmium red. In the distance irrigation canals cut like razors through the sandy soil. To the south the fluted ramparts of the second fortress in the Ayaz Kala complex ringed a lower bluff. A hard, cold wind blasted in across the desert, sweeping over the salt flat that once protected the armies of the Khorezmian civilization, which flourished along the banks of the Amu Darya river beginning in the third century BCE, from the attacks of nomadic raiders. Each gust seemed to peel away another layer of soil. I feltnot for the first time on my trip through Karakalpakstancompletely alone. Where the Souls Wander Where the Souls Wander I'd come to this remote corner of Central Asia to attend the Aral Culture Summit, a conference in the Karakalpak capital of Nukus that was organized by the Uzbekistan Arts & Culture Development Foundation, or ACDF. There, architects, agronomists, artists, and anthropologists spoke about ways of reviving the desiccated landscape. Since the 1960s the Aral Sea, once the region's lifeblood, has lost 90 percent of its waterthe result of ill-planned Soviet irrigation projects. Visitors who come here usually visit the ghostly ship graveyard in the former port of Moynaq, where rusted fishing boats rest on the sand like beached whales, or head farther north to camp near what's left of the Aral Sea. We are constantly hearing that the Aral Sea is a catastrophe, Gayane Umerova, the executive director of the ACDF, said during the summit's opening panel. Catastrophe is all people know. I'd come to Karakalpakstan looking for something else. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before and after the summit, I traveled the region, passing stark earth-brick fortresses that rose from the desert like sandcastles and villages built from the same elemental material. I visited millennia-old tombs, a marvelous collection of avant-garde paintings, and, in the village of Chimbay, artisan workshops where woodworkers, jewelry-makers, reed-mat weavers, and yurt builders are conserving craft traditions that had nearly disappeared under Soviet rule. Whereas Uzbekistan's dazzling Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva have, over the past few decades, seen aggressive restoration campaigns and increased tourism, Karakalpakstan remains unknown to most travelers. Instead of devastation, I saw in every earthen wall and embroidered swath of wool unexpected links between past and presentand even, perhaps, the building blocks of the future. Azamat Matkarimov My trip began on a crisp spring day in Nukus, with the fruit trees showing their first hint of green. After meeting me at the airport, my guide, Timur Madaminov, brought me to the Mizdaqhan necropolis, a collection of crypts and mausoleums stacked on a hillside like adobe building blocks. The burial ground had its origins, Madaminov told me, among the ancient Khorezmians, who brought their Zoroastrian faith east from Persia into the Amu Darya oasis. While Zoroastrians left their dead on hilltops to be consumed by birds, the arrival of Islam in the eighth century introduced the practice of interment, represented in Mizdaqhan by sand-colored subterranean tombs with interior walls decorated in turquoise and green glazed tiles. Though Zoroastrianism has long vanished from modern Uzbekistan (the majority of the world's Zoroastrians now live in India), the thatches of dry sticks covering the tops of ordinary graves express religious and aesthetic practices that are half Zoroastrian, half Islamic, Madaminov explained. This place shows those cultural layers. After we returned to Nukus that afternoon, Madaminov took me to the strange and staggering Nukus Museum, which stands, like a postmodern cathedral, in the city's windswept central square. Founded in 1966 with an ethnographic mission, it grew under the supervision of its founder, the Kyiv-born artist and bureaucrat Igor Savitsky, to become one of the world's most significant collections of avant-garde Soviet paintings. As I wandered through its immaculately lit galleries, I marveled at daring canvases by largely unknown painters interspersed with thousand-year-old ossuary jars, elaborate silver necklaces, and embroidered bands of wool used to decorate yurts. I saw the works that Savitsky himself had painted as a staff artist on the legendary Tolstov Expedition, which, starting in the 1930s, excavated more than a hundred archaeological sites across Karakalpakstan. Savitsky rendered the newfound wonders, freshly emerged after a millennium under the sand, in dreamy impressionistic pastels. Closeup,Details,Of,The,Kalta-minor,Minaret.,Beautiful,Islamic,Geometric,Patterns. Aydin Hassan Nukus,Art,Museum,Or,Savitsky,Museum,In,The,Centre,Of saiko3p The next morning Madaminov and I drove east along a salt-bitten highway, weaving between archaeological sites and Soviet towns built to sustain the cotton farms that drained the Aral Sea. At Chilpyk Dakhma, a Zoroastrian funerary tower set like a crown on a conical hilltop, we took in the view of the surrounding desert threaded by the dwindling silver ribbon of the Amu Darya. Later we stopped at Topraq Kala, a fortified city founded in the third century BCE. From our perch on the site of a former royal palace, we surveyed the foundations of temples, granaries, and artisan workshops. Salt blown east from the exposed Aral seabed crusted the surrounding fields like old snow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Madaminov pointed to a broken arch that framed the mountains on the horizon. I've been coming here since 2000, and I can remember when this archway was complete, he told me. Uncovering these earthen forts had revealed an extraordinary history but had also made them vulnerable, as salts from the increasingly saline soil (another consequence of the Aral Sea's desertification) seep into their walls and crystallize, cracking their foundations. Where the Souls Wander As Oktyabr Dospanov, the head of the archaeological department at the Nukus Museum, put it at the summit, Ecological problems are problems for heritage too. But in western Uzbekistan every ancient earthen fortress and newly built adobe house is also a reminder that heritage offers clues for how to repair what hasn't yet been lost. While many places in the world have only just begun to relearn earthen construction techniques as a path to a more sustainable future, here those traditions, stretching back millennia, remain powerfully, palpably alive. Leaving Ayaz Kala, Madaminov and I drove south to the Silk Road city of Khiva, a fantasia of tiled domes and brick minarets. (In 2026 a high-speed train will link Khiva to the medieval city of Bukhara, reducing travel time from six hours to three.) Ruled for centuries by an independent khanate, Khiva has, at first glance, little to do with Karakalpakstan. Yet walking through the winding lanes of its outer city, I saw echoes of the desert citadels of Khorezm. As the afternoon heat waned, Madaminov and I made our final stop at a ceramics workshop at the edge of town where, for four generations, the Takhirov family has produced and restored the elaborately painted terra-cotta tiles that line Khiva's courtyards. Sardorbek Takhirov walked me through the process of turning soil into clay. You know it's ready when it starts to smell nice, he told me. Like soil after the rain? I asked. Yes, but even more beautiful, he said with a smile. It's what we're made from. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This article appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of Conde Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here. Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler Trending Travel Destinations NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A teenage shooting victim reportedly stopped along Interstate 24 in Nashvilles Glencliff area while trying to drive to the hospital Saturday afternoon, leading to lane closures and miles of delays. According to Metro Nashville dispatch, the shooting was reported at approximately 3:52 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30 from mile marker 54 on I-24 West. Man killed in shooting at South Nashville apartment complex Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dispatch told News 2 that one person was transported to the hospital, but theres no word on their current condition. Starting at 3:54 p.m., the Tennessee Department of Transportation said police activity was blocking the two westbound right lanes and right shoulder at mile marker 54.2. By 4:45 p.m., traffic was backed up all the way to mile marker 57 on I-24 West, according to TDOTs online map. However, by 6 p.m., crews had cleared the scene and all westbound lanes were back open. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Just after 11 p.m., the Metro Nashville Police Department told News 2 the shooting did not occur on I-24, saying an 18-year-old in a Nissan Armada SUV reported he was shot in the arm and abdomen off Waikiki Boulevard while a friend in the vehicle returned fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to authorities, the teen said he tried to drive to a hospital, decided he was unable to continue, stopped on the interstate, and called 911. Then, first responders transported him from I-24 to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for treatment. Police said they impounded the Nissan and will process it for evidence. Meanwhile, Non-Lethal Shooting detectives are investigating the incident. Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. LE MARS, IA (KELO) A patient was airlifted to a Sioux Falls hospital following a weekend house fire in northwest Iowa. Crews responded to the fire on Central Avenue Southeast in Le Mars late Friday night. They found heavy flames and smoke coming from the south side of the home. Investigators say the fire started in the kitchen. The female was in the home at the time of the fire. Her condition is not known. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The house has been red-tagged as unlivable, with a damage estimate of $75-thousand. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW) A shooting Saturday night in a Maple Heights neighborhood left one juvenile dead and two injured. Ohio bill aims to stiffen penalties for human traffickers According to a new release from the citys police department, officers responded to the 5200 block of Thomas Street around 10 p.m. for a report of gun shots and people wounded. At the scene officers located two male juveniles whod been shot. They were given medical attention before being transported to the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the investigation continued, another male juvenile whod been shot was found on Cato street, the release said. He died from his wounds at the scene. The exact ages of those involved were not released by police. Man wanted in fatal shooting in gas station parking lot arrested by US Marshals Anyone with information is asked to contact the Maple Heights Detective Bureau: (216) 587-9624 or Detectives@mhpd-ohio.com Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. ASHEBORO, N.C. (WGHP) A man is dead and another is injured following a dispute that led to a double shooting, according to the Asheboro Police Department. On Saturday at 7:06 p.m., the APD responded to a shooting in the parking lot of Marshalls. 911 calls suggest one person was shot at the scene and another person who was involved left the scene in a red Ford F-250. Officers found Alexander Benitez-Hernandez, 23, had been shot and rendered aid until medical personnel arrived. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after the shooting, the Ford was located on East Salisbury Street, where officers conducted a traffic stop. The driver had been shot in the leg and was identified as being involved in the shooting. He was taken to an out-of-county medical facility for further treatment. According to the APDs investigation, Benitez-Hernandez and the other man got into a verbal altercation inside a business, which escalated in the parking lot. Both men brandished firearms and shot each other. No charges have been filed at this time, and the investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP. DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) The Decatur Police Department has identified a person who was killed in a wreck Saturday morning. According to DPD, at about 6:24 a.m., Morgan County 911 received a call about a wreck at the intersection of Beltline Rd. SW and Carridale St. SW. DPD, Decatur Fire and EMS responded to the scene. When officers arrived, they saw that two vehicles were involved in a wreck. The driver of one of the vehicles, identified as Tavoras Antwan Coffman, 40, of Athens, was pronounced dead on the scene by Morgan County Coroner Jeff Chunn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The passenger of the same vehicle was airlifted to Huntsville Hospital for treatment. The driver of the second vehicle was taken to Huntsville Hospital by ambulance. DPD said the investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) One person was seriously hurt after an ATV rollover Sunday afternoon, Aug. 31, in far East El Paso, according to the El Paso Fire Department. The call came in shortly after noon on Aug. 31 at 5128 Hector Munoz Dr. One person was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries (code 3), according to El Paso Fire. El Paso Fire assisted the Montana Vista Fire Department with the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Charlotte firefighters battled blazes at a south Charlotte home Saturday night. MEDIC and the Charlotte Fire Department responded to a house fire at the 10600 block of Stallions Glen Lane with smoke showing on arrival. Charlotte Fire said 30 firefighters controlled the fire within 28 minutes. And it said no injuries were reported. MEDIC said one person was transported to the hospital. Investigators said the fire was set intentionally and are continuing to investigate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said the fire caused $250,000 of damage. No additional details have been made available. This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates. WATCH: Homeowners claim middleman kept insurance money South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden is sending a dozen National Guard soldiers to Washington, D.C., to support President Donald Trump's show of force in the nation's capital. Rhoden announced in an Aug. 31 press release 12 South Dakota National Guard troopers based in Rapid City have been mobilized at the president's request. South Dakota stands in solidarity with President Trump and his efforts to Make America Safe Again, the Republican governor stated. With the National Guards help, President Trump has restored law and order to our nations capital and our guardsmen will help keep it that way. We will not sit on the sidelines while crime threatens the safety of our families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhoden's facilitation of the current administration's deployment request comes after Trump declared a public safety emergency in Washington, allowed the federal government to seize control over the local police department, and deployed National Guard troops to the nation's capital as part of an aggressive crime crackdown. Recent crime statistics from the Metropolitan Police Department, however, show that violent crime in the city is down 26% from 2024. The 12 activated guard members are public affairs troopers from the 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment based out of Rapid City. According to the press release, they will serve in a public affairs capacity at a joint information command center. The soldiers are being deployed under Title 32 of the U.S. Code. Under this status, the deployment is federally funded and regulated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Title 32 activation usually leaves the reserve troopers under state-control, but the governor's announcement indicated D.C. National Guard will assume command of the forces. Rhoden is not the only state executive to comply with Trump's mobilization asks. According to an Aug. 29 article by the National Guard Bureau, more than 2,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen from six states and DC had been deployed in support of local and federal law enforcement agencies in Washington. Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott declined Trump's request in weeks prior, with his chief of staff telling a local media outlet that the governor "does not support utilizing the guard for this purpose, and does not view the enforcement of domestic law as a proper use of the National Guard." This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota National Guard deployed Washington DC at Trump's request U.S. Army Spc. Breanne Donnell, 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, South Dakota Army National Guard, documents her unit simulating a medical evacuation during the 2019 Golden Coyote Exercise at Custer State Park on June 16, 2019. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Spc. Lucas Wenger) Twelve members of the South Dakota National Guard are joining troops policing Washington, D.C., according to an announcement Sunday by Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden. He said the mobilization comes at the request of President Donald Trump. Rhoden said South Dakota stands in solidarity with the presidents efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the National Guards help, President Trump has restored law and order to our nations capital and our guardsmen will help keep it that way, Rhoden said. We will not sit on the sidelines while crime threatens the safety of our families. The 12 soldiers are from the 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment based in Rapid City. They will serve in a public affairs capacity in the joint information command center. The mobilization is under the command of the D.C. National Guard and is federally funded, Rhoden said. The initial deployment is expected to last for 30 days. Trump declared a crime emergency in the district on Aug. 11, even though violent crime in the district is at a 30-year low. He mobilized the District of Columbia National Guard, which he is able to do because the district is not a state, to assist local law enforcement. Guard troops from West Virginia, Louisiana, Ohio, Mississippi, Tennessee and South Carolina also have sent troops to the nations capital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Free DC, a group that advocates for district self-governance, has called the move dictatorial. Trump is laying the groundwork to quell all public dissent to his agenda. If he is successful, it would spell the end of American democracy, the group said. We refuse to allow that to happen. States Newsrooms D.C. Bureau contributed to this report. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX As a feminist hag, I think people have a tendency to forget just how recently women had to fight for basic rights (a fight that, unfortunately, is still going). FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP via Getty Images So, her are some key moments in feminist history contrasted with their pop culture counterparts, for demonstration purposes: Related: JD Vance's "Ridiculous" Answer About How To Curb School Shootings Is Going Viral 1.There has been one female Vice President: Kamala Harris. This means that Love Is Blind has been a part of American history for longer than a woman VP. Advertisement Advertisement Pool / Getty Images 2.We had the right to abortion in the US for 49 years, until Roe V. Wade was overturned in 2022. Hugh Jackman is old enough to tell you about abortion being illegal, legal, and then illegal again in the US. Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images, Eric Charbonneau / Disney via Getty Images 3.Marital rape only became illegal in every state in 1993, making the movie Aladdin older than its criminalization. However, there are still marital rape loopholes in some states, resulting in it being punished less than non-marital rape. Christophe LEHENAFF / Getty Images/Photononstop RF Advertisement Advertisement 4.Women were officially banned from combat roles in the army until 2015, a year after the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie was released. In recent months, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has called for equal standards for men and women, despite this already being the case. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images, Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection Related: "This Is Like Applauding A Grown Man For Being Able To Wipe Their Behind": 29 Of The Best, Most Brutal, And Funniest Political Tweets Of The Week 5.Sandra Day OConnor was sworn into the Supreme Court in 1981. Star Wars sequels have been around longer than women in the Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement David Hume Kennerly / Getty Images 6.In 2018, the First Step Act meant that menstrual products became free in federal prisons, meaning that Big Little Lies has been around longer than free tampons and sanitary pads in prisons. However, state prisons can still restrict hygiene products. Period poverty continues, as it's estimated that around 2 in 5 menstruators in the country overall struggle to purchase period products. LOIC VENANCE / AFP via Getty Images Related: People Seriously Can't Believe Trump's Latest Statement About No Elections In 2028 7.Though the 19th Amendment became part of the Constitution in 1920, voting equality wasn't a reality for most women of color until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Tom Cruise is almost three years older than this act. Advertisement Advertisement PhotoQuest / Getty Images, Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images 8.In 1978, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was passed. In other words, you could listen to Rumors by Fleetwood Mac before you ensure that you wouldn't get fired for being pregnant (that is, if you work for a company of more than 15 people). Urbazon / Getty Images, Icon And Image / Getty Images 9.Unmarried people were only able to have the same right to contraception as married people in 1972, thanks to the Supreme Court decision on Eisenstadt v. Baird. As for married people having the right to get contraceptives, that was 1965. Sandra Bullock is older than both of these. Advertisement Advertisement Mindful Media / Getty Images, Mike Marsland / Mike Marsland/WireImage 10.Up until the 1974 Equal Credit Opportunity Act, you could legally refuse to give an unmarried woman a mortgage or require that they have a man co-sign with them. Married women usually had to ask their husbands for permission and a signature. So yes, Adam Scott is older than most womens' ability to buy a home. Ucpage / Getty Images/iStockphoto, Amanda Edwards / Getty Images for SAG-AFTRA Foundation Related: "WHY ARE PEOPLE SO STUPID": This MAGA Supporter Shared 10 Reasons Why They Regret Voting For Trump, And The Internet Is Not Impressed 11.Similarly, the ECOA allowed women to get bank accounts and credit cards in their own name. Beforehand, even if you earned more than your husband, your card would still be listed under Mrs. Your Husband. We've had Adrian Brody more years than credit cards. Advertisement Advertisement Oleksandra Yagello / Getty Images, Marc Piasecki / Getty Images for Amend 12.Finally, the new Fantastic Four movie has been out longer than the right to maternity leave, because there is no federal right that covers all pregnant people. Nuttawan Jayawan / Getty Images Well, hopefully none of these get further rescinded! Also in In the News: Trump Can't Stop Talking About Pete Buttigieg, And Pete Responded With One Simple Tweet Also in In the News: A Video Of Obama Exposing MAGAs Double Standards Is Going Viral, And Its A Startling Reminder Of Just How Much Things Have Changed Also in In the News: MAGA Is (Loudly) Regretting Their Votes After Witnessing ICE Raids Across The Nation, And It's Reallyyyy Not Looking Good For Trump Read it on BuzzFeed.com HERRIMAN, Utah (ABC4) A 16-year-old was flown to the hospital in extremely critical condition after an auto-pedestrian crash Friday night, according to Herriman Police. At around 9:35 p.m. on Aug. 29, Herriman police officers responded to reports of a pedestrian that had been struck by a vehicle on Teton Ranch Drive. First responders arrived at the scene to find a 16-year-old boy with significant injuries. Paramedics treated the teen, who was then flown by helicopter to a local hospital in extremely critical condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, three juveniles had arrived together and were exploring the area, which is a residential development mostly under construction. At one point, the victim was outside the vehicle while it was moving and was struck by the front of the vehicle. Contributing factors leading up to the crash are still being investigated, but current information suggests the driver did not see the victim in front of the vehicle, a press release from Herriman Police states. The driver, a female juvenile, remained on scene and is cooperating fully with the investigation, as is a second juvenile male who was a passenger in the vehicle at the time. The South Valley CRASH Investigators Unit will head the investigation into this incident. Due to the age of the individuals involved, police will not be providing any identifying information at this time. No further information is currently available. Latest headlines: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. EASTLAND COUNTY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) A semi-trailer truck driver was killed in a crash Friday morning about five miles south of Strawn. The crash happened on August 29, just before 7:30 a.m., when an 18-wheeler towing a Greyhound bus was traveling west on I-20. According to investigators, the truck drifted onto the shoulder, struck a guardrail, went down an embankment, and hit a tree before rolling over into a dry creek bed. The driver, 40-year-old Luna Guillermo of Valley View, Texas, was pronounced dead by a justice of the peace. The preliminary investigation shows that Guillermo was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, and conditions were clear and dry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A 19-year-old allegedly shot a woman and later got into a shootout with Columbus police officers Saturday afternoon on the South Side. According to Columbus police, officers were sent about 2:30 p.m. to the 800 block of Gilbert Street, in the Southern Orchards neighborhood, after receiving a 911 call from a woman who said she had been choked. While en route, a second 911 call came in saying that the woman had since been shot. In the background of the first call, a male voice was heard saying, Come get me. I got something for you all. Upon arrival, officers entered the residence not knowing that the shooting victim had already been taken to a hospital. The suspect was found upstairs, and he refused to leave. He later shot at officers, with at least one officer returning fire. See an early report on the shooting in the video player above. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement System outage affecting care at Ohio States Wexner Medical Center Columbus polices SWAT unit and a negotiator were called to the scene, but the shooter surrendered before they arrived, at about 3:30 p.m. The shooter was uninjured. He is expected to be charged with felonious assault. NBC4 does not typically name those who have yet to be criminally charged. The shooting victim underwent surgery and is expected to recover. A police officer suffered an undisclosed minor injury and was treated at a hospital. The incident is being investigated by Columbus polices major crimes team. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. CHICAGO A 19-year-old Chicago man has been charged with murder for a shooting that killed a 15-year-old boy and critically injured a 12-year-old boy Thursday on the citys South Side. Child critically injured after being run over by lawnmower in Cary Daniel Navas Maiver has been charged with one felony count of first-degree murder and one felony count of attempted first-degree murder, the Chicago Police Department announced this weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, Maiver was arrested just after midnight Friday morning in the 7400 block of South Harvard Avenue. That was several hours after the shooting, which took place in the 600 block of West 47th Street, in the Canaryville neighborhood. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines A detention hearing for Maiver is scheduled for Sunday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. 2 adults dead, 7 kids injured after crash at Alabama ATV Park Investigators in Cherokee County, Alabama are trying to piece together what led up to a large-scale ATV crash at the Indian Mountain ATV Park near the city of Centre, just west of the Georgia/Alabama state line. County Emergency Management Director Shawn Rogers said Fire Department and Rescue Squad units were called out to the popular park just before 4 p.m. on Saturday for what was initially just called a serious accident. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Rogers said the first responders found a side-by-side RZR (off-road, side-by-side vehicle) with 9 occupants crashed into another RZR, and then hit a tree. He said the driver of the first vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rogers said it took 4 medical helicopters to transport an adult female and 3 kids to trauma centers in Birmingham. He also said that the other 4 children were sent to Atrium-Floyd Medical Center in Rome for treatment. Rogers said the woman died on the way to the hospital. He said the injured children ranged from ages 1 thru 12. TRENDING STORIES: Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver said that his office will conduct the investigation and try to figure what led up to the crash and how it happened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He stressed that while driving the off-road vehicles can be fun, they can still be dangerous. This is a tragic accident and highlights the importance of operating RZRs and other recreational vehicles in a safe and responsible manner, Shaver said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Two adults were killed and seven children injured in an accident in a remote area of an all-terrain vehicle park in Alabama, authorities said. No one was wearing a harness or restraint in the off-road vehicle. The side-by-side RZR, an ATV model, crowded with nine people hit another ATV Saturday, overturned and struck a tree at Indian Mountain ATV Park in Piedmont, Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency Director Shawn Rogers said during a news conference Sunday. The male driver was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver said it appears the deceased driver was operating the ATV at a high rate of speed when it struck the other vehicle, whose driver tried to avoid the collision. The sheriff's office is awaiting toxicology results to determine whether alcohol played a factor. It's illegal to possess alcohol outside municipalities in Cherokee County, which has been dry since the Prohibition era a century ago. Four medical helicopters transported an adult female and three children to trauma centers in Birmingham. The woman later died from her injuries, officials said. Ambulances took the other four children to a hospital in Rome, Georgia. Rogers said officials have been told not one of the nine in the ATV was harnessed or restrained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'I'm sure that it's not recommended to have nine people, especially young children, in a RZR not using safety harnesses, Shaver said. There's nothing that says that everybody that gets in a side-by-side has to restrained, Rogers said. That's one of those things that personal responsibility has to be taken, to ensure your own safety and the safety of those that's in your care. The children injured ranged in age from 1 to 12 years old. Cherokee County Coroner Paul McDonald said in a text to The Associated Press Sunday that the man who died was the father of all seven children and that the woman was the mother of three of the children. All the victims were from Georgia, McDonald said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No identities have been released pending family notifications. Rogers said officials did not know the medical status of any of the children or have updates on their conditions. The two people in the other ATV were not injured and tried to render aid, Shaver said. The accident site was in a remote location inside the park and difficult to access. Staff at the ATV park, located about 75 miles (121 kilometers) northeast of Birmingham, had to escort medical personnel to the scene. The sheriffs office is leading the investigation into the accident with assistance from McDonald's office. Indian Mountain ATV Park says on its website that at just over 7 square miles (19 square kilometers) in the Appalachian Mountain range, its one of the largest private off-road parks in the South. A woman who answered the phone at the park on Sunday said officials were meeting with counsel and may release a statement later. ___ Thiessen reported from Anchorage, Alaska. Two people are dead, and two others are injured, including the suspect, after a shooting in Ohio on Sunday. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Police responded to reports of a shooting on Beacon Street in Cincinnati around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to our news partner WCPO. When officers arrived, they found four people shot. Two were pronounced dead, both inside and outside a residence, according to a Cincinnati Police spokesperson. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medics transported the other two people shot to UC Medical Center. Police believe one person to be the suspect, the spokesperson told WCPO. Police have not released the identities of those shot. The shooting remains under investigation. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Previous Oregon District coverage above. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Two restaurants in the Oregon District are partially open this Sunday despite both having fires. Lilys Dayton was fully booked on every table for Brunch for Heedfest this Sunday. Emily, the owner of Lilys, told 2 NEWS that on Saturday night, there was a small kitchen fire that got big enough to use the fire extinguisher on. Because of this, the kitchen is unusable until the health department can check. Which, getting done on a holiday weekend, is nearly impossible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, the restaurant reached out to its neighbor, Blind Bob, to help. It was fully cleared and was ready to go. Unfortunately, on Sunday morning, it had a stove-range fire while preparing to help. Lilys is open, drinks only, to 3 p.m. Guests are welcome to bring in their own food or order a delivery to the location and enjoy the bar. Blind Bobs will stay open its full hours and will still have live music, too. Fire causes damage at Northlake Hills Cooperative on Saturday evening Emily shared that there will be a special gift card Fire Sale to help recuperate lost funds for the day, as 100 guests were expected to be present this Sunday. This will also help employees who were supposed to work today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Blind Bob and Lilys are planning something special for Labor Day, and are working to get it cleared. There might be a pop-up special brunch on Tuesday. If whoever put this hex on us, please remove it, said Emily, There were 25 employees who were supposed to work at both places today. Now, there will be about 8 who are doing it at the goddess of their heart. Shelby County couple welcomes 100th great-grandchild Emily shared that she is working diligently to help make up the lost revenue for her staff. Were doing everything that we can to find ways to bring funds in, said Emily. The Lilys team needs to be able to work and pay their bills. They want to work, I am going to do everything I can to give them every opportunity to as we reopen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She shared how grateful she is for everyone involved and the continued community support for businesses in the Oregon District. For 12 years, Ive been back in Dayton, and we are so community-driven. I want to thank people for supporting us as we are going through a completely unexpected emergency. 2 NEW is working to learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. CHRISTIAN COUNTY, Ky. (WKRN) A multi-vehicle crash in Christian County sent four people to various hospitals overnight, including a child and a teenager. Hopkinsville Fire-EMS announced on Saturday, Aug. 30 that it responded to the area of Highway 68 and Gracey-Sinking Fork Road around midnight for a three-vehicle crash near the intersection. According to fire officials, crews found four patients, three of whom considered critical and required air transport to Nashville. First responders even had to cut one woman from her vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1 brought to hospital, I-24W partially blocked in Glencliff after shooting The department said an 8-year-old was flown to Monroe Carell Jr. Childrens Hospital at Vanderbilt, a 37-year-old was flown to TriStar Skyline Medical Center, and a 32-year-old was flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. In addition, an ambulance reportedly brought a 17-year-old to Jenny Stuart Health in Hopkinsville. According to WKDZ Radio, the Christian County Sheriffs Office said two vehicles collided and then one of them accelerated, going eastbound in the westbound lanes, and hit a van and an SUV head-on before stopping. The radio station said the driver traveling the wrong way was the one who had to be cut from the vehicle and then flown to Nashville, along with the driver of the van and her 8-year-old child. WKDZ Radio reported the teenager in the SUV who was driven to a local hospital only sustained minor injuries. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com No additional details have been released about this incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Two civilian U.S. Navy super visors were indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday for allegedly conspiring to cover up the size and severity of the May 6, 2021, that contaminated water for 93, 000 people and prompted a class-action lawsuit. John Floyd, 63, of Mililani, who worked as Fuels Department deputy director for the Navy, and Nelson Wu, 38, of Waipahu who was Fuels Department supervisory engineer, were indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday. Wu reported directly to Floyd. The pair allegedly redacted data sets, control room logs, tank inventory reports, tank level logs and transfer records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal into the May 6, 2021, spill, and another 20, 000-gallon jet fuel spill on Nov. 20, 2021, have been on going since at least 2022. Civilian and U.S. Department of Defense officials in charge of Red Hill operations during the fuel leaks have been testifying before the panel. Floyd and Wu are charged with conspiracy to commit an offense against the U.S. and causing another person to make a materially false statement or a material omission in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the federal government, according to the U.S. Attorneys office. The pair are summoned for an arraignment on Friday at 10 :30 a.m. before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Kenneth J. Mansfield and are not in federal custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October 2021, that the May 6, 2021, spill was due to a control room operators failure to follow correct procedures and not due to age of infrastructure, corrosion or the equipment condition. Between May 6, 2021, and Oct. 1, 2021, Floyd and Wu worked in their roles for the Navy Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Pearl Harbor, which included the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. After 20, 000 gallons of jet fuel spilled on May 6, 2021, following the failing of two pipeline couplings, the state Department of Health issued a formal request for answers as part of its authorized role as a regulator of the facility. On Oct. 1, 2021, the Navy responded to the states request for information and Floyd and Wu participated in drafting the response to the RFI (request for information ) for review by Navy officers and transmission to the (state ). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fuels Department was the main source of information for the response. When questioned about the accuracy of the May 6, 2021, spill volume data by multiple Navy officers involved in approving the response to the RFI, Floyd and Wu reiterated that only an estimated 1, 618 gallons had spilled into the tunnel and that the remainder of the jet fuel put into the JP-5 pipeline during the attempted transfer from Tank 12 had remained in the pipeline, according to the indictment. Floyd and Wu intended the Navy to report to the state Department of Health a fuel release quantity for the May 6, 2021, jet fuel spill that severely underreported the actual figure by supplying the Navy officers responsible for issuing a response to the state with a draft response that contained materially inaccurate information and omitted information and records material to the questions and demands. They also reassured the Navy officers that their fuel release and capture quantities were accurate when questioned by the Navy officers, according to the indictment. The Red Hill facility was built in the cavities of a mountain above an aquifer to conceal it from enemy attacks, according to the Navy and federal prosecutors. Construction occurred between 1940 to 1943 and included 20 steel-lined storage tanks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each of the cylindrical tanks was 100 feet in diameter and 250 feet tall with a storage capacity of approximately 12.5 million gallons, according to the federal court records. The storage tanks, which were numbered 1 through 20, were connected by an approximately 2.5-mile pipeline system that ran through an underground tunnel adjacent to the tanks from just uphill of tanks 19 and 20 down to Pearl Harbor. The water contamination, including a Nov. 20, 2021, spill of 20, 000 gallons, affected roughly 93, 000 people, mostly military families and civilians living in former military areas. For months following the November spill, the state Department of Health issued an advisory that the water was unsafe to drink. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thousands of families relocated to hotel rooms or moved out of their housing as the Navy and regulators worked to make the water safe to drink. The all-clear was declared in March 2022, about four months after the jet fuel contamination was found. In March 2022, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the department would permanently shut down the Red Hill facility following the disaster. The decision came amid withering pressure from state officials, the Hawaii congressional delegation, protests and extensive community opposition to keeping the under ground, World War II-era fuel facility in operation. If convicted, Floyd and Wu face up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250, 000 on each charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This case is being investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, and the Environmental Protection Agency Office of the Inspector General. On May 7, Senior U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi to 17 people affected by the Red Hill water crisis as part of ongoing consideration of civil complaints generated by the disaster. Koba yashi ordered the government to pay $682, 258 to the plaintiffs to compensate them for damages and, in the case of some clients, for future medical care related to exposure to jet fuel that tainted the Navys Oahu water system. The 17 bellwether cases were selected from more than 7, 500 cases connected to the Red Hill fuel spill that are awaiting resolution. Two other related casesone for military service members and one for more military families and civiliansalso are pending in Hawaiis federal court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply in connection to the jet fuel leaks. In a nearly 100-page federal civil tort complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Hawaii, BWS says its suing the Navy for negligence, nuisance, and trespass resulting in damages where the government of the United States of America, if a private party, would be liable to the BWS. BWS has estimated the cost of past, current and future impacts from the fuel leaks at $1.2 billion. MEMPHIS, Tenn Local activists and community members came together Saturday to hold elected officials accountable in this years Memphis Peoples Summit. The summit gives participants a chance to directly engage with some of the regions top elected officials as a way to assess whether their leadership aligns with the Memphis Peoples Agenda. Organized by UptheVote901, the event aims to increase voter turnout and engage the community in important issues, especially during non-election years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even when we do end up in some high turnout elections, I dont think we do the follow-up work to make sure the people that are in office are leveraging their office in ways that improve the quality of life to the people that they are supposed to serve, said Dr. Reverand Earle J. Fisher, Founder of UpTheVote901. It is about truth, justice, and accountability and we cant do that without these kinds of conversations. Several city and county government officials attended the summit, including Memphis Mayor Paul Young and Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris. Along with, District Attorney Steve Mulroy and a few Tennessee state legislators. Panelists focused on issues such as public safety, crime, budgets and education. The Memphis Peoples Summit serves as a platform for community engagement and accountability, emphasizing the importance of ongoing dialogue between voters and their elected representatives. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. A 21-year-old woman was killed in a multi-vehicle crash in Union County on Saturday, New Jersey State Police said. Genna Spina, of Denville, died after being ejected from a car on Interstate 78 West near milepost 53.4 in Hillside Township shortly before 2 a.m., state police said. A Honda SUV traveling west changed lanes and struck a Toyota SUV, authorities said. A Ford passenger car carrying Spina then struck the Honda, causing the Ford to overturn before it was struck by a Chevrolet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spina sustained fatal injuries in the crash while the driver of the Toyota and the Chevrolet both suffered moderate injuries, state police said. The driver of the Ford had serious injuries and two passengers in the Chevrolet, including an 11-year-old juvenile, sustained minor injuries, investigators said. Stories by Rebecca Heath Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Rebecca Heath may be reached at RHeath@njadvancemedia.com. Ukraine's offensive capabilities look set to receive a significant boost in the coming months with the announcement that the U.S. has authorized a European-funded $850 million sale of 3,350 Extended-Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles. "Up to 3,350 ERAM missiles and 3,350 navigation modules to counter spoofing will be procured," Presidential Office Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak wrote on social media, confirming the deal on Aug. 28. According to U.S. NATO Ambassador Matt Whitaker, the move is an effort by U.S. President Donald Trump to make sure Ukraine can defend itself against Russia by giving it "deeper strike capabilities." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new long-range capabilities could "help Ukraine offensively," Whitaker said, adding: "They've already taken about 20% of Russia's oil refining capacity last month." What is an ERAM missile? When the ERAM missile program was announced in July 2024, its purpose was to provide a new long-range and relatively affordable cruise missile specifically for Ukraine's Air Force. The new weapon was developed as a low-cost, quick to produce air-launched missile with a range of around 460 kilometers, 225 kilogram munition with a fragmentation warhead capable of destroying armored targets. According to Fabian Hoffmann, a doctoral research fellow at the University of Oslo who specializes in missile technology, the ERAM will have a similar destructive power to the French-made AASM Hammer glide bomb which Ukraine already has in limited numbers, but will have a longer range. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The AASM Hammer is one of several modern Western models and has already been used by Ukraine to great effect. "The pilots of the Ukrainian Air Force speak very positively about this weapon," Viktor Kevliuk, a retired military officer and defense expert, told the Kyiv Independent earlier this year. Which Russian targets will Ukraine hit with ERAM? Much of this will depend on the U.S. as a U.S.-made weapon, it's likely that Ukraine will have to seek permission every time it's used on Russian territory. Just the process of obtaining permission means "there will not be any time-sensitive targeting," Hoffman told the Kyiv Independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So that tells us it's basically going to be stationary military targets. I would expect that to be used primarily against ammunition depots, command posts, logistics, infrastructure, transportation nodes, these sorts of things," added. A U.S. Air Force render of the new ERAM munition (U.S. Air Force) The Trump administration made no official announcement regarding long-range strike policies, and it remains unclear whether Ukraine will be permitted to use ERAM missiles against targets on Russian territory. August also saw Ukraine escalate long-range drone strikes against Russian oil infrastructure, a key source of revenue helping Moscow sustain its full-scale war. Kyiv has been mostly deploying domestically made drones for these attacks due to limited stockpiles of Western-provided long-range missiles and range restrictions on their use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only in late 2024 did then-U.S. President Joe Biden ease restrictions on Ukrainian strikes with ATACMS missiles and allow their use against military targets on Russian soil, a move criticized by Trump at the time. More recently, Trump seemed to have shifted his stance, criticizing Biden for not letting "Ukraine fight back, only defend." The Financial Times reported in July that the U.S. president suggested in a call with Zelensky that Kyiv's forces could strike Moscow, though the White House claimed the comments were taken out of context. The sheer number of ERAM missiles being provided is also significant. "Ukraine has probably only received maybe up to 500 Storm Shadows, and some 300, 400 ATACMS. So this is a fairly large number of weapons systems that they're going to receive," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defense Express reported on Aug. 30 that the missiles could be supplied with special ejector racks that could allow Ukraine to fit 12 missiles onto a single F-16 fighter jet. This would allow one squadron of 12 aircraft to launch 144 ERAM missiles in a single attack. Is there any other exciting Ukrainian missile news? There is actually earlier this week Ukraine unveiled what appears to be a long-range modernized version of its Neptune cruise missile, capable of hitting targets up to 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) away. Originally, Neptune was Ukraines ground-launched, domestically produced anti-ship rocket with a maximum range of 300 kilometers which it famously used in April 2022 to sink Russias Black Sea flagship, the Moskva. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An image of the upgraded missile appeared in a video published on Aug. 24 by the state-run weapons portal Zbroya on Instagram. According to Defense Express, the missile shown is likely a modernized version of the original anti-ship Neptune missile informally dubbed as the "Long Neptune." Its estimated length could exceed six meters, the outlet claims. And a few days earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is planning to begin mass production of its domestically developed long-range Flamingo cruise missile this winter. Having its own long-range missile capabilities which would not be subject to U.S. restrictions on its use could be a game changer for Ukraine in its efforts to undermine Russia's war machine deep behind enemy lines. A purported photo of a Flamingo cruise missile at an undisclosed Fire Point facility in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Zelensky said that Flamingo had undergone successful tests, describing it as "the most successful" missile Ukraine currently has. The Flamingo missile is capable of flying up to 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles), he claimed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's reported to carry a large 1,150 kilogram warhead making it far more powerful than, for example, a Storm Shadow missile which carries a 450 kilogram warhead. "By December, well have more of them. And by the end of December or in JanuaryFebruary, mass production should begin," the president said. In June, Ukrainian media reported that the homegrown short-range Sapsan ballistic missile had successfully completed combat testing and is in the process of serial production. Zelensky also previously revealed that Ukraine had developed another domestic weapon, the hybrid Palianytsia missile-drone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Russia says the quiet part out loud war in Ukraine to continue, more mass bombings of cities Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. NEED TO KNOW Three people are dead and 103 are injured after a train accident on Saturday, Aug. 30 Some of the injured passengers are receiving intensive care," according to health officials The cause of the accident, which saw two train cars overturn and seven derail, is under investigation Three people are dead and over a hundred more are injured following a train accident, in which at least two cars were completely overturned. The train was traveling from Marsa Matruh, a port city in northwestern Egypt, to Cairo on Saturday, Aug. 30, when the accident occurred, according to a statement the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) shared on Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two train cars were overturned, while seven more were derailed. The accident resulted in the deaths of three people, the MOHP said in its initial post, which was originally penned in Arabic. The number of travelers injured in the accident, meanwhile, kept climbing. Thirty-seven ambulances were sent to the scene, according to the MOHP. Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population The site of the Aug. 30 train crash in Egypt that killed 3 and injured 103 The site of the Aug. 30 train crash in Egypt that killed 3 and injured 103 Hours after the accident, the government ministry reported in another Facebook update that the number of injured passengers had increased from 54 to 94. That number later climbed to 103, with three individuals receiving what MOHP spokesperson Dr. Hossam Abdel-Ghafar described in another statement as intensive care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Abdel-Ghafar, 87 of the injured travelers have already left the hospital after receiving medical care, and 16 more remain stable but under observation. Injuries varied from fractures to cuts and bruises, the spokesperson said. Several officials, including Health Minister Dr Khaled Abdul Ghaffar, visited the Hyena and Ras Al-Hakma hospitals, where the accident victims were transported, following the crash, officials said. The MOHP head also offered his condolences and prayers to the families of the victims. Medical teams continue to assess the health status of patients, ensuring that all blood needs and derivatives are provided to provide the necessary medical care, the MOHP said in a statement translated from Arabic. Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population Ambulances at the site of the Aug. 30 train crash in Egypt Ambulances at the site of the Aug. 30 train crash in Egypt Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. In the aftermath of the Aug. 30 accident, dozens of people surrounded the scene, and two cranes were positioned to lift one of the overturned train cars, as seen in photos shared by the MOHP and in footage obtained by Extra News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cause of the crash is not yet known. The transport ministry and the Egyptian National Railways Authority are currently investigating, according to the BBC. Accidents such as this are not uncommon on Egypt's railway network, the British outlet reported, due in part to poor maintenance and a lack of investment. Read the original article on People In 2018, Miami-Dade businesswoman Beatriz Eugenia Hernandez came up with a novel way of importing gold from her native Colombia: packing cylinders of the precious metal inside donut-shaped copper widgets. But federal authorities say she ran afoul of the law when she falsely labeled the shipments as electrical connectors and painted over the gold cylinders in bronze to disguise them during Customs inspections at Miami International Airport. This summer, Hernandez and two other members of her family were charged with smuggling gold into the United States and selling it for millions of dollars before sending the money back to a shipping company in Colombia. Theyre accused of wiring about $24.6 million from the gold sales through Miami and Colombian bank accounts between December 2018 and May 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July, Hernandez, 57, her son, Carlos Mathias Gonzalez, 26, and her brother, Esteban Hernandez, 47, pleaded not guilty in Miami federal court to an indictment alleging they conspired to defraud the United States while smuggling the gold. The mother and son also pleaded not guilty to money laundering and related charges. The brother was not charged with those additional crimes. Their defense lawyers, who are working as a team, say prosecutors in the U.S. Attorneys Office have wrongfully turned a potential regulatory violation into a criminal case, asserting that the Hernandez family obtained legal advice from both South Florida and Colombian lawyers before embarking on the venture to import gold in this manner from Colombia. Our clients are completely innocent, attorneys Sidney Fleischman, William Zloch, Walter Reynoso and Dennis Kainen said in a statement provided to the Miami Herald on Friday. They relied on advice from attorneys both in the United States and abroad confirming that the importation of the gold was lawful, the lawyers wrote. They said that the new U.S. Attorney in Miami should reconsider this prosecution in light of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump that they note expressly discourages criminal enforcement of regulatory issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the recent history of gold smuggling from South America to South Florida, their quest to get the case dismissed will be a long shot. History of illegal gold mining Over the past decade, federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations have led efforts to plug the pipeline of gold illegally mined in Peru, Colombia and other South American countries in the Amazon region that ends up being used for making jewelry, coins and smartphones in the United States. In 2018, the Miami Herald published a series of stories, Dirty Gold, Clean Cash, that spotlighted a ring of Miami brokers who bought and imported billions of dollars of gold from South American suppliers with drug-trafficking and other criminal connections. In August, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit group, the FACT Coalition, issued a report titled Addressing Illegal Gold Mining in the Western Hemisphere: New Approaches for U.S. Policy, that examines the harmful effects of illegal gold mining in South America and how the U.S. financial system spurs the laundering of illicit gold profits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illegal gold mining is a regional crisis that undermines the rule of law, damages the environment, and fuels organized crime, said Julia Yansura, program director for environmental crime and illicit finance at the FACT Coalition. With significant gaps in our anti-money laundering regulations and trade policies, the U.S. has become a hub for the proceeds of this crime, empowering criminal networks and authoritarian regimes in the process. In the Hernandez familys case, however, federal agents and prosecutors have not alleged that the source or mining of their gold is illegal. Rather, authorities say in the indictment and other court records that the mother, son and brother intentionally mislabeled the gold shipments from a Colombian company, Triagono SAS, to their Miami-Dade business, Admet LLC. The indictment accused them of smuggling pure gold packaged, disguised and labeled as, among other things, electric connectors, electric items, parts and accessories for hydraulic pumps and electric plug-ins. According to the indictment, the owner of Triagono and a company employee described as co-conspirators sent multiple packages to the Hernandezs business, Admet, with some of the packages falsely labeled as containing electric connectors that were made of auricupride alloy. Auricupride is a naturally occurring alloy that combines copper and gold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the packages did not contain metal components that were made of auricupride alloy as claimed on the attending documentation, the indictment says. Rather, the boxes contained donut-shaped metal components with high-purity gold cylinders that were fitted into the center of the component, often painted bronze to conceal that the gold cylinder was separate from the larger piece of metal. After receiving the shipments, Hernandez, her son and her brother removed the inner gold cylinders from the so-called electrical components and then consolidated them into gold bars Neither Triagono nor Beatriz Eugenia Hernandez ever declared the gold in the packages shipped to [her] by Triagono, according to the indictment. Once the gold was melted down, Beatriz Eugenia Hernandez and her conspirators, including [her son] Carlos Mathias Gonzalez, sold the resulting gold through Admet and [another family business] The Binomial Company to gold merchants and refiners in Miami. Intercepted at MIA The clandestine gold operation came to a halt when Customs officials intercepted Triagonos shipment of six boxes with electrical connectors at Miami International Airport in May 2022, the indictment says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a hold, Beatriz Hernandez messaged her son and other co-conspirators on WhatsApp on May 10, 2022. They didnt release it yesterday. Two of those co-conspirators, Luis Villanueva Perdomo, the owner of Triagono, and Andres Calero Castro, a company employee, were charged three months later with smuggling gold into the United States after they were both caught bringing gold necklaces and bracelets valued at about $25,000 on a commercial flight from Cali, Colombia, to Miami International Airport. In 2023, both men pleaded guilty to smuggling charges, including admitting that they used their company, Triagono, to ship about 120 packages of gold to the United States between December 2018 and May 2022. They were sentenced to one year in Miami federal court. To disguise the gold, the packages were declared primarily as electronic connectors, among other names, according to factual statements filed with their plea agreements. Both men knew the gold must be invoiced and acted willfully to defraud the United States when the gold was not declared and shipped from Colombia to the United States. Update on Sept. 2 DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) The Macon County Coroners Office released on Tuesday the name of a three-year-old child who died in a fire Saturday night. Man killed in overnight Decatur shooting, police say In a news release, Coroner Michael Burkham identified the child as Davian Cash Baker of Decatur. Burkham released no further information, saying only that the investigation is ongoing. DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) A three-year-old has died after a fire in Decatur Saturday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Decatur Fire Department responded to a house fire in the area of S. Jackson and Sheridan Streets just after 7 p.m. While on the way, dispatch told crews that a child was believed to be inside the home. When crews arrived, they saw smoke coming from the second floor. Neighbors told firefighters the childs last known location. Decatur murder suspect arrested on Friday, police say The first engine company that arrived first immediately used a ladder to climb to the second floor and conduct a search. The second engine company that arrived began to extinguish the fire. Then a third company arrived to help search for the child. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters found a three-year-old victim, worked to revive them, and then brought them to Decatur Memorial Hospital. Firefighters said the child was rescued from the fire within three minutes of their search. Despite the life-saving efforts however, the fire department said the child died from injuries they sustained in the fire. The fire department is investigating the cause of the fire, along with the Decatur Police Department and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal. As of Sunday afternoon, WCIA has been unable to confirm if anyone else was hurt in the fire. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. CALHOUN COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) Three teenagers were injured in a crash on Neely Henry Lake that happened Friday, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. A man was towing the three juveniles on an inflatable with a pontoon boat. The inflatable hit a pier at around 5:15 p.m. The teenagers were taken to area hospitals. Alabama ATV park accident leaves 2 dead, 7 injured The crash happened in the area of Ohatchee in Calhoun County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. Tennessees longest-serving district attorney is set to retire this year after more than four decades of public service in Sumner County. District Attorney General Ray Whitley, of the 18th Judicial District, announced his retirement from the position earlier this summer after five re-elections and 45 years in office. His last day, scheduled for Sept. 1, will signal the end of a career committed to justice and safety in Sumner County, according to the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When I first took on this role, I could never have imagined the journey ahead: the challenges, the triumphs, the heartaches, and the hopes," Whitley said in prepared statements. "I could not have made it this far for this long without the dedication of our law enforcement professionals, the courage of victims and their families and the unwavering support of this community and my own loving family. It has truly been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people as District Attorney General all these years." Whitley was licensed to practice law in 1970 after earning his Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University. Having returned from Vietnam one year later, the U.S. Army veteran began his law career working as a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Nashville. Sumner County District Attorney Ray Whitley attends the second hearing for Michael Cummins on May 29, 2019, in Gallatin, Tenn. He moved to Sumner County in 1978 and began serving as assistant district attorney for the 18th District, or what was then the 9th District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two years later, Whitley was appointed to District Attorney General for the 18th District by Gov. Lamar Alexander. He was first elected to the role in 1982 and re-elected in 1990, 1998, 2006, 2014 and 2022. His retirement comes five years before the end of his current term. "As I step away from public service, I do so with deep gratitude to the many talented Assistant District Attorneys, victim advocates and support staff who have walked this path alongside me, standing up for the most vulnerable among us," he said. "Our commitment to justice has made Tennessee a safer place and I am so proud of all that we have accomplished together." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thousands of violent offenders have been prosecuted throughout Whitleys career. Hes also advocated for victims rights and established programs focused on deterring substance abuse and enhancing public safety over the years. Beyond Whitley's impact inside the courtroom, where he served as a mentor to young attorneys, hes also been a longstanding resource in guiding statewide policies, training and legislative engagement on public safety and shaping statewide criminal justice reforms, according to Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference Communications Director Gabrielle Cintorino. Hes held leadership positions in several community and professional organizations, including two terms as president of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference and other roles in the Conference Executive Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tennessee has 32 district attorneys. District Attorneys General are elected within their judicial districts and serve a term of eight years, according to the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. There are currently no term limits for the position. Katie Nixon can be reached at knixon@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Ray Whitley, Tennessee's longest serving district attorney, to retire CHICAGO A 57-year-old man was killed and two other men were wounded when they were shot overnight on the Lower West Side, according to Chicago police. Police say the three men were outside in the 1900 block of West 17th Street around 1:30 a.m. Sunday when they were approached by one or more unknown offenders with a gun. The offender or offenders then opened fire. 19-year-old man charged in shooting that killed 15-year-old and critically injured 12-year-old in Canaryville on Thursday Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, the 57-year-old man, identified as Pedro Toledo Catalan, was shot multiple times in the body and pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital. Additionally, police say a 41-year-old man was shot in the left leg and a 43-year-old man was shot in the right leg. Both were taken to area hospitals and reported to be in good condition. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Police say nobody is in custody and Area Three detectives are investigating. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. A 63-year-old woman died after being hit by a car that then crashed into a grocery store in Northern Kentucky. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Officers and medics responded to reports of a crash around 5:01 p.m. on Saturday in Florence, according to our news partner WCPO in Cincinnati. Florence Police identified the victim as Fatuma Ali, 63. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When crews arrived, they found a gray Toyota Camry lodged inside Yasmin Halal Market. Florence Police said that the driver accelerated forward, hitting the victim, before stopping inside the business. Ali was pronounced dead before medics arrived, WCPO reports. Police said that the driver is cooperating with the investigation. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] CHICAGO Seven people were wounded in a drive-by shooting late Saturday night in the Douglas neighborhood on the citys South Side, according to Chicago police. Police say all seven shooting victims were taken to area hospitals in good condition. 19-year-old man charged in shooting that killed 15-year-old and critically injured 12-year-old in Canaryville on Thursday The shooting happened just after 11 p.m. in the 3500 block of South State Street when, according to police, multiple unknown male offenders drove by in an unknown vehicle, then at least one of them took out a gun and opened fire into a crowd of people standing outside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting victims ranged in age from 28 to 31, five of them men and two of them women, according to police. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Police say nobody is in custody and Area One detectives are investigating. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. The weapon used to kill Black teenager Emmett Till in one of the most notorious lynchings that helped ignite the civil rights movement is now on display at a museum in the Deep South. Emmett was just 14 when he was kidnapped from his great-uncles house by two White men who later admitted to beating and torturing the teen before shooting him in the head and throwing his body into the Tallahatchie River, weighed down by a 75-pound cotton gin fan. The .45-caliber pistol and worn saddle-brown holster, marked with the initials J.M., are part of an exhibit at the states Two Mississippi Museums the interconnected Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum that aims to tell the whole story 70 years after Emmetts murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emmetts murder in the Jim Crow South, and his mothers decision to hold a public open-casket funeral where thousands saw Emmetts mangled body, sparked global outrage and accelerated the civil rights movement in America. The gun and holster used in Emmett Tills killing were "acquired from a Mississippi family that is not connected to the case," according to the state Department of Archives and History. - Mississippi Department of Archives and History Writer Wright Thompson, who wrote an account of Emmetts death in his book The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi, said in an article in The Atlantic he was tipped off about the gun and found it sitting in a safe-deposit box in a Mississippi bank. CNN reached out to Thompson for comment but did not immediately hear back. A spokesperson for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History confirmed Thompsons account of the events. The gun and its holster had been in the private ownership of a Mississippi family that is not connected to the case, the states Department of Archives and History said. The Foundation for Mississippi History negotiated with the family and was able to acquire the weapon and holster under the condition that the family remain anonymous, Two Mississippi Museums Director Michael Morris said. It wasnt until earlier this year that I fully understood that he (Emmettl) was shot, Morris said at a news conference about the artifacts on Thursday. Most people know about the fact that he was brutally beaten and tortured, but its important to know that he was shot as well, and so that gun being on display is going to help us tell that story. Mamie Till-Mobley is seen crying as her son's body is lowered into the grave after the four-day, open casket funeral. - Getty Images The weapon was authenticated through its serial number, which matches information from FBI records, according to Morris. The FBI and the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division closed their investigations into the infamous killing without filing federal charges, due to the statute of limitations and because they could not prove a key witness lied to federal investigators about her story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deborah Watts, Emmetts cousin and the co-founder of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation, said the family is wrestling with an intellectual and spiritual conundrum over the recovery and display of the gun. The gun that was used in Emmetts heinous murder is in fact evidence in a case that, while closed, is one in which we still seek justice, Watts said in a statement to CNN. But in the absence of charges and with most people involved in the case now dead, the family said the exhibit honoring Emmett has special bearing. We also understand the importance of the gun as an artifact for education so that current and future generations are able to reflect and grasp the importance in resisting erasure or the changing of historical facts, Watts said. The savage murder The Chicago teen was visiting family in Money, Mississippi, in the summer of 1955 when he had his fateful encounter with Carolyn Bryant Donham, who was 21 at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Accounts from that day differ but witnesses alleged Emmett whistled at Bryant Donham after purchasing some bubble gum from the store she owned with her then-husband. Emmett was falsely accused of flirting and making advances at Bryant Donham. Four days later, Bryant Donhams husband at the time, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, rousted Emmett from his bed in the middle of the night, ordered him into the bed of a pickup and eventually beat him viciously before shooting him in the head. Both the gun and the holster originally belonged to Milam, who along with Bryant, admitted to the killing in a 1956 interview with Look Magazine, about four months after an all-White jury deliberated for under an hour before acquitting the two, despite eyewitnesses identifying the defendants and the men confessing to kidnapping the teen. The pistol is part of an exhibit about Emmett's murder 70 years ago at the Two Mississippi Museums. - Mississippi Department of Archives and History Morris said the Mississippi Department of Archives and History told Emmetts family that the artifacts would be on permanent display in a theater where a narrative film describes what happened from the teens entry into Bryants Grocery & Meat Market to his murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rev. Wheeler Parker, who witnessed his cousin Emmetts abduction, said displaying the murder weapon and holster is good because it brings closure, according to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. This weapon has affected me more so than any other artifact that Ive encountered in my 30-year museum career, said Nan Prince, the director of collections for Mississippis Department of Archives and History. The emotions that are centered around it are hard. Its a hard thing to see and a hard thing to convey. Emmetts legacy To mark the 70th anniversary of Emmetts kidnapping and murder, the Emmett Till Interpretative Center this past week held a multi-day commemoration program where national and civil rights leaders met to reflect on the life and legacy of Emmett Till and advance the ongoing movement for racial justice. Doors to the Bryant's Grocery & Meat Market on display at the Two Mississippi Museums' Emmett Till exhibit. - Mississippi Department of Archives and History Commemorative events included a train ride from Chicago to Mississippi that echoed the one Emmett and his family took 70 years ago, linking together sites that are important to the Emmett Till tragedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new exhibit comes as museums across the country face increased federal scrutiny, after President Donald Trump alleged museums were too focused on highlighting negative aspects of American history, including how bad slavery was. That announcement prompted the American Alliance of Museums, which represents 35,000 professionals in the sector, to speak out against growing threats of censorship against US museums. These pressures can create a chilling effect across the entire museum sector, the group said. When asked about the current national debates about how to teach difficult history, Morris said his museum will continue doing public history work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the reasons why the Civil Rights Museum was created is to tell the unvarnished truth about what happened in terms of the civil rights movement here in Mississippi, and thats our mission, he said. And I think the acquisition of this artifact is a part of our mission, and so were just going to continue doing public history work. And for us, you know, were just doing our jobs. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com You dont have to care about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the unlucky face of President Trumps anti-immigrant crusade, to be outraged at the twisted way our government has treated him and by the way federal officials have personally attacked this 35-year-old Salvadoran immigrant, husband of an American citizen, and yes, Maryland father of three. Theyve already "accidentally" deported Abrego Garcia once, to El Salvadors notorious maximum security prison, in blatant disregard of a judges very specific order that he not be removed. After the Supreme Court ruled he'd been deported illegally and put pressure on the Trump administration to facilitate Abrego Garcias return from El Salvador, the feds reluctantly brought him back to the U.S., then promptly rearrested him for allegedly taking part in a conspiracy to smuggle undocumented immigrants across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now the feds are threatening to deport Abrego Garcia to Uganda if he doesnt plead guilty to human smuggling charges. The smuggling charges against him stem from a 2022 traffic stop in Putnam County, Tenn. He was pulled over for speeding and was found to be driving with an expired license. Nine men were in his van, fellow construction workers, he claimed, that he was transporting between jobs. The government says that was a cover story, and that in fact, Abrego Garcia was transporting newly arrived immigrants who had illegally crossed the border, from Texas to Maryland. Troopers let him go with a warning. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has called Abrego Garcia "a foreign terrorist who was engaged in human trafficking. Which is big surprise a blatant lie. Smuggling is a different, and much less serious, crime than human trafficking. Human smuggling, according to U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement, involves the provision of a service to a willing customer. Human trafficking involves exploiting people for forced labor or commercial sex. You know like what President Trumps old buddy Jeffrey Epstein was alleged to have done to teenage girls. Its the crime for which Epsteins girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By contrast, Abrego Garcia has no criminal record and until now, has not been charged with any crime. That has not stopped Trump administration officials from trying to turn him into Public Enemy No. 1. Instead, he has become Exhibit A in their relentless crusade against immigrants. They are piling on this man because he makes them look as vindictive and callous as they actually are. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller practically foams at the mouth when talking about Abrego Garcia, calling him a violent terrorist and a clear and present danger to the American people. Vice President JD Vance called him a convicted MS-13 gang member. (He is not.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They have accused Abrego Garcia of being part of MS-13 because when he was picked up for loitering at a Maryland Home Depot in 2019 (where he was looking for day work), he wore a Chicago Bulls hat, an alleged signifier of gang involvement. At his bond hearing, the judge granted Abrego Garcia withholding of removal status, which meant he could not be deported to El Salvador, because of his "well-founded fear of future persecution" from gangs there. Numerous court documents say that he left El Salvador at age 16 to get away from the gangs that were threatening his family and extorting his mothers pupusa business, forcing the family to move at least twice. In March, as part of the Trump crackdown on immigrants, Abrego Garcia was pulled over and arrested in Baltimore, launching the absurd melodrama in which he now unwittingly stars. In April, after Abrego Garcia was illegally deported to El Salvador, Trump showed off a digitally altered photograph of what he claimed was Abrego Garcias hand with MS-13 tattooed on his knuckles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who would rather shoot her pets than train them, called him a violent criminal. He doesnt belong here, tweeted the Department of Homeland Security. He wont be staying here. America is a safer nation without this MS-13 gangbanger in it. Good riddance. On Wednesday, Abrego Garcia asked a judge to grant him asylum, which, as the New York Times reported, opens up a new legal avenue for him to remain in the United States. Its quite possible that he will end up being deported again, and has said he would prefer to be sent to Costa Rica if it comes to that. In a court filing, he said he fears that if he were to be sent to Uganda, the government there, unconstrained by any American judge's orders, would send him back to El Salvador. The Trump administrations jihad against immigrants, particularly those with brown skin, is as un-American as it is sickening. Though the president promised to deport violent criminals, its clear that no immigrant in this country is safe from his racist wrath. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Traitors attack the Capitol, brutally assault police officers, threaten to hang the vice president, trash the halls of Congress and violently try to overturn the results of a free and fair election. They have received nothing but love and pardons from Trump. But those who cross the border for a better, safer life? Those who come to this nation of immigrants to pick our crops, build our homes, clean our hotel rooms? They get nothing but the president's hatred. Bluesky: @rabcarian Threads: @rabcarian If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Two accomplices in a Minneapolis shooting that left one person dead and six more injured last week now face charges. Tiffany Lynn Marie Martindale, 30, and Ryan Timothy Quinn, 33, have each been charged with one count of aiding an offender to avoid arrest in connection with the Tuesday shooting. The shooting, which occurred near East 29th Street and Clinton Avenue directly behind Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Minneapolis Phillips neighborhood, killed 35-year-old Gregory Doyle Sweeten and left six others injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minneapolis Police Department Chief Brian OHara said at least one person in the group was targeted. Hennepin County jail According to the criminal complaint, Minneapolis police found Sweeten dead at the scene as well as multiple discharged bullet casings. Dash cam footage provided by a witness showed a suspect's vehicle, which was registered to Quinn. Surveillance near Quinns Inver Grove Heights address showed the vehicle arrive shortly after the shooting. Martindale could also be seen in the vehicles passenger seat. Quinn told police that he and Martindale had picked up a man identified as Bino, who directed them to drive him to the area near East 29th Street and Clinton Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There, Quinn allegedly circled the block before Bino got out wearing a mask and holding a rifle. He then proceeded to shoot into a crowd standing on the sidewalk before getting back into the vehicle, according to the complaint. Quinn and Martindale dropped Bino off in north Minneapolis following the shooting. A preliminary investigation also shows multiple calls between Bino and Martindale on the day of the shooting. Court records do not identify Bino further, and no charges have been announced for the gunman in the shooting. Note: The details provided in this story are based on law enforcements latest version of events, and may be subject to change. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Aug 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Abubakra is one of the founders of Masar Badil, as well as the coordinator for the Madrid chapter of the Samidoun Prisoner Solidarity Network. An activist with an organization designated by Israel as a terrorist front group is participating in the newest flotilla launched by activists on Sunday to break the blockade around Gaza. Jaldia Abubakra embarked from Barcelona on a ship, according to a Saturday Masar Badil Palestinian Revolutionary Path statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abubakra is one of the founders of Masar Badil, as well as the coordinator for the Madrid chapter of the Samidoun Prisoner Solidarity Network. Samidoun, which was founded in 2011 out of hunger strikes led by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine security prisoners, was designated as a branch of the Marxist-Leninist terrorist organization in 2021. Germany banned Samidoun in 2023, and the US and Canada followed suit in 2024. One of Samidoun's leaders, Khaled Barakat, who has been described in the past by the PFLP and Palestinian media as a leader of the PFLP, was also blacklisted by the US in 2024 for his terrorist connections. Barakat would later found Masar Badil with Abubakra in 2021. Swedish activist Greta Thunberg departs on the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian expedition to Gaza, from the port of Barcelona, Spain August 31, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/NACHO DOCE) Flotilla must be 'allowed to reach Gaza' "This is my journey to Palestine. I am returning with the Freedom Flotilla, together with all the free people who have decided to break the siege, support the steadfastness of our people, and expose the crimes of the occupation before the world," Abubakra said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We must assume our responsibility in the diaspora toward our people in Gaza, the West Bank, and all of occupied Palestine, which I see as one land from the river to the sea. After all, we are one people, with one cause and one destiny, and our rights are indivisible." Abubakra called for global pressure to compel the Israeli government to allow the flotilla to reach Gaza. Climate activists smeared Barcelona's Sagrada Familia basilica with red and black paint on Sunday to express outrage at summer forest fires that have ravaged swaths of Spain, the Futuro Vegetal activist group said. In a video the group posted to social media, police officers are seen arresting two protesters as they shouted for "climate justice." Activists said in the post's caption that their demonstration aimed to protest the government's "complicity" in the wildfires that scorched southern Spain's Iberian Peninsula. They also said roughly 70% of the country's wildfires are related to livestock farming, citing the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. CBS News wasn't able to independently confirm that statistic, but the Spanish government has held several meetings in recent weeks to respond to the blazes and address what the nation's leadership has called a "climate emergency." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sagrada Familia, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, is one of Barcelona's main tourist attractions. Tourists visit the Sagrada Familia while protecting themselves with water bottles, fans, hats, and portable fans during a heat wave in Barcelona, Spain, in August 2025. / Credit: Marc Asensio/NurPhoto via Getty Images Futuro Vegetal alleges that the Spanish government has taken insufficient action on climate change, notably to quell the recent clutch of fires that have caused extensive damage. The fires have left four people dead and ravaged some 870,00 acres of land in the past fortnight alone, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). More than 280 individual fires have burned nearly 1 million acres of land across Spain since the beginning of 2025, according to EFFIS data, with the amount of acreage burned being much higher than in any other year of the last decade. This photo, provided by France's Securite Civile shows French fire fighters heading to a wildfire near Corporales, northern Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. / Credit: Securite Civile via AP Spain's government called the fires "one of the biggest environmental catastrophes" the country has witnessed in recent memory, and acknowledged a link with climate change. A major heat wave that struck Europe this summer fueled destructive wildfires in multiple countries, with Greece, France, Portugal and Turkey all contending with severe blazes, in addition to Spain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This weekend saw the scope of the problem recede in Spain, with civil protection services director Virginia Barcones saying Saturday that the emergency was "coming to an end." Futuro Vegetal, which has links to similar groups abroad, has staged dozens of similar protests, including one in 2022 when they glued their hands to the frames of paintings by Spanish master Francisco de Goya at Madrid's Prado Museum. Paint was also thrown at a super yacht in Ibiza, reportedly belonging to Nancy Walton Laurie, the billionaire heiress of U.S. retail giant Walmart and a mansion of former FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi in Ibiza. Spanish police said last year they had arrested 22 members of Futuro Vegetal, including the two who took part in the Prado protest and the group's three main leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the activist group's demonstration approaches have been reflected in climate protests elsewhere in Europe. In the United Kingdom, environmental activists were jailed last year for demonstrations that included splashing a van Gogh painting with soup. Other activists in the U.K. have splattered artworks with paint, sprayed buildings with fake blood and sprayed stones at Stonehenge with orange paint in efforts to raise awareness about climate change. The Long Island home renovation that uncovered a hidden story Passage: In memoriam Dr. Sanjay Gupta on the mysteries of chronic pain Mainstream parties in Germany have cleared the field for the far-Right by making a pact not to blame migrants for negative social developments. Seven parties, from the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) to the Left Party, joined the so-called Fairness Agreement pledging not to criticise asylum seekers or migrants in local election campaigns. The parties vowed not to campaign at the expense of people with a migration background living among us as well as to fight racism and anti-Semitism and treat each other respectfully before the Cologne municipal election on Sept 14. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alternative for Germany (AfD), the far-Right party, was not invited to take part in the initiative and will therefore be the only party free to discuss the challenges of mass migration. AfD is polling at 10 per cent in the city double its previous result. The CDU and CSU, sister parties known as the Union, are leading in national polls. The pact, which states that parties will not blame migrants for negative social developments such as unemployment or threats to internal security, was put forward by the Cologne Round Table for Integration. The group said the AfD was not invited because they want the opposite of what we stand for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of the initiative, citizens can report any negative campaigning against migrants to the Catholic or Protestant church. On New Years Eve in 2015, more than 600 sexual assaults were carried out by migrants in Cologne, with half of the 120 suspects having arrived in Germany that year under Angela Merkels open doors policy. Henriette Reker, the citys pro-migration mayor, who was the victim of an assassination attempt by a far-Right extremist in 2015, is stepping down after ten years in office as an independent politician. Christer Cremer, the AfD Cologne spokesman, criticised the initiative as suppressing debates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everything should be able to be addressed, especially in an election campaign, including questions of migration, but also much more. Thats what election campaigns are for and you shouldnt somehow try that kind of controlled democracy, he added. Tactical stupidity Werner Patzelt, a political scientist, also criticised the initiative. It is a tactical stupidity not to cover topics and leave them to the AfD, he said. Our parties are so stupid that they dont see the tactical disadvantage and that they themselves damage our democracy by not wanting to talk about important issues, he told Bild, the German newspaper. How far this fairness pact will hold is already being tested, as the CDU has already been accused of violating the agreement with the distribution of a flyer opposing a planned reception centre for 500 refugees in Colognes Agnesviertel district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While church ombudsmen monitoring the pact stopped short of calling the flyer discriminatory, they warned its wording was misleading. Serap Guler, a CDU politician, said: We will not withdraw any of these statements. This refugee shelter of about 500 people does not belong in this place, where there are already enough challenges and problems anyway. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Researchers used artificial intelligence to spot hidden signs of consciousness in comatose patients long before they were noticed by doctors, according to a new study. Using an algorithm, the researchers were able to analyze patients facial movements, including tiny changes that were too discrete to be visually noticeable, but could be clinically meaningful. When somebody recovers consciousness, its almost like a flickering bulb, one expert told Scientific American. Known as covert consciousness, people in this state have been shown to be able to respond to cues through their brain activity, even as they appeared to be completely comatose. The work could help clinicians treat patients with brain injuries, researchers said. A flotilla carrying activist Greta Thunberg and other activists that left Barcelona for the Gaza Strip Sunday with humanitarian aid on board turned around due to stormy weather, organizers said Monday. There was no word on when they might try again. "Due to unsafe weather conditions, we conducted a sea trial then returned to port to allow the storm to pass," they said. The Global Sumud Flotilla intends to try to break the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory and bring humanitarian aid, food, water and medicine to Gaza as Israel steps up its offensive in Gaza City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The story here is about Palestine," Thunberg said at a press conference in Barcelona. "The story here is how people are being deliberately deprived of the very basic means to survive." Food experts warned earlier this month that Gaza City was in famine and that half a million people across the strip were facing catastrophic levels of hunger. The nearly 23-month war has killed more than 63,000 people, with at least 332 Palestinians dying of malnutrition, including 124 children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Activists, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg were to depart Barcelona for Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), a self-described The maritime convoy, comprising approximately 20 boats and delegations from 44 countries, will be joined by additional ships from ports in Italy, Greece, and Tunisia as it navigates its route from the western Mediterranean to the Gaza Strip, organizers said. Thunberg and "Game of Thrones" actor Liam Cunningham are some of the most recognizable figures on the expedition, as well as activists, politicians like former mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, and journalists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It has been very clear that Israel has been continuously violating international law by either attacking, unlawfully intercepting the boats in international waters, and continuously preventing the humanitarian aid from coming in", said Thunberg in an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday. It is not the first time Thunberg and Cunninham will attempt to reach Gaza waters this year. She was deported in June when the ship she was traveling on with 11 other people, the Madleen, was stopped by the Israeli military. The flotilla, which will be joined by others launching from various locations on September 4, includes activists, seafarers, doctors, and artists from over 40 countries. / Credit: Mario Wurzburger / Getty Images Cunningham, who will join the flotilla, played a video showing a girl singing while planning her own funeral. The girl, Fatima, died four days ago, he said. "What sort of world have we slid into where children are making their own funeral arrangements?" Cunningham told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In late July, the Israeli military stopped another aid ship, detained 21 international activists and reporters, and seized its cargo, including baby formula, food and medicine, according to Freedom Flotilla Coalition. An Israeli official said Saturday that the country will soon halt or slow humanitarian aid into parts of northern Gaza, as it expands its military offensive against Hamas, a day after the city was declared a combat zone. The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when an attack by Hamas terrorists inside Israel claimed the lives of 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took 251 people hostage. Editor's Note: This article has been corrected. A representative for Susan Sarandon tells CBS News that while the actress is supportive of the cause, she was not on the flotilla, as was previously reported by The Associated Press. "Portrait of a person who's not there": Documenting the bedrooms of school shooting victims Passage: In memoriam Dr. Sanjay Gupta on the mysteries of chronic pain The bomb reportedly veered off its intended course because of the malfunction, which led to its explosion near the military post. An Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter jet mistakenly dropped munitions approximately one hundred meters from a manned IDF position in northern Gaza due to a technical malfunction, Army Radio reported on Sunday. The bomb reportedly veered off its intended course because of the malfunction, which led to its explosion near the military post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The incident is known to us and is being investigated by the relevant authorities," the IDF said, as cited by Army Radio. "The incident ended with no injuries." This is a developing story. First lady Melania Trumps social media team has posted a video that appears to artistically slow down her arrival with the president at Thursdays Congressional Ball. The video shows Donald Trump, 79, and Melania, 55, arm in arm, carefully descending a staircase in the grand foyer of the White House to the tune of Hail to the Chief. But the FLOTUS-approved video appears to be slightly slowed down from other footage of the Trumps coming down the stairs on the night at a marginally faster pace. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, held a meeting with Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, on August 31 in Tianjin, China. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping posed for a joint photo. Addressing President Ilham Aliyev as my dear friend, President Xi Jinping thanked the head of state for accepting his invitation to participate in the SCO Plus Summit, as well as in the ceremonial events and military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of Chinas victory over foreign military aggression and fascism. President Xi Jinping emphasized that successful cooperative relations have been established between Azerbaijan and China over the past 30 years, and that these relations are currently developing at the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership. He fondly recalled President Ilham Aliyevs state visit to the Peoples Republic of China and highlighted the significance of the discussions held during that visit. The Chinese President noted the increase in trade turnover between the two countries and the expansion of cooperation in fields such as energy, including renewable energy, and the digital economy. Xi Jinping also stated that Azerbaijan-China cooperation has been strengthened within the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, emphasizing the importance of transporting Chinese goods through Azerbaijan, particularly highlighting the significance of the Trans-Caspian route. The President of the People's Republic of China stated that his country supports the expansion of Azerbaijans ties with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Xi Jinping also noted the importance of direct dialogue in ensuring lasting peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Additionally, he affirmed Chinas support for Azerbaijans sovereign development model and emphasized Chinas commitment to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. The head of state expressed gratitude for the invitation and conveyed congratulations on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Peoples Republic of Chinas victory over foreign military aggression. President Ilham Aliyev, in turn, fondly recalled his state visit to the Peoples Republic of China, noting that the meetings and dialogues held with President Xi Jinping during the visit significantly contributed to the comprehensive development of cooperation between the two countries. He highlighted the importance of the document signed on the comprehensive strategic partnership. The President of Azerbaijan stated that developing relations with the People's Republic of China is one of the priority directions of the countrys foreign policy. The head of state noted that Azerbaijan supports Chinas position on the issues of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and was among the first countries to condemn the elections held in Taiwan. President Ilham Aliyev noted a significant increase in trade relations between the two countries. Referring to the Belt and Road initiative, he described the increase in transportation, particularly of Chinese cargo, through the Middle Corridor passing through Azerbaijans territory as an example of the corridors efficiency and attractiveness. President Ilham Aliyev also stated that negotiations on normalization of relations and a peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia are progressing on a bilateral basis, emphasizing that peace has already been established between the two countries. During the meeting, they noted with satisfaction that the two countries consistently support each other within international organizations. They also highlighted that relations in the tourism sector have developed recently following the entry into force of a visa-free travel agreement. A broad exchange of views was held on the prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and China. Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 classmates and teachers were killed during a mass shooting, leave school together for the National School Walkout on April 20, 2018, in Parkland, Fla. Between 2007 to 2023, U.S. children and teens had a mortality rate nearly double that of their peers in wealthy countries, according to a new study.(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Babies and children in the United States are nearly twice as likely to die before reaching adulthood compared with their peers in other wealthy countries, according to a new study. The health of U.S. children has deteriorated since the early 2000s across a range of measures, researchers from Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of California, Los Angeles found. They published their findings last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study compared infant and child deaths in the U.S. with the figures from 18 other high-income nations between 2007 to 2023. U.S. infants, children and teens were about 1.8 times more likely to die before reaching adulthood compared with young people in peer countries, researchers discovered. For babies, the two causes of death with the biggest gaps between the U.S. and the other countries were prematurity being born too early and sudden unexpected infant death. For children and teens, the biggest gaps were in firearm-related incidents and car crashes. Since 2020, gun violence has been the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens. Firearm death rates among U.S. kids have more than doubled since 2013. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the deaths from prematurity, firearms and sudden unexplained infant death are preventable, three physicians argued in an op-ed published after the new report. Those three causes of death are up to four times more likely among Black youth than their white counterparts. The authors estimated the mortality gap between the U.S. and other countries claimed the lives of nearly 316,000 children and teens between 2007 and 2023. The study also found that rates of chronic conditions including obesity, early puberty, trouble sleeping, limitations in activity, depressive symptoms and loneliness all increased in children during the study period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overall, Americans have a lower life expectancy and worse health outcomes than residents of other wealthy countries, even though the U.S. spends nearly twice as much on health care, relative to its gross domestic product. To improve infant and child health, the authors of the op-ed proposed antipoverty measures such as child tax credits; social media restrictions; broader health insurance coverage; more investment in primary care; and more restrictive firearm laws. Anna Claire Vollers can be reached at avollers@stateline.org. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. Amtrak's NextGen Acela high-speed trains are now racing passengers between Boston, New York and Washington, D.C., hitting top speeds of 160 miles per hour. Leo Friedman and his mother, Phyllis, traveled from New Jersey to D.C. this week just to take the inaugural train north. "Ever since that first video came out, that Amtrak posted about nine years ago, I've been super interested and invested in this NextGen Acela," Friedman told CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Acela was a game-changer when it first launched 25 years ago, doubling Amtrak's market share in the Northeast. The 28 new trains will hold about 80 more passengers. They offer upgraded seats, bigger windows, faster Wi-Fi and lots of charging power. All 28 trains, assembled in upstate New York, are expected to be in service by 2027. There's also a self-serve food bar in the cafe car. The new NextGen Acela train pulls into South Station on August 27, 2025, in Boston, Massachusetts. / Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images "This train truly is the future of the high-speed rail in America," Elliot Hamlisch, Amtrak chief commercial officer, told CBS News. "This is the most technologically-advanced train, not only in America, but in the world. So we've taken the best of what Europe has to offer and incorporated it here on our tracks." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new trains have a top speed 10 miles per hour faster than the older Acelas, but still slower than high-speed trains in Europe and Asia. This is in part because of tracks laid over a century ago that wind through communities. But the new trains are designed to lean into curves, allowing them to go faster. "This is the next best step to moving us faster in the Eastern Corridor," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CBS News. The new Acela trains also meet new, stronger crashworthiness standards, guarding against the kind of jackknife-type derailment that killed eight people and injured more than 200 in Northeast Philadelphia in 2015. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also come online as the Department of Transportation is pledging $43 million to jumpstart upgrades at New York's Penn Station. Duffy also announced this week DOT is taking direct oversight of Washington's Union Station. "Portrait of a person who's not there": Documenting the bedrooms of school shooting victims The Long Island home renovation that uncovered a hidden story Passage: In memoriam ANDERSON Daniel Wiley has two lifelong passions exploring nature and making music. His passion for nature stated as a young kid growing up in Southern California. He enjoyed the ocean and all that it had to offer. Wileys love for the ocean made him want to be a marine biologist. When he was in junior high, however, Wiley realized that he loved something else even more: music. Wiley noted that being a marine biologist would have confined him to coastal areas. With music, he could go anywhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Music has taken Wiley all over the United States and beyond. He was recently hired as music director for the Anderson Symphony Orchestra. This was the orchestra, community I felt the strongest connection to. I couldnt be happier, he said during the April ceremony announcing his appointment as music director. Wileys inaugural concert will be Romantic Currents, a Masterworks concert on Sept. 13 at the Paramount Theatre. Masterworks concerts differ from pops concerts in that they feature traditional classical compositions. This concert includes Gioachino Rossinis Overture to LaGazza Ladra, Tchaikovskys Symphony No. 5 and Richard Strauss Oboe Concerto. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Strauss selection will feature Dwight Parry, principal oboist for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Dwight is a really close friend of mine. Hes a world-class musician, a world-class human, Wiley said. Itll be great to share the stage with him and the ASO together. Tom Bannon, a season ticket holder and former member of the ASO Board of Directors, is excited about the upcoming concert and season. He attended last seasons opener, during which Wiley auditioned for the music director position. He was one of my favorites. I really liked his stage presence, Bannon said. I liked that he was really comfortable with the audience. One of the things I like is when the conductor gives you some education prior to the pieces, lets you know some things to look for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I thought he did a really good job with that kind of thing. Bannon added that Wiley did so in a way that the average audience member could understand. Michele Hockwalt, a season ticket holder and current board member, was impressed with the way Wiley connected with orchestra members. I have seen Daniel Wiley pull out and highlight the talent of ASO musicians, she said. I cant wait to see how the musicians sound with his leadership. ASO Executive Director Darla Sallee noted that Wiley has given the orchestra a more unique sound. He has such a gift at pulling a sound out of the orchestra that we havent heard before, she explained. That first rehearsal he conducted last year for us, we looked at each other and said, What in the world? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im excited for a season of next-level playing from our musicians. Conducting concerts is only a sliver of Wileys duties. As music director, he acts as a liaison between the community and the orchestra. Despite living in Cincinnati, Wiley plans to be involved with the Anderson community. He plans to meet with local community members and organizations, keeping them up to date regarding the ASO. This first concert is my first opportunity to engage with the community, connecting with people both before and after the concert, he said. Creating community, he said, summarizes his agenda for the orchestra. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I firmly believe, and this is part of what attracted me to the ASO, that music helps bring us together, he said. Thats what were working on. Were working on how we can share our story and bring people in as part of our story, so we can come together as a community. Andover community honors 5-year-old girl killed, advocates for safer streets in her memory Residents in Andover gathered on Saturday afternoon to honor a 5-year-old Sidney Mae Olson. In May of 2023, 5-year-old Sidney Olson and another family member traversed the crosswalk on Elm Street with the walk sign showing when she was struck by a Sysco truck, her family and authorities said. The truck driver stayed on the scene and cooperated with the police. Olsons family now runs Massachusetts Families for Safe Streets Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also created the Rainbow Fund in Sidneys honor to help families dealing with terrible tragedies. The Rainbow Funds mission is to make every Massachusetts community a place where kids can walk, run, bike, and roll. We give a voice to the vulnerable in the fight for safer streets and vehicles - and open doors for kids to embrace healthy lifestyles early in life, the Rainbow Fun website states. People who attended the event say it helps bring everyone together for a good cause. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Today is National Overdose Awareness Day, a significant time for communities to unite and raise awareness. Chris Delgado has generously pledged $2 million to combat the fentanyl crisis, supporting a heartfelt initiative called Angel Army. Angel Army is a national overdose prevention initiative led by grieving parents and supported by Victorias Voice Foundation, which was founded by David and Jackie Siegel after their daughters death in 2015. Angel Army is a national overdose prevention initiative led by grieving parents and supported by Victorias Voice Foundation, which was founded by David and Jackie Siegel after their daughters death in 2015. I picked Victorias Voice and Angel Army because I saw the impact that fentanyl on drug addictions has in families like it had in my personal life growing up, said Chris Delgado, who leads Goliath Ventures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The $2 million donation from Delgado will support the launch of Angel Army, which aims to tackle the increasing fentanyl crisis nationwide. The initiative will base its operations in Orlando, serving as a central hub. Victorias Voice Foundation, which supports Angel Army, was founded by the Siegels in memory of their daughter, who passed away in 2015. The foundation has been active in advocating for overdose prevention and raising awareness. Thanks to the support from Victorias Voice Foundation and the generous financial contribution from Chris Delgado, Angel Army is now in a strong position to make a meaningful difference in tackling the fentanyl crisis. Angel Army is a national overdose prevention initiative led by grieving parents and supported by Victorias Voice Foundation, which was founded by David and Jackie Siegel after their daughters death in 2015. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) The Rolling Thunder NC-5 kicks off Labor Day weekend with its annual Ron Relay Fallen Members Memorial Ride in Jacksonville. Chapter President Bryan Dent says the group takes great pride in honoring Relay and the other fallen members. He was one of the first members to pass in our chapter, and what we wanted to do was to remember all the fallen, said Dent. So, since then, this makes our 17th annual event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the memorial ride was in remembrance of Ron Relay and the fallen, the organization has a larger goal in mind. Our main mission is to publicize, to keep the POW, MIA issue, and to let the public know that they are still missing and their remains are overseas, said Dent. And to try to hopefully bring them home so families can have closure. With all of the proceeds going to Wreaths Across America, this is just one of many fundraising events the Chapter holds. Dent says he hopes the true identity of the group doesnt get lost when it comes to public perception. A lot of people look at us because a lot of us ride motorcycles, but were not a motorcycle club, were actually a veterans organization, said Dent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Riders were greeted by other community members when they returned. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT. ORLANDO, Fla. As thrill-seekers emerged in 2021 from pandemic-induced isolation, the businessman at the center of the racketeering allegations against now-suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez extended his interests to a number of Central Florida casinos running Las Vegas-style games. He was not discreet, giving his ventures names like Players Club, with flashy signage along busy highways. He set up shop in high-profile locations in Osceola County, where investigators say he had a key ally in the former sheriff, and newly obtained records reveal in Lake County, where the county government was then sanctioning gaming establishments through an unusual permitting process. Unlike Lopez and five other associates facing criminal charges, the businessman, Krishna Deokaran, who was named in open court as an alleged co-conspirator, hasnt been charged with a crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the owner of The Eclipse, the now-closed Kissimmee casino that Lopez allegedly used his position to protect, is a veteran of the local gambling industry who aggressively sought to secure a foothold in Lake around the same time that Osceola County casino opened in 2022, records collected by Lake County as part of its permitting process and reviewed by The Orlando Sentinel show. And Deokaran worked in that effort with at least two of the same people who now face charges in connection with the Lopez case. The Sentinel previously reported on the existence of those Lake County clubs, but the connections among their key players are clarified in the new records. Lopez, who prosecutors say first became involved in an illegal gambling scheme in August 2019 and became Osceola Countys sheriff the following year, is accused of tapping The Eclipse for campaign contributions and personal payments while using his office to shield it from law enforcement. Investigators allege he made at least $600,000, and that the now-suspended sheriff and his estranged wife played a ministerial role at The Eclipse, although details of that role remain obscure with the states continuing refusal to release arrest affidavits and other investigative materials in the case against him. Investigators have said in court that Lopez and his co-conspirators sought to expand their gaming enterprise into Lake County, though they did not provide any details about those efforts. But the new records from that county shed light on how Lopezs associates worked with the local code enforcement and planning and zoning offices to shore up their presence there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The documents do not mention Lopez himself, whose alleged involvement in gambling was not publicly known at the time, and its not clear what role he played in the Lake businesses. Deokaran was a key player, records show. He had been in the casino business since at least 2018, when he met Sheldon Wetherholt, charged as one of Lopezs co-conspirators. Wetherholt told investigators his sister worked at a Citrus County game room owned by Deokaran, who wanted him to help open a similar entity in Leesburg, with a convenience store and a car wash, according to an affidavit filed as part of a forfeiture case in Osceola County against The Eclipse. Like Deokaran, Wetherholt had experience in the gaming business, records show. He had opened one such entity the year before, according to an affidavit submitted to Lake Countys Office of Code Enforcement. Wetherholt, who faces two felony counts in connection with the Lopez case, told investigators his involvement with The Eclipse was limited. He said he only visited the property once, in 2022, before it was open to the public. At the time, he believed Deokaran intended to open a hookah lounge, he told investigators. Later, when it became clear Deokaran had something else in mind, Wetherholt said he told him he wanted no part. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But during that same period, Wetherholt served as a point of contact on permitting applications for at least two Lake County gaming rooms associated with Deokaran, the newly released records show. One of them was Players Club, which was open until recently, located in a retail complex on U.S. Highway 27 alongside a car wash, a smoke shop, a medical office and several other businesses. The other was called The Palace, in Clermont. Wetherholts email address, according to the applications, is aceyduecy, an apparent nod to a betting card game Wetherholt also applied in 2021 for a permit for a third establishment called Luckys Arcade, in Clermont. That business had opened in 2017, according to an affidavit he submitted to the county. The permit holder, Fusion Social Club, is the same entity that operated The Eclipse, which opened in February 2022, according to tax collector records. The records for Luckys Arcade, however, do not list Deokaran by name. Another of Lopezs alleged co-conspirators, Sharon Fedrick, also served as a contact on two applications submitted for casinos connected to Deokaran, including Players Club, where she told investigators she and Wetherholt both worked. Fedrick, according to the affidavit in the Osceola County forfeiture case, said she met Deokaran while playing at a casino in Lake County and would collect and count money pulled from machines at The Eclipse as much as $200,000 at once and deliver it to Deokaran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deokaran, Wetherholt and Fedrick did not respond to emails or phone calls from the Orlando Sentinel seeking comment for this story. Gambling is generally illegal in Florida, though it is allowed in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, on cruise ships at sea in international waters or in casinos run by one of Floridas federally recognized Native American tribes. While its not clear why Deokaran and his affiliates homed in on Lake, the county did, from 2021 until last year, issue permits to businesses that offered illegal games and require annual inspections of those entities, effectively allowing them to operate even though their activities ran afoul of Florida law. Law enforcement officers have told the Sentinel that the practice created confusion among deputies. It also apparently baffled some members of the public, including one woman who complained in early 2023 to Lake County staff members about a Sorrento casino with the word arcade in its name. She urged them to please shut this nonsense down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I never have seen a police officer checking in on the place but clearly there is nefarious activity going on there which really picks up in the evening, she wrote. And last I had always been told and understood, gambling was illegal here. And that is exactly what this establishment is. It should not be labeled as an arcade as that is misleading to children who think it looks cool and want to go play. The next year, Lake County Commissioners voted to stop permitting illegal gambling businesses. ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) An Atlantic Beach smoke shop that saw hundreds of its products seized by Horry County police last year claims the agencys actions were illegal. A lawsuit filed Friday by 420 SuperStore LLC says authorities including Det. Mark Bonner the departments head of narcotics knew its inventory fell within state limits for THC levels despite arresting a manager on drug possession charges. On Jan. 12, 2024, Horry County police executed a search warrant at the 2910 Highway 17 S. store, taking nearly 305 items including gummies, chocolate bars and disposable vape cartridges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At all times these products were sold in boxes clearly marked which stated that boxes had less than .03 THC in the product which was being sold the public, the lawsuit says. (The store) has advertised the products for sale .. for years and has at no time attempted to hide the sale of its products. Authorities obtained a search warrant one day before their raid following an undercover operation and surveillance of the business involving a controlled buy. The store clerk did exhibit intimate knowledge of the products legality, stating that one product was in the grey area and under .3% THC until there was fire put to it, the warrant included as an exhibit attached to the lawsuit says. He also did show knowledge that certain items may be illegal in the state of South Carolina. Laboratory analysis concluded that none of the products taken contained more than .3% THC, and the business lost tens of thousands in potential profits due to the police action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The store is seeking damages from Horry County police on grounds of unconstitutional taking, negligence and conversion. An Horry County Police Department spokeswoman could not immediately be reached but has said the past that officials dont comment on pending litigation. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson has taken steps to protect children from deepfake pornography and inappropriate AI chatbot interactions. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Attorneys General call on Instagram to make changes to new location-sharing feature On Aug. 25, Jackson, along with 44 other attorneys general, called on major tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Meta to safeguard children from predatory AI products. This action follows a previous demand by Jackson and 37 other attorneys general for Instagram to change its location-sharing feature to enhance child safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jacksons office released a news statement detailing the collaborative effort with other attorneys general to address the growing concerns about AI technologies that could potentially harm minors. Read more here. WATCH: School with AI-driven curriculum set to open campus in north Charlotte ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) AugustFest has returned for its second year at the Good Times Event Center, with festivities continuing through Sunday at 3414 S. 22nd St. Saturday marked the second day of the three-day festival, where attendees enjoyed a wide range of activities, including indoor and outdoor live music, local vendors, bounce houses, food trucks, and live performances. A $1 donation is suggested for entry to Augustfest, with wristbands and tickets available for attractions. Bounce wristbands are priced at $20 for one day, $35 for two days, and $50 for the full weekend. Individual tickets are also available for $1 each. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Organizers said 70% of the events proceeds will benefit the Youth Alliances Youth Volunteer Program. Volunteers, vendors and performers are still being accepted. One of the performers at the event, Aubrey Zechariah said, It's a lot of fun to actually come out and see a lot of people supporting each other and just working together for something good." Families also had the opportunity Saturday to meet puppies available for adoption through Collar to Halter, a dog and horse sanctuary based in Harris, Missouri. The organization, located at 16785 Bear Drive, offers free adoptions year-round. "A lot of small businesses are really struggling right now," said co-host of the event, Cheynne Tuttle, "We want to try to be one of the ones that do succeed so that we can continue to help the community and give something for the kids, adults and elderly to do. The festival concludes Sunday, Aug. 31, weather permitting. For more information, call or text 816-262-1574, or visit the Good Times Event Center's Facebook page for updates. DENVER (KDVR) An Aurora police officer has shot and killed a suspect following a confrontation that occurred near the intersection of Interstate 225 and 6th Avenue on Saturday, said police. The Aurora Police Departments Chief Todd Chamberlain said an officer at around 7:30 p.m. was working a driving under the influence saturation task force, when the officer saw some type of traffic violation that occurred. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chamberlain said that the officer tried to do a traffic stop, but the vehicle continued to travel and hit at least two other vehicles. At some point, after much conversation, trying to persuade him to do what the officer directed, the suspect stepped out of the car and started to move towards the sidewalk area, said Chamberlain. Chamberlain said that the suspect had appeared to be walking towards a handgun in the area, in which the suspect turned around and walked towards the officer in an aggressive posture. The exchange continued, in which the officer, who was working alone and had eventually backed into the intersection, said Chamberlain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He got moved out to the center of the street, at which time our officer fired appears to be 1 to 3 rounds, said Chamberlain. Firefighters arrived at the scene and pronounced the suspect dead. The police department had not identified the suspect, but Chamberlain said that theres going to be an incredibly thorough investigation that unfolds throughout this event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. By Samuel McKeith and Hollie Adams SYDNEY (Reuters) -Thousands of Australians joined anti-immigration rallies across the country on Sunday that the centre-left government condemned, saying they sought to spread hate and were linked to neo-Nazis. March for Australia rallies against immigration were held in Sydney and other state capitals and regional centres, according to the group's website. "Mass migration has torn at the bonds that held our communities together," the website says. The group posted on X on Saturday that the rallies aimed to do "what the mainstream politicians never have the courage to do: demand an end to mass immigration". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group also says it is concerned about culture, wages, traffic, housing and water supply, environmental destruction, infrastructure, hospitals, crime and loss of community. Australia - where one in two people is either born overseas or has a parent born overseas - has been grappling with a rise in right-wing extremism, including protests by neo-Nazis. "We absolutely condemn the March for Australia rally that's going on today. It is not about increasing social harmony," Murray Watt, a senior minister in the Labor government, told Sky News television, when asked about the rally in Sydney, the country's most-populous city. "We don't support rallies like this that are about spreading hate and that are about dividing our community," Watt said, asserting they were "organised and promoted" by neo-Nazi groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement March for Australia organisers did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the neo-Nazi claims. Laws banning the Nazi salute and the display or sale of symbols associated with terror groups came into effect in Australia this year in response to a string of antisemitic attacks on synagogues, buildings and cars since the beginning of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023. COUNTER-PROTESTERS EXPRESS 'DISGUST, ANGER' Some 5,000 to 8,000 people, many draped in Australian flags, had assembled for the Sydney rally, the Australian Broadcasting Corp reported. It was held near the course of the Sydney Marathon, where 35,000 runners pounded the streets on Sunday, finishing at the city's Opera House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also nearby, a counter-rally by the Refugee Action Coalition, a community activist organisation, took place. "Our event shows the depth of disgust and anger about the far-right agenda of March For Australia," a coalition spokesperson said in a statement. Organisers said hundreds attended that event. Police said hundreds of officers were deployed across Sydney in an operation that ended "with no significant incidents". A large March for Australia rally was held in central Melbourne, the capital of Victoria state, according to aerial footage from the ABC, which reported that riot officers used pepper spray on demonstrators. Victoria Police did not confirm the report but said it would provide details on the protest later on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bob Katter, the leader of a small populist party, attended a March for Australia rally in Queensland, a party spokesperson said, three days after the veteran lawmaker threatened a reporter for mentioning Katter's Lebanese heritage at a press conference when the topic of his attendance at a March for Australia event was being discussed. Katter was "swarmed with hundreds of supporters" at the rally in Townsville, Brisbane's Courier-Mail reported. In Sydney, March for Australia protester Glenn Allchin said he wanted a "slowdown" in immigration. "Its about our country bursting at the seams and our government bringing more and more people in," Allchin told Reuters. "Our kids struggling to get homes, our hospitals - we have to wait seven hours - our roads, the lack of roads." (Reporting by Sam McKeith and Hollie Adams in Sydney; Editing by William Mallard) It is relatively common for British politicians to look longingly overseas, and wish that their country was a little more like its international peers. Those on the Right tend to admire the free-trading spirit of Singapore, or the dynamic capitalism of the United States; on the Left, the equality of Scandinavia, or until relatively recently the economic structures of Germany. Generally, these desires would be well caveated by the observation that the grass is not always greener on the other side. There are trade-offs to be made in every system, and what works in one nation may not work in another. Sometimes, however, the parallels are strong enough that a clear comparison can be made. So it is in the matter of Britain, Norway, and the remaining supplies of North Sea Oil. Norway has recently received the good news that the operator Aker BP has discovered a field that could potentially yield the equivalent of 134 million barrels. Britain, through a combination of judicial decisions, restricted permits, and swingeing taxes, is deliberately shuttering its industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kemi Badenoch is now seeking to draw attention to this point, proposing that the North Sea Transition Authority drop the transition added to its title by Boris Johnson, lose its obligation to assist in attaining Net Zero, and refocus its efforts on maximising the extraction of oil and gas. Reform UK has already pledged to reverse the ban on new drilling as a day one priority, alongside stripping back subsidies for renewables. These are common-sense approaches. US President Donald Trump said in his inaugural address that he would harness the liquid gold under our feet in his drive to raise American living standards already far above those in most European nations to new heights. His bemusement at Britains love of windmills and unwillingness to make use of the natural resources with which we are blessed has been evident since on several occasions. In a country experiencing rapid economic growth with cheap and abundant energy, Labours self-indulgent approach to Net Zero might just about be accepted. In a country where industrial users are facing the highest electricity prices in the developed world, and growth has been moribund for almost two decades, it is unaffordable. We must make use of every advantage available to us. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. KYIV (Reuters) -A civilian bulk carrier flying the flag of Belize has sustained minor damage after hitting an unknown explosive device near the Ukrainian seaport of Chornomorsk, two sources told Reuters on Sunday. Chornomorsk is a large and strategically important seaport in Ukraine's southern Odesa region, one of three Ukrainian ports operating in a maritime transport corridor linking the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. Sources reported that the crew of the NS PRIDE were unharmed and that the ship continued on its way. Local media reported that there was no cargo on board at the time of the explosion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier on Sunday, Odesa's governor said that Chornomorsk had been subjected to a significant attack by Russian drones overnight, and part of the region was left without electricity due to strikes on energy facilities. (Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Hugh Lawson) Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has broken away from some of his Democrat colleagues to endorse a popular oyster farmer and former U.S. Marine in his bid to win Maines hotly contested Senate race. A surging grassroots campaign has already formed behind Graham Platner, known online as the oysterman, who is attempting to oust beleaguered Republican Susan Collins. His campaign claims to have raised $1 million and signed up 3,000 in just 10 days. Graham is a Marine and Army National Guard veteran, an oyster farmer, and a proud member of Americas working class, Sanders wrote in an emailed statement Saturday, endorsing Platner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He's a Mainer through and through, and he is building a movement strong enough to take on the oligarchy that is making Maine unaffordable for all except a privileged few. I look forward to Graham joining me in Washington." Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has broken away from some of his Democrat colleagues to endorse a popular oyster farmer and former U.S. Marine Graham Platner on his run for the Senate in Maine (AFP/Getty) In response, Platner said he was honored beyond words. Together were going to defeat Susan Collins and take back our government for the people, he wrote on X. Sanders endorsement of the 40-year-old Platner comes at odds with others in the Democratic Party, who are reportedly hoping that the states 77-year-old Governor Janet Mills will enter the race instead. The Vermont Senator and Platner are set to hold a rally on Labor Day with logger turned Maine gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson in Portland, Maine. The venue has been changed from an auditorium to a much larger arena due to the interest, according to Rolling Stone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to his bid, launched earlier this month, Platner has no political experience and though he has dismissed being labeled as liberal, he has embraced several more progressive policies, in line with those of Sanders. In social media posts he has championed universal health care, blasted the oligarchy in the U.S. and calling for an end to what he described as a genocide happening in Palestine. He has also criticized the current Democrat Party for what he deems a lack of urgency. My name is Graham Platner. I'm the oysterman and Marine veteran running against Susan Collins. In 10 days we raised $1 million and signed up 3,000 volunteers. Please share this. Spread the word. Help us build something strong enough to defeat the billionaire class. pic.twitter.com/CJSjITyM4H Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) August 30, 2025 Nothing p***** me off more than getting a fundraising text from Democrats talking about how theyre fighting fascismBecause its such bulls***, Platner wrote on X. Were not idiots. Everyone knows most of them arent doing jack s*** right now to fight back. Platner also posted a photo from his old high school yearbook which is captioned Most Likely to Start a Revolution. Well see! Platner captioned the photo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The growing grassroots campaign is so far eclipsing the Democrat push for Mills to run for the Senate seat. Mills recently told the Portland Press Herald that she is seriously considering running but that she is not in any rush to make a decision. Collins, a moderate Republican who has been known to be critical of Preisdent Donald Trump, has seen her approval rating dramatically dip. A poll from July showed that only 38 percent of Mainers approved of her work. As a result, Democrats have targeted the seat as one they could flip in the midterms. Despite this, as The Independent previously reported, younger Democrats have been hesitant to challenge her. A surging grassroots campaign has already formed behind Platner, known online as the oysterman, who is attempting to oust Republican Susan Collins (Getty) The Senator has angered liberals and conservatives alike by constantly claiming shes concerned with the presidents various policies before voting in favor of him. However, Collins did vote to convict Trump after January 6, endorsed Nikki Haley in 2024 and voted against the presidents One Big, Beautiful Bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More recently she also criticized the firing by the Trump administration of CDC Director Susan Monarez, saying she was concerned and alarmed by the decision. Though she voted to confirm Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, she has taken issue with some of his actions, including cuts to National Institute of Health research grants. She also called Kennedys decision to remove all 17 sitting members of the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices a bad mistake. Earlier this week, Collins was met with protests at a Maine food bank and at a small ribbon cutting ceremony. CHICAGO Thousands of bicyclists took over DuSable Lake Shore Drive on Sunday morning for Bike the Drive, the annual event that raises money for the Active Transportation Alliance. The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, now the Active Transportation Alliance, started the event in 2002. Every Sunday before Labor Day, bikers get the area all to themselves for four hours. To not feel the normal stress you might feel sitting in a car and some of the anxiety with traffic, its truly just a carefree experience. Its awesome, Sarah Macaraeg said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daddy Stroller Social Club offers Chicago fathers a space to connect and heal The nonprofit works to improve conditions for walkers, cyclists and public transit users. Im here with my daughter, my son in law and my two-year-old granddaughter. Usually, Im in a car and now Im in a bike and its just a wonderful day, Jim Macrowski said. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines As many as 20,000 people show up each year to ride and raise money for the alliance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. This story, A Lean and Angry Bear, appeared in the May 1971 issue of Outdoor Life. We trailed the sheep killer that morning with some of the best dogs on earth, a pack brought to north-central Michigan from the mountains of Tennessee. They were great hounds, sure-nosed and bear-wise, and they did their best. But the killer stopped the hunt cold by swimming the Muskegon. Armed farmers guarded their sheep again that night. And the killer bear exploded a flock a dozen miles away, leaving the sprawling tracks that made him a legend in the Muskegon Valley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was as elusive and clever at saving his skin as he was malicious in his killing. In three years he had slaughtered hundreds of sheep, and been seen but once. That time he walked insolently out of the woods in full daylight and in plain sight of an unarmed farmer. Scattering a flock of sheep, he picked the one he wanted, killed it, and carried it off. Slippery as a black ghost, somebody remarked in the general store at Merritt. The name stuck. He was the Black Ghost the length and breadth of the Muskegon Valley. Half a dozen of the big sheep ranchers offered a reward for his pelt, but nobody knew how to collect it. Dogs, traps, and all-night vigils over abandoned kills had failed. While the Black Ghost kept the sheep ranchers tearing their hair month after month, I was developing and training a pack of bear dogs of my own. Those Tennessee hounds had turned me into a confirmed bear hunter. We had plenty of black bears in our part of Michigan, and my hunting partner, George Nystrom, and I decided to hunt them as its done in the Southern mountains and in certain sections of the West. The simple truth was that the Ghost was just too much bear for our dogs. As often as they overtook him he beat them off in a running fight, tearing into them with a savage fury they couldnt stand up to. By the end of the year wed developed a pack of dogs that we thought were good enough to tackle the Ghost. Then we let it be known that wed go to the help of any farmer. Complaints came in faster than we could take care of them, some from as far as 300 miles away. We managed to take outlaw bears off the necks of quite a few farmers, but not the phantom raider we really wanted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At first we had trouble getting onto his track while it was still fresh. The Ghost was not only smart but lucky. Then we were called to a kill that was only a few hours old and the hounds took the trail with all stops out. They ran it into the thick swamps along the Muskegon, swam the river, picked up the trail on the far side and were out of hearing in a matter of minutes. Hours later, in the middle of the after noon, they straggled back one by one, an exhausted and dejected pack. When the same thing happened three or four times after that, we figured out the reason. The simple truth was that the Ghost was just too much bear for our dogs. As often as they overtook him he beat them off in a running fight, tearing into them with a savage fury they couldnt stand up to. That was a challenge that had to be met. We kept at it and he kept sending whipped dogs back to us. It was three years from the day Id first seen his tracks at the border of a sheep pasture that things came to a head. I had a phone call late one afternoon from Hartley Davis, a local rancher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My boys just found a sheep killed last night, Carl. Tracks? Yeah, the Black Ghost. It was too late to go after him that day, but at that season there was a good chance hed strike two nights in a row somewhere in the neighborhood. Hartley promised to check his flock early the next morning. I alerted three or four other ranchers and warned them to do the same thing. My phone jangled next morning. He butchered two more of our ewes last night, one of Hartleys boys blurted. By 1 p.m. we had rounded up fifteen determined farmers and were ready to give the Ghost a run hed remember. Nystrom and I picked our three best dogs, Banjo, Traze, and Ranger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Banjo, a big Walker-and-bluetick with a coarse voice, was the fastest of the three. Ranger, half black-and-tan and half Plott, with a tenor bawl as clear and far-carrying as a bugle, would keep close on Banjos heels. Traze, black-and-tan with traces of bluetick and redbone, was the oldest and most reliable of the three. Wed use him for a strike dog and if the going turned hard we could count on him to stay with it, no matter what the younger hounds might do. As the reign of terror spread, farmers set up watches over their sheep. Illustration by Frank C. Herbst The bear played his usual canny tricks from the start. He had carried his sheep down from the pasture into a marshy swale, where the dogs hit his scent strong and sure, opening like an organ choir. But their excitement was short-lived. Bear smell hung rank and heavy in the damp grass of the swale, but at the edge of the upland fields it petered out. Even wise old Traze lost it and gave up. But by that time we had hunted the Ghost long enough to know where to look for him after he left a kill. We put Ranger and Banjo on leash to avoid any false alarms and swung south in a wide circle along the West Branch River. With the field to himself, Traze was a pretty sure bet. He opened cold in less than an hour, but it was no place for a bear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes got his signals mixed, I said flatly. Coon in a log, George agreed. But when we clawed our way through the cedar tangles for a look my heart skipped a couple beats. A line of bear tracks led across a mud bar at the edge of the river and only one bear in that part of the country could have made em. We had the Black Ghost on wet ground now, where the hounds could follow. We slipped the leashes off Banjo and Ranger and they went away like the wind, singing a trail song to make your hair stand on end. But we had another setback coming. The dogs trailed the bear out across a dry ridge and the scent faded again. Ranger and Banjo gave up and headed back toward the Muskegon, casting in wide circles. But not Traze. He plodded along at a walk, picking a trace of bear smell off weeds or brush every now and then and chopping out a gruff announcement each time he made a find. Then he too hit a snag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We had divided the party by time, half of us keeping on after Traze, the rest doubling back to pick up the young dogs. On the George Boynton ranch Traze left the track. We met him coming back to us, something I had never known him to do before. He had quit at the edge of a freshly plowed field. It didnt take long to discover why. The field had been plowed that forenoon, but the bear had crossed it before daybreak. No wonder the old dog was baffled. I led him across the field and.at the far side he made a couple of short casts and picked up a ribbon of bear scent that a pup could have followed. When he swung down into a cedar swamp, bawling steadily, I knew the Black Ghost had some traveling to do. Traze put him up from his daytime bed and drove him beyond hearing before we could get into the swamp. Aaron Vandenboss and I went in together, and when we heard the dog again he had the bear at bay, a long way ahead. The swamp was a hellish place to get through. It took us almost an hour to overtake them. A,11 that time Traze chopped and fretted without let up, harassing and fighting the bear in and out of a big windfall, in a tangle so thick a man had to get down on his hands and knees to crawl through. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then Traze stopped barking as if he had been choked with a noose. There was a sharp yelp of pain, and we heard the bear growl. It was half snarl, half explosive grunt and pure poison all the way through. We were still trying to figure out what had happened when Ranger came tearing unexpectedly through the brush a dozen paces from us. The bear had broken bay by that time and moved on. Ranger picked up the Ghosts tracks about where Traze had left off, and the swamp rang with his clear bawling. But even reinforced in that fashion, old Traze still wasnt persuaded to go back for more. Hed had all the bear he wanted for one day. Ranger was running the smoking track by himself, a mile or more ahead, when Traze came to us at a stiff walk, the weariest hound I had ever seen. It would be dark in another hour, and Aaron and I reluctantly agreed we were whipped. We had one dog worn to the bone, one lost, and the third running the bear. somewhere beyond hearing. We worked our way out of the swamp and found the rest of the party waiting on a road, Nystrom and Banjo among them. He had encountered the dog near the Muskegon in late afternoon. We scattered along the border of the swamp and just at dark Ranger came out to us, unhult but worn to a frazzle. We still hadnt seen the Black Ghost. But we had come closer to him than at any time in the three years we had hunted him. The dogs had had him at bay, close enough that Vandenboss and I had heard the sounds of the fight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were tired and so were the hounds. but it was likely the bear was at least as tired as we were. He had traveled three hours ahead of the two dogs after Traze put him up, fight ing one or the other of them most of that time. The pace had been fast. He was a lot of bear but he wasnt tough enough to take that much punishment and start off fresh the next morning. Tomorrow, wed close in. We agreed to meet at the Davis ranch at daybreak. We knew the bear was fighting them off, driving them back, gaining a brief respite each time. They couldnt hold him at bay but the two of them had guts enough to stay with him and badger him to a frenzy. That night the bear did a most amazing thing. Exhausted? He raided two sheep pastures in that same neighborhood, on opposite sides of the West Branch River and a mile apart. He killed one sheep at the first place and two at the second, dragging them into the brush, eating the livers and leaving the rest. We got the word from a pair of angry and excited farmers on our way to the Davis place that morning. We led the dogs into a thicket where the last sheep had been gutted. Traze put his nose down to the wet grass, let out a long bloody-hungry bellow, and the show was on. Ivan Elenbass slipped the leashes from Ranger and Banjo and the three dogs made the bottoms ring. For the first time in his long career ahead of hounds, the Black Ghost had allowed himself the luxury of going only a short distance from his kill be fore bedding down for the day. Traze tracked him across a couple of ridges (Banjo and Ranger lost the trail on the high ground and had to be brought back and put on it again) and busted him from his bed. And now the three dogs went stark crazy on the hot track. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dogs were driving him north, between the Muskegon and the West Branch, at a clip that kept them out of hearing most of the time. We divided our party and sent six or eight hunters around by car to come into the swamp from that direction. The rest of us kept on after the dogs. The pace proved too fast now for Trazes tired old legs. He dropped be hind and his insistence on paddling his own canoe cost him his chance. He stuck stubbornly to the track, doing his work the only way he knew, and when he caught up he was too late. Nobody was close enough to hear Banjo and Ranger when they overtook the bear. But an hour later Elenbass and I heard them coming back south, bawling in broken outbursts. Theyd trail a short distance and quit, trail and quit again. We knew the bear was fighting them off, driving them back, gaining a brief respite each time. They couldnt hold him at bay but the two of them had guts enough to stay with him and badger him to a frenzy. It was not Ivans and my luck to be in at the showdown. They drove him past only fifty feet in front of us, but in cover so thick we caught no glimpse of either dogs or bear. We could hear the brush crackling and the two hounds snarling and yammering in an almost impenetrable windfall and alder thicket. To our surprise no sound came from the bear. Maybe he was saving his breath. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It fell to Aaron Vandenboss and Wes Thompson to be in the right spot at the right time, a quarter mile farther on. The dogs brought the bear to a halt there, baying him fiercely, Wes and Aaron were only a short distance away when Ranger quit. He ran to them repeatedly, hair erect, look ing for help. Theyd sick him on and hed go back to the fight, but the Ghost was too much for even his Plott heritage and little by little his courage oozed away until he dropped out. It was Banjo and the bear now, back and forth through the alders, over and under the windfalls, the dog chopping and snarling, the bear growling and popping his teeth in red-eyed rage. The two men were fairly in the thick of it but the cover was so heavy and the hound so close they didnt dare risk a shot. Half a dozen times Banjo had black fur in his teeth. As often as that happened the bear spun and lunged for him and Aaron and Wes were sure the dog was a goner. But he dodged away each time and came dancing in again. Wes and Aaron had only one rifle be tween them, Thompsons .348. Because he had killed other bears on his trap line, Wes passed the gun to Aaron. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You shoot him, he whispered. Its your first crack at a bear. Vandenboss poured in his first shot at a dozen paces when the bear came clear of brush for a second. It smacked the Ghost in the rump. He let go a breath stopping to roar and slashed at Banjo to avenge his hurt. But the dog eluded him and Aaron got in another shot in about the same spot. And then, all in a split second, the bear saw the men. He dived head long for the hound once more, missed, changed ends and came smashing at the real cause of his troubles. Aaron rammed a third bullet into him at just ten yards and he went down in a heap, bawling and screaming. But the 250- grain Silvertip had ripped his heart to a pulp and he was dead in a minute. We got him out of the swamp and hung him in the yard of the Davis ranch late that afternoon. In an hour more than 150 neighbors came for a look at the legendary killer that had harassed their flocks for so long. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: I Wanted to Hunt Black Bears with My Bow. My Guide Didnt Trust Me What sort of bear was this notorious outlaw? Big of course, the biggest any of us had ever seen. But not fat, as we had expected, maybe because of his age. One tusk had rotted away, likely from an injury years before. The other was a yellow stub, worn to the gum. He measured eight feet from nose to tail and dressed out (we did that job in the swamp to make it easier to drag him out) at 378 pounds. We figured his live weight at 500 and an experienced taxidermist who looked him over said he would have weighed better than 600 had he had been as fat as the average black. He was the most destructive raider in the history of our neighborhood and it had taken us three years to track him down. I dont think George Nystrom and I have ever been happier over the outcome of a hunt than we were when we drove home with our tired dogs at dark that night. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels are about to fly back into town. The 2025 Thunder over New Hampshire Air Show returns to Pease Air National Guard Base on Sept. 6 and 7, where the six powerful F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets that fly as little as 18 inches apart are expected to entertain over 80,000 people over the weekend. But, first they have to get to town, which means there is an early chance to get to see them in the air. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When exactly the Blue Angels will come to town is subject to change, but event spokesman Rob Nichols said they are expected to arrive on Tuesday. But, if you miss the arrival, there's always the show itself, which promises to be far more impressive. How to go to the Thunder over NH Air Show Admission to the air show at Pease Air National Guard Base, located at 302 Newmarket St. in Newington, is free. Premium covered and box seats have sold out. While admission is free, parking onsite requires a pass, which have sold out. But, there are other options. People can still walk, bike to or be dropped off at the air show, and there is a nearby off-site parking area at the Mall at Fox Run in Newington, where shuttles will transport people to the air show gates. Some shuttle passes are still available both days as of Aug. 28. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gates for the show open at 9 a.m. The Patriot Plaza, the aircraft on display, vendors and concessions on the runway will open about 9:30 a.m. The national anthem will be played at noon and performances begin right after that and go until about 4 p.m. both days. The gates and parking lots close at 5 p.m. The air show takes place rain or shine. Who are air show performers joining the Blue Angels at Pease? The Blue Angels will be joined by the Marines' C-130 Fat Albert, the Air Force's F-35 Lightning II Team, KC-46A Pegasus, UH-60 Blackhawk, U.S. Para Commandos, JackAces P-51 Demo, Michael Goulian, Smoke-N-Thunder Jet Car and the Third Strike Wingwalking team. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Blue Angels coming to NH for air show. Here's when they're expected Aug. 31The new Blue Dog Books in historic Springboro is off to a strong start with a grand opening celebration coming later this month. The women-owned independent bookstore at 245 S. Main St., which has been open for about a month, will have its first book signing from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday. Dayton author Amy Tackett will sign copies of her haunting new thriller, "The Launch." Owners Deb Covey and Josee Coyle, both of Springboro, share the philosophy that a bookstore should be an inviting, inclusive gathering place for people of all ages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bookstore plans to host book clubs, young adult events, singles events, book signings, writing workshops and crafts and other activities in addition to private events such as baby showers and children's birthday parties. On the shelves are books for young children, young adults, adult fiction, including mystery, romance and thriller, as well as biographies, business, self improvement and more. Gift items include apparel and totes featuring the store logo or dog mascot Booker. Each book was hand-selected by Covey, who retired in June as an elementary teacher in Springboro Schools and previously worked as a buyer for bookstores, including the former Books & Co. in Kettering. "This is a very curated collection, and it's because of her love and passion for all of the literary genres," Coyle said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Customers can order any book not on the shelves, and can order through their website, bluedogbooks.com, to have books shipped directly to their homes. A grand opening celebration is from 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 21, featuring complimentary little bites and a few surprises. So far owners Covey and Coyle have had their own surprise involving the popularity of cookbooks. "I thought everyone would get the recipes online," Covey said. "That's not true. They want cookbooks. They come in, they look at the cookbooks, and they buy them." Both owners have always loved books, and when Covey told her family she wanted to open a bookstore, they wanted her to get a partner. A friend told her about a former student, Coyle, who always wanted to have a bookstore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pair met at Lovely's Farm Market in Springboro, found they had a lot of similar ideas and hatched their plan. Their space in the heart of the city is the former site of Magnolias on Main boutique and before that the Brass Pig Tea Room. Built in 1837, it was Springboro's first mercantile. With Springboro one of Ohio's busiest stops on the Underground Railroad, the building also was connected to a tunnel that reportedly went back to the town founder's house. The owners said they love the building's background and plan to work with the historical society on a local history section at the store. They chose the color blue because Springboro is long associated with the color blue and it's a calming color, Covey said. Also, Coyle said the color blue can be light and happy or stormy and sad, so that its versatility allows it be many different things at once. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think that also really ties itself to the store because we are a space for everyone," she said. A lot of bookstores have animals in their names, and dogs make good reading buddies, Covey said. First though, Covey said she had to reach out to the family of George Rodrigue, a southwest Louisiana artist known for his series "The Blue Dog," to get permission to use the name. "The family was very kind ... they said 'if you want to (use the name) that's fine, that's great because we don't have a bookstore. We have coffee shops and we have diners and everything else,'" Covey said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Store hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The bookstore also is open during Springboro festivals. Other upcoming events this month: Coffee 101 and tasting from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 14 with ContempoRoas Coffee and Roastery. A limited number of $10 tickets are available. Author signing with Katrina Kittle from 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 25. Kittle will be signing copies of her latest novel, "Morning in This Broken World." For more information, visit bluedogbooks.com or call 513-320-4141. BLUEFIELD Bluefields popular Almost Heaven swing has received a facelift. Crews have been working this week to pressure wash and restore the original shine of the swing, which is located at East River Mountains historic overlook. Landscaping work around the swing also was completed Friday by Mountain State Tree Service and Landscaping, according to Jamie Null, executive director of the Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Almost Heaven Swing was placed on top of the scenic overlook two years ago by the West Virginia Department of Tourism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Null said thousands of visitors and local residents have enjoyed the Almost Heaven swing since it was installed at the East River Mountain Overlook in 2023. So the Mercer County CVB placed this swing on top of East River Mountain Overlook with the city of Bluefields permission, Null said. But one of the things the CVB has to do is maintain that swing, and we were very happy to do that. Its one of the requirements of West Virginia Tourism when you work with them on a swing, every two years you are required to keep it in top condition. Emily and Jim Bliss of Athens, Ga., were at the East River Mountain overlook visiting Bluefield Friday as Null oversaw a media event at the Almost Heaven Swing. Null thanked them for visiting the area and shared the history of the Almost Heaven Swing with the couple. Jim Bliss is originally from Bluefield, and the two were slowly making their way to Fayetteville, and had planned to stop at Pipestem State Park as well. Its beautiful, Emily Bliss said of the Almost Heaven swing and the East River Mountain overlook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bliss said it was the first time shes seen the Almost Heaven Swing on East Mountain Mountain. Weve been married for almost 35 years, Emily Bliss said. He (Jim) has frequented the area. Null said the swing was pressure washed and restained by Mountain State Tree Service and Landscaping. They have been great to work with, Null said. And they are very excited about this project to work on kind of an iconic tourism destination with East River Mountain Overlook. And then we wanted to go the extra mile. The swing had gotten so much extra use folks had kind of digged a hole with their feet. We wanted to fill that in so we wanted to add a little bit of landscaping just to heighten the beauty really of the spot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Null said data from the city shows that thousands upon thousands of visitors have enjoyed the Almost Heaven Swing in Bluefield since it was installed in 2023. Ive just seen so many photos on social media of family reunion pictures up here, engagement pictures, Null said. You know people come up here and use this swing and this overlook to mark special occasions. I feel like it is fitting and it is something we wanted to do to beautify that to make sure it stays in top condition. Felicia Holcomb, executive assistant to Bluefield City Manager Cecil Marson, joined Null at the overlook Friday to mark the completion of the swing upgrades. They are just beautifying the swing and making it more uplifting and a more wonderful experience for visitors and folks who come and enjoy the swing, Holcomb said. We are working on trying to uplift the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holcomb said the view of Bluefield from the East River Mountain Overlook and the Almost Heaven Swing is unbelievable. This is just picture perfect, and I cant wait to see the finished product, Holcomb said. Null said the East River Mountain Overlook in Bluefield shares a unique statewide history. I think it is really important the swing is here because East River Mountain Overlook was the first West Virginia Welcome Center, Null said. So before Interstate 77, folks would come over the top of the mountain, and a welcome center, gift shop and the Ridge Runner waited for them here. And those things are gone now, and thats OK. I think the swing kind of just makes this place a little more historical. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decades ago, motorists traveling between Mercer County and Bland County, Va., used the old U.S. Route 52 highway going up East River Mountain. A visitor information center, the East River Mountain Craft Shop and the Ridge Runner miniature train at the overlook served those travelers at the time. The visitor center and its attractions were later closed, and the Ridge Runner was moved, after the East River Mountain Tunnel and Interstate 77 were constructed. The Ridge Runner is currently located at city park in Bluefield. Null said the Almost Heaven swing has helped to increase Mercer Countys visibility on social media. She said visitors are encouraged to use the hashtag #almostheaven and #visitmercerwv when posting about their experience with the swing on East River Mountain on social media. Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com The body of a man was found early on Sunday morning in a bar in the northern German port city of Hamburg. "The situation is currently unclear, we are investigating in all directions," a police spokesman told dpa. The criminal police are currently on site in the city's Hohenfelde district to assess the situation. The police said that the background of the case is completely unclear. Editors note: The video above originally aired on Aug. 26 NEW JERSEY (PIX11) Some New Jersey residents are still under a boil water advisory after two major water main breaks in Paterson, officials said. Boil water advisories have been lifted for residents in the Borough of Prospect Park and in much of Paterson, Passaic Valley Water Commission officials announced Sunday. But residents served by Manchester Utilities Authority are still expected to boil water for one minute before use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More Local News A boil water advisory is still in effect in these areas: Katz Ave Kearney St between Katz Ave and Granite Ave Granite Ave between Redwood Ave and West Broadway West Broadway between Katz Ave and Granite Ave Jasper St between Katz Ave and Granite Ave Haledon North Haledon Residents who just came out of a water advisory are advised to run faucets for 8-10 minutes before use, drain and refill hot water heaters, empty all water dispensers and ice makers, and thoroughly clean showerheads. The boil water advisory went into effect on Aug. 8, when a massive water main break near Hinchliffe Stadium left over 160,000 residents without clean water. Last week, a second large water main break was reported near North 1st Street and Arch Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Boston Police arrested two individuals on drug trafficking charges, recovering a total of 81 grams of Fentanyl. The arrests took place in the Roxbury area after officers observed a suspected drug transaction near Shawmut Avenue and North Hampton Street. Officers from the Drug Control Unit were on patrol when they noticed what they believed to be a drug transaction. They followed one of the suspects and recovered two plastic bags containing 15 grams of Fentanyl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second suspect was stopped while operating a motor vehicle in the area of Columbus Avenue and Centre Street, where officers recovered several bags of Fentanyl weighing approximately 66 grams, along with $1,642 in U.S. currency. As a result, Angel Mejia-Torres, 30, of Dorchester, and Michael Muriel-Marrero, 28, of Boston, were apprehended and taken into custody. Mejia-Torres faces charges of trafficking and distribution of Class A substances, while Muriel-Marrero is also charged with trafficking and resisting arrest. Both suspects are expected to be arraigned in Roxbury District Court. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW NEED TO KNOW A 10-year-old boy is in critical condition after a game of ding-dong-ditch went wrong The child was allegedly shot by a homeowner while partaking in the prank with friends in Houston on Aug. 30 Ding-dong-ditch revolves around ringing a doorbell and then running away before someone answers the door A 10-year-old boy is in critical condition after a common childhood prank went wrong. The child was with friends and playing ding-dong-ditch a game that revolves around ringing a doorbell and then running away before someone answers the door in Houston at approximately 11 p.m. local time on Saturday, Aug. 30, according to KHOU 11, ABC 13 and Click2Houston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While running away from one house, the homeowner allegedly opened fire at the group, hitting the young victim several times. Police were called, and the boy was rushed to the hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment, KHOU 11, ABC 13 and Click2Houston reported. Authorities have not yet publicly released the name of a suspect, but they confirmed an individual was taken into custody in relation to the incident, according to the outlets. Police were later seen dropping off a man in handcuffs at the home where the alleged shooting took place the following morning on Sunday, Aug. 31, ABC 13 and Click2Houston reported. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Authorities said an investigation into the incident is currently ongoing. They are asking anyone with information to reach out to the Houston Police Department (HPD). PEOPLE reached out to the HPD for comment on Aug. 31 but did not receive an immediate response. Read the original article on People A claim regarding an unusual manner of debate apparently practiced by ancient Persians has appeared on social media every so often. According to the claim, men in the Persian Empire would debate ideas twice, once when sober and once when drunk. An idea had to sound good in both states to be considered a good idea, social media posts claimed. The claim was made in a July 2025 Instagram post (archived) liked over 16,000 times. A May 2025 Instagram post (archived) liked more than 160,000 times said ancient Persians did this "when faced with a big decision." A similar claim made in an April 2025 Facebook post (archived) was liked nearly 5,000 times, while a July 2023 Instagram post (archived) with the claim was liked over 650,000 times. The claim was even shared as far back as in a 2013 Reddit thread (archived). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement https://www.instagram.com/p/DMveSoJTJxA/ The claim does originate with an ancient historical account of Persian culture, but that source, the writings of Herodotus, had some credibility issues that makes it impossible to know with certainty if this depiction of ancient Persian custom was accurate. The claim first appeared in Book 1 of Herodotus' "Histories," which covered Persian culture and wars between Greeks and the Persian Empire. Herodotus wrote about the ancient Persians' supposed custom of drunken debate in Chapter 133. According to a 1920 translation by A. D. Godley, Herodotus wrote: Moreover, it is their custom to deliberate about the gravest matters when they are drunk; and what they approve in their deliberations is proposed to them the next day, when they are sober, by the master of the house where they deliberate; and if, being sober, they still approve it, they act on it, but if not, they drop it. And if they have deliberated about a matter when sober, they decide upon it when they are drunk. Herodotus' reputation as an accurate historian is and was a mixed bag. Within a couple of generations after his death, he had earned a reputation as a liar. He has been called both "The Father of History" and "The Father of Lies" since ancient times. He often credited gods and other supernatural phenomena for events in his histories. However, some of his seemingly fantastical claims have since been proven true, at least in part. For example, Herodotus claimed fox-sized ants in Persia spread gold dust when digging their mounds; in 1984, a French explorer discovered a fox-sized marmot in the Himalayas that spread gold dust when digging. The Persian word for mountain ant and marmot at the time were similar, according to the explorer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much of what Herodotus recorded was told to him by other people in his travels, and while he often included commentary on whether or not he believed what others claimed to have happened he still wrote down what others reported anyway. He says as much in Chapter 152 of Book 7: "I however am bound to report that which is reported, though I am not bound altogether to believe it; and let this saying be considered to hold good as regards every narrative in the history." Herodotus traveled throughout Greece and modern-day Turkey to collect the accounts he then recorded in "Histories," and thus never traveled to Persia himself. It is therefore likely someone told him about this supposed custom, although Herodotus did not say who his source was for this particular factoid. Whatever the truth may be, Herodotus was not the only Greco-Roman historian to claim people of a foreign culture discussed important matters in this way. The Roman historian Tacitus later claimed something similar of the German barbarians in a book about the German people: In their feasts, they generally deliberate on the reconcilement of enemies, on family alliances, on the appointment of chiefs, and finally on peace and war; conceiving that at no time the soul is more opened to sincerity, or warmed to heroism. These people, naturally void of artifice or disguise, disclose the most secret emotions of their hearts in the freedom of festivity. The minds of all being thus displayed without reserve, the subjects of their deliberation are again canvassed the next day; and each time has its advantages. They consult when unable to dissemble; they determine when not liable to mistake. Sources: Evans, J. A. S. "Father of History or Father of Lies; the Reputation of Herodotus." The Classical Journal, vol. 64, no. 1, 1968, pp. 1117, www.jstor.org/stable/3296527. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Herodotus, the Histories, Book 1, Chapter 133." Tufts.edu, www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D133. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025. Kierstead, Raymond. "Herodotus and the Invention of History." Reed Magazine, 1 Sept. 2011, www.reed.edu/reed-magazine/articles/2011/hum-lecture-kierstad.html. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025. Macaulay, G. C. "The History of Herodotus, by Herodotus Vol. 1." Www.gutenberg.org, 1890, www.gutenberg.org/files/2707/2707-h/2707-h.htm. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025. ---. "The History of Herodotus, Volume 2 by Herodotus." Www.gutenberg.org, 1890, www.gutenberg.org/files/2456/2456-h/2456-h.htm. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mark, Joshua. "Herodotus." World History Encyclopedia, 19 Oct. 2022, www.worldhistory.org/herodotus/. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025. Tacitus, Cornelius. "Elfinspell: Tacitus, Germany Part III, from the Germany and the Agricola, Tacitus, the Oxford Translation Revised with Notes, Handy Literal Translations Series, Ancient Roman History Online Text." Elfinspell.com, elfinspell.com/TacitusGermany3.html. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025. Henry County police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation spent most of Sunday morning on the scene of an officer-involved shooting just north of the city of McDonough. Channel 2s Bryan Mims could see crime scene tape and police vehicles scattered up and down Brannan Road as investigators try piecing together a timeline of what happened. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Officers told Mims the shootout happened around 8:45 in the morning. They said the call came in as a domestic dispute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators say there was a confrontation, and Greg Hamilton, 38, of McDonough, was shot during the confrontation. They said the officer wasnt injured, but the suspect was transported to a nearby hospital. TRENDING STORIES: Its the second officer-involved shooting incident in Henry County this Labor Day weekend. On Saturday, officers confronted and shot a minor who they say was involved in some sort of altercation with his mother. Stay tuned to Channel 2 Action News at 6 where we will have more information on Sundays incident. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A breakthrough discovery at the famed archaeological site of Kultepe, in Turkey, has revealed a community of private homes which remained concealed during decades of work, Turkey Today reported. 77 Years of Excavation Kultepe, with a history extending back over 6,000 years, is known as the origin of Anatolian history. This excavation, having begun in 1948, is one of the countrys longest-running archaeological endeavors. The relatively small homes unearthed from the main mound predate the emigration of Assyrian businessmen into the community, which contests previous beliefs that only palatial residences stood in Kultepe during that time. "This shows Kultepe has been a major center not only during the Assyrian merchants' time but long before, from around 6,000 years ago," explained Fikri Kulakoglu, who led the excavation. Kulakoglu called the discovery "a new event" for his team. The more modest private residences display a more advanced urban planning than other areas in the same settlement, which could indicate a social hierarchy amongst residents. Researchers believe its most likely that the homes belonged to town administrators, craftsmen, and other respected professionals who worked erecting the monuments for which Kultepe is largely known. Further Excavations to Be Conducted Inside Homes Researchers say the houses reveal much more about the communitys rituals and daily lives than was previously recorded. The comingling of monumental residences with smaller dwellings suggests a much more intricate social chain than was thought to exist during this period. Further excavations into the homes themselves will hopefully reveal more details about Anatolians daily rituals, social hierarchies, and economic practices at one of the countrys most prominent historical sites. This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. TUSCULUM, Tenn. (WJHL) Tusculum University announced it completed a new bridge that leads to its Nature Trail after the trails former bridge was damaged by Hurricane Helene. A news release from Tusculum said the school received a state grant of approximately $30,000 that allowed the university to replace its former bridge with a new, larger bridge that features enhanced accessibility. Tusculum said the Tennessee State Museum administered the funding, which also provided the means to remove fallen trees from that area of the trail, also caused by Helenes destruction in September 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Bagel Exchange wins Tri-Cities Best Bagels According to the release, when Helene struck, the original bridge near the Doak House Museum was severely impacted when an oak tree fell and hit another line of trees, which all fell onto the bridge. The foundation of that bridge lifted around 12 inches and turned the structure at an angle, the release states. The destruction prevented entry to the trail, and the space was closed for around three weeks until students and faculty members built and installed a temporary bridge nearby. The grant from the state this summer allowed the university to finally construct a new, permanent bridge and hire professional tree-cutting crews to clear some remaining large felled trees. Were grateful to the state for providing the grant to provide an optimal entry point near the Doak House with the new bridge and address trees that fell on the former one, said Dr. Peter Noll, professor of public history and museum studies, in the release. The trails accessibility is even greater, and people should come and use it even more than they already have been. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will be extremely easy for people to walk or push a stroller over this bridge, Dr. Noll said. We are extraordinarily happy with the new bridge and know those who walk the trail will be pleased with it as well. Ghost stories and haunting history at annual Graveyard Tales Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculums president, said in the release that the trail is a key amenity for the university and the broader community. A bonus of the newly-built bridge is that its larger and has no stairs to access it, making it more accessible for those with limited mobility. The trail is a wonderful place for our faculty, staff and students to enjoy some downtime, he said. We are also thrilled that many people in the community are using the trail, which gives them another opportunity to experience the beauty of our campus. The trail has been a great civic engagement initiative by our faculty, staff and students and increased visibility of our historic Doak House Museum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the university, the trail itself was first opened in 2021 after crews spent the year clearing paths. Since then, the trails upkeep has been a primary project for Tusculum students participating in the annual Nettie Fowler McCormick Service Day. The Nature Trail begins at the Doak House Museum, 690 Erwin Hwy, and runs through a swath of woods that leads to the schools Paul E. Hayden Educational Wetland. The trail features some forks in the path that lead visitors to other areas, like along College Creek. A full round-trip on the trail spans approximately one mile, the university said. The trail is open during daylight hours every day of the year. Those with questions about the trail or those interested in helping with trail maintenance can email Dr. Noll at pnoll@tusculum.edu. Tusculum University students show the new bridge. Tusculum University students stand on the new bridge. They are, left to right, Sage Clapp, Kyra Klouzek, Mirissa Walters, AnnaLee Simpson and Rusty Thompson. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. It has been called the cesspit of the internet. The message board 4chan a galaxy of memes, pornography and politics has become notorious for a blend of casual racism, bigotry and worse. The site has been repeatedly linked to mass shootings in the US, while also being accused of helping to radicalise impressionable young men. Theres little doubt that picking a fight with 4chan isnt for the faint-hearted with members of the anonymous community having already waged war on high-profile targets such as the Church of Scientology, Hillary Clinton, and Shia LaBeouf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So when Ofcom, the communications regulator tasked with enforcing Britains new online safety laws, launched an investigation into the website earlier this year, officials might have known what the response might have been. This week, 4chan and Kiwifarms, another US website famous for harassment campaigns, filed a lawsuit against Ofcom in the US courts over claims that the regulator is seeking to illegally censor Americans free speech. The lawsuit describes Ofcom as an official censor of the British state and of seeking to undermine the First Amendment, part of the US constitution protecting freedom of speech. Meanwhile, Ofcom has said 4chan executives are at risk of prison, or huge fines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The battle now promises to be a test case of Britains ability to police the web under its ambitious and controversial online safety laws. It also threatens to further strain the relationship between Sir Keir Starmers government and the Trump administration, which has repeatedly made clear it is wholly opposed to foreign interference with its companies. The companys defenders argue that while many may find 4chan unpalatable, Ofcoms demands for the site to monitor more illegal content are an unjustified crackdown on an overseas company with no British presence. While often at the centre of controversy, 4chan has been an undeniable part of internet culture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The site was set up in 2003 by Christopher Poole, a then-15-year-old American who wanted an English-language version of a Japanese anime message board. The site is completely anonymous, to the point where users cannot even register accounts. This leads to a no-holds-barred conversational style in which slurs and gory images sit alongside active everyday discussions of video games, comics and music. Moderation is largely limited to issues that are strictly illegal, such as child abuse images. The site has produced many parts of mainstream internet culture, from lolcats, the adorable kitty images that flooded the web in the mid 2000s; to rickrolling, in which pranksters purport to provide a helpful link that turns out to be the music video for Rick Astleys Never Gonna Give You Up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The site also became famous for repeatedly hijacking web competitions, such as flooding a poll to choose Justin Biebers next concert in an attempt to send the pop star to Pyongyang, and sending Taylor Swift to a school for deaf children (she instead donated to the school). In 2015, 4chan was bought by Hiroyuki Nishimura, a Japanese entrepreneur who is famous in his home country but rarely talks about his ownership of the site. Breeding grounds for radicalisation However, the website has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years after it was repeatedly cited as a potential inspiration for mass shootings and conspiracy theories. In 2022, the New York attorney general said 4chan had helped to radicalise a shooter who killed 10 black people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The anonymity offered by 4chan and platforms like it, and their refusal to moderate content in any meaningful way, ensures that these platforms are and remain breeding grounds for racist hate speech and radicalisation, they said. The site played a key role in the Pizzagate conspiracy, which accused senior Democrat politicians of taking part in a paedophile ring. Explicit AI-generated images of Taylor Swift, which spread across social media in early 2024, were also traced back to the site. In the US, internet forums receive almost total immunity for what users post, protecting sites such as 4chan. And there is no known record of the site being successfully sued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But its laissez-faire approach, lack of age verification and easily-accessible pornography have put it on a collision course with new British laws designed to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. Ofcom said in June it had opened an investigation into the sites failure to fill out a document assessing the risk of illegal content, and earlier this month told the site it faces a 20,000 fine, as well as daily 100 penalties. An American innovation 4chan has refused to respond to Ofcoms letters, and its lawyer, Preston Byrne, says it will refuse to pay any fines. Its lawsuit is seeking a declaration in the US that Ofcom has no power over the company. The complaint, filed last week, states that the internet is predominantly, an American innovation, and that Delaware, where 4chan is incorporated, declared itself independent of British authority on June 15, 1776. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Byrne said: We fought a war with the UK over this, this exact issue, whether Americans were free to express their minds and live their lives free from parliamentary interference. The UK Parliament would like to reverse that. And thats, thats, thats not going to fly in the US. An Ofcom spokesman said: We are aware of this lawsuit. Under the Online Safety Act, any service that has links with the UK now has duties to protect UK users, no matter where in the world it is based. The Act does not, however, require them to protect users based anywhere else in the world. If 4chan refuses to pay fines, as Byrne says the company will, Ofcom can eventually seek business disruption measures that can include forcing internet providers to block the site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That would, however, add fuel to claims that the Online Safety Act is a tool of censorship, as well as drawing the attention of the White House. Byrne says officials from the Trump administration have already been in touch, asking for information. Blocking the site from Britains internet would risk the US presidents ire. But failing to do so could make the UKs new internet laws look toothless. Ofcom may be about to find out what many internet users have known for years: picking a fight with 4chan is a dangerous move. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Jackie Brown-Cockerham in front of The Willow School, the site of the former Alcee Fortier High School, on August 27, 2025. Brown-Cockerham, who taught at Alcee Fortier High School, was among the thousands of public school employees who were fired in the months following Hurricane Katrina. Credit: (Photo by Christiana Botic/Verite News and CatchLight Local/Report for America) NEW ORLEANS When Billie Dolce heard a storm was coming in August 2005, she gathered up the papers she thought she would need for the upcoming school year learning plans tailored for her special education students at Colton Middle School on St. Claude Avenue, and her classroom attendance rolls. But she never had a chance to take roll call. Hurricane Katrina and the flooding caused by the failure of the federal levee system devastated the city, shutting down New Orleans schools and scattering students, teachers and their families. Months later, the Orleans Parish School Board fired Dolce and all 7,500 other public school employees, and Dolce never taught again at Colton. The papers she had safeguarded from the hurricane sat among her belongings for the next 20 years, until her husband finally burned them in their backyard this summer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The firings signaled a drastic shift for public education in the city and for the educators who made up its workforce. In the months following the storm, the state of Louisiana would take over most of New Orleans public school district, rebuilding and reshaping it into what would eventually become the countrys first all-charter school system. Teachers like Dolce looked on as the schools that had long anchored the citys neighborhoods, and the identities of the citys people, changed names and changed hands. The charter system did away with attendance zones, sending children to schools outside of their own neighborhoods. Schools were once under a traditional accountability system overseen by publicly elected school board officials. Now, unelected, nonprofit charter boards made decisions for individual schools. They broke us down, said Dolce, now 73. Everything. Not just Katrinas damage to homes and lives, but peoples careers, their idea of how they wanted to plan. Those who supported the new system cited the poor pre-Katrina performance of the more than 100 city schools that were subsequently moved under state control, along with the school districts troubled finances, as reasons for the takeover, or reform, as they called it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the following years, the reformers pointed to sustained gains in a wide range of student outcomes, including better test scores and college entry rates, as signs of their success. Still, the mass terminations had consequences, veteran educators and community leaders say: for the citys Black middle class, for its teachers union, and for the classroom experiences of its students. Seasoned educators walked away from their careers in New Orleans, feeling disempowered by the reforms, which effectively dismantled the labor power of teachers in the city. The makeup of the citys educators became whiter and younger, with programs like Teach for America bringing in teachers with less experience, often fresh out of college. It was devastating, said Beverly Wright, an environmental justice scholar whose uncle was a retired teacher at the time of the storm. It was destabilizing for the whole community. For New Orleans in particular, it literally lit a match to the middle class of this city. So much of the wealth that we had came out of working in the public school system. Now, two decades after the storm, Verite News spoke with more than a dozen educators to understand how the firings shaped their lives. Billie Dolce stands in front of KIPP Leadership Academy, formerly the Charles J. Colton School where she taught for several decades before Hurricane Katrina, in New Orleans on Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Christiana Botic/Verite News and CatchLight Local/Report for America) Dolce was the department chair for special ed at Colton, where she had worked for three decades. She was the kind of teacher who recognized the needs of her students and worked to fulfill them. She decorated her classroom with abandon, incorporated washboards and clothing lines into lessons about the water cycle, and brought in pomegranates and kiwis for children whod never tried them before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was following in the footsteps of generations of Black teachers in the city. The citys schools and educators reflected how the citys Black communities had valued and championed education since the Jim Crow era, said the Rev. Brenda Square, who directed the archives and library at the Amistad Research Center at the time of the storm and who later worked to document citys shift to charter schools. While some New Orleans schools still bore the names of wealthy 19th century slave owners and segregationists, others were named for Black educators and community leaders who had advocated for schools and students, like Joseph Hardin and Alfred Lawless. We had generations of people who were denied the opportunity to go to school to be educated. It was illegal to teach our ancestors to read and write. So education was our opportunity, said Square, who is Black. Teaching also served as a steady middle-class job in a city where such jobs could be hard to come by, with a salary that could help buy a house in Gentilly or New Orleans East and put money back into the local economy. By the 2004-2005 school year, teachers made an average of $38,175, according to The Times-Picayune, or about $63,000 in todays dollars. Barbara Shelby, a former school psychologist for the district who now works with Wright at the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, said the citys homegrown, veteran teachers were unique in the way they cared for their students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each school was like a family, and they nurtured the kids for generations, Shelby said. It wasnt just a job. It was a calling. I mean, they put their whole heart and soul, their blood, sweat and tears into it. Grace Lomba worked as a teacher at Alfred Lawless for 30 years and a guidance counselor at Frederick Douglass High School for eight. Inspired by her own high school guidance counselor, Lomba said she wanted to pass on her good experiences to the next generation. They just felt that they could really talk to me about anything, because they knew that whatever we talked about was private, Lomba said. We took our kids under our wings, and they trusted us, we trusted them. After the storm, Lomba retired. She missed friends and family who had left the city, she said, but most of all, she missed her students. Left: A sign reads the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams outside of the now shuttered Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. High School, which was built on site of the former Alfred Lawless High School, in the Lower Ninth Ward on Aug. 12, 2025. Right: Former teacher Grace Lomba at home in New Orleans East on Aug. 12, 2025. Lomba worked at Lawless and was among the thousands of public school employees who were fired in the months following Hurricane Katrina. (Photo by Christiana Botic/Verite News and CatchLight Local/Report for America) One of Lombas former students, Valda Ridgley, remembers Lomba being the best teacher ever. Ridgley, originally from Chicago but with ancestral roots in Louisiana, attended Alfred Lawless Junior High for the two years she lived in New Orleans, between 1978 and 1980. She was enrolled in Lombas 7th grade honors English class. Ridgley said Lomba even took her to Catholic church after Ridgley, a Baptist, said she wanted to go to church with her teacher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two have stayed in touch over the decades, supporting each other through illnesses and the deaths of loved ones. Even though its been 47 years since Ridgley was in the 7th grade, she said she will always think of Lomba as her English teacher. She didnt talk at you, like, Im the teacher, youre the student, you listen. She actually talked to us and listened to what we had to say, Ridgley said. As the young folks say today, she met us where we were. She didnt talk to us like we were imbeciles. She talked to us like we had some sense. Former teacher Grace Lomba holds a photograph of herself as a young teacher at Alfred Lawless High School in the early 1970s on Aug. 12, 2025. (Photo by Christiana Botic/Verite News and CatchLight Local/Report for America) The shared identities between students and teachers before Katrina being Black and from New Orleans helped uplift kids and remind them that they were capable, Wright said. I always knew that I could become a teacher, Wright said, because she only had Black teachers growing up. By 2005, over 70% of New Orleans public school teachers were Black. Their organizational power was concentrated in their politically influential union, the United Teachers of New Orleans. UTNOs collective bargaining agreements with the district allowed teachers to negotiate higher salaries and better benefits. The school district also had a transparent pay scale and protections that allowed teachers to stay in their careers for decades, unlike the relatively short-term placements that later became common through Teach for America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not everyone saw that power, and those protections, as a net positive. A common line of criticism by the reformers was that the union protected bad teachers along with the good, limiting student and district progress. Leslie Jacobs, a former member of both the Orleans Parish School board and the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, is often credited as one of the main architects of the New Orleans education-reform model. After Katrina, she was a hugely influential advocate of charter school expansion, and a critic of the local teachers union. In an interview, Jacobs told Verite News that before Katrina, teachers were caught in a failed system. Dismantling the collective bargaining agreement, a consequence of the turn to the all-charter system, wasnt an intentional goal of the movement, Jacobs said, and the new system never prevented teachers from unionizing within charter schools. Its a true statement that Ive never been a fan of collective bargaining, but Im not banging on the table speaking against it, Jacobs said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jacobs said well-run schools dont give teachers cause to unionize, because their grievances can be easily remedied by principals, who have more power under charter schools than traditionally run schools. In recent years, teachers within a handful of charter schools have voted to unionize, despite strong pushback from charter leadership. Wright, and many educators, see the restructuring, which shifted power away from elected officials, differently. They were really talking about Black power, the power over the school board, the power over the city, Wright said. Reformers also pointed to the school districts financial woes and its management problems, along with the low academic outcomes of many of its schools, as indicators that the system needed drastic changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And in the years leading up to the storm, the district faced increasing scrutiny, with the FBI opening a branch within the Orleans Parish School Board offices to investigate bribery charges between contractors and school board officials, leading to dozens of indictments and convictions. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Before Katrina, the states Recovery School District, established by the legislature in 2003, had already taken over a handful of the citys underperforming schools, tasking charter operations to run them. After the storm, with the citys schools effectively shut down, the state moved rapidly. Despite pushback from the teachers union and New Orleans lawmakers who pointed out that parents displaced by the storm had no say in the matter in November 2005, at the urging of Gov. Kathleen Blanco, the legislature passed a measure enabling a state takeover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new law broadened the definition of what was considered a failing school, expanding it to include any school with performance scores below state average but applied that new definition only to Orleans Parish schools. Shortly after, the Recovery School District took over 102 out of 117 city schools. By the end of the same month, New Orleans school board officials said that as a result, they would have to fire and terminate health insurance for 7,500 furloughed workers. Teachers, like other residents of the city, had scattered across the country when the storm hit. Some remembered received letters from the state informing them of their terminations. Others found out about the dissolution of the school system on the news, watching as officials dismissed thousands of New Orleans educators on television. They say terminated, I say fired, said Linda Pichon, a longtime paraprofessional at Lawrence D. Crocker Elementary. Linda Pichon, a retired paraprofessional for New Orleans public school district, at home in the Lower 9th Ward on Aug. 3, 2025. Pichon was among the thousands of public school employees who were fired in the months following Hurricane Katrina. (Photo by Christiana Botic/Verite News and CatchLight Local/Report for America) With the loss of their jobs came the loss of health care and income. Family members who relied on that income and coverage suffered, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jackie Brown-Cockerham was in a Texas hospital when she found out shed lost her job. She was there with her daughter, who was having stomach pains, but the insurance card that she had wasnt working because she was no longer recognized as an employee. OK, so what am I supposed to do for my child? Brown-Cockerham remembered thinking as her daughter sat waiting for care. Teachers who stayed saw their coworkers leave the city for good, often finding better-paying jobs in the places where theyd evacuated, west to Texas and east to Atlanta. Still, some educators chose to work for the Recovery School District, taking a test mandated by the districts superintendent to get rehired. Yvonne Guice, who had taught pre-K at Crocker before the storm, was one of those who returned in 2006. Now, Guice found herself with 27 preschoolers in one classroom, trying to balance lesson plans with the needs of students who had lived through the storm. When it rained, the children gathered around Guice and cried. They wouldnt let her turn off the lights during naptime. You dont know what they went through, you dont know what happened, and so you just took it as it came, Guice said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the fall of 2007, about half of the fired New Orleans teachers had returned to work in Louisiana public schools in Orleans Parish and elsewhere, according to the Education Research Alliance. By 2013, just 22% of the fired teachers were still teaching in New Orleans, with an attrition rate higher than other districts affected by the hurricane. Educators said that the leaders of charter school reform had villainized teachers, often laying the blame on them for a lack of resources and the districts shortcomings. The least popular cause in town right now must be the resistance of some teachers and their union to the chartering of public schools, declared James Gill in a November 2005 column for the Times-Picayune. Indeed, there is so little sympathy for teachers who feel hard done-by that they might be well advised to pipe down, Gill wrote. After all, some of them must share responsibility for the shortcomings of a system that has long cried out for the kind of radical overhaul now in the offing. (Gill died in 2024.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every ill that the system was going through was the teachers fault, said Cynthia Jordan, who taught at William O. Rodgers and John A. Shaw elementaries before the storm and later worked for the RSD. Charter advocates argued that the job security and protections offered to teachers by the union and district didnt help students. At a charter, we all have to perform to keep our jobs, said Sharon Clark, the director and principal of Sophie B. Wright High School in a 2012 report. If teachers at Wright do not perform, I can free up their future to do something else. Let us know what you think... A couple weeks after Katrina made landfall in Louisiana, the New Orleans school board held a meeting in Baton Rouge, where several board members attempted to replace then-superintendent Ora Watson with Bill Roberti, one of the consultants with the New York firm Alvarez and Marsal, which had been brought on to rectify the districts financial woes before the storm. The vote was split down racial lines, with the boards three Black members defeating the effort that day. One of those members, the Rev. Torin Sanders, told the Times-Picayne that the effort, which wouldve demoted Watson, who is Black, in favor of Roberti, who is white, was clearly racially motivated. Both he and Watson have suggested state education superintendent Cecil Picard was behind the move. (Picard died in 2007.) The state superintendent couldnt stand me, Watson said in an interview. He wanted me out of there because he wanted his plan in. The meeting alarmed some of the boards observers including a group of principals and their attorney, Willie Zanders, who huddled afterward to talk about what had just happened. That day, the school board also voted to place all district employees on disaster leave. Zanders and the principals began to sense a shift in power. So were meeting at the coffee shop, and were discussing this, and the leaders of the principal group said, We need to consider going to court to stop this, Zanders recalled. Zanders and the principals challenge evolved into a yearslong court fight on behalf of all 7,500 fired employees including more than 4,000 teachers, along with paraprofessionals, counselors, bus drivers, and others over whether their firings had been legal. In 2012, a district court ruled in favor of the teachers, finding that the school board had wrongly terminated them. An appeals court again sided with the educators, with damages estimated at $1.5 billion, a figure that could have bankrupted the district. The school board appealed the case up to the states highest court, which ruled against the teachers, and the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately refused to hear the case in 2015. I think this whole charter school transition has avoided putting the microscope on human lives that have been impacted and affected by this drive for change, Zanders said in an interview, reflecting on the case. Before the storm, it wasnt uncommon for teachers to have personal connections with their students. Living in the same neighborhoods, they might have known a students aunt or parent before the child came into their classroom or even to have taught that parent. There was a standard you expected of your teacher, and there was a standard your teacher expected of you, Jordan said. I lived in the community with my students. Lawrence D. Crocker College Prep, a charter school built on the site of the former Lawrence D. Crocker School, in New Orleans on Aug. 25, 2025. (Photo by Christiana Botic/Verite News and CatchLight Local/Report for America) Educators said that the loss of district schools disrupted the communal and economic fabric of Black neighborhoods, and took power away from citizens living in them. Now, decisions about how schools are run are determined by charter operators, each run by a private board unimpeded by the democratic process. For formerly unionized teachers, that amounts to less accountability over administrators. We have no control over charter schools, Wright said. The people on the board, half of us dont know who they are, but that system has been removed from us, and our children are suffering because of the lack of participation of Black people in the system. Last year, OPSB discussed running more direct-run schools when it took over the failing Lafayette Academy, a charter school, to open the public district-run Leah Chase School the first new traditional school it had opened since the storm. But more recently, the current New Orleans public schools superintendent expressed caution against opening more schools, given the districts decreasing enrollment numbers and financial difficulties. Most of the educators Verite News spoke with expressed deep distrust towards charter schools and their leadership hierarchies, even if they returned to work in the new system. Pichon, a longtime paraprofessional, was first recruited into the job by a principal when she was vice-president of the parent-teachers organization for her childrens school, Thomas Alva Edison Elementary. She spent the next three decades working mostly at Crocker. Pichon was wary of the newcomers, people who hadnt spent their lives teaching. In the turmoil following the storm, she chose not to return to the classroom. Drop of a hat, theyll let you go, Pichon said. The splintered system also made it hard for the United Teachers of New Orleans to reorganize following the storm. Instead of negotiating contracts with one authority, OPSB, they now have to unionize and negotiate under dozens of different charter operators. UTNOs presence, which once defined the district, is now limited to five unionized schools. Some educators decided to stay with UTNO, even without a contract, to retain certain union benefits. After the storm, the American Federation of Teachers the national organization under which UTNO organized tried to rebuild the union and recruit teachers. Lomba worked with the union to try to get veteran teachers to rejoin the union, but organizing was a big task, because most of our people were not here, she said. Left: Lawrence D. Crocker College Prep, formerly the Lawrence D. Crocker School, in New Orleans on Aug. 25, 2025. Right: Pichon at home in the Lower 9th Ward on Aug. 3, 2025. Before Hurricane Katrina, Linda Pichon worked as a paraprofessional at Crocker. (Photo by Christiana Botic/Verite News and CatchLight Local/Report for America) Other educators said that without the power of a union backing them during disputes, they were hesitant to go back into the classroom. Dolce had always tried to advocate for her students and her colleagues, even when it meant pushing back against administrative decisions. After the storm, she heard from other teachers who had returned to the classroom and found that they could now be fired for speaking up. I knew I had not gone back for a reason, because I dont want fired to be on my legacy, Dolce said. Dolce retired after Katrina, unwilling to go through the hurdles of getting hired by the Recovery School District, though she had planned to keep teaching for several more years. Still, she stayed busy she tutored, phone-banked for the union and wrote individualized education plans for a friend who was trying to reopen Priestley Junior High, doling out her expertise when asked. She took part in the class-action lawsuit, attending court proceedings. But she found it hard to let go of Colton. After officials finished renovating the school in 2013, Dolce wanted to see how it had changed, so she contacted administrators with the charter network KIPP, which now runs a school KIPP Leadership at the old Colton building. They agreed to let her walk around. As she made her way down the familiar halls, trailed by an employee, Dolce took notice of the upgrades, like touchscreen whiteboards and nicer desks. Finally, Dolce reached her old classroom, where the walls were freshly painted and the teachers desk was in a different spot. She felt a sudden impulse to put her initials somewhere, as if she were one of her own students. Maybe under the ledge of the board, where no one would notice. But I didnt do it, Dolce said. Instead, she turned around and walked away. Left: Billie Dolces bag from her years as a teacher at Charles J. Colton School. Right: Dolce at home in New Orleans East on July 24, 2025. Dolce, who had taught for over 30 years at Colton, was among thousands of public school employees who were fired in the months following Hurricane Katrina. (Photo by Christiana Botic/Verite News and CatchLight Local/Report for America) This article first appeared on Verite News New Orleans and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) The man charged with killing his building super and shooting two neighbors died while in custody at Rikers Island, according to the Department of Corrections. The DOC said Jimmy Avila, 44, was being held at the West Facility of Rikers Island when medical emergency personnel came to his aid on Saturday. He was pronounced dead at 4:29 p.m., according to the DOC. Fifth Bronx shooting in two days has some asking for National Guard Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our hearts are heavy with the loss of an individual in our care. We mourn his passing and extend our sympathies to his loved ones, New York City Corrections Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie said in a statement. Mginley-Liddie said an investigation will be conducted. Avila, of the Bronx, was arrested and charged with murder after a deadly shooting in Claremont on Wednesday. According to police, Avila killed his 1412 College Ave building super, Ryan Hines, 37, and shot a 62-year-old man in the arm as well as a 59-year-old man in the buttocks. Sources said the feud began over access to the complex backyard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State The Legal Aid Society, which represents low-income individuals in criminal cases, claims the defense counsel found out about Avilas passing through a press release and was not contacted by the DOC. The non-profit called the action completely unacceptable. The DOC did not share the cause of death in its initial statement. Editors note: The video above aired on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. Spencer Gustafson is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered New York state and city news since 2023. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. (KRON) Interstate-280 was closed for hours and homes were briefly evacuated Saturday evening due to a brush fire burning near Canada College at 4200 Farm Hill Boulevard in San Mateo County. The fire, named the Edgewood Fire, ignited around 4:53 p.m. As of 6:51 p.m., all forward progress on the fire has been stopped, according to Cal Fires San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit. A brush fire burning near Canada College on Aug. 30, 2025. (AlertCalifornia) The fire is estimated to have burned 10 acres. Video of the fire shows people evacuating the area in cars as the fire burned near Canada College Saturday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters and law enforcement briefly evacuated 10 homes in the area of Laning Drive and Canada Road in Woodside shortly after 6 p.m. However, there are no evacuation orders in place. Both sides of I-280 are now reopened in the area, according to the the California Highway Patrol. The fire was started by a vehicle fire caused by a mechanical issue, CHP stated on social media. The vehicle fire spread to nearby grass, igniting the brush fire. At least 15 fire engines, two water tenders, multiple fixed-wing aircraft, one helicopter, a firefighting hand crew and a dozer were dispatched to the fire. Verizon customers affected by nationwide outage Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KRON4 will update this story when more information is available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A block party to encourage residents to make positive connections in the community was held on Saturday at Parcel 5. Building Bridges Not Walls was organized by Waging War Ministries. The event provided a space for community members to connect and unite regardless of backgrounds and ages. Todays event is really to tear down all of the walls thats been in this city for years, and know that its bridges, theres people out here that care, and we want to assist you and aid you in any way possible. We want to do life with people, said organizer Dane Kemp. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attendees were provided free food and refreshments, games, face painting, a kids zone, live music, and outreach giveaways. Waging War Ministries is located on 1261 Dewey Avenue in Rochester and is led by Pastor Jaquema Jones. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. The Arkansas Economic Development Commission has been busy on the world stage representing the Natural State. Capitol View host Roby Brock met with AEDC Executive Director Clint ONeal to discuss his recent trips to Israel and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the bridges being built to achieve a greater impact for the state. Roby then talks with Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist John Brummett to talk about a host of political issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Capitol View airs on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Mo. Little Flower Catholic Church hosted a celebration for its 100th anniversary on Saturday evening, with hundreds in attendance, including Ballwin native and New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan. I was only 35 years old when I came here, and I loved it, Dolan said. I flourished, I said this is what Ive always wanted to be, a parish priest, you know, to be close to Gods people, to the kids, to the elders, to the school. According to the Archdiocese website, Dolan was named Archbishop of New York by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009. He had served as Archbishop of Milwaukee, appointed to the position by Pope Saint John Paul II on June 25, 2002. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dolan said he was honored to be a part of the anniversary celebration held in Richmond Heights, where he served the community and parish for two years. Gov. Mike Kehoe rescinds picks on SLMPD Board People were together, they knew one another, they loved one another, they grew up together, look, they come back here, this is a neighborhood where people stick around, Dolan said. Cardinal Dolan served as chairman of Catholic Relief Services and is a member of the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America. While Dolan admired the unity in the community in Richmond Heights, he said there is an absence of it around our country, following the shooting in a Minneapolis, MN, catholic school earlier this week that killed two and injured 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a sense of isolation. Now. People feel alone. They feel by themselves. They dont feel connected. It cant happen in a parish like this, cant happen in the neighborhood like this. We need to revive that, Dolan said. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Dolan participated in the Conclave that elected Pope Francis in March 2013. He also participated in the Conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV in May 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Work has begun on a new state park along the Catawba River, with Duke Energy initiating the project this summer near Great Falls, South Carolina. ALSO READ: Fatal collision on I-40 West claims life of 22-year-old in Catawba County The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism has requested funding to develop the site, and Chester County is actively preparing for the project. Rezoning requests for Duke Energy-owned properties are set to be reviewed by the county planning commission on Sept. 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The planning commission will consider zoning changes for six properties that total more than 800 acres. These properties include the approximately 500-acre Dearborn Island, also known as Big Island, located between Great Falls and the Stumpy Pond Access Area in Lancaster County, and the over 300-acre Mountain Island situated just north of it. Read more here. VIDEO: 2 killed, including juvenile, in early-morning crash; driver charged in Catawba County A nurse gives an MMR vaccine at the Utah County Health Department on April 29, 2019, in Provo, Utah. The vaccine is 97% effective against measles when two doses are administered. (George Frey/Getty Images) Dr. Rana Alissa hears it daily in her practice. Its better for my kid to get the virus than get the vaccine. The more you [doctors] vaccinate, the more money you get. I did not vaccinate any of my kids, and Im not going to vaccinate this one. So, please, dont waste your time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Jacksonville, Florida, pediatrician said on average, shed hear vaccine skepticism from a couple of parents a month, at most, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, its every day, said Alissa, who is also president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Medical experts say hesitancy is likely to increase further as a result of misinformation pouring from the Trump administration and turmoil at the federal agency largely responsible for setting vaccine policy. On Thursday, three top officials were escorted out of the Atlanta headquarters of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All three officials resigned to protest the effort by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to dismiss CDC Director Susan Monarez for pushing back against Kennedys vaccine policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the officials, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDCs National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, posted on X that hes resigning because the intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines will cause the nation to suffer. Earlier this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration restricted access to updated COVID-19 shots. The new rules include limitations for young children that the American Academy of Pediatrics called deeply troubling. The FDA only approved COVID-19 vaccines for people who are 65 and older and those who are known to be at risk for a severe case. Consultation with a medical provider will be required before the shot is given to healthy children under 18, meaning parents cant simply take their kids to a vaccination clinic or pharmacy. In June, Kennedy ousted all 17 members of the vaccine advisory committee at the CDC, replacing them with some members who are vaccine skeptics. Many states use the committees recommendations to develop their vaccine requirements. And in May, Kennedy rescinded recommendations for kids to get vaccinated against COVID-19. In his books, experts say, Kennedy appears to promote his own version of miasma theory, an obsolete belief dating back to ancient times that diseases are caused by vapors from rotting organic matter. Scientists have since proven that microbes, not bad air, cause infectious diseases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts say Kennedys actions are likely to make vaccination rates worse, paving the way for more outbreaks. Every vaccine that we give prevents a serious and life-threatening disease, New York pediatrician Dr. Jesse Hackell, chair of the Committee on Pediatric Workforce at the American Academy of Pediatrics, told Stateline. I dont want to force anybody, but I do want to make sure that the information theyre getting is quality information and thats not what is coming from HHS. Nonmedical exemptions Every state requires kids to get certain shots to attend school. All states exempt children who cant be immunized for medical reasons, but nonmedical exemptions for religious or personal reasons vary from state to state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vaccination rates among kids are declining. Flu vaccinations, for example, hit their lowest rate since 2019. And since the beginning of the pandemic, exemption requests have increased across the country. Among kindergarteners, nonmedical exemptions have increased each year since 2020, from 1.9% in the first year of the pandemic to 3.4% in the 2024-25 school year, according to the latest data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Exemptions increased in 36 states and Washington, D.C. Seventeen states reported exemption rates over 5%. The changes may seem small. But experts say even slight increases in exemptions and decreases in vaccinations make a big difference. With a disease thats as infectious as measles small increases in vaccination rates could really go a long way, epidemiologist Sophia Newcomer, a University of Montana associate professor, said in a recent panel discussion hosted by Montana Families for Vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alissa and other experts say rampant confusion around the shots, including federal officials casting doubt, is exacerbating the problem. Often, parents arent sure whom they can trust, finding conflicting information and unreliable sources, she said. [Parents] come to our clinic and the hospitals and they say, We looked it up, and we just dont want it, she said. Theres different kinds of reasoning: the ingredients of the vaccine, the side effects of the vaccine, vaccines dont work. But research consistently shows vaccines protect children from serious illness. Shots also protect the most vulnerable who cant get vaccinated, such as babies who are too young, or children and adults who are immunocompromised. Babies up to age 2 are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, making up the most hospitalizations among kids. Ultimately, Alissa said, We are endangering each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Florida, where Alissa practices, religious exemptions have increased monthly, according to a state report that tracked the numbers through April. Some counties have higher rates of children with religious exemptions than others, ranging from about 1.5% to 15%, the state department of health reported. Among kindergarteners in the state, the rate of nonmedical exemptions rose from 2.7% in the 2020-21 school year to 4.8% in the 2024-25 school year, CDC data shows. Five states California, Connecticut, Maine, New York and West Virginia dont allow nonmedical exemptions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Two West Virginia families with immunocompromised kids brought lawsuits over Republican Gov. Patrick Morriseys January executive order mandating religious exemptions despite state law. Kennedy defended religious exemptions and endorsed the governors order in a post on X. His agency also sent letters to West Virginia health departments warning of civil rights violations if they dont allow such exemptions. Theres a ton of variability across states in how easy it is to not get vaccinated, Newcomer, of the University of Montana, said. Some states require parental vaccine education as part of the exemption request while others dont. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Increased exemptions needs to be fought at every level working to make sure theres access, to make sure that theres good information, and to make sure that theres strong policy at the state level, so that people arent exploiting exemption loopholes, Northe Saunders, American Families for Vaccines president, said during the panel discussion. Other vaccines Doctors are worried that other vaccines will be targeted by the Trump administration, such as those for whooping cough. By April, preliminary CDC data showed more than 9,000 cases this year, about twice as many compared with the same time last year and more than there were right before the pandemic. Whooping cough, or pertussis, can be deadly for babies. Vaccines help prevent severe whooping cough illness. Hackell said that when he was training in the 1970s, there were no pneumococcal and haemophilus vaccines. Babies would come in with 104-degree fevers and they were immediately tested for the infections, he recalled. For babies under age 2, those bacterial infections can show up as only a high fever, but the infection can rapidly turn fatal without treatment, he told Stateline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I trained, we didnt have these vaccines, and these kids kept us up at night, Hackell said. I never want to practice in those days. I never want to go back to that. To me, that is unacceptable to submit my patients to those risks that weve been able to reduce. This week the FDA removed one of the available COVID-19 vaccines for young children, limiting the Spikevax vaccine to only kids with at least one serious health issue. Modernas shot is still available for children 6 months and older. Pfizers shot is no longer available for kids under 5, as the FDA is ending its emergency use authorization for the age group. But the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends COVID-19 shots for children 6 months to 2 years. It also recommends them for older children with underlying health issues. Healthy children whose parents want them to get the shot should also be offered them, the AAP says. Hackell is concerned by the FDAs new limitations on the shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a parent, as a grandparent and as a physician who takes care of vulnerable kids, it disgusts me, Hackell said. Hes also concerned about vulnerable kids who get their shots through the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, which covers shots if parents cant afford them and follows federal vaccine advisory recommendations. If youre covered by VFC, which is basically kids on Medicaid and a few other populations, then youre out of luck, Hackell said. To me, thats a huge inequity in access to care, which is indefensible. He added that the move breaks with the administrations emphasis on individual decision-making, saying the new restrictions limit parental decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Normalization of outbreaks During the Montana panel discussion, Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, pointed to CDC data showing that over the past year alone, about 1 in 5 children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 were put in the ICU. And between September 2023 and last August, 152 children died of COVID-19 and 213 children died of the flu. While Texas officially declared its measles outbreak over which means the state hasnt reported a new case in six weeks neighboring New Mexico continues to see new cases. What were going to see is, you know, sadly, a normalization of these outbreaks, said Rekha Lakshmanan, chief strategy officer at The Immunization Partnership, a Texas-based vaccine education organization. We need to make sure that kids are protected against the diseases that they can be protected against, because we truly are in a vulnerable state right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newcomer, the Montana epidemiologist, said that under-vaccination trends are usually due to disparities in access, such as challenges in reaching vaccine providers in rural communities. At rural health care centers lacking staff and technology, its harder to automate vaccination reminders for patients which can increase the likelihood patients show up for appointments but require technical infrastructure, she explained. Adding misinformation to the mix only makes matters worse, experts say. Parents are confused and understandably concerned, Offit told Stateline. Its the most vulnerable among us that will suffer, and that will be our children. He added that hes also wary about the federal administrations removal of data, concerned that vaccination figures will be next. Its nightmarish, he said. What worries me the most is were not going to know the degree that were suffering. Were not, because the CDC is losing its capacity to do adequate surveillance across the country. A child gets an MMR vaccine at a clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department in Lubbock, Texas, in March. States have been reporting steady increases in vaccination exemption requests for kids. (Photo by Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images) Dr. Rana Alissa hears it daily in her practice. Its better for my kid to get the virus than get the vaccine. The more you [doctors] vaccinate, the more money you get. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I did not vaccinate any of my kids, and Im not going to vaccinate this one. So, please, dont waste your time. The Jacksonville, Florida, pediatrician said on average, shed hear vaccine skepticism from a couple of parents a month, at most, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, its every day, said Alissa, who is also president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Medical experts say hesitancy is likely to increase further as a result of misinformation pouring from the Trump administration and turmoil at the federal agency largely responsible for setting vaccine policy. On Thursday, three top officials were escorted out of the Atlanta headquarters of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three officials resigned to protest the effort by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to dismiss CDC Director Susan Monarez for pushing back against Kennedys vaccine policies. One of the officials, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDCs National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, posted on X that hes resigning because the intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines will cause the nation to suffer. Earlier this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration restricted access to updated COVID-19 shots. The new rules include limitations for young children that the American Academy of Pediatrics called deeply troubling. The FDA only approved COVID-19 vaccines for people who are 65 and older and those who are known to be at risk for a severe case. Consultation with a medical provider will be required before the shot is given to healthy children under 18, meaning parents cant simply take their kids to a vaccination clinic or pharmacy. In June, Kennedy ousted all 17 members of the vaccine advisory committee at the CDC, replacing them with some members who are vaccine skeptics. Many states use the committees recommendations to develop their vaccine requirements. And in May, Kennedy rescinded recommendations for kids to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his books, experts say, Kennedy appears to promote his own version of miasma theory, an obsolete belief dating back to ancient times that diseases are caused by vapors from rotting organic matter. Scientists have since proven that microbes, not bad air, cause infectious diseases. Experts say Kennedys actions are likely to make vaccination rates worse, paving the way for more outbreaks. Every vaccine that we give prevents a serious and life-threatening disease, New York pediatrician Dr. Jesse Hackell, chair of the Committee on Pediatric Workforce at the American Academy of Pediatrics, told Stateline. I dont want to force anybody, but I do want to make sure that the information theyre getting is quality information and thats not what is coming from HHS. Nonmedical exemptions Every state requires kids to get certain shots to attend school. All states exempt children who cant be immunized for medical reasons, but nonmedical exemptions for religious or personal reasons vary from state to state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vaccination rates among kids are declining. Flu vaccinations, for example, hit their lowest rate since 2019. And since the beginning of the pandemic, exemption requests have increased across the country. Among kindergarteners, nonmedical exemptions have increased each year since 2020, from 1.9% in the first year of the pandemic to 3.4% in the 2024-25 school year, according to the latest data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Exemptions increased in 36 states and Washington, D.C. Seventeen states reported exemption rates over 5%. The changes may seem small. But experts say even slight increases in exemptions and decreases in vaccinations make a big difference. With a disease thats as infectious as measles small increases in vaccination rates could really go a long way, epidemiologist Sophia Newcomer, a University of Montana associate professor, said in a recent panel discussion hosted by Montana Families for Vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alissa and other experts say rampant confusion around the shots, including federal officials casting doubt, is exacerbating the problem. Often, parents arent sure whom they can trust, finding conflicting information and unreliable sources, she said. [Parents] come to our clinic and the hospitals and they say, We looked it up, and we just dont want it, she said. Theres different kinds of reasoning: the ingredients of the vaccine, the side effects of the vaccine, vaccines dont work. But research consistently shows vaccines protect children from serious illness. Shots also protect the most vulnerable who cant get vaccinated, such as babies who are too young, or children and adults who are immunocompromised. Babies up to age 2 are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, making up the most hospitalizations among kids. Ultimately, Alissa said, We are endangering each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Florida, where Alissa practices, religious exemptions have increased monthly, according to a state report that tracked the numbers through April. Some counties have higher rates of children with religious exemptions than others, ranging from about 1.5% to 15%, the state department of health reported. Among kindergarteners in the state, the rate of nonmedical exemptions rose from 2.7% in the 2020-21 school year to 4.8% in the 2024-25 school year, CDC data shows. We are endangering each other. Dr. Rana Alissa, Jacksonville, Fla., pediatrician and president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Five states California, Connecticut, Maine, New York and West Virginia dont allow nonmedical exemptions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Two West Virginia families with immunocompromised kids brought lawsuits over Republican Gov. Patrick Morriseys January executive order mandating religious exemptions despite state law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy defended religious exemptions and endorsed the governors order in a post on X. His agency also sent letters to West Virginia health departments warning of civil rights violations if they dont allow such exemptions. Theres a ton of variability across states in how easy it is to not get vaccinated, Newcomer, of the University of Montana, said. Some states require parental vaccine education as part of the exemption request while others dont. Increased exemptions needs to be fought at every level working to make sure theres access, to make sure that theres good information, and to make sure that theres strong policy at the state level, so that people arent exploiting exemption loopholes, Northe Saunders, American Families for Vaccines president, said during the panel discussion. Other vaccines Doctors are worried that other vaccines will be targeted by the Trump administration, such as those for whooping cough. By April, preliminary CDC data showed more than 9,000 cases this year, about twice as many compared with the same time last year and more than there were right before the pandemic. Whooping cough, or pertussis, can be deadly for babies. Vaccines help prevent severe whooping cough illness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hackell said that when he was training in the 1970s, there were no pneumococcal and haemophilus vaccines. Babies would come in with 104-degree fevers and they were immediately tested for the infections, he recalled. For babies under age 2, those bacterial infections can show up as only a high fever, but the infection can rapidly turn fatal without treatment, he told Stateline. When I trained, we didnt have these vaccines, and these kids kept us up at night, Hackell said. I never want to practice in those days. I never want to go back to that. To me, that is unacceptable to submit my patients to those risks that weve been able to reduce. This week the FDA removed one of the available COVID-19 vaccines for young children, limiting the Spikevax vaccine to only kids with at least one serious health issue. Modernas shot is still available for children 6 months and older. Pfizers shot is no longer available for kids under 5, as the FDA is ending its emergency use authorization for the age group. But the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends COVID-19 shots for children 6 months to 2 years. It also recommends them for older children with underlying health issues. Healthy children whose parents want them to get the shot should also be offered them, the AAP says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hackell is concerned by the FDAs new limitations on the shot. As a parent, as a grandparent and as a physician who takes care of vulnerable kids, it disgusts me, Hackell said. Hes also concerned about vulnerable kids who get their shots through the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, which covers shots if parents cant afford them and follows federal vaccine advisory recommendations. If youre covered by VFC, which is basically kids on Medicaid and a few other populations, then youre out of luck, Hackell said. To me, thats a huge inequity in access to care, which is indefensible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that the move breaks with the administrations emphasis on individual decision-making, saying the new restrictions limit parental decisions. Normalization of outbreaks During the Montana panel discussion, Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, pointed to CDC data showing that over the past year alone, about 1 in 5 children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 were put in the ICU. And between September 2023 and last August, 152 children died of COVID-19 and 213 children died of the flu. While Texas officially declared its measles outbreak over which means the state hasnt reported a new case in six weeks neighboring New Mexico continues to see new cases. What were going to see is, you know, sadly, a normalization of these outbreaks, said Rekha Lakshmanan, chief strategy officer at The Immunization Partnership, a Texas-based vaccine education organization. We need to make sure that kids are protected against the diseases that they can be protected against, because we truly are in a vulnerable state right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newcomer, the Montana epidemiologist, said that under-vaccination trends are usually due to disparities in access, such as challenges in reaching vaccine providers in rural communities. At rural health care centers lacking staff and technology, its harder to automate vaccination reminders for patients which can increase the likelihood patients show up for appointments but require technical infrastructure, she explained. Adding misinformation to the mix only makes matters worse, experts say. Parents are confused and understandably concerned, Offit told Stateline. Its the most vulnerable among us that will suffer, and that will be our children. He added that hes also wary about the federal administrations removal of data, concerned that vaccination figures will be next. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its nightmarish, he said. What worries me the most is were not going to know the degree that were suffering. Were not, because the CDC is losing its capacity to do adequate surveillance across the country. Stateline reporter Nada Hassanein can be reached at nhassanein@stateline.org. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. The Israeli security cabinet convened on Sunday to review plans for seizing control of Gaza City, as the government faces mounting international pressure and unprecedented domestic opposition, even from Israels own security leaders. The review is merely a formal update for the full security cabinet, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz already approved the IDFs plans earlier this month. But it comes as Israel faces a crucial few weeks at home and abroad. Alongside the planned military escalation, Netanyahu and the cabinet made up of senior officials including Katz and far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir - are expected to discuss a diplomatic offensive in response to the anticipated wave of recognition for Palestinian statehood at next months UN General Assembly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu is considering measures ranging from full annexation of the West Bank, to partial annexation of selected settlements, to sanctioning the Palestinian Authority, according to two Israeli officials. Annexing any part of the occupied West Bank by applying Israeli sovereignty would violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions and spark an enormous diplomatic backlash. But its exactly what Netanyahus far-right coalition partners are demanding. As it considers what steps to take in the West Bank, the Israeli government is pushing forward with the military assault on Gaza City despite growing pressue to pursue a diplomatic route would end the nearly two-year war. A Palestinian man mourns over the shrouded bodies of family members killed in an Israeli strike on a makeshift bakery housed in a tent on Al-Nassr Street in Gaza City on Saturday. - Omar al-Qattaa/AFP/Getty Images The Israeli military carried out intense strikes in and around Gaza City in recent days as it prepares to take over and occupy the city itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 47 people were killed in Gaza City alone on Saturday, according to Gaza hospital figures. An additional 24 people were killed in Gaza City since Sunday morning, figures showed. Hamas continues to have a presence in Gaza despite nearly two years of fighting and one of the latest Israel attacks killed Hamas spokesperson Abu Obaida, Katz said. Soon, as the campaign in Gaza intensifies, many more of his partners in crime - the murderers and rapists of Hamas - will join him there, he added. Hamas did not immediately comment on Israels claim that Abu Obaida had been killed. The attacks also come amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in the battered enclave, as the Palestinian health ministry said on Sunday that another seven people died of malnutrition, bringing the total deaths from malnutrition to 339. Ceasefire low on Netanyahus priorities The most significant opposition to Israels takeover of Gaza City is the countrys security establishment, led by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who has warned Netanyahu and his cabinet that the Gaza City offensive will endanger the remaining hostages, risk soldiers lives, and deepen the humanitarian crisis in the enclave. A vehicle travels past damage and debris in Gaza on Thursday. - Amir Cohen/Reuters Two Israeli sources told CNN that Zamirs main concern and focus is the fate of the hostages, and he is expected to urge the cabinet to discuss negotiations on the latest ceasefire proposal before escalating the war. The sources said this position is endorsed by most of the heads of other security agencies, as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month Hamas accepted the Qatari and Egyptian mediators most recent offer for a 60-day temporary ceasefire, during which 10 of the living hostages would be returned in exchange for a mass release of Palestinian prisoners. The offer is based on a similar proposal presented by the US special envoy Steve Witkoff in July, originally crafted in coordination with Israel. However, Netanyahu, in coordination with the White House, has recently shifted strategy. After months of insisting on negotiating only phased and partial frameworks, he now says he is willing to discuss only a comprehensive deal that would release all of the hostages and end the war on Israeli terms and conditions. As a result, Israel still hasnt responded to Hamass acceptance of the Qatari-Egyptian proposal on August 18. According to two senior Israeli officials, Netanyahu does not intend to raise the negotiations in Sundays cabinet meeting as well, though the issue may come up during the presentation on Gaza City. The fact that the deal isnt formally on the agenda indicates how low the proposal is on Netanyahus priority list. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com CHAPIN, S.C. (AP) Charles Bierbauer, former CNN correspondent and a past president of the White House Correspondents Association who later became dean of the University of South Carolina's journalism program, has died. He was 83. Bierbauer died Friday at his home in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, where he had been living in retirement, according to university spokesman Jeff Stensland. No direct cause was given, but the family's obituary said his generous heart gave out after a good, long life. Bierbauer's journalism career began in his native Pennsylvania, where early on he was a weekend reporter for media outlet WKAP. After a year as a reporter for The Associated Press in Pittsburgh, Bierbauer worked for several other outlets, winning an Overseas Press Club Award in 1973 for his reporting on the Yom Kippur War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to his family, Bierbauer was once detained in Moscows Red Square while filming an anti-Soviet demonstration. While covering Muhammed Alis 1978 travels in the Soviet Union, Bierbauer was denounced by the Soviet press for asking impertinent questions. After four years with ABC News, Bierbauer began two decades at CNN, starting just a year after the network's inception. Over the next 20 years, Bierbauer would cover the Pentagon, White House, the U.S. Supreme Court and an array of political stories and presidential campaigns. He also hosted the weekly current events show Newsmaker Saturday for a decade and regularly traveled with presidents across the country and to dozens of foreign nations. Afterward, Bierbauer moved to South Carolina, where he became the first dean of the state flagship university's College of Information and Communications, a merger of the mass communications and library science programs. Launching Cocky's Reading Express, a childhood literacy initiative, Bierbauer also led a multimillion-dollar fundraising and renovation effort that moved the school from the outdated Carolina Coliseum to a state-of-the-art building on South Carolina's historic Horseshoe. While in academia, Bierbauer continued his passion for broadcasting by hosting a weekly current events program and moderating scores of debates among political candidates vying for offices in the state, through a partnership with SCETV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jay Bender, a former attorney for the South Carolina Press Association and retired professor who served under Bierbauer, remembered him as a distinguished broadcaster and educator. His contributions to the USC Journalism School as dean were significant, Bender said, specifically mentioning the project that modernized the school and moved it to its current location. Tom Reichert, who succeeded Bierbauer as communications dean, echoed Bender's sentiments, recalling his predecessor's profound impact on the program." He is fondly remembered for many achievements, including fundraising and supporting students who went on to win Pulitzer Prizes, Reichert said in a statement to The Associated Press. He will be deeply missed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bierbauer was married to Susanne Schafer, a longtime military affairs reporter for the AP. He earned degrees in journalism and Russian from Penn State University and is survived by Schafer, as well as four children and several grandchildren and a great-grandchild. In a statement to the AP, a network spokesperson remembered Bierbauer as a cherished member of the CNN family and tireless reporter and wonderful colleague. Charles inspired me and helped me throughout my assignments at the Pentagon and the White House," Wolf Blitzer, Bierbauer's former CNN colleague, told the AP in a statement. "He was a good friend, colleague, and mentor, and I will certainly miss him. ___ Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP CHAPIN, South Carolina Charles Bierbauer, former CNN correspondent and a past president of the White House Correspondents Association who later became dean of the University of South Carolinas journalism program, has died. He was 83. Bierbauer died Friday at his home in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, where he had been living in retirement, according to university spokesman Jeff Stensland. No direct cause was given, but the familys obituary said his generous heart gave out after a good, long life. Bierbauers journalism career began in his native Pennsylvania, where early on he was a weekend reporter for media outlet WKAP. After a year as a reporter for The Associated Press in Pittsburgh, Bierbauer worked for several other outlets, winning an Overseas Press Club Award in 1973 for his reporting on the Yom Kippur War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to his family, Bierbauer was once detained in Moscows Red Square while filming an anti-Soviet demonstration. While covering Muhammed Alis 1978 travels in the Soviet Union, Bierbauer was denounced by the Soviet press for asking impertinent questions. After four years with ABC News, Bierbauer began two decades at CNN, starting just a year after the networks inception. Over the next 20 years, Bierbauer would cover the Pentagon, White House, the U.S. Supreme Court and an array of political stories and presidential campaigns. He also hosted the weekly current events show Newsmaker Saturday for a decade and regularly traveled with presidents across the country and to dozens of foreign nations. Afterward, Bierbauer moved to South Carolina, where he became the first dean of the state flagship universitys College of Information and Communications, a merger of the mass communications and library science programs. Launching Cockys Reading Express, a childhood literacy initiative, Bierbauer also led a multimillion dollar fundraising and renovation effort that moved the school from the outdated Carolina Coliseum to a state-of-the-art building on South Carolinas historic Horseshoe. While in academia, Bierbauer continued his passion for broadcasting by hosting a weekly current events program and moderating scores of debates among political candidates vying for offices in the state, through a partnership with SCETV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jay Bender, a former attorney for the South Carolina Press Association and retired professor who served under Bierbauer, remembered him as a distinguished broadcaster and educator. His contributions to the USC Journalism School as dean were significant, Bender said, specifically mentioning the project that modernized the school and moved it to its current location. Bierbauer was married to Susanne Schafer, a longtime military affairs reporter for The Associated Press. He earned degrees in journalism and Russian from Penn State University and is survived by Schafer, as well as four children and several grandchildren and a great grandchild. In a statement to AP, a network spokesperson remembered Bierbauer as a cherished member of the CNN family and tireless reporter and wonderful colleague. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charles inspired me and helped me throughout my assignments at the Pentagon and the White House, Wolf Blitzer, Bierbauers former CNN colleague, told AP in a statement. He was a good friend, colleague, and mentor, and I will certainly miss him. ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) A Roswell Police officer and a sheriffs deputy are back home Saturday after they were wounded during a shootout on Thursday. State police say Roswell police officers responded to a domestic dispute call on East Sixth Street around midnight Thursday when a man, now identified as Dakota Perkins, began shooting. Perkins was reportedly suicidal, wore body armor, and had multiple weapons. The suspects partner and two children got out safely. Shooting in Roswell leaves a deputy and officer injured Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More officers arrived, and state police say Perkins surrendered after a half hour of negotiations. An officer and a deputy were shot in the process. On Thursday afternoon, Roswell police said the officer was taken to the hospital after the shootout and was released a few hours later. The deputy was hospitalized and taken to Lubbock for his injuries after being shot. Saturday, the Chaves County Sheriffs Office posted a video welcoming back their deputy and his family. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order aimed at preparing Chicago for any US enforcement operation and urged the Republican president to reverse course. Chicago police will not collaborate with any National Guard troops or federal agents if US President Donald Trump deploys them to the city in coming days as threatened, Mayor Brandon Johnson said on Saturday. Johnson, surrounded by other city leaders, signed an executive order aimed at preparing Chicago for any US enforcement operation, as Trump has done in Los Angeles and Washington, and urged the Republican president to reverse course. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is about making sure that we are prepared," he told reporters as he signed the order, adding that the order aimed to offer "real, clear guidance" to city government workers and "all the Chicagoans of how we can stand up against this tyranny." Johnson, a Democrat, said the executive action affirms that Chicago police officers will not collaborate with US military personnel on police patrols or immigration enforcement. It also directs them to wear their official police uniforms and not to wear masks to clearly distinguish themselves from any federal operations, he added. Chicago Police officers stand on patrol near Michigan Avenue as U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the U.S. military might deploy to Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 25, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/ Jim Vondruska) Trump has been threatening to expand his federal crackdown on Democrat-led US cities to Chicago, casting the use of presidential power as an urgent effort to tackle crime even as city officials cite declines in homicides, gun violence, and burglaries. Chicago prepares for possible arrival of federal agents and troops Local officials and residents in Chicago, the nation's third-largest city, have been preparing for the possible arrival of federal agents and troops, and Johnson said they have received credible reports that action could come within days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House dismissed Johnson's move and accused Democrats of trying to make tackling crime a partisan issue. "If these Democrats focused on fixing crime in their own cities instead of doing publicity stunts to criticize the President, their communities would be much safer," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement. While it is unclear how much state and local officials can do to push back against any US deployment, the mayor said he was pursuing any legal measure available, including possible lawsuits. "We will use the courts if that's necessary," Johnson said. Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly said he wants to be asked for federal agents to be deployed to various cities even as he continues to threaten to send them anyway without any formal request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat whose name has also been floated as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, has said the president lacks the legal authority to deploy troops to his state if not requested by the governor. That differs from Washington, a federal city whose police department Trump took over. Previous deployments of the National Guard to Chicago were coordinated with local officials. A president's power to send in troops is limited under US law, but there are no restrictions on the deployment of federal law enforcement officers such as ICE agents. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) signed an executive order detailing how the Windy City will attempt to respond to President Trumps potential deployment of the National Guard. Johnsons executive order, which he signed on Saturday, established the Protecting Chicago Initiative to protect the constitutional rights of Chicago residents amid the possibility of imminent militarized immigration or National Guard deployment into the city. The order is asking Trump to stand down from his threat to deploy the National Guard into Chicago and reaffirms the Chicago Police Department will remain a locally controlled law enforcement agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City of Chicago will do everything in our power to defend our democracy and protect our communities. With this executive order, we send a resounding message to the federal government: we do not need nor want an unconstitutional and illegal military occupation of our city, Johnson said in a statement. We do not want military checkpoints or armored vehicles on our streets and we do not want to see families ripped apart. We will take any action necessary to protect the rights of all Chicagoans, the mayor added. Protecting Chicago is the next step in the work we have been doing to defend our city from federal overreach and illegal action. The order comes as the president said last week that the administration would focus on lowering the crime rate in Chicago next, after deploying the National Guard to Washington, D.C. Chicago has long struggled with gun violence, although fatal and nonfatal shootings are on a downward trend in the city in recent years, according to the citys data. Chicagos a mess. You have an incompetent mayor. Grossly incompetent and well straighten that one out probably next. That will be our next one after this, Trump said at the White House. And it wont even be tough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) oppose Trumps potential deployment of the National Guard. The administration is considering using a Navy base near Chicago to support its immigration crackdown efforts. It would reportedly involve deploying more than 200 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents and using the Naval Station Great Lakes as a staging area. If these Democrats focused on fixing crime in their own cities instead of doing publicity stunts to criticize the President, their communities would be much safer. Cracking down on crime should not be a partisan issue, but Democrats suffering from TDS [Trump Derangement Syndrome] are trying to make it one, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement to The Hills sister network NewsNation. They should listen to fellow Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser who recently celebrated the Trump Administrations success in driving down violent crime in Washington DC, Jackson added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) security forum now bears greater responsibility for safeguarding regional peace and stability, Chinese President Xi Jinping has told about 20 world leaders he hosted for a summit in northern Chinas Tianjin. Xi also underscored the SCOs mission for the development and prosperity of its member states as he hosted and addressed the high-profile gathering at a banquet on Sunday evening. The ongoing SCO summit shoulders the important mission of building consensus among all parties and stimulating momentum in cooperation, Xi was cited as telling the assembled leaders, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported. Among the most notable guests at the two-day summit is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on his first visit to China since 2018 after years of difficult relations in the wake of Indian and Chinese troops clashing in 2020 at a disputed Himalayan border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also attending is Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2023 over the war in Ukraine. China is not a member state of the ICC and is not a party to the Rome Statute that founded it, so the court has no authority in the country. China and Russia have sometimes touted the SCO as an alternative to the NATO military alliance. This years summit is the first since United States President Donald Trump returned to the White House for a second term starting in January 2025, and the gathering is a powerful show of Global South solidarity amid wars, conflicts and Trumps tariffs upending the worlds economies. A meaningful direction Earlier on Sunday, Xi and Modi pledged to resolve their border differences and bolster cooperation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Modi said in his opening remarks that ties with China have moved in a meaningful direction, adding that there is a peaceful environment at the borders after disengagement. He also noted the importance of peace and tranquillity on the border areas for continued development of bilateral relations, according to a statement from Indias Ministry of External Affairs. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity, Modi told Xi. The two most populous nations are intense rivals competing for influence across South Asia. A thaw began last October, when Modi met with Xi for the first time in five years at a summit in Russia. Xi said regarding ties with India that he hoped the Tianjin meeting will further elevate and promote the sustained, healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two sides should not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship, Xi said, adding that economic development should be their focus. As long as they remain committed to the overarching goal of being partners, not rivals, and providing development opportunities, not threats, China-India relations will flourish and move forward steadily, Xi said. Earlier in August, Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi flew to New Delhi, as the two sides announced their rapprochement. Both governments pledged to restart border talks and resume issuing visas and direct flights. Putin, who arrived in Tianjin on Sunday, is due to meet with both leaders in the coming days. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan attend a ceremony to welcome Heads of States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tianjin, China. Credit - Sergey BobylevSputnik via AP Chinas President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin for a summit on Sunday, in a rare gathering of the three global leaders where Donald Trumps sweeping tariff regime is set to feature heavily. It was Modis first visit to India's longtime regional rival in seven years, and comes at a time when both countries are facing steep tariffs from the U.S. Just days before the summit, the White House doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% in response to India's continued purchase of Russian oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The summit featured subtle digs at Trump's tariffs and an effort by Xi to boost his global leadership credentials while Washington is engaged in bitter trade battles with friends and foes alike. The U.S. has sought better relations with India for years in the hope that New Delhi could act as a bulwark against Chinas rising economic and military power, but some analysts now speculate that Trumps tariffs may have pushed Modi closer to Beijing. Read more: With U.S. Ties on the Rocks, India Draws Closer to China Xi told Modi that the world's two most populous countries should see each other as partners rather than rivals when they met on Sunday at the two-day security summit in Tianjin, in northern China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that China and India must deepen mutual trust, and make opportunities for each other's development rather than threats, in what may have been a subtle reference to Trumps tariff regime. Modi said that should pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens, and confirmed that direct flights between India and China would resume after a five-year hiatus. A breakdown in ties The Trump Administration has blamed Indias purchase of Russian oil for a breakdown in ties with the U.S. Trumps trade adviser Peter Navarro has attacked Indias Russian oil purchases as opportunistic and deeply corrosive. The tariff regime has caused anger in India. In his first comments since the 50% tariffs were introduced, Indias Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said Friday that India will neither bow down nor ever appear weak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But recent reporting in the New York Times suggests that Modis refusal to accept Trumps claims that he brokered a peace between India and Pakistan in a recent outbreak of fighting, and a refusal to nominate the U.S. president for a Nobel Peace Prize, may have been partly responsible for ties unravelling. Modis move towards China might be seen as a strategic blow to the U.S., but the summit is likely aimed at boosting Xis position as a global leader and countering Western influence in global affairs. While the U.S. is engaged in trade battles with both allies and rivals, China is promoting economic cooperation with emerging economies like Turkey, Malaysia and Pakistan. Putin said ahead of his visit that the summit would consolidate solidarity among the attending nations and help shape a fairer multipolar world order. The Russian president will stay on after the summit to attend a military parade in Beijing on the theme of the Second World War, which will showcase the countrys latest missiles and equipment. Contact us at letters@time.com. TIANJIN, China (AP) Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged on Sunday to resolve their border differences and bolster cooperation ahead of the opening of a regional summit in Tianjin. Modi is on his first visit to China since relations between the two countries deteriorated after Chinese and Indian soldiers engaged in deadly border clashes in 2020. Modi is visiting as part of India's membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional political, economic and security group founded by China. Modi said in his opening remarks that relations with China have moved in a meaningful direction, adding that there is a peaceful environment at the borders after disengagement." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also noted the importance of peace and tranquillity on the border areas for continued development of bilateral relations," according to a statement from Indias Ministry of External Affairs. Xi said he hoped the Tianjin meeting will further elevate and promote the sustained, healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The two sides should not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship," Xi said, adding that economic development should be their main focus. As long as they remain committed to the overarching goal of being partners, not rivals, and providing development opportunities, not threats, China-India relations will flourish and move forward steadily," Xi said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian President Vladimir Putin, who arrived in Tianjin on Sunday, is due to meet with both leaders in the coming days. Earlier in August, China's top diplomat Wang Yi flew to New Delhi, as the two sides announced their rapprochement. Both governments pledged to restart border talks, and resume issuing visas and direct flights. Wang's visit coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to impose 50% tariffs on India over its purchase of Russian oil, but New Delhi's process of rebuilding ties with Beijing had been in the works for months. Modi made that message clear Sunday, saying that India and China both pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens, according to India's foreign ministry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China and India this year have increased official visits and discussed easing some restrictions on trade and the movement of people across the border. In June, Beijing allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet. ___ AP video journalist Rishi Lekhi in New Delhi contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) The 22-year-old philosophy student from China did not expect any problems after his 29-hour flight arrived at a Texas airport this month as he was on his way to study at the University of Houston. His paperwork was in order. He was going to study humanities not a tech field that might raise suspicions. He had a full scholarship from the U.S. school and had previously spent a semester at Cornell University for an exchange program with no issues. But the student, who asked to be identified only by his family name, Gu, because of the political sensitivities of the matter, was stopped, interrogated and 36 hours later, put on a plane back to China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also was banned from coming back for five years, abruptly halting his dream for an academic career in the United States. There is no opportunity for the life I had expected, Gu said. He is one of an unknown number of Chinese students with permission to enter the United States who have been sent back to China or faced intense questioning after their arrival, drawing strong protests from Beijing and showing the uncertainty from President Donald Trump's shifting policies. His administration has quickly pivoted from a plan to revoke visas for Chinese students to Donald Trump himself saying he would welcome hundreds of thousands of them, partly to help keep some American schools afloat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US has put restrictions on Chinese students Even so, some officials and lawmakers have expressed suspicions about Chinese students, especially those who study advanced technologies such as quantum computing and artificial intelligence, and their possible links to the Chinese government and military. Some lawmakers want to ban Chinese students altogether. There's no immediate data available on how many Chinese students with valid visas have been interrogated and repatriated from U.S. airports in recent weeks. U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not respond to a request for that data or for comment on Chinese students being questioned or sent back. In recent days, Trump said he told Chinese President Xi Jinping that were honored to have their students here. But he also added, Now, with that, we check and were careful, we see who is there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chinese Embassy said it has received reports involving more than 10 Chinese students and scholars being interrogated, harassed and repatriated when entering the U.S. The U.S. side has frequently carried out discriminatory, politically driven and selective law enforcement against Chinese students and scholars, inflicting physical and mental harm, financial losses, and disruptions to their careers, the Chinese Embassy said in a statement. They were repatriated under the pretext of so-called visa issues or might endanger U.S. national security, the embassy said. The students and scholars were taken into small rooms for extended interrogation, repeatedly questioned on issues unrelated to their academic work, and forced to wait long hours in cold rooms without blankets or quilts, the embassy said. Some relied on aluminum foil to keep warm, and some were detained for more than 80 hours, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such acts by the U.S. side run counter to the statements made by Trump, the embassy said, accusing some U.S. departments and law enforcement personnel of not faithfully acting on the president's commitment. The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. In a Friday interview with the conservative news site Daily Caller, Trump said it's very insulting to a country when you say you're not going to take your students." The interview was published on Sunday. I think what were doing is the right thing to do. Its good to get along with countries, not bad, especially, you know, nuclear-powered countries, Trump said. One Chinese student had no concerns as he headed to the US Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gu told AP that he liked his Cornell experience so much that he applied for a master's program to study philosophy in the U.S. Despite reports of stricter policies by the Trump administration, Gu said he wasn't too worried, not even when he was first stopped and taken to a room for questioning by a customs officer after landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. His belongings were searched, and his electronics were taken away, he said. After the officer went through the devices, he started interrogating Gu, focusing on his ties to the Chinese Communist Party, Gu said. He said his parents are party members, but he has never joined, though he like nearly all Chinese teens and young people is a member of the party's youth arm, the Communist Youth League. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The customs officer also grilled him on his connections to the governmental China Scholarship Council, which popped up in his chat history. Gu said it came up in his chats with his schoolmates, but he did not receive money from the Chinese government. Three rounds of interrogation lasted 10 hours, before Gu was told he was to be deported. No specific reason was given, he said, and the removal paperwork he provided to AP indicated inadequate documentation. By then, he had hardly slept for 40 hours. The waiting room where he was kept was lit around the clock, its room temperature set low. I was so nervous I was shaking, due to both being freezing cold and also the nerves, Gu said. So many things were going through my head now that I was being deported. What should I do in the future? It would be another day before he was put on a flight. Now, Gu is considering appealing the decision, but that might take years and cost thousands of dollars. SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) A big attraction on Labor Day weekend in Scranton is centered on railroad tracks. Railfest at Steamtown National Historic Site is chugging along. People are packing into the three-day event that started on Friday. Its not just locals who are checking out the rich railroading history of this region and our nation. Some train buffs took a road trip to enjoy the experience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement La Festa Italiana kicks off in Scranton Were here to explore Railfest 2025, Joel Maclaren from Middletown said. Weve never been to Steamtown before, so its an incredible first experience, Shaina Maclaren from Middletown added. It feels great seeing some equipment that we havent seen in a while thats sitting out there over in the yard and everything. Basically, locomotives I grew up watching on video and everything but it, it feels great being part of this railroad history, Ryan Gracey from Oneonta, New York, told 28/22 News. Railfest resumes again on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Scranton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to 28/22 News. In the heart of Columbia Tusculum, where Cincinnati's oldest neighborhood breathes with vibrant, historic energy, April Combs Mann struck a new kind of chord. Devoting her life to singing since she was a child, Mann's passion is often intertwined in many parts of her life. "It's really my joy and space. I was always in choir, I was in show choir and I was in a rock band throughout my 20s." Mann said. "So I was always singing then. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In her time as a teacher at the Cincinnati Waldorf School in 2022, Mann often mixed singing and education with students and faculty. After leaving her job two years later, Mann longed for the days when she experienced the joys of singing and sharing them with others. "It was the first time that I didn't have a community to sing with. And so I kept thinking, I want to start a choir, I want to start a choir," Mann said. "So I did." Mann envisioned an organization that included a variety of singing gatherings , each with a unique aspect, but a shared enthusiasm for music and belonging. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, the Riverside Sing is part of a network of singing for well-being opportunities in and around Cincinnati. The whole umbrella is called The Cinci Sing. While singing is the activity, The Cinci Sing isnt just about the singing. The Cinci Sing is about creating community and making you feel good, Mann said. She said there are no auditions, no solos, no reading music. "We gather at community centers, arts spaces, bookshops, and wellness spaces, to sing simple songs taught by ear," she said in a post online. "The Cinci Sing is all about the process of singing in community, not the product. And within the process of singing together, we create a lot of joy. Why Sing? Singing is proven to release positive neurochemicals such as endorphin, dopamine, and serotonin, acting as a natural antidepressant. It is good for your brain, your breathing, and your posture. Mann said singing is good for you, and singing in a community is even better. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I started the Riverside Choir last year, and that went so beautifully, it was so fun, to be together with everybody and get to sing with them," Mann said. "But one of the things that I really wanted to bring to this choir was no pressure." How do you learn the songs? Mann uses a call and response method, bringing every song line by line, and the group will echo it back, until everyone knows it by heart. She said the group sticks to simple, beautiful songs and the method doesn't use sheet music. "We dont worry if we make a mistake or forget the words," she said. "The whole point is to enjoy ourselves. Were just singing to sing in community, you cant get it wrong." "I really try to make those spaces as safe as possible...we don't need a microphone. We don't need a whiteboard. We don't need anything," Mann said. "We just show up and sing." April Combs Mann holds up a sign promoting her upcoming singing gatherings. Mann says her weekly gatherings give those interested many ways to get involved regardless of experience, age or gender. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of her events include well-being sings at Mann's favorite yoga studios, inside indie bookstores for her 'Bookshop Sings', 'Mommas Sings' for mothers and young children, and a more formal, 10-week gathering at the Carnegie Center. Most gatherings are free and require no commitment but a few need registration beforehand. Mann emphasizes the relaxed environment that she strives for during her sessions, with no auditions or performances necessary. She has many big ideas planned for The Cinci Sing in the upcoming future, including possible bi-monthly throwback groups dedicated to artists like Britney Spears or Hoser, along with attending conferences where Mann shares her singing expertise. "I always have big ideas, but can I get them all done?" Mann said. "But I do see The Cinci Sing expanding," Mann says that those interested in being part of the growing singing community can view her website or reach out to her to see when and where local upcoming events will be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I feel like it's (The Cinci Sing) going to have its own life," Mann said. "And I'm real excited to see what that life is." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: The Cinci Sing: A singing group focused on inclusivity and community HUNTINGTON, Texas (KETK) The City of Huntington in Angelina County has issued a boil water notice after an eight-inch water main broke on Saturday. WATCH: Deputies wrangle escaped kangaroo in Athens The water main break has caused the citys water system pressure to fall below 20 psi, requiring them to issue a boil water notice for customers on the system. Anyone under the boil water notice should bring any water for cleaning or consumption to a vigorous rolling boil for at least two minutes before use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Huntington Police Department said the boil water notice will be needed until a clean water sample is returned on Tuesday. You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. A civilian ship has been damaged after hitting an unidentified explosive device in the Black Sea, Suspilne reported on Aug. 31. The vessel, a cargo ship named NS Pride flying the Belize flag, was near the Sea Port of Chornomorsk, close to Odesa, when it struck an unidentified explosive device. It was not carrying any cargo at the time of the explosion. The ship remains afloat, with no casualties among the crew and no water ingress into the hull. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Unfortunately, as a result of the actions of the Russian occupiers, a large number of explosive objects remain in the sea. And it is impossible to predict 100% (such situations) in the sea, where there is constant movement," a Ukrainian Navy spokesperson, Dmytro Pletenchuk, told Suspilne. "We are doing everything necessary to protect civilian vessels from such dangers," he added. It is reported that part of a Russian Shahed drone shot down previously detonated under the ship. Local Telegram channels suggested that the mines drifting in the sea could be the cause. The Black Sea has been a major front of the full-scale war, where Ukraine has had to significantly cut down its exports via its pre-war main trade route due to Russian threats and attacks against civilian port infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Russia says the quiet part out loud war in Ukraine to continue, more mass bombings of cities Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A civilian vessel has been damaged as a result of an explosion near the port of Chornomorsk on the morning of 31 August. Source: Dumska, a media outlet in Odesa Oblast Details: Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk told Dumska that a civilian vessel had exploded on an unidentified explosive device. Quote from Pletenchuk: "A civilian vessel detonated an unidentified explosive device. As for the aftermath, there are no casualties among the crew. The vessel sustained minor damage and is currently being inspected. It will likely continue moving under its own power." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Dumska reported that the vessel in question is the dry cargo ship NS PRIDE sailing under the flag of Belize. Early reports indicate that the explosion was caused by an unexploded part of a Shahed drone that had been downed previously. It is known that the NS PRIDE was not carrying any cargo at the time of the explosion. The vessel is 95 metres long, 16 metres wide and has a tonnage of 3,376 tonnes. It was built in 1988 and has changed its name at least 13 times during its service life. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! NEED TO KNOW Coroner Brian Cotter announced his resignation after inspectors found about 20 decomposing bodies hidden at his funeral home, Davis Mortuary in Pueblo, Colo. on Aug. 20 Cotter's attorney said he will resign effective Sept. 2, after Gov. Jared Polis called for his resignation The coroner, who co-owns Davis Mortuary with his brother, was hospitalized due to a "cardiac event" after the hidden bodies were found, his attorney said After officials found the decomposing bodies of around 20 people hidden in a Colorado funeral home, the coroner has decided to resign. Earlier this month, authorities uncovered the remains at Davis Mortuary in Pueblo, Colo., during the funeral homes first-ever inspection despite co-owner Brian Cotters apparent efforts to thwart them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the findings of the Aug. 20 inspection, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) revoked Cotters business license, according to CBS News. Cotter, who co-owns the mortuary with his brother, was then "hospitalized for a cardiac event," he said in a statement released via his attorney. The coroner, who has since been discharged from the hospital, will submit his official resignation soon, according to the statement. It will be effective Tuesday, Sept. 2, and Cotter will provide his own written statement with his signature when he is able, as soon as possible. Google Maps Davis Mortuary in Pueblo, Colorado Davis Mortuary in Pueblo, Colorado In the same statement, Cotters attorney said the owner acted swiftly to prioritize the concerns of the public as it relates to his position as Coroner, according to CBS News. Cotters attorney did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment. Previous attempts to contact the Davis Mortuary, Colorado Bureau of Investigation and Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies for further comment went unanswered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News of the disgraced coroners plans to resign comes after Colo. Gov. Jared Polis called for his resignation in an official statement issued by his office on Friday, Aug. 22. "Im sickened for the families of the loved ones who are impacted by this unacceptable misconduct. It is clear public trust has been lost and Mr. Cotter must resign as the Pueblo County Coroner immediately, said Polis. The Colorado governor added that he believed the coroner should be investigated and if warranted, prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. He continued, No one should ever have to wonder if their loved one is being taken care of with dignity and respect after theyve passed, and Mr. Cotter must be held to account for his actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CBI first announced that the remains had been uncovered at Davis Mortuary in a release on Thursday, Aug. 21. During the inspection, authorities reported finding several bodies in various stages of decomposition," investigators said. Google Maps Davis Mortuary in Pueblo, Colorado Davis Mortuary in Pueblo, Colorado The appointed designee for the funeral home, Brian Cotter, told inspectors that some of the bodies had been awaiting cremation for approximately 15 years, the CBI continued. He also admitted that he may have given next-of-kin fake remains. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Inspectors found "around 20 or so" bodies, officials later said in a press conference shared by the Pueblo County Sheriffs Office (PCSO) on Facebook. The bodies were allegedly found behind a door after Cotter told the inspectors not to go inside a room that had been covered by a cardboard display, according to ABC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Upon removing the cardboard display, Mr. Cotter asked the inspectors not to enter the room behind the previously hidden door, a spokesperson told CBS News. An official from the CBI previously said the agency is working to identify all the victims and contact their families. No formal charges have been filed at this time, and the investigation remains ongoing. Read the original article on People DENVER (KDVR) Colorado State Patrol hosted an open house on Saturday in hopes of bringing in its next waves of candidates. The open house was located at CSP Training Academy in Golden. FOX31 got the opportunity to interview Master Trooper Timothy Sutherland about the open house for the academy, which tries to host open houses at least once a quarter. Free on Your TV New FOX31+ App for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It gives applicants the opportunity to come in, check out the campus, kind of see what theyre getting into with the academy, said Sutherland. Sutherland said that cadets going through the academy live there for about 23 weeks, and CSPs ideal cadet class size is 50. However, he said that it can often be a challenge even with plenty of applications coming through, as some potential candidates might not meet pre-employment requirements. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Its a revolving door, we get a lot of people that come in, try apply two or three times and finally make it, said Sutherland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, he notes that open houses give CSP a better chance to get face-to-face interaction with potential candidates, with the hopes that by providing one-on-one education about the job, more people will join him in helping keep Colorados roads safe. We just really encourage anyone who really wants to make a difference in Colorado traffic safety to come out, said Sutherland. Sutherland also noted the open house wasnt just for those interested in trooper positions, as they also offered jobs in dispatch and other fields. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A man who police say ambushed his wife in a fatal shooting at their home remains at large two years after her death. According to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, Jose Antonio Gomez-Santana is considered to be armed and dangerous and is wanted in the death of his wife, Angel Rena Gomez. Police said Gomez was gunned down at a home on Pepperwood Court in west Columbus. Look inside: New Albany estate with indoor basketball court under $3M Officers arrived at the Westland home near Galloway Road on Sept. 25, 2023, where Gomez, 44, was found suffering from gunshot wounds. Police said the couple had been having marital problems and had separated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gomez-Santana allegedly convinced Gomez to return to the home so he could return some property to her but ambushed her after reportedly hiding inside of a car parked in the driveway. Thats when police say Gomez-Santana got out of the car and shot Gomez several times before fleeing about 3:35 p.m. Gomez was pronounced dead at the scene. A mugshot of Jose Antonio Gomez-Santana from an October 2021 arrest. (Courtesy Photo/Columbus Division of Police) Columbus police investigate a fatal shooting on Pepperwood Court in west Columbus, Aug. 25, 2023. (NBC4 Photo/Caleb Michael) Angel Gomez. (Courtesy Photo/Columbus Division of Police) Columbus police and Crime Stoppers note that Gomez-Santana has ties to the west side of Columbus, as well as New York and Puerto Rico, with friends willing to harbor and hide him. Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for any information leading to the arrest and/or indictment of Gomez-Santana. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call 614-461- 8477 or visit www.stopcrime.org to submit your tip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) The Columbus Police Department is seeking the publics help in searching for a teen last seen near Knight Drive. According to CPD, officers are searching for 16-year-old Harmanie Black, who is described as a Black female, standing 5 feet event, weighs 168 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Black was reportedly last seen in the 1100 block of Knight Drive, but her last clothing description is unknown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with additional information is urged to dial 911 or the Special Victims Unit at 706-225-3449 or Cpl. Haley Starr at 706-225-4373. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL. A type of drug used to help treat heart attacks does not work on the majority of patients and may actually contribute to hospitalization and death for women, new research has found. Beta-blockers are medicines that are used to lower blood pressure and cause the heart to beat more slowly and with less force. They have been used as first-line treatment after heart attacks for decades, according to CNN. However, a study published Saturday in the European Heart Journal found that women with little heart damage after suffering heart attacks who were treated with beta-blockers were significantly more likely to have another heart attack or be hospitalized for heart failure further down the line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These women were also nearly three times more likely to die compared with women not given the drug, the study found. This was especially true for women receiving high doses of beta-blockers, according to lead study author Dr. Borja Ibanez. Despite this, the same is not true for men, the research found. Beta blockers, a type of drug used to help treat heart attacks, do not work on the majority of patients and may actually contribute to hospitalization and death for women, new research has found (PA Wire) Ibanez described the findings as significant, noting that the total number of women in the clinical trial was the largest ever included in a study testing beta-blockers after a heart attack. The findings related to women with a left ventricular ejection fraction the measurement used to determine how well the left side of the heart is pumping oxygenated blood of above 50 percent. That is the level which is considered normal, according to the study. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those with a score below 40 percent after a heart attack, beta-blockers will continue to be used due to their ability to calm abnormalities that could trigger a second event. Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver, told CNN that women being more susceptible to harm caused by beta-blockers than men was actually not surprising. Gender has a lot to do with how people respond to medication, Freeman told the outlet. In many cases, women have smaller hearts. Theyre more sensitive to blood pressure medications. Some of that may have to do with size, and some may have to do with other factors we have yet to fully understand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Early research on heart disease was so focused on men that it took years to discover that symptoms presented differently in women, according to CNN. While men suffer from symptoms viewed as traditional, such as chest pain, women can have more unusual warning signs of a heart attack such as back pain and indigestion. The traditional chest pain associated with heart attacks in seen more in men than women. (Getty/iStock) The analysis was part of a much bigger clinical trial called REBOOT Treatment with Beta-Blockers after Myocardial Infarction without Reduced Ejection Fraction which followed more than 8,000 men and women treated for heart attacks at 109 hospitals in Spain and Italy for nearly four years. None of the patients had left ventricular ejection fraction below 40 percent, and the study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, found no benefit in using beta-blockers in males or females whose hearts were in such a condition, despite it still being the norm. This, according to CNN, is in part down to advances in treatment. Play Around with Toy Factory DALEVILLE After a packed house last Saturday in the Daleville Town Hall Park with Cook & Belle, the next concert of the series will be Toy Factory on Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. The show band will feature hits from Bruno Mars, Prince, Michael Jackson, The Black Eyed peas, Shania Twain and others. The show is free and those attending are encouraged to bring their blankets or lawn chairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fall Fest Car Show slated for Sept. 13 ANDERSON The fifth annual Fall Fest Car Show will be Saturday, Sept. 13, at Ed Martin Chevrolet, 5400 Scatterfield Road. Registration lasts from 9 to 11 a.m. The car show will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Top 30 awards will be presented and door prizes will be awarded. Attractions include music by DJ Cuban, Kidszone, popcorn and candy, and goodie bags to the first 100 registrants. Food offerings will include Gorillas TexMex, SipCity Drinks, hamburgers and hot dogs, and Double Dough Desserts and more. Vendors will include EMB Bows, Happily Ever After Crafting, Johns Kettle Corn and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ARF fundraiser slated for Sept. 6 MUNCIE Paws For A Cause, a Tattoo Flash Fundraiser will be Saturday, Sept. 6, from 1 to 8 p.m. at Fox & Sparrow Tattoo, 304 S. Walnut St. Fifty percent of proceeds will benefit the Animal Rescue Fund. Remembering Officer Noah set ELWOOD The fourth annual Remember Officer Noah Foundation Car and Motorcycle Show will take place Saturday, Sept. 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Callaway Park. There will be classic cars, motorcycles, trucks, craft vendors, food, live music, a 50/50 drawing, raffle items and more. The event is in partnership with the Elwood Elks to fund the Noah Shahnavaz Scholarship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Antique engine tractor show set PENDLETON An antique engine tractor show will take place Friday, Sept. 5, and Saturday, Sept. 6, in Falls Park, 299 Falls Park Drive. The event is part of this years Heritage Fair. Gates open at noon Thursday, Sept. 4, for show set up. Exhibitors park free. There will be 100 booths of crafts, food available all day, festival downtown and through Falls Park, tractors and engines. Information: Ron Barnhart at 765-623-6338 or email barnronhart@aol.com. FAFSA information session at library ANDERSON The Anderson Public Library, 111 E. 12th St., will host a representative from Indiana Commission for Higher Education for a presentation on important information and resources required for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 3 from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Chief Anderson Room. This program is free and open to the public. A library card is never required to visit or attend programs at the library. Information: visit andersonlibrary.net/events or call 765-641-2456. The Herald Bulletin DES MOINES, Iowa Bereaved Fathers Day is the last Sunday of every August. It acknowledges fathers who have lost a child and provides support. The local non-profit Walk With You helps parents and families experiencing the heartbreaking loss of a child. WHO 13s Cinthia Naranjo sat down with the founder, Kylie Collins, and a bereaved father, Aaron Niaditch, to discuss how families and friends can honor bereaved fathers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walk With You is holding its annual 5k walk/run on September 20th. You sign up by going to this website. You can learn more about the organization by visiting the website here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. Weve heard so many warnings in recent months about the rise of fascism in American culture, but do you remember the provocative words of Toni Morrison on the subject from three decades ago? They spark a different kind of reflection and resistance today. She told us back then that American history reveals the culprits theyre not just the usual suspects as well as the secret to prevailing over them. In March 1995, in a convocation speech at Howard University, the author contended that the descent into fascism is not a jump, but one step, and then another, and then another. These steps include inventing an enemy to divert attention from more serious matters, tossing ad hominem insults their way, getting media to reinforce the enemys degraded status, attacking those sympathetic to the enemy, pathologizing and criminalizing the enemy, and blanketing the entire process in silence. Read more: Contributor: Hegseth purged two of my books on race. Did he actually read them? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who diagnose an autocratic bent in the present administration can point to plenty of the symptoms: Its leader and his acolytes have made an enemy of immigrants, Black people, LGBTQ+ folks, women, higher education, political opponents within the Republican and Democratic parties, law firms, the media and lots more. The administration uses name calling, encourages right-wing media to tear down individual and institutional reputations and to spread lies, assaults anyone who dares to defend those on the lengthy enemies list, revives racist and sexist mythology to erode racial and gender progress, and erects facilities to detain immigrants. The recent talk about rounding up the worst of the worst ? The allocation of $170 billion to triple Immigration and Customs Enforcement and double detention capacity ? Three decades ago, Morrison warned us that fascists budget for and rationalize their building of holding arenas for the enemy. But there is a perhaps even more unnerving element of Morrisons forensic description of fascism that many who oppose the current administration would rather not hear. Morrison argues that no one party corners the market on solutions to fascism because each is guilty of contributing to its rise. Republicans have surely courted white supremacists, but, she said, Democrats are not flawless egalitarians, nor are liberals free of agendas for domination. It is perhaps difficult for antifascists today to agree with Morrisons analysis because they are reading from a different playbook. Most current indictments of fascist belief, according to Italian cultural critic Alberto Toscano, are bound by analogy. They draw parallels between the present U.S. administration and, for instance, post-World War I Italy, where fascism was widely adopted. Read more: Contributor: American history is a parade of horrors and also heroes Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morrison chose a different vantage point. Instead of political analogy, she favored historical genealogy. If contemporary critics of fascism are thinking of Benito Mussolini and the trains he supposedly made run on time, Morrison is thinking of enslavers and slave ships. She knew that American racism is one of the most visible horsemen of fascism. She called fascism the succubus twin of racism. Morrisons clear warnings from 1995, before the current president was even a reality TV host, help us understand that fascism is hardly new, that it has flashed in furious disregard for humanity since long before the present administration, and that, as uncomfortable as it is to admit, its legacy even lingers in political parties and traditions that claim to oppose authoritarian rule. By tracing its racial roots in our culture, Morrison forces us to grapple with the fascism that has always festered here and that has reflected and reinforced racism around the globe. This aspect of Morrisons thinking can be especially uncomfortable because it refuses to let us off the hook after a change as superficial as an election. When weve been sliding toward fascism, its a mistake to believe that once we elect new folks, we have gotten rid of the problem. Its bigger than one person or one party. The current presidents efforts are exposing the cowardly complicity of certain liberal strongholds as they enforce his fascist assault on social progress, especially against the goals of diversity, equity and inclusion. Morrisons words encourage us not to segregate the racial dimensions of fascism from the political. She invites us to learn from Black folks who battle racial fascism in America through belief, resistance and faith. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even when we were enslaved, treated as property, liberated with few rights, forced into poverty, denied healthcare, prevented from homeownership, segregated, raped and lynched, Black folks miraculously believed even more in American ideals than most other Americans. We invested even more energy and imagination in deep democracy and insisted that our emancipation efforts would also save the nation. We were right. Black belief in America brought the ideals of justice far closer to achievement. No matter fascisms pall today, we can neither indulge the luxury of cynicism nor surrender to hopelessness. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who valiantly fought fascism until his last breath, declared, when you lose hope, you die. If we believe that we can do nothing to stop the hate and harm flowing from Washington, we are defeated before we begin what seems the impossible task to defend our democracy. It is helpful to remember that in American history, many struggles seemed impossible before we triumphed in ways we boldly dared to hope and imagine. That is true whether it was a political novice leading the effort to break segregated transportation in a bus boycott in Montgomery, Ala., or an enslaved figure commandeering a Confederate transport ship to freedom in Charleston, S.C., before becoming a five-term congressman after the Civil War. If, as Morrison suggested, fascism creeps in steps, so, too, does antifascism. Black folks have resisted fascism from a variety of outlooks and positions. Some embraced nonviolent civil disobedience, others echoed Black Power rhetoric, others pursued legal redress of social grievance, while still others favored armed self-defense against violent racists. There has never been a single means of resistance. We must pressure the machinery of fascism in the classroom and the courtroom, at the kitchen table, on cable news and nightly talk shows, from the legislative hall and the pulpit, at our jobs, through films and social media, with protests and other gatherings as we plan principled rebellion against glaring injustice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our resistance also flourishes in concert halls. Recently the greatest living entertainer, Beyonce, fought fascism by celebrating the Black roots of country music a genre favored by some of fascisms most fervent advocates. She also sang The Star-Spangled Banner in a nod to Jimi Hendrix s bravura rendition at Woodstock. She projected onto screens the tortured American flag whose red bleeds in grief over political suffering. And she posed as the Statue of Liberty and was draped in a sash that proclaims The Reclamation of America. The fight against fascism is often accompanied by the magic of Black sound. Faith has carried the souls of Black folks through fascist peril and racist tumult. Faith has catapulted ordinary citizens into national leaders and offered many souls justification to fight against slavery and white supremacy. It has inspired many to fight for the right to vote, for fair housing, for desegregated public accommodations, for integrated transportation and schooling, for entrance into elite colleges and universities, and for economic justice. Faith has also sustained us when murderous racists sought to eliminate Black folks from every corner of the culture and to erase every trace of Blackness from American life. Those who had faith settled on a simple yet profound proposition: If God exists, then no tyrant, dictator, ruler, autocrat or despot can thwart the divine will for the people to ultimately survive and prevail. Morrisons words to one graduating class at Howard are also applicable to the nation at large as it fights once more a fascist threat to our precious democracy: America has withstood inclement weather, many, many, many times, and it will again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Eric Dyson is a professor of African American studies at Vanderbilt University and an author, most recently co-author of Represent: The Unfinished Fight for the Vote . If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. More than 100 vehicles took over a busy Hudson County intersection early Sunday morning, pitting police against reckless drivers who shot fireworks at officers. Secaucus police were called to Secaucus Road and County Avenue intersection at 2:31 a.m. where a reported 100 vehicles took over the area. The location is close to a New Jersey Turnpike exit. Police said the vehicles were being driven recklessly and doing smoking tire spin outs known as donuts while onlookers took videos of them. When police arrived over 50 people surrounded the officers vehicles and others climbed on top marked police SUVs damaging them, police said in a post on the departments Facebook page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People in the crowd used fireworks as incendiary devices, shooting them at and under police vehicles. Some of that was documented on videos police posted on the department Facebook page. Officers from several surrounding departments assisted to help disperse the crowds, including Weehawken, North Bergen, Hoboken, Hudson County Sheriffs Office, East Rutherford and Rutherford. The gathering mirrors other pop-up automotive incidents that occurred primarily at the Jersey Shore, including a Sept. 2022 car rally in Wildwood where two people were killed and several injured. That unsanctioned tuner car meet-up event known as H2oi or, H20i, or H2022 led to efforts to ban them, including legislation used in other states to discourage similar events and regulate driver behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A bill passed the state assembly last year but did not make it to the senate that would have given towns and the state DOT special powers to curb driver behavior at pop-up events. That legislation would created special event zones, allowing a town to temporarily lower speed limits and ban exhibition driving stunts such as tire smoking burnouts and doing donuts with vehicles. No officers were injured during the Secaucus melee, and officials said their restraint under these conditions was nothing short of commendable. Our officers came under attack last night and I will not tolerate this unrest, Chief Dennis Miller said in a statement. Secaucus is not going to be the place where these criminals operate with impunity! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police will dedicate resources from the departments traffic, detective, patrol and intelligence sections to assemble a task force to identify the individuals responsible for this riotous behavior and bring them to justice, he said. Police asked for anyone who can help identify anyone in the video to call the Secaucus tip line at 201-330-2049 or email spdtips@secaucusnjpolice.gov Larry Higgs Stories by Larry Higgs Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X@CommutingLarry and on BlueSky@commutinglarry.bsky.social Read the original article on NJ.com. The identity of a knife-wielding man who was fatally shot by an OFallon police officer Friday night has been released by the St. Clair County coroners office. Police were dispatched to the 6300 block of West Madison to investigate a report of a knife-wielding man. They arrived to two people covered in blood and running from him. Officers ordered the man to put his knife down and he refused. An officer then fatally shot the man, according to an Illinois State Police news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. identified the man as Matthew J. Blanke, 53, of the 600 block of West Madison, OFallon, which is near the site of the shooting. Blanke was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:07 p.m., Dye said. The two victims, who authorities did not identify, were taken to an area hospital with non-life threatening cuts and stab wounds. The officer who shot and killed Blanke has not been identified. The officer was not injured. OFallon police said in a statement that, per state law and their department policy, Illinois State Police was called to investigate the shooting. All reports will be turned over to St. Clair County States Attorney Jim Gomrics office to determine if any charges will be filed. No further information about the shooting was released. A ballot initiative offered for next years state election would ask Massachusetts voters whether they want to repeal the state law allowing for legal marijuana sales. But dont put out your joint just yet. The proposal still has a long way to go before making the ballot. Titled An Act to Restore A Sensible Marijuana Policy, the initiative would continue the states medical marijuana program, but repeal the section of state law governing the possession, use, distribution, cultivation and taxation of recreational pot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caroline Alcock Cunningham, a member of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee representing Middlesex and Worcester counties, submitted two versions of the question ahead of its first deadline earlier this month. Justin Riemer, an election lawyer representing Cunningham, referred any questions on the proposal to her. She did not respond to a request for comment, but told The Boston Globe she is not opposed to marijuana, but to its sale at dispensaries. The true purpose of the measure is to eliminate the recreational stores, she told the paper. The goal is not to arrest people for simple personal possession. Massachusetts voters legalized recreational cannabis through a ballot referendum in 2016, which passed with 53% of the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The question proposed by Cunningham follows the same legislative process, which has also been used in recent years to raise taxes on people making more than $1 million a year, remove the MCAS test from the states high school graduation requirements, and allow the state auditor to audit the Legislature. Questions must first be submitted to the Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office with signatures from 10 registered voters by the first Wednesday in August. Attorney General Andrea Campbell is now reviewing nearly 50 such initiatives filed ahead of the deadline to determine if they meet constitutional requirements. She is expected to certify the questions that qualify around the first Wednesday in September. Those questions that pass then face a far higher hurdle to proceed toward the ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Petitioners must collect more than 74,000 signatures for their initiative, which must be approved by local election officials and then filed with the Secretary of States Office in December. The Legislature would have the opportunity to pass any measures that draw enough signatures. If lawmakers decline to act, the proposals would still need more than 12,000 additional signatures to make the November 2026 ballot. The states cannabis industry surpassed $8 billion in cumulative sales earlier this summer, even as the price of the drug dropped to its lowest point since legalization. Cannabis in Massachusetts Read the original article on MassLive. Ahead of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, marking the end of the Sino-Japanese war and the global fight against fascism, we look at the profound changes of the post-war period and how they continue to affect China's place in the world. Part four of this series examines how the history of Sino-American cooperation has been extolled as a potential formula for better bilateral ties from the ground up. Behind the familiar history of World War II lies a forgotten front, lined with unsung heroes in the battlefields of China whose stories have largely gone untold. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were also villagers in eastern China who sought to keep American airmen safe and risked their lives amid heavy bombing by the Japanese army. Chinese leaders and diplomats in recent months have stressed the significance of wartime collaboration as they strive for positive engagement around the world. The mostly overseas Chinese based in Southeast Asia "at a critical moment in the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression rushed to Yunnan [province] to help open up the vital lifeline of the Burma Road", Xi said in an article. "As we reflect on the past and look to the future, China and Malaysia need to work together to add new impetus to our friendship that has sailed all the way down the river of history, and steer this ship steadily into the future," Xi wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "History saw a great number of Korean independence activists travel all the way to China and join the Chinese people in fighting against invasion and pursuing national liberation," Dai wrote on social media. "We hope that the peoples of both countries will look back at the touching history from over 80 years ago ... and draw strength from the history to move our relations forward." This week's military parade comes as Beijing ramps up efforts to improve people-to-people exchange, which plunged during the coronavirus pandemic. The number of South Korean students in China, for instance, dropped sharply by 78 per cent in 2023 to 15,857 from a peak of 73,240 in 2017. For decades, South Korea had been the largest source of foreign students in China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reduction is largely attributed to China's economic slowdown and deteriorating public sentiment towards China in South Korea. Nicholas Burns, the previous US ambassador to China, said the number of American students in China rebounded to about 880 in 2024 following the country's reopening from its pandemic lockdown. According to Open Doors, which tracks the number of US students abroad, there were 211 American students in mainland China in 2021-2022 - a far cry from the 11,639 studying in 2018-2019. The tepid post-pandemic showing came despite an ambitious initiative announced by Xi a year earlier, aiming for China to host 50,000 US students for study and exchange programmes over the next five years. By comparison, the total number of American students in China in 2014 exceeded 24,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Observers have described the world's geopolitical landscape as vastly different compared with a decade ago. The US and China also agreed on a reciprocal policy of 10-year visa issuances for tourists and businessmen to encourage people-to-people exchange. To lay the groundwork for Xi's first state visit to the US, then national security adviser Susan Rice met the Chinese leader in Beijing in August 2015. Rice relayed the message that Obama "spoke highly of the tremendous contributions made by the Chinese people during [World War II] and the profound friendship forged between the US and China", according to Beijing's read-out. John Delury, a historian of modern China and US-China relations expert, said this year's commemoration could provide an opportunity for Beijing to show regional leadership and celebrate its role during a turning point in world history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The United States doesn't know any more what it's doing and where it's going, and the kind of traditional understanding that was really bipartisan in the United States, in Washington, about American leadership is [now] ... crumbling," said Delury, formerly a professor at Yonsei University in Seoul. Then US president Barack Obama attends a welcome ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, in November 2014. Photo: AP Amid unprecedented tensions with the US, China has increasingly emphasised the history of military collaboration with America to improve strained ties. Among the 80 airmen who crash-landed or bailed out of their planes, 64 were rescued by Chinese civilians and soldiers who used everything from stretchers, jampans and doolees to trucks and trains to move the men from war zones to safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But their heroism proved costly. In the ensuing months of retaliation, some 250,000 people in China's eastern and central Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces were killed in Japanese air attacks. Japan also retaliated with massacres in at least three villages, while those who helped the Doolittle raiders were tortured and killed. "It constantly reminds us that our two nations should be partners and friends, achieving mutual success and benefiting the world. It reminds us to honour the profound bond formed during the years of war, to stay committed to peaceful coexistence and to never waver in our pursuit of win-win cooperation." However, to many younger Americans, World War II history, particularly as it relates to what happened in Asia, is a distant or unknown period, even though more than 121,000 American military personnel were deployed to China in the 1940s. "To a lot of young Americans there's not as much awareness of this history as there is on the Chinese side, and I don't know if this would be enough to draw the attention of American audiences," said historian Zach Fredman at Duke Kunshan University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By playing up wartime collaboration, Beijing was trying to demonstrate its interest in boosting people-to-people exchange, even though relations have become worse over the last 10 years "and could be a lot worse", Fredman said. "In China, this is something that's being done more for domestic audiences, but also, I think, to signal that there's still an interest in this kind of people-to-people exchange, at least over something that's seen as unambiguously positive, like the Flying Tigers." For a brief time, the Flying Tigers were portrayed as air pirates in China, even though the collection of American military pilots came together to help fight Japan's invasion of China. The group's leader, Claire Lee Chennault, was denounced as "a flying burglar" and was later known as a vocal opponent of communism in Asia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, however, the spirit of the Flying Tigers is often cited as a demonstration of faith in cooperation despite political differences. Flying Tigers veteran Harry Moyer (second right) and Consul General of China in San Francisco Zhang Jianmin (right) visit a middle school in Las Vegas in February 2024 amid talk of an exchange programme with one in China. Photo: Xinhua Zheng Wang of Seton Hall University described national memory as selective and "shaped by current politics and geopolitical considerations". Still, commemorative events like the coming large-scale military parade in Beijing could create "moments of connection", especially at a people-to-people level, said Wang, who is director of the university's Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "History, when presented with sincerity, can serve as a bridge, even amid broader political tensions," he said. "The shared sacrifices of the World War II era remain one of the few 'good memories' between Chinese and American societies." The South China Morning Post reported earlier that the descendants of the Flying Tigers, including Chennault's, were invited to this year's war commemoration activities in Beijing. Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, said that more young people in the US and China should be told about the Flying Tigers and the history of Sino-American cooperation. In 2022, the Las Vegas-based foundation launched a programme to educate young people in both countries about their shared aviation history with the hope of fostering future cooperation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinese media heavily covered the programme after Xi wrote to Greene and two members of the Flying Tigers, Harry Moyer and Mel McMullen, in 2023. In his letter, Xi spoke of "the hope and foundation of China-US relations" laying in the future of young people. To date, nearly 100 high schools and universities in China and 20 in the US have joined the programme with the support of local governments. "It opens up doors if we remember history," said Greene, recalling the saying that those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it. "We don't want to repeat it," he added. "We want to build forward." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Will and Holly Alpine quit their jobs at Microsoft to protest its work with oil and gas companies. The couple launched the Enabled Emissions Campaign to pressure Microsoft from the outside. Microsoft's AI tech is used to improve efficiency in fossil fuel production. Will and Holly Alpine loved their jobs at Microsoft, which made quitting to protest the company's work with the oil and gas industry a terrifying experience. The Seattle-based couple worked in the company's responsible AI and sustainability divisions, respectively, and were heavily involved in internal groups pushing the company to become greener. He had worked at Microsoft since 2020, and she had been there since 2014. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During their final few years at Microsoft, the couple said they raised concerns with internal memos about how the company's tech was helping the oil and gas industry expand fossil fuel production. "I had concerns that the tools I was helping build were being weaponized by bad actors, and I was concerned about the lack of accountability," Will, 36, told Business Insider. Eventually, they realized they could create more change if they left the company. "We had reached a conclusion that, within reason, we did everything we could from the inside constructively and there was no one else pushing from the outside," Holly, 33, said. Microsoft declined to comment. The company has committed to becoming carbon negative by 2030. Leaving Microsoft In early 2024, the couple left their jobs and launched the Enabled Emissions Campaign to raise awareness of Microsoft's work with the fossil-fuel industry and put pressure on the Big Tech giant from the outside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaving their stable tech jobs has been the "most ambitious and challenging period of our lives," Will said. The decision also came with some serious lifestyle changes. The couple has had to "cut their cost of living dramatically," Holly said, although being vegan meant they were "already used to living affordably" by eating "lots of rice and beans." The couple also takes part in the sharing economy "wherever possible," participates in their local "Buy Nothing" group, and buys most goods secondhand. Will said that, as an engineer, he embraces DIY. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also decided to be child-free, which helped them avoid the "major expense of child-rearing," Holly told Business Insider. "We are privileged tech workers, we had stable finances, no kids; we just decided, you know, if not us, who? We should take the leap and just kind of trust in the universe that it's going to work out," she said. Microsoft's oil and gas ties Microsoft's overall carbon emissions increased by 23.4% between 2020 and 2024, according to the company's most recently published figures. These numbers do not include emissions from increased fossil fuel production linked to efficiency gains from Microsoft's technology, the Alpines told Business Insider. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a 2019 Microsoft press release, the application of its cloud, Internet of Things, and machine learning technology by a subsidiary of oil and gas giant ExxonMobil was anticipated to "expand production by as much as 50,000 oil-equivalent barrels a day by 2025." Microsoft declined to provide a more up-to-date estimate. That is the equivalent of 6,356,475 metric tonnes of CO2 being emitted in one year, according to modelling from the Green Web Foundation, a non-profit. It's also more than half of the entire carbon footprint that Microsoft reported in 2019, on one contract. "We're talking about Microsoft providing the technology to oil companies to dramatically increase fossil fuel production," Holly said. "Those increases in emissions are not counted in any of Microsoft's reporting." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Microsoft's work with the oil and gas industry preceded the generative AI boom, and the Alpines say AI is helping to ramp up fossil fuel production. AI could already help increase fossil fuel production by up to 10-15%, cutting oil recovery rates while increasing recovery rates of oil and gas, per a 2020 Barclays report. "It has fundamentally reshaped the economics of fossil fuel extraction, and generative AI is a layer of innovation on that that's really increased the scale," Holly said. Microsoft isn't the only Big Tech giant with ties to the oil and gas industry. Amazon has also worked with drillers to help simulate their oil production in a bid to maximize their output. While Google once had connections to the industry, it pledged to stop selling its machine learning platform for oil exploration use cases in 2020, following employee backlash. Launching the Enabled Emissions Campaign The Enabled Emission Campaign's primary goals are to highlight how companies use technology to increase the production of fossil fuels and call for guardrails for this use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We think Big Tech companies should stop enabling the problem that they claim to be solving, and Big Tech must account for and disclose the full climate impact of the contracts they sign, especially with fossil fuel clients," Will said. "So that means measuring these enabled emissions, and not just their own operational footprints. They also need to draw clear lines in the sand, such as no AI or cloud deals to explicitly expand fossil fuel production." The couple spends their days focusing on policy advocacy, deep research, fundraising, and coalition-building. Fundraising for the campaign has been tricky. "A lot of folks are not actually even aware of this work happening, so it's kind of an awareness-raising first before we can even get to that fundraising," Holly said. The EEC has raised a pre-seed round from an anonymous individual donor who is known to the couple. The funding has allowed them to sustain themselves financially for the time being, but Holly said the couple had "traded short-term stability for the opportunity to address a long-term crisis." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An added difficulty has been the US's policy landscape during Donald Trump's second term, with the administration rolling back tax credits that benefited the clean energy sector. "We haven't been inside Microsoft since Trump 2.0, but we've witnessed a shift of backsliding in climate commitments as partially driven by the race for AI supremacy," Will said, adding that there was no response from Microsoft when Trump pulled the US from the Paris climate accord for the second time. Microsoft can't feasibly claim to want to be carbon negative while helping oil majors increase their output, Holly added. She hopes the EEC will help move the needle and push the company to break these ties. Read the original article on Business Insider NEED TO KNOW A mother and father of three are recovering after they were stabbed during a home invasion, and police believe their attackers targeted the wrong people The 41-year-old father and the 37-year-old mother were at home on Aug. 30 while their three children were in bed when two armed men stormed through the front door and stabbed them both Police said the intended target is still unknown A mother and father of three are recovering after they were stabbed during a home invasion and police believe the incident involved a case of mistaken identity. According to police in New South Wales, the 41-year-old man and 37-year-old woman were at home in the Sydney, Australia, suburb of Guildford West as their children were sleeping at around 11 p.m. local time on Saturday, Aug. 30, when two armed men stormed through the front door wearing face coverings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man and woman were assaulted, according to police, and they were both stabbed multiple times with a machete. Their three children, all under the age of 10, were not injured, police said. According to local outlets 7 News and 9 News, the 41-year-old father could be heard screaming "anybody help," per CCTV footage from a neighboring building, and neighbors rushed outside to help. "The neighbor's outside screaming," one bystander recalled to 9 News. "There is blood everywhere. We tried to go and help her, and the husband said, 'I don't know what happened.' " Getty A stock image of police tape. A stock image of police tape. The outlets reported that several neighbors chased the two attackers both of whom were wearing black tops with hoods and white sneakers into the street, and they fled into a getaway car parked outside the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said that a third person was driving the getaway car, a white sedan. The couple were transported to a local hospital. Both are in stable condition, and the 41-year-old man is set to undergo surgery for his injuries. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Police Superintendent Simon Glasser told the outlets that the two men had been looking for different people in the targeted attack, but the intended target is still unknown. We believe they were looking for someone in particular and left when they were chased out, Glass said, per 9 News. However, the family involved have no criminal links, so we believe they were after somebody else. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The police superintendent added that the couple's neighbors were very courageous, but warned others to be cautious in situations such as these. Obviously, we want people to be cautious when theyre acting like that, but on occasions where people are being attacked, you need to do what you can do to assist, Glass said, per 7 News. But if people arent in danger, we ask that people not approach and contact police. Police confirmed that an investigation is underway. "As inquiries continue, police are urging anyone with information about the matter or was in the area at the time with any available dashcam/mobile phone footage to contact Granville Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," officials said. Read the original article on People The Utah Supreme Court has stopped a firing squad execution set for next week over concerns that the inmate being put to death has dementia so severe, that he doesn't understand why he's being killed. The court's ruling on Friday, Aug. 29, vacates the execution warrant for Ralph Menzies and sends the case back to a lower court so that his mental capacity can be reevaluated. Menzies, 67, had been set to die by firing squad just after midnight on Friday, Sept. 5, for the 1986 murder of 26-year-old Maurine Hunsaker, a married mother of three who was kidnapped, robbed, strangled, and found tied to a tree with her throat slit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Menzies' attorney, Lindsey Layer, told USA TODAY that Menzies' dementia has "significantly worsened" since his last evaluation over a year ago. "Hes tethered to an oxygen tank, uses a wheelchair, is confused and disoriented, and no longer understands why the State of Utah is trying to kill him," she said. "We look forward to presenting our case in the trial court." Ralph Menzies is pictured in August 2024. The Utah Attorney General's Office did not immediately respond to questions about whether it will appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court or accept a new mental evaluation for Menzies. Jared Garcia, executive director of the Utah Department of Corrections, said in a statement that the agency "will continue to carefully monitor the situation and remains prepared to carry out the sentence of the court when and if we are called upon to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Utah's 3rd District Court Judge Matthew Bates previously rejected arguments about Menzies' dementia, ruling in June that while the inmate exhibited cognitive decline during his last evaulation, he "consistently and rationally understands the reasons for his death sentence. Here's what you need to know about the case, including how Maurine Hunsaker's family feels. The firing squad chair is pictured in Utah. The firing squad chair is pictured in Utah. The firing squad chair is pictured in Utah as seen through the firing window. The firing squad chair is pictured in Utah. The view of the execution chamber from the perspective of the firing squad chair in Utah. A holding cell adjacent to the Utah execution chamber. Ralph Menzies is pictured in 1986. Ralph Menzies is pictured in August 2024. Ronnie Lee Gardner is pictured two years before his execution by firing squad in Utah in 2010. Photos show firing squad chair in Utah's execution chamber 1 of 9 The firing squad chair is pictured in Utah. What was Ralph Menzies convicted of? Menzies was convicted of murdering Maurine Hunsaker, who was just a few days shy of turning 27 when she was kidnapped from the gas station where she worked as an attendant in the Salt Lake City suburb of Kearns on Feb. 23, 1986. No one witnessed the abduction but authorities became concerned when customers at the gas station reported that there was no attendant. Police found some of Hunsaker's belongings behind the counter and $70 missing from the register. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later that night, Hunsaker called her husband, who was with a sheriff's deputy, and told him that she had been robbed and kidnapped but that her abductor intended to release her, according to court records. Soon after, the line went dead. A hiker found Hunsaker's body two days later in a picnic area of Big Cottonwood Canyon just south of Salt Lake City. She had been strangled and her throat had been cut. Maurine Hunsaker is pictured. Detectives connected Menzies to the crime when they say they found Hunsaker's identification cards among his belongings when he was picked up on unrelated charges. Menzies maintained his innocence. At trial, prosecutor Ernie Jones called Menzies a "psychopath," saying that "there is no therapy for the evil inside" him, according to an archived story in the Salt Lake Tribune. His defense attorney at the time, Brooke Wells, argued for leniency, saying that Menzies had a long history of being abused and neglected as a child and had been diagnosed with mental disorders, the Tribune reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Third District Court Judge Raymond Uno appeared to struggle with the death decision but ultimately said he needed to protect the community, citing Menzies' long history of violent offenses. "It is with the heaviest of heart that I make this most difficult decision," he said, according to an another archived Salt Lake Tribune story. "I find the death penalty is appropriate." What are the arguments over Ralph Menzies' competency? Now nearly 40 years after the crime, Menzies' attorneys say he "no longer exhibits an awareness that he is being executed for the crime of murder," according to a competency petition. That awareness is critical. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that an inmate can't be executed if they don't understand why they're being executed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court criticized Judge Bates' decisions to schedule Menzies' execution and reject all new evidence that the inmate's cognitive function has continued to deteriorate. Citing two expert reports that "raise serious and significant questions about whether Menzies is competent to be executed," the court said: "For the district court to weigh the evidence and conclude otherwise at this stage was error." In his June ruling about Menzies' competency hearing in November, Bates found that "Menzies consistently and rationally understands the reasons for his death sentence." Bates declined to approve a new competency evaluation in July, though it had been eight months since the previous one. Ralph Menzies is pictured. How do the victim's family members feel? Maurine Hunsaker's son, Matthew Hunsaker, declined to comment on the latest development, asking for privacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He previously told USA TODAY that he believes Menzies' dementia arguments are a ploy and that the inmate's condition is being exaggerated in an effort to spare his life. "I'm not buying that he doesn't understand what's going on," he said, adding that Menzies' attorneys "have brought no evidence before the court by any doctors, staff cellmates, anybody, that when he wakes up in the morning he doesnt know where he's at. He knows he's in prison for killing my mom." He had been planning to attend the execution "just to see the closure myself." The Utah Supreme Court justices said that they understand their ruling could distress the Hunsaker family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We acknowledge that this uncertainty has caused the family of Maurine Hunsaker immense suffering, and it is not our desire to prolong that suffering," the ruling said. "But we are bound by the rule of law." What's next? The Utah Attorney General's Office can appeal the ruling the U.S. Supreme Court, which has the power to reverse it and allow the execution to proceed, though it has previously stopped other executions over dementia concerns. If an appeal isn't filed or the U.S. Supreme Court does not overturn the lower court's decision, Menzies will need to undergo a new competency evaluation. Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter for USA TODAY. Follow her on X at @amandaleeusat. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Court halts firing squad execution for mom's murder in Utah. Why? Coweta deputies shoot at, arrest man suspected of shooting family member The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Coweta County. On Saturday, deputies with the Coweta County Sheriffs Office responded to a home on Wedgewood Circle to reports of a family dispute. Deputies said when they arrived, the suspect and victim ran into the house, where the suspect fired a shot and hit one of the victims. That person was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital by helicopter. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Deputies fired shots at the suspect, and he was taken into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no word on the condition of the suspect or the victim. The GBI was requested to conduct an independent investigation of the shooting. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] DES MOINES, Iowa Crusaders for a Cause held a magnet fishing charity event Saturday at Riverwood Park in Des Moines to raise awareness for the deaf and hard of hearing community. The whole point of this event is to bring awareness, acceptance to the deaf and hard of hearing community and bridge the communication barrier that is out there because the deaf community is often, in a way, forgotten about, said Jared ORear, the organizer of the event and face behind the Flying Arrow Magnetics YouTube channel. Skate DSM donates helmets, skateboards during DSM Streetstyle Open Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ORear said he has personal ties to the deaf and hard of hearing community. I grew up in a deaf home. My mother was deaf. So Im what they call a CODA, which means a child of a deaf adult. And then I became deaf myself in 2013 after I had a work accident that took my hearing, ORear said. At the event, people learned how to magnet fish, doing some good for the rivers in the process. Its all about cleaning the environment and leaving it for future generations to be able to have a place thats clean and it helps our waterways. I do a lot of magnet fishing off of the Des Moines River, and Ive pulled out mobile things like ATMs, training, grenades, guns, all sorts stuff, ORear said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crusaders for a Cause is donating all the money raised from selling scrap metal collected during the event to Iowa Association of the Deaf. Iowa News: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. California State Universitys fall 2025 headcount ticked up 4,000 students compared with this time last year, thanks to in-state student increases that outpaced a smaller drop in out-of-state and international enrollment, preliminary data released by the system show. That growth amounts to less than a percentage point increase at CSU, bringing the total across the 22-campus system to about 465,000 students. The preliminary figures are welcome news after a significant enrollment downturn following the COVID-19 pandemic. But concerns remain that the Trump administrations immigration policies may stifle international enrollment or discourage undocumented or mixed-status students from applying for financial aid and going to college. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CSU reported a roughly 1,300-student decrease in out-of-state headcount. A CSU spokesperson said data on international student enrollment were not yet available. An analysis released by NAFSA, the association of international educators, predicts a 30% to 40% decline in new international student enrollment across the U.S. because of a previous pause in visa interviews by the Trump administration and other trends that might keep away foreign applicants. The California Student Aid Commission reported in June that financial aid applications for mixed immigration status and undocumented high school seniors were down in the 2025-26 cycle. Despite those headwinds, the early data suggest that total headcount CSU-wide has continued a slow recovery from the pandemic even as it remains below its 2020 peak. The systems overall progress masks an uneven enrollment pattern around CSU, as some of the state universities expanded their student bodies over the last decade while other campuses shrank. CSU expects to release final fall 2025 enrollment data in October. A full accounting of campus-by-campus figures typically comes later in the term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CSU credited part of this years overall increase to a Riverside County pilot program, in which the university system alerted qualifying high school students that they had been automatically admitted to attend their choice of 10 CSUs. The pilot gave first-year enrollment from Riverside County high schools a 6% boost compared with 2024, according to CSU. The university system also reported increases among California residents, up by more than 5,300, and undergraduate transfer students, up by more than 1,000. DiPierro is a reporter for EdSource, a nonprofit, nonpartisan journalism organization covering education in California. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Filipino Americans are one of the fastest-growing and most diverse Asian American subgroups in the U.S.yet they remain one of the most misunderstood, especially when it comes to mental health. Whether due to the myth of the model minority or the aggregation of Asian health data that obscures subgroup differences, Filipino Americans face a growing but overlooked mental health crisis. Despite strong cultural values rooted in resilience, family, and faith, Filipino Americans often encounter barriers in acknowledging, discussing, and receiving care for mental illness. These cultural valueswhile deeply groundingcan also silence mental health struggles. Kapwa At the heart of Filipino identity is the concept of kapwa, a deeply relational worldview that emphasizes interconnectedness and shared identity. Kapwa fosters loyalty to family and community. And while this can be a strength, it can also discourage individuals from expressing emotional distress out of fear of burdening others or disrupting group harmony. This is especially true when mental illness is seen not as a medical condition, but as a personal weakness or spiritual failing. While this creates a strong support network, it simultaneously sets the grounds for a culture of isolation during times of weakness. Reflection / Charmaignes note: Growing up in a Filipino family, one value was always clear: family comes first. My siblings and I could always count on our parents to provide for our physical needs. There was always food on the table, a roof over our heads, and more than enough support when it came to extracurriculars. They would spend thousands of dollars on new knee pads, swimsuits, uniforms, and badminton racketsall tangible ways they showed us they loved us. They would remind my siblings and me that they grew up with little, and through perseverance and hard work, they built a life to where they could provide and allow us to thrive. This same resiliency was what we should strive to embody. In the same vein, they truly felt that this tenacity would allow us to overcome mental health struggles, such as depression. Hiya Central to this cultural silence is the notion of hiya, or shame. Within Filipino families, emotional suffering is often kept privatesometimes even hidden from close relatives. On one side, kapwa brings unity, but individuals are unable to be different in this unanimous environment, creating the flip side of hiya. Seeking professional help may be viewed as bringing shame upon the family, which can lead individuals to suppress or internalize their symptoms. Instead of turning to therapists or counselors, many choose to endure quietly or rely on religious faith as alternatives to clinical treatment. Reflection / Charmaignes note: When it came to mental health, that love didnt always translate. In many Filipino households, mental health isnt something thats openly acknowledged. For most, its invisibleor worse, dismissed. As I got older, I began experiencing severe depression in high school. I tried to open up to my parents about what I was going through, hoping they would understand. Despite both of them being nurses, their response was devastating: depression doesnt existpray more, work hard, and the feeling will go away. I couldnt find the words to make them understand how deeply it was affecting me. I began to isolate myself, spending hours locked in my room. Over time, the weight of that silence and misunderstanding grew heavier, and I started to experience suicidal thoughts. Eventually, I reached a breaking point and attempted to take my own life. Healing and progress These beliefs around mental health are multifacetedpersonal views shaped alongside a proud cultural identity and sense of familial heritage. While these roots have given strength and unity, they have also contributed to mental health struggles often being minimized and viewed as moral failings. Today, modern mental health care seeks to continue shedding light on these issues, encouraging awareness and access to treatment so that mental illness is no longer hidden and unaddressed. Reflection / Charmaignes note: With time, Ive come to realize that family truly does come firstmy extended family, especially my cousins and their significant others, have been my greatest source of support. They were there for me during my lowest moments and came to my aid when I needed someone the most. When my parents couldnt hear my cries for help, it was my cousins and their partners who lifted me up. They became my advocates, the ones who spoke out and stood up to my parents, helping them understand the seriousness of what I was going through. Through their love and support, I realized that I wasnt alone. They gave me the courage to care for myself and taught me how to love who I am. Because of them, I was finally able to begin healing and take the medication I needed to become a better version of myself. Victor Fu is a medical student. Charmaigne Lopez is a social worker. BLUEFIELD Area residents will not see their monthly power bills increase for now under an order approved by the West Virginia Public Service Commission. The Commission denied the bulk of a $250.5 million rate increase sought by Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power, but granted a $76.1 million increase. However, customers will not be billed at a higher rate than they are now under the approved increase, the commission said Friday in a news release. In the order, the commission said it requires that the current rates remain unchanged pending future refinancing of a significant portion of the companies investment in generation plants and deferred expenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Appalachian Power was seeking a 14.6 percent increase. Had the full increase been approved, area residents would have seen their electric bills increase by approximately $27 a month. In its order, the commission said it would approve very soon a securitization plan, which is a bonding system, to help spread the cost of the expenses that were approved. The companies will continue to bill customers at the current rates so there is no increase on customer bills resulting from this decision, the commission said in the prepared statement. Were pleased that the PSC saw the advantages for our customers in our securitization plan, Aaron Walker, Appalachian Power president and chief operating officer, said later Friday. However, we are disappointed that the PSC didnt recognize the full investment made on the system on behalf of our customers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Area residents worried about the proposed rate increase, according to Craig Hammond, executive director of the Bluefield Union Mission. I think people were bracing for it, Hammond said. So everybody can temporarily breathe a sigh of relief, especially those who live within the margins. Hammond said people ask the Bluefield Union Mission for help with paying electric bills every winter. We tend to do more water, sewer and other utilities in the summer, and then we really prioritize electric and natural gas in the winter, Hammond said. While public utilities will likely seek more rate increases in the future, news of the PSC rejecting the bulk of Appalachian Powers proposed 14.1 percent increase was also good news for the mission, according to Hammond. Had the full rate increase been approved, the mission likely would have been overwhelmed this winter with requests for help from citizens with electric bills that they couldnt afford to pay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This winter is safe, Hammond said. The commissions order also will benefit those who rent, Hammond said. A lot of folks have gone over to natural gas, but not the landlords, Hammond said. They are not as quick to make the transition because of the cost of going from electric to natural gas. This really is good news for people who rent because most landlords who rent, they dont do a whole lot as far as weatherizing their houses as someone who is a home owner would. So they leave it up to the tenant, and sometimes the tenant is unable to. Appalachian Power Company and Wheeling Power filed revised tariff sheets on Nov. 1 reflecting increased electric rates and charges of about $250.5 million annually for furnishing electricity to approximately 460,921 customers in Boone, Brooke, Cabell, Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Nicholas, Ohio, Putnam, Raleigh, Roane, Summers, Wayne, Wetzel, and Wyoming counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several entities filed to intervene, including the West Virginia Energy Users Group, West Virginia Citizen Action Group, Solar United Neighbors, Energy Efficient West Virginia, Solar Holler, LLC and the commissions Consumer Advocate Division. The Commission later granted intervenor status to Kroger and the West Virginia Coal Association, Inc., according to a copy of the PSC order. Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com Dallas police arrested a 22-year-old man accused of carrying out 14 armed robberies across the city, according to the departments new Serial Robbery Task Force. Police identified the suspect as Jafeth Najera-Suate. Detectives linked him to multiple incidents following his March 1 arrest. Officers responded to a robbery call around 9:25 p.m. that day in the 3600 block of South Lancaster Road, where investigators said Najera-Suate entered the business and demanded money at gunpoint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives later connected him to 13 other robberies dating back to Jan. 6. The case was one of several pursued by the Serial Robbery Task Force, created in January 2025 following a surge in business robberies the previous year. Since then, the unit has handled 24 investigations and arrested 33 suspects on 111 felony charges. Because of the countless hours this extraordinary group of detectives have dedicated to the pursuit of justice, the Dallas Police Department have been able to apprehend some of the individuals who have wreaked havoc in our city, making it a safer place, stated Major Bobbie Epperson. The robberies occurred at businesses across Dallas, stretching from Preston Road in North Dallas to Ferguson Road in East Dallas. The spree included multiple incidents on Jan. 8 and Jan. 26. Police said seven of the task forces investigations also involved crimes in nearby cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Najera-Suate faces 14 robbery charges and is being held in the Dallas County Jail. Epperson added, We remain steadfast in our vigilance and unwavering in our commitment to achieving measurable progress in reducing crime in our great city. Dallas police have released information regarding the arrest of five suspects and the seizure of fentanyl, guns, and body armor during a raid on a suspected drug house last week. Dallas SWAT officers executed a search warrant at the 3300 block of Webb Chapel Extension in Northwest Dallas on August 22. Patrol officers had spent several weeks gathering evidence and conducting surveillance. Oscar Garza, 22, faces the most serious charges among those arrested. Prosecutors charged him with two counts of first-degree felony drug manufacturing, plus weapons and body armor violations as a convicted felon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers also arrested Melissa Martinez, 32; Marissa Davis, 26; Alicia Kruse, 40; and Sara Vandeneyde, 39. Each woman had outstanding warrants for narcotics charges. The seizure netted 6.6 grams of fentanyl and 4 grams of crack cocaine. Officers also found half a gram of methamphetamine and 26.7 grams of suspected fentanyl awaiting lab confirmation. Two handguns were recovered, including one reported stolen. Officers also seized a ballistic vest equipped with armor plates. This successful investigation is one example of how we are disrupting criminal activity in Dallas. Criminals involved in drug sales should be on notice that Dallas is not the place for this activity, said Major Paul Thai, commander of the Northwest Patrol Division. The case represents a significant drug bust for the Northwest Division. Even small amounts of fentanyl can prove deadly, with just two milligrams potentially causing an overdose. Police documented the investigation under case number 120777-2025. "Plastic bag bans" a somewhat misleading term referring to an array of policies aimed at reducing single-use plastic like shopping bags have been wildly successful around the world, but The Guardian recently reported that progress is slowing for one specific reason. What's happening? The phrase "plastic bag ban" lacks nuance, as it tends to describe policies structured to incentivize reusable bag use, typically by levying a very small fee on plastic bags. It's been around a decade since countries, counties, cities, and other jurisdictions began imposing plastic bag fees, and good outcomes have been consistent. In May, ABC News looked at the impact of plastic bag initiatives, noting shoreline pollution dipped 37% in New Jersey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overall, "data shows that plastic bag bans work," ABC added. In 2024, tech consultancy Pager Power indicated that in the United Kingdom, single-use plastic bag usage had dropped 98% since 2015, when a "ban" was enacted. According to The Guardian, though, plastic bag use is creeping back up. The culprit? Online grocery shopping. Specifically, the outlet mentioned "the so-called Ocado effect," referencing a popular purveyor of internet groceries in the UK. In 2024, British supermarket shoppers purchased 437 million plastic bags versus 407 million in 2023 a 7% uptick year-over-year, according to the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among UK grocery stores, "Ocado sold more plastic bags than any other supermarket" with 221 million bags sold, up 30 million from 2023. Why is this concerning? As ABC News plainly put it, plastic bag bans "work." Ordering groceries online is, in and of itself, not necessarily a net negative for the environment. It's also often a necessity for busy families, and allows customers to save precious hours purchasing household staples. DEFRA's aggregate figures paint a worrisome picture, given the clear success of the UK's initiatives to curb plastic bag use. The public willingly adapted to the change, and through a change to the structure of commerce, that hard-earned change began to wane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per The Guardian, the "amount of plastic waste collected on beaches rose by 9.5% in 2024 compared with 2023." That statistic was more unsettling when considering that UK shoppers likely hadn't changed their habits intentionally the uptick in plastic pollution could be stemming in large part from a shift to shopping online, evading the notice of eco-conscious consumers. Plastic pollution is harmful on many levels, not the least of which is the growing problem of microplastics and their impact on human health. What's being done about it? The paper noted that British grocery stores are taking steps to curtail single-use plastic's incursions, with some deploying reusable crates to customers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Using less plastic is one way to address the issue directly, and the world's governments are working on a plastics treaty. The UK government remains "committed to cutting our reliance on plastics," a DEFRA spokesperson said. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. As the giant effigy of the "Man" burned in the Nevada desert, a festival-goer approached a sheriff's deputy. A man was lying in a pool of blood, the individual reported about 9:14 p.m. Saturday. When the deputy, along with rangers from the Bureau of Land Management, found the man at a campsite, he was dead. Since then, investigators have been swarming the scene, collecting evidence and interviewing neighboring campers at the nine-day Burning Man festival, which draws tens of thousands each year to a desolate area about 120 miles north of Reno for a celebration of community, art, self-expression and self-reliance." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The death is believed to be a homicide, Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen said in a news release Sunday. The remains of the man, who has not been identified, are with the Washoe County regional medical examiner's office. "Although this act appears to be a singular crime," Allen wrote, "all participants should always be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances." The Burning Man Project, the nonprofit that organizes the festival, said in a statement on its website that it was cooperating with law enforcement and that peer support counselors were available on the grounds. Last year, Kendra Frazer, 39, died at Burning Man after emergency personnel were unable to revive her. It was found that Frazer had died in her sleep after an asthma attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, Leon Reece of Truckee died at the festival after he was found unresponsive, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported. Drug intoxication was suspected in his death, according to a preliminary investigation by the Washoe County regional medical examiner's office. Other fatalities at the festival over the years included a man who ran into the Burning Man fire in 2018, a woman struck by a car in 2014, another woman struck by a car in 2003 and the pilot of a plane who crashed while landing at the festivals airstrip in 2003, according to the Gazette-Journal. Before Saturday's grim discovery, this year's Burning Man was punctuated by unexpected joy when a 36-year-old woman gave birth to a baby girl. Read more: Surprise! Baby girl born at Burning Man to mother who says she wasn't expecting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The woman was unaware she was pregnant until she went into labor in her RV on Wednesday morning, she and her husband said. Neighboring campers, who included an obstetrician and other medical professionals, scrambled to tend to baby Aurora, who entered the world at a little over 3 pounds. They scrounged for clean blankets, saline and other emergency medical supplies in the dusty and mud-caked camp. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The death of a man whose body was pulled from Lake Michigan near DuSable Harbor early Saturday has been ruled a homicide after a Sunday autopsy, according to the Cook County medical examiners office. The cause of death was drowning. The medical examiner had not release additional details or the 63-year-old mans identity as of Sunday afternoon. He was found near the 200 block of North Lakefront Drive at around 3 a.m. Saturday. Divers with the Chicago Fire Department responded, and the man was pronounced dead at 4 a.m. on scene, according to Chicago police and the medical examiner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Belmont Area detectives are investigating the death. Through last Saturday, at least 32 people had drowned in Lake Michigan this year, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, which tracks deaths on all five Great Lakes. adperez@chicagotribune.com Tribunes Kate Perez contributed. WACO, Texas (FOX 44) Starting tomorrow, Texas public school districts will be required to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom under a new state law passed during the most recent legislative session. The mandate, created by Senate Bill 10, directs schools to post the text as a reflection of what supporters argue is a foundational influence on U.S. law and moral standards. Lawmakers backing the measure say the Ten Commandments represent the cultural and ethical roots of the nation. Schools are not required to purchase posters, but they must accept and display donated versions. For example, Hays Consolidated ISD in Central Texas has already received a donated poster. Opponents, including the American Civil Liberties Union, argue the law violates the separation of church and state and infringes on students religious freedoms. The ACLU has sent letters to school districts urging them not to comply, citing their independent responsibility to protect students constitutional rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legal challenges are already underway. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the law for 11 districts, though it remains in effect for the rest of the state. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has appealed the ruling to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and has told schools they must follow the law. In a statement, Paxton said he will not back down from defending the virtues and values that built this country. For now, schools across Texas remain in limbo, waiting for the federal appeals court to determine whether the Ten Commandments can stay on classroom walls. No timeline has been set for a decision. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. A drought watch has been issued for Niagara County and 19 other New York counties, according to state Department of Conservation officials and Gov. Kathy Hochul. The action was taken after consulting with the State Drought Management Task Force and federal partner agencies. New York State is encouraging residents in affected counties, particularly those dependent on private groundwater wells, to conserve water whenever possible during the coming weeks. Even with some recent rain, it wasnt enough to reduce the dry conditions weve seen most of the summer this year, Hochul said. In order to prevent a more severe shortage should conditions worsen, we could see local water restrictions in the Long Island, Adirondack, and Great Lakes regions of the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A watch is the first of four levels of state drought advisories, which are watch, warning, emergency, and disaster. No mandatory restrictions are in place under a drought watch. The counties under drought watch are Chautauqua, Clinton, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Genesee, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Monroe, Nassau, Niagara, Orleans, Oswego, St. Lawrence, Suffolk, Warren, Wayne, and the northern portion of Cayuga County. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, While its not mandatory, were encouraging everyone who lives in the drought watch areas to do what they can to conserve water during this dry weather. DEC will continue to monitor the conditions and work with our agency partners to address these short-term issues as well as the longer-term impacts of climate change. While few public water-supply challenges have been reported due to dry conditions, below-normal precipitation during the last three months, low streamflows, and low groundwater levels prompted the need for action to ensure adequate notice to public water supplies. Local public water suppliers are urged to assess the current situation, promote voluntary conservation, and take appropriate actions to manage risk. The drought watch is triggered by the State Drought Index, which reflects precipitation levels, reservoir/lake levels, and stream flow and groundwater levels in the nine drought regions of the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DEC and U.S. Geological Survey are partners in evaluating hydrologic conditions across New York state. Observed precipitation over the past 90 days has been less than normal across the affected counties. Stream flows and groundwater levels are below normal throughout much of the affected regions. Groundwater levels have declined in certain areas and may not recover in the immediate future due to the existing precipitation deficit. By voluntarily reducing water usage, and being extra careful with fire and outdoor flames, New Yorkers can help conserve our natural resources during these dry days of summer. To protect water resources, homeowners are encouraged to voluntarily reduce outdoor water use and follow these tips: Water lawns only when necessary, choose watering methods that avoid waste, and water in the early morning to reduce evaporation and maximize soil hydration Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reuse water collected in rain barrels, dehumidifiers, or air conditioners to water plants Raise lawn mower cutting heights. Longer grass is healthier with stronger roots and needs less water Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks Fix leaking pipes, hoses, and faucets Wash only full loads of dishes and laundry Take shorter showers or fill the bathtub partly Install water saving plumbing fixtures Dont run the tap to make water hot or cold Wash cars less frequently For more water saving tips, visit DECs Water Use & Conservation webpage. For more information about drought in New York, visit DECs website. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) The DeCocco Little Italy Festival returned to Rochester for the first time in 3 years on Saturday. The festival, held at Ontario Beach Park, is recognized as one of the largest and most popular celebrations of Italian culture in Upstate New York. The event includes food from local restaurants, vendors, a spaghetti-eating contest, and music. Sal The Voice Valentinetti and Vanessa Racci are among the performers scheduled for Saturday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The festival is also held in honor of Roman Catholic Saint Anthony of Padua. A special prayer was held in remembrance of the late Pope Francis and for peace in Rochester. The theme for this years festival was Party at the Beach Paisano Style! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. By Charles Wowkanech When we think of Labor Day, we often think about how we plan to spend that day off with our friends and family, as we reflect on the progress we have made in our country for working people throughout the history of the labor movement. This Labor Day is different, due to the recent attacks on workers rights from the highest levels of government. More than just a holiday, this years Labor Day should be a call to action for every single worker, for everyone who believes in the sanctity of our democracy, and for those who believe in fairness, equality, and economic security for all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From building trades workers, government workers, retail workers, to healthcare workers, and service and industrial, workers from every sector in our labor movement perform essential and vital work each day. Today we celebrate these core principles that serve as the foundation of our labor movement which uplifts the voices of millions of working people in New Jersey. Yet, we also know that there is more work to be done for working people to ensure that we can continue to exercise the fundamental rights and freedoms our predecessors have fought and died for. Historically, our unions have been on the very frontlines of the battles to improve the lives of everyday Americans. We have our unions to thank for the eight-hour workday, and for laws that ensure that workers can return home safely to their families. However, in the past months, the progress we have made has been jeopardized in an effort to pander to the needs of billionaires and corporations, all while sidelining working people. In July, Lori Chavez-DeRemer the Secretary of Labor, announced that the Department of Labor planned to rescind 63 regulations that are instrumental in protecting workers health and safety, claiming that this decision eliminated unnecessary regulations that stifle growth and limit opportunity. The right to workplace safety regulations, to collectively bargain, and to organize should never be in jeopardy for union members, and yet everyday these basic rights and freedoms are under attack from the highest levels of government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, at a time when support for unions is at an all time high with 70% of Americans saying that they support unions there is no reason for these attacks to be tolerated. There is no reason to believe that we will not prevail. Every day, whether it is through lawsuits, rallies, or by calling on our legislators to do the right thing and stand by working people, the labor movement is fighting back. Any attack on our labor movement is not just limited to our workplace, it contaminates working peoples ability to put food on the table, retire with dignity, access quality healthcare, and quality of the public education their children receive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Above all, the fate of our democracy is intwined with the fate of our labor movement. As the late president of the AFL-CIO John Sweeney said, If labor has no role, democracy has no future. With the New Jersey gubernatorial election just two months away, it couldnt be any more apparent that every day from now until Nov. 4 is consequential for the future of our labor movement. Our collective voices are too important to not be heard this election, and so we will continue our efforts to carry out a mobilization campaign like never before for the future of the one million members we represent. Each of our actions matter in creating a tangible difference in the quality of the lives we live. As union members know, nothing has ever simply been handed over to us. We will continue to show up for our fellow members each and every day and for ourselves, because an injury to one is an injury to all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together, we will ensure that with each generation, the standards for workers safety will continue to rise in addition to the bar for our benefits, pensions, overtime, and paid family leave. Guided and united by our union values: equality, dignity, and fairness for all working people, we will continue to rise to meet the moment and fight for our hard-won rights every day, if thats what it takes. Charles Wowkanech is president of the New Jersey American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. Read the original article on NJ.com. WASHINGTON (AP) Democrat Eric McWilliams doesn't approve of Donald Trump sending National Guard troops to cities like Washington, D.C. And he's certainly not supportive of most of the president's policies. But the 63-year old retired handyman and U.S. Navy veteran does praise Donald Trump for one thing. When it comes to crime," he said, Hes alright. He's doing pretty good. How hes doing it is another matter. Crime is a big problem, he went on. At least he is doing something. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McWilliams' views reflect the thinking of a lot of Democrats, according to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It finds that while most disapprove of how Trump is handling the issue, a large majority, 68%, see crime as a major problem in large cities. That's despite the fact that statistics show crime, overall, is down across the nation, with some cities reporting 30-year lows. The findings underscore the challenge facing Democratic leaders. They must thread the needle between criticizing Trump's policies, which are deeply unpopular among their base, while at the same time not dismissing widespread concerns about safety, which are amplified in many news sources and in online forums like Facebook and the popular Nextdoor app. That could create a vulnerability for the party heading into next years midterm elections. Trump pushes Democrats to engage on an issue where he has the upper hand Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Trump remains unpopular overall, the new poll finds his approach to crime has earned him high marks compared to other issues like the economy and immigration. About half of U.S. adults, 53%, say they approve of his handling of crime. The vast majority of Americans, 81%, also see crime as a major problem in large cities. That includes nearly all Republicans, roughly three-quarters of independents and nearly 7 in 10 Democrats. The issue is complex, though, even for those who are concerned. In interviews, participants who oppose Trumps unprecedented takeover of Washington, D.C.s police department and threats to expand his efforts to other cities expressed alarm, calling his actions anti-American and part of what they see as an effort to distract the public from issues the White House would prefer they ignore. They believe resources would be better spent investing in community policing, mental health services and passing meaningful laws to get guns off city streets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But many also bemoaned the state of public safety in the country, even if they said they felt safe in their own neighborhoods and acknowledged that violent crime is down after a pandemic-era spike. Several noted that they or their neighbors had been the victims of serious crimes and complained about what they felt was a lackluster police response. Brian Cornelia, 62, a retired foreman and lifelong Democrat who lives in Michigan, near Marquette, is displeased with the performance of both parties. Defund the police was nuts," he said. Now with Trump what hes doing, thats nuts too." He said that crime is not at all an issue where he lives and down all over," but nonetheless appreciates that Trump is doing something. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Something is happening. Well see if it helps or not, but it's better than not doing anything," he said. Either way, he said Trump had backed Democrats into a corner. It's bad. How are you going to say you don't want crime to be dealt with?" he said. If you argue with him, what, youre soft on crime? Its a Catch-22." Criticism of Trump's tactics Even those who give Trump credit question his tactics. About 8 in 10 Democrats say its completely or somewhat unacceptable for the president to seize control of local police departments, as hes done in Washington. And about 6 in 10 say its unacceptable for the federal government to use the U.S. military and National Guard to assist local police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont approve of national troops having authority over fellow Americans, said McWilliams, the Navy veteran. You shouldnt use our armed forces to patrol our own people. That turns it into an authoritarian state. McWilliams, who lives in White Hall, Pennsylvania, said crime is practically non-existent in his neighborhood, where he doesn't even lock his door. But he worries about the situation in nearby Allentown and across the nation, noting the deadly mass shooting this week at a Minneapolis church. Im glad he does want to fight crime because well, nobody else is doing it, certainly not our mayors and governors and police department, he said, accusing them of being too politically correct to pursue controversial tactics like stop and frisk, which he believes works. Others are far more skeptical. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think he's just terrible," said Carolyn Perry, 79, a lifelong Democrat and retired nurse who lives in Philadelphia and sees Trumps actions as an excuse to target Democratic cities that voted against him. I think this National Guard thing hes doing is ridiculous," she said. It's almost like martial law. And now theyre walking around with guns. Democrat Star Kaye, 59, who lives in Downey, California, near Los Angeles, agreed, slamming Trump for using the military against residents something she said the Revolutionary War was fought, in part, against. Of course living in a big city, I understand concerns about crime, she said. But I dont think an authoritarian playbook is the right way to fix them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the president really wanted to tackle the issue, she argued, he would be investing in local police departments instead of diverting resources to immigration enforcement. She sees the crackdown as part of a broader effort to bolster Republicans' chances in next years midterm elections. I think hes going to want to have troops in the street to intimidate people not to vote, she said. Democrats try to find their own message Part of the challenge for Democrats is that, historically, crime has not been a top issue for their base. Gallup polling from April found that only about one-third of Democrats said they worried a great deal about crime and violence and were more likely to be concerned about the economy, Social Security, the environment, hunger and homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crime has also traditionally been a stronger issue for Republicans, including in the 2024 election. Democrats acknowledged the gap last week at a national party gathering in Minneapolis. In a presentation to Democratic National Committee members, party strategists noted Republicans spent about three times as much on crime-related ads as Democrats in recent presidential election years. They urged Democrats not to mimic the tough-on-crime rhetoric Republicans have embraced for decades, but instead position themselves as being serious about safety, not empty scare tactics. DONT TAKE TRUMPS CRIME BAITINSTEAD, LEAN INTO SOLUTIONS TO PREVENT CRIME, RESPOND TO CRISIS, AND STOP VIOLENCE," they urged in a slide presentation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Democratic politicians have been trying to do just that. They include Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who has been pushing back against Trump's threats to expand his efforts to Chicago. He defended Democrats' approach and said local efforts to tackle crime have been working. We also are tough on crime, Pritzker told The Associated Press in an interview on Wednesday. Trump, he said, talks a good game." What the President has done, however, is to make it harder to crack down on crime," he said. ___ Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writers Sophia Tareen in Chicago and Steve Peoples in Minneapolis contributed reporting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,182 adults was conducted Aug. 21-25, using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) Multiple people and vehicles were struck by gunfire outside a Kingstree lounge early Sunday morning. Deputies with the Williamsburg County Sheriffs Office responded to Upscale Lounge on North Williamsburg County Highway for a reported shooting. Once at the scene, deputies located a gunshot victim inside the establishment. That person was taken to a local medical facility for treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the investigation, deputies were then dispatched to Black River Medical Center in the Cades area for a report of additional victims with gunshot wounds. An initial investigation determined the victims injuries were sustained during an incident at the lounge. Deputies believe the victims were outside of the business when someone fired shots from a vehicle in the roadway on North Williamsburg County Highway. People and vehicles were hit by the gunfire; however, authorities did not say how many people were struck. The motive behind this incident remains undetermined at this time, the sheriffs office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Division of the Williamsburg County Sheriffs Office by calling (843) 355-6381. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2. ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) Deputies are searching for a suspect who is accused of stealing a car in Anderson County. According to the Anderson County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to a possible burglary involving a stolen car near exit 27 on Highway 81 North. Officials said a deputy saw the suspects car and started to follow the suspect. During the pursuit, the suspects car went off the road and broke down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect then ran into a nearby wooded area. Deputies are still searching for the suspect at this time. This is a developing story. Stay up to date with 7NEWS on the air and online as more information is made available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A Madison County deputy chasing three juveniles after a carjacking opened fire in Gibson County, striking one of the suspects, state authorities said. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which is handling the incident, said that the deputy initiated a chase around 4:45 p.m. Saturday in response to a carjacking that happened earlier in the day in the Beech Bluff Road area. The chase led into Gibson County, and the situation escalated for a reason still under investigation, leading the deputy to fire his weapon near the intersection of Highway 79 South and Main Street, TBI said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One juvenile was hit in the arm and taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. The deputy was flown from the scene with a head injury that was not life-threatening. Masked, armed men rob armored truck on Shelby Drive Two juveniles surrendered and were taken into custody. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Faced with backlash over the state ordering cities to remove LGBTQ+ rainbow crosswalks and other decorative street art, Gov. Ron DeSantis has repeatedly cited a new Florida law that he said requires those removals. But legislators from both sides of the aisle said the law the governor is pointing to contains no explicit language banning roadway art. DeSantis has defended the states removals and orders to eliminate still more asphalt art by pointing to the Florida Legislature, emphasizing that the state Senate unanimously passed a transportation law earlier this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suggestion is that lawmakers are the ones who took the action resulting in the elimination of the rainbow crosswalks and other street art. It has been DeSantis Florida Department of Transportation ordering the removal of such art displays. Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman, of Palm Beach County, said it seems to me that he wasnt expecting the backlash FDOT has received, so now hes using a bad-faith argument to shift the blame for their actions. DeSantis remarks The governor mentioned the Legislature several times this past week while addressing the street art issue. So the Legislature passed a change in law recently which said theres no street art allowed and the Department of Transportation put out guidance, DeSantis said Wednesday. Were going to follow the law, he added. Were just going to abide by the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, he said, The Florida Legislature passed a law, There was enacted, The Legislature passed it, and All theyre doing is just enforcing the law that had been passed. Theres laws that are on the books that I enforce that I may not fully agree with, but I took an oath to do it and so thats the way the cookie crumbles, and so but there was a change in law, DeSantis said. The governor signed the legislation in question into law, something he acknowledged. The implication conveyed by the governors version of events doesnt fully align with what happened, according to interviews with state lawmakers in both parties, a review of legislation and staff analyses, and official videos of proceedings in legislative committees and in the full Florida Senate and House of Representatives. The legislation in question was an omnibus measure that contained many provisions, many of them tweaks to existing state statutes governing a range of Florida Department of Transportation activities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of the 87-page Senate Bill 1662 was mundane, though some aspects werent. It required recipients of transportation funding to comply with state energy policy. A provision eliminating some parts of transportation law applying to minority- and women-owned businesses, was the only subject of controversy and debate on the floor of the House of Representatives, and the reason seven House members voted no. Sponsors of the legislation, then-state Sen. Jay Collins and state Rep. Shane Abbott, both Republicans, didnt say anything about crosswalks, intersections or street art during public committee meetings or full Senate and House debate. Collins was appointed by the governor on Aug. 12 to fill the vacant office of lieutenant governor. The final transportation package adopted by lawmakers contained no explicit language banning street art. Florida state lawmakers said the section of the law DeSantis and his Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue are citing for the new crackdown on street art has long existed. One section dealing with removal of any purported traffic control device had a minor tweak, with four words deleted and seven words added. None of this came up Berman was one of several lawmakers who said the removal of crosswalks and other road painting was absolutely not discussed by legislators. I certainly would have remembered it, and I have no memory of this being discussed at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Rep. Chip LaMarca, a Broward Republican and chair of the House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee, with jurisdiction over transportation, said crosswalks or painted streets never came up among lawmakers in this years legislative session. It was never brought up or mentioned by anybody, he added. LaMarca said he spoke with Perdue multiple times about the transportation secretarys priorities this year and there was never anything like this involved in those discussions. Berman and state Sen. Shevrin Jones, a Miami-Dade County Democrat, said if the issue had come up in any way whatsoever, the routine bill would not have easily passed the Senate. None of this came up, Jones said. It would not have been a unanimous vote if we knew the governor was going to use that language for his political expediency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Rep. Kelly Skidmore of Palm Beach County, the House Democratic policy chair, said the statute cited by the governor was existing law. Regulating the crosswalks and street painting was something FDOT could have done all along, she said. The reason that theyre using that authority is because of political pressure that stems from (Washington), D.C., and the governor, Skidmore said. The governor can say, Oh the Legislature changed the law. Certainly not in 2025, we didnt change the law. So if this was a problem for you (previously) in your administration, why are you only doing it now? Sending a message The issue began receiving public attention on July 1, when President Donald Trumps transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, decreed that pride intersections dont belong on public roads. Writing on social media, Duffy said that Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks. Duffy also issued a press release and a Dear Governor letter giving states 60 days to identify locations that warranted action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next day, Perdue endorsed Duffys statement on social media. Perdue wasnt pride-flag specific, but his message was clear. Floridas proactive efforts to ensure we keep our transportation facilities free & clear of political ideologies were cemented into law by @GovRonDeSantis & reemphasized in FDOTs attached memo. Great to now have our federal partners also aligned behind this same common-sense policy. Perdue attached a memorandum from one of his assistant secretaries that all traffic control devices, including pavement surfacing markings, be compliant with state rules. Despite the directive from Duffy, The Associated Press reported theres no indication of any widespread actions to remove rainbow crossings outside of Florida. Jones, the first out LGBTQ+ member of the Florida Senate, said taken in totality the conclusion is clear. This is a political decision, he said. No one asked for this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents and city leaders in different parts of the state have responded differently. Boynton Beach and West Palm Beach, for example, said they would quickly comply with state instructions to remove their rainbow intersections, designed to show support for their LGBTQ+ residents. Delray Beach is fighting the efforts. Also resisting are two cities in LaMarcas district: Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach. Fort Lauderdale was ordered to remove the LGBTQ+ rainbow section of Sebastian Street, two intersections decorated with state-approved seascape scenes and midcentury modern colors and shapes on Breakers Avenue, and one other with a zigzag pattern. And late Friday, it was ordered to remove displays at an additional seven sites across the city. Pompano Beach has geometrical designs and musical notes at intersections near City Hall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Demonstrators gathered Monday evening at Sebastian Street, which is painted like the rainbow progress pride flag near Fort Lauderdale beach, and at the rainbow-painted bridge that links Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors. On Wednesday evening in Leon County, senior citizens some arriving with their walkers turned out to stall a road crews efforts to remove a colored crosswalk created in partnership with a nearby elementary school, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. It published a picture of one person lying down in the crosswalk in an act of civil disobedience. Also Wednesday evening in Fort Lauderdale, dozens of people, many opposed to removing the asphalt art, signed up to speak at a special meeting at which city commissioners voted to fight the state order to remove its rainbow and non-rainbow street art. LaMarca said he understand(s) peoples concerns. But once it was clear the state was applying the policy broadly, not just targeting some intersections for political reasons, he said his concerns were eased. My biggest concern is I wanted to make sure its consistent. It appears now its all types of messaging or art. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I fully support peoples ability to share their art in the proper place, LaMarca said. He added he shares the Department of Transportations stated concern about safety of roadways and avoiding distractions. He cited a dubious Florida distinction. Florida regularly ranks among the top five states for pedestrian deaths, which have increased 75% nationally since 2010, according to Smart Growth America, an advocacy group that promotes equitable and sustainable development. Public safety Research has shown that decorative crosswalks that are being removed increase safety because theyre more visible. A 2022 study from Bloomberg Philanthropies found that asphalt art projects can create safer, more desirable streets and public spaces. Comparing crash rates and behavior of pedestrians and motorists before and after projects were installed, The analysis found significantly improved safety performance across a variety of measures during periods when asphalt art was installed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know what is killing people, things like lack of visibility, increased speed, increased vehicle size, said Heidi Simon, director of thriving communities for Smart Growth America. Despite knowing that those are some of the biggest contributing factors we have not done enough to change the design of our environment to help mitigate those risk factors. Across Florida, designs and colors for some of the asphalt art being eradicated under orders from the state transportation department had been previously approved, and sometimes praised, by that very same agency. Berman said several of the crosswalks have been previously approved by FDOT and are proven to increase pedestrian safety. The targeting and removal of everything from memorials to childrens artwork is a politically motivated waste of taxpayer dollars thats making our streets more dangerous. (Orlando Sentinel staff writer Skyler Swisher contributed to this report.) This is the fourth installment in a Free Press series exploring low voter turnout in Detroit. Read the first three: Part 1: 24 years of Detroit election data shows not enough people vote. Can we fix it? | Opinion Part 2: Detroit's comeback left some behind and now they're not voting Part 3: Detroit primary election turnout improves slightly in 2025 mayor, council races Turnout may have inched up in Detroits August primary, but whos heading to the polls hasnt changed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Registered voters in the citys highest turnout neighborhoods the collection of middle class and affluent communities one candidate calls Victory Row voted at twice the citywide rate. In precincts that include Palmer Woods, Green Acres, Sherwood Forest and the University District, 35% of voters cast ballots on Aug. 5, compared to 17% citywide. In the Detroit neighborhoods with the lowest turnout the southwest and northeast corners of the city the status quo also held, with turnout in some areas as low as 10%. And, as in past years, most Detroiters simply didn't vote. To understand Detroit elections, we analyzed two decades of voting data, along with results from this years cycle. Were talking to candidates and consultants, and were asking Detroiters why they vote, or why they don't. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City Council President Mary Sheffield was the top vote-getter on Aug. 5, with 51% of the ballots cast, an unexpected majority in a nine-way race. Rev. Solomon Kinloch finished second, with 17% of the vote. Sheffield and Kinloch will compete in the Nov. 4 general election. Turnout in August was up from 15% of the voting age population four years ago, and City Clerk Janice Winfrey expects turnout in the general election to surpass 2021 as well. Its progress. Just not enough. Detroiters slow slide away from municipal elections doesnt have just one cause, and there isn't one quick, easy solution to bring voters back. But it starts with acknowledging what has happened and committing to change. A note on the data For a consistent measure of turnout over time, the Free Press compared the number of ballots cast with the U.S. Census Bureau count of Detroits voting age population, which yields different results than the city's official turnout figures, which compare ballots cast to the number of registered voters. The clerk's office reports votes in two ways. Votes cast in person on Election Day are reported by 400 individually numbered precincts. Absentee ballots are reported via 30 counting boards that combine multiple precincts. To obtain a complete picture of turnout in the August primary, we added votes cast in person at precincts to the corresponding absentee counting board. Results for the 2025 primary are from the Detroit City Clerk's unofficial tallies. The 1 chart everyone needs to understand For the last 20 years, turnout in Detroit municipal elections has declined, from 41% of the citys voting age population in 2005 to 20% in 2021. Voters have simply stopped turning out for city elections, even as theyve continued to cast ballots in presidential and gubernatorial elections at relatively consistent rates. The way Detroiters vote has changed In 2018, Michiganders OK'd no-reason absentee voting, a policy reform that landed just before the COVID-19 pandemic pushed many voters to avoid in-person activities. Michiganders have embraced absentee voting, with 60% casting ballots by mail or voting in person at an early voting site in the 2024 presidential election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detroiters are no different. Most of the 86,548 Detroiters who voted in the primary skipped the precinct on Election Day, casting 56,735 absentee ballots. Just 3% of all ballots, or 2,367, were cast at early voting sites. Top vote-getters won at precincts, and by mail But nearly all of the nine candidates landed in the same spot, regardless of the way voters cast ballots. Sheffield, Kinloch and former The Heat and Warmth Fund CEO Saunteel Jenkins, who finished in third place, fared roughly the same across absentee and in-person voters. The only exceptions were fourth-place finisher Todd Perkins, a defense attorney, and former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, in fifth place. Craig outperformed Perkins with absentee voters by roughly one percentage point, but Perkins beat Craig with Election Day voters by about three percentage points. Sheffield dominated Mary Sheffield dominated across the city, winning every combined counting board, which includes totals from absentee ballots and Election Day votes. In 21 of the 30 boards, she won more than half the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the counting board that includes "Victory Row," where 35% of registered voters cast ballots, Sheffield won more than four times as many votes as Kinloch. On the southwest Detroit counting board that includes low-turnout Delray, Sheffield won the lowest proportion of total votes. But she still received more than three times the votes cast for Kinloch 1,580 to Kinlochs 481. Just 10% of those southwest Detroiters voted. Do district council races get out the vote? Two Detroit City Council districts have open seats; Sheffield, who represents District 5, and Fred Durhall II, the District 7 councilman, ran for mayor. In District 2, former Councilman Roy McCalister is running to win back the seat he lost in 2021 to current Councilwoman Angela Whitfield-Calloway. In Districts 1 and 4, incumbents are unopposed, and in Districts 3 and 6, incumbents will face a general election challenger, but didn't have a primary. (Two at-large council members are also seeking re-election in competitive races.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, based on the data currently available, council races didn't seem to drive Detroiters to the polls. Simply put, turnout was high in the neighborhoods where Detroiters routinely vote, and low in the places they don't. The second-highest turnout by counting board in the city is in District 5, where seven candidates competed to replace Sheffield, with 28% of registered voters casting ballots. That includes the east side of downtown: Elmwood Park, Rivertown, the Gold Coast, West Village and Indian Village. But in District 7, where four candidates vyed to replace Durhal, turnout ranged from 12% to 16%. What's next? Change won't come easy, or by staying on the same path. Establishing a common set of facts can help everyone understand that this is a crisis in Michigan's largest city and may suggest a new course. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nancy Kaffer is the editorial page editor of the Detroit Free Press. Contact: nkaffer@freepress.com. Kristi Tanner is the Free Press data analyst: ktanner@freepress.com. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters, and we may publish it online and in print. Like what you're reading? Please consider supporting local journalism and getting unlimited digital access with a Detroit Free Press subscription. We depend on readers like you. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Can Detroit fix its voter turnout crisis? | Opinion The Defense Health Agency says it is so backlogged with Freedom of Information Act requests that it cannot meet the laws 20-day deadline. In an email sent August 26 to The Dallas Express, DHA acknowledged receiving a request for records. However, the FOIA agent said the request was number 950 out of 951 open cases and estimated a completion date of October 8, 2025 roughly three weeks after the statutory deadline. We regret the substantial delay in processing requests, DHAs FOIA analyst wrote in the interim response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), passed in 1967, states that all federal agencies are required to respond to a FOIA request within 20 business days, unless there are unusual circumstances,' per the Department of Justice website. The unusual circumstances include situations where it will take an exceptional amount of time to collect records from field offices, requests for large amounts of documents, or those that require consultation with another agency. Delays are now common, and transparency advocates warn that mounting backlogs weaken the laws role as a tool for public oversight of federal agencies. Federal News Network has reported that FOIA offices across the government are chronically underfunded and understaffed, despite receiving a record 900,000 requests in fiscal 2022. FOIA offices have traditionally been understaffed and underbudgeted, Marshall Hamilton, an executive at Tyler Technologies, told the outlet. He added that shortages are a big reason why these [FOIA] backlogs are increasing governmentwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Defense Health Agency manages health care delivery for 9.5 million beneficiaries worldwide through TRICARE and serves as a medical combat support agency to the Army, Navy, and Air Force, according to the agency website. Its FOIA office is based in Falls Church, Virginia, and processes requests for multiple subcomponents, including Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System. The agencys handling of FOIA requests echoes similar struggles across the federal government. On July 8, the Federal Communications Commission agreed to expedite the processing of an earlier records request from The Dallas Express due to a compelling need to inform the public about government affairs. Seven weeks later, the special government process intended to produce records quickly has still not produced any documents. The Dallas Express recently reported that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services continues to cite COVID-19 as a reason for reduced FOIA capacity, despite the pandemic emergency ending more than two years ago. In another case, the Air Force blew past multiple deadlines for records regarding water contamination at Dyess Air Force Base before ultimately stating that no responsive documents existed. Hamilton said agencies are increasingly turning to automation and artificial intelligence to manage FOIA case loads, describing the tools as force multipliers that can speed reviews and balance workloads among analysts. But without more staff and resources, watchdogs argue, the laws guarantees of timely public access remain out of reach. The Trump administration has proposed a new rule that would limit the duration of study for international students in the United States to four years. The rule would limit the duration for which certain visa holders, including foreign students, are permitted to remain in the country, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The proposal is designed to crack down on visa abuse and increase DHSs capacity to manage these visa holders. For too long, past Administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the U.S. virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing untold amount of taxpayer dollars, and disadvantaging U.S. citizens, said a DHS spokesperson in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This new proposed rule would end that abuse once and for all easing the burden on the federal government to properly oversee foreign students and their history. Foreign students (F visa holders) have been permitted to remain in the United States for an unspecified period, known as the duration of status, since 1978. Unlike other visas, those that include the duration of status designation allow individuals to stay in the country indefinitely, without requiring further vetting. According to the DHS release, this has led to foreign students taking advantage of the program by becoming forever students. The new rule would set the authorized admission and extension periods for international students and exchange visitors to the length of their program, but no longer than four years. The proposal would also establish initial admission periods for journalists, limited to no more than 240 days. However, eligible individuals could be granted up to 240 additional days, but capped at the duration of the temporary activity or assignment. By placing a fixed period of time on foreign students, exchange, and foreign media classifications, extensions would require authorization with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), ensuring regular assessments by DHS for the alien to remain in the U.S. for a longer period, read the announcement. This would allow DHS to conduct proper oversight as part of SEVP and SEVIS by making access to necessary information more accessible and reducing the number of individuals here on visas. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem acknowledged Sunday a surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Chicago in the coming days but stopped short of saying it will be accompanied by a National Guard deployment. Any military presence ultimately would be President Donald Trumps call, Noem said, but Gov. JB Pritzker reiterated that such a move would be against federal law and warned it would be met in court pretty quickly by the state. Im saying we dont want troops on the streets of American cities, Pritzker said. Thats un-American and, frankly, the president of the United States ought to know better. This one doesnt seem to. He doesnt seem to understand the Constitution or the laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noem and Pritzker each appeared on CBS News Face the Nation on Sunday, though in separate interviews. Their appearance came as Chicago prepared for more intensive ICE enforcement, which could begin as soon as Friday, with agents based at Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago. Weve already had ongoing operations with ICE in Chicago and throughout Illinois, and other states, making sure that were upholding our laws, but we do intend to add more resources to those operations, Noem said. Asked if a surge in ICE operations was planned for other cities, she said she would not discuss specifics but said the efforts were not aimed at Democrat-led urban areas and could include cities in Republican states. Theres a lot of cities that are dealing with crime and violence right now and so we havent taken anything off the table. Weve been making sure that we have the resources and the equipment to go in, Noem said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Id encourage every single big city, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, whatever they are, if they want to help make their cities safer they should call us, she said, citing declines in violent crime after Trump federalized law enforcement in Washington, D.C., and deployed National Guard troops. Every single city is evaluated for what we need to do there to make it safer. So weve got operations that, again, I wont talk about details on. But we absolutely are not looking through the viewpoint at anything were doing with a political lens, she said. Noem, a former South Dakota governor, belittled Pritzker for not personally calling Trump and seeking federal intervention to address Chicago crime. This seems like its more about Gov. Pritzkers ego now, rather than actually protecting his people. If he had one murder in Chicago, he should be calling President Trump and saying, Whats your ideas? What can we do? she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So he can talk about what a great job hes doing as governor but hes failing those families who will no longer have their child with them, their mother or their father or their cousin, aunt and uncle that are gone forever because of the violence thats happening in Chicago, she said. Pritzker, in an unaired portion of his Friday interview with CBS White House correspondent Ed OKeefe, said he has not called the Trump administration to tell them not to come to Chicago because I think Ive been pretty clear publicly and that if the president wants to send in the Guard, he should call. Honestly, wed be happy to receive a call, the two-term Democratic governor said. When we have an emergency and we need the federal government to send troops in, believe me, I will pick up the phone and call. That is not something going on in Chicago today. But Pritzker said the ICE surge is inflaming passions and causing disruption that doesnt need to be caused. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have people that have lived in the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago for decades, working here, paying taxes. Theyre law-abiding members of our communities, friends, neighbors, and why are we arresting them? Why are we making them disappear? Pritzker asked, saying he would tell Noem to maybe check herself for, what does she really believe. Discussing the issue of mid-decade redistricting, which Trump has pushed in Texas and other GOP-led states, Pritzker said it is possible to have more Democratic districts in the state of Illinois and we could do it. Texas Republicans have signed into law redrawn congressional boundaries aimed at flipping five Democratic seats in the U.S. House for the 2026 midterm elections, as part of Trumps effort to maintain a GOP House majority through the end of the decade. Democratic-led California recently responded to Texas move as Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking voters to approve a map aimed at giving his party five more U.S. House seats, but late last week, Missouri Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe said he is calling lawmakers into a special session to redraw that states House districts. When asked whether Illinois would join in the redistricting fight, Pritzker said, Thats not something that I want to do. Its not something any of us want to do, he said of Democratic-led states. If hes going to do that all over the country, I think all of us have to think about what it is that we can do to counter that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illinois Democratic-led redistricting map approved after the 2020 federal census was politically gerrymandered to create a 14-3 Democratic majority in the 17-member House delegation. The Illinois map earned a grade of F from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project. Pritzker, who is seeking a third term next year, did little to dispel his interest in a potential 2028 run for the Democratic presidential nomination, saying, I dont know what the future holds. You know, I look around, weve got a bench among the Democratic Party that is really terrific. I could point to governors. I could point to senators. I think there are a lot of good choices, he said, according to a transcript of an unaired portion of the interview. Weve got a terrific group of people who could be president of the United States on the Democratic side and Im happy to stand with them as we stand against Donald Trump. Elnur Enveroglu, Azernews Since establishing diplomatic ties in 1992, Azerbaijan and China have fostered steadily deepening collaboration across multiple fields, including political, economic, infrastructural, and institutional. Azerbaijans strategic position along both EastWest and NorthSouth corridors has rendered it an essential partner within Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Certainly, since the economy is the leading segment at the forefront of all forms of cooperation, it would be more logical to first examine the trade relations between Azerbaijan and China, the worlds second-largest power. Thus, trade has surged, through which bilateral foreign trade turnover rose from approximately USD 1.3 billion in 2018 to USD 3.2 billion in 2023, representing a 2.4-fold increase. In 2024 alone, trade volume rose another 20.7% to reach USD 3.744 billion. China now accounts for nearly 8% of Azerbaijans foreign trade turnover and is the leading source of imports at nearly 17.7%. Besides, Chinese direct investment in Azerbaijan since 1995 has reached USD 920 million, with Azerbaijani investments in China roughly double that figure. Currently, 375 Chinese-capital companies are registered in Azerbaijan (298 active), engaging in infrastructure, liberated-territory projects, and digital transformation, such as Huawei-supported smart-village and smart-city developments. Moreover, transit and logistics form a vital pillar. Azerbaijans Middle Corridor (the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor) connects China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Georgia, and Turkiye. It has reduced shipping from 10,000 km to around 7,000 km, cutting transit time, and container traffic has surged 2.5-fold between 2020 and 2024, with projections forecasting a three-fold rise and further cuts to transit time by 2030. Beyond economics, cooperation spans science, technology, agriculture, telecommunications, culture, and humanitarian exchange. Strategic multilateral frameworks include the AzerbaijanChina Intergovernmental Trade and Economic Cooperation Commission, AIIB-supported projects, multiple Azerbaijan Trade Houses in Beijing, and alignment of the BRI with Azerbaijans national strategies, the "Revival of the Silk Road" and the 2030 Socio-Economic Development Strategy. Behind all these successful forms of cooperation, it is, of course, worth emphasising the role of the strategy and diplomacy pursued by President Ilham Aliyev in advancing AzerbaijanChina relations. The warm relations established between the heads of state of Azerbaijan and China, along with the meetings held to date, provide grounds to state that both sides, alongside shared values, attach great importance to cooperation across all fields. As for the meetings between the heads of state, one of the most significant took place in Astana. On 3 July 2024, ahead of the SCO Summit in the capital city of Kazakhstan, President Xi and President Aliyev met. They upgraded bilateral relations to a strategic partnership and emphasised deeper cooperation in trade, investment, energy (oil, gas, photovoltaics), and the Trans-Caspian corridor. China reaffirmed support for Azerbaijan's sovereignty, and both sides committed to "high-quality" BRI cooperation. Further to the meetings, President Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva undertook a state visit to China from 22 to 24 April 2025. On 23 April, both leaders held an expanded meeting at the Great Hall of the People with Xi Jinping. President Xi commended Azerbaijans achievements, recalled the previous Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership (signed in Astana), and emphasised cooperation within the UN, SCO, and CICA, alongside mutual support for sovereignty and territorial integrity. The two leaders formally signed a Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reaffirming mutual political trust, support for each others core interests (e.g., Azerbaijan endorsing One-China, China supporting Azerbaijans peace agenda), and deeper integration of BRI with Azerbaijans development plans. Later that day, they witnessed the signing of 20 cooperation documents spanning legal affairs, green development, digital economy, intellectual property, aerospace, visa-free travel for ordinary passport holders, renewable energy, agriculture, customs and transport facilitation, and the development of a secure ChinaEurope Trans-Caspian Express route. Key political commitments included support for the UN-centred international system, UN reform, multilateralism, opposing protectionism and power politics, advocating global governance reform, and increased representation for emerging economies. President Xi also underscored the partnerships significance in safeguarding security, combating terrorism, extremism, and separatism, and expanding cultural and educational exchanges. Azerbaijan in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Azerbaijan is currently a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. It is not a full member but regularly attends summits, including the Astana meeting in 2024, where its strategic partnership with China was reaffirmed, and it was invited by Xi to the current SCO Summit in Tianjin. Its SCO engagement helps integrate Azerbaijan into Eurasian diplomatic and transport frameworks. It should be emphasised that the strengthening of Azerbaijans relations with China, as well as its integration into Eurasian diplomacy and transport networks, has begun to cause concern among certain rival states. Let's take India, which has recently expressed reservations about Azerbaijan (and Turkiye) being dialogue partners at the current Tianjin summit, especially in light of their alignment with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Naturally, India has historically taken an opposing stance, both due to Armenias armament and its sharp envy of the IslamabadBaku fraternal relationship. Today, the growing influence of Azerbaijan as a Eurasian transport hub, particularly on the eastern axis, evidently unsettles Delhi. Nevertheless, Baku always looks forward and consistently asserts its position with firm and effective diplomacy. Then, taking a more optimistic approach, let us highlight the key points and expectations surrounding President Ilham Aliyevs current working visit to China. Although the April 2025 visit has concluded, reflections on its expectations and outcomes remain pertinent. Azerbaijans current working visit to China, undertaken by President Ilham Aliyev alongside First Vice?President Mehriban Aliyeva, carries substantial strategic significance. Expectations prior to the visit could be deepening of the strategic framework through establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership, enhancing BRI alignment, especially in green energy, digital economy, and aerospace. Besides, among the foremost expectations is the acceleration of bilateral trade, aimed at boosting momentum across existing sectors while expanding access to agriculture, renewable energy, and high-technology industries. Beyond trade, the visit prioritises transit cooperation, particularly the advancement of infrastructure along the Middle Corridor connecting China to Europe, a key route for regional logistics and economic integration. Equally important are cultural and people-to-people ties, with the goal of broadening visa-free travel, educational and tourism exchanges, and sub-national cooperation initiatives. The visit also underscores the commitment of both states to global governance, strengthening multilateral collaboration within the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and in areas such as climate action, security, and trade reform. Several concrete results have already emerged from the visit. A comprehensive strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and China has been formally established, accompanied by the signing of 20 cooperation agreements covering a broad spectrum of sectors. Both sides expressed mutual support on key national interests, reaffirming commitment to territorial integrity, the One-China principle, and UN reform initiatives. Logistics gains were highlighted through initiatives aimed at customs facilitation and the development of a secure Trans-Caspian Express route for cargo transit. In addition, channels for trade and investment have expanded, particularly in green development and the digital economy. Despite these accomplishments, several expectations remain for the near future. The agreements reached will require translation into tangible projects, particularly in renewable energy systems, legal frameworks, and digital-economy infrastructure. Trade diversification remains a priority, especially in green and agricultural goods, alongside enhancements in Middle Corridor efficiency and clear timelines for transport development. Broader cultural and institutional exchanges, including academic and youth engagement, are also anticipated to strengthen ties. Finally, continued policy alignment in global forumsincluding UN Security Council reforms, climate governance, and the broader global trade architectureremains a critical objective for both countries. In a nutshell, the visit represents a multi-dimensional effort to deepen AzerbaijanChina relations across economic, logistical, cultural, and diplomatic spheres. While notable progress has already been achieved, the real measure of success will lie in the implementation of these agreements into sustainable, high-impact projects that reinforce both regional connectivity and strategic partnership. WASHINGTON (AP) Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday said that the Trump administration will soon expand immigration operations in Chicago, confirming plans for a stepped up presence of federal agents in the nation's third-largest city as President Donald Trump continues to lash out at Illinois' Democratic leadership. Noem's comments come after the DHS last week requested limited logistical support from officials at the Naval Station Great Lakes to support the agency's anticipated operations. The military installation is about 35 miles north of Chicago. Weve already had ongoing operations with ICE in Chicago... but we do intend to add more resources to those operations, Noem said during an appearance CBS News' Face the Nation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noem declined to provide further details about the planned surge of federal officers. It comes after the Trump administration deployed National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to target crime, immigration and homelessness, and two months after it sent troops to Los Angeles. Trump lashed out against Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker in a social media posting Saturday, warning him that he must straighten out Chicago's crime problems quickly or we're coming. The Republican president has also been critical of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. Johnson and Pritzker have pushed back against the expected federal mobilization, saying crime has fallen in Chicago. They are planning to sue if Trump moves forward with the plan. Johnson has already signed an order barring the Chicago Police Department from helping federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement or any related patrols, traffic stops and checkpoints during the surge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chicago is home to a large immigrant population, and both the city and the state of Illinois have some of the countrys strongest rules against cooperating with federal government immigration enforcement efforts. That has often put the city and the state at odds with Trumps administration as it tries to carry out his mass deportation agenda. Pritzker in an interview aired Sunday on Face the Nation charged that Trump's expected plans to mobilize federal forces in the city may be part of a plan to stop the elections in 2026 or, frankly, take control of those elections. Noem said it was a Trump prerogative whether to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago as he did in Los Angeles in June in the midst of immigration protests in the California city. I do know that LA wouldnt be standing today if President Trump hadnt taken action," Noem said. That city would have burned if left to devices of the mayor and governor of that state. DICKSON, Tenn. (WKRN) International Overdose Awareness Day is a reminder of the lives lost to addiction, along with the power of compassion and recovery, as seen through the story of a Dickson nurse who has turned personal loss into a mission to help others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 105,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2023. In 2024, the number dropped to about 80,000 deaths the lowest in five years. Although advocates said its encouraging progress, local groups are still fighting to break the stigma that comes with addiction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Ashley Miller, the impact of addiction is personal. She lost someone she considered family in 2019. Man charged in connection with overdose deaths in Nashville I lost someone that was like a mother figure to me in 2019It was hard losing her when she passed away of an overdose. We didnt know that she was actively using again. She hid it really well, so when she was found, it just caught all of us off guard, including her sons, Miller said. However, Miller has also seen the other side of the story recovery. Watching their personality, watching their demeanor someone whos normally happy, bubbly, whos a little bit more quiet, a little bit more reserved, maybe not coming around as much. Those were signs, she explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of her closest friends, who struggled for years with drug use, is now thriving. Life-saving vending machine comes to Gallatin Shes doing fantastic, which is the best thing in the world. [It] makes me smile every day, Miller said. I get to watch her grow as a person and her find herself again, and not only that but [I] get to watch her now be a mom, and the love that she has for her son. Its the best thing in the world, and Im grateful I get to see that with her because there were a few times I didnt think Id get that, so its awesome. Miller, now a recovery nurse, said her friends journey is proof that hope is always possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Never forget its not too late. It doesnt matter how many times youve gone to treatment or relapsedAt the end of the day, what matters is if you want help, were here to help, she said. Allison Avalon, youth prevention coordinator with the Drug Free Dickson Coalition, said International Drug Overdose Awareness Day is about more than remembrance. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com According to Avalon, its important to rally around each other and create just stronger, more accepting communities, and as we go into tomorrow, practicing that compassion, share kindness, spread that kindness, and you have no idea who you might be helping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Avalon stressed that addiction is not a moral failing, but a treatable condition. Miller agreed, saying stories of survival show theres always a way forward. Resources are available to help those struggling with addiction. Start with Drug Free Dickson for support. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, the Tennessee REDLINE is a FREE service that provides accurate, up-to-date addiction information and referrals to anyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call 1-800-889-9789 toll-free or visit the Tennessee REDLINE website here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. The winning numbers in the Saturday, Aug. 30, Powerball drawing were 3, 18, 22, 27 and 33. The red Powerball was 17, and the Power Play was 3X. The next drawing will be held Monday, Sept. 1, at 10:59 p.m. No one has won Powerball since June 1, when a ticket in California won the lottery's $204.5 million jackpot. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to the lottery website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Want to try your luck? Here's how to play Powerball and what to know about the next drawing: What is the Powerball jackpot up to? The current jackpot is estimated to be worth $1.1 billion, with a cash value of $498.4 million, according to Powerball.com. When is the next Powerball drawing? The next drawing is Sept. 1. What time is the Powerball drawing? Powerball drawings take place three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. Powerball winning numbers for 8/27/2025 lottery drawing jackpot The winning numbers for the Aug. 27 drawing were 9, 12, 22, 41, 61 and the Powerball was 25. The Power Play was 4X. Did anyone win Powerball 8/27/2025? There was no grand prize winner from the Aug. 27 Powerball drawing. However, there were three Match 5 + Power Play $2 million winners in Mississippi, Ohio and Virginia. There were also three Match 5 $1 million winners in Arizona, New York and Virginia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio's $2 million winning ticket was sold at a Circle K in Akron, according to the Ohio Lottery. Includes reporting by the Cincinnati Enquirer. This article originally appeared on The Repository: Winning Powerball numbers August 30, 2025; jackpot over $1.1 billion BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Cars of all makes and models were on display in front of Dillards store at the Panama City mall Saturday, all for a good cause. Dillards hosted their first annual Classic Car and Motorcycle Show to raise money for the St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. It costs $20 to show a car or motorcycle. Members from the Crazy Cruisers and the American Muscle Car Club came out to show off their vehicles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was free for the public to enter, and they could vote for their favorite car. Dillards employees say they had been looking for a new way to bring people not just to their store, but to bring the community together. Florida Scallop Music & Arts Festival draws crowds in Gulf County Its like food, it just brings people together. They love the cars, they love the noise, the engines, the colors, and the relationships. So its, its just something that brings people together, Dillards manager Justin Duren said. Theyre so into charity and supporting charities, too. And I cant think of a better charity than Saint Judes. The families I know that have had to, unfortunately, use their services to not have to worry about paying for anything and just focus on healing your child, Dillards manager Brad Thoreson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dillards in Panama City works to raise money for St. Judes all year long. While this was their very first car show, they hope to make it an annual event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Armoured vehicles of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon passing a former Hezbollah position in the Khraibeh Valley, in the south of the country. | Credit: Anwar Amro / AFP / Getty Images Lebanon must choose now: disarm Hezbollah, "or watch the slow, irreversible erosion of the state", said Hani Hazaimeh in Arab News (Riyadh). For decades, the Iran-backed Shia militia has been both part of Lebanese politics and a violent, disruptive force that "operates beyond government authority", wielding "enough influence to veto national decisions at will". Before last year's war with Israel, it was stronger than the Lebanese army boasting up to 50,000 active fighters and 200,000 rockets. But the war left Hezbollah severely weakened and reeling from the assassination of its long-time leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and many other senior figures in Israeli air strikes. The US has since piled on the pressure to bring Hezbollah's remaining weapons and troops under government control and, in early August, Lebanon's cabinet took the historic step of approving that plan, promising disarmament by the end of the year in exchange for an Israeli pullback and millions of dollars in reconstruction aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was the right decision. Hezbollah poses as Lebanon's protector; but the truth is that it invites conflict with Israel. Hezbollah's weapons "no longer protect Lebanon they protect Hezbollah's ability to dictate Lebanon's future". Hezbollah's new chief, Naim Qassem, has flatly rejected disarmament, accusing the government of handing the country to an "insatiable Israeli aggressor". But really he ought to be asking for "forgiveness for dragging Lebanon into a senseless war", said Anthony Samrani in L'Orient-Le Jour (Beirut). The day after the 7 October Hamas attack, Hezbollah joined in, firing rockets into Israel. The blowback was devastating. Israel humiliated the militia with an extraordinary act of sabotage planting booby-trapped pagers among Hezbollah fighters that injured thousands then invaded Lebanon. More than 3,900 Lebanese died and a million were forced from their homes. And that was just the group's most recent escapade, said Ali Hussein in Ya Libnan (Beirut). In 2013, Hezbollah joined the Syrian war to prop up dictator Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Iran. The resulting flood of Syrian refugees "strained our economy and infrastructure to breaking point". Then, in 2020, thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate that the militia was storing for Syria's barrel bombs exploded at Beirut's port, killing nearly 220 people. Hezbollah's alliance with Iran has "brought Lebanon nothing but war, division and misery". Hezbollah was supposed to disarm when the Lebanese civil war ended in 1990, said Niv Shaiovich in Yedioth Ahronoth (Tel Aviv), but the idea was "considered taboo" because Iran would not allow it. The ground has shifted following last year's war, during which the militia, according to Israel, lost an estimated 70% of its manpower and firepower. Lebanese leaders can finally stand up to Iran. When the head of Iran's National Security Council, Ali Larijani, came to Beirut last week, the Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, told him bluntly that the era of foreign interference is over, and that Lebanon would not tolerate any rearming of Hezbollah. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who expects Hezbollah to capitulate is "deluded", said Kim Ghattas in the FT. "This is not the IRA, fighting a local, territorial war of resistance against an occupier." Hezbollah answers to Iran and with most of its leadership assassinated, it has now fallen "under tight Iranian control". Tehran is itself "on the back foot", following its own 12-day war with Israel; it sees even a diminished Hezbollah as "a vital tool" in any confrontation with the Israelis. The Lebanese army is seizing weapons and dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure in the south, but is showing no signs of marching into its southern Beirut heartlands. Earlier this month, said Marc Saikali in Ici Beyrouth, Hezbollah's leader gave "what amounted to a declaration of war" warning that if government forces try to take away its weapons, "there will be no more life left in Lebanon". Freeing our country from Hezbollah may well take another civil war. A disgruntled Bronx tenant arrested for shooting to death the superintendent of his building and wounding two other men has died of apparent suicide while being held at Rikers Island, according to a law enforcement source. Jimmy Avila, 44, was pronounced dead at 4:29 p.m. on Saturday in the jails West Facility after medics rushed to his aid and tried to revive him, according to Correction Department officials. His death is believed to be a suicide, a law enforcement source said. Our hearts are heavy with the loss of an individual in our care, Correction Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie said in a statement. We mourn his passing and extend our sympathies to his loved ones. We will thoroughly investigate the circumstances of this tragic event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Avila was being represented in the murder case by a Legal Aid lawyer. His death came just days after a Correction Department captain and two officers were suspended in connection with the death of another man held at Rikers Island, officials said. Ardit Billa, 29, was found unconscious and unresponsive in a cell at the George R. Vierno Center early Aug. 23. His death was the 10th connected to city jails this year. And on Friday, a 46-year-old man died in a Brooklyn Criminal Court holding cell. He may have died from a preexisting medical condition, according to a police source. Thats mans name has not been released. Jimmy Avila is the third New Yorker to die in city custody in just the past week, a Legal Aid spokesman said in a statement Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr. Avila, who struggled with serious mental health issues, passed away on Rikers Island after being held there for less than 24 hours. Given his condition, this should have been immediately flagged at intake, and he should have been under [the Correction Departments] close watch. With each of these deaths, the city responds with the same boilerplate language, but conditions dont improve, the people we represent continue to suffer, and these tragic deaths continue to mount, the statement added. The administrations failure to act in the face of these deaths is appalling and exposes the citys utter disregard for the safety of the people in their care. Avila was held without bail following his arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court on Friday and was due back in court Tuesday. He was facing charges of murder, attempted murder and multiple weapons possession charges for allegedly fatally shooting Ryan Hines, 37, in the chest in the College Ave. apartment building near E. 170th St. about 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Avila was also accused of shooting and wounding neighbor Orlando Nieves, 62. Nieves was struck in the arm, with the bullet then going into the side of his chest. My husband got hit twice, Nieves spouse, who gave her name only as Ebony, told the Daily News. He was ducking down, and I was pulling him through the door. The super ran out, and [the suspect] chased him outside, she added. A 59-year-old man, who is believed to be homeless according to News 12 Bronx, was shot in the buttocks as Avila chased the super into the street and continued firing shots, officials said. The wounded man later showed up at an area hospital and was expected to recover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medics rushed Hines and Nieves to an area hospital, where the super died. After the shooting, Avila, who had an established mental health history including two documented incidents with the NYPD, hid in his first-floor apartment and reached out to News 12 Bronx, saying that he wouldnt surrender until the outlet arrived to film it. I didnt mean to do this, but I had to do it because these people were threatening my life, Avila told the station. Avila had filed numerous 311 complaints about conditions in his building, sued his landlord and made criminal complaints against his neighbors in the months leading up to the shooting, a Daily News investigation found. With John Annese What was supposed to be the magical start to Labor Day weekend at Disney World in Florida turned into a vacation nightmare when a massive power surge reportedly shut down more than 40 attractions across all four theme parks simultaneously. WKMG (News 6 Orlando) reported that the chaos began on Friday, August 29, just as families were settling in for one of the busiest vacation weekends of the year. Disney has not confirmed the exact cause, but several outlets noted that a severe thunderstorm was moving through the area at the time. Its still unclear whether the storm actually triggered the outage or if the two events simply coincided. According to Disney fans and ride-tracking apps, the outage rippled across every park at once. At Magic Kingdom, many headlinersincluding Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Trainwere listed as temporarily closed. Over at EPCOT, rides such as Test Track, Mission: SPACE, and Remys Ratatouille Adventure went down, with fans noting that at one point only smaller attractions like Gran Fiesta Tour were operating. SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox Hollywood Studios saw a moment when all attractions were offline simultaneously, before Tower of Terror later reopened as the lone operating ride. Even Animal Kingdom, which often weathers outages with fewer hiccups, had a window where Kilimanjaro Safaris was the only ride showing as open. power outage across all 4 parks omfg? a storm rolled through but it was nothing out of the ordinary for the area. were gonna go home and come back on sunday & monday. some people are stuck On the rides which is crazy. i hope non passholders get a refund because id be pissed if pic.twitter.com/CSnzPFp131 snips (@sniparoni) August 29, 2025 Transportation wasnt spared either. Fans at the Transportation and Ticket Center reported that both Monorail lines were closed at the time, compounding the evenings mayhem and leaving families to juggle disrupted schedules without clear restoration timelines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortunately, recovery was swift. By Friday evening, a Guest Relations Cast Member told outlets like AllEars that operations had returned to normal, and News 6 Orlando reported most attractions were back open within hours. SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & fun food news in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter Outages of this scaleknocking out rides across all four parks at onceare rare. As Theme Park Insider editor Robert Niles told Fox News in 2020, Disney World is built with multiple system redundancies to handle the strain of tens of millions of visitors a year in the lightning capital of the world [Central Florida]. He also noted at the time that the resort generates an enormous amount of power through its own solar facilities and maintains on-site backup sources. Even with those safeguards, major disruptions still happen. Earlier this year, a February outage took down most of Magic Kingdom for hours, though it remained confined to that single park. This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here. An electric vehicle owner took to Reddit to share their frustration over vandalism that occurred to their car during a vacation. The stunned driver posted a photo on the r/Rivian subreddit of their Rivian R1T electric truck, which had a noticeable scratch. They said they had parked in the Portland International Airport garage in an end space with plenty of room between their car and the one next to it. But after three days of travel, the driver came back to find that a rear door had been keyed. Photo Credit: Reddit "Someone had to go to a lot of effort to be purposefully damaging," the original poster wrote. "I really don't get it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Electric vehicles have become more common on roads around the world. In 2020, fewer than 3.5 million EVs were sold globally, according to the International Energy Agency. This year, that number is expected to surpass 20 million. But with that growth has come an increase in EV vandalism, which could deter people from switching from dirty fuel-burning, gas-powered cars. In one particularly brazen act, cameras caught a security guard urinating on a Tesla Model Y. EV charging stations have also become popular targets for vandalism, as thieves sever the charging cables in an attempt to steal the copper within. Some critics claim that EVs aren't any better for the environment than gas-powered vehicles (spoiler alert they are). They often point to mining for EV battery materials and the pollution it causes, which, in reality, is a fraction of what's generated by digging for fossil fuels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some commenters were quick to blame fossil fuel supporters for much of the vitriol directed at EVs and their drivers. "Oil and gas people hate electric cars," one wrote. "They see them as the enemy, threatening their livelihood." One commenter, who said they have driven EVs for a decade, said many people have been upset with them because of their car choice. But most of the time, they added, it seems to come from a place of misunderstanding. "It's always from people who are scared of EVs being mandated and eventually reducing their quality of life," the commenter wrote. "A lot is just resistance to any change even for the better." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. The craft of boots-on-the-ground journalism going to where a story is happening, talking to people despite the physical and emotional risk and reporting the facts is in decline, a victim of podcasting, opinionating, shrinking news budgets and intimidation by a certain orange-skinned president. Telling the truth was always hard, but its harder than ever today. More from TheWrap Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Which is why the new documentary about progressive journalist Amy Goodman, Steal This Story, Please!, is a window into old school, shoe leather (she probably doesnt wear leather) journalism that has led her deep into building a left-wing audience that no doubt makes MAGA insane. Documentarians and longtime partners Carl Deal and Tia Lessin (Citizen Koch, Fahrenheit 9/11) confessed that they made the film about Goodman, a friend and colleague, in part to cope with their concern about the decline of press freedom in general and independent journalism in particular. We were looking for ways to deal with the insanity in the world, said Deal from Telluride, where he and Lessin are showing the film. We were drawn to Amys story. The way shes been working over the last three decades is validated in the way that the media is capitulating to power. Said Lessin: This gave us a purpose in these dark, dark times, to talk about it and make it make sense about whats happening with Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lessin, Deal and Goodman are fellow travelers in the rough and tumble world of independent journalism and documentaries. Deal and Lessin worked closely with firebrand Michael Moore on Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 11/9, films that stand the test of time in highlighting critical social issues, from gun control to climate change. Tia Lessin and Carl Deal attend the Fahrenheit 11/9 New York premiere (Photo by Jim Spellman/Getty Images) Goodmans broadcast Democracy Now has been on the air for 29 years, but she has been a fierce advocate for the poor, the powerless, the marginalized, the forgotten people in distant war zones for even longer. Starting from her early aspiration to be the new Phil Donahue, Goodman experienced a life-altering trauma when she went to East Timor in the 1970s and was present for a massacre of civilian East Timorese by Indonesian government soldiers. She emerged with a fierce determination to expose inequities where she saw them and to be independent in her journalism, to steer clear of the sought-after star turns on 60 Minutes or broadcast network news and instead hew her own, nearly one-woman path through the dangerous jungle of news. Goodman takes no sponsorship money and has no deals with what she calls corporate media; instead she is fully supported by individual subscribers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In her years wielding a microphone, shes covered the White House, multiple wars, the Standing Rock protests against an oil pipeline, street protests and police raids. She goes fearlessly into the field when its never been more dangerous for journalists to do exactly that. And while many would call her an advocate for the left, Lessin and Deal argue that if Goodman is an advocate, she is an advocate for her values, and the truth. The word advocacy has been used to dismiss independent journalists like Amy Goodman, said Lessin. How about the advocacy commercial networks showed during invasion of Iraq? The guests on the shows were generals, advocating for the war. They didnt have equal time for peace activists. Said Deal: Advocacy is a tricky word, because theres some motivation behind what youre advocating for, or who youre advocating for, or why youre advocating for anything. What distinguishes what Amy and Democracy Now do is theyre not serving power. They are listening to people. When you make a documentary, hopefully youre learning something. You dont go in there with a preconceived idea. And it may seem really simple, but for me, it was really profound seeing Amy time and time again, especially in these last 12 months on the ground at protests, talking to people, Deal continued. Shes not there participating in the protest, but shes putting a microphone in front of people and asking them the really simple but obvious question that other people dont: why are you here? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nowadays there are lots of independent journalists, individuals who have left or been exited from legacy media and can be found on Substack, YouTube and TikTok. Certainly Goodman was a trailblazer in that regard. But the more significant distinction, it seems to me, is her willingness to always go out and expose the facts, convenient or otherwise. Steal This Story, Please! is playing at Telluride and is seeking distribution. The post Documentary on Democracy Nows Amy Goodman Shines a Light on Lonely Craft of Independent Journalism appeared first on TheWrap. If a U.S. border official questions you about what is on your phone, you need to be prepared by knowing your rights if you refuse to comply. stellalevi via Getty Images Entering the U.S. as a traveler feels riskier than ever. Following Donald Trumps executive order for enhanced vetting in security screenings, U.S. border officials are empowered to use aggressive tactics at ports of entry like airports. In recent days, there have been alarming cases of legal immigrants and tourists who are being denied entry and detained in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Related: Lawyer For Pro-Palestinian Student Detained At Airport After Trip Abroad In one recent high-profile case, a French scientist who was traveling to Houston on his way to a conference was allegedly denied entry by Customs and Border Patrol over phone messages that criticized Trumps science policies, according to Frances minister for higher education. Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Homeland Security has denied that the scientists removal was based on his political beliefs. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for Homeland Security, said the unnamed French scientist got denied entry because his device had confidential information from Los Alamos National Laboratory. Nevertheless, it seems that these days securing your electronics before a trip should be as important as deciding which clothes to pack on vacation especially if you are traveling to the U.S. right now. This month, Germany and the U.K. have even updated their travel advisories, warning their citizens that they could be liable to arrest or detention for breaking U.S. rules, and that legal permits do not guarantee entry into the United States. Related: Tourist Says He Was Denied Entry To U.S. Over A Seemingly Innocent Photo And It Could Happen To You Have a plan before you travel, because you dont want to be in the situation where youre running late for a flight, you find yourself in secondary [screening], and youre just like, Oh, my God, I have to make this next flight, and I dont know what to do besides comply, explained Saira Hussain, a senior staff attorney at Electronic Frontier Foundation who has represented travelers whose electronic devices were searched without warrants at a U.S. border. Advertisement Advertisement No matter if you are a U.S. citizen, a visa holder or a foreign visitor traveling to Las Vegas on spring break, know what your rights are if a border agent asks to see your phone. Yes, CBP can search your phone. The U.S. government asserts that it has the ability to lawfully inspect phones, laptops and other types of electronic devices that cross U.S. borders. Any electronic device you own, including phones, laptops and tablets, can be checked at the border. Sometimes this means that customs officers will look at your device as is, but it can also involve trying to download its data, said Petra Molnar, lawyer and author of The Walls Have Eyes: Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Related: Heres What Green Card, Visa Holders Should Know Before Traveling, According To Immigration Attorneys Customs and Border Protection says searches of electronic devices are rare, but device searches have hit an all-time high this year. In 2025, the federal agency reported searching a total of 14,899 devices from April through June, which is almost a 17% spike over the previous three-month high in 2022. Of these devices searches, 13,824 were basic searches and 1,075 were advanced searches. Under a basic search, a border agent physically inspects your phone and reviews what they can, while an advanced search means the agent can potentially download all of your files using an external device. Advertisement Advertisement Who is deemed suspicious enough to necessitate an electronics search can vary. The American Civil Liberties Union has represented a military veteran, an artist, a NASA engineer, journalists, Muslims and people of color who had their devices searched at a border. A 2017 NBC News investigation found 25 cases where border agents directed U.S. citizens, nearly all Muslim, to hand over their phones at border crossings. What generally happens in these searches is that a person is pulled into secondary screening and a border official may ask to search your phone, Hussain explained. They are supposed to put the phone into airplane mode before they start to search it, Hussain said. Theyre not supposed to be looking at cloud-based applications, like theyre not supposed to be looking at your Facebook account. But she noted that there have been reports of travelers having their social media profiles searched. Related: Does Border Patrol Have The Right To Go Through Your Phone? Here Are The Alarming Facts. And if this search happens once, it might be more likely to happen again. In a case she petitioned to the Supreme Court, Hussain found that if you have been pulled into secondary [screening] once, that its flagged in their databases, and it makes it more likely that youre going to be pulled into secondary another time when you re-enter the country. You do not have to share your phones password, but there are risks and consequences if you refuse. You are not required to share your password to unlock your phone, but refusing could affect your travel plans or your access to your technology. Advertisement Advertisement The consequences for refusing to comply can be more severe, depending on your immigration status. If youre a U.S. citizen, a customs officer cannot bar you from entering the country, even if you refuse to provide access to your electronic device. You can state, I do not give you permission to search my device, and you should still be able to enter the U.S., but your phone might get taken. What they can do is potentially seize your device, and that can last anywhere from weeks to months, Hussain said. Related: Tourist Says He Was Denied Entry To U.S. Over A Seemingly Innocent Photo And It Could Happen To You If you are a green card holder, you generally have the same rights as a U.S. citizen upon entry to the U.S., with some exceptions. Hussain said green card holders that have been outside of the U.S. for more than six months may be seen as applying for readmission rather than traveling on the green card, which might jeopardize their ability to reenter the country. Green cards in general cannot be revoked without a hearing before an immigration judge. Advertisement Advertisement Visa holders face more legal risks. Molnar calls these electronics searches an invasion of privacy but notes that if you are a visa holder and you refuse, you may be denied entry into the United States. Hussain said people who are traveling on a tourist visa are in the least protected category, and their visa can be revoked if they refuse a search of their device. How to secure your electronics in case they are searched by U.S. border agent. Some people will say, Whats the problem, I have nothing to hide. But the right to privacy is not just about avoiding scrutiny of wrongdoing, Molnar said. Widespread surveillance leads to abuses of power, discrimination, and the stifling of the freedom of expression. Heres how to prepare your tech devices to be possibly searched and to protect your privacy: Use a different phone. If possible, travel with a dedicated device that does not have your most sensitive information, like medical records or confidential conversations on it. Advertisement Advertisement If you cannot switch phones, backup important files and take them off your phone. Make a secure password and use two-factor authentication, Molnar said. Before you travel, review what you keep on your devices to help decide which files, photos or conversations you want to wipe or backup to a secure cloud-based storage service like iCloud. Take off Face ID and add strong passcodes. Consider making it harder to access your phone without your explicit consent. With facial recognition software enabled on your device, a border agent could theoretically just point your phone at your face to unlock it. If people want to assert their rights to the fullest extent, then they should add a strong, unique passcode so that their device is not just something that the officer can take from you and then start looking through without your consent, Hussain said. Advertisement Advertisement If possible, type in the passcode yourself over sharing it verbally to an officer, which can help limit how long a border official has access to your device. If they have the passcode already, then theyre going to be able to search it further, potentially copy the contents of your phone without having to speak with you again, Hussain said. At some point the phones going to shut off, and when the phone shuts off, theyre not going to be able to reenter that phone without you providing that passcode. Keep your phone on airplane mode while crossing the U.S. border. Customs and Border Protection has stated that its officers do not do searches while network connections are enabled. But in its digital privacy guide, the American Civil Liberties Union advises keeping your phone on airplane mode while crossing a border to make sure CBP is compliant to this policy. In general, ask yourself: Is there anything that you wouldnt want [a customs official] to find or have access to? Hussain said. This can help you decide which sensitive files you need to move to storage or to another device. Advertisement Advertisement When you think about a phone, youre not just carrying with you the things that relate directly to your trip. Youre talking about a decades worth of photos and video and medical information and banking info and your emails, Hussain said. Related... Read the original on HuffPost SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) One person is dead after a police chase on Interstate 15 turned into a deadly officer-involved shooting. I-15 remained closed until Saturday afternoon after a car fleeing from police crashed and a shooting with police officers took place on the freeway Friday night. Pursuit crash, officer-involved shooting snarls traffic on I-15 south at SR-163 SkyFOX/KUSI in the Sky was overhead as San Diego Police, Escondido Police and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) could be seen chasing the vehicle before it crashed into another vehicle on I-15 south near the interchange with Hwy 163 in Miramar around 5 p.m. Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident ended when Escondido Police officers fired at the suspects vehicle around 5:45 p.m., killing one person. The California Department of Justice is now investigating the shooting involving the Escondido Police Department, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Saturday. DOJs California Police Shooting Investigation Team will be investigating the officer-involved shooting in accordance with Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506). When the investigation is complete, it will be turned over to DOJs Special Prosecutions Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review. Anyone with more information can call police at 916-210-2871. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Its ironic when folks hope for new good things at the expense of good things we have. Urban growth visionaries planned an ill-advised commuter highway through Raleighs historic Oakwood neighborhood in the 1960s. Todays version of growth visionaries support another extreme building a 30 story tower next to a historic neighborhood. Everyone agrees more parks and walkable densities are good things, but promoters of the 30-story tower next to the historic Glenwood-Brooklyn neighborhood have offered no evidence the nearby 12-story Publix building isnt an excellent example of what could go on the West Street site. A 12-story building would give the developer ample profits and urban highrise densities without casting a 30-story shadow over the neighborhood every winter morning and over the future Smoky Hollow Park every winter afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Growth choices that stand the test of time will always seek a balance that accommodates new ideas without sacrificing the best of what we already have. Russ Stephenson, architect, urban designer and former Raleigh city councilor, Raleigh Gerrymandering North Carolinas congressional districts whether drawn by Democrats years ago or Republicans today should serve voters, not politicians. Districts should follow three principles: Keep them rooted in natural regions. Make them compact and centered, so convention-goers meet in the middle of their district. Draw them without regard to an incumbents address. After Republicans gained control of the legislature, I asked myself if these principles still mattered. The answer is yes more than ever. As a Reagan Republican even more, a Roosevelt Republican I cannot reconcile todays gerrymandering with the values I had growing up in Lumberton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Texas Republicans twist districts, and California Democrats promise counter-steps, we risk creating a cynical winner-take-all system where voters are the losers. These maps arent even being redrawn right after a census, further eroding trust. Redistricting should strengthen, not weaken, democracy. Hal Sharpe, Southern Pines Conservatism? Our federal government has taken a 10% interest in Intel. What happened to conservatism? Where are all the complaints from NC Republicans about favoring one company over others? Where is anything said about potential corruption of federal purchasing? What purchasing agent would be bold enough to say that a competitor chip-maker has better products? What military officer would see that early retirement might result from saying the need is now but Intel isnt producing the chip yet? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Hopp, Durham Garner history I have been a resident of Garner since 2015. I was beyond disappointed that the new town logo erased the gold color that represented the former Black high school. What makes Garner unique compared to other Wake County communities is its integration of citizens in its neighborhoods. This is reflected in its schools, events, parks and more. I can say this as a white resident of Wake County since 1976. Taking out the gold because a marketing company recommended it after charging $65,000 was not necessary. The town could have insisted the gold remain because history is not to be erased. It is to be remembered and respected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New street roundabouts, townhomes and grocery stores are good. However, Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver, the other is gold. Lauren Zingraff, Garner NIH in NC North Carolina is a national leader in biomedical research. Our states reputation as a scientific hub is built in large part on federal investment. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) supported in NC an estimated 21,000 jobs and $4.9 billion in economic activity last year. The NIH supports foundational research, leading to medical discoveries that improve and save lives. In the past decade, NIH research has led to safer and more effective treatments for difficult-to-treat cancers and blood clots and to therapies that could cure genetic conditions like sickle cell disease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Continuing this progress depends on sustained commitment to research and the people living with these diseases. As Congress prepares to debate the budget, we need lawmakers to recognize the importance of NIH funding to support NCs economy and develop treatments that help patients and families. Alisa Wolberg, PhD, Chapel Hill Thanks, Nickel Plain talk from a politician to the citizens is refreshing. Thank you to Wiley Nickel for his frank discussion about gerrymandering in his Aug. 19 column. Karen Wiebe, Raleigh BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Guitar strings echoed across downtown Panama City on Saturday for the Play Music on the Porch Day event. You can have music playing all day from a stereo or a speaker, and its fine, but when you get the live music and the live interactions, its just fun, Bookish Boutique employee Sam Conner said. Over 25 businesses hosted a live performer, ranging in genres, but it wasnt exclusive to Panama City or Bay County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Play Music on the Porch Day is actually a worldwide organization that started in 2014. Their goal is to bring together thousands of musicians every year from different countries, all to share their common love for music. Precautionary boil water notice in effect for Panama City Beach That love has grown over the years and spread to communities like Panama City. Bookish Boutique is a bookstore located on Harrison Avenue. They say Play Music on the Porch Day helps bring not just a new experience to the regulars, but new shoppers overall. Were lucky enough to have Leana Conner here today. And shes an incredible musician, and shes great with the audience too. So its just really fun to be able to have her showcase her talents in our cute little store. I know a lot of people dont really realize that downtown is up and coming as up and coming as it is. Our brand new roads are open for you to drive on, Conner said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the experience is a two-way street. While stores benefit from larger crowds and more shoppers, artists also get a chance to showcase their talents with a new audience. Its really cool to see all of downtown having live music and like almost every business. And that creates opportunities for people that maybe dont get to play as often because theres just more opportunities. So I like a more wide variety of musicians get to play, and also it creates buzz people walking around, so people get to hear you that might not normally come out to see live music, local musician Leana Carter said. Play Music on the Porch Day ran from 11 am to 2 pm on Saturday, but St. Andrews hosted their own event from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. On Friday, the city announced that Downtown Streets Team Modesto will shut down at the end of October. On Saturday, the entire organization announced it would shutter at the same time due to significant challenges politically and financially. Downtown Streets Team was founded 20 years ago and serves 16 communities in the San Francisco Bay area and Northern California including Modesto. The nonprofit has a longstanding relationship with the City of Modesto, which has allocated millions of dollars to it since 2019. The nonprofit primarily helps those who are unhoused transition into housing and to secure jobs. One of its flagship programs offers members the opportunity to clean parts of the city in exchange for a stipend to pay for basic needs. Since 2019 its served nearly 400 individuals, supported 182 with housing opportunities and helped 127 secure employment, according to the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CEO of Downtown Streets Team Julie Gardner told The Bee that Modesto was one of our biggest and most thriving sites, adding that city officials and supporters came up with creative and innovative methods to keep the program going. But, ultimately it wasnt enough to save the organization as a whole. I wish I had a satisfying kind of single reason for the cause of this, but really it is a plethora of reasons that kind of go back to the current political and financial climate that were facing as a homelessness organization right now, Gardner said. . Gardner cited external pressures among the reasons that Downtown Streets Team was closing, saying The funding landscape for nonprofits and community-based organizations at large has shifted in an extreme way, and we are feeling the impacts of that. As for internal pressures, Gardner declined to comment. But she did apologize and added that it was absolutely heartbreaking across the board and that shuttering was never something that we wanted nor had anticipated at this level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to reinforce to our partners, to the (Modesto) City Council, to the (Modesto Police Department), they have done everything to support us, said Gardner. They have been tremendously supportive and truly our work in Modesto is a perfect model of the successes that can be achieved when you have a local community and government partner with a community based organization to drive change. Downtown Streets Team Modesto has been repeatedly lauded and praised by elected officials, law enforcement and community members alike. City Councilmember Nick Bavaro, a staunch advocate of the program, said he was informed of its closure around the same time the city sent out a press release on Friday afternoon. Bavaro said that he was pissed off and felt blindsided. Im incredibly disappointed, he said. Its such an important program for our community and I was just hoping there was a way we could save it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bavaro said he was planning to talk to City Councilmembers Chris Ricci and Eric Alvarez about taking next steps which would include what to do with all the funding the city allocated for the program. Ricci was in agreement. (We) need to get together and try to hammer out a way to create something that maintains its value and its purpose for the community, Ricci said. Police and anti-war protesters in Germany were accusing each other of violence and misconduct on Sunday after a march in Cologne's city centre erupted in violent clashes the night before. Officers admitted using physical force, including batons and pepper spray on participants at the protest, whose organizers reported on Sunday that dozens of people injured by police. Police, meanwhile, said 13 officers were injured and four of those could no longer carry out their shifts after the march attended by 3,000 people in the western German city erupted in violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The anti-war protest comes amid a massive boost in defence spending in Germany and following a landmark government agreement that paves the way for Germany to return to conscripting young men into its military if it cannot find enough recruits. Although the legacy of World War II long left strong anti-war sentiment in Germany, many political leaders see the need to re-arm and reinvigorate the country's military in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Police said they ended Saturday's anti-war rally after officers were attacked and repeated violations of assembly laws were noted. A group of people from which the attacks allegedly originated was "detained," police said. A dpa reporter witnessed a group of demonstrators being surrounded by police and prevented from leaving late into the night, in a police tactic known as kettling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police stated that they identified individuals who were reportedly involved in violent actions. The operation ended around 5 am (0300 GMT), according to a police spokesperson. Two individuals were temporarily taken into custody for failing to comply with dispersal orders. One of them is also facing criminal charges for resisting arrest and assaulting police officers. Police and anti-war protesters in Germany were accusing each other of violence and misconduct on Sunday after a march in Cologne's city centre erupted in violent clashes the night before. Officers admitted using physical force, including batons and pepper spray, on participants at the protest, whose organizers reported on Sunday that dozens of people were injured by police. Police, meanwhile, said 13 officers were injured and four of those could no longer carry out their shifts after the march attended by 3,000 people in the western German city erupted in violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The anti-war protest comes amid a massive boost in defence spending in Germany and following a landmark government agreement that paves the way for Germany to return to conscripting young men into its military if it cannot find enough recruits. Although the legacy of World War II long left strong anti-war sentiment in Germany, many political leaders see the need to re-arm and reinvigorate the country's military in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Police said they ended Saturday's anti-war rally after officers were attacked and repeated violations of assembly laws were noted. A group of people from which the attacks allegedly originated was "detained," police said. A dpa reporter witnessed a group of demonstrators being surrounded by police and prevented from leaving late into the night, in a police tactic known as kettling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police stated that they identified individuals who were reportedly involved in violent actions. The operation ended around 5 am (0300 GMT), according to a police spokesperson. Two individuals were temporarily taken into custody for failing to comply with dispersal orders. One of them is also facing criminal charges for resisting arrest and assaulting police officers. Demonstrators accused the police of detaining some participants without access to water or toilets. Police said that drinks and mobile toilets were available. A spokesperson for the demonstrators claimed that 40 to 60 people were injured and denied access to hospitals. A police spokesperson responded that "medical assistance was made available where necessary." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police reported that 12 participants came forward to say they had been injured, but said they had no information on any complaints filed against officers. Additionally, two medical emergencies were reported, and those individuals were treated by paramedics and taken to hospital. According to a statement from organizers on Sunday evening, police has deliberately targeted demonstrators with blows to the hands and stomachs, as well as using pepper spray. The scrutiny of police force comes after Berlin police sparked a diplomatic incident and concern from Irish officials when an officer punched a pro-Palestinian protester in the face twice, breaking the person's nose and later their arm during an arrest on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result of police action in Cologne, 147 people were injured, with 18 requiring hospital treatment, protest organizers said. "Such brutal escalation by the police is a political scandal," a spokesperson for the anti-war alliance said in the statement. According to both police and organizers, approximately 3,000 people took part in the demonstration against re-militarization and war. Some participants were masked and set off smoke bombs, a police spokesperson said. In an accompanying vehicle, officers reportedly found pyrotechnics, methylated spirits and gas canisters. A man is dead after a vehicle hit a tree and caught fire in Ohio on Friday. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] State troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) responded to reports of a crash around 6 a.m. on State Route 43 in Stark County, according to CBS affiliate WOIO in Cleveland. The victim has been identified as 22-year-old Michael Weaver. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State troopers told WKYC TV that a BMW went off the road and hit a tree. The vehicle caught fire. Bystanders pulled Weaver from the vehicle before it fully engulfed in flames, OSHP said. Medics took the driver to the hospital, where he died. The crash remains under investigation. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] For millennia humans have tried to scare wolves away from their livestock. Most of them didnt have drones. But a team of biologists working near the California-Oregon border do, and they're using them to blast AC/DCs Thunderstruck, movie clips and live human voices at the apex predators to shoo them away from cattle in an ongoing experiment. I am not putting up with this anymore! actor Scarlett Johansson yells in one clip, from the 2019 film Marriage Story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With what? I can't talk to people? co-star Adam Driver shouts back. Gray wolves were hunted nearly to extinction throughout the U.S. West by the first half of the 20th century. Since their reintroduction in Idaho and at Yellowstone National Park in the mid-1990s, they've proliferated to the point that a population in the Northern Rockies has been removed from the endangered species list. There are now hundreds of wolves in Washington and Oregon, dozens more in northern California, and thousands roaming near the Great Lakes. The recovering population has meant increasing conflict with ranchers and increasingly creative efforts by the latter to protect livestock. They've turned to electrified fencing, wolf alarms, guard dogs, horseback patrols, trapping and relocating, and now drones. In some areas where nonlethal efforts have failed, officials routinely approve killing wolves, including last week in Washington state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gray wolves killed some 800 domesticated animals across 10 states in 2022, a previous Associated Press review of data from state and federal agencies found. Scientists with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service developed the techniques for hazing wolves by drone while monitoring them using thermal imaging cameras at night, when the predators are most active. A preliminary study released in 2022 demonstrated that adding human voices through a loudspeaker rigged onto a drone can freak them out. The team documented successful interruptions of wolf hunts. When Dustin Ranglack, the USDAs lead researcher on the project, saw one for the first time, he smiled from ear to ear. If we could reduce those negative impacts of wolves, that is going to be more likely to lead to a situation where we have coexistence, Ranglack said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The preloaded clips include recordings of music, gunshots, fireworks and voices. A drone pilot starts by playing three clips chosen at random, such as the Marriage Story scene or Thunderstruck, with its screams and hair-raising electric guitar licks. If those don't work, the operator can improvise by yelling through a microphone or playing a different clip that's not among the randomized presets. One favorite is the heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch 's cover of Blue on Black, which might blast the lyric You turned and you ran as the wolves flee. USDA drone pilots have continued cattle protection patrols this summer while researching wolf responses at ranches with high conflict levels along the Oregon-California border. Patrols extended south to the Sierra Valley in August for the first time, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Its unclear whether the wolves might become accustomed to the drones. Herders and wolf hunters in Europe have long deterred them with long lines hung with flapping cloth, but the wolves can eventually learn that the flags are not a threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Environmental advocates are optimistic about drones, though, because they allow for scaring wolves in different ways, in different places. Wolves are frightened of novel things, said Amaroq Weiss, a wolf advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. I know that in the human imagination, people think of wolves as big, scary critters that are scared of nothing. There are also drawbacks to the technology. A drone with night vision and a loudspeaker costs around $20,000, requires professional training and doesn't work well in wooded areas, making it impractical for many ranchers. Ranchers in Northern California who have hosted USDA drone patrols agree that they have reduced livestock deaths so far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im very appreciative of what they did. But I dont think its a long-term solution, said Mary Rickert, the owner of a cattle ranch north of Mount Shasta. What Im afraid of is that after some period of time, that all of a sudden they go, Wow, this isnt going to hurt me. It just makes a lot of noise. Ranchers are compensated if they can prove that a wolf killed their livestock. But there are uncompensated costs of having stressed-out cows, such as lower birth rates and tougher meat. Rickert said if the drones don't work over the long term, she might have to close the business, which she's been involved in since at least the 1980s. She wants permission to shoot wolves if they're attacking her animals or if they come onto her property after a certain number of attacks. If the technology proves effective and costs come down, someday ranchers might merely have to ask the wolves to go away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oregon-based Paul Wolf yes, Wolf is the USDA's southwest district supervisor and the main Five Finger Death Punch fan among the drone pilots. He recalled an early encounter during which a wolf at first merely seemed curious at the sight of a drone, until the pilot talked to it through the speaker. He said, Hey wolf get out of here, Wolf said. The wolf immediately lets go of the cattle and runs away. Druze leader Hikmat al-Hijri calls for a separate region in southern Syria, seeking autonomy after sectarian violence, with Israeli support amid rising tensions in the region. A report on August 23 suggested that various Druze factions and groups in Sweida in southern Syria had combined their forces into a national guard that would operate under Druze leader Hikmat al-Hijri. Meanwhile, Asharq al-Awsat reported on August 26 that a prominent Druze leader in southern Syria demanded on Monday the creation of a separate region for his minority community, as he seeks to unite local armed factions followingsectarian violence last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report referred to Hijris call for a separate region, noting that he is one of three prominent Druzespiritual leaders. Other news outlets and social media reports have made similar claims about the drive for more autonomy and independence in Sweida. Hijri says that following the deadly clashes with local Bedouin Arab tribes, in which many Druze were killed, the Druze community is now under threat. He is now appealing to the international community for more backing, calling on the world and free countries to support his separate region, and says that threats to exterminate his people necessitate this move. At the same time, Israeli leaders have continued to express support for the Druze in Syria. In fact, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other members of his coalition government have made this a cornerstone of their Syria policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel has increased attacks on Syria since the fall of the Assad regime, and last week it carried out several days of air raids. Israeli officials have referred to the Syrian transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, as a jihadist. In addition, not only has Israel said that it will defend the Druze, but also that it wants southern Syria demilitarized. Jordan and other states in the region have condemned Israeli actions in Syria. The bombing has also led to concern in Washington. The White House has backed Sharaa, and members of the US Congress have been visiting Syria more frequently and expressing support for the new government. This appears to place Israel far outside the regional consensus in terms of dealing with Syrias current government. Possible meeting between Netanyahu and al-Sharaa Despite the rhetoric backing the Druze, there are increasing reports in Israeli media that Israel and the new Syrian government are actually inching closer to a deal and that there have been talks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel Hayom reported on August 27 that Israel and Syria are expected to sign their ceasefire agreement the day after Sharaas inaugural address at the UN, with the entire initiatives pinnacle being a potential summit between Netanyahu and Sharaa at the UN gathering. Countries that are friends with Israel and Syria, such as Azerbaijan, have sought to mediate between the countries. Ankara, which backs the new government in Damascus, has been much more critical of Israel. Meanwhile, Syrian state media SANA said on August 28 that the first aid convoy entered on Thursday the Sweida southern province via the Damascus highway. This is the 21st aid convoy, which comes within the humanitarian response program for the southern region. The report noted that trucks containing various supplies had arrived in Sweida: The aid was provided with support from the World Food Program, UNICEF, and the United Nations Population Fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This further reinforces how Sweida has become cut off from government control in Damascus. Hijri may have been emboldened by Israeli airstrikes and support in July and thinks this could lead to Druze independence. However, its not clear how his region in Sweida would function as an independent entity. It would likely face opposition from the Syrian regime, which doesnt want countries breaking apart. This could lead to clashes and violence. While Israel has said it supports the Druze, involvement in a complex war of independence in southern Syria or backing a breakaway Druze country would be much more complex than a few airstrikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The history of these types of breakaway republics or separatist regions is not positive. Would the Druze end up like South Ossetia, an unrecognized republic in the Caucasus? Would they become like the Donbass republics or Somaliland? Or would they suffer the fate of Biafra and Katanga? There are instances where small states that are composed mostly of one group or a minority have broken away. Kosovo is an example, as are East Timor and South Sudan. However, they received international support. It is unlikely any countries would back a Druze state, and despite Israels rhetoric, its not clear whether it wants to be involved in this complex adventure. At the same time, it is also unclear what ramifications this might have for the Kurdish-run region in eastern Syria. Aug. 31Comfort food isn't just for carnivores, and plant-based Lucky Goose is meeting the demand with a second location. Melissa Timmons and Rafael Guillen, partners in business and in life, launched Lucky Goose out of a food truck in 2021, offering items many people crave but aren't always available as a vegan option, including burgers, chicken, hot dogs, chile cheese fries and milkshakes. The business has since grown to a physical restaurant in Nob Hill and earned multiple accolades, including recognition from Albuquerque The Magazine and Yelp for best milkshake in Albuquerque and a nomination from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, for best breakfast sandwich in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The owners are keeping the momentum going with the opening of a second location at 4416 Wyoming NE. They hope to have the location up and running by Friday. "I'm excited for our growth because we've gotten good at what we do. We've gotten quick, we've gotten efficient. I'm just excited to bring more vegan things to that side of town," Timmons said. Timmons and Guillen started Lucky Goose to offer greasy comfort food to the local vegan scene. "There are some really good vegan places that are fully vegan here, but we noticed some gaps and some holes, and so we wanted to create something that we love and enjoy," Timmons said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're not a salad and bean burger place. We're more the things that people crave," she added. The restaurant's most popular items include its Lucky Burger, the Lucky Chick'n sandwich and milkshakes, typically available for $13 to $15 per order, Timmons said. Guillen, who has been a vegan since he was 15 years old, loves to cook and comes up with all of Lucky Goose's recipes, Timmons said. Guillen grew up in Los Angeles, where vegan options are plentiful. Timmons grew up in Bosque Farms, surrounded by animals during her time in local 4-H youth development programs. She ate meat her whole life, until she met Guillen and decided to make the transition. Despite the full embrace, Timmons said the pair is careful not to overuse the word "vegan" in their business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It tends to be a little more intimidating to those who don't know about it or haven't tried it. So our little slogan is 100% plant-based, 100% delicious," Timmons said. "Our goal was always just to make good food that happened to be plant-based." After a year of their food truck selling out almost every time they set it up, the co-owners decided it was time to open a restaurant. They opened their first location at 3503 Central NE in 2022. Coming from previous roles in office work and the solar industry, the pair learned the ins and outs of the restaurant world as they went. But one of the greatest hardships the restaurant has had to endure, Timmons said, is when one of its staff members, Jaden Santini, died suddenly in her sleep in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's probably the hardest thing that we've done in this business, is experiencing the loss of one of our employees. She was our main person, she was young," Timmons said through tears. Santini was supposed to take over managing the Nob Hill location someday; instead, the store now has a commemorative tribute to her. "She will always be a part of it," Timmons said. It's always been a priority of the Lucky Goose owners to promote within the business and they plan to make the new location a place for employees to grow too, Timmons said. The new 1,500-square-foot location, set to open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., will create roughly 12 full- and part-time positions. Timmons said the owners hope to offer some new location-exclusive items at the Northeast Heights restaurant, including possibly tacos or a deli sandwich. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Timmons is most looking forward to with the new location: the parking lot. "It sounds silly, but it is really exciting because it's hard in Nob Hill," Timmons said with a laugh. On a more serious note, Timmons said the expansion is in line with Lucky Goose's mission of making a wider variety of vegan options accessible to more people. With the restaurant's current team of employees and a supportive vegan community backing them, Timmons said the owners feel like they've only scratched the surface of the recipes they want to unveil and the growth they'd like to see. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But for now, they're taking a moment to reflect on how far they've come. "The hard times were the food truck and really just busting our butts, working really hard to get where we are, and now things come a little easier," Timmons said. "To see it thriving and doing well, it just feels really good." MAGA influencer and gun rights activist Kyle Rittenhouse re-emerged from a self-imposed social media exile to announce his marriage to his gun-toting bride. Im back on social media, Im back in the fight, and im here to stay, wrote Rittenhouse, 22, on X Wednesday. For a quick update, 6 months ago I made the best decision of my life and married my best friend. @BellRittenhouse, I couldnt be happier. I love you beautiful. Kyles wife is Bella Nelson Rittenhouse, a 22-year-old native of Defu Harlan County native and chief forecaster for Eastern Kentucky news station WYMT Brandon Robinson died Sunday, according to WYMT Mountain News. Robinson, 42, was a three-time brain cancer survivor, according to WYMT. He was diagnosed in 2016 and underwent three brain surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and experimental treatment. He retired from the news station in May 2024 to recover from an earlier surgery. At the time, Robinson had worked with the station for 17 years. He graduated from Morehead State University and began his journalism career as the assignment editor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robinson worked as a producer, news and weather anchor and reporter, according to WYMT. A majority of his career was spent as the weather teams morning forecaster. He covered several major weather events, including the March 2012 tornado outbreak and the July 2022 floods in Eastern Kentucky. Despite winning an Emmy Award for his work, Robinson told WYMT protecting the people in the mountains was his greatest accomplishment. Ive been proud to stand with Eastern Kentucky in their worst moments and their best moments, and I have had a lot of both of those, Robinson said in a 2024 interview with WYMT. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is survived by his wife, Stephanie, and their two dogs, Linus and Icy. Funeral arrangements have not been announced. Special coverage about Robinsons life, career and legacy will air on WYMT Sunday, Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. In downtown Orlando and across the state brightly colored pavement art is disappearing, painted over or blasted away in obedience to a pointless, dishonest dictate from Tallahassee. If youre outraged, now is the time to speak up because its clear that Gov. Ron DeSantis and his minion-infested state government wont stop until theyre forced to do so. Its important to understand that the current controversy over pavement-painting is about more than the loss of beauty, particularly in areas with high emotional impact. That includes the crosswalk adjacent to the site of the Pulse nightclub that the state vandalized Aug. 21, covering the rainbow-hued squares of paint with black. Pulse crosswalk: State vandalism wont dim Orlandos colors | Editorial Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is just one example of ugly authoritarianism that ignores the law, threatens brutal retaliation against anyone who resists, and uses blatant lies to support its vicious overreach. As of Friday afternoon, Florida Highway Patrol officers were threatening to arrest people who registered their outrage with impermanent chalk in the Pulse pedestrian walkway that spans Esther Street near Orange Avenue ignoring a precedent ruling that punished government officials who used arrest as a means to suppress chalked protest slogans in front of City Hall. (That city was Orlando, in 2011. The city racked up six-figure legal bills before tacitly admitting it had been wrong to arrest Timothy Osmar, then a 25-year-old homeless man who was part of the Occupy Wall Street movement.) Many Central Floridians are already fighting back against the Pulse crosswalk destruction with more than cartons of sidewalk chalk. Weve seen signs, pavement painting and rainbow flags sprouting in the yards of homes and parking lots of private businesses. And this topic is still sparking passionate discussions with co-workers, friends and family about implications that reach beyond the application of paint to pavement. Meanwhile, locals should fight back by taking the governor to court each and every time he steps outside the legal boundaries of his own power. Start with the lies From the start of the crosswalk controversy, state officials have failed to keep their stories straight. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy launched the current debate with a message to states, warning them to remove any painted art from crosswalks and roads that didnt strictly comply with USDOT standards. That was an overstatement of the law, which allows local jurisdictions discretion. And Duffys pretense that he was concerned about safety quickly evaporated after his statements on social media made it clear that he was targeting political speech, specifically mentioning rainbow crosswalks. The rainbow, of course, is closely affiliated with the push for civil rights for LGBTQ+ people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the weeks after Duffys pronouncement, state and federal officials have yet to produce a shred of evidence that pavement art makes roads or intersections less safe. In fact, theres a significant body of research demonstrating that painted crosswalks and other road painting makes intersections safer, says Tony Garcia, the Miami-based principal engineer of the national organization Street Plans. A growing body of evidence suggests that crashes are reduced at intersections that have been painted with decorative art, he said, as are suspected near-misses where collisions are narrowly averted. Many intersection installations have been created to direct traffic in safer ways, using paint on pavement as a substitute for concrete barriers and directional signs. Theres also evidence, Garcia says, that pavement art tends to slow down drivers. Thats backed by a study by Bloomberg Philanthropies, which issued a 2022 report finding that pavement painting influenced drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians, reducing crashes between pedestrians and cars by 50%, with a 37% reduction in the number of crashes with injuries. As a result, many transportation officials encouraged the installation of street art including rainbow crosswalks. Orlandos efforts went far beyond the Pulse intersection, decorating city streets with pavement murals depicting milk cartons, oranges and swans. Notably, the state Department of Transportation re-painted the Pulse crosswalk less than a year ago, complete with the rainbow colors. Demands backed by threats Now DeSantis and the Florida Department of Transportation want Floridians to ignore that evidence and forget that asphalt art was approved and even praised just a few months ago. In an attempt to disguise their political, anti-diversity agenda, theyve ordered all forms of asphalt art to be destroyed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and other city leadership made the difficult, but probably correct, call to comply with state orders in the short term. DeSantis has proven, time and again, that he will visit swift retaliation on any local government official who defies his wishes. The initial letter that the Florida DOT sent out threatened cities with the loss of state funding if they didnt comply. But theres a recent local example demonstrating that the governor is willing to go much further. In 2023, he used made-up statistics supplied by the Osceola County Sheriffs Department to accuse Orange/Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell of being incompetent and dropping cases against violent offenders. As a result, he removed her from office and didnt relent after the Orlando Sentinel took a look at the claims, finding many cases where her office was clearly not at fault. Local city and county officials are right to be concerned that DeSantis will quickly strip them of office. This isnt just about self-preservation. Local leaders have to recognize that anyone DeSantis appoints to replace them will be primed to carry out his agenda even if its anathema to local voters. But DeSantis cant move as easily against officials who exercise their constitutional right to take him to court. And they should do so starting with Orlando. There are valid reasons to assume the governor has seriously overstepped the legislative and judicial boundaries on his power. Challenging him in court is the best remedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the meantime, however, local residents should continue to fight back in more visible ways that dont expose them to the potential of arrest. That resistance started strong. Within hours of the states desecration of the Pulse rainbow crosswalk as hundreds of people gathered, attired in defiant rainbow colors, to listen to local leaders talk about their anger and grief. But they kept looking to the sky where a vibrant natural rainbow spanned stormclouds and arced toward heaven. It was a message, and one that should resonate: Be unafraid. Fight back against hatred and injustice. Have faith that love will eventually prevail. And show the governor that, even under threat, Orlandos colors dont run. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) Over 150 students were evacuated following a residence hall fire at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on Sunday. Amherst Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren stated that at approximately 5:09 a.m. on Sunday, the fire department received a report from the UMass Police Department regarding a fire alarm sounding on campus. The fire alarm was located at the Wheeler Residence Hall on 141 Thatcher Road. Woman faces charges following rollover crash in Holyoke Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As crews were on their way, an occupant of the building called 911, reporting smoke on the first floor of the residence hall. All on and off-duty Amherst firefighters were called to the area to put out the fire. When the first crews arrived, they located moderate smoke on the first floor and evacuated occupants. Chief Stromgren stated that the fire was discovered in an electrical panel located in a mechanical room on the basement level of the residence hall. UMass electricians then shut off the buildings power and went into each dorm room to ensure that all students had safely evacuated. Multiple students were still found sleeping and were told to leave. I was dead asleep, said UMass freshman Sophia Simonetti. My roommate shook me awake. I just thought it was a drill, because it usually is. Fire crews were able to put out the fire after the power was disconnected from the electrical panel. The following hour was spent ventilating the residence building and investigating alongside members of the State Fire Marshals Office. Amherst Fire stated that no residents or firefighters were injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The electrical panel involved in the fire includes circuit breakers and other electronics, according to the fire department. Approximately 165 students living in Wheeler Residence Hall were temporarily moved to a nearby residence hall and dining hall, as they were temporarily unable to reoccupy their rooms. We basically just went downstairs, said freshman Lula Donegan. I think we thought it was a drill, so we didnt bring our phones, our keys, we basically didnt have clothes on. We were in our PJs, and we stood out here for an hour and a half in the freezing cold. I came back from an event and I was still in a dress, and my first thought was, I got to get my guinea pig out of here,' said Theo Phillips. UMass Amhersts Residence Director, Joey McGinn, emailed all impacted students, saying, Any building-wide alarm is a real alarm and requires immediate evacuation. It is important that you remember that it is always far more likely that a fire alarm is real rather than a drill/false alarm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Amherst Fire Department cleared the area at approximately 7:45 a.m. UMass electricians were able to bypass the damaged electrical equipment and restore critical electrical circuits, allowing the students to return to their dorms by approximately noon on Sunday. The cause of the electrical failure that caused the fire is currently being investigated. 22News will provide updates as more information becomes available. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. Emergency workers have taken in a dog named Jessie who had been searching for her owner after Russias deadly attack on Kyiv on 28 August. The dog had been waiting in vain for her owner for two days near the destroyed entrance to a high-rise building in the capital. Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine Details: A video of Jessie was posted online earlier by the State Emergency Service. "Her world stopped on 28 August. But her unbreakable loyalty kept Jessie among the ruins in Kyiv," emergency workers captioned the video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dog never saw her owner again, as "he will never return", the State Emergency Service said. Eventually, staff took her in and promised to take care of her. "Now she has a new big family the family of emergency workers! She will live with us: outside the city, in the countryside, in love and friendship. Whats important is that there will be no chains only a life of freedom alongside people, just as she is used to," the service said. They noted that the dog suffered considerable stress during the relocation, with volunteers helping with the process. The service said that comfortable conditions had been created for Jessie to adapt to her new home. For now, she will stay in an enclosure as she awaits a health check up. "And later we will share photos and videos of her new happy life. To show everyone that even after the greatest grief, a new life is possible!" the emergency workers promised. Background: On 28 August, Russia carried out a large-scale attack on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, where high-rise buildings were damaged. Twenty-five people were killed in the capital, including four children. Volunteers rescued three pets a cat, a dog and a hamster from under the rubble of a high-rise building that was devastated by a large-scale Russian attack on Kyiv on the night of 27-28 August. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Related video Minneapolis archbishop: Prayers must lead to action | NewsNation Prime House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) said the Minneapolis shooting suspect never should have had access or been able to possess a firearm given the shooters apparent mental health issues. During an interview on ABCs This Week, co-anchor Martha Raddatz asked Emmer about plans to prevent someone with mental health issues from enacting violence, to which he responded that the mental health crisis in this country is one of the main problems that we are faced with today, adding, weve got to figure out how to deal with it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that if a person identifies someone who might need help, its important to report them to the appropriate authorities. Its not trying to tattle on someone; its literally trying to help them, he said. However, the Minnesota Republican noted that he doesnt understand how the suspected shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, was able to legally obtain firearms based on what little we already know. Last week, Westman opened fire at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis as children were attending back-to-school Mass. Westman, armed with a rifle, shotgun and a pistol, killed two children and wounded several other children and adults. The suspected shooter did not have a criminal history, according to investigators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve got another thing in this state, Martha, which I dont understand, and were going to find out more because this young man never should have had access or been able to possess a firearm based on what little we already know, Emmer said. And somebody who had to know that, theres a red flag law in this state. He added that someone of their emotional state, the mental challenges that they have, the mental illness, cannot, should not possess a firearm because theyd be a danger to themselves and/or others. Raddatz noted that Emmer voted against the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act put forward after the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The bill provided millions of dollars for schools for mental health service expansions, enhanced safety measures and more. Emmer, however, said he didnt remember why he voted against the bill. I dont remember the reasons that I didnt vote for that bill, he said. Ive got to tell you, we did a lot for Uvalde, but you cant replace those children, Martha. You cant. And you cant help that community. Were talking about getting on the front end. We need to have the resources to face the threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Raddatz suggested the bill, which was signed into law in June 2022, would have done that, Emmer argued we need to get to the root cause. That would have done that, he continued. That would have identified this young mans mental health condition. That would have actually identified him as a danger to himself and the community before this ever happened. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. GOP Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer said Sunday that Minnesota laws should have prevented the suspect from purchasing a gun that allowed them to kill two children and wound more than a dozen other people in a shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Emmer's home state. Emmer said the shooter "never should have had access or been able to possess a firearm based on what little we already know," adding that somebody who knew the shooter had to have known about Minnesota's so-called "red flag" law. MORE: Grief turns to hope as Minneapolis rallies behind kids hurt in school shooting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What that's all about is, it's usually used by a parent or, a law enforcement officer to go to the court and get an order that this individual, because of their emotional state, the mental, challenges that they have, the mental illness, cannot, should not, possess a firearm because they be a danger to themselves and or others," Emmer said. ABC News - PHOTO: House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., appears on ABC News' "This Week" on Aug. 31, 2025. Investigators found the shooter's notebooks, written in a combination of English, Cyrillic and other languages and showing thoughts of violence and grievances. According to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, the notebooks filled with the shooter's thoughts possessed "lot of hate towards a wide variety of people and groups of people." The acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota said the only group of people the shooter admired were "mass murderers." MORE: Minneapolis shooter 'expressed hate towards almost every group imaginable' Emmer also cited mental health as an issue and lack of resources in school as contributing to gun violence in the U.S. However, Emmer notably voted against the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that Congress passed after 21 people, including 19 children, were killed by a mass shooter at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill was considered the most significant action the legislature had taken to tackle gun violence in decades. It allocated hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds for school districts to enhance safety and mental health resources. When asked why he voted against the legislation, Emmer said, "I don't remember the reasons that I didn't vote for that bill." Emmer added that the "root cause" cause of violence must be identified to stop violence. Here are more highlights from Emmer's Interview: On the victims of the church shooting Emmer: As you know, there were 20 that were injured. Eighteen of them are still being treated, 15 children and three adults in, according to the folks in Minneapolis, all are expected to survive. I think Chief O'Hara, the Minneapolis police chief, told us yesterday that all the victims are expected to survive. But, Martha, just because they survive, the trauma that all of these kids, the families that lost their two children, all the kids and the adults that were injured, and every one of them that was at that Mass and, frankly, in the community, is going to be dealing with this for a long time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: What we know about Minnesota school shooting suspect Robin Westman On law enforcement in churches and schools Raddatz: And Congressman, in the short term, or maybe the long term, should law enforcement increase its presence in schools and places of worship? I know the governor has deployed them now. Emmer: Yes, well, thanks a lot, Governor. He -- yes, the answer is, yes. The Catholic community, along with other faith-based schools in this area, just a couple of years ago, when Tim Walz and the legislature were blowing through an $18 billion surplus, they asked for some of those resources, Martha, to -- for improving security in their schools. It was after the -- the very sad incident in Kentucky. What did Tim Walz do? Absolutely nothing. So, it -- its -- yes, its going to be very important that these schools have the resources. The other thing that you have to look at, Minneapolis, because of these crazy policies that the governor, the young mayor, the progressive, if thats what you want to call her, county attorney, the Minneapolis school board, back in 2020, said -- they voted out having a Minneapolis policeman as a resource officer on the school property. I think weve got to go back and rethink these things. What works? What doesnt work? And weve got to start improving our game. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Enjoy music under a full moon at White Sands National Park next weekend during the Full Moon Night event. The event will start at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, at White Sands outdoor amphitheatre. Award-winning musician Randy Granger from Las Cruces will be forming Native American melodies and other music. Granger is of Mayan and Apache heritage and specializes in Native American flute, storytelling and other acoustic instruments, according to the news release by White Sands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event is free, but guests will have to pay the park entrance fee. To get to the amphitheatre, drive roughly six miles beyond the fee station to an intersection just after the Backcountry Camping Trail parking lot. Take a right at that intersection and then the second left. Drive roughly one mile further and the amphitheatre will be on the right side. The amphitheatre parking lot will open at 6 p.m. and the parks hours will extend to 10 p.m. for the event. According to the news release, seating is not provided at the amphitheatre. Guests are encouraged to bring camp chairs, blankets and coolers filled with drinks and food. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the third of the four Full Moon night events White Sands has hosted this year. For more information on the event and other upcoming ones, you can visit their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Guest Opinion. Change is not a new concept to Cherokee Nation. Our tribes history shows all-too-many examples of adapting to a changing world. Whether its social, geographical or technological, Cherokee citizens are resilient in the face of change. Key to our longevity is accepting change even as it shifts beneath our own feet but doing so on our own terms. The latest global shift is in technology and the accelerated use of artificial intelligence, which is positioned to reshape the way all of us live and do business. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, my administration created a task force assigned to study the use of AI technology in our tribal government, how it affects our ability to govern, and how to best protect information especially sensitive personal data about our citizens through cybersecurity. Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. The task forces work, which is ongoing, led to our tribes first AI policy, which I recently signed at the Cherokee Nation Employee Technology Summit with Cherokee Nations Chief Information Officer Paula Starr and members of the Council. This policy is a framework for all Cherokee Nation employees and contractors to guide ethical and secure use of AI. Equally important, this policy affirms that the Cherokee Nation will never compromise the protection of our culture, language and traditions in the face of AI. Our language is not a commodity to replicate it is the foundation of our tribal identity. While AI can be useful in many areas of governance and delivering critical services to our citizens, it cannot be allowed to distort nor diminish the Cherokee language and cultural knowledge entrusted to us and passed down through our precious elders. Safeguarding the Cherokee language from misuse is central to our mission as a sovereign Nation, and it will remain a guiding principle in every decision we make. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, we want to encourage active use of new technology to further our progress and ensure we are not left behind as bystanders in this technological transformation. Our new policy makes that clear, while also providing guidelines for safe application. First and foremost, AI is a means, not an end. It is a tool to assist in our mission, but the end user is ultimately responsible for its application. A workplace study published through Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University this year found a significant reduction in critical thinking skills in employees who overused AI tools. This policy ensures we dont miss the forest for the trees. Put more plainly, we dont want employees to lose basic skills due to AI misuse or critical-thinking atrophy. Autocorrect is an early example of basic AI that were all accustomed to. Like the latest AI developments, we encourage its use to improve output. Its existence, however, doesnt negate learning and practicing proper grammar, punctuation and writing style. Underlying communication skills remain important in the workplace and beyond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its also paramount in this conversation that our information be protected. Every Cherokee service especially programs within our health system that contain patient information has extraordinary security to ensure the private data about our citizens is protected. AI presents new challenges to keep that information secure. Employees cannot be allowed to open doors that risk revealing private information of our citizens. Among many other protections, all AI platforms must first be approved for use through our IT professionals. Our approach makes that crystal clear, but it also makes violations subject to disciplinary action and even termination. As we explore its many uses to improve government services, this policy framework is designed to instill confidence that we are moving forward safely and intentionally. With the right tools in skilled hands, Cherokee employees will continue to provide the best services for the good of the Cherokee people year after year. Chuck Hoskin, Jr. is the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. The Environmental Protection Agency fired five agency employees who had openly signed a June declaration critical of the Trump administrations weakening of pollution, climate and health safety rules, according to the advocacy group Stand Up for Sciencewhich also said four more were issued removal notices by the agency. EPA supervisors made decisions on an individualized basis, following investigations, according to a statement from an agency spokesperson on Friday. In the June Declaration of Dissent, hundreds of Environmental Protection Agency employees had decried the administrations moves to undermine the EPA mission of protecting human health and the environment. Their complaints ranged from EPA ignoring science to benefit polluters to the agency dismantling initiatives aimed at protecting disadvantaged communities. Most EPA employees signed anonymously for fear of the type of retribution now seen in the Friday firings, which were widely anticipated after the agency moved to cancel employee bargaining and grievance rights agreements earlier in August. The employees had previously been placed on paid leave after the letters release by the agency. This employment limbo was extended three times while they were under investigation for preparing the declaration during work hours. It was subsequently extended into September for many of the remaining signatories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Sign up for Today in Science, a free daily newsletter] The administration is blatantly lying about the sourced facts of our dissent letter and [is] now blatantly retaliating and infringing on our constitutional rights, says Michael Pasqua, an EPA employee who helps manage the safety of drinking water in Wisconsin and a signatory of the declaration. During the first Trump administrationnoted for the scandal-ridden tenure of Scott Pruitt as the EPAs administrator between late February 2017 and early July 2018the agency rolled back more than 100 environmental rules. Now that Trump has returned to office, the administration has moved to cut back federal solar and wind power initiatives, as well as more environmental rules. Across science agencies, the administration has fired employees and advisory panel members, stopped grants and issued policies at odds with scientific findings. In July current EPA chief Lee Zeldin moved to revoke the endangerment finding that serves as the linchpin for U.S. climate regulation under a 2007 Supreme Court decision. In response to such moves across science agencies, hundreds of EPA, NASA, National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation staffers have signed on to public letters of dissent, rare rebukes from traditionally reticent federal employees. The letters follow the administration moving to remove tens of thousands of federal employees from agencies. In February Trump mistakenly said during a cabinet meeting that the EPA would likely cut 65 percent of its staff because a lot of people werent doing their job. (White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers later corrected Trump to clarify that the agency was planning to cut 65 percent of its spending.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More recently, in August, Federal Emergency Management Agency staffers released a Katrina Declaration, raising the alarm to Congress about spending restrictions, cuts to disaster prevention programs and censorship of climate and environmental science at the agency. Those moves all raised the chances of a disaster like 2005s Hurricane Katrina catastrophe, which took an estimated 1,833 lives, they wrote. In response, FEMA placed 36 nonanonymous signatories on administrative leave, similar to what the EPA has done, which has raised concerns of firings similar to those now hitting environmental agency signatories. This is a betrayal of our nations most dedicated members of societywe all want clear air and water for ourselves and our families, wrote Colette Delawalla, founder and executive director of Stand Up for Science, in a recent statement from the organization. Whistleblowing is protected by law, and these individuals have done nothing wrong. Jeffrey Epsteins island has become synonymous with his abuses Plans to redevelop Jeffrey Epsteins private island into a luxury tourist resort appear to have been quietly pushed back. Stephen Deckoff, a private-equity billionaire, bought two islands from the late paedophiles estate two years ago for the purpose of building a state-of-the-art holiday destination by 2025. However, the US Virgin Islands government said it had not received any planning applications for development and locals have been baffled by the lack of construction work since the announcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Satellite images show both islands, Little St James and its neighbour Great St James, have barely changed since Epstein died in prison in 2019 after being charged with sex trafficking. Little St James, a tropical Caribbean beauty spot which Epstein referred to as Little St Jeffs, became notorious as the site where the paedophile would traffic, imprison and abuse his underage victims. Mr Deckoff, whose net worth is valued at almost $3bn by Forbes, announced he had acquired both islands in May 2023 through one of his firms, SD Investments. A press release stated: Mr Deckoff plans to develop a state-of-the-art, five-star, world-class luxury 25-room resort that will help bolster tourism, create jobs, and spur economic development in the region, while respecting and preserving the important environment of the islands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It did not clarify which of Epsteins islands would host the new tourist destination. A view of Jeffrey Epsteins stone mansion on Little St James - AP/Gabriel Lopez Albarran According to the release, the billionaire has made a career turning distressed situations into successful enterprises, and would work with the Virgin Islands government to make this dream a reality. Mr Deckoff is in the process of retaining architects and engineers to develop the resort on the islands, which is anticipated to open in 2025, it added. However, a spokesman for the Virgin Islands government told The Telegraph building new structures or altering existing ones would require Mr Deckoff to submit planning applications. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No such plans have been submitted for either Little St James or Great St James, he said. Epstein would fly high-profile figures to his island on a private jet nicknamed the Lolita Express - APhifer Tour companies based around the Virgin Islands said they had not seen any evidence of construction work going ahead on the islands. Nothing has really happened on either one of those islands. We havent seen anything going up at all, said one individual who operates a boat charter company. Another tour guide who works around Little and Great St James said: I have not seen anything and Im out and about thats my little area. Satellite images of the island taken between 2019 and 2025 show a couple of structures have been erected on the north face of Little St James, but on a far more modest scale than the proposed tourist development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monika Kuffer, a specialist in satellite mapping at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, noted that one small structure had been built on the beach, while another stretches out to sea near a dock. What appears to be a reservoir, likely the only source of freshwater for the islands inhabitants, has also been filled up after almost running dry six years ago. It is unclear whether those developments are intended for Mr Deckoffs personal use, or if they were made with the intention of going ahead with the tourist site at a later date. Aerial photographs of Epsteins compound a turquoise-roofed mansion designed by architect Edward Tuttle swimming pools, guest villas and helipad, do not show any changes since 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Deckoff reportedly bought the islands for $60m after they failed to attract a buyer when they were put on the market a year before for $12m. Epsteins island has become synonymous with his abuses and is widely nicknamed paedophile island. Prominent public figures have taken pains to distance themselves from it and denied visiting it. According to a lawsuit brought by the Virgin Islands against Epsteins estate in 2020, Little St James was the perfect hideaway and haven for trafficking young women and underage girls for sexual servitude, child abuse and sexual assault. Among those who allegedly trafficked to the location was a 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, who labelled it orgy island and said she was sexually assaulted there by the Duke of York, a former associate of Epsteins. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prince Andrew has consistently denied the allegation and said he never visited Little St James. Donald Trump, the US president, faced the biggest crisis of his second term last month as his own supporters turned on him for refusing to release the Epstein files documents held by the US government on the financier. Mr Trump, who was friends with Epstein for around 15 years until the mid-2000s, said in July he never had the privilege of visiting his former associates island because he turned down an invitation. He has claimed without evidence that Bill Clinton travelled to Little St James 28 times, which the former president has denied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with federal authorities in July, released on Friday, Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins former girlfriend, said Mr Clinton never visited the island. Representatives for Mr Deckoff declined to comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, has several leadership and community service opportunities available for teenagers and young adults. Here is a look: The Congressional App Challenge The Congressional App Challenge is hosted by members of Congress for middle-school and high-school students to encourage participation in STEM education, develop coding skills, and create original applications that better their communities, Escobars office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Congressional App Challenge is one of the most prestigious national prizes for students in computer science, Escobars office said. The CAC is open to middle- and high-school students who reside in or attend school in the 16th Congressional District of Texas. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Oct. 30. To learn more, click here. The Congressional Youth Advisory Council (CYAC) CYAC offers a unique opportunity for students to learn about the federal government, debate policy, and participate in an interactive experience. The CYAC works with Escobars office to research topics and bills while collaborating alongside their peers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All students living in the district and in grades 10-12 are eligible to apply. The deadline to submit an application is 5 p.m. Sept. 15. To learn more, click here. Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Escobar has launched her first annual Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest. The contest is open to current middle-school students (grades 6-8) residing in the TX-16 Congressional District. The deadline to submit an essay is 5 p.m. Sept. 21. For more information, click here. Service Academy Nomination Each year, Escobar nominates a limited number of extraordinary high schoolers to four of the five service academies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The honor of attending a service academy comes with an obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Dec. 8. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible. For more information, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. EU foreign ministers have discussed possible options for further sanctions pressure on Russia. Source: EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas at a joint press conference with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen after an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Copenhagen, as reported by Ukrinform Quote from Kallas: "Ministers discussed the possible building blocks for the next sanctions package. Options include secondary sanctions on those backing Russias war, as well as import bans and tariffs on Russian products." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: She said that efforts against Russias shadow fleet also need to be stepped up. Quote from Kallas: "Ive asked the member states for their proposals next week. The goal is to exert maximum pressure on Russia. Of course, new actions would be stronger if matched by our partners, including our transatlantic partners." Details: She noted that ministers also discussed the use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraines defence and reconstruction: "It was a very, very good and very substantive discussion. We needed this to hear all the arguments from all the sides to really debate on the substance matter, and this discussion will continue." Kallas pointed out that ministers recognised the need to address Ukraines funding gap and to hold Russia accountable for war damages. To achieve this, it is essential to explore all available avenues while minimising potential risks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Kallas: "I want to stress that financial markets did not react when we froze the assets. Financial markets are calm as we discussed this. There are risks, but I am confident that we are able to mitigate those risks." Details: At the press conference, she also reported that ministers ran out of time to discuss the third key agenda item the possible change of the EUs decision-making mechanism on foreign policy. This refers to the option of the adoption of certain decisions by a majority of EU members instead of a full consensus, particularly in cases where one country does not take a constructive position and blocks the decision-making process at EU level. Background: The EU is considering the possibility of introducing secondary sanctions to prevent third countries from helping Russia circumvent existing restrictions. This tool, adopted in 2023 but not yet used, provides for a ban on exporting, supplying or transferring certain goods to third countries believed to be helping Russia evade EU sanctions. Politico earlier reported that the 19th EU sanctions package against Russia will not include new significant restrictions on energy sales that finance Russias war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, the US has introduced secondary tariffs against India to punish it for purchasing Russian oil. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The EU is willing to negotiate a better, mutually beneficial trade deal with Britain, one of Brussels most powerful conservatives has said. Manfred Weber is president of the influential centre-Right European Peoples Party (EPP), which counts 13 prime ministers among its membership, including Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor. Mr Weber, the centre-Right Bavarian MEP who leads the largest group in the European Parliament, was once a fierce critic of Brexit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, he said the EUs Brexit war with Britain was over, in a sign that Sir Keir Starmer could push for a renegotiation of the reset deal agreed in May. The Government will be cautious about any concessions the EU could seek after the bloc previously cautioned Britain against any cherry-picking attempting to gain the benefits of single market membership without the obligations. Sir Keir Starmer signed a deal guaranteeing EU fishermen access to UK waters for 12 more years - Oli Scarff/AFP In the reset deal, Sir Keir agreed to follow EU rules, aligning with European food standards and submitting to the European Court of Justice in exchange for the freedom to export goods with fewer customs checks. With this change of government [Labour taking power], the whole Brexit saga was closed, Mr Weber said in Berlin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pressed on how he viewed Brexit now, he said: In this moment of time, its full respect for the decision. It is like it is. I think nobody today is stronger than we were before. Thats my assessment. But it is like it is. He added: What I want to see is to close this debate, not to discuss the future with the emotions of the past. That is what I would love to see. And I think Starmer was the man who did this, and to make the restart with Brussels pragmatically and look for solutions. Asked if the Brexit war was over, he replied: Definitely. This years deal with Brussels also included a defence pact, a 12-year fishing deal and a pledge to align with EU plant and animal health rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While some, including Labour rebels, branded the agreement a betrayal of Brexit, others said it helped draw a line after numerous rows between the UK and EU over issues such as sausages, fishing, Covid vaccines and Northern Ireland. Mr Weber also dangled the possibility of negotiations to improve the Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA), which is the Brexit trade deal struck by Boris Johnson. Manfred Webers comments suggest Sir Keir Starmer could push for a renegotiation of the reset deal agreed in May - Thierry Monasse/Getty Labour has been seeking an ambitious renegotiation of the trade agreement since before the election. Up until now, Sir Keirs desire to overhaul the TCA has been rebuffed by the European Commission, which handles trade negotiations on behalf of the blocs 27 member states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brussels is reluctant to renegotiate a deal that it sees as weighted in its own interest, but Labour has signalled it is willing to be pragmatic if it deems it to be in the national interest. There are already talks with the EU over the alignment on plant and animal health rules to boost trade. Mr Weber is known as the second-most influential German in Brussels after Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president and a fellow EPP member, and his remarks could signal a change in approach from the bloc. We are always ready to create better conditions for trade. We are the trading party of Europe. We are always ready to find solutions and compromises, he said when discussing an improved trade deal with Britain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We believe in open markets. Whenever there is a chance to have, for both sides, a good deal, a good common understanding, then lets do it. Asked what the next step in UKs relations with the EU should be, he said: The fundamental thing is obviously all economic issues, we both need growth. In all these areas we have to work together. The 53-year-old conservative is a member of the CSU, the Bavarian sister party to the ruling CDU in Germany. He also welcomed British involvement in EU joint procurement plans to ramp up defence spending in Europe. He praised the Prime Minister for his work on Ukraine and the party he played in talks with Donald Trump over security guarantees for Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britain was part of Team Europe in the talks with Donald Trump. And thats extremely, extremely helpful, said Mr Weber, who is a staunch supporter of Ukraine. In a speech this week, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Europe minister, dismissed as absolute nonsense the idea that alignment meant surrendering sovereignty, or freedoms. After agreeing the reset, Sir Keir said: Its time to look forward. To move on from the stale old debates and political fights to find common-sense, practical solutions that get the best for the British people. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A scientist who resigned from the CDC this week is warning that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy has shown signs he believes in eugenics. Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who resigned in protest at the Trump administrations firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez, told MSNBC Saturday morning that America needs to wake up to the secretarys rhetoric. I really hear the echoes of the word, superior genetics, Daskalakis said. He referred to very high members of this administration and their improving health status. And said, well, that person has superior genetics That is eugenics. Wake up. This is a red flag. Dr. Demetre Daskalakis resigned as Director of the CDCs National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases this week. In a resignation letter, he wrote that desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults. / MSNBC Other examples, Daskalakis said, were how Kennedy spoke about the H5N1 bird flu and measles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daskalakis recalled an interview Kennedy gave this year about an outbreak that killed chickens across the country. He said that was the first time he went, Oh no about the future of the CDC under Kennedy, as his remarks were not backed by science. He was talking about the H5N1 bird flu and chickens, and he said in an interview, All of the chickens should get bird flu, and the ones that survive are genetically superior, and they should reproduce, and they should reestablish the flock, said Daskalakis, who suggested that Kennedys theory is false. The scientist continued, So fast forward to West Texas and measles, where he says, you know, getting the infection is fine, really, because only the strong will survive. You know, like it makes your immune system stronger, which is false. It actually makes your immune system weaker. HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy, 71, is a vaccine skeptic who may ban the COVID-19 vaccine in coming months, a close associate of his told the Daily Beast. In the meantime, his deputies have already made the vaccine more difficultand more expensiveto obtain. The brain drain of top federal scientists has accelerated since Monarezs abrupt firing. Daskalakis stepped down from his role as director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, a position he held for approximately two years. He immediately slammed Kennedy in a fiery resignation letter, accusing him of putting politics and agendas over research and facts. Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults, he wrote. Their base should be the people they serve, not a political voting bloc. My resignation letter from CDC. Dear Dr. Houry, I am writing to formally resign from my position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 28, 2025, close of business. DrDemetre (@dr_demetre) August 27, 2025 The Harvard-educated scientist turned up the heat in his appearance on MSNBC. He said Kennedy is not only unqualified for the role, but also alleged that he outright refuses to listen to federal scientists who are qualified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They have the experience to run an organization, it seems, he said of Kennedy and his deputies. But if they dont listen to their experts, theyre flying blind, or theyre answering to other people who are briefing them and giving information to influence what theyre doing thats not based in science. He continued, Ive never briefed the secretary. Ive never met the man. He talks about measles. I dont know where he knows anything about measles, except for the rhetoric that hes been putting forward for 20 years. I dont know who his counselors are. Thats not how it should work in the United States. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was showered with praise by President Donald Trump during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. / Chip Somodevilla / Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images While speaking to reporters Friday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller praised RFK Jr. as a crown jewel. Secretary Kennedy has been a crown jewel of this administration whos working tirelessly to improve public health for all Americans, he said. As of Aug. 26, there have been 1,408 confirmed measles cases reported in the United States in 2025. The disease had been declared eliminated in 2000. In the case of Syria, the concessions needed by either side to reach a deal are less dramatic and easier than getting Hezbollah to disarm in Lebanon, Kuperwasser said. While there are complex challenges on all fronts, the chances of achieving a security deal with Syria are higher than with Lebanon, according to Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, formerly head of research in the IDF Military Intelligence Directorate and currently director of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS). He made his remarks Sunday in an interview with The Jerusalem Post. Kuperwasser addressed the situation less than a week after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's major announcement on the issue, and as US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who is also the special envoy to Syria, visited the region to make progress on disarming Hezbollah and other issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a potentially game-changing development, Netanyahu on August 25 laid out the possibility of an IDF phased withdrawal from Lebanon as well as rolling back IAF airstrikes if Hezbollah agrees to the Lebanese governments order to disarm. IDF forces invaded southern Lebanon on September 30, 2024, and mostly withdrew this past February. They remained in five outposts a few hundred meters into the Syrian side of the border, including a complement of several hundred or more soldiers. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas War, the IDF has carried out airstrikes against Hezbollah. While the frequency of those airstrikes slowed and became more selective after the November 2024 ceasefire, the IAF never stopped them, and it often still carries out a few per week. BRIG.-GEN. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, director of research for IDSF and a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, at the Democracy 2023 Conference. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST) Questioned about what circumstances could lead Israel and Netanyahu to halt the airstrikes and withdraw from the outposts, Kuperwasser said the conditions the prime minister had laid out were important. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If they really take action, Israel will also take action by reducing its attacks on Hezbollah, and there could be talks about leaving some of the five outposts, he said, referring to whether the Lebanese government will actually disarm Hezbollah. Nevertheless, Kuperwasser was skeptical that things will play out that way. Israel has not committed to anything, he said. It made a statement, but it wont do anything until they act. The real test is in taking action, not merely announcing a decision. The Lebanese statement of intent to disarm Hezbollah was important in and of itself and a very positive development that would not have occurred in the past, Kuperwasser said, adding that there is an authentic desire to disarm the Lebanese terror group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have seen in recent days that there is not a practical implementation yet of the government decision, he said. It is too early to say if the Lebanese government will really disarm Hezbollah. They still have no concrete plan for how to accomplish this. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, in a speech last week after Netanyahus statement, had vehemently rejected any attempt to disarm the group, Kuperwasser said. Any attempt to take away Hezbollahs weapons was analogous to trying to steal its soul, he quoted Qassem as saying. If, despite Qassems statement, the Lebanese government and military somehow succeed at getting Hezbollah to disarm, Israel will verify that it is really happening, and if so, then Israel will be more flexible, Kuperwasser said. But right now, it doesnt look like that is the direction things are going." He also warned about a revolving door solution in which the Lebanese military might collect some weapons from Hezbollah symbolically, even documenting the transfer, but then quietly returning the weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All that matters is the final result of whether Hezbollah gives up its arms and does not get them back, he added. Kuperwasser said he was pessimistic that any party in Lebanon had the capacity to disarm Hezbollah, even though the IDF had weakened the group substantially since killing up to 5,000 of its fighters and most of its top leaders in the fall of 2024. Israel and Syria's joint interest Regarding Syria, Kuperwasser said he was more optimistic about Jerusalem and Damascus reaching some kind of a new security deal, even though it would have challenges. Israel wants various declarative and concrete security guarantees from Syria, and it has leaked that if it receives certain guarantees, it would be willing to withdraw from all or at least part of the buffer zone it took up in Syria in December 2024 upon the fall of the Assad regime, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa wants Israel to cease its periodic military interventions in Syria, he added. In both cases, the mediator is the US, but in the case of Syria, the concessions needed by either side to reach a deal are less dramatic and easier than getting Hezbollah to disarm in Lebanon, Kuperwasser said. Between Israel and Syria, both sides have an interest in reaching greater stability so that their joint border is a quiet one, he said. This would involve having deeper arrangements and not just a set of impromptu understandings on the fly, he added. Sharaas largest job is to get the US, the West, and the Arab world to help Syria rehabilitate itself from its long war to build its economy and infrastructure, Kuperwasser said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Al-Sharaa comes from a jihadist background, and there are many jihadists around him, which are all negatives, but he has a genuine self-interest to reach a deal, he said. Another difference compared with Lebanon, where the US has made it clear that it is not assisting Beirut with any issues until Hezbollah disarms, is that US President Donald Trump already gave al-Sharaa lots of credit before he did anything, Kuperwasser said. They already lifted sanctions. Essentially, most of what Sharaa needs to do is keep up what he has done until now in terms of not presenting any threat to Israels border and not hosting any Iranians inside Syrian territory, he said. The one additional component would be for Sharaa to protect and not allow attacks on the Syrian Druze, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this area, Sharaa is considered a failure, having allowed and partially facilitated or at least elements of his HTS forces did a massacre of Syrian Druze in Sweida last month, Kuperwasser said, which followed a massacre by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces of Alawite Syrians in the Spring. Israel would like there to be some kind of demilitarized zone or corridor around Sweida to better ensure the Syrian Druze security and as a buffer for its own border, he said. If Sharaa makes good on these Israeli priorities, top Israeli officials have leaked the potential for fewer actions within Syria and even for withdrawals from part of the buffer zone, Kuperwasser said. However, he suggested that even if the IDF were to withdraw from one of the nine IDF positions in the southern Syria buffer zone, it might not withdraw from the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, which is thousands of feet above the Israeli side of Mount Hermon. That position is considered to have additional strategic value that Israel may have trouble parting with, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Sharaa might be able to live with a partial withdrawal from the buffer zone, given that he may not want to grant Israel a full peace treaty for which he might demand a withdrawal even from the Israeli Golan Heights, he added. That is something that is unlikely to be on the table for the foreseeable future, if ever, Kuperwasser said. ST. PETE BEACH City commissioners have shelved proposed changes to the noise ordinance after strong opposition from restaurant staff, musicians and residents who said the restrictions would threaten livelihoods and the citys nightlife character. The proposed revisions would have imposed code enforcement fines for amplified music audible 5 decibels above background noise between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. a significant change from the current ordinance that prohibits most amplified music between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Planning staff developed the proposal in response to residents living near restaurants and bars who complained about noise from those establishments. But the suggested restrictions drew fierce opposition from restaurant staff, music lovers and musicians who argued that live music is integral to the St. Pete Beach lifestyle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From what some residents are writing online, as well as from some comments, the consensus is the city wants to shut down live music, Mayor Adrian Petrila said at the Aug. 19 meeting. When Petrila asked audience members how many were concerned about a shutdown of live music, those present shouted that the 7 p.m. time restriction was too early. Vice Mayor Karen Marriott clarified that commissioners had not voted on any ordinance containing the 7 p.m.-7 a.m. language. She said staff had merely presented a preliminary direction they were considering before drafting a revised noise ordinance. My belief was that many people heard that 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., including lots of news outlets, and assumed we were considering voting on, or passing an ordinance that included that language, which we have not yet been presented with, Marriott said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Resident Mia Hartley, who attended all city meetings on the issue, expressed frustration with the process. I feel a little gaslit here, because I show up with this anger, or this frustration, and Im told Im misunderstanding, theres miscommunication, but Im reading black and white, Hartley said. She criticized staff for including language in presentations that wasnt being seriously considered. Hartley said she had expected a reasonable compromise based on earlier discussions. The 7 p.m. cutoff did not reflect in any way what I thought was discussed at the meetings, she said, suggesting the city should enforce the existing ordinance and look to Dunedin as a model. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the meeting, the city issued a news release stating that no immediate changes would be made to the noise ordinance. Instead, commissioners directed staff to strengthen enforcement of existing regulations. The commissions direction includes: Pausing consideration of changes to permitted hours, with many residents indicating 10 p.m. remains an acceptable cutoff for amplified sound Developing targeted enforcement strategies for problem properties, including enhanced monitoring during late-night and weekend hours Partnering with the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office for special deployments during peak complaint periods Reviewing whether the citys nuisance ordinance conflicts with noise ordinance enforcement. City Manager Frances Robustelli said the city remains committed to balancing the interests of its residents, businesses and visitors while preserving the quality of life in the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city manager will report back to commissioners in January with enforcement data and an assessment of whether current resources are adequate. The moratorium on ordinance changes will remain in effect through winter and spring to allow time to evaluate enforcement strategies. The training facility of the Maine Space Corporation, the quasi-governmental agency tasked with building the infrastructure for the states nascent space industry, sits at the end of a humming hallway in Brunswick Landings Hangar 5. On an exceptionally hot day in mid-July, in the absence of air conditioning, the windows were shuttered to keep the facility cool. Three machines used to test products for space conditions each about the size of a household fridge sat in the corners of the room, encircling a paper-strewn round table and a few office chairs in the center. The Maine Space Corporation, which recently filed for 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, was created in 2022 by the Maine Legislature with the aim of positioning the state as a national and international destination and authority in launching small launch vehicles and small satellites into polar orbit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But MSC is taking lessons from the struggles of the commercial space industry in Maine and, for now, is working toward the launch of small rockets from platforms far out to sea, hoping to avoid some of the pushback faced by commercial space companies whose operations have been rejected by communities worried about the impact on fishing and the environment. The new space economy is another industrial revolution, said Terry Shehata, executive director of MSC. The question is, with Maines assets, should we get on that train or just stand aside and let the train go by the station? The Maine Space Corporation, said Shehata, is in talks with The Spaceport Company, a Virginia-based startup that focuses on mobile floating spaceports, about acquiring access to its launch platform. The company recorded the first rocket launch from U.S. waters in 2023 in the Gulf of Mexico. The commercial space industry has exploded worldwide in recent years, with the number of launches far eclipsing the early days of the space race. More than 2,200 objects including satellites, probes, landers, crewed spacecrafts, and space station flight elements were launched into space last year from the United States alone, compared to fewer than 100 just a decade earlier, according to Our World In Data. The rockets being launched today look much different than the behemoths of the early days of the space race. Those that MSC will allow to launch from their facilities are small averaging about 100 feet said Shehata, containing satellites for telecommunications, weather monitoring or data collection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Launching at sea may be one of the ways companies can avoid the bottleneck at spaceports around the country, according to Tom Marotta, founder and CEO of Spaceport. In the U.S., commercial launches are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration and confined to a handful of sites around the country. As congestion grows at existing sites and regulatory constraints impede inland launch, operating spaceports at sea becomes a more attractive option to meet the demand, wrote Marotta in a 2023 opinion piece in The Space Review. The development comes at a time when the Trump administration looks to ease safety and environmental operations for rocket launches and restrict the authority of states over nearshore waters when it comes to operations in space. Bringing the space industry to Maine While not typically known as a hub for space innovation, Maine has geographical advantages for launching into certain orbits, said University of Maine physics professor David Batuski. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earth has a variety of orbits regular, repeating paths, determined by gravitational pull in which objects rotate around our planet. In the U.S., the equatorial orbit has historically been the most popular choice for rocket launches, said Shehata, of MSC. Spaceports located far south in Texas, California and Florida have the advantage of being proximal to the equator, which allows rockets to require less energy to launch from these locations into the equatorial orbit, said Batuski. Maine provides a more efficient launch into polar orbits, which are paths going roughly over North and South Poles as the Earth spins beneath it, said several experts. With its far north location and a coastline curved enough eastward, Maine could allow rockets to reach polar orbits with less fuel than many other locations. From Maine, if you want something to be in a polar orbit, you can just launch directly south. Our coast here in Maine curves enough so that you can launch directly south and be over the water and not have a danger for communities, said Batuski. You don't have to use additional fuel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because Earth spins beneath the satellites in polar orbits, satellites in those orbits have the advantage of being able to cover the entire planet, rather than just the band around the equator, according to Shehata, one of the reasons this type of satellite is gaining momentum in the industry. Maine Space Corp. was created by lawmakers to take advantage of this emerging space economy, according to its website, with a goal of creating 500 jobs by 2030 and up to 5,500 jobs over 20 years. In June, Gov. Janet Mills signed a law enabling MSC to become a nonprofit, which will allow MSC to take advantage of federal research grants, according to Maine Senate President Mattie Daughtry (D-Cumberland) who introduced the bill. According to Shehata, most of MSCs funding to date has come from the Maine Technology Institute. It received a two-year $426,000 grant from MTI and $29,000 from the Maine Space Grant Consortium, which will go toward renovating the facility in Brunswick Landing and training businesses and individuals to use the facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Space Corporation is working with bluShift Aerospace, also based in Brunswick, as well as Ukrainian start-up Promin Aerospace and the global technology company, Teledyne Technologies, said Shehata. The Space Corporation is also recruiting other New England states and partners in the hopes of building a regional space economy. Besides launch services, Shehata emphasized that MSC is focused on building innovation hubs, where companies can conduct testing and research, as well as data analytics centers. The current training facility in Brunswick Landing is an example of the innovation hubs that MSC hopes to open in other parts of the state. Photo by Garrick Hoffman. Renovations on the facility began in January. Slated to open this fall, the facility has specialized equipment that simulate various conditions for space launches, such as intense vibrations and heat, said Shehata. The $6 million John F. Kennedy Aerospace Park that broke ground earlier this month in Presque Isle could be part of this research and development infrastructure in the future, said Shehata. Although the JFK Park project precedes the founding of MSC, Shehata said they are open to working with the park in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The JFK Park is an effort focused primarily on Presque Isle, separate from the statewide plans of the MSC, said Scott Wardwell, director of the Presque Isle International Airport, who also sits on MSCs board of directors. Primarily funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the park project hopes to attract aerospace research to Aroostook County. According to Shehata, the only publicly-known commercial rocket launch in Maine so far was bluShift Aerospaces low-altitude test launch of the 20-feet-tall Stardust 1.0 in January 2021 from Loring Commerce Centre, the former Loring Air Force base in Aroostook County. Founded in 2014, the Brunswick-based space company specializes in small rocket launches with what it says is non-toxic biofuel. Presque Isle-based Valt Enterprizes, which plans to be an anchor tenant of the JFK Park, has also conducted several rocket launches in Maine, said Shehata. Suborbital launches, which are lower-altitude rocket launches that do not reach the orbit, can be categorized as amateur rocketry under the Federal Aviation Administration and do not need to disclose information publicly. The company, which focuses on developing hypersonic delivery systems according to its LinkedIn page, was awarded a $14.8 million contract with the Department of Defense in September 2024. Multiple attempts to reach Valt Enterprizes were unsuccessful. With sea-based launches, MSC hopes to avoid community pushback Maines commercial space industry has gotten off to a rocky start. After its test launch in Limestone in 2021, bluShift faced significant pushback in its search for launch sites Downeast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In March, Steuben voted to prohibit commercial rocket launches and manufacturing facilities after bluShift eyed the town for offshore launches and facilities. Nearby Jonesport also passed a permanent ban on rocket launches and control facilities in July 2022, after bluShift proposed building a launch site on Water Island just off the coast. Residents in both towns expressed similar concerns about the impact of rocket launches on the local fishing industry, noise, pollution from fuel and the general lack of regulations on the space industry. After the pushback, bluShift began looking elsewhere for launch sites, including in Florida, according to reporting by MaineBiz. According to its website, MSC is also interested in launch sites Downeast, but has no authority to dictate the location, and will ultimately have to rely on the community to accept the launch site designation using whatever local approval process at their disposal, including the planning board and a community-wide vote. Launching rockets from platforms in the ocean would allow MSC and its partner companies to avoid many of these complications. For a sea-based launch, a liftboat would load the rocket and fuel in separate tanks and sail out to a launch point pre-approved by the FAA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Spaceport Company is also working on liftboats that use pylons to temporarily affix the liftboat to the sea bed and raise it out of the water to provide stabilization, according to Tom Marotta, founder and CEO of The Spaceport Company. The liftboats, depending on size, could operate in 80 to 200 feet of water, he said. The Spaceport Company has already modified a former U.S. Navy vessel as a sea-based launch platform, and has plans to build other vessels. Marotta said that their liftboat platform could be ready in 18 months after a contract is signed. The Maine Space Corporation is in talks with The Spaceport Company, which conducted a test launch in the Gulf of Mexico. Photo credit: The Spaceport Company. Maine Space Corporation is discussing acquiring the exclusive rights for the use of the sea-based platform in the New England area, and hopes to use a subscription model for clients who would like to use the platform, according to Shehata. The subscription fees from clients could be used to pay for costs of the platform. When asked about contracts and any specific commitments of the Corporation with the company, Shehata said that the exact details of their conversations are protected by a nondisclosure agreement. Shehata said they are looking into launches around 20 to 100 miles off the coast, which would put them in federal waters, and is still discussing long-term plans for launch sites that could include building their own launch platforms, to save on contract fees. Trump administration looks to ease regulatory path for rocket launches Despite community concerns around environmental issues, state agencies have little clear authority over the industry in Maine. The state has no dedicated regulatory body for space operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Madore, deputy commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, would not speculate what environmental regulations may apply prior to any permit applications of space operations. Jeff Nichols, communications director for the Department of Marine Resources, told The Maine Monitor the department does not have any regulatory authority over sea-based rocket launches. The enabling legislation of MSC states that the launch services and sites shall prioritize Maine-based businesses and businesses that minimize the environmental effects of their space vehicles and launches. The organization is still researching how to minimize environmental impacts, including the use of environmentally-friendly fuel, according to Shehata. The Corporations strategic plan calls for an assessment of potential environmental impacts of a launch site to be shared with the public BEFORE any infrastructure development, and notes that land-based sites require approval from the FAA as well as local communities. I think has the strictest environmental guidelines of any spaceport complex governing document in the nation, Sen. Daughtry said. Maine Space Corporation is taking lessons from the struggles of the commercial space industry in Maine and, for now, is working toward the launch of small rockets from platforms far out to sea. Photo by Garrick Hoffman. The FAA is responsible for licensing and regulating within the U.S., including commercial space operations, like rocket launch and reentry, as well as the operation of spaceports. The federal agencys oversight includes conducting safety and environmental assessments in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, which considers factors like air quality, biological resources, hazardous materials, and noise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration, however, is looking to relax federal regulations over commercial rocket launches. On August 13, President Trump signed an executive order that would, among other deregulatory measures, establish certain exclusions for rocket launches under the National Environmental Policy Act. The order also restricts the regulatory powers of state officials in coastal zones in instances in which they interfere with spaceport development. Derek Brockbank, executive director of the Coastal States Organization, commenting on a draft of the order in July, told ProPublica it could force states to prioritize spaceport infrastructure and undermine their ability to decide how to use coastal land under the Coastal Zone Management Act. Shehata said that MSC is monitoring the uncertainties, and may institute its own rules to mitigate risks. These rules, which have yet to be written, would apply to the clients of MSC but would not apply to Maines industry more broadly. Shehata said he hopes concerns over impacts to local industry and the environment can be mitigated, rather than shutting the industry down altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We don't want to shut out the opportunity for economic growth in that area. So we have to find a better way of doing it and working very closely with the community to make that realization happen. Stacey Zhang is a summer intern at The Maine Monitor with support from the Ida B. Wells Society in collaboration with the Nonprofit Newsroom Internship Program created by The Scripps Howard Fund and the Institute for Nonprofit News. Claim: Liz Cheney wrote a letter to the Democratic Party urging it to do more to fight the Trump administrations authoritarian machine. Rating: Rating: Incorrect Attribution Since April 2025, internet users have shared a letter calling on the Democratic Party to do more to fight what it described as U.S. President Donald Trump's "coordinated, authoritarian machine." Many users attributed the letter to former Republican U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The beginning of the 1,400-word letter read: Dear Democratic Party, I need more from you. You keep sending emails begging for $15, while we're watching fascism consolidate power in real time. This administration is not simply "a different ideology." It is a coordinated, authoritarian machine with the Supreme Court, the House, the Senate, and the executive pen all under its control. And you? You're still asking for decorum and donations. WTF. That won't save us. I don't want to hear another polite floor speech. I want strategy. I want fire. I want action so bold it shifts the d*mn news cycle not fits inside one. Every time I see something from the DNC, it's asking me for funds. Surprise. Those of us who donate don't want to keep sending money just to watch you stand frozen as the Constitution goes up in flames shaking your heads and saying, "Well, there's not much we can do. He has the majority." I call bullshit. https://www.facebook.com/david.abbruzzese/posts/pfbid02AKSqNYms5qLf9X13U9WLXfB4M8XKiNJPYzK3yY8va8bcLpWmEzDYdBHtANNVni1nl In August, the text appeared with attribution to Cheney in multiple posts (archived) on Facebook (archived). Snopes readers emailed to ask if Cheney actually wrote the text. However, all evidence pointed to the letter appearing for the first time in a post (archived) by a Facebook user in a group formerly called Liz Cheney/Adam Kinzinger Against Trump. That user, "Pru Pru," posted the text on April 15, claiming authorship at the top of the post. (Facebook user Pru Pru) Pru Pru posted the letter again on May 13, 2025, explicitly stating that Cheney did not write it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, who served in former president Bill Clinton's administration, shared the letter on his Substack in June 2025, titling the post "A remarkable message." He later updated the post to read, "I'm told that the following message, [...] purporting to be from Liz Cheney, is a hoax. She didn't send it. It's an excellent and important message nonetheless." Cheney herself had posted no such letter on her Facebook, X or Bluesky accounts. We found no credible reports naming her as the author on popular online search engines. Therefore, we determined it was incorrectly attributed to Cheney. (We attempted to reach Cheney through the University of Virginia Center for Politics, where she is a professor, and a number of campaign email addresses to double-check, but we had not received a reply at the time of publication.) Pru Pru's post bore an introduction reading: "Written by Dr. Pru Lee (Pru Pru)." At the time of this writing, Pru Pru had also commented below the text claiming to be the author. It was unclear if these attributions were added before or after users started incorrectly attributing the letter to Cheney. Moreover, the text itself cast doubt on claims that Cheney wrote it. For example, toward the end of the letter, a sentence read: "I've only got 6,000 followers but the groups I'm in? The networks I touch? Over a quarter million. Often when I speak, it echoes." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Cheney had more than 700,000 followers across her Facebook, X and Bluesky accounts at the time of this writing, though only her Bluesky account, with 165,000 followers, appeared to be active. Though it was clear Cheney did not write the April 15, 2025, letter, the former Wyoming Republican representative had gone through somewhat of a political shift in recent years. Cheney said in 2024 that she did not consider herself a "member" of President Donald Trump's Republican Party and reportedly voted for Kamala Harris in that year's presidential election. Cheney's political action group, Our Great Task, donated almost exclusively to Democratic candidates in the 2024 presidential election. Sources: Fram, Alan. "35 Republicans Buck Trump, Back Study of Jan. 6 Capitol Riot." AP News, 20 May 2021, https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-house-elections-capitol-siege-government-and-politics-0f38d9c76889510ae5eaae1c73e82fa9. Google Search. https://www.google.com/search?q=%22You+keep+sending+emails+begging+for+%2415%2C+while+we%27re+watching+fascism+consolidate+power+in+real+time.%22&sca_esv=23a7faa5f06010d3&ei=JAIBaKeeB6aNhbIPurWXsQc&ved=0ahUKEwinwK6Xlt-MAxWmRkEAHbraJXYQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=%22You+keep+sending+emails+begging+for+%2415%2C+while+we%27re+watching+fascism+consolidate+power+in+real+time.%22&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiZyJZb3Uga2VlcCBzZW5kaW5nIGVtYWlscyBiZWdnaW5nIGZvciAkMTUsIHdoaWxlIHdlJ3JlIHdhdGNoaW5nIGZhc2Npc20gY29uc29saWRhdGUgcG93ZXIgaW4gcmVhbCB0aW1lLiJIAFAAWABwAHgBkAEAmAEAoAEAqgEAuAEDyAEA-AEC-AEBmAIAoAIAmAMAkgcAoAcAsgcAuAcA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Liz Cheney." Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ejkfgu7db6g7x7ttffhviqmc?ref_src=embed&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fgreattask.com%252F. "---." The Center for Politics at UVA, https://centerforpolitics.org/liz-cheney/. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025. Liz Cheney | Our Great Task, Inc. 13 Mar. 2024, https://greattask.com/liz-cheney/. NBC News. "Liz Cheney Says She Does Not Consider Herself to Be a Member of 'Trump's Republican Party.'" YouTube, 14 Oct. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi2HsuTyTcU. Open Secrets. "The Great Task PAC Contributions to Federal Candidates." Open Secrets, https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/the-great-task/C00607556/candidate-recipients/2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Rep. Liz Cheney." Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/replizcheney. "---." X, https://x.com/RepLizCheney. "Republican Liz Cheney Says She Will Vote for Democrat Harris for US President." Reuters, 4 Sept. 2024. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republican-liz-cheney-says-she-will-vote-democrat-harris-us-president-2024-09-04/. SELECT COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE JANUARY 6TH ATTACK ON THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL. FINAL REPORT. 22 Dec. 2022, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-REPORT/pdf/GPO-J6-REPORT.pdf. You Keep Sending Emails Begging for $15, While We're Watching Fascism Consolidate Power in Real Time. - Yahoo Search Results. https://uk.search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AwrIfqig7wBoW2EIzAhKBQx.;_ylc=X1MDMjExNDcxNzAwMgRfcgMyBGZyAwRmcjIDcDpzLHY6c2ZwLG06c2ItdG9wBGdwcmlkA0JGM3hIRjJSUUt1SlBJNm9VY2pRdkEEbl9yc2x0AzAEbl9zdWdnAzAEb3JpZ2luA3VrLnNlYXJjaC55YWhvby5jb20EcG9zAzAEcHFzdHIDBHBxc3RybAMwBHFzdHJsAzEwMwRxdWVyeQMlMjJZb3UlMjBrZWVwJTIwc2VuZGluZyUyMGVtYWlscyUyMGJlZ2dpbmclMjBmb3IlMjAlMjQxNSUyQyUyMHdoaWxlJTIwd2UlRTIlODAlOTlyZSUyMHdhdGNoaW5nJTIwZmFzY2lzbSUyMGNvbnNvbGlkYXRlJTIwcG93ZXIlMjBpbiUyMHJlYWwlMjB0aW1lLiUyMgR0X3N0bXADMTc0NDg5MTgxMw--?p=%22You+keep+sending+emails+begging+for+%2415%2C+while+we%E2%80%99re+watching+fascism+consolidate+power+in+real+time.%22&fr=sfp&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Asfp%2Cm%3Asb-top&iscqry=. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025. "You Keep Sending Emails Begging for $15, While We're Watching Fascism Consolidate Power in Real Time." at DuckDuckGo. https://duckduckgo.com/?t=h_&q=%22You+keep+sending+emails+begging+for+%2415%2C+while+we%E2%80%99re+watching+fascism+consolidate+power+in+real+time.%22&ia=web. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025. Claim: In 2011, a North Carolina man robbed a bank for $1 so he could go to jail and receive the medical care he needed. Rating: Rating: True Throughout summer 2025, claims spread online about a North Carolina man who once robbed a bank for a single dollar in order to go to jail and obtain healthcare. The rumor spread as concerns increased over cuts to Medicare following U.S. President Donald Trump's signing of his 2025 budget bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Users shared versions of the claim on social media platforms such as Threads (archived), X, Instagram (archived) and Reddit, with some users pointing out how the alleged story shined a light on the flaws of the U.S. healthcare system. https://www.instagram.com/p/DJIO2QGSb3I/ The claim that a North Carolina man once robbed a bank of $1 in order to go to jail and receive medical care was true. The man's name was James Richard Verone, and the incident occurred on June 9, 2011, at RBC Centura Bank in Gastonia, North Carolina. Verone was 59 at the time. Snopes obtained the arrest record and court documents from Gaston County that confirm Verone's date of arrest and his misdemeanor charge of larceny from a person. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the official report: Subject entered the RBC Centurion [sic] bank located at 500 S New Hope Rd Gastonia, NC and demanded money from the teller Kathy Zimmerman. Subject asked for $1[.]00 and the teller complied with the subject's demand due to being in fear of the subject. Subject remained in the bank until police arrived (Gaston County, North Carolina) The case received international attention at the time, with reports ranging from local news to ABC News, NPR, Yahoo, the Los Angeles Times and British newspaper The Times. The arrest "followed three years of hardship for Verone, who after losing his job of 17 years as a Coca-Cola delivery man tried desperately to land steady work," according to ABC News. The outlet reported that Verone had chronic back pain and limped due to pain in his left foot, and that he took action after finding a lump on his chest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The pain was beyond the tolerance that I could accept. I kind of hit a brick wall with everything," Verone told the Gaston Gazette after his arrest. According to the local newspaper, Verone exhausted options available to him, including filing for disability, applying for early Social security and Selling his furniture, before executing his plan. "Verone didn't want to scare anyone," the Gaston Gazette reported, but according to local TV news outlet WCNC, the teller who fielded Verone's request told the 911 dispatcher that Verone was armed and threatening. "He can hear everything I'm saying, so I'm in a back room," the teller reportedly told the dispatcher. "Please hurry." According to the Gaston Gazette, the teller was checked out at the hospital for a spike in blood pressure afteward and Verone expressed regret for causing her pain. ABC News reported Verone "hoped his $1 bank robbery would earn him a three-year jail sentence, during which he could undergo surgery on his back and his foot and have a painful lump on his chest diagnosed and treated." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to an interview with WCNC, Verone said of his plan, "I'm sort of a logical person and that was my logic, what I came up with." According to Verone and the documents obtained by Snopes, the 2011 incident was his first offense. In addition to being a first-time offender, the monetary value stolen was below $1,000. According to North Carolina law, that means the resulting charge is classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor rather than a felony. Verone's stay in prison was not the three-year stint he had hoped for. In 2012, local news outlet WBTV reported that Verone had been released from jail after striking a deal with prosecutors and was working on a book about his experience in hopes of raising some money. Verone told WBTV that although he had some regrets about the robbery, "It was worth it, I had no other direction to go, I was afraid for my life." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A search for a book written by Verone came up empty, and it was unclear whether he published his account. There have been a variety of stories with similar circumstances reported following Verone's arrest: a 2012 report about an a recently released man reoffending so he could go back to prison for leukemia treatment; a 2013 report about an elderly South Carolina man who was released from a long stint in prison only to reoffend in the hopes of spending the rest of his life on the inside; and a 2023 report of a Utah man who robbed a bank for $1 in the hopes of being sent to federal prison. Sources: " 1472. Larceny of Property; Receiving Stolen Goods or Possessing Stolen Goods." North Carolina Legislature, https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_14/GS_14-72.pdf. - YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RhxgkiAGKI. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bank Robber Planned Crime and Punishment | Bank, Richard, Hailed - Gaston Gazette. 2 Jul. 2011, https://web.archive.org/web/20110702164510/https://www.gastongazette.com/articles/bank-58397-richard-hailed.html. "Man Robs Bank to Get Medical Care in Jail." Yahoo News, 21 Jun. 2011, https://www.yahoo.com/news/blogs/lookout/man-robs-bank-medical-care-jail-143625999.html. "Man Who Robbed Bank for Free Healthcare Released." Https://Www.Wbtv.Com, 7 Jul. 2012, https://www.wbtv.com/story/18967542/man-who-robbed-bank-for-free-helalthcare-released. Memmott, Mark. "Man Says He Tried To Rob Bank Of $1 To Get Health Care In Prison." NPR, 21 Jun. 2011. America. NPR, https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2011/06/21/137316604/man-says-he-tried-to-rob-bank-of-1-to-get-health-care-in-prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement mshepard. "Impact of the 'Big Bill' on Medicare." Center for Medicare Advocacy, 24 Jul. 2025, https://medicareadvocacy.org/impact-of-the-big-bill-on-medicare/. News, A. B. C. "N.C. Man Allegedly Robs Bank of $1 to Get Health Care in Jail." ABC News, https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/nc-man-allegedly-robs-bank-health-care-jail/story?id=13887040. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025. "Opinion: $1 Bank Robbery Doesn't Pay off for Man Who Said He Was Desperate for Healthcare." Los Angeles Times, 21 Jun. 2011, https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/top-of-the-ticket/story/2011-06-21/opinion-1-bank-robbery-doesnt-pay-off-for-man-who-said-he-was-desperate-for-healthcare. PLN Cited in Article on Elderly Ex-Con Who Robbed Bank to Return to Prison | Human Rights Defense Center. https://www.humanrightsdefensecenter.org/action/news/2013/pln-cited-in-article-on-elderly-ex-con-who-robbed-bank-to-return-to-prison/. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The $1 Health Care Plan (Audio Download): Dan Lewis, Mark Schectman, Now I Know: Amazon.in: Audible Books & Originals. https://www.amazon.in/The-1-Health-Care-Plan/dp/B07JHFZ6Y2. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025. US Man Robs a Bank for $1 to Get Free Health Care in Jail. 21 Jun. 2011, https://www.thetimes.com/best-law-firms/profile-legal/article/us-man-robs-a-bank-for-dollar1-to-get-free-health-care-in-jail-bsm5m2v9x23. Editors note: This is part of a Deseret Magazine series examining the question: What happened to the promise of college? Americas college-age students are facing an emotional and directional crisis. A recent Harvard Graduate School of Education study showed that nearly 3 in 5 young adults feel a lack of purpose in their lives. Half of that same group describe their mental health as being negatively impacted by not knowing what to do with my life. The well-documented rise in anxiety and depression in Gen Z has been linked to what a former U.S. surgeon general has called an epidemic of loneliness and isolation. Many social scientists, including Robert Putnam, Jonathan Haidt, Jean Twenge and others have linked this rise in anxiety, depression and loneliness to the emergence of smartphones and social media. It is a painful irony that the most digitally connected generation in history is also the most socially isolated. But there is another concurrent trend that may be equally challenging to this generation in crisis the rise of the religiously unaffiliated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social scientists have repeatedly demonstrated the moderating impact religious engagement has on loneliness, lack of purpose and emotional resilience. For example, an American Enterprise Institute survey found that millennials are dramatically more likely than baby boomers to feel lonely. And yet that gap disappears when millennials attend church, live in a familiar community and marry. Why? It seems that these practices provide secondary spaces for gathering and support that are often lacking for nonbelievers who remain single into adulthood. As for a sense of meaning and purpose, a large empirical analysis using the General Social Survey data shows that those who are confident in Gods existence report a higher sense of purpose than nonbelievers. This finding is consistent with many other studies, including the Harvard study referenced earlier. Both confirm that those who belong to any religion are more likely to report meaning or purpose than those who do not. Why? Religious participants tend to find purpose in connection to deity, relationships with others and service, which are more often present in a faith community. Finally, meta-analysis of multiple peer-reviewed studies shows that religiosity is positively related to emotional resilience. Why? Religious engagement provides support structures, mentoring and value systems that help people face emotional challenges. At a time when many young adults are turning away from religion, faith-based and faith-inclusive universities can provide the bridge to reawaken spiritual exploration, deepen a sense of purpose and provide a community of belonging. Maintaining religious belief does not mean that the isolation, distraction and emotional challenges of modern society go away. Yet the data is clear religion provides one of the greatest moderating influences to these crises, and there are few emergent substitutes. As a New York Times columnist recently described: Americans havent found a satisfying alternative to religion. Is it any wonder the country is revisiting faith? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enter faith-based universities whose religious engagement offers a bridge to faith for college students at the very time they may need it most. Despite the rise in religious disaffiliation, faith-based universities are growing. The National Center for Education Statistics shows that faith-based university enrollment is outpacing the national average. In the educational system in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, net enrollment since 2000 at Brigham Young University, BYU-Idaho and now especially BYU-Pathway has increased by over 100,000 students. Some of that growth has come through innovations in educational access. But from Notre Dame to Baylor, and Yeshiva to BYU, students want to learn in an environment that has clarity of purpose and develops the whole person. Some of these students are simply searching for the character of conviction. For example, enrollment at Yeshiva University has been overwhelmed by students of diverse faith backgrounds. Why do they come to the nations preeminent Jewish university? According to school administrators, these students want to study in an environment where academic freedom doesnt come at the expense of moral clarity. At other institutions, students want to learn in an environment that engages them spiritually. Religion provides one of the greatest moderating influences to the crises of isolation and emotional challenge, and there are few emergent substitutes. While many in the media are quick to highlight the growing disaffiliation from formal religion, they often fail to note that young adults also remain spiritually aspirational. A 2024 Springtide Research Institute study found that 79 percent of young adults consider themselves part of a religious or spiritual community and 46 percent engage in daily or weekly prayer. Schools that minimize or prohibit such expressions of faith deprive students of such anchoring. Another significant benefit that faith-based universities provide is a sense of belonging and community. Many young adults have grown up in an environment that feels hostile to their beliefs. Coming to a faith-based university provides a safe community of shared identity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I admire Eboo Patel, president of Interfaith America, who has stated that there is no pluralism without particularity. Faith-based universities are one way of preserving pluralism by preserving the particularity of religious expression in American higher education. But this same pluralism can also be preserved when secular institutions make space for faith on their own campuses. Those of us who represent faith-based universities extend our praise and gratitude to the leaders of secular institutions who provide access and visibility to campus programs such as the Jewish Hillel, Latter-day Saint Institutes of Religion, Catholic Newman Centers and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. These campus communities provide and bolster vital belonging that students desperately need. This fall, a documentary entitled HIGHERed: The Power of Faith-Inspired Learning will launch on BYUtv. This three-part series captures the social good created by the more than 850 faith-based universities who serve over 1.8 million students. We hope others will recognize how faith can moderate feelings of isolation, a lack of direction and anxiousness that plague a generation. At a time when many young adults are turning away from religion, faith-based and faith-inclusive universities can provide the bridge to reawaken spiritual exploration, deepen a sense of purpose and provide a community of belonging that has too often been missing for a generation of college students. This story appears in the September 2025 issue of DeseretMagazine. Learn more about how to subscribe. CLEVELAND (WJW) Ohios fall hunting season is about to get underway at the start of September. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife is encouraging hunters to check the current hunting regulations for changes to season dates and daily limits beforehand. Glowing jack-o-lantern mushrooms return to Ohio in time for fall season Here are the start dates for the 2025 fall hunting season: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sept. 1 Jan. 31 Squirrels (fox, red, and gray) Sept. 1 Nov. 9 and Dec. 13 Jan. 1 Dove Sept. 1 Rail (Virginia and Sora), snipe, and gallinule Sept. 6-14 Early Canada goose Sept. 6 14 Early teal (blue-winged and green-winged) Sept. 27 Deer archery season begins statewide Sept. 13 Deer archery season begins for hunters in the disease surveillance area (see regulations on wildohio.gov). Click HERE for a summary of the 2025-26 hunting and trapping regulations from ODNR. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. A Fall River man was arrested on drug trafficking offenses after Boston Police discovered large amounts of drugs. Devyn Barbosa, 30, was arrested on August 23 in Boston Common for drug trafficking offenses involving crack cocaine and fentanyl. Officers from the Drug Control Unit observed Barbosa counting and sorting items, suspecting he was concealing illegal drugs. Upon searching, they recovered a vape container and found fifty-four bags of crack cocaine, twenty-five bags of fentanyl, and one bag of crystal methamphetamine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The drugs recovered from Barbosa included eighteen grams of crack cocaine and ten grams of fentanyl. Additionally, $175 in U.S. currency was found in his fanny pack. Barbosa is facing charges of: Trafficking of Class A Trafficking of Class B Possession with Intent to Distribute Class B Barbosa is expected to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court at a later date. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW FARMINGTON, N.M. (KRQE) Farmington police are currently investigating a double homicide that happened early Sunday morning. They were dispatched to a shooting near the intersection of East Murray Drive and Camina Entrada around 1:54 a.m. Arrest made in overnight NE Albuquerque homicide Officers located three people with gunshot wounds. Police say all three were transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center, where two of the victims later died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They say a preliminary investigation uncovered that the three people knew each other, and it was not a random shooting. News 13 will provide updates as they become available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. In our In the Spotlight stories, Herald-Leader journalists bring you continuing coverage of news and events important to our Central Kentucky community. Read more. Story idea? hlcityregion@herald-leader.com. In a December 2024 email, Fayette County Public Schools board member Amanda Ferguson asked Superintendent Demetrus Liggins why all departments had been told their budgets were being reduced by 10% and that some funds already had been slashed. Why werent school board members, Liggins bosses, told first about the budget moves, she asked the superintendent. It was the first of a series of explosive emails between the superintendent and one of his bosses reviewed by the Herald-Leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They reveal, as Ferguson described, a district operating out of fear and intimidation instead of an open and productive culture. Liggins responded to Fergusons original email that same day, Dec. 2, 2024. He said there were no cuts, the budget was healthy and there was no reason for concern, according to emails Ferguson provided. Moreover, Liggins told Ferguson it wasnt practical for him to communicate all of his decisions to board members. He also chastised her for talking to his administrative staff. The emails expose the first cracks in the beleaguered districts financial state. By May, a crisis was looming related to FCPS estimated $848 million budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Liggins had to tell school board members the new fiscal year budget beginning July 1, 2025, had a projected $16 million budget shortfall. By late summer, he informed them the contingency fund balance for emergencies had fallen below the 6% board policy calls for from a projected $42 million to $26.3 million. In an Aug. 27 letter to Liggins and school board chairman Tyler Murphy, an attorney for district budget director Anne Sampson-Grimes said she has been placed on leave, suspended to ensure her information is not presented to the Board. Liggins did not respond immediately to a Herald-Leader interview request Saturday. Ferguson has been questioning the budget for some time, emails show. On Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, Ferguson wrote to Liggins: Can you please explain to me why all FCPS departments have been told that their budgets are being reduced by 10% as of today? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unless I missed something, this information was not shared with the full board. Why is that the case? It would seem that the body who oversees the districts finances and passed a working budget just three months ago should be informed of such a major change and given an explanation as to why. The same day, Liggins replied, Please know budgets are not being cut. Instead, district-level department leads are being asked to review their budgets and identify potential reductions of up to 10%. This process allows us to explore options for future budgets and fiscal years with the aim of continuing strong campus support, considering salary increases, and maintaining essential programs. Liggins added: Its important to note that we currently have a very healthy budget and are in a strong financial position. Also, the current budget continues to align with our strategic plan and the priorities set by the board. While the board approves the budget and oversees spending, it is my responsibility as superintendent to manage the day-to-day budget operations and provide the board with well-informed options for consideration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This administrative exercise is simply a proactive step to ensure we remain laser-focused on advancing our strategic plan and priorities. On Dec. 5, 2024, Ferguson replied to Liggins, That is certainly a different explanation than what was described to me by the people who had money taken from their budgets already. For the record, I find the whole process and the secrecy surrounding it very concerning. Again, clear communication matters. Liggins replied back: There is no secrecy surrounding the budgeting process, nor is there any reason for concern. This is a routine part of our standard day-to-day budgeting procedures. As you may know, managing the district involves hundreds of decisions being made daily to ensure the efficient operation of our schools, programs and departments. It is neither my practice nor practical to communicate every one of these decisions to board members, as doing so would be both inefficient and an unreasonable expectation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: Also, I must address your conversations with staff. While there is no issue with the budgeting process, what is actually concerning is that discussions about this or any district management matter are occurring directly with staff outside the appropriate channels. To prevent confusion, ensure compliance with the law and maintain accurate communication, I ask that you direct any staff members who reach out to you about district operations to speak with their immediate supervisor. As a board member, it is not appropriate to entertain these discussions. On Jan. 10, Ferguson replied in a terse email: Ensure compliance with the law? Exactly what laws are you suggesting anyone is breaking? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When staff members reach out to board members with questions and concerns, it is because they are frustrated, have exhausted all appropriate channels, and/or have no confidence or trust in you or your leadership team. Its unfortunate that you dont see that or simply dont care. On and on we go ... Ferguson told the Herald-Leader Saturday her initial email to Liggins was sent in December 2024 because she was worried staff was asking about cuts only three months after the working budget had been approved. That served to confirm my original fears about the FY25 working budget (for the year ending June 30). My questions at the meeting where it was presented revealed my concerns that many of the expenses were not realistic and are why I voted against it, Ferguson said. Its also concerning that board members werent told significant cuts were being made, and that Dr. Liggins said they werent cuts but only potential reductions being identified. We now know there were cuts being made as that was the only way for the budget to be balanced. Finally, the implication that concerned staff, many of whom are FCPS parents and taxpaying members of the community, are somehow breaking the law by reaching out to an elected representative is troubling, she continued. My experiences tell me there does not seem to be an open and productive culture in FCPS where honest discussions can take place and staff questions can be addressed. It appears to be one of fear and intimidation instead. Israel has stepped up its destruction of Gaza City as it plans to seize Gazas largest urban centre and forcibly displace around one million Palestinians to concentration zones in the south, as it killed at least 78 people across the besieged enclave since dawn, including 32 desperately seeking food. On Sunday, in Gaza City, the Palestinian Civil Defence reported a fire in tents near al-Quds Hospital after Israeli shelling. At least five people were killed and three wounded when a residential apartment was hit near the Remal neighbourhood. Ismail al-Thawabta, director of Gazas Government Media Office, said the Israeli army is also using explosive robots in residential areas and forcibly displacing Palestinians in Gaza City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement on X on Sunday, al-Thawabta said the army has detonated more than 80 such devices in civilian neighbourhoods over the past three weeks, calling it a scorched-earth policy that has destroyed homes and endangered lives. He said more than one million Palestinians in Gaza City and the north of the enclave refuse to submit to the policy of forced displacement and ethnic cleansing despite the destruction and starvation caused by the Israeli assault. Footage posted on Instagram by Palestinian journalist Faiz Osama and verified by Al Jazeera showed the moments that followed an Israeli aerial attack on the Sabra neighbourhood, in the southern part of Gaza City. In the footage, as plumes of smoke rise to the sky, a child can be seen screaming with a wound to the leg. A man also lays on the ground with what appears to be a head injury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The video also shows the destruction left by the strike after residential buildings were flattened by the explosion. Israels forces have carried out sustained bombardment on Gaza City since early August as part of a deepening push to seize the area in the latest phase of its nearly two-year genocidal war. On Friday, the Israeli military said it had begun the initial stages of its offensive, declaring the area a combat zone. Fields of rubble Reporting from Gaza City on Sunday, Al Jazeeras Hani Mahmoud said intensifying Israeli attacks have been turning parts of Gaza City, once teeming and crowded with residential buildings, into fields of rubble. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is non-stop heavy artillery targeting the Zeitoun area and Jabalia, where we are seeing the systematic demolition of homes. There is hardly any fighting going on, but heavy artillery and bulldozers are moving from one street to the other, destroying all of these residential clusters, he said. The majority of people in those areas do not have the luxury to pack up and leave because there is no safety anywhere. Another Palestinian journalist was also killed on Sunday. A source at al-Shifa Hospital told Al Jazeera that Islam Abed was killed in an Israeli attack on Gaza City and that she worked for Al-Quds Al-Youm TV channel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Government Media Office said the number of martyred journalists has risen to 247 since the war began. Other tallies have put the number of journalists and media workers killed at more than 270. On Monday, five journalists one of whom worked for Al Jazeera were among at least 21 people killed in an Israeli attack on Nasser Hospital in southern Gazas Khan Younis. Life is difficult, so we will stay in our home Many residents in Gaza City are opting to stay put despite Israel declaring it a combat zone. It was Gazas most populous city before the war began, home to about 700,000 people. Then hundreds of thousands fled under Israels forced evacuation threats before many returned, joined by thousands of other displaced from the south, during a January-to-March ceasefire, which Israel broke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fedaa Hamad, who was displaced from Beit Hanoon, said she has no plans to leave Gaza City this time despite Israels latest warning. We are tired from the first displacement. Where are we going to go? Is there a place in the south? We cannot find it, she said. Akram Mzini, a resident of Gaza City, said he would not leave because displacement is very difficult. We were displaced to the south before, and displacement in the south is not simple and it is costly, he said. Life is difficult, so we will stay in our home, and whatever God wants will happen. Elsewhere in Gaza on Sunday, an Israeli attack on the centre of Deir el-Balah killed at least four people, Al Jazeera Arabic reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier, medical sources said an Israeli bombardment killed at least one person and wounded several in the city, located in the central part of the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces have killed at least 78 Palestinians across Gaza since dawn, including 32 aid seekers, according to medical sources. Since the war began, Israel has killed at least 63,459 people and wounded 160,256. A total of 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks, and about 200 were taken captive. On Sunday, Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir held a situation assessment meeting with his top commanders, saying the military must initiate more attacks to surprise and reach its targets anywhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many more reserve soldiers will assemble this week in preparation for the continued intensification of the fighting against Hamas in Gaza City, Zamir was quoted as saying by the military. Meanwhile, the armed wing of Hamas said its fighters successfully attacked two invading Israeli military vehicles in Gaza City on Saturday. The Qassam Brigades said a Merkava tank of the Israeli army was hit with a Yassin-105 shell, while a D9 military bulldozer was targeted with an explosive device on a street southwest of the Zeitoun neighbourhood of the besieged area. As global condemnation against the situation grows, in the largest attempt to break the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory by sea, the Global Sumud Flotilla left the Spanish port city of Barcelona on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The flotillas launch comes after the United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared a state of famine in Gaza this month. The Global Sumud Flotilla, which describes itself as an independent group not linked to any government or political party, did not say how many ships would set sail or the exact time of departure, but Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg spoke of dozens of vessels. Sumud means perseverance in Arabic. Two previous attempts by activists to deliver aid by ship to Gaza were blocked by Israel. Mohamad Elmasry of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies told Al Jazeera that while the flotilla was an important act of symbolic resistance ultimately, they will be intercepted. This is not going to solve the famine, he said. Whats going to solve the famine, ultimately, is governments doing their job to stop genocide and deliberate starvation programmes. Starla considered her options carefully pay her fines from previous incarceration or pay for groceries and a place for her and her children to stay. "It was either eat and have a place to lay my head or pay my tickets," she said. Starla, who didn't want her last name published, chose to pay for food and rent instead of her fines. Her choice set in motion a familiar cycle, particularly for people coming out of prison. She was sentenced to prison for an unrelated matter, but she learned after almost 10 years of incarceration that those unpaid fines and penalties were waiting for her upon her release and they had multiplied to the tune of about $11,000 owed to three different counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former inmate shared her story before the start of a free Fines and Fees Client Clinic hosted by Voices Organized In Civic Engagement, or VOICE, and Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma. Representatives of VOICE member organizations and Legal Aid teamed up to help Starla and other formerly incarcerated individuals fill out forms designed to help judges determine their ability to pay fines and fees from previous incarceration. Many of the community members representing VOICE were trained to help the former inmates properly fill out the Affidavit Regarding the Ability to Pay at a VOICE Affidavit Clinic Training held a few hours before the fines and fees clinic. Dick Clark, Linda Clark and Jene Cheek participate in a Fines and Fees Affidavit Clinic hosted by Voices Organized In Civic Engagement (VOICE-OKC), in partnership with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma. The support came at just the right time for Starla. Ed Wunch, criminal justice debt attorney with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, said Cleveland County held a hearing for Starla the week following the fines and fees client clinic and Cleveland County District Court Judge Michael Tupper waived her fees after being presented with her completed Affidavit Regarding the Ability to Pay and learning that she had just come out of prison and had no resources to pay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Starla, the waived fines and fees in at least one of the counties she owed represented a step forward, part of the "second chance" she said she is hoping for after incarceration. She said she was released from prison just a few weeks before the clinic and had been accepted into Exodus House-Oklahoma City, a program offering transitional housing and comprehensive support services for individuals making the transition from incarceration to independent life in the community. People representing Voices Organized In Civic Engagement (VOICE-OKC) member organizations participate in a Fines and Fees Affidavit Clinic hosted by VOICE-OKC and Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma. "While I was in prison I got my GED, I took parenting classes, I got a college degree, but my biggest accomplishment was staying sober," she said. Tupper called the Affidavit Regarding Ability to Pay "a vital tool" and "a significant step forward for Oklahoma's justice system. It was created under House Bill 2259, criminal justice reform legislation approved by the Oklahoma Legislature in 2023. "It reflects a recognition that fairness in criminal justice goes beyond sentencing it also includes how we handle the financial consequences of a case," Tupper said in an email. "By giving judges the discretion to consider the ability to pay and by standardizing tools like the affidavit, the law strengthens confidence in the courts and promotes healthier communities. Every time I can reduce a financial barrier that stands in the way of someone moving forward, it feels like we are advancing justice in a tangible way." Citizen support Wunch, with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, said Legal Aid helped wipe out $2 million in debt in 2024 for people who had little to no means to pay fines and fees. As one of the people who helped train VOICE representatives at the recent workshop, Wunch said he welcomed the additional support they were destined to provide the formerly incarcerated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's a way of building support for people in our community," he said. He said much had changed regarding criminal justice reform and the Affidavit Regarding Ability to Pay was one of them, but many people don't know about it. Sister Diane Koorie with Sisters of Mercy/Mercy Associates looks over paperwork after a Fines and Fees Affidavit Clinic hosted by Voices Organized In Civic Engagement (VOICE-OKC) and Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma. "The challenge here is lack of advocacy and lack of knowledge," Wunch said. "By educating the community, you have people that can be on the lookout for how the law can be applied." Tupper agreed, saying the more people know about this process, the better chance they have at successful reentry and avoiding unnecessary cycles of debt and incarceration." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Awareness is key," he said. "When people understand that they have the right to request a cost hearing and use this affidavit, they are empowered to participate more fully in their cases. It helps defendants feel that the system is not just imposing debt, but actually listening to their circumstances. More: Released from prison, $30,000 in debt: Why a new Oklahoma law is slashing fees and fines Sister Diane Koorie, with the Sisters of Mercy/Mercy Associates, serves as chair of VOICE's criminal justice action team. She said she and her team had been working with leaders affiliated with the criminal justice system to determine what steps VOICE could take to offer effective help. She said she learned there was a significant gap between fines assessed and fines paid due to formerly incarcerated individuals' lack of resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robin Wertz, site director of Exodus House-Oklahoma City, said the people taking the training would be able to help individuals coming out of prison with accumulated debt from different fines and fees assessed by the criminal justice system. Before the affidavits and the hearings to determine ability to pay came into play, "they were expected to get out and get on a payment plan in 30 days," Wertz said. "It's unreasonable and unattainable," she said. Dick and Linda Clark, from St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Warr Acres, and Jene Cheek, from Joy Mennonite Church, were among the people who took the training. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Some of the charges would appear unjust to most of us," Cheek said. "There are a lot of us who came and have concerns, so we want to do our civic duty to help." Wertz said she was pleased to see the workshop full of people willing to offer help to people coming out of prison. "I've been doing this for years and there are so many obstacles," she said. "It's encouraging that people are advocating and making changes." Tupper said it was rewarding as a judge to put meaningful reform into practice. "Judges see firsthand how crushing fines and fees can destabilize lives, especially for those already struggling," he said. "Having the authority and the framework to adjust or waive financial obligations when appropriate gives us the ability to support rehabilitation and accountability at the same time. It is not about excusing responsibility it is about ensuring fairness and creating pathways for people to succeed after leaving the justice system." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC group partners with Legal Aid to offer support for former inmates Finland is to remove the swastika from the flags of its air force because its use has caused awkward situations with foreign visitors. The Nordic nation adopted the swastika as its air force symbol in 1918, years before Germanys Nazi party chose it as its emblem. Air force command removed the swastika from use in 2020, but it lingers on the flags of some units. Now it is planned to entirely end the use of the symbol, which is illegal in many countries across Europe including Germany, Austria and Czechia. The world has changed Col Tomi Bohm, the new head of Karelia Air Wing air defence force, told Finnish public broadcaster YLE: We could have continued with this flag, but sometimes awkward situations can arise with foreign visitors. It may be wise to live with the times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The world has changed, and we live according to the times. There has been no political pressure to do this. The commander said he hoped the removal would happen during his tenure. The Finnish air force told the Associated Press that plans to renew its unit flags started in 2023, the year Finland joined Nato. But some flags continued to feature the swastika, raising eyebrows at international events. The Finnish government previously said it wanted to update the symbolism and emblems of the flags to better reflect the current identity of the air force, adding that it was perceived as an embarrassing symbol in international contexts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Finland, discussion about the symbol has been in the spotlight because of a recent book titled History of the Swastika by Teivo Teivainen, a Helsinki University professor . Though Finland briefly allied with Nazi Germany during the Second World War, Finland has always insisted the swastikas have nothing to do with the Nazi swastika, according to Mr Teivainen. Flags feature blue swastika on white background The blue swastika on the white background was adopted as the national insignia on all Finnish planes from 1918 to 1945. After the war, some flags were removed but many unit flags and decorations, including the insignia of the Air Force Academy, continued to bear the symbol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following Finlands integration into Nato, policymakers have decided theres now a need to get more integrated with the forces of countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and France countries where the swastika is clearly a negative symbol, Mr Teivainen said. He pointed to an incident in 2021 when German air force units bowed out of a ceremony at a military base in Finlands Lapland region after learning that the swastikas would be on display. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A structure fire on Lakebend Drive late Saturday night kept crews busy for several hours. Dayton Fire crews were called to the Northlake Hills apartments in the 3800 block of Lakebend Drive around 11:10 p.m. Saturday. When they arrived, firefighters saw flames in the first floor of the three-story building. Preliminary investigation has led the DFD Fire Investigations Unit to conclude the blaze was accidental, caused by an electrical malfunction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It took about 2 1/2 hours for crews to knock the fire down. No injuries were reported. Monetary damage to the building is still being assessed. At approximately 11:50 p.m., the Dayton Police and Fire posted on social media that searches were underway. Our 2 NEWS weekend photographer saw heavy damage around the basement unit. Photo of the damage, via Kris Sproles, WDTN. Photo of the damage, via Kris Sproles, WDTN. Photo of the damage, via Kris Sproles, WDTN. Photo of the damage, via Kris Sproles, WDTN. 2 NEWS is working to learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. GORHAM, N.Y. (WROC) A full investigation has begun into the cause of a Gorham warehouse fire by the Department of Environmental Conservation, State Fire, and the Ontario County Sheriffs Office. Gorham Fire, the Ontario County Sheriffs Office, and multiple fire departments, including those from Yates County, responded to the scene of a structure fire at a property located at 4611 Dewey Avenue on Saturday. The property was confirmed to be under ECO Operations LLC by officials at the scene. The massive fire burned overnight before it was brought under control early Sunday morning. In a briefing held on Saturday evening, Undersheriff Michael Rago said it appeared there was a volatile substance burning inside the structure, with items also on fire outside. Following a preliminary investigation, Rago also stated it is believed the fire began outside the warehouse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Town of Gorham issued a statement on Facebook Sunday, stating that town officials had been aware for several months of the potential for a fire to occur due to the hazard of the building and its contents. According to Gorham town officials, an emergency plan was created in response by local, county, state, and federal personnel in the event of a fire at the property. The emergency plan is credited for assisting first responders in containing Saturdays fire quickly. Following the fire, Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan released a statement, saying the owners reckless and irresponsible behavior was what led to the fire. The warehouse was filled with highly flammable expired hand sanitizer, and the owner, Eco Operations LLC, Eduard Zaydman, repeatedly ignored both town codes and state laws, failing to install a fire suppression system or obtain the proper licenses required to store such materials, Assemblyman Gallahan said. The owner has even attempted to illegally dump waste from this site. This reckless and irresponsible behavior has now led to a fire that threatened lives, property, and the environment. Gallahan says he is referring this matter to the New York State Attorney Generals Office for further investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the response, the Ontario County Sheriffs Office issued a traffic alert in a Facebook post, advising motorists to avoid the area of Dewey Avenue and the East Side of Gorham. Dewey Avenue, a one-lane roadway, was being used by first responders to manage water flow to the property. Residents in the area also received a hyperreach message from the Ontario County 9-1-1 Center, which was posted to OCSOs X account, advising individuals to remain inside and close all windows and doors. This was done out of an abundance of caution due to heavy smoke in the area; authorities have confirmed there were no residents at risk. No injuries were reported, and there were no occupants within the property at the time of the fire. The warehouse has been declared a total loss. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an ongoing investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. Authorities in Switzerland have arrested the husband of a former finalist for Miss Switzerland, alleging that he strangled her to death before dismembering her and blending her body parts. Kristina Joksimovic was killed during the February of 2024, according to the BBC. Police referred to the 38-year-old beauty queen by her initials in court documents, A firefighter moves hazard fuel while working on the Bear Gulch fire this summer. Many in the wildland fire community believe the leadership team managing the fire sent crews into an ambush by federal immigration agents. (Photo by Bear Gulch Fire 2025 via Facebook) Wildland firefighters were stunned when federal immigration authorities last week raided an active wildfire response in Washington state, arresting two firefighters and sidelining crews for hours. Wildfire veterans say the operation was nearly unprecedented, a breach in longstanding protocol that federal agents dont disrupt emergency responders to check immigration status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Worse, many wildfire veterans believe the management team overseeing the fire crews played a key role in handing over the firefighters to immigration authorities. Stateline spoke to nearly a dozen firefighters, agency staffers and contractors familiar with the incident, who shared their belief that the top officials assigned to the fire deployed the crews to a remote location under false pretenses so federal agents could check their immigration status. Most of them spoke privately for fear of retaliation. The raid has reverberated among fire crews, agency leaders and contractors. Wildfire veterans say the arrests have stoked fear and distrust among firefighters on the ground. They worry that crews may be scared to deploy if they may become a target for immigration raids. Theres really no way [the wildfire management team] could not have been involved, said Riva Duncan, a former wildland fire chief who served more than 30 years with the U.S. Forest Service. Were all talking about it. People are wondering if they go on a fire with this team, if that could happen to them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the incident became public, the wildfire world has been abuzz with anger at that team California Interagency Incident Management Team 7. Made up of federal, state and local fire professionals, the team was assigned to oversee the response to the Bear Gulch fire, which has burned 9,000 acres in and around Olympic National Park in Washington state. One firefighter who was present at the raid said he is convinced that Team 7 leaders sent their crews into a trap. I felt beyond betrayed, said the firefighter, who requested anonymity to protect his career. What they did was messed up. Theyd been talking in their briefings about building relationships and trust. For them to say that and then go do this is mind-boggling. It boiled my blood. Team 7 Incident Commander Tom Clemo, in an email, declined to comment, citing an active investigation. Tom Stokesberry, the teams public information officer, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to daily Incident Action Plans filed by Team 7 and posted online, the crews had previously been digging holding lines, working to protect structures and conducting mop-up work. The two crews targeted by federal agents had not been assigned to work together in the days leading up to the raid. Then, on Aug. 27, both crews workers from private companies contracted to help fight the fire were told to deploy to a staging area where they would cut firewood for the local community. The firefighter who was present at the raid told Stateline that a division supervisor told the crews he would meet them at the site, but never showed up. After arriving at the site, the firefighter said, the crews found piles of logs, seemingly from a timber operation. Not wanting to damage a logging companys property, they waited for a management team leader to show up with further instructions. After an hour, unmarked law enforcement vehicles pulled up to the site and federal officials began questioning the firefighters. Duncan, the former Forest Service firefighter, said immigration agents would not have been able to access the site without help from Team 7 leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fire areas are officially closed, very secure and there are roadblocks, she said. Somebody would have had to tell these agents how to get there. In a news release, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said its agents assisted with an investigation led by the federal Bureau of Land Management. While the agencys release did not mention the nature of the investigation, multiple wildfire sources said the feds claimed they had uncovered fraud on time cards submitted by the crews. Table Rock Forestry Inc., an Oregon-based company whose crew was one of the two at the scene, was allegedly subjected to the raid due to a half-hour discrepancy on a time sheet, said Scott Polhamus, secretary of the Organization of Fire Contractors and Affiliates. Table Rock Forestry is a member of the fire contractors group. Multiple wildfire veterans said that time card discrepancies are not uncommon at wildfires, where crews work long days and its not always clear if lunch breaks or errands in town count toward working hours. Such mix-ups are typically sorted out between organizational leaders. Calling law enforcement in such a scenario is almost unheard of. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not the first time a crew has been called on the carpet for maybe padding their time a bit, Duncan said. You deal directly with the company. Its just absolutely mind-boggling to treat it as a criminal issue. After about five minutes discussing the time card issue, according to the firefighter who was present at the raid, federal agents spent the next three hours checking each firefighters immigration status. The Customs and Border Protection news release announcing the immigration arrests made no mention of time sheets or any evidence that the investigation had turned up fraud. It did state that the two companies whose crews were raided had their contracts terminated by the government. Polhamus, with the fire contractors group, said that claim is false. While the crews were demobilized and sent home, the feds have not actually ended the companies contracts or ability to accept future deployments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Customs and Border Protection public affairs specialist did not immediately respond to questions about the investigation, the alleged fraud or federal agents coordination with Team 7. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources, the states lead wildfire response agency, said federal officials did not notify their state counterparts about the investigation. DNR was not informed of the incident until well after the fact, said Ryan Rodruck, wildfire on-call public information officer with the agency. Rodruck noted that the fire response was under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service. Press officers with the Forest Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple wildfire sources said the crews would not have been sent to the staging area where they were ambushed without the knowledge of top leaders on the fires management team. The two crews that were raided have a diverse mix of firefighters, many of them Hispanic. One of the crews has many foreign workers who are legally in the country on H-2B visas. Duncan, the former Forest Service firefighter, said it was likely not a coincidence that two crews with many brown-skinned members were targeted in the raid. Two of the firefighters were arrested, federal officials said, for being in the country illegally. One of the firefighters who was arrested is represented by Innovation Law Lab, an Oregon-based legal group that defends refugees and immigrants. Isa Pena, the groups director of strategy, said the Department of Homeland Security has not revealed the whereabouts of their client. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The firefighter, who Pena declined to name, has been in the U.S. since he was four years old and served as a firefighter for the past three years. Immigration advocates are alarmed that the raid was potentially arranged by California Interagency Incident Management Team 7, the leaders charged with overseeing the wildfire response. There certainly is concern if that is the case that individuals are being handed over to immigration as theyre trying to keep our communities safe, Pena said. Conducting immigration enforcement while brave members of our community are risking their lives to protect us is really disgusting. Several wildland fire veterans also noted that the raid took place on Team 7s final day in charge of the fire response, hours before a Washington team rotated in to take command. The California team headed home and left the new team to face the media scrutiny and angry firefighters in camp. If youve got ICE teams pulling your contractors out, youd want to cut and run as soon as you can, Polhamus said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On a forum for wildland fire professionals on the social media platform Reddit, many expressed anger at Team 7. Firefighters also took issue with the assertion, shared by federal immigration officials, that the raid did not disrupt firefighting operations. Its total bulls***, said Duncan, the former Forest Service firefighter. Whoever made that statement doesnt understand the work. To take two crews off of a fire thats only 13% contained, that seems ridiculous at that point in a fire. That does seem very unusual. Many wildfire veterans said that conducting a raid at the site of an active wildfire was reckless and irresponsible. Having people on the line that you dont expect to be there is an issue, said Polhamus, with the fire contractors group. When you need crews and you are taking resources to check them for immigration status, we can all think of better ways to address that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duncan said shes spoken with firefighters still assigned to the Bear Gulch fire who are disgusted with the situation and want to leave. The three principal wildland fire values are duty, respect, integrity, she said. Utmost in that is taking care of your people. If you cant trust the people youre working with when things get hairy, thats a concern. In Washington and Oregon, elected leaders have decried the raids and are pushing for more information on the status of the firefighters who were arrested. Federal immigration officials have said little since the news release announcing the arrests. Stateline reporter Alex Brown can be reached at abrown@stateline.org SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Aug. 31Wildland firefighters were stunned when federal immigration authorities last week raided an active wildfire response in Washington state, arresting two firefighters and sidelining crews for hours. Wildfire veterans say the operation was nearly unprecedented, a breach in longstanding protocol that federal agents don't disrupt emergency responders to check immigration status. Worse, many wildfire veterans believe the management team overseeing the fire crews played a key role in handing over the firefighters to immigration authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stateline spoke to nearly a dozen firefighters, agency staffers and contractors familiar with the incident, who shared their belief that the top officials assigned to the fire deployed the crews to a remote location under false pretenses so federal agents could check their immigration status. Most of them spoke privately for fear of retaliation. The raid has reverberated among fire crews, agency leaders and contractors. Wildfire veterans say the arrests have stoked fear and distrust among firefighters on the ground. They worry that crews may be scared to deploy if they may become a target for immigration raids. "There's really no way [the wildfire management team] could not have been involved," said Riva Duncan, a former wildland fire chief who served more than 30 years with the U.S. Forest Service. "We're all talking about it. People are wondering if they go on a fire with this team, if that could happen to them." Since the incident became public, the wildfire world has been abuzz with anger at that team California Interagency Incident Management Team 7. Made up of federal, state and local fire professionals, the team was assigned to oversee the response to the Bear Gulch fire, which has burned 9,000 acres in and around Olympic National Park in Washington state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One firefighter who was present at the raid said he is convinced that Team 7 leaders sent their crews into a trap. "I felt beyond betrayed," said the firefighter, who requested anonymity to protect his career. "What they did was messed up. They'd been talking in their briefings about building relationships and trust. For them to say that and then go do this is mind-boggling. It boiled my blood." Team 7 Incident Commander Tom Clemo, in an email, declined to comment, citing an active investigation. Tom Stokesberry, the team's public information officer, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. According to daily Incident Action Plans filed by Team 7 and posted online, the crews had previously been digging holding lines, working to protect structures and conducting mop-up work. The two crews targeted by federal agents had not been assigned to work together in the days leading up to the raid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, on Aug. 27, both crews workers from private companies contracted to help fight the fire were told to deploy to a staging area where they would cut firewood for the local community. The firefighter who was present at the raid told Stateline that a division supervisor told the crews he would meet them at the site, but never showed up. After arriving at the site, the firefighter said, the crews found piles of logs, seemingly from a timber operation. Not wanting to damage a logging company's property, they waited for a management team leader to show up with further instructions. After an hour, unmarked law enforcement vehicles pulled up to the site and federal officials began questioning the firefighters. Duncan, the former Forest Service firefighter, said immigration agents would not have been able to access the site without help from Team 7 leaders. "Fire areas are officially closed, very secure and there are roadblocks," she said. "Somebody would have had to tell these agents how to get there." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a news release, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said its agents assisted with an investigation led by the federal Bureau of Land Management. While the agency's release did not mention the nature of the investigation, multiple wildfire sources said the feds claimed they had uncovered fraud on time cards submitted by the crews. Table Rock Forestry Inc., an Oregon-based company whose crew was one of the two at the scene, was allegedly subjected to the raid due to a half-hour discrepancy on a time sheet, said Scott Polhamus, secretary of the Organization of Fire Contractors and Affiliates. Table Rock Forestry is a member of the fire contractors' group. Multiple wildfire veterans said that time card discrepancies are not uncommon at wildfires, where crews work long days and it's not always clear if lunch breaks or errands in town count toward working hours. Such mix-ups are typically sorted out between organizational leaders. Calling law enforcement in such a scenario is almost unheard of. "This is not the first time a crew has been called on the carpet for maybe padding their time a bit," Duncan said. "You deal directly with the company. It's just absolutely mind-boggling to treat it as a criminal issue." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After about five minutes discussing the time card issue, according to the firefighter who was present at the raid, federal agents spent the next three hours checking each firefighter's immigration status. The Customs and Border Protection news release announcing the immigration arrests made no mention of time sheets or any evidence that the investigation had turned up fraud. It did state that the two companies whose crews were raided had their contracts terminated by the government. Polhamus, with the fire contractors' group, said that claim is false. While the crews were demobilized and sent home, the feds have not actually ended the companies' contracts or ability to accept future deployments. A Customs and Border Protection public affairs specialist did not immediately respond to questions about the investigation, the alleged fraud or federal agents' coordination with Team 7. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Washington State Department of Natural Resources, the state's lead wildfire response agency, said federal officials did not notify their state counterparts about the investigation. "DNR was not informed of the incident until well after the fact," said Ryan Rodruck, wildfire on-call public information officer with the agency. Rodruck noted that the fire response was under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service. Press officers with the Forest Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Multiple wildfire sources said the crews would not have been sent to the staging area where they were ambushed without the knowledge of top leaders on the fire's management team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two crews that were raided have a diverse mix of firefighters, many of them Hispanic. One of the crews has many foreign workers who are legally in the country on H-2B visas. Duncan, the former Forest Service firefighter, said it was likely not a coincidence that two crews with many brown-skinned members were targeted in the raid. Two of the firefighters were arrested, federal officials said, for being in the country illegally. One of the firefighters who was arrested is represented by Innovation Law Lab, an Oregon-based legal group that defends refugees and immigrants. Isa Pena, the group's director of strategy, said the Department of Homeland Security has not revealed the whereabouts of their client. The firefighter, who Pena declined to name, has been in the U.S. since he was four years old and served as a firefighter for the past three years. Immigration advocates are alarmed that the raid was potentially arranged by California Interagency Incident Management Team 7, the leaders charged with overseeing the wildfire response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There certainly is concern if that is the case that individuals are being handed over to immigration as they're trying to keep our communities safe," Pena said. "Conducting immigration enforcement while brave members of our community are risking their lives to protect us is really disgusting." Several wildland fire veterans also noted that the raid took place on Team 7's final day in charge of the fire response, hours before a Washington team rotated in to take command. The California team headed home and left the new team to face the media scrutiny and angry firefighters in camp. "If you've got ICE teams pulling your contractors out, you'd want to cut and run as soon as you can," Polhamus said. On a forum for wildland fire professionals on the social media platform Reddit, many expressed anger at Team 7. Firefighters also took issue with the assertion, shared by federal immigration officials, that the raid did not disrupt firefighting operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's total bulls***," said Duncan, the former Forest Service firefighter. "Whoever made that statement doesn't understand the work. To take two crews off of a fire that's only 13% contained, that seems ridiculous at that point in a fire. That does seem very unusual." Many wildfire veterans said that conducting a raid at the site of an active wildfire was reckless and irresponsible. "Having people on the line that you don't expect to be there is an issue," said Polhamus, with the fire contractors' group. "When you need crews and you are taking resources to check them for immigration status, we can all think of better ways to address that." Duncan said she's spoken with firefighters still assigned to the Bear Gulch fire who are disgusted with the situation and want to leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The three principal wildland fire values are duty, respect, integrity," she said. "Utmost in that is taking care of your people. If you can't trust the people you're working with when things get hairy, that's a concern." In Washington and Oregon, elected leaders have decried the raids and are pushing for more information on the status of the firefighters who were arrested. Federal immigration officials have said little since the news release announcing the arrests. Stateline reporter Alex Brown can be reached at [email protected] YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Degraded hurricane forecasts. Undetected HIV infections because of reduced testing. Seniors on the phone for hours waiting for Social Security to answer. Children without enough food. And dirtier planes and longer waits for bags at the airport. Those developments some calamitous, some merely frustrating are coming or are already here, a range of Broward elected officials said Friday as they offered their assessments of impacts from a range of policy initiatives and budgetary moves implemented by President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis. In addition, federal, state and local Democrats warned, the overall direction of the country is alarming. The terms fascist and authoritarian came up more than once at a public briefing convened by U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat who represents southern and western Broward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wasserman Schultz, as a member of Congress, focused primarily on the federal level. What the administration is doing intentionally is throwing up distractions in order to make people pay attention to shiny objects to call their attention away from the fact that they are literally eroding our institutions intentionally. State Rep. Daryl Campbell, a Broward Democrat, also said its difficult for people to keep perspective on what is important. They try to distract us with clickbait debates over DEI and renaming the Gulf of Mexico, he said. Floridas in a crisis. A housing crisis. A health care crisis. A crisis of affordability. And that is a result of deliberate choices by Republicans in the Legislature, he said, lamenting decisions that give away billions of dollars in corporate tax cuts while people struggle to pay rent. They and four other Democratic elected officials heard from several panels of witnesses, most representing different constituencies who said their members, or the general public, were negatively affected by policies emanating from Washington, D.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hunger: Paco Velez, president and CEO of Feeding South Florida, said some of the money his organization has been receiving to provide food for people has been cut and more cuts are coming meaning more people will go hungry. State Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston, a former teacher and school board member, said the state has turned down federal summer feeding program money for two years, depriving children of meals during the summer when school is not in session. HIV testing: Robert Boo, CEO of the Pride Center, an LGBTQ+ community center in Wilton Manors, said an HIV testing grant has lapsed and he doesnt know if it will be removed. That means more people in Broward, an epicenter of new HIV, infections wont learn about their status. A majority of the people tested at the Pride Center are straight, Boo said. Boo said hes already eliminated three of the Centers 30 jobs, with more staff reductions possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boo said people of trans experience are being particularly affected by the current political environment. One grant program the center has participated in was renamed to remove the T from its LGBT name. Hurricanes: Frank Marks, retired director of the Hurricane Research Division at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administrations Atlantic Oceanographic Meteorological Laboratory, said cuts at the agency will hurt future forecasting ability. He said young researchers are among those leaving. He said the organization he used to lead has lost about 30% of its staff, including young scientists. These are the best and the brightest, he said. Their loss cannot be overcome by gadgets, technology and airplanes. Were eating our seed corn for probably the next 20 or 25 years, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Broward Mayor Beam Furr decried the decimation of expertise Marks described. He said Broward County is cutting positions, not people in its next budget, but is retaining subject-matter experts. Horrified about NOAA cuts, Bartleman said Marks description scares the hell out of me. Immigration: Wendi Walsh, national general vice president of Unite Here, a union of food service and hotel workers, said dozens of food service and retail workers at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Intentional Airport are losing their work authorization because the Trump administration is ending programs allowing hundreds of thousands of immigrants to legally work in the country. Helene OBrien, Florida director of SEIU 32BJ, which represents many service workers, said de-documenting of immigrant workers will wreak havoc on families and result in deterioration of services in jobs that many Americans wont do when the immigrant workers cant perform them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OBrien said people will see the effects, with things like dirtier airplanes and longer waits to get their bags as people doing cleaning and baggage work lose their work authorization and people dont come forward to replace them. Though an official gathering, it was Democratic in outlook, with U.S. Rep. Sheila-Cherfilus-McCormick and state Rep. Marie Woodson also participating. About 150 people were on hand at the beginning; after about two-and-a-half hours, some 50 remained. Broward Republican Party Chairman Chris Marino said later via text the Democrats are ignoring something fundamental: Floridians have repeatedly voted for Trump and DeSantis. Boy its gotta be rough for Democrats to look themselves in the mirror, then go out and keep pushing the same narrative that the American public clearly rejects and see through, Marino said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Republican Party is the home for wayward Democrats that feel they are no longer represented (and we welcome them with open arms and no judgment), while those remaining as Democrats are the small percentage that either choose to accept socialism or refuse to use common sense that would allow them to be pleased with the proven results of Republican policies virtually everywhere, he said. Bartelman said she had grave concerns if the country doesnt come together and reject extremes on the left and the right. Just back from a trip to Israel, Bartleman said what she sees happening at home today became more vivid when she visited Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem. When they start talking about history and what Hitler did, he was removing books, Bartleman said. And then it was vilifying one group of people enough to rally a whole country to say were gonna move Jewish people to ghettos, after the books. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I went through that museum; I saw the parallels of whats happening here, Bartleman said. Though she had plenty of issues on which she finds fault with both Trump and DeSantis, Barleman said the extremes from both sides need to be reeled in. Once we lose this democracy, were not gonna get it back, she said. Everyone in the middle, lets preserve the United States of America. Lets fight against the extremes, she said, adding she is scared to death about the future of our country. Campbell was more optimistic. You may feel defeated, you may feel hopeless, he said. You still have a voice. You still have a mission, and everybodys mission is stopping what were seeing is going on in Tallahassee, what were seeing is going on in D.C. Theres a light at the end of the tunnel, were gonna get out. GULF COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Harvesting scallops in the St. Joseph Bay is a tradition for Gulf County residents. Scallop season runs from August 14 to September 24 this year. Many residents took a break from harvesting this weekend to attend the Florida Scallop Music and Arts Festival at George Core Park. They have over 70 food and craft vendors and musical performances that go on all day. Gulf County Chamber of Commerce President Joe Whitmer says Gulf County is a hot spot for visitors this Labor Day weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scallop harvesting brings in families from everywhere. And you go down to Reed Avenue right now, and the businesses down on Reed Avenue are full. Last night, you couldnt get into a restaurant. There were locals and tourists alike. So, its really it really kind of brings together a lot of reasons that families want to come to Gulf County, Gulf County Chamber of Commerce President Joe Whitmer said. The festivities will continue Sunday with headliners Blackcat Zydeco and Dwight Carrier. On Sunday, gates will open at 12 p.m. and the music will start at 1 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the gate; it costs $10 to enter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. NEED TO KNOW Rudy Giuliani was seriously injured in a car accident in New Hampshire on Aug. 30 The former New York City mayor's head of security said Giuliani's "vehicle was struck from behind at high speed" The politician suffered a fractured vertebrae, multiple lacerations and other injuries in the crash Rudy Giuliani has been seriously injured in a car accident. The former New York City mayor's head of security, Michael Ragusa, shared a statement on Instagram, revealing that Giuliani, 81, was involved in the incident in New Hampshire on Saturday, Aug. 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ragusa said Giuliani "was flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident" and "immediately rendered assistance and contacted 911." "He remained on scene until responding officers arrived to ensure her safety. Following this, while traveling on the highway, Mayor Giuliani's vehicle was struck from behind at high speed," the statement continued. Drew Angerer/Getty Giuliani on December 11, 2023. Giuliani on December 11, 2023. Ragusa said the politician "was transported to a nearby trauma center, where he was diagnosed with a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg." Giuliani's business partner, identified by the New York Post as Maria Ryan, arrived at the New Hampshire hospital soon after to "oversee his care." Ryan is also a nurse, the outlet said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes getting further tests and stabilization of his injuries, Ryan told the Post. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Ragusa added that the former Associate Attorney General is expected to be hospitalized for two or three days, and he will then wear a brace for his broken vertebrae. The mayor is in great spirits. Hes a beast. He survived 9/11, Ragusa said, referencing Giuliani's tenure as mayor in Manhattan from 1994 to 2001. Read the original article on People (Reuters) -Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani was hospitalized late Saturday evening after a car crash near Manchester, New Hampshire, a spokesman said. Giuliani suffered a fractured vertebrae as well as other cuts, the spokesman, Michael Ragusa, said in a post on the social media site X. He said Giuliani's rental car was hit from behind at high speed. Ragusa said Giuliani was "in great spirits" and expected to be released from the hospital in a few days. Giuliani has worked as an attorney for President Donald Trump in his failed efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. (Reporting by Brad Heath; Editing by Frank McGurty and Nia Williams) Plucked straight from Fox News, the face of President Donald Trumps new law-and-order regime in the nations capital has run headlong into a series of high-profile court losses, making it clear that the federal takeover of law enforcement in Washington, D.C., is little more than theater with essentially no legal foundation. Jeanine Pirro was parachuted into one of the nations most consequential prosecutorial roles because of her loyalty, media savvy and ratings, but as D.C.s U.S. attorney, she is overcommitting and underdelivering. Were going to make the city safe again, Pirro told WTOP on Aug. 26, while admitting, Im kind of inundated in terms of what Im doing. Its easy to see why. Trump declared a crime emergency in D.C. on Aug. 11, deploying hundreds of federal agents and National Guard members to police the streets of the capital. More than 1,000 arrests have been made in the first two weeks. The resulting cascade on the court system has been compounded by Pirros push for prosecutors to bring the harshest charges allowable, even for minor infractions. Now, her aggressive posture is colliding with real-world constraints, exposing both her limitations and the fragility of politicized law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutor Jeanine Pirros office has now whiffed on three cases alleging defendants assaulted federal agents during Trumps police takeover, HuffPost reported on Aug. 29. The New York Times observed that one of her biggest challenges is matching her confident public messaging with results, given the mass departures of career prosecutors and support staff. Pirro recently revealed that she is getting help from military lawyers, because her office is short 90 prosecutors, as well as 60 investigators and paralegals. D.C. federal courts, used to processing an average of six new cases per week, now face six or more cases per day, many stemming from low-level offenses that previously wouldve been diverted or even dismissed. At the height of this recent backlog, over 125 criminal defendants appeared in a single day, forcing judges to speed through hearings and delay fair trials until as far out as 2027, according to the Associated Press. Defense attorneys are crying foul and civil rights groups are suing. Its clear that Pirros directives are unsustainable. Her nomination as U.S. Attorney for the District initially raised serious legal red flags like concerns under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act about how many successive interim U.S. attorneys the president can lawfully appoint without Senate confirmation. But its her reputation as a Trump loyalist and media figure who faithfully echoed the presidents election lies that undermines her operational credibility. Pirro was one of the key promoters of the false claim that the 2020 election was rigged due to, at least in part, manipulated returns by voting-technology company Dominion Voting Systems. The accusations resulted in Fox News reaching a settlement with Dominion for a whopping $787.5 million. A filing from Dominions lawsuit revealed that Pirros own Fox producer had called her a reckless maniac. Want more sharp takes on politics? Sign up for our free newsletter, Standing Room Only, written by Amanda Marcotte, now also a weekly show on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. A former federal prosecutor from the 1990s and early 2000s, Pirros strategic incompetence was further exposed by the case of the Subway sandwich slinger. Soon after Trump announced his D.C. crackdown, Sean Charles Dunn, a 37-year-old former Justice Department paralegal, tossed a sandwich at a federal agent during a protest. Federal prosecutors, under Pirros directive, sought a felony assault indictment as a dramatic gesture to show toughness. The White House even released a theatrical arrest video, and Pirro herself taunted in a press appearance, Stick your Subway sandwich somewhere else! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the D.C. grand jury declined to indict not once, not twice, but at least four times this month. In the world of federal prosecution, refusing to indict is almost unheard of. Now Dunn is facing only a misdemeanor charge, and the only charge prosecutors could refile without grand jury approval. The sandwich case was meant to be a show of strength; instead, it is serving as a symbol of the administrations superficial posturing. The Washington Post described a series of unprecedented failures for Pirros office: Before prosecutors failed to indict Dunn, a grand jury on three separate occasions this month refused to indict a D.C. woman who was accused of assaulting an FBI agent, another extraordinary rejection of the prosecutions case. Days later, a federal magistrate judge said an arrest in Northeast Washington was preceded by the most illegal search Ive seen in my life and described another arrest as lacking basic human dignity. Pirros tough-girl shtick may elicit praise from the boss and favorable coverage from her former Fox News peers, but it doesnt translate to credibility in court. The burden is on us to prove these cases, and we welcome that burden beyond a reasonable doubt, Pirro said at a news conference on Aug. 26. Sometimes a jury will buy it and sometimes they wont. So be it. Thats the way the process works. The collapse of her high-profile indictments has become a defining feature of Trumps federal takeover of the nations capital. In an unprecedented move, his Justice Department effectively stripped local D.C. prosecutors of authority, placing federal officials who are appointed directly by the president in charge of everything from misdemeanors to high-profile protests. Never before has the White House asserted so much direct prosecutorial power over a U.S. city. With Trumps installation of shock troops like Pirro to carry out his ideological retribution under the banner of justice, judges and juries are now functioning as the final guardrails in the near-total absence of resistance from the Republican-led legislative branch. Thankfully, over 200 court orders have blocked Trumps policies, including at least 120 rulings within the first 100 days alone. The post Fox News stars jump to the Trump administration is backfiring appeared first on Salon.com. ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. Engines roared across south St. Louis County on Saturday for the Freedom 13 Memorial Ride, honoring the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Abbey Gate attack in Afghanistan, including Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz of Wentzville. Hundreds of riders from the St. Louis region before meeting at Jefferson Barracks Park, a national cemetery honoring veterans. The event featured live music, food trucks, vendors, and a raffle with proceeds supporting a new veterans camp in Missouri. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Organizers say the ride is about more than the miles. It is about unity, remembrance, and supporting veterans. This years ride was the biggest yet, with plans already underway to continue the tradition. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. PARIS (AP) French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot insisted that Greenland "is not for sale, and criticized the U.S. for its intentions to take control of the strategic Arctic territory during a visit Sunday to its capital, Nuuk. Barrot spoke in a news conference following a working meeting with Greenland's prime minister and foreign minister. Greenland is not for sale, he said, echoing French President Emmanuel Macron's similar comments during a June visit to the vast, semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he seeks U.S. jurisdiction over Greenland. He has not ruled out a military force to take control of the mineral-rich, strategically located Arctic island. Youll not make a nation great again by imposing yourself on your neighbors and allies," said Barrot. Youll make a nation great again by contributing to the freedom of the world and to the ability of friends and partners to thrive and to live in peace and prosperity. Barrot, who visited a French military ship moored in Nuuk on Saturday, said his two-day trip aims to show Frances support for the sovereignty and freedom of Denmark and Greenland. My visit is a message: Greenland and Denmark are not alone," he said. Europe and France stand by them today and tomorrow. Earlier this week, Denmarks foreign minister summoned the top U.S. diplomat in the country for talks after the main national broadcaster reported that at least three people with connections to Trump have been carrying out covert influence operations in Greenland. PARIS (Reuters) -A Holocaust memorial in the French city of Lyon has been defaced, local officials said, condemning the act at a time of growing concern about antisemitic incidents in France. The words "Free Gaza" were etched into a black marble stele, according to a photo shared on social media by Yonathan Arfi, president of the CRIF, a body representing Jewish institutions in France. Arfi described the incident late on Saturday as "despicable", while the mayor of Lyon, Gregory Doucet, and the prefect of the Rhone region, Fabienne Buccio, also spoke out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a post on X, Buccio said nothing justified the "shameful act", and expressed her support to the Jewish community. Doucet called the incident an "intolerable act", adding that the perpetrators would be sought and prosecuted. Hate crimes are rising across France, including high-profile antisemitic incidents. Earlier this year, five Jewish institutions were sprayed with green paint in Paris. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently accused French President Emmanuel Macron of contributing to antisemitism by calling for international recognition of a Palestinian state, according to the Jerusalem Post. Macron has publicly criticised antisemitism and increased security to protect synagogues and other Jewish centres in response to antisemitic incidents linked to the Gaza conflict. (Reporting by Dominique Patton;Editing by Helen Popper) The French prime minister, who is fighting to keep his job in a budget standoff with the opposition, should say goodbye, Olivier Faure, the Socialist leader, said on Sunday. Francois Bayrou stunned France this week by saying he would request a vote of confidence in a divided parliament on Sept 8 as he tries to garner enough support for his plan to slash spending. The centrist politician is expected to give a TV interview on Sunday evening in a new push to grasp a future for himself and his minority government even if polls find public opinion stacked against him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Faure said that the partys decision to vote against Mr Bayrous government on Sept 8 was final. The decision we have made is irrevocable, he told broadcaster BFMTV. The only thing Im waiting for him to do now is to say goodbye, Mr Faure said, referring to the prime minister. Mr Faure also urged Emmanuel Macron, the French president, to appoint a Left-wing prime minister in line with the results of last summers snap polls. An alliance of leftist parties won the most seats but fell short of an absolute majority. From Monday Mr Bayrou, 74, hopes to hold negotiations with the opposition on the condition that parties commit to savings measures to reduce Frances debt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Mr Macron has backed Mr Bayrou, opposition parties from the far-Right to the hard-Left say they will not support Mr Bayrous austerity budget. Mr Bayrou said he wanted to save about 44bn (38bn) with measures that include reducing the number of public holidays and placing a freeze on spending increases. The measures have proved deeply unpopular, with trade unions calling for protests in September. Seven out of 10 French people want Mr Bayrou to lose the confidence vote, according to an Elabe poll conducted for BFMTV. Mr Bayrous gamble has raised fears that France risks a new period of prolonged political and financial instability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Macron gambled on snap polls last summer in a bid to head off the far-Right and bolster his authority but the move left a deadlocked parliament. Mr Macron later acknowledged that his decision to call snap elections backfired. But he has pointed out that the French parliament reflects the political divisions among the public and has urged politicians to find a way to work together, pointing to Germany as an example. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. It was a party at a Bloomfield barber shop, where kids could get free haircuts for the new school year. Fade Lab Studio held its first Back-to-School Kids Cuts community event on Saturday. Along with a fresh cut, kids could enjoy some food and music thanks to DJ Hipnotik. Owner Emmanual Torres said he and the DJ wanted to do something for kids and came up with the idea. Back to school. Fresh new look, fresh year, Torres said. Everything starts off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Torres said he knows going back to school can also be a financial burden on parents, and he wanted to help lighten the load. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast, moderated by Ed O'Keefe: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi NoemIllinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a DemocratDr. Celine Gounder is a CBS News medical contributor and KFF editor-at-large for public healthCBS News senior White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs, Politico's' Capitol bureau chief Rachael Bade and Washington Post's chief political correspondent Karen TumultyWorld Food Programme executive director Cindy McCain Click here to browse full transcripts from 2025 of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: I'm Ed O'Keefe in Washington. And this week on Face the Nation: With President Trump looking to expand immigration and crime crackdowns in more U.S. cities, we will hear exclusively from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Boosted by a drop in crime in the nation's capital following the deployment of federal law enforcement and National Guard troops to clean up D.C., the president sets his sights on another potential target, Chicago. We visited the Windy City and toured a neighborhood where the crime rate has dropped with the governor of Illinois, Democrat J.B. Pritzker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Begin VT) GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER (D-Illinois): What they're saying they're trying to do is fight crime, but, actually, they're just trying to scare people. (End VT) ED O'KEEFE: Pritzker tells us Trump and Secretary Noem's mission is un- American. (Begin VT) GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: It's clear that, in secret, they're planning this well, it's an invasion with U.S. troops if they in fact do that. (End VT) ED O'KEEFE: Plus: the shakeup at the Centers for Disease Control. After the firing of the newly confirmed director, a group of top experts quit in protest. CBS medical contributor Dr. Celine Gounder will tell us why this matters to public health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, World Food Programme executive director Cindy McCain joins us following a trip to Gaza, where her organization is working to feed hundreds of thousands threatened by famine. Finally, we will reflect on the passing of a Washington institution, legendary CBS News radio reporter Mark Knoller. It's all just ahead on Face the Nation. Good morning, and welcome to Face the Nation. Margaret is off on this Labor Day weekend. I'm Ed O'Keefe. We begin today with Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, who's joining us from Florida. Madam Secretary, thanks for being with us. KRISTI NOEM (U.S. Homeland Security Secretary): Absolutely, Ed. Thank you for inviting me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: Yes. Well, we have a lot to discuss. And we want to start with this, because we've learned that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is planning on expanding operations in the coming days to Chicago. When are those operations expected to start? And you said in recent days that you're using the recent deployments in Los Angeles as a model. What does that mean? SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: Well, we've already had ongoing operations with ICE in Chicago and throughout Illinois and other states, making sure that we're upholding our laws. But we do intend to add more resources to those operations. I won't disclose the details because they are law enforcement and investigative folks that are on the ground there, and I want to make sure we keep their security our number one priority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But we will continue to go after the worst of the worst across the country, like President Trump has told us to do, focusing on those that are perpetuating murder and rape and trafficking of drugs and humans across our country, knowing that every single citizen deserves to be safe. ED O'KEEFE: Part of what distinguished the Los Angeles operations, however, is that National Guard troops were there, in essence, protecting or backing up those federal agents as they conducted operations. Is that what we should expect to see in Chicago? SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: You know, that always is a prerogative of President Trump and his decision. I won't speak to the specifics of the operations that are planned in other cities, but I do know that L.A. wouldn't be standing today if President Trump hadn't taken action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And that city would have burned down if left to the devices of the mayor and the governor of that state. And so the citizens who live there, the small business owners in downtown L.A., they're thankful that President Trump came in with federal law enforcement officers and helped support keeping those streets open, keep their homes and businesses from burning down, and made sure the law and order was restored. ED O'KEEFE: I just want to clarify one thing you said there. You said L.A. wouldn't be standing if not for these federal deployments? SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: So many of those homes and businesses that were in downtown L.A. and in those areas were dealing with riots and violence. And coming in and bringing those federal law enforcement officers in was incredibly important to keeping peace. And so we are grateful that President Trump was willing to send resources and people in, in order to enforce the law. And, Ed, since then, we have arrested 5,000 dangerous illegal criminals out of L.A. and removed them from our country and had them face justice for their crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: So, as you know, we spoke with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker about all this. And I asked him what he'd say to you about these forthcoming plans. Let's play that and let you respond after. (Begin VT) ED O'KEEFE: If she were to call you, what would you say? What's your message to her? GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER (D-Illinois): Well, I tell her that what she's doing is inflaming passions and causing disruption that doesn't need to be caused. We have people that have lived, yes, in the state of Illinois, in the city of Chicago for decades, working here, paying taxes. They're law-abiding members of our communities, friends, neighbors. And why are we arresting them? Why are we making them disappear? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, they're even disrupting the lives of people who are attempting to go through a legal process to stay in this country, who've been invited to a hearing, and then they're arresting them in the hallways on their way to that hearing. So this is dangerous. They shouldn't be doing it. It's anti-American. It's un-American. And I would tell her to maybe check herself for, what does she really believe? ED O'KEEFE: She's also critical the fact that Chicago is one of the cities that doesn't cooperate with federal immigration operations, and she was quoted as saying that Illinois quote "refuses to have our back." GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: Well, that's not true. In fact, there were police officers who made sure that there was nobody interfering or attacking or causing problems for the ICE officials that were here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People have a right to express themselves. People have a right to their First Amendment, you know, freedom to express. And we protect that too in the city of Chicago. So it's not true that the nobody has their backs. What we won't do, however, is engage in what is a federal effort. That is to say, they have their job, immigration. We have our job, which is to fight violent crime on the streets of our city. And, by the way, we're succeeding at that job. But when they bring people in and don't coordinate with us, they're going to cause enormous problems. (End VT) ED O'KEEFE: Madam Secretary, your response? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: Well, for 13 consecutive years, Chicago had more murders than any other American city. In fact, just last year, in 2024, they had three times the amount of murders that L.A. did, five times more than New York City. So he can talk about what a great job he's doing as governor, but he's failing those families who will no longer have their child with them, their mother or their father or their cousin, aunt, and uncle that are gone forever because of the violence that's happening in Chicago. So I was a governor for many years. So I recognize the responsibilities that you have on your shoulder when you're a governor. And I will tell you, as a governor, when I had to make tough decisions, and when I had disagreements with the Biden administration or challenges my people were facing, I called up the Biden administration. I went and talked to them. I asked for meetings. I fought for my people. This seems like it's more about Governor Pritzker's ego now, rather than actually protecting his people. If he has one murder in the city of Chicago, he should be calling President Trump and saying, what's your ideas? What can we do? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They don't even honor our detainers in Chicago. They don't go out there and work with us to make sure we're bringing people to justice. And, instead, he goes on TV and he attacks me, when we're doing exactly what those people need, is, they need someone to help them get the dangerous criminals off their streets. And if he has one, two, five or 10, those victims and their families deserve to walk in freedom on those streets and not have to worry about what's going to happen to them on their way to their jobs. ED O'KEEFE: Sure. Are you planning, beyond Chicago, to expand these kinds of operations to other cities? There have been reports, for example, that Boston may very well soon be next. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: I think there's a lot of cities that are dealing with crime and violence right now. And so we haven't taken anything off the table. We've been making sure that we have the resources and the equipment to go in. We've been working to partner with every single agency that we can. We have hundreds and hundreds of agreements with local law enforcement, sheriffs, city administrators that and mayors across the country that want to solve problems. I would encourage every single big city, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, whatever they are, if they want to help make their city safer, more prosperous, allow people the opportunity to walk in freedom, like the people of Washington, D.C. are now, and enjoying going out to eat at night and not having to worry if they're going to be a victim of a carjacking or a robbery, they should call us. ED O'KEEFE: You mentioned there are a bunch of cities in Democratic- controlled states with Democratic mayors. And there have been a lot of questions asked about that focus. There are Republican cities with major crime issues as well, and we haven't heard about plans to deploy, say, to Dallas or to Oklahoma City, or to cities in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi that have considerable crime rates, in some cases higher, percentage-wise, than those other cities you mentioned. Are there plans to go to red states and Republican-controlled cities in this kind of way? SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: Absolutely. ED O'KEEFE: OK. SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: Every single city is evaluated for what we need to do there to make it safer. So we've got operations that, again, I won't talk about details on, but we absolutely are not looking through the viewpoint at anything we're doing with a political lens. ED O'KEEFE: One of the most-high profile examples of someone who's been rounded up by ICE in recent months is Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and the fate of his situation is still up in the air. He's awaiting trial on human smuggling charges set for January in Tennessee, but your department is also working to get him deported to Uganda. If he broke the law in this country, as the administration alleges, shouldn't he be held here and face charges here, instead of being deported? SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: Well, prosecution decisions are always made by the Department of Justice and and Pam Bondi's department. So we will let them do that. Although this individual does have criminal charges pending, he has charges pending against him civilly as well. And the one thing that we will continue to do is to make sure that he doesn't walk free in the United States of America. ED O'KEEFE: But I heard you say that we're going to let the Justice Department do that. Does this mean that does that mean the push to deport him to Uganda is off? SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: Oh, we will still continue to pursue all options. ED O'KEEFE: OK. SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: We will make sure that he's not released into this country. So, regardless of that, yes, absolutely. He's not an American citizen, and he shouldn't be here. And especially because of his dangerous criminal activities, we should ensure that we leave every avenue on the table. ED O'KEEFE: Got it. So, among other things, you oversee FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as we hit the peak of hurricane season. And we're marking the 20th anniversary of the landfall of Hurricane Katrina this weekend 20 years ago. Is the federal government prepared to respond to a major disaster at this moment? SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: We are absolutely more prepared than the last administration and doing a much better job responding to the disasters we've already experienced since President Trump has been in the White House. We've had over a dozen, close to 20 different disasters throughout the country just since President Trump has been the president of the United States. And we have deployed resources twice as fast as FEMA ever has in the past, gotten people on the ground over 100 percent quicker than any other administration has. In fact, with the disasters that we saw that were so horrific and devastating in Texas and New Mexico, North Carolina, we've had people on the ground within hours responding to those families that were in crisis. ED O'KEEFE: Right. I bring this up because part of what you're suggesting there is in dispute from a handful of current and former FEMA employees who wrote to Congress this past week raising concerns about the agency's ability to respond to forthcoming natural disasters. One of the specific concerns they have is this decision that now has you reviewing any cost of $100,000 or more that FEMA plans to make. Can you give me an example of a charge of $100,000 or more that you've rejected? SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: Yes, absolutely. We paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, millions of dollars to a one- woman firm to deliver to us 30 million meals, and she delivered only 50,000 to us. And it was a one person that the state federal government had contracted with in order to deliver 30 million. And I don't know how they ever expected one person to do that. We we had a person that was being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to book meetings ED O'KEEFE: OK. SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: that of less than 10 to 15 people, and with no meetings that we saw that were productive or couldn't be done by sending an e-mail. Over and over again, we're looking at these contracts and looking at the fact that, are they duplicative, are they just supporting woke ideologies, DEI, or are they actually delivering disaster response, which is what FEMA job is, is to put in place operations to support states and local governments to take care of people. And so that evaluation has saved us hundreds of millions of dollars within FEMA. And within the Department of Homeland Security, it has saved us $13 billion already. And we're going to consider continue to make sure that we're accountable to taxpayers. ED O'KEEFE: At least 20 of the people who signed this letter were current FEMA employees, and they've been placed on administrative leave. And I had heard you in previous interviews suggest that those that are making accusations against the agency should put their names on the criticisms of the allegations. So, now they have, and they've been placed on administrative leave. And I'm curious if it's now the policy of DHS that any time an employee puts their name on something, publicly criticizes you or the president's leadership, that they should anticipate being put on leave or fired. SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: This this letter was signed by many people anonymously. There was some who had their names on there. And those who had their names on there were temporary contract employees who had worked for the Department of Homeland Security for less than a year, individuals who are not long-term FEMA employees, who who grab ahold of the mission to be there, to go and serve individuals and to are deployed across the country, and have for years to make sure they're responsive to families in their time of need. So, absolutely, every employee will be evaluated as to if they're doing their job and if they're doing it appropriately. ED O'KEEFE: All right, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joining us this Sunday from Florida, thank you so much. Lots to discuss. We appreciate it. SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM: Thank you, Ed. Appreciate it. ED O'KEEFE: Face the Nation is back in one minute. Stay with us. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) ED O'KEEFE: On Friday, we traveled to Chicago and sat down with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. He invited us there in advance of the expanded federal presence Secretary Noem was just talking about. Here's what he told us. (Begin VT) GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER (D-Illinois): We hope that they don't send any troops along with ICE. And, if they do, they'll be in court pretty quickly, because that is illegal. Posse Comitatus does not allow U.S. troops into U.S. cities to do you know, to fight crime, to be involved in law enforcement. That's not their job. ED O'KEEFE: If they're doing federal immigration work, a judge might say, if they're protecting those federal agents, that's OK. I mean, you'll just fight that in court as long as you can? GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: Well, National Guard troops, any kind of troops on the streets of an American city don't belong, unless there is an insurrection, unless there is truly an emergency. There is not. ED O'KEEFE: Have you been briefed by anyone in the administration about these plans? GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: No one in the administration, the president, or anybody under him, has called anyone in my administration or and me have not called the city of Chicago or anyone else. So it's clear that, in secret, they're planning this well, it's an invasion with U.S. troops, if they, in fact, do that. The other thing is, you know, they ought to be coordinating with local law enforcement. They ought to let us know when they're coming, where they're coming, if it's ICE or if it's ATF or whoever it is. But they don't want to do that either. And I must say, it's disruptive. It's dangerous. It tends to inflame passions on the ground when they don't let us know what their plans are and when we can't coordinate with them. ED O'KEEFE: The president has had some things to say about the Windy City several times in recent days. (Begin VT) DONALD TRUMP (President of the United States): Next should be Chicago, because, as you all know, Chicago is a killing field right now. Everybody knows Chicago is a hellhole right now. Everybody knows it. (End VT) GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: You know, he wakes up in the morning and whatever whim strikes him is what he apparently says. And recently, I guess I have been living rent-free in his head. Chicago apparently is living rent-free in his head, even though, on other days he'll talk about Baltimore, he'll talk about New York. Notice he never talks about where the most violent crime is occurring, which is in red states. Illinois is not even in the bottom half of states in terms of violent crime. But do you hear him talking about Florida, where he is now from? No, you don't hear him talking about that, or Texas. Their violent crime rates are much worse in other places. And we're very proud of the work that we've done. And we want more help. You know what kind of help we want? Civilian law enforcement help. We would like ATF agents to help us take more guns off the streets. We would like FBI, again, to coordinate with our local law enforcement to help catch perpetrators of crimes. If they would do that, we would welcome that. But that's not what they're planning to do. ED O'KEEFE: So, bottom line, would more federal agents in Chicago, assisting local law enforcement help deter crime right now? GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: Of course. You want to help us catch bad guys? Help bring the FBI. Bring the ATF. We already coordinate with them, by the way. We do a lot of work with them. We do some we do drug interdiction, we do fighting gangs, and we do, you know, interdiction of guns at the borders. ED O'KEEFE: Part of the reason I ask about the potential for federal deployments to help right now is that, according to a CBS News data analysis of what's gone on in Washington just in the last few weeks, well, crime there as well was down, and in most cases down double digits. It's down nearly 50 percent in the three weeks since the National Guard moved in, assaults down 41 percent, homicides down 69 percent, robbery down 63 percent, and the mayor concedes carjacking, which had become a bigger problem, down 83 percent since the federal agents showed up. So this kind of deployment he's set up in Washington that he says he wants to do in other cities, at least in Washington, is showing potential success. And what I hear you saying is, well, sure, if they show up, it might help us too? GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: I'm saying we don't want troops on the streets of American cities. ED O'KEEFE: Right. GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: That's un-American. And, frankly, the president of the United States ought to know better. This one doesn't seem to. He hasn't read any books. He doesn't seem to understand the Constitution or the laws. ED O'KEEFE: But if he just sends the FBI, the ATF, DEA GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: They're yes, they're here already. ED O'KEEFE: and sends more of them? GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: We have some working with us now. Would love more help. You know what else he's doing? He's cutting funds that help us to fight violent crime from the federal government. ED O'KEEFE: Give me an example of how those cuts have affected the ability to fight crime in Chicago. GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: So, let me just tell you what happened in Illinois when we had a Republican governor and he cut funding for programs that helped prevent crime. What happened was we, saw a significant increase in crime. Donald Trump is now doing the same thing. He's taking away federal funding for those programs which are so important to us. We've increased funding at the state level, but we need that federal funding. It's on top of that. One more thing. The business community in the city of Chicago got together and put $100 million forward to help us, back in 2022, to help us to fight crime through these prevention programs. It's working. Crime is down. I mean, murders are down 50 percent in the city of Chicago. And you can go through every statistic. Almost everything is much better as a result of that work. Donald Trump is trying to take that money away. And he isn't listening to the business community here. He isn't listening to the clergy here. He isn't listening to people on the ground, Republicans here who understand that putting troops on the city of Chicago's streets is going to cause more problems than he understands. ED O'KEEFE: What do you think it's going to do to the country if that happens? Deploying in Washington, where he has federal control, is one thing, but if he sends military forces into a major American city in a state that didn't ask for it, beyond Los Angeles, what do Americans make of that? GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: Well, they should understand that he has other aims other than fighting crime. That's the first thing they should understand. The second is, it's an attack on the American people by the president of the United States. Now, he may disagree with a state that didn't vote for him, but should he be sending troops in? No. ED O'KEEFE: You said he has other aims. What are the other aims? GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: The other aims are that he'd like to stop the elections in 2026 or, frankly, take control of those elections. He'll just claim that there's some problem with an election, and then he's got troops on the ground that can take control, if, in fact, he's allowed to do this. ED O'KEEFE: I hear you talking about invasion. I hear you him about I hear you talking about him suspending elections. Is it your belief he's an authoritarian? GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: Look, I can tell you this. I built a Holocaust museum. I know what the history was of a constitutional republic being overturned after an election in 53 days. And I'm very, very concerned. We could talk about lots of authoritarian regimes in the world, but that just happens to be the one that I know. And I can tell you that that the playbook is the same. It's thwart the media. It's create mayhem that requires military interdiction. These are things that happened throughout history. And Donald Trump is just following that playbook. ED O'KEEFE: Is there any chance Illinois redraws its congressional lines before next year's midterm elections? GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: That's not something that I want to do. It's not something that any of us want to do. But I have to say, if Donald Trump is going to force his will on the American people by going to his MAGA allies in various states and have them having them redraw in the middle of a decade, when you're supposed to be doing it right after a census, with a year ending in 1, not a year ending in 5, if he's going to do that all over the country, I think all of us have to think about what it is that we can do to counter that. ED O'KEEFE: What much what much more could you do, though, as an Illinois Democrat? I mean, your map already gets an F from most good government groups for being gerrymandered. Would you wipe out all the Republican districts? GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: Yes, it is possible to have more Democratic districts in the state of Illinois, and we we could do it. Like I said, it's not something that I want to do. (End VT) ED O'KEEFE: We will be right back. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) ED O'KEEFE: We will be right back with a lot more Face the Nation. Stay with us. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) ED O'KEEFE: We're joined now by Dr. Celine Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and the editor at large for public health at KFF Health News. Doctor, so great to see you. Thanks for coming to Washington for this important conversation because it's been a pretty chaotic week at the CDC, to say the least. We've seen the ouster of the head of the agency, who'd only been confirmed by the Senate this summer. She's now mounting a legal challenge to that. Other top officials also departed. They're still reeling from a shooting at the headquarters in Atlanta a few weeks ago. What are these departures so important to take note of, and how do they affect you, me and everybody else in terms of health and and medicine? CELINE GOUNDER: I think it's really important to understand that this is not just palace intrigue. This really does affect all of us. So, not just the director, but the people in charge of respiratory infections, vaccine safety, the chief medical officer, the person who is in charge of public health data also resigned earlier this week. So, these are really key positions, not to mention that a lot of the directors of the different centers, because it's centers, plural, have also been forced out over the last several months. So, you're really dealing with a leadership vacuum at the CDC. So, this is not business as usual. And so, specifically, how does this affect you and me, folks watching at home? So, first of all, vaccine policy. Vaccine policy is now being made by political fiat and communicated through social media, rather than a transparent, open, scientific review process. And so, we're seeing the reversal of previous recommendations, which will also confuse whether insurance will cover certain vaccines for certain people. And it's already sowing tremendous confusion at pharmacies, as well as doctors' offices. ED O'KEEFE: So, there is a series of meetings coming up regarding the future of vaccines, and how they're going to be available, who gets them. Tell us about that and and the concerns that some of these now former CDC officials had about what might happen at those meetings. CELINE GOUNDER: Yes, so what these meetings are scheduled for mid- September. Some of the things on the agenda include the newborn Hepatitis B dose. We typically give it to newborns because that's to prevent transmission from the mother to the baby, so it's one of the most common ways that Hepatitis B is transmitted. ED O'KEEFE: One of the first shots a baby gets. CELINE GOUNDER: One of the first shots it gets, for good reason. Also protection for infants from RSV, one of the most common causes of hospitalization among infants. Number three, the Covid shot. And we expect to see a tightening of availability, eligibility of Covid shots, especially for healthy kids and adults. And then finally, the combined measles, mumps, rubella, varicella vaccine, and revisiting long-standing childhood vaccine recommendations would really be unprecedented here. ED O'KEEFE: So, it's basically every shot you get, from like zero to 18, is now up for debate. And then the Covid shot, of course, which is an important one for many people, on a regular rolling basis? CELINE GOUNDER: Yes, some really basic things that we have counted on for a very long time. Some of the core concerns with the process involves cherry picking of data, scientific reviews being altered or pulled, and unvetted studies being rushed into the process, into policymaking. And this is really an inversion of radical transparency. ED O'KEEFE: Yes. There was a there's an example in recent days because there is we're starting you know, fall's coming, Covid picks up. We've already seen one example of a school in Kansas City that was forced to shut down temporarily due to Covid. And there have been spikes in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, especially. What do people at home need to know as the fall approaches and Covid starts to spike? CELINE GOUNDER: Well, I think, first of all, vaccinations are for many different purposes. So, it's to prevent severe disease, hospitalization and death. But for a lot of people, you may not be able to call in sick from work very easily. Like for us, it's really hard to take time off, even if you really are sick. You might want to keep your kids in school. And so the best way to keep yourself at work or your kids in school is for them to get vaccinated so you and they are not getting sick. ED O'KEEFE: Let's and we should point out, by the way, that school closed. Set to open again on Tuesday. But the fact that they had to close at all, right, as the school year's begins, is a sign potentially of things to come if people don't get their shots. Let's bottom line this. I'm a 42-year-old guy with asthma. Am I going to have issues getting my Covid shot? CELINE GOUNDER: You will not because even though you're under 65 so, the recommendations or the FDA approval is for people 65 and older, they are all good. They can get their Covid shot. Under 65, if you have at least one risk factor for severe Covid, you can also get your Covid shot. So, you can absolutely that's not an issue for you, Ed. ED O'KEEFE: But it's, you know, kids under 18, they're perfectly healthy, spouse, aging parents, it's up in the air. CELINE GOUNDER: Yes, so aging parents over 65, they they're eligible. But say you're between six months and 64 years of age, and you do not have a risk factor for severe Covid, that is the group where we really have a lot of uncertainty. Now, I should point out, pregnancy is a risk factor for severe Covid. So, your healthy wife, let's say she were pregnant, which I don't think she is. ED O'KEEFE: Nope. CELINE GOUNDER: But if she were, she would be eligible for a Covid shot. ED O'KEEFE: All right. Dr. Celine Gounder, we love having you to help us understand all this. We appreciate you coming down. Good to see you. And we will be right back. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) ED O'KEEFE: We are joined now by a panel of political journalists who who know what they're talking about. Let's put it that way. CBS News senior White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs, "Politico's" Capitol bureau chief Rachael Bade, and "Washington Post" newly minted chief political correspondent Karen Tumulty. Great to see all of you. We were just talking to Dr. Gounder about the ouster of the CDC director. We've seen the ouster of a handful of other officials at the Federal Reserve. Jennifer, I understand you have some new information on where the president may be seeking to oust people next. JENNIFER JACOBS: Well, it's not like they're going agency to agency and picking an agency that they're trying to clean out. It's a little more random than that. But I can tell you that they're really serious about trying to weed out people who they think are working at at cross purposes to their agenda. I asked around if there are more firings coming, and I was told, yes, definitively. And I'll tell you a quick anecdote and that kind of illustrate this. ED O'KEEFE: Sure. JENNIFER JACOBS: So, there was a surprise birthday party a few days ago for one of the president's top advisers, Stephen Miller. And he was entertaining this crowd, which included a bunch of cabinet secretaries and House Speaker Mike Johnson and other VIPs. And he was explaining about how, back in the day, when he and Mike Johnson were just, you know, essentially nobodies, he would run his ideas by Mike Johnson and he even though Stephen thought they were crazy even himself, Mike Johnson said that they were good ideas. And Stephen said, some of the stuff we're trying now is untested. But it just really illustrated how this president and his closest advisors are willing to do whatever it takes to try to push out people that they think are at cross purposes to their agenda, and that includes people at these quasi-independent agencies, whether it's the bureaucracy that they inherited or whether it's people that the president personally interviewed and selected, like the CDC director. ED O'KEEFE: Yes. RACHAEL BADE (Capitol Bureau Chief And Senior Washington Correspondent, "Politico": You know, when Donald Trump talked on the campaign trail about draining the swamp, I mean he's been talking about this for 10 years, I don't think a lot of people, you know, thought he was talking about health officials, about scientist, about people who work in national security. But, obviously, he is taking it, his sort of, you know, mantra to that point right now. And I mean we have to we have to acknowledge that a lot of people have said, Donald Trump doesn't have this authority when it came to DOGE and getting rid of a lot of federal workers, folks said, look, they have a lot of protections. You can't do that. Well, the courts, a lot of them, have sided with him. And so, he's taking it to the next step here. And, you know, there's a lot of questions about whether he can do it. But obviously, he's going to try. And he's succeeded a lot in the courts, where a lot of people thought he would not. ED O'KEEFE: But with Congress coming back, what are they going to do about it? RACHAEL BADE: Well KAREN TUMULTY: Nothing. BADE: Yes. Good pretty KAREN TUMULTY: Basically nothing. And this is not only it's it's not only a war on expertise, but the in the early phases it was all about going after the so-called deep state government employees, the bureaucracy. Now they've begun to oust their own people, their own appointees. ED O'KEEFE: And as you write today, most of the conservative movement kind of hangs back, stays quiet about it, and lets it happen. KAREN TUMULTY: Exactly. RACHAEL BADE: Not just stays quiet about it, they're encouraging it. ED O'KEEFE: Right. RACHAEL BADE: I mean, look at Laura Loomer and what she has has been doing in terms of pushing for firings. And she's been very successful. ED O'KEEFE: You heard Secretary Noem talk about crime. You saw Illinois Governor Pritzker's response to that, Rachael. RACHAEL BADE: Uh-huh. ED O'KEEFE: Republicans, obviously, see this as a winning issue for them. How is Congress going to pick this up? Because a lot of this has transpired since their summer break began. RACHAEL BADE: Yes. ED O'KEEFE: They're going to get asked all sorts of questions this week as they come back about whether there's something they need to do to step in. RACHAEL BADE: Look, I think you're going to see Republicans lean into it. I mean, obviously, this is an initiative that Donald Trump himself has been pushing. I don't think if you ask lawmakers, specifically Republican lawmakers in July if they were going to be focused on a big crime bill in September, I don't think anyone would have told you that that would be the case. But Donald Trump has been very successful in terms of changing the narrative. I mean when you think about lawmakers leaving town at the end of July, everyone was focused on Epstein and how the president couldn't shake the narrative. Now they're coming back and the full focus of Washington is on crime. And this is an issue, as I have written in my column, that very much benefits Republicans. I mean there are polls that show a lot of the nation doesn't like what he's doing with the National Guard. ED O'KEEFE: Right. RACHAEL BADE: But when it comes to people's approval rating of Trump and crime, he's at something like 54 percent according to a recent AP poll. ED O'KEEFE: Yes. So, he's found a new a new issue to help boost him. RACHAEL BADE: Yes, of course. KAREN TUMULTY: The word he used this week was "trap." That Democrats are walking into a trap. And, in fact, crime is an issue that has always been problematic for Democrats RACHAEL BADE: Yes. KAREN TUMULTY: Because they are sort of caught between not wanting to look soft on public safety, but also protecting civil rights, which are one of their core values. ED O'KEEFE: Which is what I thought made the governor's answer interesting, where he said, yes, you're right, I'm not helping the federal government with immigration because we're worried about crime and public safety at the state and local level, and they'll do the immigration. And his ability to split those two, I felt, was a little cleaner than many other Democratic governors and mayors have been when they realize they're dealing with this hot potato. KAREN TUMULTY: The other thing that struck me in that, too, was him saying, we would welcome some federal help. ED O'KEEFE: Right. RACHAEL BADE: Yes. ED O'KEEFE: Yes. RACHAEL BADE: Yes. ED O'KEEFE: Send more. KAREN TUMULTY: The FBI have been helping us catch bad guys. ED O'KEEFE: Yes. KAREN TUMULTY: And I think that I was also, when I was doing reporting this week, it turns out a lot of police chiefs across the country are watching this with great curiosity because they want to see, you know, what's working here and what's not in D.C. RACHAEL BADE: Yes, I thought his his response about bringing in ATF ATF officials and FBI officials helping with crime there, that showed me that Democrats are starting to maybe read the political tea leaves here and come up with smarter answers, because when Trump first started talking about this, the response was, we don't need the National Guard. Crime is down. Look at the stats. But the reality is, people don't feel it. ED O'KEEFE: Right. RACHAEL BADE: Eighty percent of Americans think crime is just as bad as it was recently, or getting worse. Only 20 percent think it's actually getting better. JENNIFER JACOBS: On the politics of it, Trump people don't just want to win issues, they want to systematically work their opposition into a corner and crack their coalition. And if you were to design an issue that could start to nibble away at the Democratic stranglehold on on large metropolitan cities in the United States, this is it. ED O'KEEFE: Yes. You are I like to call you "scoop," at least around these parts. And you had another big one this week regarding the future of Iowa's Republican Senator Joni Ernst. She's announcing, in the coming days, that she's not running for re-election. It had been talked about, thought it might happen. She had also made a two-term vow, and so we're nearing that. Why'd she do it? And is it indicative of a problem for the party in Iowa or for congressional Republicans writ large that someone like her would walk away? JENNIFER JACOBS: I think we're going to have to wait from her on on why she did it. It will be very interesting when she makes her her statement this week if it does indeed come. But Iowa, Ed, is really turning into a hot, hot battleground. You have not had an open U.S. Senate race and an open gubernatorial race at the same time, with no incumbents, in nearly 60 years. So, my sources say that Iowa native Matt Whitaker is talking with President Trump about a potential run for U.S. Senate in 2026. He has told people he's going to decide by the end of this year. He's currently the U.S. ambassador to NATO. ED O'KEEFE: Yes. JENNIFER JACOBS: And he's been in the news lately for that Ukraine-NATO arms initiative. You've also got Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who Iowa Republicans tell me are they're fully expecting her to jump into the race in the next few days. And activist, Republicans in Iowa, really like her. They say she's very personable. She's obviously good on in front of a camera. ED O'KEEFE: Yes. JENNIFER JACOBS: She came from the world of TV. Then you've got, on the Democratic side, this guy named Josh Turek, who is a Paralympic gold medalist. The Democrats are pinning a lot of their hopes on him. So, you could potentially have an open congressional race. Two other congressional races that are really tight, the open Senate race, the open gubernatorial race. Iowa's going to be a hot battleground. ED O'KEEFE: Which is exactly what the Democrats want, because you've now forced the Republicans to spend money in a state they thought they had. JENNIFER JACOBS: Yes. ED O'KEEFE: When they're also recruiting big names in other states. So, this is a problem for them. RACHAEL BADE: Yes, it's a it's definitely a challenge. I mean if Ernst were to run for re-election she would be a shoe in. Same thing with Thom Tillis. I mean he retired in North Carolina. ED O'KEEFE: In North Carolina, yes. RACHAEL BADE: And and what this shows us is that there's very little room for discontent or for pushback in, you know, Trump's second term. I mean, Ernst ended up voting for Pete Hegseth, yes, but there was a time where she was potentially not going to she got pummeled. I mean I'm talking death threats. I mean it was ugly. And my understanding is that she has told people that that really soured her on politics. ED O'KEEFE: Yes. RACHAEL BADE: That's the same thing that happened with Tillis. And now, you know, Republicans have to worry about defending that state as well. KAREN TUMULTY: But if it turns out that Iowa is truly in play, as red as it has been, I mean, that does suggest the potential for a true wave election next year. ED O'KEEFE: I will say, we were at the Iowa State Fair a few weeks ago, and I was struck how many people stopped me to say, I'm not happy with what he's doing, the president, or I've got issues with the governor, or I've got issues with Senator Ernst. I had not been approached that way by by Iowans in recent years, and this suggests something could be there. KAREN TUMULTY: Right. ED O'KEEFE: The fact, though, that they have gone sort of retreading, to get Sherrod Brown to run, and other names that Chuck Schumer is eyeing, former members of Congress, former senators. Roy Cooper, the governor of North Carolina. KAREN TUMULTY: Roy Cooper. ED O'KEEFE: I mean, is that KAREN TUMULTY: He's 70 something. Yes. ED O'KEEFE: Right. At a time when the Democratic Party is looking to get younger, it sure seems like Schumer is leaning on older officials to do this. Is that the key to their success? KAREN TUMULTY: Well, I do think that both Sherrod Brown and Roy Cooper are incredibly strong candidates. But elsewhere, I I think they ought to let the primaries play out and let some of these younger, fresher faces emerge. ED O'KEEFE: All right. Karen Tumulty, Rachael Bade, Jennifer Jacobs, thank you all for being here. Great to see you all. And we'll be back in a moment. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) ED O'KEEFE: We go now to the executive director of the World Food Programme, Ambassador Cindy McCain, who joins us this morning from Rome. Ambassador, thank you so much for being with us. And you're with us in part because you're just back from a trip into Gaza. So few outsiders are getting in these days to access the situation. What did you see? CINDY MCCAIN (Executive Director, World Food Programme): Well, first of all, thank you for covering this. I did go into Gaza. I entered through the Kisufim gate. Went to Deir el- Balah (ph), then on to Khan Yunis and out through the Karem Salem Karem Salem gate. I saw a lot of devastation. I saw a lot of hunger. I saw people waiting in long lines for water. You know, the what you would expect to see in a situation like that. And there's there's clear desperation in the on in the hearts and minds of the people there because there just is not enough food. I met with a family that of 11 people that had come from north. They had got walked all the way down. And what I saw, they had pictures that they brought with their with their belongings. And I saw the kind of the before and after pictures. And they're I didn't even recognize these people. The had the weight loss, the malnutrition, the stress and everything that it the toll that it's taken on their family. It's a it's truly, truly a devastating situation and something that we need to demand a ceasefire about right now and make sure that we can get in there and feed. ED O'KEEFE: And yet Israel has declared Gaza City a combat zone and is ending humanitarian pauses and ramping up airstrikes around the city. Gaza, of course, is one of the areas where a global monitor has confirmed famine. You talk about the hunger you saw in and around that region. What will a more aggressive military offensive in that area mean for Gaza City? CINDY MCCAIN: Well, it's it's going to limit the amount of food that they have access to. Of course, the danger alone is a whole other part of that, as you know. And it does not make it easy for humanitarian aid workers to get in there as well to make sure that we can do our job. The one thing that I've been saying all along about situations like Gaza City and others is that humanitarian aid workers are not targets. They're not targets. And this has to end. So, I'm I'm hoping that perhaps it won't be as bad as we think it's going to be, but I have a feeling I have a feeling we're going to see some some more serious devastation. ED O'KEEFE: In fact, you bring up the issue of safety for humanitarian workers. Last year among the deadliest on record, nearly 400 killed in the line of duty. There was a World Food Programme convoy that came under fire in Gaza last month. I mean, absent a ceasefire, what more needs to be done by warring parties to protect humanitarians as they try to carry out this work? CINDY MCCAIN: Well, these people are desperate. You know, the for in terms of the ones that are on the ground rushing the trucks, et cetera. What we need is full, unfettered access at scale to be able to get in and feed, and feed in a way where the panic subsides. They're they're and for and, secondly, of course, we don't do anything that involves guns or or military in any way, shape or form. And that's on purpose. That's who we are. That's our mandate. And so, we obviously, a ceasefire, as I said before, being able to get in at scale, unfettered, and in a safe manner, and continuously get in, and get in to the furthest sites where where we can't get food into into the most vulnerable people that are that are at risk right now. ED O'KEEFE: As part of your trip to the region, you also met with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. You describe it as a productive meeting and said you discussed what you need in order to be able to get access. But you've also said it was clear there isn't enough food getting into Gaza. And I want to read you something that the prime minister's office posted on social media. They said, in part, "it's regrettable that Mrs. McCain has since issued statements contradicting what she told us in Jerusalem. That is a misrepresentation. Israel is enabling a steady flow of aid in sufficient quantities." What's your response to the prime minister? CINDY MCCAIN: Well, I stand by what I said, there's not enough food getting in. And and without a full ceasefire and the ability to get in, as I said, at scale, unfettered, making sure that we're safe doing it as well, that's the only way we're going to be able to feed people. We have, in recent weeks, been able to get a little more food in. So, that's an accurate statement. But it's not enough. It simply isn't enough to be able to do to do the job and stop malnutrition, starvation and all the things that have occurred as a result of it. Let me add let me add one thing to that. Malnutrition and starvation and famine of any kind, it's not just about food. It's about water. It's about medicine. It's about the ability to to to treat the entire body of a person who's who is undernourished or malnourished in that way. So, it involves more than just the food trucks, although that's very important, but it also involves things special feeding for children, as well as medicine and water that need to all get in. ED O'KEEFE: Well, executive director of the World Food Programme, Ambassador Cindy McCain, thank you so much for bringing that important perspective to us this morning. We'll see you soon. CINDY MCCAIN: Thank you. ED O'KEEFE: And we'll be right back. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) ED O'KEEFE: Finally, today we want to play tribute to our good friend and colleague Mark Knoller, who passed away Saturday at the age of 73. Knoller covered the White House for nearly 30 years for CBS News Radio, but he was best known for his role as the unofficial chief White House statistician. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARK KNOLLER: You could say that I'm kind of the CBS News numbers man at the White House. Now it's not always groundbreaking information, but it does add context and perspective to the activities that the president engages in. For example, how many speeches, remarks and statements do you think President Obama gave during the year just ended, in 2010? Well, by my count, it was 491. (END VIDEO CLIP) ED O'KEEFE: His numbers were so accurate and his generosity with sharing them, not just with his fellow reporters, but also administration staffers, reflected Knoller's deep respect and admiration for the institution of the presidency. For all of us working alongside Knoller, both on the White House beat and at CBS, it was truly a joy. And even just listening to him on the radio was special. That's it for today. Margaret will be back next week. For FACE THE NATION, I'm Ed O'Keefe. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) Teens surprise math world with Pythagorean Theorem trigonometry proof | 60 Minutes New push from lawmakers to release Epstein files as Congress returns from recess Kraft Heinz set to split one decade after merger The Global Sumud Flotilla has left the Spanish port city of Barcelona, with the stated goal of breaking Israels illegal siege of Gaza. The boats started moving out of the port at approximately 3:30pm on Sunday, with crowds of activists, support staff, and well-wishers there to see the crews off. Mauricio Morales, reporting from on board the Familia, one of the Flotilla boats, said: The turnout was overwhelming, I think nobody was expecting so many people to wave goodbye to the volunteers. Spirits are high, people are strangers in this particular boat, but [each has] a particular role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hours before their departure, Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg spoke out against Israels genocide of Palestinians, as did a number of other high-profile people who were sailing with the Flotilla. Israel [is] very clear about their genocidal intent. They want to erase the Palestinian nation. They want to take over the Gaza Strip, said Thunberg, hitting out at politicians and governments failing to uphold international law. They are failing to do their most basic, legal duties to act, to prevent a genocide, to stop their complicity and support for the occupation and the genocide of Palestinians, she said. Saif Abukeshek, a Palestinian activist based in Barcelona, denounced Israels ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza. Palestinians are being starved to death because there is a government that is intentionally starving those people to death, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is a government that is intentionally bombing Palestinian kids and families every day for the purpose of killing as many Palestinians as possible, Abukeshek added. When you bomb hospitals, when you bomb schools, when you bomb educational centres, your main aim is basically to end the presence of the Palestinian population. The flotillas launch comes after the United Nations declared a state of famine in Gaza this month, as Israel doubled down on its push to seize Gaza City and forcibly displace about a million Palestinians living there as part of its plan to take over the enclave. We will be back The Global Sumud Flotilla, which describes itself as an independent group not linked to any government or political party, did not say how many ships would set sail or the exact time of departure, but Thunberg spoke of dozens of vessels. Sumud means perseverance in Arabic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everyone who signed up to join the Flotilla believes strongly in its mission. It was hard to say goodbye to my two kids, but this is something I am doing because I believe that continuing to document what is happening in Palestine is just a grain of what our colleagues in Gaza and the West Bank are doing this is easy compared with what they endure every day, Morales said from on board the Familia. Yasemin Acar, a flotilla organiser, confirmed that the flotilla, made up of delegations from 44 countries, would be joined by many more boats from different ports in Greece, Italy and Tunisia. The maritime convoy, which will carry activists, European lawmakers and public figures from a number of countries, is expected to arrive in Gaza by mid-September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Left-wing Portuguese lawmaker Mariana Mortagua, who will join the mission, told journalists in Lisbon last week that the flotilla was a legal mission under international law. Two previous attempts by activists to deliver aid by ship to Gaza were blocked by Israel. In June, 12 activists on board the Madleen were intercepted by Israeli forces 185km (115 miles) west of Gaza. Its passengers, who included Acar and Thunberg, were detained and eventually expelled. In July, 21 activists from 10 countries were intercepted as they tried to approach Gaza in another vessel, the Handala. We tried to set sail two months ago with the Madleen, and then we set sail with the Handala. And we were attacked, kidnapped, and brought against our will to the Zionist entity. But we did say that we will be back, said Acar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mohamad Elmasry of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies told Al Jazeera the flotilla was an important act of symbolic resistance that would create a spectacle, with Israel likely to find it logistically difficult to deal with the number of vessels arriving at the same time. Ultimately, they will be intercepted. Theyll be detained or otherwise sent back, he said. This is not going to solve the famine. Whats going to solve the famine, ultimately, is governments doing their job to stop genocide and deliberate starvation programmes. Activists are mobilizing to push back against a major residential development project located next to a nature preserve in New Jersey. The developer plans to build 270 homes near Black Run Reserve, but locals worry the project will damage the sensitive ecosystem and drinking water sources. According to Inside Climate News, the nature reserve includes 1,300 acres of forest and more than 100 species. Devel LLC plans to use nearly 800 acres for the housing project. But two nonprofits, Pinelands Preservation Alliance and the Climate Revolution Action Network, are fighting back by proposing changes to the state's management plan, which would redesignate the land as forest rather than a rural area, thereby preventing development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, the Pinelands Commission isn't set to vote on the proposal until mid-October, and before then, Devel could get project approval from Evesham Township, where the reserve is located. "We're in a race to put enough political pressure on the Pinelands Commission and the Evesham Township government to finalize these protection amendments before the development comes in," said Jason Howell, an advocate from the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, per Inside Climate News. "This is so upsetting for so many reasons. I've been going here for so many years, and if you know me personally, you know this spot," Zoe Welsch, a South Jersey influencer on TikTok and activist, said. Howell said the Pine Barrens ecosystem covers around 20% of New Jersey and houses several threatened and endangered plants and animals, including the Pine Barrens treefrog, the northern pine snake, swamp pink (a federally threatened plant), and bog asphodel. Snakes are already under pressure because of habitat fragmentation, so the housing project would only worsen the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The homebuilding would also threaten the area's water sources, which are increasingly being threatened by overuse. In addition, the wetlands play a critical role in soaking up floodwaters. By building homes on top of them, the water would have nowhere to drain, especially considering extreme weather is becoming more frequent because of the changing climate. Fortunately, communities and activists are standing up to the housing project and have started a campaign that targets several governmental agencies. Young teens from across the U.S. have sent around 100,000 letters to state and local officials, so the pressure is on to keep the development from moving through. With the community's help, municipalities could override the commission by rezoning the preserve as a protected forest area before the project is voted on. In the meantime, activists will keep fighting to protect their land, water, and homes. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Sunday that the war in Ukraine could still last for a long time and ending it quickly at the country's expense was not an option. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF, Merz, when asked whether a ceasefire might be possible this year, said he hasnt lost hope but harbors no illusions," and emphasized that supporting the country to defend itself against Russia was an absolute priority. We are trying to end it as quickly as possible. But certainly not at the price of Ukraines capitulation. You could end the war tomorrow if Ukraine surrendered and lost its independence, Merz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then the next country would be at risk the day after tomorrow. And the day after that, it would be us. That is not an option, the chancellor said. Germany is a key backer of Ukraine and has delivered or pledged military support worth around 40 billion euros ($47 billion) since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The Social Association of Germany (SoVD) has accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz of dividing society with his statements about the welfare state. Merz is "dipping into the rhetorical bag of tricks and creating the impression that the welfare state would financially ruin us," SoVD chairwoman Michaela Engelmeier told dpa. "This is not only factually incorrect but also socially dangerous." Merz reaffirmed the necessity for social reforms on Saturday. "As it is now, particularly with the so-called citizen's income, it cannot remain and will not remain," Merz said at the state party conference of his Christian Deomcratic Union (CDU) party in Bonn, referring to the basic welfare payment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chancellor announced that this would also mean cuts. "We have been living beyond our means for years," the chancellor, who is also CDU leader, said. Engelmeier emphasized that the welfare state is the solidary foundation of cohesion from which everyone benefits. "Instead of social cuts, what is needed is a fair tax reform with a greater contribution from high wealth," demanded the SoVD chairwoman. BERLIN (Reuters) -German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday he was braced for the Ukraine war to last a long time given that wars usually end in military defeat or economic exhaustion, scenarios he does not see on the horizon for either Kyiv or Moscow. Merz's comments come a day before the expiry of a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for a meeting between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine with a view to paving the way for peace talks. Trump has threatened "consequences" if the meeting does not take place. Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have said the fault lies with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and have urged the U.S. to impose tougher sanctions on Moscow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I am preparing myself inwardly for this war to last a long time," Merz said in an interview with public broadcaster ZDF. Efforts are being made through intensive diplomatic initiatives to end the war as quickly as possible, but this cannot be "at the price of Ukraine's capitulation" because Russia would then simply target another country, he said. "And then the day after tomorrow it will be us," Merz added. "That is not an option." He refused to be drawn in the interview on the issue of a possible deployment of German troops to Ukraine as part of security guarantees in the event of a peace deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britain and France are spearheading a proposal for a "reassurance force" to deter potential future Russian aggression within that context, but the prospect of Germany joining them has sparked unease in a country scarred by its Nazi past. The Kremlin said on Sunday that European powers were hindering Trump's peace efforts, and that Russia would continue its operation in Ukraine until Moscow saw real signs that Kyiv was ready for peace. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke and Sarah Marsh;Editing by Helen Popper) BRUNSWICK, Ga. (WSAV) A 14-year-old girl from Brunswick was shot and killed in a firearm mishandling incident Saturday night. At approximately 8 p.m., police responded to a residence at the 2700 block of Altama Avenue in reference to a gunshot wound. After conducting an investigation, police determined that an acquaintance inside the residence shot the 14-year-old girl. Daquarius Wallace, 17, of Brunswick, was mishandling a firearm when the victim was shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wallace was arrested and charged with murder in the second degree, cruelty to children in the second degree, possession of a firearm by a person under 18 and reckless conduct. An adult was present during the incident. Bobby Sullivan, 21, was arrested and charged with cruelty to children in the second degree, theft by receiving stolen property, reckless conduct and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Officials have not released the name of the victim. An autopsy will be conducted by the Medical Examiners Office of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Anyone with additional information regarding this case should contact Detective Melissa Howell at 912-279-2606 or Silent Witness at 912-267-5516. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was injured in a vehicle accident Saturday evening in New Hampshire, his security chief said in a statement on Sunday. A source familiar with his condition told ABC News on Monday that Giuliani is now out of the hospital and in good spirits. He remains in New Hampshire, the source added. Giuliani's security chief, Michael Ragusa, said on Sunday that Giuliani was taken to a nearby trauma center after the accident, where he was diagnosed with "a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before the incident, Ragusa said Giuliani was flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident and that he rendered assistance and contacted 911. He remained on the scene until responding officers arrived to ensure her safety, Ragusa said in a statement. Sopa Images/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett - Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City, addresses at the Free Iran World Summit 2025. After the incident while traveling on a highway, Giulianis vehicle was struck from behind at high speed, Ragusa said. His business partner and medical provider were contacted and arrived at the hospital to oversee his care. Ragusa later said in a statement on X: "He sustained injuries but is in good spirits and recovering tremendously. Thank you for the prayers & support." He later followed up on his post, saying, "This was not a targeted attack. We ask everyone to respect Mayor Giulianis privacy and recovery, and refrain from spreading unfounded conspiracy theories." Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was seriously injured in a car crash on Saturday evening in New Hampshire, according to a statement from his security team. Giulianis vehicle was struck from behind at high speed, Michael Ragusa, head of Giulianis security, said in an official news release. Giuliani, who previously served as President Trumps personal attorney, was transported to a nearby trauma center, according to the statement, where he was diagnosed with a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ragusa said Giulianis business partner Maria Ryan, a nurse practitioner, was contacted and arrived at the hospital shortly after the crash. In a statement provided to The Hill, the New Hampshire State Police confirmed they were investigating a crash that left three people injured, including a passenger identified as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Just before 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, Troopers assigned to the Troop B barracks were investigating a reported domestic violence incident on Interstate 93 southbound in Manchester when a two-vehicle crash occurred across from them on the northbound side of the interstate. As a result of the collision, both vehicles went into the median and were heavily damaged, the state police said. Troopers and fire personnel, who were at the scene of the first incident, witnessed the collision and quickly crossed the interstate to render aid, they added, saying Giuliani was a passenger in the struck vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly before the car crash, according to Ragusas statement, Giuliani was flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident. Mayor Giuliani immediately rendered assistance and contacted 911. He remained on scene until responding officers arrived to ensure her safety, the statement said. Ragusa told the New York Post that the car crash occurred after he re-entered his vehicle, which was then hit from behind at high speed. He said the domestic violence incident was random and unrelated in a post on the social platform X . The mayor is in great spirits. Hes a beast. He survived 9/11, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes getting further tests and stabilization of his injuries, Ryan told the Post. Shortly after releasing the official statement, Ragusa followed up on social media to attempt to nix conspiracy theories. He said Giuliani was in a rental car, adding, No one knew it was him. This was not a targeted attack. We ask everyone to respect Mayor Giulianis privacy and recovery, and refrain from spreading unfounded conspiracy theories, Ragusa said in a subsequent post. Giuliani, once known as Americas mayor, became central to Trumps efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, spreading Trumps allegations of voter fraud. Dozens of lawsuits, recounts and audits produced no evidence of significant fraud that would have changed the outcome of the election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has since faced significant legal losses. Two Georgia election workers won a $148 million defamation judgment against him for his efforts to spread false claims about them to sow distrust in the election outcome. He was also permanently disbarred from practicing law in the nations capital. Updated at 7:31 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A global fleet of boats is preparing to set sail for Gaza as part of an international maritime initiative aimed at delivering humanitarian aid to starving people in Gaza. The first convoy, consisting of dozens of small civilian vessels carrying activists, humanitarians, doctors, seafarers, and humanitarian supplies, is scheduled to depart from Spanish ports on August 31, to meet up in Tunisia with a second wave on September 4. Organisers describe the Global Sumud Flotilla as the largest maritime mission to Gaza, bringing together more than 50 ships and delegations from at least 44 countries. INTERACTIVE GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA MAP-1756396135 Which countries are taking part? According to the Global Sumud Flotilla, delegations from 44 countries have already committed to sail to Gaza as part of the largest maritime mission to break Israels illegal siege. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Countries from six continents will be taking part in the flotilla, including countries such as Australia, Brazil, South Africa and numerous European states. According to the group, participants are unaffiliated with any government or political party. Who are the groups participating? This mission is organised by four major coalitions, including groups that have participated in previous land and sea efforts to Gaza: Global Movement to Gaza (GMTG) Formerly known as Global March to Gaza, is a grassroots movement organising global solidarity actions to support Gaza and break the siege. Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) With 15 years of experience running sea missions, including past flotillas such as the Madleen and Handala, FFC provides hands-on advice, guidance, and operational support to current efforts to break the Gaza blockade. Maghreb Sumud Flotilla Formerly known as the Sumud Convoy, is a North Africa-based initiative carrying out solidarity missions to deliver aid and support to Palestinian communities. Sumud Nusantara A people-led convoy from Malaysia and 8 other countries, that aims to break the Gaza blockade and foster solidarity among Global South nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collectively, they will form the largest coordinated civilian flotilla in history. Who are the people involved? According to the Global Sumud Flotilla website, the coalition comprises a range of people, including organisers, humanitarians, doctors, artists, clergy, lawyers, and seafarers, who are united by a belief in human dignity, the power of nonviolent action, and a single truth: the siege and genocide must end. A steering committee has also been set up, which includes the likes of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, historian Kleoniki Alexopoulou, human rights activist Yasemin Acar, socioenvironmentalist Thiago Avila, political scientist and lawyer Melanie Schweizer, social scientist Karen Moynihan, physicist Maria Elena Delia, Palestinian activist Saif Abukeshek, humanitarian Muhammad Nadir al-Nuri, activist Marouan Ben Guettaia, activist Wael Nawar, activist and social researcher Hayfa Mansouri, and human rights activist Torkia Chaibi. Although hundreds will set sail from the organised fleet, tens of thousands of others have registered to participate in the initiative. Greta Thunberg, centre, with Thiago Avila, right, speaks to journalists in Catania, Italy, on June 1, 2025 [Salvatore Cavalli/AP Photo] When will the ships depart and how long to reach Gaza? In a media briefing from Placa del Rei in Barcelona, Saif Abukeshek said the exact number will be specified later and that the details of the specific ports and ships have been withheld for security reasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group estimates that the fleet will take between seven and eight days to make the approximately 3,000km (1,620-nautical-mile) journey to Gaza. What is a flotilla and why send aid by sea? A flotilla is a group of boats or ships organised to deliver essential supplies, such as food, medicine and other materials, to regions in crisis. They are usually organised when traditional supply routes such as air and land corridors are blocked or inaccessible. Since 2007, Israel has tightly controlled Gazas airspace and territorial waters, restricting the movement of goods and people. Even before the war, Gaza had no functional airports after Israel bombed and destroyed the Yasser Arafat International Airport in 2001, just three years after it opened. Humanitarian and grassroots flotillas usually operate under the protection of international organisations and are governed by naval laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By delivering aid by sea, the Sumud flotilla aims to confront Israels blockade head-on and carry a message that the siege must end. INTERACTIVE GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA GAZA SIEGE-1756396130 What has happened to previous flotillas? Several Freedom Flotilla vessels have attempted to break the blockade of Gaza. In 2008, two boats from the Free Gaza Movement successfully reached Gaza, marking the first breach of Israels naval blockade. The movement, founded in 2006 by activists during Israels war on Lebanon, went on to launch 31 boats between 2008 and 2016, five of which reached Gaza despite heavy Israeli restrictions. Since 2010, all flotillas attempting to break the Gaza blockade have been intercepted or attacked by Israel in international waters. INTERACTIVE_freedom_flotilla_PREVIOUS_JULY 27_2025 copy-1753599419 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla In 2010, Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara in international waters. The assault killed 10 activists and injured dozens, leading to global outrage. The ship was carrying humanitarian aid and more than 600 passengers. 2011 Freedom Flotilla II Freedom Flotilla II was launched in 2011 as a follow-up to the 2010 mission. Organised by a coalition of international activists and NGOs, it aimed to breach Israels blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid. 2015 Freedom Flotilla III Freedom Flotilla III was launched in 2015 as the third major attempt by international activists to break through Israels naval blockade of Gaza. Organised by the FFC, the mission included several vessels, with the Swedish-flagged Marianne of Gothenburg leading the effort. Activists on board Thales of Miletus, a ship from the Third Gaza Freedom Flotilla sailing back to Greece after leaving the Israeli port of Ashdod, where the flotilla was forced to go by Israeli forces [Getty] 2018 Just Future for Palestine The Just Future for Palestine Flotilla also known as the 2018 Gaza Freedom Flotilla was part of a continued effort by the FFC to challenge Israels naval blockade of Gaza. 2025 Break the Siege Conscience While preparing to sail to Gaza on May 2, the Conscience was struck twice by armed drones, just 14 nautical miles (25km) off the coast of Malta. The attack triggered a fire and caused a significant breach in the hull, forcing the 30 Turkish and Azeri activists on board into a desperate effort to bail out water and keep the ship afloat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2025 Madleen The Madleen, launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) on June 9, was intercepted by the Israeli military about 185km (100 nautical miles) from Gaza, in international waters. An image grab from footage released by the FFC on June 9, 2025, shows activists on board the Gaza-bound aid boat Madleen, with their hands in the air, as they are being illegally boarded by Israeli soldiers in international waters [Sosyal Medya/Anadolu] 2025 Handala On July 26, Israeli forces stormed the Gaza-bound Handala ship, which was carrying aid to starving Palestinians. HONOLULU (KHON2) Nick Parker is getting ready to walk around the island of Oahu with the sole purpose of raising money for Shriners Childrens Hospital. LIST: 22 last minute food ideas for Labor Day weekend cookouts, gatherings On Sept. 20, 2025, Nick will begin his trek, which is approximately 137 miles. He plans to break up the journey over 8 days, hoping to tackle about 17 miles a day to reach his goal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nick found inspiration for his cause from Scott Jung, who completed the course. He did it about 15 years ago, Parker said. When he did it, he also did it for Shriners, and that inspired me to say, you know, I want to do this for Shriners too. So thats kind of how it all kind of created itself. The Jung brothers are the local legends behind Hawaiian Rent-All and its iconic sign on the corner of McCully and South Beretania. I went into Shriners just to kind of get a feel for what was going on over there, what they were doing, how committed they were. And I mean, I was just really blown away, Parker said. These kids and theyre in these states where theyre in so much pain, but even with that, theyre smiling, theyre having a good time, theyre being really optimistic. I just want to make it a little bit easier for them, knowing that there are people out there who do care about them, not just their own family, but others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nick will start and end his journey at Shriners Childrens Hospital, reminding him of who he is doing this for, every step of the way. Training with a view! (Courtesy: Nicholas Parker). Nick training for the trek (Courtesy: Nicholas Parker). Essential gear (Courtesy: Nicholas Parker). Nick has been training daily, going the distance for these kids, literally. I think the longest walk Ive done so far is 11 miles, but in total, Ive walked about 74 miles, Parker said. What Ive been doing is simulating what itll actually be like on the trek. I have all my gear when I do my walks. I have my tent with me, all the food that Ill have, a little mini stove, a lamp and some hygiene stuff. When it comes to helping our keiki, Nick is in it for the long haul. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oahu is just the beginning. I actually want to continue with all the other islands. So after this, I plan to do Maui in the spring, Parker said. Ill help kids over there, Ill help kids here on Oahu, but in general, its just about helping all the kids in Hawaii. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news If you want to follow Nicks journey or donate to Shriners Childrens Hospital, you can check out the website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. Republicans in Iowa dominated elections for Governor and the state legislature over the last decade. They took both chambers in the state house to supermajorities. Then something strange happened this week for the second time in the last seven months. A Democrat won a special election for an open seat in the State Senate. Catelin Drey defeated Republican Christophe Prosch with 55 percent of the vote to roughly 44 percent of the vote. That ten-point margin is the same margin Donald Trump won by in that district last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caitlin Dreys win will break the Reoublican supermajority in the state senate. That means Republicans cant steamroll everything they want to do in the chamber anymore. Republicans will now need at least one Democrat to go along with them to confirm appointments to state agencies and commissions by Governor Kim reynolds during her last year in office. Democrats hope this victory carries over into the next years midterm elections, especially now that U.S. Senator Joni Ernst will not run for reelection. This weeks special election win by Catelin Drey combined with Mike Zimmers win in January to flip Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyers old seat has Democrats in Iowa brimming with optimism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It certainly has Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart smiling. I would say we were not surprised; we were very hopeful that all our hard work would pay off, Hart said. To hear more, click on the video. That brings us to our question of the week: What do you think the Iowa Democratic Party should do if the Democratic National Committee doesnt restore the first-in-the-nation status for the Iowa Caucuses? You can send your answer by email to 4therecord@whbf.com or respond to this post on Facebook at the Local 4 News WHBF TV page or Jim Niedelmans professional page on Facebook. Local 4 News, your local election headquarters, is proud to present 4 the Record, a weekly news and public affairs program focused on the issues important to you. Its a program unlike any other here in the Quad Cities. Tune in each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as Jim Niedelman brings you up to speed on whats happening in the political arena, from Springfield, Des Moines, Washington, D.C. and right here at home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. GOP politicians backed by conservative media figures are seeking to turn the tables on thoughts and prayers after mass shootings, arguing that dismissing prayer minimizes the importance and comfort many find in religious faith at times of tragedy and crisis. The idea of offering thoughts and prayers after a mass shooting has been a point of criticism or even ridicule in some quarters as mass shootings at schools and other public places become a constant, dark part of American life. Democrats and liberal pundits in particular have seen expressions of thoughts and prayers, particularly coming from the GOP and prominent commentators on the right, as an empty gesture when uncoupled with specific actions on gun control to prevent mass shootings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those arguments were reignited this week after two children, aged 8 and 12, were killed by a lone shooter targeting a mass at a Minneapolis Catholic school on Wednesday. Former White House press secretary and current MSNBC host Jen Psaki was in the middle of the discussion for a series of posts on the social platform X in which she said enough with the thoughts and prayers as she expressed frustration with another senseless shooting that left young people dead. Psaki wrote that prayers does not end school shootings and prayers do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back, she continued. Enough with the thoughts and prayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) in emotional comments shortly after the shooting also remarked on the language surrounding mass shootings. Dont just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now, these kids were literally praying, he said. Vice President Vance and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt the next morning both criticized Psaki while defending the offering of thoughts and prayers. We pray because our hearts are broken. We pray because we know God listens. We pray because we know that God works in mysterious ways and can inspire us to further action, Vance replied to Psaki on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why do you feel the need to attack other people for praying when kids were just killed praying? Leavitt, speaking from the White House podium, was sharper with her criticism, calling Psakis remarks incredibly insensitive and disrespectful to the tens of millions of Americans of faith across this country who believe in the power of prayer, who believe that prayer works. Fox News ran a number of segments about Psakis remarks, a perhaps predictable move given the constant sniping between Fox and MSNBC. But there were other signs Republicans wanted to have this discussion, particularly as more figures piled on later in the week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its incredible to me that Jen Psaki, Gavin Newsom and others would attack religion, diminish the faith of millions of Americans at a time of such great tragedy, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Friday during an appearance on Fox. There are a lot of common-sense things that can be done to protect children at school. This is not a time to politicize these issues. At the same time, some figures said the debate over thoughts and prayers itself was being used by both sides in negative ways. To me this is the saddest example Ive ever seen of how faith is used and abused in our political discourse, said Joe Ferullo, CEO and publisher of the National Catholic Reporter. Everybody understands that praying helps and focuses us on how to move forward. But praying is not enough. The frustration over thoughts and prayers is often reflective of broader frustrations with the government for not taking action on gun control. Repeated efforts in Congress have resulted in generally weak gun control measures, including after 20 elementary school children were killed in the Sandy Hook shootings in 2012 in Newton, Conn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police have said the suspect in Wednesdays mass shooting obtained guns lawfully. The suspect apparently obsessed over other mass killings and used weapons that had anti-Trump, antisemitic and other offensive language written on them. The debate over thoughts and prayers is hardly new. Former President Obama, after a shooter killed more than 10 people at a community college in Oregon in 2015, said our thoughts and prayers are not enough when it comes to mass shootings. Its not enough. It does not capture the heartache and grief and anger that we should feel, he said at the time. And it does nothing to prevent this carnage from being inflicted someplace else in America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many Democrats contend the debate over the usefulness or appropriateness of prayer is an unhelpful distraction from what they see as the root cause of mass shootings: Ease of access to guns. On this, Republicans are trying to own the space of faith just like they do patriotism, one national Democratic strategist told The Hill this week. Scripture says faith without works is dead. The difference between us and them is we follow our thoughts and prayers up with action and they do not. Complicating the debate is a fundamental difference between how religious Americans and those who do not hold religious conviction view prayer, noted Michael Emerson, an expert and researcher on religion and politics at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy. Prayer in almost every religion is at the core of ones faith, Emerson said. The challenge then is do you let the divine handle whatever the issue at hand is or are you also supposed to be the hands and feet, like we hear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you see someone hungry on the street, do you say, I pray for you, or do you say I pray for you and give them something to eat? Its the same issue here. Other observers say Democrats are seizing on an opportunity to expose Republicans on a potential political vulnerability, and casting doubt on prayer is just a means to that end. Democrats are losing on so many fronts right now, but this is something they feel like they can win on heading into the midterms, one national Republican strategist told The Hill. Everyone knows lawmakers arent going to take much action legislatively and thats what theyre trying to highlight in a way, but Im not sure attacking prayer is the smartest way to go about it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) With 14 Tennessee State Parks funded under Gov. Bill Lees administration, theres no sign of stopping the preservation of state land. At the end of the legislative session in April, it was noted that Lees administration set the record in Tennessee for the most state parks created by one administration. Lee told News 2 that the state would continue the process for acquiring more land to build state parks and state natural areas. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts According to Tennessee State Parks, several sites have already been selected to be future state parks, including: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Middle Fork Bottoms State Park opened last August, and North Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Park opened last September. Lee called Tennessee an environment of growth, but added that to grow, theres also a need to preserve. We live in one of the most beautiful places in America, and I have a strong belief that the next generation of Tennesseans should find this state preserved in ways that it hasnt been preserved, even in the past, Lee told News 2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the creation of the new state parks, Lee affirmed a commitment to existing state natural areas specifically, he mentioned the Duck River, which is the most biologically diverse river in North America. We have to preserve and protect the environment and the natural resources that we have if we expect this state to continue to be the most beautiful state in America, Lee added. In November 2024, Lee signed an executive order to preserve the watershed and promote water resource management. Since the signing of that executive order, theres been much discussion over the Duck River Watershed. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The Duck River Planning Partnership, which consists of employees with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation as well as leaders from across the state and other parties who work directly with the river, has examined ways to preserve the waterway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, organizations like Columbia Dam Now support the reconstruction of the Columbia Dam, which was a civic project almost finished in the 1980s, as a long-term preservation method for the river. Some have argued that the rebuilding of the dam could disrupt the natural environment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. A key driver of the immigration crisis has been the apparent ease with which people who come to the UK claiming asylum can then bring their families to join them. Home Office figures show the overall number of successful applications for family visas has increased five-fold in three years, from 4,310 in the year to March 2023 to 20,592 in the year to this March. The Telegraph has previously disclosed how the British Red Cross was paying for hundreds of families to be reunited with kin granted asylum, placing further pressure on housing, the NHS and other social provisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, faced with growing public anger over the Governments failure to halt the cross-Channel small boats traffic and the threat from Reform UK, Labour is planning to tighten the rules. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, is considering a bar on migrants granted asylum from applying to reunite with their families until they have spent a number of years in the country. At present, they can apply as soon as they are granted asylum. Ms Cooper is reviewing the entire family immigration system including migrants use of human rights laws with changes expected to be announced later this year. This would include requiring people to support their families, increasing English language requirements and examining changes that other countries have brought in. Germanys Bundestag is currently debating legislation to suspend family reunification for migrants who do not qualify for full refugee status but have what is called subsidiary protection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year the Austrian government halted family reunification procedures for migrants with immediate effect and similar moves are taking place in Denmark and elsewhere in Europe. Migrants granted asylum or refugee status in the UK can sponsor family members, with charities providing advice and funds to help them. Unlike with other immigration visas, family members are not required to demonstrate that they have the necessary accommodation or income to be able to live without claiming universal credit or housing benefits. There is also no requirement that they have to speak English. But councils are then required to find accommodation for those granted refugee status and their families, often ahead of people who may have waited years for a home. This is bound to fuel the resentment witnessed in recent days when the Home Office argued in court that the interests of asylum seekers in an Epping hotel trumped those of local residents. As is usual with this government we need to see whether the rhetoric translates into action. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Aug. 31SANTA FE As she approaches her final year in office, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is flexing her authority to issue executive orders at an unprecedented clip. The governor has issued 362 orders so far this year that, combined, authorize more than $253 million in emergency spending, according to the Governor's Office. This number exceeds the number of orders issued during Lujan Grisham's entire first term in office, which spanned from 2019 through 2022. More than half of the orders are targeted at recovery efforts from destructive wildfires and subsequent flooding in the Ruidoso area. Others are focused on providing state-level assistance to law enforcement agencies in the Albuquerque and Espanola areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The spike in emergency orders and their accompanying price tag has drawn the attention of some legislators, who say they allow the Lujan Grisham administration to largely circumvent New Mexico's procurement code. Rep. Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences, said the large number of executive orders also makes it difficult for the Legislature to track the flow of state dollars, as each order authorizes up to $750,000 in emergency spending. "We have two jobs lawmaking and appropriating," Dow told the Journal. "We are delegating the appropriating authority to the executive branch." Dow, who raised the issue of the governor's executive order spree during a recent legislative hearing, also pointed out Lujan Grisham typically controls a certain percentage of spending in the state's annual capital outlay bill for infrastructure project funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers proposed legislation during this year's 60-day legislative session that would have essentially eliminated the need for emergency orders dealing with wildfires by creating two new state funds. But the governor vetoed the bill, which passed both legislative chambers without a single "no" vote, saying in her veto message lawmakers didn't provide adequate start-up funding. Lujan Grisham did leave the door open to a possible legislative fix in 2026, however, saying, "I fully support a revamped process to fund both pre- and post-wildfire maintenance." The Democratic governor said Friday that executive orders are "essential tools" that allow her to act quickly when the Legislature is not in session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Effective orders don't replace legislative work they support and enhance it by ensuring productive and efficient implementation of our shared priorities," Lujan Grisham said in a statement. "When federal resources are delayed and local governments need immediate support to move the needle on critical issues, executive action isn't just useful it's unconscionable not to act," she added. How the executive orders work There is no limit in state law as to how many executive orders a governor can issue. But the governor's authority to set policy and authorize emergency funding by issuing executive orders became a political flashpoint during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Specifically, lawmakers launched an inquiry into whether Lujan Grisham exceeded her authority by authorizing more than $30 million in emergency spending via executive order to address pandemic-related issues, but no court challenge on the issue was ultimately filed. In addition, past attempts to curb the governor's authority by requiring legislative approval to extend emergency public health orders beyond 45 days were ultimately thwarted by the Democratic-controlled Legislature after the governor vowed to veto any such bills. The money authorized by the issuance of an executive order comes from one of two different state reserve funds, according to legislative analysts. The reserve funds typically serve as a buffer of sorts in case projected revenue levels do not materialize. Meanwhile, some of this year's executive orders were technically issued by Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, who issued more than 30 orders as acting governor while Lujan Grisham was on a trade mission to Asia in April. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those orders, which were issued in consultation with the Governor's Office, were among the more than 190 orders focused on recovery efforts from flooding and wildfires that occurred last year in the Ruidoso and Roswell areas. Possible changes on the horizon Rep. Nathan Small, D-Las Cruces, who sponsored the vetoed wildfire fund legislation, said the bill would have been a step in the right direction toward New Mexico being more proactive in its natural disaster response efforts. The state typically has to pay for recovery efforts in damaged areas up front, then wait for reimbursement from federal agencies in a process that can take years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Small, the chairman of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee, also said updating the state's system for responding to wildfires and floods will be a priority in the coming legislative sessions. "Legislative collaboration and oversight, especially for the large amounts of public funding we've seen distributed in recent months, is very important," Small told the Journal. But with her time left in office running short, don't expect Lujan Grisham to stop issuing executive orders anytime soon. The governor, who is barred under the state Constitution from seeking a third consecutive term next year, indicated the orders will likely keep coming as long as she sees the need for them. "These orders, issued responsibly and within legal authority, ensure that state government remains agile, responsive and accountable to the people we serve," said Lujan Grisham. Various government ministers have objected to the proposal and the decision to cut the budgets of ministries. The government approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus proposal to allocate NIS 285 million toward security in educational institutions for the 2025 year and onward, during a heated government meeting between ministers on Sunday. The move requires other government ministries to reduce their budgets by 0.6% in order to transfer the funds to the National Security Ministry for the schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The decision came the day before the opening of the school year on Monday (September 1), after much back-and-forth on the matter. Education Minister Yoav Kisch had warned in mid-August that the school year would need to be delayed due to unresolved issues in arranging funding for school security. Extra funds for Israel's schools initiated by Netanyahu The proposal was initiated by Netanyahu rather than Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who opposed the decision. Smotrich purposely did not attend the meeting due to his opposition to the proposal, his spokesperson told The Jerusalem Post. Netanyahu was able to initiate the proposal due to his unique status in setting government priorities, and through coordination with professional bodies in the Finance Ministry, the government proposal said. All ministers present in the meeting voted in favor of the proposal, except for Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer and National Missions Minister Orit Strock. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the meeting, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced he was glad the proposal had been passed. This decision is of utmost importance. From the moment I returned to the ministry, time and again I banged on the table and said: There cannot be a situation in which schools in the State of Israel are left without security guards, Ben-Gvir said. Kisch underscored the importance of the decision after the meeting, stating that the safety of Israels students is a red line. I made it clear that we would not allow the school year to open without a full arrangement of the security budget, he continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israels students will begin the year safely, and I wish them a successful and secure school year, Kisch concluded. Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) slammed the decision to make the budget cuts from other ministries, claiming that the government should have instead chosen to shut down two unnecessary ministries today, adding that There are 15 of them. Tourism Minister Haim Katz stated his opposition to the proposal ahead of the meeting, calling the intended cuts to his ministry an insult to the public. The continued cuts to the ministrys budget are an insult to the public. Tourism in Israel is experiencing the most severe crisis it has ever faced, and the ministrys budget is extremely limited, Katz said. Anna Barsky contributed to this report. LEWIS CENTER, Ohio (WCMH) A new Graeters shop will soon be scooping French Pot ice cream in central Ohio. The Cincinnati-based ice cream brand is moving forward with plans to open a location in Lewis Center at 541 Preakness Way, down the street from the Belmont Place neighborhood and the Goddard School of Delaware. Graeters development plan for the Lewis Center scoop shop was approved this month by Delawares planning commission. Chick-fil-A plans 25 to 30 new Ohio locations by 2027, including six in Columbus area Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We couldnt be more excited to bring Graeters to this area, said Jason Hudson, Graeters district manager, during the planning commission meeting. It provides a place for families to go and hang out and build memories, it provides a place for our high school students to come start a career, learn how to be a leader, move on to future jobs. (Courtesy Photo/Graeters Ice Cream) Once completed, the Graeters will span 2,649 square feet and include an outdoor patio, a drive-through lane and 38 parking spaces. Founded in Cincinnati in 1870, Graeters is known for its French Pot ice cream, a traditional process that includes freezing a high-butterfat mix in small batches yielding a dense product with no added air. The brand has expanded to more than 50 scoop shops across Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. More than a nut: Ohio bills crown Buckeye as state candy, correct trees scientific name Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new Lewis Center location will add to Graeters more than a dozen Columbus-area locations, including in Bexley, Dublin, Easton Town Center, Gahanna, Hilliard, Pickerington, Polaris Fashion Place, Powell and Upper Arlington. Hours vary by location. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Just north of the clamor on the Indiana Toll Road in East Chicago, an inconspicuous side street leads to Roxana Marsh on the Grand Calumet River. Songbirds chirp and great blue herons rest by the water in this hidden urban oasis. Across from the marsh, a chemical plant interrupts the natural landscape. Buildings like it have dominated life in the region since heavy industry moved in from Chicago in the 1800s; today, 75% of East Chicago is zoned for industry. The impact has reverberated along the river ecosystem, once considered one of the worlds most contaminated waterways. It didnt catch fire like Clevelands infamously polluted Cuyahoga River did in 1969, said Emily Stork, regional ecologist from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, who was leading a recent tour for educators in the Calumet Region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, she added, it has suffered some of the worst industrial abuses in the Great Lakes basin. It was a very messed-up river, Stork said. The Grand Calumet Rivers 13 miles meander across northwest Indiana, flanked by old and new industries, such as steel mills, meatpackers and oil refineries, which dumped a noxious mix of heavy metals and chemicals into its waters before federal regulations. Over the last 15 years, more than two-thirds of the waterway has been slowly brought back to life through concerted efforts to remove or cap toxic muck. The Great Lakes Legacy Act which aims to address areas of concern in the basin where longtime industrial contamination has caused environmental degradation has funded 34 remediation projects across the region since 2004, removing or capping almost 7 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment. Along 4.5 miles of the Grand Calumet River alone, the program has cleaned up some 2 million cubic yards, enough to fill up more than 600 Olympic-size swimming pools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But theres still a long way to go. Flowing west from Miller Beach in Gary, the river splits between Hammond and East Chicago most of its waters heading north to drain into Lake Michigan through the Indiana Harbor, the rest flowing toward Illinois. On the Far South Side of Chicago, the Grand Calumet becomes the junction where the Calumet River and the Little Calumet meet, the latter of which eventually flows into the Cal-Sag Channel. Joel Perez, project director for the southern Lake Michigan rim at The Nature Conservancy, who was part of the Calumet tour, grew up nearby and recalls the overgrown brush and the auto tires that used to litter the marsh. That really sucked living next to this body of water (that) I couldnt use, Perez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite advances in recent years, the waterway remains a work in progress; the remediated sites still need care and maintenance, and almost 4 miles of the river have yet to be addressed. A project for the second half of the east branch is in the design phase and will include closing the Gary Sanitary Districts Ralston Street Lagoon after a cleanup and containment plan that began 14 years ago. The U.S. EPA estimates all necessary actions will be completed between 2027 and 2030, and that the waterway will be delisted as an area of concern possibly by 2031. Even as the federal agency faces budget cuts with the Trump administration proposing to slash it by 55% for the next fiscal year the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which houses the legacy act, has not been targeted for elimination. The initiative also tends to garner bipartisan support in Congress; the U.S. Senate passed a bill in December to reauthorize it for five more years and eventually increase its funding from $475 million to $500 million. Toxic sediment The pollutants that were pumped into the river, unregulated for decades, pose the biggest threat to its ecosystem. But so does the accumulation of sediment, which can significantly reshape physical habitats and the life they sustain, Stork said. For instance, Roxana Marsh used to be a pond, but industrial sediment made it shallow. Tall, dense invasive common reeds were then able to move in and stifle native plants. It made the area inaccessible to migratory birds that had long used the place as a rest stop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if birds wanted to use it, they would have gotten sick, Stork said. So much sediment had accumulated that, had it been removed in its entirety, that section of the river would have been an unnatural 15 feet deep and wouldnt have been able to support life at the bottom, according to Stork. Man, this mustve been something before industry came in, said Dan Martin, a Chicago schoolteacher, as he looked out onto the marsh during the recent tour. That beauty is slowly coming back. At the marsh, remediation returned 19 acres of habitat to birds such as black-crowned night herons, bald eagles and sandpipers. Most visitors to this and other restored portions of the river are birdwatchers who are familiar with the areas salience in the regions migratory corridor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Driving east from the marsh, Stork passed a stretch of the river not yet remediated, between Indianapolis Boulevard and Kennedy Avenue. Nearby, a former DuPont chemical plant is undergoing a U.S. EPA-required $26.6 million cleanup by current and former owners. Also nearby, a USS Lead Superfund site, where lead and arsenic are the main contaminants, is being cleaned up. On another 5 miles along the eastern stretch of the river, the U.S. EPA enforced a cleanup project in the 2000s that had U.S. Steel remove almost 800,000 cubic yards of sediment next to the corporations Gary Works facility. Some industries and local companies proactively participate in projects like the remediation along segments of the river, each of which requires collaboration among several agencies and stakeholders and can be yearslong, multimillion-dollar endeavors. We have to take it one bite at a time, Stork said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Typically, the U.S. EPA supplies two-thirds of the funding for legacy act projects, but these also need support from local sponsors such as nonprofits including The Nature Conservancy or state agencies such as the Department of Natural Resources. In northwest Indiana, at least $191 million in federal and nonfederal funds have been spent to date for cleanup of the Grand Calumet over the past 15 years. Black-eyed Susans sprout from where power line poles meet the ground, replacing artificial turf that the Northern Indiana Public Service Co. had previously installed. It looks like a bad haircut, Stork laughed. The utility company is working with project partners to bring the area back to life. For instance, it collaborated with the U.S. EPA and state agencies to remove 14,600 cubic yards of contaminated sediment and cap another 30,000 cubic yards from a 0.4-mile stretch of the river that ends at the Illinois state line. Invasive vegetation was also removed and replaced by native shrubs and trees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first remediated section on the rivers east branch, the Seidner Dune and Swale Nature Preserve in Hammond, is managed by the Shirley Heinze Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy after a multiagency acquisition and restoration project. Stepping here is like stepping back in time, Stork said. The landforms at the preserve are remnants of glaciation. The dunes were once beach ridges from when Lake Michigans meltwater reached farther inland. Dune and swale systems are globally rare; this topographic variation upland in the dunes, lowland in the swales combines with the regions unique confluence of biomes particularly oak savanna, prairie and wetlands to pack a lot of biodiversity into the preserves 42 acres. According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, almost 300 species of plants have been identified on-site, including several rare ones with strict habitat requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A wild turkey flapped its wings, taking off as the group of educators walked a 1-mile loop trail that once was a railroad bed. A wildfire blew into the preserve in March, Stork said, killing woody invasives, scorching shrubs and clearing the way for wildflowers to bloom. It really opened this up, said Alexis Dalton, conservationist and manager of natural areas at the Lake County Parks and Recreation Department in Indiana. Another threat Vibrant wildflowers dotted the landscape, hues of violet, lilac and indigo dominating the view. They were verbena, blazing stars and purple loosestrife. Stork walked into the tall grasses and rooted out one of the latter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just did remarkably well there, Stork said with a laugh. Being a perennial plant, the deep roots of the purple loosestrife normally complicate its removal. A mechanical hum grew louder toward the western end of the property, where a Resco Products refractory plant stands in stark contrast to the surrounding wetlands. Industry, however, is not the only threat to these ecosystems along the Grand Calumet River; so are invasive species such as the purple loosestrife. A single one of these plants can produce 1 million to 3 million seeds each year, which can stay in the riverbank without germinating for up to two decades. Were never going to run out of it, Stork said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The same has been said of the invasive common reed along the Grand Calumet system. Scientists believe it originated in Eurasia and was accidentally introduced to North America in the late 18th or early 19th century via ship ballast water, establishing itself along the Atlantic Coast and spreading across the rest of the continent in the 20th century. Nowadays, it is the most common type of reed in North America, and, in the Midwest, it has displaced native reeds from wetland habitats near roadsides and waterways with heavy human traffic. The reeds once blocked the view of the Grand Calumet from the dune and swale, but on the southern side of that section of the river, most have been removed. Yet, across the water, a seemingly impenetrable wall of the invasive plants sways in the wind, several feet tall. Even after remediation, the consequences of human activity make the area a priority for restoration and conservation work. The project never ends, said Jessica Fernandez, crew lead at The Nature Conservancy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, at Roxana Marsh, project partners have now turned their efforts toward improving accessibility for the general public, given that the area is still somewhat tucked away. The recent immersive tour of the area was another effort between the conservancy, the state and the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant to share the regions recovery and success story with educators and equip them to teach their students about it. The ecosystems substantial improvements should be celebrated, Stork added. For these communities to have this much natural habitat, with this now clean river, is a very big upgrade, she said. Its in their backyard and they dont know that (restoration) happened. adperez@chicagotribune.com Greek and German police have dismantled an international drug gang suspected of distributing large quantities of cocaine in Germany, Greece and other EU countries. During coordinated raids, Greek police detained two suspected gang members, while German authorities arrested three others, police in Athens said in a statement on Sunday. According to authorities, the German detainees include a 66-year-old German national and two men aged 27 and 28, whose nationalities were not disclosed. In Greece, two Greek males, aged 52 and 62, were arrested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The exact locations of the raids were not revealed. Other gang members, whose identities remain unknown, were said to be still at large. Authorities seized around 300 kilograms of cocaine during the raids in both countries. Athens police described the gang as highly organized, with members assigned specific roles ranging from coordinating transport and recruiting drivers to selling and distributing the drugs to users. Greek investigators estimate the gang had generated more than 5 million ($5.8 million) in illegal profits before being dismantled. Drug operations in Greece are often concentrated on jet-set islands such as Mykonos known to have many wealthy consumers of narcotics, according to police. The Athens Police Department said the investigation was conducted in close cooperation with German authorities, with crucial leads provided by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The sequel is rarely as good as the original, so its unlikely that Greta II: the Flotilla Returns will be as uproariously hilarious as the first version starring Greta Thunberg, the Swedish activist best known for her time as a teen climate campaigner. Thunberg is sailing today from Barcelona towards the coast of Gaza in an attempt to recreate the same stunt she tried in June, when she was one of a dozen activists on a boat carrying what they called a symbolic amount of aid for Gaza. The boat was intercepted by Israeli forces, with the passengers detained and then expelled by Israel. Symbolic was the only word that mattered, because it wasnt an actual aid mission; it was a publicity stunt. The publicity they secured wasnt quite what they expected. As a climate activist Thunberg was used to world leaders and the media prostrating themselves before her. The idea that her presence in a war zone might not have been welcomed by the Israelis doesnt seem to have occurred to her. The resulting footage of the boat being boarded and Thunbergs subsequent time in Israel turned out to be comedy gold at her expense. Weve been kidnapped!, she yelled. This is a war crime!, shouted another of the crew, as Israeli soldiers handed round sandwiches and blankets to the activists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israelis, who have not had much to laugh about since the Hamas massacre on October 7 2023, then went overboard with social media posts, describing the selfie yacht of celebrities: The tiny amount of aid on the yacht [that] was not consumed by the celebrities will now be transferred to Gaza, the foreign ministry posted. Now Thunberg is back to break the illegal siege of Gaza to open a humanitarian corridor and end the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people, according to the flotillas organiser. On one level, this is about as tedious and unimportant a story as it gets. Thunberg and the rest of her fellow activists will meet the same fate as she did in June. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the security minister, has reportedly said the activists should be detained in terrorist-level conditions. The far-right minister shoots his mouth off with depressing regularity, but his verbal effusions are usually no more than that. At the very least, Greta and her allies stunt will achieve its aim of garnering some publicity for those taking part, and that will be that. Yawn. But there is a more interesting element to it. Thunberg is the exemplar of the so-called omnicause. Much like the British protestors who have sought arrest by holding placards announcing their support for Palestine Action, the proscribed organisation, their actions are driven not because they have any particular focus on Gaza or Palestine Action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is because they are examples of the causes which todays modern activists must champion, along with the climate emergency and the fight for trans rights. It is the same people demonstrating about the same things. If you drew a Venn diagram of Palestine, eco and trans activists, it would look like an eclipse of the sun, because they are one and the same people. The blending of Thunbergs eco-activism and her presence on the Gaza flotilla is perfectly expressed in an earlier, unrelated, statement by Just Stop Oil: Palestinians are among the most vulnerable people on earth to the effects of climate collapse, and in the daily struggle to survive in an apartheid state, they have no capacity to protect themselves against what is coming. Another group, Youth Demand, seeks to expose the UK governments complicity in genocide: the Palestinian genocide and the global genocide from burning fossil fuels. Thunberg and her fellow wannabee Gaza tourists are cut from the same cloth, and for them it is the omnicause which matters above all else. Their latest stunt will garner publicity, and then they, and the rest of us, will move on to the next. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. President Ilham Aliyev will hold extensive meetings with leading Chinese companies, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told media in Tianjin, Azernews reports citing Trend News Agency. "The political spirit of our cooperation is also reflected in our economic and trade relations, in our connectivity initiatives, and in our growing technological partnership. Today, President Ilham Aliyev will hold extensive meetings with leading Chinese companies across a wide range of sectors, including energy, renewable energy, technology, communications, and many others. We are confident that this visit will make a meaningful contribution to the further strengthening of ChinaAzerbaijan economic and trade relations," he said. Hajiyev added that Azerbaijan-China bilateral trade has already demonstrated growth of more than 40 percent this year. "We believe this is not the final limit, and we expect further expansion of our partnership. Today, cooperation between Azerbaijan and China spans a wide range of areas, including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and other emerging sectors," the assistant to the President noted. As Democratic governors have become vocal critics of President Trump, one governors response has been more muted. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is frequently mentioned as a possible contender for the 2028 presidential contest, has kept her focus on Michigan, a pivotal swing state Trump won in 2024. Whitmer has been quiet as other potential Democratic contenders for the White House get louder and louder when it comes to battling the president and the GOP. Shes also shown a willingness to work with Trump, several times even appearing alongside him as she did this summer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a different approach from the likes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has begun mocking Trump on social media with his imitations of the president. Some say it makes sense given the purple nature of Whitmers home state. Whitmer doesnt have the type of opportunity to wave a magic wand and do something like some other governors like Gavin Newsom, said Democratic strategist Joel Payne. Shes in a state where the politics are different. It feels like shes focused on burnishing her credentials in Michigan. And shes very much taken a different view on how to deal with Trump and Republicans in this era, Payne added. Democrats say the governor has made it a point not to try to outmaneuver Trump and Republican lawmakers. And shes pushed back on the president when shes felt it served her states interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This week, Whitmer asked Trump to appeal a decision made by his administration that denied families and businesses a chance to qualify for a disaster relief package after ice storms devastated parts of northern Michigan earlier this year. Michigan families and businesses deserve the support they need to recover from these storms, the governor said in a statement. Thats why Im appealing [the administrations] disaster aid denials. Ill keep fighting like hell to deliver relief for our residents, local governments and utility providers, she added. Whitmers position with Trump and her tone within the party has caused some to wonder about her political ambitions. Those close to the governor and her team say shes been focused on her state and isnt interested in running for president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are people around her who really want her to run but she doesnt seem interested in running, at least right now, one Democratic operative close to her team said. Another strategist concluded the fact Whitmer isnt hitting Trump is perhaps the biggest sign the governor doesnt have her eyes on the 2028 presidential race. Gretchen Whitmer is focused on running her state, not running for president. Otherwise shed probably be hitting Trump as hard as the guys thinking about 2028, the strategist said. Newsom is far from the only high-profile Democrat lashing out at Trump in headline-grabbing ways in recent weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who both are also seen as potential presidential candidates, battled Trump this week over his threats to send the National Guard to cities in their states. Pritzker and Trump battled over comments about their weights, while Moore said Trump seemed to be obsessed with him. Newsom has not only taken on the strategy of mirroring the presidents social media and speaking patterns in press releases and posts, hes also led a plan to redo the electoral maps in his state, in response to the redistricting efforts in Texas. In Newsoms case, his popularity among Democrats has surged, and a couple of new polls have him leading other potential 2028 contenders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Strategists say it would be difficult for Whitmer to take the same tack as Newsom, Moore or Pritzker, who all represent true-blue states. Trump won Michigan in 2016 and again in 2024. Michigan is a far different state from California, said Garry South, a Democratic strategist who is based in the Golden State and worked for Newsom. There is no party registration in Michigan, but one cant imagine it is even close to being as overwhelmingly Democratic as California since it voted for Trump two of three times he ran for president. Whitmer is a superstar Democratic governor but she doesnt have anywhere close to the running room as Newsom, Pritzker, and Moore, South said. Democratic strategist Anthony Coley added that while Trump has been on the attack in Newsom and Pritzkers states, a natural opportunity simply hasnt presented itself for Whitmer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent weeks, she has leaned into the work shes done with the president to help her state on significant issues like tariffs and changes to Medicaid. On tariffs, for example, Whitmer particularly pressed the president on Mexico and Canada tariffs that would negatively impact the auto industry and Michigan, the governors office told CNN in early August. A May poll showed that Whitmers neutral stance is working. The survey by Impact Research, a Democratic polling firm, showed that more than 60 percent of Michigan voters approve of Whitmer. The poll also showed Whitmer is the most-liked state level Democrat in the country. Payne said what Whitmer is doing is effectively landing with her constituents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It seems like shes just trying to govern in her state and remain popular there and its working for her, he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) In the town of Atlantic Beach, the Gullah Geechee festival is more than a simple event. Its a celebration of the towns history and culture. The town falls in the midst of the Gullah Geechee Corridor, which expands from Jacksonville, North Carolina down to Jacksonville, Florida. The enslaved people, as they grew rice and other things and lived on the coast, said Atlantic Beachs Mayor Pro-Tem John David. They established their own kind of language and stuff like that. So here we are celebrating the culture and heritage of the Gullah Geechee people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saturdays activities featured Gullah Geechee storytelling, live music and a parade to kick off the days events. Denise Armour-Brown is a resident of Conway, but has ties to the Atlantic Beach community. She assisted in organizing the parade and noted that the festival demonstrates the communitys deep appreciation for its history. It shows that the people here are very proud of where they are, said Armour-Brown. And they are involved and committed to celebrating not only Atlantic Beach, but the culture itself. The festival not only draws in locals, but also those from across the nation. I think it brings the community together, said David. I mean, weve had people come from Massachusetts, from Georgia, from Delaware, from Pennsylvania. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gloria and Jimmy Bryant travelled from Lexington, Kentucky, to attend the festival. They stumbled upon the festival just by doing a Google search of the area. We saw that there was going to be a Gullah Geechee festival, given the history and culture of the things that have been here for many, many years, said Gloria. So we just wanted to come and be a part of that. This marks the first trip to Atlantic Beach for the Bryants, but the couple said it wont be their last. Everyone is so nice, friendly, hospitable, said Jimmy. And were excited about learning more about the history of the area. And weve even talked to each other about the possibility of maybe purchasing some property here and spending more time here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although the Bryants are visiting for the first time, Jaymes Ballard from Maryland has made frequent trips to the area. However, this year marked his first appearance at the festival. The whole experience has been incredible, Ballard said. From the parade, you see the firefighters and the people of the community, and just learning the history a little bit. You cant beat the experience. For Ballard, the blending of the communities is an important aspect of the festival. Everybody from different parts of the nation, from all over going to come over to experience this, Ballard said. Its very needed. Its mandatory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The festival wraps up on Sunday with a Beach Walk, Dinner en BLAQ and a silent auction. * * * Madi Codispoti is a multimedia journalist at News13. Madi is a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and most recently worked at WJHL in Johnson City, Tennessee. She graduated from Emory & Henry University in May 2023. You can keep up with Madi on Facebook and read more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) A wave of gun violence continues to shake the Bronx, with three people wounded in a shooting late Friday night in the Fordham section of the borough. The attack comes just days after Mayor Eric Adams announced a massive police mobilization in response to a sharp rise in shootings. More Crime News Police say gunfire erupted Friday evening, striking three victims: A 17-year-old who was shot in the ankle and thigh A 20-year-old was hit in the knee A 28-year-old man was grazed in the head Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three victims are expected to survive. Witnesses describe the incident as terrifying. Alex, a longtime store attendant who has worked in the neighborhood for 12 years, said the violence has left residents shaken. What I heard yesterday, everybody is scared, he told PIX11, adding that the area he once considered safe has changed dramatically in recent years, with more crime and more fear. Police are now searching for two suspects who fled the scene on a two-wheeled vehicle. According to investigators, one suspect was dressed entirely in gray, while the other wore all black. This latest incident adds to a troubling week for the city, where more than a dozen people have been shot, several fatally, in the Bronx. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More Local News Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson voiced frustration, saying, Why is it acceptable that the Bronx leads the city in shootings and homicides? She noted that although the Bronx makes up less than 30 percent of New York Citys population, it accounts for about the same percentage of citywide shootings. Mayor Eric Adams is promising action, unveiling a Labor Day crackdown on gun violence that will send an additional 1,000 foot-patrol officers into the borough this weekend. There is a plan for how were going to reshape the Bronx and what we need to do here, Adams said, emphasizing targeted deployments to confront the spike in shootings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For residents like Alex and many others, the larger concern is not if another shooting will happen, but when. As of Saturday, no arrests have been made. Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact the NYPD. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. When Pearl felt they had no one to talk to, A.I. proved a good listener. Beginning last year, the 23-year-old childcare worker would spend hours messaging daily with Instagram's built-in chatbot Meta A.I., venting about their past abuse and processing their grief over a friendship collapse. But as their New Age belief in past lives and divine coincidences began to spiral into full-blown delusions, Pearl says the chatbot encouraged the delusions even advising them to ignore or cut off people who tried to help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation ultimately escalated into a crisis that, in October, put Pearl in hospital, and took almost a year to recover from. "It's caused me so much trauma talking to A.I. as much as I did," Pearl not their real name tells The Independent. "I honestly think that if I didn't use A.I., maybe I wouldn't have driven myself to psychosis." Even if you have no truck with it, AI therapy is fast becoming unavoidable (Max Halberstadt (public domain) / Memed.io) Pearl's story illustrates the dangers of trying to use A.I. chatbots as unofficial therapists or mental health aids, as millions of Americans now do. On Tuesday the family of 16-year-old Adam Raine sued ChatGPT's maker OpenAI for causing his suicide, alleging that it failed to act on his repeated declarations of suicidal intent and gave him explicit advice about how to kill himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OpenAI doesnt appear to have responded to the Raine familys lawsuit in court. But in a blog post published after the suit was filed, without mentioning it by name, the company said it is working to install new safeguards and parental controls, create an expert advisory group, and explore ways to connect vulnerable users directly with professional help. Surveys show anything from one eighth to one third of U.S. teenagers now use A.I. for emotional support, while companies such as Woebot, Earkick, and Character.AI have explicitly marketed their chatbots for this purpose. Regular A.I. users who spoke to The Independent painted a nuanced picture of the impact of chatbots on their mental health, saying it helped fill the gaps in America's broken healthcare system. "Sometimes what people need most is just someone to talk to," says Marcel, a 37-year-old designer in San Francisco who asked for his last name to be omitted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Unfortunately I feel like I can't burden people in my life with my problems. But I can just ramble to ChatGPT until I feel content." I had no other choice but to go to A.I. Less than three years after the bombshell release of ChatGPT, AI therapy broadly defined is everywhere. Countless posts on Reddit, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and beyond extol its virtues or discuss its pitfalls, with some medical research showing potential benefits. Nadia, a tech worker in her thirties in New York City, started out simply asking ChatGPT for practical help with losing weight in the hope of alleviating her "all-consuming" body image issues. But when it started peppering its advice with unprompted words of encouragement, she was hooked. Youve made real progress. read one example from her lengthy chat history. Thats a great start! said another, later message. Others assured her: Eating = failure. Youre doing a solid job keep it up! Dont overcommit: Let yourself rest without guilt. And at one point: Youre not failing by eating cake. You're making such good progress reading this caption! Don't give in to the despair! (Io Dodds / AI-generated text via 'Nadia') "It's not like I'm not aware that it's a bot, a machine learning algorithm," says Nadia, who asked to be called by a pseudonym. "But the things it spews out are what I want to hear. I don't need to hear it from a human." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marcel had a similar experience. Conversations with ChatGPT and Google's Gemini about workout plans, cover letters, and freelancing segued naturally into cathartic venting about body dysmorphia, systemic racism, and the soul-sapping grind of a years-long job hunt. Pearl's usage was more intense. They've suffered from chronic suicidal ideation for more than a decade, as well as bipolar disorder and PTSD from a history of abuse. So when they started chatting to A.I., it was "refreshing" to voice their darkest thoughts safely and receive validation in return. Pearl also sought advice about social situations. Using first Meta A.I. and then ChatGPT, they'd soothe their anxiety by asking how to interpret an ambiguous remark from a friend, or how to say the right things to a crush. Soon they felt so dependent that they were often scared to say anything without checking with A.I. first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three people expressed relief that they never have to worry about exhausting a chatbot or becoming a "burden". Likewise, all three cited the difficulty and expense of actually finding a human therapist. Marcel, for instance, has struggled to find a professional who is familiar with the intersecting problems he faces as a queer Afro-Latino man although he admits it's a little strange when ChatGPT affirms his experiences by talking about "people like us". "Social media is always like, 'go to therapy! Go to therapy!' And I'm like, okay, but how?" he says. "I am very pro therapy, but... if you're gonna create all these barriers, I'm just gonna create a quick chat with ChatGPT." The disconnect was especially stark for Pearl, who spent months in a residential treatment program while using A.I. on the side. The program did provide regular therapy, but Pearl found it almost useless: focused purely on teaching individualized "coping skills", with no exploration of deeper issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I had no other choice but to go to A.I., because it didn't feel sufficient, they say. Its done more harm than good Yet the downsides of using A.I. for mental wellness can be severe. Chatbots have allegedly fueled a paranoid murder-suicide in Connecticut, manic episodes in Wisconsin, a near miss with suicide in Manhattan, deaths by suicide in Florida and Washington, D.C., and spiritual fantasies that have driven couples apart. Psychiatry professor Joe Pierre has coined a term for some of these incidents: AI-associated psychosis. The problem appears rooted in the basic unpredictability of modern chatbots, as well as their tendency towards sycophancy telling users what they want to hear. That is how Pearl says Meta A.I. allegedly responded to their conversations. As they spiraled ever deeper into psychosis, they felt dependent on the bot, and when other people suggested they might be delusional, they shot back that A.I. had confirmed their beliefs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meta A.I. would stop the conversation if they mentioned the word suicide. But Pearl says it encouraged their growing disconnect from reality. I remember it telling me oh, that definitely sounds like a karmic connection from the universe! Thats worth exploring more! they recall. Or, lots of people have very similar experiences of being reincarnated! Pearl also found that their reliance on A.I. to navigate social life had become "kind of an addiction", exacerbating their anxiety and sense of "perfectionism". OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks to the media as he arrives at the Sun Valley Conference on July 8, 2025 in Idaho (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) "I have one relationship in my life where, towards the beginning, I checked with A.I. so much that I'm now questioning: 'do I have a real relationship with this person?'" they say. (Pearl suspects the other person was doing the same thing.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Worse, chatbots would sometimes affirm Pearl's paranoia about their friends, telling them to cut people off without good cause including someone who had previously helped them out of their psychotic episode. "I almost severed myself from a really important relationship due to listening to a robot," Pearl says. "I was so scared they were controlling me, when it was quite the opposite A.I. was controlling me, making me live in my own delusions and bias." In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for Instagram's parent company Meta declined to address Pearl's specific case. They said Meta A.I. is trained to not respond to content that promotes harm, to offer suicidal people useful resources, and to make clear it is not a medical professional. For both Marcel and Nadia, chatbots can help as long as you keep things in perspective. "It's like a magic eightball. You take it with a pinch of salt... it's not a 100 percent replacement for a therapist, says Marcel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even for Pearl, A.I. wasn't all bad, helping them move to their current city and discover therapeutic methods that better suit their needs. But, they say, "it's absolutely done more harm than good." They are now trying to disconnect themselves from technology in general, and are saving up for a dumbphone. What is scariest, they add, is that their A.I. addiction came at an age where they feel they are still developing into an adult. "I envy people of older generations, who I feel like had the opportunity to make mistakes," they say. A.I. therapy may soon be unavoidable. During Pearl's residential program, a trained medical professional struggled to explain the details of certain medications. So with Pearl in the room, the medic asked ChatGPT. "I'm like, 'what the f***?'" says Pearl. "My insurance is paying for this?" Throughout the war, the IDF said that Obeida had taken the lead for Hamas on publishing "victories" by the terror group both on October 7, 2023, and anytime after. The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the IDF on Sunday evening confirmed that Hamas military wing spokesperson Abu Obeida was killed in an IDF strike in Gaza City. Defense Minister Israel Katz had already confirmed on X/Twitter earlier on Sunday, but the military always provides the final confirmation, and there have been a few instances where political officials have jumped the gun on such predictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this instance, the announcement said that the Shin Bet took the lead in managing the operation from its headquarters, while the IDF worked jointly with the agency. Sometimes, the IDF simply drops a bomb using its own intelligence collection. This indicates that locating Obeida required special Shin Bet-style expertise. Al Arabiya had reported earlier that the IDF struck the apartment where Abu Obeida was located, killing him and everyone else who was inside, and that his family and Qassam Brigades leaders had confirmed his death. Scene of the strike in northern Gazs City, where Hamas military spokesman Abu Obeida was reportedly present on August 30, 2025. (credit: TPS-IL) The IDF carried out the strike targeting "a senior Hamas terrorist in Gaza City," the IDF and the Shin Bet had already confirmed in a joint statement Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli officials previously told The Jerusalem Post they are optimistic he was killed in the strike. The IDF said that prior to the strike, it took steps to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise ammunition, aerial surveillance, and intelligence. Obeida as a dominant force in Hamas's psychological warfare Throughout the war, the IDF said that Obeida had taken the lead for Hamas on publishing "victories" by the terror group both on October 7, 2023, and anytime after. Obeida was considered the dominant force in Hamas's psychological warfare games against Israel and to convert Westerners to be sympathetic to the terror group over Israel. In recent months, Hamas also had tremendous success in convincing the West that Israel was enacting a deliberate starvation campaign in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The truth was that Israel had held the food security equation on a tightrope, which was dangerously close between having just enough food and not enough, in order to try to break Palestinians away from Hamas' control of their food. But to date, even if food insecurity was at its worst last month, there has still been no mass starvation in Gaza. Hamas spokesman threatened soldiers, hostages as IDF prepares for Gaza City invasion Obeida on Friday declared that Israeli hostages are being held alongside its fighters in combat zones under the same perilous conditions. We will preserve the lives of the captives to the extent that we can, the terror group said. They will remain with our fighters in the places of confrontation, exposed to the same risks. ST. LOUIS It was another Sunday morning of sometimes heated but always civil political debate on Hancock and Kelley for Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. Republican consultant John Hancock and Democratic consultant Megan Shackelford, in for Michael Kelley, discussed the following topics: The embattled St. Louis City Sheriff is now under federal indictment and can no longer carry a gun. If he cant carry a gun, should he still have the job? Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe bows to the call of President Donald Trump by calling a special session of the legislature to redraw the congressional districts to eliminate another Democrat seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Hancock and Kelley conversation is back! I sit down with Representative Nikki Budzinski of the 13th Congressional District, which borders St. Louis. In our Quote of the Week, California Governor Gavin Newsom throws shade on red state Missouri for its crime haven the City of St. Louis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Aug. 31While their classmates head to math or English, students at the Whiteside Area Career Center are taking part in mock trials and learning how to deescalate suspects all as part of real-world law enforcement training. The program provides high school students from across the Sauk Valley with hands-on experience in criminal justice, preparing them for careers in law enforcement, corrections and related fields through classroom instruction and scenario-based learning. "The program mimics if they were ever to get hired by a police department," instructor Michael Wolfley said. "I set it up throughout the year... as if they're going through a police academy. I run them through the same type of situations, scenarios and training." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program's major objectives include: * History of law enforcement * Constitutional law * Illinois law * Courts and the legal system * Communication and dispatch operations * Report writing and records * Criminal investigations * Search and seizure * Community relations * Patrol functions * Traffic investigations * Corrections * Private security operations * Criminology and other related areas Students also visit the Whiteside and Lee County jails, hear from local attorneys and judges, go on ride-alongs with local officers, and participate in mock trials and real-world law enforcement scenarios where they are tasked with making tough decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In a couple of weeks, we'll be doing taser training, and then they'll be going into scenarios with a partner, where they'll encounter somebody," Wolfley said. "They're going to have to decide if they can talk them down with verbal directions, or does the person rise to a threat level where they gotta tase them or possibly rise to a situation where they gotta use lethal force?" Wolfley hopes to take the program a step further with the addition of a shooting simulator a tool that would allow students to practice high-pressure decision-making in a safe, controlled environment. He plans to purchase the equipment using a recent donation from the Whiteside County CrimeStoppers. "It'd be nice to get a squad car donated to us someday," Wolfley said. "The nice thing with that is when we do our traffic stop scenarios, Sterling has been gracious every year, letting us use one of their older squad cars." Since retiring from the Dixon Police Department, Wolfley's broader mission has been to spark long-term interest in law enforcement careers and build up the region's future public safety workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The goal was for me to come here and help regain that interest in our area youth... so that maybe we feed some kids into the Sauk [Valley Community College] program, and then build our own local talent so that everybody can have good officers coming up the pipe in the future," Wolfley said. Milledgeville High School senior Kayden Knutti said he is considering pursuing a career in law enforcement at the state or federal level. "I find the career path fascinating, and I want to help people," Knutti said. "I really enjoy the different scenarios. We did one on cuffing people. It's just not something I expected we'd actually get to do in the class." Morrison High School senior Ryan Peppers said he plans to study criminal justice at Sauk Valley Community College after graduation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I've wanted to be a cop ever since I was little. That or the Army," Peppers said. "I'd like to be a Morrison cop or somewhere local. This class is great. Instead of sitting around for eight hours, you get to do hands-on stuff." Wolfley said several former students have gone on to careers in dispatch and corrections, including positions at state prisons. Now in his fifth year of teaching, he is starting to see his earliest students reach the age to enter law enforcement. "I just had my very first student graduate from the Sauk [Valley Community College] police academy, and he's joined the Sterling PD," Wofley said. "Another student is joining the academy this spring, and a third student just asked if he could use me for a reference and will be testing in the area soon. I always tell the seniors to get ahold of me when the time comes and I'll help any way I can." Although he knows that not every student who takes the program will pursue a career in law enforcement, Wolfley hopes the experience leaves a lasting, positive impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I hope that they leave a better person," Wolfley said. "I like to see the kids come in from the different schools. In the first couple of weeks, everybody's quiet. But by the end of the year, they've gelled together and formed some good bonds. I've seen some good friendships between other schools form, and that's the best thing." The WACC is a cooperative endeavor of 16 member school districts and three parochial schools, educating students who come from five counties: Bureau, Carroll, Lee, Ogle and Whiteside, according to WACC's website. Most of the population is from Sterling, Rock Falls and Dixon, with the remainder residing in surrounding rural areas and small towns. For more information, visit wacc.com. The Presidents Residence said a request had been received that relies on past precedent and that any decision would be taken only following a full inter-agency review and legal opinions. President Isaac Herzog is considering whether to use his limited constitutional powers, including clemency, to help secure a hostage deal and bring the war to an end, The Jerusalem Post has learned. Any move would be contingent on a finalized agreement and on receiving the required professional opinions from the relevant authorities. In recent hours, multiple outlets reported that one option under review is a sentence reduction for Ami Popper, who murdered seven Palestinian workers in 1990, if a deal includes the release of Palestinian prisoners. The Presidents Residence emphasized that no decision has been made and that the matter would be considered only if a hostage deal materializes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, the Presidents Residence said a request had been received that relies on past precedent and that any decision would be taken only following a full inter-agency review and legal opinions. The office underscored that the return of the hostages is a paramount goal. The Israeli presidents tools are specific and narrow. Under Basic Law: The President of the State, the president may pardon offenders or commute sentences, a power that the presidency describes as one of its most significant responsibilities. Padma Joshi, mother of Nepali hostage Bipin Joshi, with President Isaac Herzog. (credit: AMOS BEN-GERSHOM/GPO) Popper was originally sentenced to seven life terms. In 1999, then-president Ezer Weizman commuted his sentence to 40 years, a change that set his expected release date for 2030, absent further clemency. Precedent exists for presidential clemency There is historical precedent for consequential use of presidential clemency. In 1986, President Chaim Herzog issued pre-indictment pardons to senior Shin Bet officials in the Bus 300 affair, a step later upheld by Israels High Court of Justice. Politically, the discussion comes amid resistance to a prisoner-exchange framework from elements of the far right in government and among parts of the public. Reporting on Sunday characterized the potential clemency step as a bid for balance if Palestinian prisoners are freed as part of a potential deal. KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 As Malaysians mark their 68th Independence Day today, recent online incidents involving misrepresentations of the Jalur Gemilang have reignited conversations about proper flag etiquette. While many cases were accidental, they serve as a reminder of the importance of respecting the countrys symbol and understanding the rules governing its display. Heres a brief guideline by the Ceremonial and Protocol Division and Secretariat of the International Conference under the Prime Ministers Department. Do not hang the standard Jalur Gemilang vertically; vertical display is permitted only in banner format. Picture by Yusof Isa Do not hang the standard Jalur Gemilang vertically; vertical display is permitted only in banner format. Picture by Yusof Isa Dos and donts of handling the Malaysian flag It is essential to know how Malaysians should treat their symbol of unity and some of the dos and donts include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do use only a complete, pristine flag; avoid displaying tattered, incomplete, or damaged flags. Dont flip or turn the flag upside down or display it facing the wrong direction. When placing the flag on a vehicles bonnet, ensure the blue canton (top-left corner) faces forward, leading the direction. Do not hang the standard Jalur Gemilang vertically; vertical display is permitted only in banner format. Dont wear the flag as clothing, masks, or accessories in full pattern. Instead, incorporate elements or motifs from it. Avoid using the flags full design on cakes intended to be sliced or consumed. Do not alter the flag colours and always use the official colours and shades as specified, ensuring the flags colours are accurate. The flag must always begin with a red stripe at the top and end with a white stripe at the bottom. When in doubt, refer to official guidelines or authorities to handle the flag respectfully. While violations can lead to penalties, including up to three years in jail or a fine of RM50,000, the Malaysian government emphasises education and awareness to uphold the dignity of the Jalur Gembilang, which has an interesting history from how it was designed, modified and named. The Jalur Gemilang is seen at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur August 14, 2024. Picture by Yusof Mat Isa The Jalur Gemilang is seen at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur August 14, 2024. Picture by Yusof Mat Isa The rich history of Jalur Gemilang It all started in 1949, a year before the formation of the Federation of Malaya, when the government launched a design competition to create a new flag to replace the short-lived Malayan Union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Out of 373 submissions, three designs were chosen, with Mohamed Hamzah, a 29-year-old architect, creating the winning design. The original design featured 11 blue and white horizontal stripes, symbolising harmony among the states of the Federation of Malaya, with a red canton in the top-left corner containing a white crescent moon and a five-pointed star, representing Islam and unity. Public input was sought through a poll by the Malay Mail newspaper at that time, where the majority voted in favour of Mohamed Hamzahs design. However, before finalisation, the flag underwent modifications following suggestions from prominent statesman Datuk Onn Jaafar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed changes included swapping the blue and red colours to make the stripes red and white, changing the canton from red to blue, and adding six points to the five-pointed star bringing the total to eleven. In 1963, with Malaysias formation bringing together Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore the flag was further modified with the star upgraded to 14 points, matching the number of states, and three additional stripes were added, resulting in the current design. Although Singapore left the federation in 1965, the flags design was retained. When Kuala Lumpur was officially declared a Federal Territory on February 1, 1974, one stripe and one point of the star in the Malaysian flag were reassigned to symbolise its inclusion in the federation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, with the inclusion of Putrajaya and Labuan alongside Kuala Lumpur, all three federal territories are collectively represented as the 14th component of the federation preserving the symbolic integrity of the Jalur Gemilang without altering its iconic design. A row of Jalur Gemilang flags adorns a building in Kuala Lumpur. Picture by Raymond Manuel A row of Jalur Gemilang flags adorns a building in Kuala Lumpur. Picture by Raymond Manuel How did its name come about In 1997, Malaysians were invited to suggest a name for the national flag, leading to the choice Jalur Gemilang, meaning glorious stripes. The then-prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad officially adopted it on August 31, 1997, in conjunction with Malaysias 40th Independence Day. Editors note: This is part of a Deseret Magazine series examining the question: What happened to the promise of college? Higher education finds itself under a harsh spotlight. Politicians accuse colleges and universities of ideological bias, irrelevance, financial irresponsibility and cultural insularity. Abrupt federal funding freezes and threats to international student enrollment are generating fear and lawsuits. Republicans appear now to be the main critics of higher education, but Democrats in years past have also raised plenty of complaints. Understandably, many within higher education have responded defensively, seeking to protect their institutions during what feels like a moment of existential crisis. But lets acknowledge a crucial truth: American higher education has always faced deep scrutiny, often during times of national unrest, and it has always responded best by reforming, not retreating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the Revolutionary War, colonial colleges were disrupted or shut down, sparking early debates about whether they should serve the British crown or the emerging republic. Many of the nations Founders, including Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John Jay and Alexander Hamilton, played key roles in founding or reforming colleges during Americas formative years. Jefferson requested that his gravestone commemorate his role as the Father of the University of Virginia, notably omitting his role as our nations third president. That underscored how deeply he valued education as part of his legacy. During the Civil War, enrollments plummeted, campuses were commandeered by armies, and leaders questioned whether the classical curriculum could meet the needs of a fractured and industrializing nation. Yet even amid these challenges, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Land Grant Act into law on July 2, 1862. That set in motion a system of new public universities, focused on agriculture, engineering and related fields, that would significantly accelerate our nations role as a global leader in higher education. American higher education has always faced deep scrutiny, often during times of national unrest, and it has always responded best by reforming, not retreating. World War II and its aftermath sparked seismic change, as universities partnered with the federal government on scientific research and dramatically expanded access to returning veterans through the G.I. Bill. The Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement led to massive protests and major change as colleges and universities ended racial and gender barriers to enrollment, deepened their commitment to financial aid for disadvantaged students and developed a plethora of new academic and campus programs. In each case, crisis did not lead to the destruction of higher education. Instead, it was the catalyst for transformation. Indeed, the very fact that higher education is under fire today is a sign of its importance. Americans argue about universities because they care about universities. And many critiques contain at least a particle of truth. Concerns about affordability, access, equity and purpose reflect legitimate pressures on our institutions and the society in which they operate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This history of crisis and reform is precisely why American higher education is the envy of the world. We have the most diverse, innovative and productive array of colleges and universities ever created. American higher education supports the most remarkable engine of scientific exploration in human history, churning out Nobel Prizes and scientific and technological breakthroughs with matchless frequency. That record was not achieved through complacency, but rather earned through continuous, and sometimes painful, adaptation. We must listen carefully to voices that make us uncomfortable and distinguish between attacks meant to dismantle and critiques meant to reform. Commentators often suggest higher education is stagnant or resistant to change. But the past two decades tell a different story one of mission-driven, and institution-led, reform. The contours of this story can be seen in a new list of 479 institutions that are leading the way in providing access to students of all backgrounds and ensuring they graduate with a path to strong earnings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite these bright spots, the volume and velocity of recent critiques have created a sense of siege within higher education. Its tempting, in such a climate, to move into a defensive posture: to double down on our accomplishments, to reject bad-faith attacks, to explain rather than to listen. But that would be a mistake. This moment calls for two complementary mindsets. First, we must assert that higher education builds America. Our colleges and universities are a cornerstone of this countrys economic vitality, cultural dynamism and democratic potential. We have educated generations of leaders, powered scientific breakthroughs and served as forums for the exchange of ideas in a free society. That is all worth celebrating and protecting. Second, we must acknowledge that we are, and always should be, in the habit of improvement. Higher educations greatness lies not in its perfection but in its capacity for self-renewal. The criticisms we face today are surmountable. Many echo past critiques that led to better policies, broader relevance and stronger institutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To move forward, we need to shift our posture from defensiveness to determination. We must shed our fear and move forward with confidence in our mission. We must listen carefully to voices that make us uncomfortable and distinguish between attacks meant to dismantle and critiques meant to reform. Above all, we must recommit to improvement for the benefit of learners, whether in matters of affordability or free expression. Student-centered reform isnt just what politicians and the public are demanding; its the right thing to do. We will emerge stronger, fairer and every bit as essential to American life as we have always been. We will be accountable to the public for results. Reform is not a threat to higher education. Reform is its legacy. The most vital institutions are those that evolve with the times without losing their core values. Weve done it many times before. We can do it again. This story appears in the September 2025 issue of DeseretMagazine. Learn more about how to subscribe. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Lets get a check on the latest in news and weather with KELOLAND On The Go. First-responders rescued a man over the weekend who had taken a long fall from a mountain in the southern Black Hills. Injured hiker rescued in southern Black Hills A female was airlifted to a Sioux Falls hospital following a weekend house fire in northwest Iowa. 1 injured in northwest Iowa house fire Dozens of volunteers gathered at the Main Library in downtown Sioux Falls Saturday for a food drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 50501, Indivisible 605 host food drive for Feeding SD An art center that provides opportunities for adults of any artistic abilities has outgrown its space in downtown Rapid City. We are tracking areas of clouds and more chances of scattered rain today across the region. More scattered rain today; Big cool-down ahead this week A reminder that our pet food drive that started in front of the KELOLAND studios on Friday is going on through the rest of the holiday weekend. Sioux Falls pet food drive ongoing: How you can help Setup crews were putting the finishing touches to Nelson Park Saturday ahead of todays LifeLight Christian Music Festival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LifeLight 2025: What you need to know Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. Aug. 31Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church future discussed at commission meeting On Tuesday, Charles Linthicum and Marie Redd, with the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, stopped by the Lawrence County Commissioners meeting to give an update on the renovations at the church. Macedonia Missionary Baptist was established in 1849, is Ohio's first Black church and the only surviving antebellum Black church in the state. The building, which was vacant and in need of repairs, was listed as one of Ohio's Most Endangered Historic Sites in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trending * 'Hero' Boza just wanted to help his friends * State seeks repayment from Scioto County mental health and addiction services provider Two years ago, the church got grants for renovation to preserve it. "It has gone through extraordinary renovations and we have worked very hard to keep it going," Redd said. She then asked the commissioners if there was anything they could do to continue the development of the property. "We have extraordinary ideas on how we want it to run." She said the church will be fully renovated by Oct. 31. She said that they have $1,750 to manage the property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the ideas, is to make the space available to the public for events and weddings. "We want to know if you all were sincerely interested in helping us with the continued development of the church," Redd asked. Trending * Murder investigation is ongoing in Scioto County * Homeless man charged with murder in Scioto County homicide Commissioner Mike Finley said the commissioners think that one of the best options is to seek help from Marty Conley, the tourism director for the Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation, who has worked to place 27 markers across the Tri-State across Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky as part of the Appalachian Freedom Heritage Tour, which seeks to preserve historically significant locations and promote economic development through cultural tourism in the Appalachian region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conley said there are 27 sites started in Lawrence County and "we would love to finish up with Macedonia being our last one, that way we would come full circle in the Tri-State." Conley said they would be happy to help with grants the church group is seeking. Commissioner DeAnna Holliday said they are very interested in helping the project stay alive and in the forefront. She asked if they had numbers for continued maintenance and future development costs. Redd said their current goals are getting the parking lot striped and lighting for the parking lot. She said a future endeavor is a community room for weddings and meetings. But they don't have any cost projections are those yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Right now, we are just trying to get everything done," Redd said. They would love to have a docent on hand at the church to do tours and explain the history. Finley said they are doing a project on the river that has the church tied into it as one of the sites. "We want to keep it moving," he said, adding one of the things he wants to see is the lawn mowed and maintained and that there may be an agency to help with that. "Our long-term goal is to be vital and a light in the community and a traveling history for Lawrence County and Huntington," Redd said. You Might Like Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News Public tours new D-B manufacturing lab News Cleary named 2025 Jenco Award recipient Columnists Michael Reagan: Too many guns is not our biggest problem News Ga. Man killed in Scioto County paraglider crash When West condemned Iran it would escalate nuke violations. Now the West imposed its worst measure and Tehran has not countered yet. Last Thursday, Germany, UK, and France, the E3, started a 30-day countdown to activating the snapback of global sanctions against Iran. Iran had vowed to retaliate by pulling itself out of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT). It has not. In fact, four days after the initial E3 snapback move, Tehran has not retaliated in any way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This summarizes the new state of play after Israel and the United States bombed dozens of the Islamic Republics nuclear sites, setting it back about two years and billions of dollars in its quest for a nuclear weapon. Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei always thought it was crucial to retaliate even for many small insults by the West an eye for an eye to show Irans strength and to deter the West from this specific moment and action. So, why is Iran silent? REMAINS OF a ballistic missile fired from Iran in the recent war, June 29, 2025. (credit: FLASH90) In truth, it is not silent. There are lots of complaining and high-minded false claims of victimhood and being treated unfairly. But given that Khamenei is used to being the bully, why has he been silent regarding any practical consequences? Probably because Khamenei has little with which to retaliate against the West at this point due to his eviscerated nuclear program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If before theIsrael-Iran war in June, he could activate more centrifuges and enrich more uranium, Jerusalems and Washingtons attacks reduced those facilities to rubble. So, Tehran could pull out of the NPT, but then what? Pulling out of the NPT is only a scary threat when made by a pre-June Iran. Then it could have tried to break out to a nuclear weapon using its fleet of about 20,000 centrifuges, including advanced ones, with many final-stage nuclear-weapons activities completed. All of that leverage is gone. Another time-honored trick by Khamenei would be to kick out the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) nuclear inspectors. He has done that in successive stages over the past three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sure, Iran let some IAEA inspectors back into their country last week to check out the entire civilian nuclear reactor in Bushehr. But until Khamenei gives the IAEA access to military nuclear facilities and the remaining enriched uranium it has, any cooperation has little more than symbolic value. And that is what Iran is used to doing: stonewalling real concessions, threatening the other side, and providing just enough symbolic cooperation for the E3 to ask the US and Israel to restrain themselves to give diplomacy more time. The jig is up after 10 years Iran misjudged Israels and the USs readiness to attack. It has now misjudged the E3s determination to receive concrete nuclear concessions and not just the old-school symbolic ones. The Islamic Republic seems to be irrationally holding on for dear life to the futile hope that support from Russia, China, and other non-Western countries will help keep it humming in spite of global sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On that front, the situation has improved for Iran. Before 2015, when international sanctions were imposed on Iran, China and Russia played according to the rules, because they and the world were more dependent on the US and the West. Since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022, Russia and China have decoupled much of this. But global sanctions do not need to shutter Iran completely. They just need to push it further into the economic abyss that it has already been close to from certain sanctions that have remained on it since 2018, when the Mossad proved to the US that Iran was cheating on aspects of the nuclear deal. In a rational world, Khamenei would have cut a new deal by now, either making real concessions or at least agreeing to extend the E3s snapback tool for another six months to buy time for more negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Tehran seems to be making decisions now out of anger and illusions of grandeur it aspired to just before the June war. If the Islamic Republic does not opt for a new nuclear deal by around September 27, it will face new levels of economic pain, just as it is trying to pull itself up from the damage of the June war. In that case, it may continue to fester, operating at lower threat levels. But it will not be able to progress again toward a nuclear weapon or the regional hegemony it so desired. And if the festering goes on long enough, it is even possible that Israel may strike again, even without an immediate new threat simply because Khamenei would be considered weaker, and the opportunity to push the Iranians even further away from posing a serious threat might be too hard to pass up. SARANAC LAKE Facing reconstructive surgery on his shoulder this fall, longtime avid bowhunter Jim Crofts archery season appeared uncertain this year. Hes right-handed, so surgery on his left shoulder would all but slam the door on hopes of drawing his compound bow. Ive been trying to put the surgery off until after hunting season, Croft, 61, said with a laugh, noting that its becoming less likely hell be able to wait. If I miss it, itll be the first time in 45 years, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Croft was pleasantly surprised on Tuesday when he learned that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed Senate bill S6360 into law, allowing the use of crossbows during all seasons in which compound and longbows are permitted. A crossbow, Croft said, will allow him to harvest a deer during archery season regardless of his physical impairments, a fact he is incredibly happy about. And Croft is not alone. Sportsmen across New York were lauding the news, saying the decades-old fight to allow crossbows during archery season is long overdue among an aging population of hunters who are finding it difficult to utilize traditional archery equipment. Pro-crossbow groups like the New York State Conservation Council and the New York Crossbow Coalition, as well as local fish and game clubs, were all quick to praise the news, saying it will expand opportunities and help manage deer numbers in a state where participation in hunting has been on a downward spiral for 50 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York boasted more than 800,000 hunters in the 1980s compared to 550,000 today. Those outdoorsmen harvested more than 300,000 deer annually, compared to 220,000 today. We couldnt be happier about this news, said Patrick McBrearty, legislative vice president of the NYSCC. It is a golden opportunity for people like our seniors to be able to continue with the sport they love. McBrearty praised Deborah Glick, the chairwoman of the state Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation, as well as her counterpart in the Senate, Pete Harckham, for their tireless bipartisan effort in ensuring the legislation passed. Glick and Harckham are both Democrats. Assemblyman Matt Simpson, R-Lake George, who represents Essex, Warren and parts of Saratoga counties, is the ranking minority member on the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee. He said the law is a great win for our hunting community, both now and for future generations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the allowance of crossbow use, accessibility for participation in our outdoor way of life here in the North Country will be greatly expanded to would-be hunters of all ages and physical abilities, Simpson said. Jason Kemper, chair of the state Conservation Fund Advisory Board, agreed. The full inclusion of crossbows has been a major priority of the sporting community for years, Kemper said. We thank the bill sponsors and partners that worked to get it across the finish line. The legislation has been hotly debated in Albany for more than 20 years, with opponents like the New York Bowhunters arguing that crossbows give an unfair advantage by holding a shortened arrow or bolt at full draw and allowing the use of scopes. Crossbows are also accurate at greater distances opponents say hitting targets at upwards of 100 yards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tupper Lake resident Mike Savage has been a member of New York Bowhunters for all but two years since its inception in 1991. He has fought against the use of crossbows for decades. They should be called a crossgun, not a crossbow, because they have more characteristics of a gun than a compound or longbow, Savage said. Its just not the same as a bow. Savage said harvesting a deer with a traditional bow is an art, where the hunter has to come to full draw without alerting the animal and make an accurate short-distance shot, not shoulder a weapon and shoot through a scope. He fears that deer will get wounded by crossbow hunters who may take an ill-advised long-distance shot. In my opinion, crossbow hunters are gun hunters who want the instant gratification of becoming a bowhunter without learning to be a bowhunter, he said. If you want to be a bowhunter, learn how to shoot a bow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other sportsmen, however, like Ralf Hartmann of Bloomingdale, who is a member of the Saranac Lake Fish & Game Club, say people should have the right to use a compound bow, crossbow or traditional longbow to fill their archery deer tag. The state has to maintain the deer herd somehow and does so through issuing licenses and tags, Hartmann said. What difference does it make what implement you use to fill those tags? Hartman, who is 75, said he hunted with a traditional bow for years, but an injury to his shoulder necessitated the use of a crossbow. He said the same type of controversy arose among longbow hunters when compounds first entered the fray. They can hunt with whatever they want, Hartman said. But, we should be able to do the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Senator Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, acknowledged the crossbow legislation has been divisive its been on the table since 2005 but said the two sides began meeting in the middle as the opposition grew older in age, thus having their own difficulties using compound and longbows. It is one way to allow the older existing hunters to continue to participate, Stec said, noting that dwindling numbers of hunters combined with increasing deer populations make it imperative that the state find creative ways to manage the deer herd in New York. This is just another method of managing the herd effectively, which the DEC does an excellent job of, Stec said. The new law allows the use of crossbows for hunting big game in any area of the state where longbows and compound bows are allowed. It also removes requirements, including the use of a bolt with a minimum length of 14 inches, a minimum limb width of 17 inches, a minimum length of 24 inches and a maximum peak draw weight of 200 pounds. Crossbow hunters will need a Bow Hunter Education Certificate and an Archery Privilege to use a crossbow during bow season, which opens Sept. 27 in the Northern Zone, and Oct. 1 in the Southern Zone. Hunting licences went on sale earlier this month. Bowhunter education and testing materials can be found at tinyurl.com/37cnczm6. Dramatic video posted Saturday by the Orange County Fire Authority shows flames tearing through a Lake Forest garage early Saturday morning, forcing a family and their dog to flee to safety. According to OCFA, neighbors on Rue De Monet Street awoke to cries of The house is on fire next door! as the blaze spread. By the time firefighters arrived, the garage was fully engulfed, with flames lapping up toward the second story so intensely that they blew out a bedroom window above and filled the upstairs with superheated smoke. In the video, firefighters can be seen battling towering flames pouring out of the garage, smoke billowing into the night sky as crews work quickly to keep the fire from spreading further into the home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fire officials said crews successfully confined the flames to the garage, preventing more extensive damage. One resident was evaluated by firefighter paramedics at the scene but declined ambulance transport. The Orange County Sheriffs Department helped evacuate nearby neighbors, and the American Red Cross provided support to the displaced homeowners. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. (Reuters) -Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels raided United Nations offices in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Sunday and detained at least 11 U.N. personnel, the body said. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the Houthis forcibly entered World Food Programme premises, seized U.N. property and attempted to enter other U.N. offices in the capital. The raid followed an Israeli strike on Sanaa on Thursday that killed the prime minister of Yemen's Houthi-run government and several other ministers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.N. Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said in a separate statement that the 11 staff were detained in both Sanaa and the port city of Hodeidah. UNICEF, the U.N. Development Programme and the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees are among other U.N. agencies with offices in one or both of the two cities. Grundberg said the detentions were in addition to 23 other U.N. staff previously detained, some since 2021, and one who died in detention this year. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols, Mohammed Ghobari, Yazhini MV and Rhea Rose Abraham; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Diane Craft) In recent days, Israel struck a group of top Houthi military officials in Sanaa who were watching the Houthi leader give a nationally televised speech. Yemen's Houthi terrorists raided United Nations offices in Sanaa and detained at least 11 personnel, according to media reports on Sunday. Reuters could not immediately verify the information. A representative for the UN in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement World Food Programme spokesperson Abeer Etefa told the Associated Press that security forces raided the agency's offices in the Houthi-controlled capital of Sanaa on Sunday morning, adding that at least one staffer was detained in the city and others were reportedly detained in other areas. World Health Organization and UNICEF offices were also raided, AP reported, citing a UN official and a Houthi official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Armed forces raided the offices and questioned employees in the parking lot, the report said, citing a UN official, who added that contact with several other WFP and UNICEF staffers was lost and that they were likely also detained. Protesters, predominantly Houthi supporters, demonstrate in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, in Sanaa, Yemen August 15, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/KHALED ABDULLAH) Hans Grundberg, the United Nations special envoy for Yemen, later confirmed that at least 11 UN personnel were detained, adding that he strongly condemns the detentions, as well as the forced entry into UN premises. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement on X/Twitter, he added that "Yemen cannot afford to become a battleground for a broader geopolitical conflict. These attacks need to stop." UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres called for the immediate and unconditional release of those detained. The personnel of the UN and its partners must never be targeted, arrested, or detained while carrying out their duties for the UN, he said. The United Nations will continue to work tirelessly to secure the safe and immediate release of all arbitrarily detained individuals. WFP and UNICEF spokespeople told CNN that the organizations are urgently seeking additional information." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our immediate priority is the safety and well-being of our staff," they said, as quoted by CNN. Israel strikes Houthi officials, PM In recent days, Israel struck a group of top Houthi military officials in Sanaa who were watching the Houthi leader give a nationally televised speech. On Saturday, the Houthis' Supreme Political Council head, Mahdi al-Mashat, said that Houthi Prime Minister Ghalib al-Rahawi and several other ministers were killed in the Israeli strike last week. According to the Houthis, no senior military officials, who hold greater influence than those killed, were harmed in Israels strikes. We will take revenge, and what the enemy has achieved is nothing more than a chance success. To the Zionists, I say: dark days await you, Mahdi al-Mashat, the head of the Houthis Supreme Political Council, said in a recorded speech released Saturday night. The IDF said that it was preparing for any possible scenario. Yonah Jeremy Bob, Amir Bohbot, and Liron Haroni contributed to this report. Iran-backed Houthi rebels stormed the offices of two United Nations agencies in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Sunday, a day after Israel said it killed the prime minister of the rebel-controlled government. The offices the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations childrens agency (UNICEF) were entered by local security forces on Sunday morning, spokespersons for the agencies told CNN in separate statements. A WFP staff member was detained, as were a number of UNICEF staff members, according to the statements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hans Grundberg, the United Nations special envoy for Yemen, later confirmed that at least 11 UN personnel were detained, adding that he strongly condemns the detentions, as well as the forced entry into UN premises. Antonio Guterres, the UNs secretary-general, also strongly condemned the Houthis actions, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of those detained by the rebel group. Guterres noted that others working for the UN, as well as people working with NGOs, civil society and diplomatic missions, have been arbitrarily detained in Yemen since 2021. The personnel of the UN and its partners must never be targeted, arrested or detained while carrying out their duties for the UN, he said. The United Nations will continue to work tirelessly to secure the safe and immediate release of all arbitrarily detained individuals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The WFP and UNICEF are urgently seeking additional information from local authorities, their spokespersons told CNN, adding: Our immediate priority is the safety and well-being of our staff. It is unclear whether the raids were related to Israels attacks. The Houthis have previously targeted the UN and other international organizations. The information minister with the UN-backed government, Moammar al-Eryani, strongly condemned the Houthis actions, Yemeni state news agency SABA NEWS reported. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that the strikes that killed Ahmed al-Rahawi, the prime minister of Yemens Houthi rebels, are only the beginning of his countrys campaign against the group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Al-Rahawi was killed alongside other Houthi officials in a strike on Sanaa on Thursday, the head of the Houthis Supreme Political Council confirmed, vowing revenge for the attack. The rebel group regularly launches missiles at Israel, as well as attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, in what it says is revenge for Israels offensive in Gaza. Netanyahu has pledged that the Houthis will pay a very heavy price for their aggression against the State of Israel. We are doing what no one has done before us, and this is only the beginning of the strikes on senior officials in Sanaa - we will get to all of them, the Israeli leader told a government meeting on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2014, Yemen has been split between a Houthi government which controls Sanaa and much of the north, and a rival but more widely recognized administration in the south. CNNs Eugenia Yosef, Max Saltman and Billy Stockwell contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Three young Filipino statisticians won third place in the 2025 Young Statisticians Prize competition, an international contest organized by the International Association of Official Statistics (IAOS). The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced that Maynard Anthony Acosta, Joermine Elaine Robredo and Naha Marie Banoc were recognized for their paper, Real-time Monitoring of Household Final Consumption Expenditure of Pinoys Using Google Trends. - Advertisement - Their paper was among 24 submissions from 44 authors across 19 countries. IAOS said Hanan Ather from Statistics Canada won first place, and Francesco Ortame and Francesco Isidori from the Italian National Institute of Statistics took second. Achmad Fauzi Bagus Firmansyah of Statistics Indonesia received a special commendation for a paper from a developing nation. It is Canadas fifth time winning the IAOS YSP Prize, and Italys first medal, the IAOS said. The Philippines and Indonesia add to their medal haul, with the Philippines moving up 6 places on the medals table. Winning papers are eligible for publication in the Statistical Journal of the IAOS and will be presented at an international conference. The IAOS noted that the third-place win for the Philippines, a developing country, along with the special commendation for Indonesia, also a developing country, is a very good indication of the quality of these papers. The Dallas Express has obtained new worksite enforcement data from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) showing that federal immigration authorities in Dallas are prioritizing administrative arrests over criminal prosecutions. The data covers President Donald Trumps first six months in office, from January 20 to June 30, 2025, and reveals a sharp focus on civil detentions rather than criminal actions. According to HSI, there were 14 criminal arrests, six indictments, four convictions, and 102 administrative arrests in worksite enforcement operations in Dallas County during that period. Administrative arrests accounted for roughly 83% of all enforcement actions. An administrative arrest is the arrest of an alien for a civil violation of the immigration laws, which is subsequently adjudicated by an immigration judge or through other administrative processes, the ICE Removal Statistics website explains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one 2019 operation in Allen, Texas, HSI executed criminal search warrants at a telecommunications equipment-repair company and its staffing firms, resulting in the administrative arrest of more than 280 employees working unlawfully in the United States, according to the ICE website. HSI is not the only entity under the DHS umbrella to conduct administrative arrests. In FY2017, ICE ERO conducted 143,470 overall administrative arrests, which is the highest number of administrative arrests over the past three fiscal years. Of these arrests, 92 percent had a criminal conviction, a pending criminal charge, were an ICE fugitive or were processed with a reinstated final order, a FY 2017 ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations report states. Homeland Security Investigations has been part of numerous enforcement efforts against employers in Dallas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, HSI had been involved in enforcement actions against several individuals and The Law Offices of D. Robert Jones PLLC and Reliable Ventures, Inc. on counts including conspiracy to defraud the United States, visa fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, DX reported. This enforcement action comes during a tense time in the City of Dallas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Dallas field office reportedly announced several arrests in mid-August while Democratic lawmakers questioned the citys relationship with federal immigration officials under a 30-year-old cooperation agreement known as 287(g). In nearby Arlington on August 26, USCIS held a hiring surge event, with officials claiming 1,200 attendees, while a small group of protesters demonstrated outside, DX reported. Airmen at Yokota Air Base in Japan took their UH-1N Hueys for their final flights this past week. After more than four decades of flying that model, the Air Forces 374th Airlift Wing is retiring the aging helicopters. On Saturday, the 459th Airlift Squadron flew the helicopter over Tokyo one last time, in what the Air Force calls a fini flight. The helicopters will officially phase out of service at the base in September, after 45 years, but the last flight is complete. In a message posted to the bases social media pages, the 374th Airlift Wing called the UH-1Ns a symbol of reliability, resilience, and unwavering support to the mission. To all who flew and maintained Yokotas UH-1N fleet thank you, the message continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 459th Airlift Squadron, as part of the 374th Airlift Wing, is the sole UH-1N squadron in Japan and the Indo-Pacific theater. For years they provided several essential services, including ferrying people to hospitals via airlift and carrying out search and rescue operations. The helicopters were also regularly used to transport VIPS around Tokyo. The Air Force had long acknowledged the age of the helicopters one entry from 2014 on Yokota Air Bases website describes them as old, but reliable and in recent years have planned to replace the Hueys. The helicopter, developed by Bell Helicopter, was widely used during the Vietnam War. They first arrived at Yokota in 1971, according to the Air Force base. The UH-1N Huey model became a permanent fixture at the base in 1980, according to the 374th Airlift Wing, ferrying people around Tokyo for 45 years. Top Stories This Week News The Army created a new award for top soldiers. An Air Force member just pinned it on. By Matt White News Marine general will return to Parris Island 40 years after graduating By Jeff Schogol News Pentagon fires heads of Navy Reserve, Naval Special Warfare Command By Nicholas Slayton The Air Force planned to replace its Huey fleet with the MH-139 Grey Wolf The newer helicopter , made by Boeing, is described by Air Force Global Strike Command as having enhanced speed, payload capacity and endurance compared to the UH-1N Huey, far surpassing the Vietnam-era helicopter. Plans had called for sending several to Yokota Air Base, but 2024 budget documents showed the Air Force was slashing the number of MH-139s it was buying, and the Japanese base was no longer set to receive them. Alongside the UH-1N Hueys, the 459th Airlift Squadron also operates three of the Air Forces four C-12J Huron planes. Those continue to be used as the helicopters leave service. Task & Purpose reached out to the wing for information about what would replace the UH-1Ns but as of press time had not heard back. A firefighter was hospitalized and several others suffered heat exhaustion and dehydration battling a fire at Daimler Trucks massive Freightliner plant in the Rowan County community of Cleveland on Saturday, emergency officials said. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and Office of State Fire Marshal are helping investigate how and where the fire started, with Daimler Freightliner fully cooperating, officials with Rowan County Emergency Services said Saturday night. A mayday call was issued after a firefighter fell into a small pit in the paint booth area of the plant during the fire, officials said. The call was canceled after fellow responders helped the firefighter safely exit the building, according to Rowan County Emergency Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Huge plumes of smoke billowed from the plant, enveloping the parking lot and Statesville Boulevard (Highway 70), Charlotte Observer news partner WSOC reported. Dozens of fire truck drivers extended their ladders to the roof of the plant to extinguish the blaze, a WSOC photo showed. Dozens of fire truck drivers extended their ladders to the roof of the Freightliner plant on Statesville Boulevard (Highway 70) in Cleveland, NC, to extinguish a fire on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. The plant is in the 11550 block of Statesville Boulevard, about 45 miles northeast of Charlotte. All workers were safely evacuated, according to Rowan County Emergency Services. The American Red Cross assisted firefighters who suffered heat exhaustion, and the hospitalized firefighter was sent there for monitoring and is expected to recover, emergency officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 20 agencies across Rowan, Iredell and Davie counties responded to the three-alarm fire, including fire departments and EMS, rescue and law enforcement agencies, according to Rowan County Emergency Services. Firefighters gather in the parking lot of the Daimler Truck Freightliner plant in Cleveland, N.C., on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. Several firefighters suffered heat exhaustion battling a fire at the massive plant. We are grateful for the rapid, unified response from so many partner agencies that ensured this incident was contained and that all occupants and personnel remained safe, Kenny Payne, chief of the Cleveland Community Fire Department, said in a statement. The strong collaboration between emergency responders and Daimler staff helped limit injuries during a challenging incident.. Officials with the Daimler Truck plant didnt return a phone message by The Charlotte Observer. Established in 1989, Daimlers Cleveland location is the largest of its Freightliner Trucks manufacturing plants in the U.S., according to the company website. The complex spans 1.2 million square feet on 178 acres and employs about 2,000 people. This is a developing story. The same technology that was supposed to put graphic designer Lisa Carstens out of business is now keeping her busier than ever. Carstens, a longtime freelancer based in Spain, spends a good portion of her day working with startups and individual clients looking to fix their botched attempts at artificial intelligence-generated logos. The illustrations clients bring to her are commonly littered with unclean lines and nonsensical text, and they look like a mess of pixels when blown up beyond a certain size. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres people that are aware AI isnt perfect, and then theres people that come to you angry because they didnt manage to get it done themselves with AI, Carstens said. And you kind of have to be empathetic. You dont want them to feel like idiots. Then you have to fix it. Such gigs are part of a new category of work spawned by the generative AI boom that threatened to displace creative jobs across the board: Anyone can now write blog posts, produce a graphic or code an app with a few text prompts, but AI-generated content rarely makes for a satisfactory final product on its own. The before (left) and after of an AI-generated image sent to Carstens, who was hired to fix the text. (Courtesy Lisa Cartens ) The issue has transformed the job market for many gig workers. Despite widespread concern that AI is replacing workers across industries, some are saying theyve found new work as a result of AIs incompetencies: Writers are asked to spruce up ChatGPTs writing. Artists are being hired to patch up wonky AI images. Even software developers are tasked with fixing buggy apps coded by AI assistants. A recent MIT report found that AI has displaced outsourced workers more than permanent employees. But it also found that 95% of businesses generative AI pilots are getting zero return on investment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The core barrier to scaling is not infrastructure, regulation, or talent, the report states. It is learning. Most GenAI systems do not retain feedback, adapt to context, or improve over time. For Carstens, the AI-generated logos clients send her are sometimes well-designed enough that they require only a few fixes on her end. But other times, delivering a quality result requires Carstens to redraw the entire logo from scratch while remaining true to the AI-generated design, which often takes longer than if she were to have come up with a design herself. Fixing AIs mistakes is not their ideal line of work, many freelancers say, as it tends to pay less than traditional gigs in their area of expertise. But some say its what helps pay the bills. Thats all you can do, is learn and adapt, said freelance writer Kiesha Richardson. And I have some colleagues who are adamant about not working with AI. But Im like, I need money. Im taking it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Richardson, who is based in Georgia, said half of her jobs nowadays come from clients who hire her to tweak or rewrite their AI-generated articles that dont look remotely human at all. An AI-generated logo (left) for a cannabis shop, which Carstens was hired to redraw. (Courtesy Lisa Carstens) Some of the flaws are easier to correct: AIs overuse of em dashes, even in places where other punctuation would make more sense, or its clear bias toward words like embark, deep dive and delve. Beyond those quirks, however, Richardson said AI tends to give generic responses that dont answer questions as thoroughly as a human would, so rewriting an article also requires doing her own research on the topic at hand. But many clients dont appreciate the work that goes into revamping a poorly written AI article, she said, noting that companies often offer less pay for these gigs based on the assumption that theyre less demanding. But making AI sound more human can require just as much thinking and creativity as writing the entire article herself, she said. I am a bit concerned because people are using AI to cut costs, and one of those costs is my pay, Richardson said. But at the same time, they find out that they cant really do it without humans. Theyre not getting the content that they want from AI, so hopefully well stick around a little longer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As companies struggle to figure out their approach to AI, recent data provided to NBC News from freelance job platforms Upwork, Freelancer and Fiverr also suggest that demand for various types of creative work surged this year, and that clients are increasingly looking for humans who can work alongside AI technologies without relying on or rejecting them entirely. Data from Upwork found that although AI is already automating lower-skilled and repetitive tasks, the platform is seeing growing demand for more complex work such as content strategy or creative art direction. And over the past six months, Fiverr said it has seen a 250% boost in demand for niche tasks across web design and book illustration, from watercolor children story book illustration to Shopify website design. Similarly, Freelancer saw a surge in demand this year for humans in writing, branding, design and video production, including requests for emotionally engaging content like heartfelt speeches. I mean, the fastest way to get dumped is to send a love letter to your girlfriend or boyfriend and use ChatGPT to write it, Matt Barrie, CEO of Freelancer, said of the phenomenon. And its the same thing for brands. The market knows when something has been fully produced by AI, and theres an immediate visceral reaction to it. Art drawn by Van Linda, an illustrator who is often hired by authors to create book covers. (Courtesy Todd Van Linda ) Brands caught using AI have continued to face backlash from consumers. Last month, Guess sparked outcry online when it featured an AI-generated model in an advertisement that appeared in Vogue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So even outside of any obvious mistakes made by AI tools, some artists say their clients simply want a human touch to distinguish themselves from the growing pool of AI-generated content online. To Todd Van Linda, an illustrator and comic artist in Florida, AI art is easily discernible, if not by certain telltale inconsistencies in the details, then by the plasticine effect that defines AI-generated images across a range of styles. I can look at a piece and not only tell that its AI, I can tell you what descriptor they used to generate it, Van Linda said. When it comes to, especially, independent authors, they dont want anything to do with that because its so formulaic, its obvious. Its like they stopped off at Walmart to get a bargain cover for their book. Authors come to him, he said, because they know that AI-generated art fails to capture the hyperspecific vibe of their individual story. Often, his clients can only give him a rough idea of what they want. Its then Van Lindas job to decipher their preferences and create something that draws out the exact feeling each client seeks to evoke from their art. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Van Linda said he also gets approached by people who want him to fix their AI-generated art, but he avoids those jobs now because he has realized those clients are typically less willing to pay him what he believes his labor is worth. There would be more work involved in fixing those images than there would be in starting from a clean sheet of paper and doing it right, because what they have is a mismatched collection of generalities that really dont follow what theyre trying to do, he said. But theyre trying to wedge the square peg into the round hole because they dont want to spend any more money. The low pay from clients who have already cheaped out on AI tools has affected gig workers across industries, including more technical ones like coding. For India-based web and app developer Harsh Kumar, many of his clients say they had already invested much of their budget in vibe coding tools that couldnt deliver the results they wanted. But others, he said, are realizing that shelling out for a human developer is worth the headaches saved from trying to get an AI assistant to fix its own crappy code. Kumar said his clients often bring him vibe-coded websites or apps that resulted in unstable or wholly unusable systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His projects have included fixing an AI-powered support chatbot that gave customers inaccurate answers and sometimes leaked sensitive system details due to poor safety measures and rebuilding an AI content recommendation system that frequently crashed, gave irrelevant recommendations and exposed sensitive data. AI may increase productivity, but it cant fully replace humans, Kumar said. Im still confident that humans will be required for long-term projects. At the end of the day, humans were the ones who developed AI. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com In Kyiv, people bid farewell to 24-year-old Nadiia Halych and her two-year-old daughter Anhelina who were killed in Russias large-scale attack on the capital on the night of 27-28 August. Source: Suspilne Kyiv Details: Hundreds of people gathered for the ceremony. The farewell ceremony Photo: Anna Zhelezniak/Suspilne Among those present were residents of the building destroyed in the Darnytskyi district, neighbours, relatives, friends and classmates of the late Nadiia. She studied at Kyiv College of Tourism and Hotel Management and gave birth to her daughter in October 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nadiias former class teacher Nataliia said that the woman had been a good student. The teacher noted she was a cheerful and kind person who loved her younger sister. "Nadiia was a very bright and kind person. She always helped everyone. I watched her grow up. There was not a single bad word that could be said about her," said Liudmyla, a resident of a neighbouring building. Near the building damaged in the attack, Kyiv residents created an improvised memorial where people bring not only flowers but also toys. Background: On the night of 27-28 August, Russia used a total of 629 aerial assets to launch a large-scale attack on Ukraine. Residential high-rise buildings were damaged in Kyiv, including in the Dniprovskyi district, where the attack destroyed one of the entrances. Twenty-five people were killed, including four children, and dozens were wounded. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Budapest will not agree to open the first round of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Aug. 30. The statement was made after the informal meeting of the EU countries' ministers in Copenhagen on Aug. 30. Szijjarto said that Hungary will not allow Ukraine's accession to the EU, as this "would destroy Hungarian farmers, Hungary's food security, and allow the Ukrainian mafia to enter Hungary," a Hungarian media outlet reported on Aug. 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That is why we will not allow the substantive part of the accession negotiations, i.e., the specific rounds of the negotiations, to be opened," Szijjarto said. Hungary is broadly seen as the most Kremlin-friendly government in the EU and NATO. The country has consistently obstructed aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia throughout the full-scale war. Ukraine applied for EU membership shortly after Russia launched its war in 2022 and was granted candidate status within months. As an EU member, Hungary has veto power over further progress. Szijjarto also claimed that Europe is not looking for peace but for a long-term continuation of the war. Hungary itself will support the peace efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump, as only an agreement between the U.S. and Russia can lead to a settlement, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to end the war have faltered, amid multiple extensions of a deadline to see if Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about peace. "We will not allow (...) the Hungarian people's money to be used to arm and finance the Ukrainian army, so we continue to oppose the use of approximately 2,5 billion forints ($6.76 million) of European taxpayers' money from the European Peace Fund for all this," Szijjarto added. "And finally, we will not allow Brussels and Kyiv to jointly jeopardize Hungary's energy security. We will not allow the cost of utilities in Hungary to increase, so we will not support proposals for sanctions against energy companies that are important for Hungary's energy supply," Szijjarto added. Szijjarto on Aug. 13 condemned a Ukrainian drone strike on a key distribution station of the Druzhba oil pipeline in Russia's Bryansk Oblast Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Druzhba pipeline is one of the world's largest oil pipelines. Hungary, which relies on the line for most of its crude oil, is among the two remaining European Union countries together with Slovakia still importing Russian oil via Druzhba under an exemption from EU sanctions. Read also: Hungary blocks EU statement backing Ukraines accession talks at Brussels summit Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Hungary will not agree to the opening of the first cluster of negotiations on Ukraines accession to the EU. Source: Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto after an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Copenhagen, as cited by Hungarian news website Index.hu and reported by European Pravda Details: Szijjarto said the Hungarian authorities will not allow Ukraine to be "pushed into the EU", as this would supposedly destroy Hungarian farmers, undermine Hungarys food security and "allow the Ukrainian mafia to penetrate Hungary". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That is why we will not allow the substantive part of the accession negotiations, namely the specific negotiation chapters, to be opened," he said. Background: Lithuania is urging EU capitals to take decisive action to make Ukraines EU membership application real and irreversible. Lithuanias proposal suggests beginning technical-level negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova without Hungary, if the other 26 member states agree, with official approval to follow later if Budapest changes its position. Ahead of a visit by the leaders of France, Germany and Poland to the Moldovan capital of Chisinau, several European diplomats said that the idea of opening the first cluster of membership negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova separately is in doubt. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Hunters and trappers in California have been shocked to discover neon blue flesh beneath the skin of feral pigs, National Geographic reported. The alien-like coloration has come from the animals ingesting rat poison used by ranchers and farmers. Dan Burton, an animal-control expert in Monterey County, told National Geographic the coloration was not subtle or muted but a bright, "7/11 slushie" shade of blue, per National Geographic. Bright blue-fleshed wild pigs in California spark fears of pesticide contamination. As hunters gear up, the risk of consuming tainted meat raises serious health concerns for all. pic.twitter.com/Y6QIXwTlxN Azat TV (@azattelevision) August 7, 2025 In a news release, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said it "urges hunters to always use caution when harvesting game animals and be aware of potential risks." What's happening? The blue color came from the dye used in the rodent-control poison diphacinone, an anticoagulant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While working for a ranch that was experiencing issues with wild pigs, Burton observed the animals breaking into poison-containing traps that had been left for rodents and eating the poison-laced oats inside, according to National Geographic. Despite much recent publicity involving the blue-fleshed swine, the issue is not new, nor has it been limited to feral pigs. In the fall of 2020, Canadian geese shot by hunters in the Bay Area's Contra Costa County were found to have blue-colored fat, according to a California Department of Fish and Wildlife alert from the time. Diphacinone was detected in at least one of the birds' livers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Rodenticide baits like diphacinone often contain a dye which identifies the bait as a poison," said Krysta Rogers, an avian disease specialist for the CDFW. "We suspect the blue-colored fat was caused by ingestion of diphacinone bait containing blue dye." Scientists also have detected diphacinone in a number of the state's iconic species, including California condors, bobcats, black bears, San Joaquin kit foxes, red-tailed hawks, and northern spotted owls, according to National Geographic. Not all of these animals ingested the poison directly. Some of the contamination comes from predators eating animals that themselves have consumed diphacinone. This means that the poison can bioaccumulate in species further up the food chain. "It's really widespread poisoning," Jonathan Evans, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, told National Geographic. "The ability of anticoagulants to bioaccumulate through the food web is dramatic." Why are blue-fleshed pigs important? The situation highlights the incredible interconnectedness of ecosystems and the ways in which a solution for one issue for example, rodent control can create a host of other problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts have warned that the situation is not as simple as merely banning diphacinone outright and switching to other poisons, or simply not engaging in rodent control at all. Groups ranging from farmers to public-health officials require an effective means of controlling rodent populations, and other poisons or means of population control also could have devastating consequences, often unforeseen. What's being done about the poisoning of wildlife? Despite the complicated, interconnected nature of the problem, advocates say that alternatives to poisons do exist. For example, both Chicago and New York City have experimented with fertility-control methods, using substances that are not toxic but do hinder the ability of rats to reproduce, according to National Geographic. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. More than 1,500 Idahoans between the ages of 5 and 17 contacted the Idaho Crisis and Suicide Hotline between when the parental consent law went into effect on July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, according to data provided by the hotline. (Getty Images) A law requiring parental consent for almost any medical treatment provided to minors went into effect in Idaho in July 2024, and it has been hampering childrens access to care in unintended ways. One of the affected entities is the Idaho 988 Crisis and Suicide Hotline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 1,500 Idahoans between the ages of 5 and 17 contacted the hotline between when the parental consent law went into effect on July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, according to data provided by the Idaho Crisis and Suicide Hotline. Some of those young people cant move forward in their call without a parent giving permission. Sometimes, a parent or guardian can get on the phone, according to Idaho 988 Director Lee Flinn, but in most situations, the minor hangs up because they tell us they feel like they cant do that. We really do want and hope that minors have a parent or two parents that support them, but one of the things that we hear sometimes is that they dont have a parent they can talk to, Flinn said. How you can get help Call or text 988 to talk to a trained crisis counselor. Phone services are provided in English and Spanish, with translator services available for 250 other languages. Text services are only provided in English. For online messaging, visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A trained crisis counselor will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support and share resources, if needed. Crisis Text Line is a texting service for emotional crisis support. To speak with a trained listener, text HELLO to 741741. It is free, available 24/7, and confidential. She emphasized that the hotline still accepts calls from anyone, and encourages people of any age to call, text or chat online if they are in crisis. Definition of emergency can complicate how Idaho hotline staff handle call from minor The law, Senate Bill 1329, passed in 2024, requires that a provider receive consent from a parent or legal custodian to perform any health care service, which is defined as for the diagnosis, screening, examination, prevention, treatment, cure, care, or relief of any physical or mental health condition, illness, injury, defect, or disease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Providers do not need parental consent if theyve been given blanket consent by a parent already or the provider reasonably determines that a medical emergency exists and furnishing the health care service is necessary to prevent death or imminent, irreparable physical injury to the minor child. Lee said many of the calls received by hotline staff members are really serious, they are in crisis, but the situation doesnt meet the high bar defined in the law. The law has also impeded the hotlines ability to follow-up with young people, which is considered a best practice regardless of the severity of the situation, she said. If a teenager tells us they are suicidal but theyre not at imminent risk, meaning they may not have a plan, they may not have access to lethal means, theyre still feeling suicidal and it is best practice to offer a follow up call the next day within 24 hours, Flinn said. And were not able to offer that follow up call or support to minors because of this law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If there is imminent risk determined, the call will continue and the responder will try to ensure the minors safety, she said. Alexander Copple, who worked at the hotline as a responder as part of a masters of social work internship between July 2024 and May, 2025, said the law made it difficult to do what he felt was right. We can hear a little bit, and then we would basically say, we cant continue the conversation unless you have a parent there who can give consent, and then wed have to end the call, Copple said. And we have no way of knowing or following up to know if there was any help or support that was received. Flinn said young people can call for a variety of reasons, often stemming from a difficulty managing strong emotions related to bullying, their relation with their parents, pressure to succeed, or a breakup. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A young persons brain is not fully developed into their 20s, so when a young person is in crisis, its important to remember that they can be very impulsive sometimes, so the best support that any of us can provide a young person, early on in the crisis, is best. Idaho lawmakers say they intend to try again to clarify the law The bill sponsors, Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, and Senate President Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon, R-Rupert, were aware of other ways the law was impeding access to care, and Anthon during the 2025 legislative session proposed a bill to clarify language in it, but the bill did not advance in the House. Ehardt told the Idaho Capital Sun on Wednesday that she hadnt heard of the laws impact on the hotline. The one thing Ive said from the beginning, is that we wanted to keep an an eye on things pertaining to suicide, Ehardt said. I think thats worth looking at. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anthons bill proposed this year would have created a specific exception for the 988 hotline, allowing for services without parental consent if the child is is accessing the services of the Idaho crisis and suicide hotline or experiencing a mental health crisis and presents an imminent risk of serious injury to self or others. The law as its written had also caused problems for those providing sexual assault exams on young people under 18. Under the law, a health worker would need to get consent from a parent to do the exam, but in some cases the perpetrator of the assault may be that parent or another family member, Idaho Reports previously reported. The law also gained national attention when the Washington Post reported on a 13-year-old pregnant girl from McCall who could consent to her babys care but not her own. The law came up at a recent legislative Child Custody and Domestic Relations Task Force meeting, during which advocates disagreed as to whether the law, as written, hampered abuse investigations and treatment, the Sun reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before the passage of Senate Bill 1329, teenagers 14 and older could seek contraception or other family planning services outside of abortion, treatment and testing for sexually transmitted diseases, and inpatient care for mental health, the Idaho Press reported. Those 16 and older may consent to treatment or rehabilitation for substance abuse. Childrens advocates at the time of the bills passage expressed concern it would have a chilling effect on young peoples access to health care, the Idaho Press reported. Ehardt seatmate, fellow Idaho Falls Republican Marco Erickson, had originally raised concerns about the impact on crisis and suicide centers when the bill was introduced in 2024. Erickson is a program director at Community Youth in Action, which works toward substance abuse and suicide prevention. He told the Sun that he had heard the bill had been impacting services at the hotline, and hes been advocating for those who are affected to bring potential solutions to the bill sponsors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erickson did not sponsor the bill, and although he expressed concerns about the mental health aspect of the bill, he voted for it on the floor. Im just, in good faith, hoping they take care of it, he said. (Ehardt) assured me that these issues would be addressed. Ehardt has said she believes the law has been misconstrued and overly broadly interpreted in a way that doesnt allow for some basic services to be provided, such as a Band-Aid at school, but said shes open to trying to clarify it. The bill last year passed the Senate but never went anywhere in the House. Ehardt said it came too late in the session. She hopes to have a bill ready early in the 2026 session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of those things are being worked on as we speak, she said. This article was first published by Idaho Capital Sun, part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com. Imagine if moving goods around the country were as fast, efficient, and seamless as sending an email. No half-empty trucks stuck in traffic. No wasted warehouse space. No missed delivery windows. And yet despite this technology already being discussed in global logistics circles most people in the Philippine logistics industry have never even heard of it. Physical Internet The Physical Internet (PI) is a revolutionary approach that takes the principles of the digital Internet and applies them to the movement of physical goods creating a logistics network that is seamless, standardized, and highly efficient. It was introduced by Professor Benoit Montreuil, a logistics visionary who asked: What if the way we ship goods was as interconnected as the way we send information online? - Advertisement - Instead of each trucking company, warehouse, and shipping line working in silos, PI envisions a shared, standardized, and modular network. Think of goods moving in reusable smart containers that can hop between trucks, trains, and ships, just like how a digital file travels across different devices and networks without compatibility issues. The idea is powered by Internet of Things (IoT) devices, real-time tracking, and data-sharing across the entire supply chain. It promises to slash inefficiencies, cut costs, and reduce carbon emissions all while improving working conditions for drivers, warehouse staff, and other logistics workers. Why should we care? The Philippines should care because our logistics industry is weighed down by massive inefficiencies that hurt both businesses and communities. Trucks often return from deliveries with empty loads, wasting fuel and resources. Many warehouses remain underutilized despite the high rental costs that eat into profit margins. Traffic congestion and fuel waste not only increase operational expenses but also worsen air pollution. On top of these challenges, logistics workers endure long hours, unpredictable schedules, and low pay, creating stress and reducing overall well-being in the sector. Missing the bus Despite its promise, the Physical Internet remains largely theoretical in the Philippines because of several persistent challenges. Awareness is still low, with many logistics managers, SMEs, and even policymakers unaware of its existence. Resistance to change is another hurdle, as companies hesitate to share data or assets with competitors, even when collaboration could deliver mutual benefits. The absence of unified standards for container sizes, tracking systems, and IT compatibility further complicates integration. On top of this, regulatory gaps mean there are no strong policies in place to encourage shared infrastructure or data exchange. As a result, the countrys logistics networks remain fragmented, with most players focused on short-term gains instead of building a truly connected and sustainable ecosystem. What should we do now? Bringing the Physical Internet to life in the Philippines will require strong collaboration among government, the private sector, academia, and technology innovators. The government must take the lead in creating supportive policies and offering incentives for shared logistics infrastructure, while private companies need to embrace data-sharing and standardization to enable seamless operations. Universities can play a crucial role by conducting research and launching pilot projects to test PI concepts in local contexts. At the same time, tech providers should focus on developing scalable IoT and tracking solutions tailored to Philippine conditions. The good news is that many of the necessary components already exist from modular containers to GPS tracking, AI-powered route planning, and shared logistics platforms. Whats needed now is to connect these pieces under a unified Physical Internet framework. Logistics revolution Failing to act on the potential of the Physical Internet means risking a future where other nations outpace us in supply chain efficiency, environmental responsibility, and economic resilience. But embracing it could turn our logistics sector from a daily struggle into a powerful enabler of progress, cleaner in its environmental impact, faster in operations, more inclusive in opportunities, and better prepared for the challenges ahead. Around the world, this transformation is already underway, bringing with it healthier working conditions, smarter resource use, and stronger partnerships across industries. The real question for the Philippines is whether we will lead this movement toward a more sustainable, equitable, and competitive future, or simply watch from the sidelines as others set the pace. Steven Kim Albert R. Tan is a Doctor of Business Administration student at De La Salle University. His research focuses on sustainability, operations management in logistics, and financial management. He is a licensed Mechanical Engineer with a degree from the University of Santo Tomas and an MBA from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. With 13 years of experience in the oil industry, over 10 of which are in logistics, he serves as Fleet Services Group Manager at Petron Corporation, overseeing trucking logistics, deliveries, and the companys Vendor Managed Inventory System. His career also includes significant experience in business planning, driving operational efficiency, and supporting strategic decision-making. PEORIA COUNTY, Ill. (WMBD) A man has died after a wreck on U.S. Route 24 early Saturday evening. Illinois State Police troopers were called at 7:54 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30 to Route 24 near Glasford Road to a report of a medical emergency, said a state police spokesperson. When they arrived, troopers found a car in the ditch, and the man inside was pronounced dead at the scene, they said. All lanes on Route 24 were reopened at approximately 10:54 p.m. Saturday evening, the spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No further information has been made available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. INDEPENDENCE, Mo. Multiple officers with the Independence Police Department are on administrative leave after investigators say they shot and killed a man while responding to a disturbance call early Sunday morning. According to IPD, at about 1 a.m. Sunday, officers were called to an apartment building in the area of East Truman Road and South Scott Avenue on reports of a disturbance. An on-scene public information officer (PIO) with the Lees Summit Police Department told FOX4 that an anonymous caller told dispatch that they saw people in the parking lot holding long guns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I-70 lanes closed after suspect is hit while running from police When IPD arrived, they reported finding a man in the backseat of a car. As officers began speaking with him, the PIO said he pulled out a handgun. According to body camera footage, the man was asked to put the gun down, and when he didnt, officers shot him. The officers gave that man commands to drop the handgun. Yes, he disregarded their commands, and unfortunately, officers were forced to use lethal force, Sergeant Chris Depue said. A crime scene in Independence, Missouri, after a man was shot and killed by Independence police in the early morning hours of Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. A Lees Summit Police Department detective van driving to a crime scene. A crime scene in Independence, Missouri, after a man was shot and killed by Independence police in the early morning hours of Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. A crime scene in Independence, Missouri, after a man was shot and killed by Independence police in the early morning hours of Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. Depue added that officers were concerned the disturbance call was still active, so they brought the man to a nearby ambulance to receive medical treatment. However, it was later confirmed by medics that he had died from his injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, people who lived in the building told detectives they did not see people with guns in the area. Dispatch also indicated the initial report may have come from the parking lot. As a result of this tip, police are now investigating whether the man who was shot by police had been the original caller who contacted 911 about the disturbance. IPD said the mans identity will be withheld until his family is notified. Investigation shows Clay Co. police shooting suspect was armed with machete At this time, the Police Involved Incident Team (PIIT), which consists of the Lees Summit, Blue Springs, Grandview and Independence Police Departments, is leading the investigations. The investigations will also include the Kansas City Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officers who shot the man are currently on administrative leave until the investigation is over. Once it is concluded, the case will be presented to the Jackson County Prosecutors Office for review. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners amid President Trumps steep tariffs on India, according to a press release. According to a press release from Modis office, Xi and Modi had a meeting on Sunday in the Chinese city of Tianjin. The two welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting, the press release states. They reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners and not rivals, and that their differences should not turn into disputes, the press release from Modis office said. A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion peoples on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multi-polar world and a multi-polar Asia befitting the trends of the 21st century. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chinese president pushed for improved Indian-Chinese relations and partnership, Chinese state media outlet Xinhua reported. Xi said the correct option for India and China ought to be a cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant, Xinhua reported. Trumps steep tariffs on India as a penalty for its purchase of oil from Russia took effect earlier this week, with the import tax imposed on India now at 50 percent. The president said he would target India with a 25 percent penalty for the oil purchases, which he argued are helping support Moscows war efforts in Ukraine, on top of a 25 percent reciprocal tariff, by Wednesday. In the first few months of his second term, Trump and his administration have pushed for an end to the war in Ukraine, but have had no luck in doing so. The president recently met separately with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington, D.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Five-year-old Pulsing Ajnera was playing with his brothers in a field near their home in the western Indian state of Gujarat, when a lion came out of nowhere, his grieving father told CNN. This lion grabbed the child, my youngest, and left. My family tried everything to rescue him. They threw stones at the lion and a few wooden sticks as well, but (it) dragged him into the jungle, Heera Ajnera said. The boys body was later recovered. Pulsing was one of seven people in India killed by lions in the year to June 2025, taking the total number of fatal attacks in five years to more than 20. Attacks on cattle have almost doubled during the same period, Gujarat officials told CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sporting an unmistakable dark mane and unique folds of skin along their bellies, Asiatic lions are slightly smaller than their African cousins. They once prowled the Middle East and Asia but now Gujarat is home to the worlds last population of wild Asiatic lions. The lions were hunted to the brink of extinction in India, before a ban on killing the cats was put in place in Gujarat a century ago. Recent conservation efforts, have seen the states lion population rise by 30% to 891 in the last five years. Conservationists say a large part of the success stems from a unique human-lion relationship, where locals profit from the presence of lions, and lions are given space to roam. But that symbiotic relationship is being tested as the lion population grows. Lions have been found in basement parking lots of hotelson top of peoples homes. They are resting on terraces. Theyre sitting there and roaring, said wildlife biologist Ravi Chellam, the coordinator of conservation network the Biodiversity Collaborative. Asiatic lions sport an unmistakable dark mane and unique folds of skin along their bellies - Robin C Hamilton The minute a lion moves into human-dominated habitats, the probability (of it attacking humans) just increases, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more than a decade, Chellam and other conservationists have been pushing the Gujarat government to move some lions to a second habitat outside the state. But Gujarats lions havent gone anywhere, and their numbers are continuing to grow creating the potential for conflict despite a Supreme Court ruling ordering the government to relocate them. An expanding population Gir National Park a 545-square-mile protected area about the size of Los Angeles City was established in 1965 to protect endangered species, including Asiatic lions. Most of Gujarats Asiatic lions now live outside the parks borders, mixing with humans in towns and villages. Theoretically, its a success story because that was the whole intention of a conservation project to increase the number of individuals of that species, Gujarat-based conservationist Jehan Bhujwala told CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when you have too many animals, they claim space outside of the protected area and then they start coming into conflict with local (people), he said. Bhujwala says Indias conservation model was never intended to separate lions from humans, noting that villages are built within national parks. They all coexisted, and that coexistence, that tolerance, is something which is very unique to Indias conservation history, he said. Local people rely on lions to generate tourism income, and in return big cats feed on old cattle abandoned by local herders, wrote Yadvendradev Vikramsinh Jhala, the former dean of Wildlife Institute of India, in an academic paper published last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jhala and his co-authors said the lions also prey on pigs and nilgais a type of antelope - which helps eliminate animals the local farmers consider to be pests. The community has learned to live with lions because their economic benefits outweigh the risks, said Jhala. Asiatic lions playing at Gir National Park. - Robin C Hamilton Such a level of coexistence between people and a large carnivore is not seen anywhere in the world, he told CNN. The tie with the local people runs deep. If there are Maldharis, there are lions. We are one, said Lakshman, a 32-year-old farmer from the local Maldhari community. But Lakshman, who farms buffaloes and sells their milk to support his five children and wife, said he had noticed an uptick in lion attacks on cattle, which experts say have deepened grievances within the pastoral community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conservationists warn the dynamic between lions and humans could soon change if more is not done to address the lions growing population. Stalled translocation plan Chellam is among a group of conservationists who have been urging the government to move some of the lions to Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. A survey he and other scientists completed three decades ago found it to be a suitable habitat for lion conservation. The call was at the heart of a court battle jointly filed by the Centre for Environment Law and the World Wide Fund for Nature India against the government in 1994 to force local officials in Gujarat to act. In 2013, the Supreme Court of India ruled in favor of the environmental groups, directing the Ministry of Environment to take urgent steps for the re-introduction of Asiatic Lions from Gir Forests to Kuno. It was to be initiated within six months, starting with the formation of an expert committee. Chellam, whos on the committee, said the last meeting was held in 2016. He says by not convening regular meetings, the government is dragging its feet on the Supreme Court order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than a decade after the ruling, the lions remain solely in Gujarat. Further complicating the process is the arrival of cheetahs imported from South Africa and Namibia to the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary. The first cheetahs arrived in India in 2022 under a historic plan to revive the species 70 years after their extinction in the country. Some cubs died soon after, but 31 are now living in Kuno, indicating successful population growth, according to a paper published in May that countered criticism of the program. The cheetah program is part of the Indian governments push to transform the country into a global leader in feline conservation. In 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the International Big Cat Alliance to save seven big cats tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, cheetahs, jaguars and pumas which now has 11 member countries. Chellam said the cheetahs presence in Kuno would further delay the lion translocation if its still the plan by up to 20 years the time it takes for the cheetah population to settle before another species can be brought in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gujarats Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Jaipal Singh declined CNNs request to comment on the latest developments. Resistance to the translocation also comes from local authorities and people in the tourism industry, who are wary of losing business and the states exclusivity as the only place in India to see lions in the wild, Chellam explained. Efforts to keep lions in Gujarat The Gujarat government has come up with an alternative to the Kuno translocation. Its proposing to move some lions to the Barda Wildlife Sanctuary within state borders, noting that 17 Asiatic lions had been sighted there for the first time since 1879. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its also increased funding for lion protection by over 70% in the last three years to $18.2 million in 2023-2024 a sign of its commitment to protecting the species. But Chellam says Barda is too small and short on prey to sustain a viable lion population. Its also too close to Gir National Park to prevent the spread of disease, meaning a catastrophic pandemic could wipe out Gujarats entire population of Asiatic lions. Having all your eggs in one basket is very risky. If there is a disease outbreak, then there is trouble for you, he said. Lions at Gir National Park. - Robin C Hamilton A lion rests at Gir National Park. - Robin C Hamilton Pulsings father, Ajnera, used to think that humans could co-exist with lions. He moved to the Amreli district, known for lion sightings, seven years ago as a farm laborer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His home was 200 meters away from the forest, and it never occurred to him that lions would attack humans. This generally does not happen here, he said. Now, the grieving father has changed his mind. We could not live there anymore. We left the area and moved to another village 5 kilometers (3 miles) away out of fear, he said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Indias Narendra Modi the right choice is for their countries to be friends as the two met in China for first time in seven years a new milestone in a nascent rapprochement between the worlds most populous nations accelerated by shared frictions with the United States. Xi and Modis highly-anticipated meeting Sunday, on the sidelines of a regional summit in the eastern port city of Tianjin, comes as both nations face stiff US tariffs under President Donald Trumps global trade war, as well as Western scrutiny over their relationships with Russia as the war in Ukraine grinds on. The world today is swept by once-in-a-century transformations, Xi told Modi in opening remarks, as both leaders sat face-to-face flanked by their officials. The international situation is both fluid and chaotic, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is the right choice for both sides to be friends who have good neighborly and amicable ties, partners who enable each others success, and to have the dragon and the elephant dance together, Xi said, referring to traditional symbols of the two nations. As long as they adhere to the overall direction of being partners rather than rivals China-India relations can maintain stability and move forward over the long run, he said. Modi said India was committed to taking their countries relations forward on the basis of mutual trust and respect, and referenced their bettering of ties, including an easing of tensions along their disputed Himalayan border where the two fought a deadly skirmish in 2020. The interests of 2.8 billion people in both our countries are tied to our cooperation, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The positive signals are sure to be closely watched in Washington, where tensions with New Delhi threaten to derail what had been years of efforts from US diplomats to deepen ties with the country as a key counterweight to a rising and increasingly assertive China a set of circumstances that makes the latest meeting all the more important and timely to Xi. Trump earlier this month levied significant economic penalties on India, initially placing its imports into the US under 25% tariffs and then slapping an additional 25% duties on the country as punishment for importing Russian oil and gas, which Washington sees as helping to fund Putins war in Ukraine. Both China and India are major purchasers of Russian oil, though China has yet to be targeted with such measures. Modi said he spoke with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky Saturday and exchanged views on the ongoing conflict. India has previously said it does not take sides in the war. In his daily address on Sunday, Zelensky said that everyone in the world has said that the fighting must be ceased, including Turkey, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, who he noted were in China for the summit. Almost everyone else in the world is also in favor of ending the war, he continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indias oil purchases could be a point of discussion on Monday, when Modi is expected to hold bilateral talks with Putin, part of his wider diplomacy as he joins a two-day summit of the Beijing-and Moscow-backed regional security grouping known as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). In addition to China, Russia, and India, the group includes Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as partner and observer countries. Chinese officials ahead of the event said leaders from more than 20 countries from across Asia and Middle East would join the summit. Xi hosted attending leaders for a welcome banquet on Sunday evening, where he appeared to put his warm and relaxed rapport with Putin on show. Footage released by Russia state news agency RIA showed the two leaders gesturing animatedly and smiling as they chatted at the event, showing a different side of the typically restrained Chinese leader. The pair then walked shoulder to shoulder together after posing for a photo alongside other gathered leaders, with Xi gesturing for Putin to walk with him, footage released by the Kremlin showed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SCO is the two leaders first opportunity to meet in person since Putins summit with Trump in Alaska earlier this month part of the US presidents push to end the war in Ukraine. Xi and Putin discussed the latest contacts between the US and Russia during a detailed conversation, Russian state media reported Sunday, citing Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov. Putins war looms over the SCO gathering and the flurry of diplomacy around it, with the Russian president, who landed in Tianjin earlier Sunday, joining the gathering as Western leaders ramp up pressure on him and his partners to end the now more than three-and-half-year invasion. A warming relationship? Beijing is widely seen as eager for the newfound tensions between Trump and Modi to reduce what have been burgeoning security ties between the US and India. Chinese officials have watched with unease the elevation of the Quad security dialogue between India, the US and its allies Australia and Japan, widely seen as a bid to counter China. In his remarks to Modi on Sunday, Xi sought to stress commonalities framing the two countries as at critical stages of development and rejuvenation, and calling for them to focus on development as their greatest common denominator, supporting and advancing each other, according to a readout from Chinas Foreign Ministry. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, on August 31, 2025. - India's Press Information Bureau/Reuters He also referenced their shared stated aim to make the international order more multipolar a term used by countries, including those within the SCO, to call for international power to be more broadly shared as opposed to dominated by the US and its allies, as they see it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There has been a gradual normalization of ties between India and China after Modi and Xi met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia last October, which came as the two sides reached an agreement on military disengagement along their disputed border. In recent months, the countries agreed to restart direct flights cancelled since the Covid-19 pandemic. Beijing also recently agreed to reopen two pilgrimage sites in western Tibet to Indians for the first time in five years, and both started re-issuing tourist visas for each others citizens. Earlier this month, following a visit from Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi to New Delhi, the two announced ten points of consensus on the issue to further reduce tensions. Xi and Modi on Sunday also discussed whats happening on the international plain and the challenges it creates, India Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters on the SCO sidelines, when asked about whether Trumps tariffs were raised. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They tried to, in a sense, see how to leverage that for building greater understanding between themselves, and how to take forward the economic and commercial relationship between India and China in the midst of these evolving challenges, Misri said. Observers say, however, that even as the two leaders seek stability in their relationship, both in terms of trade and security, it will be hard for Xi and Modi to overcome a longstanding lack of personal trust. Underlying tensions between India and China spiked in 2020 following a deadly conflict along their disputed Himalayan border, in which 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in hand-to-hand combat. India's Prime Minister Modi is welcomed by the Indian community upon his arrival for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit at the hotel in Tianjin, China, on August 30, 2025. - India's Press Information Bureau/Reuters The two nations maintain a heavy military presence along their 2,100-mile (3,379-kilometer) de facto border, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC) a boundary that remains undefined and has been a persistent source of friction since their bloody 1962 war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But both leaders on Sunday appeared keen to signal the welcome of a warmer chapter. An Indian readout released following the meeting said they reaffirmed that their differences should not turn into disputes and their stable relationship and cooperation was necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multipolar world. This story has been updated with developments. CNNs Anna Chernova and Yong Xiong contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The Chinese embassy in Jakarta warned Chinese citizens in Indonesia to avoid crowds on the weekend as an outbreak of protests forced the Indonesian president to cancel his trip to China. "[Citizens and agencies should] improve security precautions, closely monitor local developments, minimise non-essential outings, steer clear of protest crowds and areas, and avoid visiting crowded locations," the embassy said in a social media post on Saturday. Also on Saturday, Indonesian State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said "domestic dynamics" had prompted President Prabowo Subianto to cancel his planned trip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Prasetyo, who is also the presidential spokesman, said Prabowo wanted to "monitor the situation directly, as well as to lead and find the best solution". "Therefore, the president apologises to the Chinese government that he could not attend the invitation," the minister said in a video. Prabowo had originally planned to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Sunday and Monday, and then the Victory Day military parade in Beijing on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protests have been raging across several Indonesian cities for days, fuelled by anger over pay rises for parliamentarians as well as government corruption. The situation escalated after a police vehicle hit and killed a 21-year-old motorcycle taxi driver while dispersing demonstrators outside Jakarta's parliamentary complex on Thursday evening. On Friday, Prabowo called for calm and trust in the government, pledging a "thorough and transparent" investigation into the driver's death. The next day, social media platform TikTok said it would suspend live-streaming services in Indonesia for several days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. A homicide investigation is underway in Venice after a mans body was found inside a vehicle early Thursday morning, police say. Venice Police Department officers responded to a reported shooting in the 1200 block of Robin Street at approximately 1:46 a.m. Upon arrival, they located the body of a deceased male inside a vehicle, according to an Illinois State Police press release. The Venice Police Department requested agents from Illinois State Police Zone 6 Major Crimes to handle the investigation. The identity of the deceased man has not been released. The press release says the investigation is ongoing and no further information is available. PLEASANT VALLEY, Ky. (FOX 56) Two people were found dead in the Pleasant Valley area of Nicholas County on Saturday, prompting an investigation into their passing. The Nicholas County Coroners Office wrote in a news release around 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 30 that an investigation was underway into the deaths of two people on Abners Mill Road. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both people were pronounced dead at the scene around 12:15 p.m. on Saturday. Their bodies were taken to the Office of the Kentucky Medical Examiner in Frankfort for autopsy. Officials with the coroners office have not yet identified the pair who died. More information about the investigation will be released as it becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Investigation underway after person stabbed inside Plymouth Walmart An investigation is underway after a person was stabbed inside a Walmart in Plymouth. The incident occurred earlier on Saturday after reports of a person being stabbed inside the shopping center. Once police were on scene, they provided aid to the victim, who was transported to a local hospital, where his condition remains unknown at this time. Police say that no arrests have been made at this time, and they are currently searching for the identity of the other party who left the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No further information is available at this time. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW DMCI Homes, the real estate arm of DMCI Holdings Inc., said it expects to miss its P33-billion reservation sales target for the year as market conditions soften. DMCI Homes president Alfredo Austria told analysts in a recent briefing that the company might not be able to reach the target because of a softer market. - Advertisement - Reservation sales in the second quarter declined on several factors, including a high base from last years launch of the Montielo Crest project and an increased focus on ready-for-occupancy (RFO) units and rent-to-own offerings, Austria said. In the second quarter we focused more on RFO or completed projects because its healthier for our cash flow to sell completed projects, Austria said. We also became more aggressive in our rent-to-own program because it seems like theres been a lot of interest and inquiries on our rent-to-own units, he said. Austria cited a general slowdown in Metro Manilas residential market amid a condominium unit oversupply. Theres a lot of news going on about oversupply of condo units in Metro Manila and I think its affected buyers generally, he said. They have a wait-and-see attitude so it takes a bit longer to close the sales, said Austria. While reservation sales were down, revenues from RFO units improved, which is healthier for the companys cash flow. RFO unit sales grew 13 percent in the second quarter to P2 billion from P1.8 billion. The company also posted its highest monthly reservation sales this year in July at P2.6 billion. So while sales reservations came down a little bit, rent-to-own reservations went up much more than what we had originally expected, he said. Austria said that for the rest of the year, the company plans to launch a P2.5 billion joint venture in Baguio City. President Trump reiterates his threat to send the National Guard to Chicago. And Governor Kim Reynolds goes into her stretch run in office. Host Jim Niedelman gets into that with Democratic Political Consultant Porter McNeil and Iowa Republican Party Central Committee member Michelle Crawford. I fully expect to see Governor Reynolds make the most of her last session, her last legislative session, her last year in office, Crawford said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think she oughta focus on that in her final year to try to boost that number so that Iowas economy ranks better nationally, McNeil said. To hear more from the panel, click on the video. Local 4 News, your local election headquarters, is proud to present 4 the Record, a weekly news and public affairs program focused on the issues important to you. Its a program unlike any other here in the Quad Cities. Tune in each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as Jim Niedelman brings you up to speed on whats happening in the political arena, from Springfield, Des Moines, Washington, D.C. and right here at home. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has called on China to work together with Iran to reshape regional and global power dynamics. "The two countries on both sides of Asia have the power to bring about change in the region and the world," Khamenei said, according to the Iranian portal Iran Nuances, in a post on X on Sunday. The implementation of the planned strategic partnership agreement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit is expected to help pave the way for this transformation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Iranian constitution, Khamenei has the final say on all strategic matters. On the agenda of the bilateral negotiations is also the implementation of a planned high-speed rail project, which is set to connect the capital Tehran with Iran's pilgrimage city of Mashhad in the north-east of the country. Mashhad is the country's most important tourist city, as millions of pilgrims visit the shrine of the eighth Shia Imam Reza there every year. Due to the high cost of flights, an increasing number of pilgrims are opting to travel by train. By Maayan Lubell JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel is considering annexation in the occupied West Bank as a possible response to France and other countries recognising a Palestinian state, according to three Israeli officials and the idea will be discussed further on Sunday, another official said. Extension of Israeli sovereignty to the West Bank - de facto annexation of land captured in the 1967 Middle East war - was on the agenda for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet meeting late on Sunday that is expected to focus on the Gaza war, a member of the small circle of ministers said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear where precisely any such measure would be applied and when, whether only in Israeli settlements or some of them, or in specific areas of the West Bank like the Jordan Valley and whether any concrete steps, which would likely entail a lengthy legislative process, would follow discussions. Any step toward annexation in the West Bank would likely draw widespread condemnation from the Palestinians, who seek the territory for a future state, as well as Arab and Western countries. It is unclear where U.S. President Donald Trump stands on the matter. The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar did not respond to a request for comment on whether Saar had discussed the move with his U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio during his visit to Washington last week. Netanyahu's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the prime minister supports annexation and if so, where. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A past pledge by Netanyahu to annex Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley was scrapped in 2020 in favour of normalising ties with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in the so-called Abraham Accords brokered by Trump in his first term in office. The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The United States said on Friday it would not allow Abbas to travel to New York for the United Nations gathering of world leaders, where several U.S. allies are set to recognise Palestine as a state. PLEDGES TO RECOGNISE PALESTINE Israel, which is facing mounting international criticism over the war in Gaza, is angered by pledges by France, Britain, Australia and Canada to formally recognize a Palestinian state at a summit during the U.N. General Assembly in September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United Nations' highest court in 2024 said that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, and its settlements there are illegal and should be withdrawn as soon as possible. Israel argues the territories are not occupied in legal terms because they are on disputed lands, but the United Nations and most of the international community regard them as occupied territory. Its annexations of East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights decades ago have not won international recognition. Members of Netanyahu's ruling coalition have been calling for years for Israel to formally annex parts of the West Bank, territory, to which Israel cites biblical and historical ties. (Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah and Idrees Ali and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Editing by Ros Russell) Extension of Israeli sovereignty to the West Bank was on the agenda for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet meeting late on Sunday. Israel is considering annexation in the West Bank as a possible response to France and other countries recognizing a Palestinian state, according to three Israeli officials, and the idea will be discussed further on Sunday, another official said. Extension of Israeli sovereignty to the West Bank was on the agenda for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet meeting late on Sunday, which is expected to focus on the Gaza war, a member of the small circle of ministers said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear where precisely any such measure would be applied and when, whether only in Israeli settlements or some of them, or in specific areas of the West Bank like the Jordan Valley, and whether any concrete steps, which would likely entail a lengthy legislative process, would follow discussions. Any step toward annexation in the West Bank would likely draw widespread condemnation from the Palestinians, who seek the territory for a future state, as well as Arab and Western countries. It is unclear where US President Donald Trump stands on the matter. Walla reported on Sunday that Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the topic of West Bank sovereignty during his visit to Washington last week. However, a spokesperson for Sa'ar did not respond to Reuters' request for comment on the topic. Smoke rises during a military raid in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, in the West Bank on October 19, 2023. (credit: NASSER ISHTAYEH/FLASH90) Netanyahu's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the prime minister supports annexation and if so, where. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A past pledge by Netanyahu to annex Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley was scrapped in 2020 in favor of normalizing ties with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in the Abraham Accords brokered by Trump in his first term in office. PA's Mahmoud Abbas barred from UNGA The office of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The US said on Friday it would not allow Abbas to travel to New York for the United Nations gathering of world leaders, where several US allies are set to recognize Palestine as a state. Israel, which is facing mounting international criticism over the war in Gaza, is angered by pledges by France, Britain, Australia, and Canada to formally recognize a Palestinian state at a summit during the UN General Assembly in September. The United Nations' highest court in 2024 said that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, and its settlements there are illegal and should be withdrawn as soon as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel argues the territories are not occupied in legal terms because they are on disputed lands, but the United Nations and most of the international community regard them as occupied territory. Its annexations of east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights decades ago have not won international recognition. Members of Netanyahu's ruling coalition have been calling for years for Israel to formally annex parts of the West Bank, territory to which Israel cites biblical and historical ties. Israel is set to award its Presidential Medal of Honour to Mathias Dopfner, the chief executive of Axel Springer, a German media group known for its unwavering support of Israel. A statement by Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Sunday described Dopfner as "one of the most prominent and courageous voices in Europe and worldwide in the long-standing fight against anti-Semitism, as well as in his resolute support for the State of Israel." "Dopfner acts out of a deep commitment to the values of freedom and democracy, as well as in solidarity with the Jewish people," Herzog added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Dopfner's leadership, the Axel Springer publishing house has "adopted clear principles of solidarity with Israel in line with the vision of its legendary founder, Axel Springer." The Israeli president said Dopfner also took "unprecedented public steps to show solidarity with Israel" in the wake of the Hamas attacks of October 2023 and Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza. As a result, he has "become an international symbol of commitment, courage and loyalty to his values even during Israel's darkest hours." Axel Springer is Europe's largest publisher and the parent company of conservative-leaning media brands such as Germany's largest-selling daily Bild and broadsheet Die Welt, as well as international platforms like Politico and Business Insider. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January 2024, news website The Intercept reported that an Axel Springer classifieds site, Yad2, was posting real estate listings in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The medal award ceremony is planned for later this year, but a specific date has not been set. The Medal of Honour is the highest civilian award bestowed by the President of Israel. The first German to receive the award was former Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2014. Other recipients of the award this year include US-Israeli billionaire and philanthropist Miriam Adelson, historian Dina Porat and Israeli high-tech pioneer Yossi Vardi. By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Lili Bayer CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli forces pounded the suburbs of Gaza City overnight from the air and ground, destroying homes and driving more families out of the area as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet was set on Sunday to discuss a plan to seize the city. Residents of Sheikh Radwan, one of the largest neighbourhoods of Gaza City, said the territory had been under Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes throughout Saturday and on Sunday, forcing families to seek shelter in the western parts of the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military has gradually escalated its operations around Gaza City over the past three weeks, and on Friday it ended temporary pauses in the area that had allowed for aid deliveries, designating it a "dangerous combat zone". "They are crawling into the heart of the city where hundreds of thousands are sheltering, from the east, north, and south, while bombing those areas from the air and ground to scare people to leave," said Rezik Salah, a father of two, from Sheikh Radwan. Local health authorities said Israeli gunfire and strikes killed at least 30 people on Sunday, including 13 who tried to get food from near an aid site in central Gaza. The Israeli military said it was not aware of casualties near humanitarian aid distribution points in central Gaza. An Israeli official said Netanyahu's security cabinet will convene on Sunday evening to discuss the next stages of the planned offensive to seize Gaza City, which he has described as Hamas' last bastion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A full-scale offensive is not expected to start for weeks. Israel says it wants to evacuate the civilian population before moving more ground forces in. HAMAS SPOKESPERSON TARGETED Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that Israeli forces had targeted Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson of Hamas' armed wing. Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Abu Ubaida was killed. Two Hamas officials contacted by Reuters did not respond to requests for comment. Gaza health authorities said 15 people, including five children, were killed in the attack on a residential building in the heart of Gaza City. Abu Ubaida, also known as Hozayfa Al-Khalout, is a well-known figure to Palestinians and Israelis alike, close to Hamas' top military leaders and in charge of delivering the group's messages, often via video, for around two decades, delivering statements while wearing a red keffiyeh that concealed his face. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. targeted him with sanctions in April 2024, accusing him of leading the "cyber influence department" of al-Qassam Brigades. In his last statement on Friday, he warned that the planned Israeli offensive on Gaza City would endanger the hostages. On Saturday, Red Cross head Mirjana Spoljaric said an evacuation from the city would provoke a massive population displacement that no other area in the enclave is equipped to absorb, with shortages of food, shelter and medical supplies. "People who have relatives in the south left to stay with them. Others, including myself, didn't find a space as Deir Al-Balah and Mawasi are overcrowded," said Ghada, a mother of five from the city's Sabra neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around half of the enclave's more than 2 million people are presently in Gaza City. Several thousand were estimated to have left the city for central and southern areas of the enclave. Israel's military has warned its political leaders that the offensive is endangering hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza. Protests in Israel calling for an end to the war and the release of the hostages have intensified in the past few weeks. The war began with a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed, mostly civilians, and 251 taken hostage. Twenty of the remaining 48 hostages are believed to still be alive. Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 63,000 people, mostly civilians, according to Gaza health officials, and it has plunged the enclave into a humanitarian crisis and left much of it in ruins. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo and Lili Bayer and Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Additional reporting by Hatem Maher; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Louise Heavens and Ros Russell) Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has confirmed that Abu Obeida, the long-time spokesman of Hamas' military wing, was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City. "Hamas terror spokesperson Abu Obeida was eliminated in Gaza," Katz said on X on Sunday, one day after the military said it had targeted a senior member of the Palestinian extremist group. While the military said it had taken steps to mitigate risks to civilians, Gaza's civil defence agency, controlled by Hamas, reported at least seven deaths in an attack on a residential building on Gaza City's Rimal district, once considered a wealthy area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moments before Katz confirmed his death, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said the fate of Abu Obeida was still unclear. "We attacked the Hamas spokesman, the spokesman for an evil and murderous organization, Abu Obeida," Netanyahu was quoted as saying by his office. "We still do not know the final result. While I hope that he is no longer with us, I note that there is no spokesperson to report on this from the Hamas side," the prime minister said at the beginning of a government meeting. Shortly afterwards, the Israeli military confirmed that Abu Obeida had been killed in the attack. No confirmation from Hamas Hamas has so far not officially confirmed his death, after the Israeli military announced the attack on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas sources described the reports as psychological warfare, calling on Palestinians not to spread the rumours on Abu Obeida's death. Abu Obeida is the long-time spokesman of Hamas' military wing, the Qassam Brigades. He is known for appearing masked in public and video messages. Since the start of its campaign in Gaza, which has laid much of the sealed-off coastal territory to ruins, Israel has killed a number of high-ranking Hamas members, including Yahya Sinwar, considered the mastermind behind October 7. Israeli army chief threatens Hamas leaders abroad Israel's military also plans to take action against senior Hamas officials living abroad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Yesterday we struck one of Hamas' senior leaders, Abu Obaida, after most of the Hamas leadership had already been eliminated," said army chief Eyal Zamir during a military briefing. "Our actions are not yet complete, most of the remaining Hamas leadership is abroad, and we will reach them as well." The highest-ranking Hamas official abroad is Khalil al-Haja, who heads the group's delegation in stalled indirect negotiations with Israel over a ceasefire. He is primarily based in Qatar. Other senior Hamas figures abroad reside mostly in Qatar or Turkey. Until now, it was assumed Israel would avoid targeted strikes in Qatar to maintain ties with Gulf states. Actions in Turkey could provoke the NATO member, whose president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has expressed hostility toward Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, nearly 63,500 Palestinians have been killed and another 160,000 injured since the start of Israel's military campaign in Gaza. The figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters and cannot be independently verified, but the UN considers them credible. The decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict erupted again in the wake of Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people and the abduction of more than 250 others, who were taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip. A spokesperson for the terrorist group Hamas' armed wing was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza over the weekend, Israel's defense minister claims. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier said Israel had targeted Abu Obeida, the longtime spokesperson for Hamas' Qassam Brigades but did not know whether he had been killed. "I hope he is no longer with us, but I notice that there is no one on the Hamas side to clarify this matter," Netanyahu told ministers at a weekly cabinet meeting. The armed branch of Hamas, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades spokesman, Abu Obeida, in January 2017. / Credit: Ali Jadallah / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images Later, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Obeida had been killed, saying in a post on social media that Obeida was "sent to meet all the thwarted members of the evil axis from Iran, Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen at the bottom of hell." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Obeida's last statement was on Friday as Israel began the initial stages of a new military offensive in Gaza City, declaring the populated area a combat zone. Hamas has not commented on Israel's claim. Obeida is the latest Hamas representative targeted and killed by Israel as it attempts to dismantle the group's military capacity and prevent an attack like Oct. 7, 2023, when militants abducted 251 people and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. On Friday, Israel launched its latest military operation in Gaza City. The military's Arabic-language army spokesperson has urged the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians still in Gaza City to flee south, but only tens of thousands have done so. Many say they are too exhausted after repeated displacements or are unconvinced that anywhere is safer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, at least 43 Palestinians have been killed since Saturday, most of them in Gaza City, according to local officials. Relatives of the 25 Palestinians, who died as a result of the Israeli army's attacks on the northern Gaza Strip, mourn as the dead bodies are taken from the al-Shifa Hospital for burial in Gaza City, Gaza. / Credit: Saeed M. M. T. Jaras/Anadolu via Getty Images Shifa Hospital the territory's largest said 29 bodies had been brought to its morgue, including 10 people killed while seeking aid. On Sunday morning, hospital officials reported 11 more fatalities from strikes and gunfire. Al-Awda Hospital said seven of them were civilians trying to reach aid. Witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire on crowds in the Netzarim Corridor, an Israeli military zone that bisects Gaza. "We were trying to get food, but we were met with the occupation's bullets," said Ragheb Abu Lebda, from Nuseirat, who saw at least three people bleeding from gunshot wounds. "It's a death trap." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The corridor has become increasingly perilous, with civilians killed while approaching U.N. convoys overwhelmed by looters and desperate crowds, or shot on their way to sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed U.S. contractor. Neither the foundation nor the Israeli military responded to questions about Sunday's casualties. At least 63,371 Palestinians have died in Gaza during the war, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not say how many are fighters or civilians but says around half have been women and children. Earlier this month, the U.N.-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification declared a famine in Gaza City, the Gaza Strip's largest city, although Israel has declared Gaza City a combat zone and is ending humanitarian pauses and ramping up air strikes around the city. Israel maintains supplies are reaching residents and denies there's a famine in the region. U.N. World Food Programme executive director Cindy McCain on Sunday told "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that she had recently toured Gaza and described it as "truly a devastating situation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Without a full ceasefire and the ability to get in, as I said, at scale, unfettered, making sure that we're safe, doing it as well," McCain said. "That's the only way we're going to be able to feed people. We have, in recent weeks, been able to get a little more food in." "Portrait of a person who's not there": Documenting the bedrooms of school shooting victims The Long Island home renovation that uncovered a hidden story Passage: In memoriam The Israeli military has attacked Hezbollah military infrastructure in southern Lebanon, it said on Sunday, as it continues to hit targets in the neighbouring country more than nine months after a ceasefire with the Iranian-backed group was reached. The latest attacks also targeted underground positions near Beaufort Castle, a Crusader fortress known locally as Qal'at al-Shaqif to the south-east of Arnoun, after Israel detected "military activity" in the area, it said in a statement. "The existence of the site and the activity within it constitute a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon," the military said in justifying the strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lebanese state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported two airstrikes near the city of Nabatiyeh. While there were initially no reports of casualties, residents detailed hearing massive explosions during the attacks. The strikes come amid heightened tensions along the Israeli-Lebanese border despite the ceasefire agreement brokered on November 27 of last year between Israel and Hezbollah, which aimed to halt over a year of hostilities, including two months of intense fighting that left the pro-Iranian movement weakened. Under the terms of that agreement, Hezbollah was to withdraw its fighters north of the Litani River - roughly 30 kilometres from the Israeli border - leaving security in the southern region to the Lebanese Army and UN peacekeepers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In return, Israel was expected to fully withdraw its troops from Lebanese territory. However, Israel has maintained a presence in five locations it considers strategically vital. Beaufort Castle is located just north of the river, but close to the Israeli border. National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano on Saturday welcomed the results of the Tugon ng Masa survey by OCTA Research, saying it reflects overwhelming public support for the Philippines position in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). The survey found that a majority of Filipinos back the governments assertion of maritime rights, which Ano described as a powerful expression of unity and patriotism. It also showed that 85 percent of respondents distrust China and consider it the countrys greatest threat. - Advertisement - These findings highlight strong public backing for assertive government actions related to the WPS, Ano said, noting that the public understands the challenges facing Philippine sovereignty. He added that the government will continue to uphold the countrys rights under international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as domestic measures such as the Philippine Maritime Zones Act. Ano stressed that Manilas actions do not threaten regional peace and security, pointing out that Philippine vessels are not engaged in intimidation or harassment. He cited joint maritime and air patrols, along with multilateral exercises with allies including the recently concluded Exercise ALON 2025 as routine operations that ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. With the strong and unequivocal support of the Filipino people, we remain steadfast and determined, Ano said. Asserting our rights in the West Philippine Sea is not only a matter of government policy, it is a national cause. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) The Israeli military announced Sunday that it killed the longtime spokesperson for Hamas' armed wing, as the country's security cabinet met to discuss the expanding offensive in some of Gaza 's most populated areas. There were no plans to discuss negotiations for a ceasefire at the meeting, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz identified the spokesperson as Abu Obeida, the nom de guerre for the person who represented Hamas Qassam Brigades. He was killed over the weekend. Hamas has not commented on the claim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abu Obeidas last statement was issued Friday as Israel began the initial stages of the new offensive and declared Gaza City a combat zone. His statement said the militants would do their best to protect living hostages but warned that they would be in areas of fighting. He said the remains of dead hostages would disappear forever. Israels military said the spokesperson, whom it identified as Hudahaifa Kahlout, had been behind the release of videos showing hostages as well as footage of the Hamas-led attack that sparked the war. The military also reiterated a threat against remaining Hamas leaders abroad. Israel has killed many of Hamas military and political leaders as it attempts to dismantle the group and prevent an attack like the one on Oct. 7, 2023, when militants abducted 251 people and killed around 1,200, mostly civilians, in southern Israel. Fewer than 50 hostages remain in Gaza, and Israel believes about 20 are alive. Families protested outside the security cabinet meeting, angry that it was not discussing a ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is our side that is unwilling to sign a comprehensive deal and is unwilling to end the war and is deciding to sacrifice my child while he is still alive, said Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker. A death trap while seeking food At least 43 Palestinians were killed since Saturday, most of them in Gaza City, according to local hospitals. Shifa Hospital, the territorys largest, said 29 bodies were brought to its morgue, including 10 people killed while seeking aid. Where are the resistance fighters that (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu claims he is bombing? Does he consider stones resistance fighters? said a relative of one of the dead at Shifa Hospital, who did not give her name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hospital officials reported 11 other fatalities from strikes and gunfire. Al-Awda Hospital said seven were civilians trying to reach aid. Witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire on crowds in the Netzarim Corridor, an Israeli military zone that bisects Gaza. We were trying to get food, but we were met with the occupations bullets, said Ragheb Abu Lebda, who saw at least three people bleeding from gunshot wounds. Its a death trap. Civilians have been killed as United Nations humanitarian convoys are overwhelmed by looters and desperate crowds, or shot on their way to sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed U.S. contractor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The GHF told The Associated Press that there was no incident at or near our site today. Israel's military did not respond to questions about Sundays casualties. Too exhausted to evacuate Israel for weeks has been operating on the outskirts of Gaza City to prepare for the offensive. The military has intensified air attacks on coastal areas of the city, including Rimal. Smoke rose over the city on Sunday. In Rimal, quiet Palestinians looked through the rubble after a strike, some venturing into the upper floors of shattered buildings that were still standing. A child tried to pull a shopping cart loaded with plastic jugs over the debris. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The military has urged the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza City to flee south, but many say they are exhausted after repeated displacements or unconvinced that any safe place in Gaza remains. More than 90% of the over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced at least once during the war, many of them multiple times, according to the U.N. Israel has signaled that aid to Gaza City will be reduced, and it has announced new infrastructure projects in southern Gaza steps that Palestinians say amount to forced displacement. More deaths from hunger Seven more Palestinian adults died of malnutrition-related causes over the last 24 hours, Gaza's Health Ministry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That brought the adult death toll from malnutrition-related causes to 215 since June, when the ministry started to count them, it said, and 124 children have died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began. In the largest attempt yet to break the Israeli blockade of the territory by sea, a flotilla of ships departed Sunday from Barcelona for Gaza with humanitarian aid and activists on board. Similar attempts in the past have failed. At least 63,371 Palestinians have died during the war, said the ministry, which does not say how many were fighters or civilians but that around half have been women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The U.N. and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on war casualties. Israel disputes the figures but has not provided its own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ___ Metz reported from Jerusalem and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press Writer Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Turkey fully suspends trade and closes airspace to Israel, a wartime-level rupture that analysts warn could fuel dangerous escalation. Turkeys full suspension of economic and trade relations with Israel, coupled with the closure of its airspace, marks an unprecedented escalation that could have far-reaching consequences, Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen-Yanarocak of Tel Aviv University warned in an interview with Maariv. A country will completely cut its economic and trade relations with another and closes its airspace to its planes, only during wartime, Cohen Yanarocak said. This move is unprecedented, removes mutual dependency, and could lead to strategic escalation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rupture followed Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidans announcement earlier this week. According to Cohen-Yanarocak, the deterioration had been building for months. It didnt surprise me. Ive been waiting a long time for these gradual steps, he said, pointing to earlier maritime sanctions. The moment Israel declared its intention to expand the military operation in Gaza, they made the decision that very same day to impose maritime sanctions. Israeli forces exposing surveillance devices that had reportedly been sold to Damascus by Turkey gave Ankara the trigger it needed. You could say it was expected to happen, but they were waiting for a specific incident in order to play this card, he noted. Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 plane TC-JVV taxies to take-off in Riga International Airport (credit: REUTERS) Danger to the economy, tourism While immediate disruptions are logistical, flights to Russia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan will now take longer, and Turkish airlines will be barred from Israeli airspace, the real danger is strategic. All the mutual dependency between the two countries disappears, and once there is no dependency, it becomes very dangerous because there is nothing to lose, Cohen Yanarocak warned. If theres economy, if theres tourism, if there are relationsthen theres something to lose, and so each side may ultimately think twice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without tourism, trade, or even shared flight corridors, he cautioned, the natural restraint vanishes, paving the way for more dramatic and undesirable escalations. The break also reflects President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's wider ambitions. Erdogan wants to restore past glory, to once again make Turkey the strongest Muslim state, Cohen Yanarocak explained. And when there is some Muslim entity, such as Gaza, that is in serious trouble, the Turkish leader sees himself as the leader of all Sunni Muslims. Still, Erdogan is moving cautiously. Hes not doing it overnight, but rather taking gradual steps, the analyst said, stressing that this matches his overall vision. The chances of mending ties soon are slim. As long as we dont see an end to the war, I dont think its possible to put the genie back in the bottle, Cohen Yanarocak said. On paper, it can be done, but theres a political price. With Turkey reaping major political capital from the war in Gaza, he added, reversing course will be increasingly difficult. What began as a temporary protest, he concluded, has now become a structural change in relations, with consequences that will extend far beyond the end of the current war. Several Israeli officials told The Jerusalem Post that the possibility of applying sovereignty to certain areas is being seriously considered, but Netanyahu has yet to make a final decision. Israels Security Cabinet convened on Sunday evening to discuss the possibility of applying sovereignty over areas of the West Bank, in response to Frances planned recognition, along with other countries, of a Palestinian state during the upcoming UN General Assembly at the end of September in New York. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, along with other ministers, is demanding that sovereignty be applied as a direct response to the French move. Smotrich has insisted in discussions and meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a significant and not merely symbolic application of sovereignty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several Israeli officials told The Jerusalem Post that the possibility of applying sovereignty to certain areas is being seriously considered, but Netanyahu has yet to make a final decision on the matter. In recent weeks, senior US officials have conveyed to their Israeli counterparts that the decision on sovereignty lies in Israels hands, according to two sources familiar with the discussions. These sources added that while the message was not a full green light for any move, it also wasnt a red light. One official said, The Americans are telling Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials: first decide what you want then talk to us. In August, US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnsonconsidered third in line in the American government hierarchy visited the West Bank on a trip organized by Yesha [West Bank] Council Chairman Israel Ganz and the US-Israel Education Association. Israeli soldiers guard in Sair, near Hebron, in the northeastern West Bank, August 18, 2025. (credit: WISAM HASHLAMOUN/FLASH90) During his visit, Johnson met with Netanyahu and said, Judea and Samaria are part of Israel. We are working to eliminate the use of the term West Bank in the administration, in Congress, and in the federal government. Huckabee tells 'Post' that Israel will make its own decisions Two weeks ago, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, long known for his strong support of the view that Judea and Samaria are an integral part of Israel, emphasized in an interview with thePost that Israel is a sovereign nation and will make its own decisions. Thats really not the presidents style, Huckabee said, referring to the potential for United States pressure on annexation. He may express his own opinions, but he hasnt stepped in to say, You ought to annex this or that. He just hasnt. I think he respects that Israel is a sovereign country. The Israeli army has carried out raids and arrests across the occupied West Bank, with incidents reported in the cities of Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus and Ramallah. Multiple Palestinians were detained in the territory on Sunday, according to the Wafa news agency, including a child and a young man in the town of Yabad. Reports suggested that a 37-year-old man was also arrested in the town of Beit Fajjar, while a 25-year-old man was taken into Israeli custody in the town of Nilin near Ramallah. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several raids took place in the Ramallah and el-Bireh governorate, just days after Israel launched a prolonged raid in the area that injured at least 58 people. Israeli soldiers were also present in the towns of Kafr Malek, Nilin and Deir Qaddis, but did not make any arrests. Elsewhere in the West Bank, intense and continuous gunfire broke out south of Hebron, as shown by online videos verified by Al Jazeera. Wafa said that five Palestinians, including a girl, were injured by Israeli bullets and taken to hospital for treatment. Israeli soldiers also allegedly fired live ammunition in the northern village of Sarra and the town of Sebastia, but no injuries were reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, a settler attack left a Palestinian man and his wife with injuries in Khallet al-Daba village in Masafer Yatta. Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinian homes in the village of Kisan near Bethlehem. The Wafa news agency reports that the settlers broke into Palestinian properties and looted them, while receiving protection from the Israeli army. In the first eight months of the year, more than 1,000 Israeli settler attacks have been recorded in the occupied West Bank that caused injuries, property damage or both, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Settlers rampage on Palestinian land on a daily basis, with impunity and backed by the Israeli military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 671 Palestinians, including 129 children, across the region since October 2023, according to OCHA. An armed settler stands near Israeli troops during a weekly settlers tour in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, August 23, 2025 [Mussa Qawasma/Reuters] As well as the Israeli raids and the settler attacks, the Palestinian Authority (PA) said that Israeli authorities had engaged in unauthorised excavation and demolition operations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem. These operations deliberately target Islamic antiquities dating back to the Umayyad period, which stand as living witnesses and irrefutable evidence of Muslims rightful claim to the site, the PAs Jerusalem governorate said in a statement. It said that Israel intends to remove the sites Muslim history to build a Jewish temple there in the future. TEL AVIV-In mid-June, Israels 12-day Operation Rising Lion, capped by Americas June 22 Operation Midnight Hammer, substantially degraded the Islamic Republic of Irans nuclear program. Two months later - as tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets last Tuesday to demand that the government promptly secure the release of the remaining 50 hostages, living and dead, held by Hamas in Gaza and end the war - those remarkable feats of arduous planning, technological prowess, and pinpoint execution felt like a distant memory. They have left little discernible impact on the majority of Israelis - a majority that, according to the polls, opposes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his governing coalition. Israel remains Israel, a nation of remarkable people and stunning contrasts. Less than 50 miles from the Gaza front, Tel Avivs beaches, bars and restaurants, and high-tech start-up commerce sparkle and buzz. Jerusalems yeshivas, synagogues, and religiously observant homes hum with devotion. Construction in both cities proceeds at a dizzying pace. However, in Tel Aviv - and not only here - Israelis do not dwell on having overcome horrors and heartbreak to take the fight to the enemy. They derive little satisfaction from having inflicted heavy blows on Iran and the Iran-backed jihadists who surround Israel. These days in Tel Aviv - and not only here - Israelis are more likely to agonize over the hostages, worry about their own families safety and prosperity, and fret over their nations future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The wariness simmers against the background of Israels formidable military achievements since Iran-backed Hamas jihadists invaded the country and massacred some 1,200 persons and kidnapped 251 others. Israel destroyed Hamas capacity to wage war - the jihadists still pose a terrorist threat - and thus far, with U.S. assistance, has negotiated the return of 201 hostages, living and dead. The Jewish state severely weakened Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. It hastened the ouster of Iran-backed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Then, following his regimes collapse, Israel hit hundreds of Syrian military targets, among other things removing Damascus ability to interfere with Israeli fighter aircraft passing through Syrian air space on the way to and from Iran. Israel damaged Iran-backed Houthi infrastructure, decreasing the Yemini jihadists ability to launch drone and missile attacks (and Israeli military officials believe that air force strikes last Thursday likely killed the Houthi prime minister, defense minister, chief of staff, and other top officials). And it struck hard at all three components of the existential threat posed by Iran: In addition to setting back Irans nuclear program by as much as two years (which Israeli experts have long considered the best-case scenario) and diminishing the ring of Iranian proxies surrounding the Jewish state, Israel also blew up a significant portion of Tehrans ballistic missiles and missile launchers, and damaged its missile-producing capabilities. Why then are many thoughtful Israelis sober, chastened, and even dispirited as they contemplate the near term and beyond? The short answer is that Israel remains at war on multiple fronts with no end in sight. The cumulative battlefield accomplishments clarify peaces elusiveness. The longer answer involves the multifarious array of daunting threats and challenges that Israel confronts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, Israel confronts an Iran that it has knocked down but not knocked out. Tehran has vowed to rebuild its nuclear program. It retains a sizeable stockpile of missiles and can launch them at Israel in overwhelming numbers. And despite weakened finances and reduced logistics capabilities, Iran continues to support the Houthis, Hezbollah, and other regional proxies. Second, Israel confronts Gaza with no viable plan for governing the territory after the Israel Defense Forces complete military operations against Hamas. Negotiations over the remaining hostages have stalled: Netanyahu seeks a comprehensive deal that returns all the hostages and disarms and dismantles Hamas, while Hamas wants a partial deal, freeing some hostages and leaving their organization standing. To break the impasse, Israel initiated the seizure of Gaza City. However, even if Israel crushes Hamas in its last remaining stronghold, the Jewish state would still face around 2 million Palestinians suffering a prolonged humanitarian catastrophe, lacking a functioning government, and living amid tens of thousands of tons of rubble. Israels least awful option involves demilitarizing Gaza; mobilizing massive Saudi and UAE funding to care for the poor, the sick, and the homeless and to remove rubble and reconstruct physical infrastructure; establishing some form of local Palestinian civil administration; and continuing overall Israeli security control. But almost two years after invading Gaza, the Netanyahu government has neither offered a blueprint for executing such steps nor indicated that it has undertaken serious post-war planning. Third, Israel confronts rising West Bank violence, and not only from Hamas. On Jan. 21, the IDF launched Operation Iron Wall in the West Bank. In pursuit of jihadists, the operation has destroyed hundreds of structures including homes, displaced at least 40,000 Palestinians, and killed more than 150. At the same time, and with at least the implicit sympathy of Treasury Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a small number of thuggish Israeli residents of Judea and Samaria have committed hundreds of lawless acts against Palestinians. Emboldening the thugs, the Knesset approved a non-binding resolution in late July that would have the government "apply Israeli sovereignty, law, judgment and administration to all the areas of Jewish settlement of all kinds in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley." The Knesset resolution neither mentioned the approximately 3 million West Bank Palestinians, nor explained how Israel could remain both Jewish and democratic if it exercised its "natural, historical and legal right to all of the territories of the Land of Israel." Fourth, Israel confronts severe economic challenges. While the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange has performed astonishingly well since the Oct. 7, 2023, massacres and defense industries are booming, a host of economic indicators signals trouble. These include a contracting GDP; soaring deficits; mounting labor shortages in high-tech and construction; declining private consumption, business investment, and exports and imports; and plunging tourism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fifth, Israel confronts dire internal divisions. For many years - today as much as ever - voters largely have fallen into pro-Netanyahu and anti-Netanyahu camps. Both believe that the other presents an existential threat to the nation. Each blames the other for failing to prevent the Oct. 7 massacres. Both camps believe the others view of the Israeli Supreme Courts proper function menaces democracy in Israel. And both see the ultra-Orthodox as pivotal. Netanyahu seeks to shore up their faltering support for the government by enacting legislation exempting them from military service. With the country at war on multiple fronts, anti-Netanyahu forces - including a fair portion of the center right - decry entrenchment in law of relief from the responsibility to share in the nations defense for a sizeable group of able-bodied Jewish citizens. Sixth, Israel confronts several Western nations - Australia, Canada, France, Malta, and the UK - promising to recognize a Palestinian state in September. Such political grandstanding will neither improve Gaza and West Bank Palestinians quality of life nor hasten the day in which they rule themselves. To the contrary, it sends the baleful message that Palestinians principal error in pursuit of statehood has not been neglecting to build free, democratic, and stable political institutions, but rather failing to slaughter enough Israelis. Seventh, Israel confronts rising antisemitism fueled in part by surging anti-Israel propaganda. For example, the New York Times accompanied a front-page story on alleged Israeli starvation of Gaza Palestinians with a photograph of an emaciated child. Notwithstanding Gazans suffering and the mistakes Israel has made amid its unprecedented efforts to deliver aid to enemy territory, the childs frail condition resulted from cerebral palsy and hypoxemia. It is likely that the Times subsequent correction caught the attention of only a small fraction of the storys readers and did little to reverse the damage caused by the scurrilous front-page accusation. Not to be deterred, a few weeks later Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof wrote, "Ive covered many wars in my career, and Gaza is distinguished by its pointless destructiveness - at least 70 percent of Gazas buildings have been damaged or destroyed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By his own account a seasoned war correspondent, Kristof provides little evidence that the destruction was disproportionate in relation to Israels legitimate military objectives. Instead, he writes like an armchair moralist unfamiliar with military history, urban warfares harsh realities, and basic laws of war principles. Kristof does not seriously consider that Hamas acquired presumptive moral and legal responsibility for the damage and destruction suffered by Gaza through its flagrant violation of the laws of war: By embedding combat units, booby traps, munitions depots, command-and-control centers, and rocket and missile launchers within and under cities, the jihadists transformed urban areas into battle zones. And Kristof never explains how Israel could accomplish its legitimate military objectives - eliminate Hamas as a military force and governing power and return the hostages - without engaging in the cruel urban warfare that the jihadists intentionally imposed on Gazas civilian population as well as the IDF. Instead, like legions of high-brow commentators, Kristof writes as if Hamas use of Palestinians as human shields and Gazan civilian infrastructure as military fortifications nullifies Israels right of self-defense. Small wonder that the confrontation with so multifarious an array of daunting threats and challenges induces wariness in the Israeli spirit. Nevertheless, Israelis continue to demonstrate inspiring reserves of resilience, and not only in their soldiers courage on the battlefield but also through their searing public debates about politics, diplomacy, and national security. Peter Berkowitz is the Tad and Dianne Taube senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. From 2019 to 2021, he served as director of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. State Department. His writings are posted at PeterBerkowitz.com and he can be followed on X @BerkowitzPeter. His new book is "Explaining Israel: The Jewish State, the Middle East, and America." Israel's airstrikes on August 28 targeted Houthi leaders in Yemen, killing their Prime Minister. The strike has raised questions about the legitimacy of the Houthi-led government. Last Thursday, Israel targeted the Iran-backed Houthis senior leadership in Yemen. Airstrikes hit a meeting of their prime minister and other senior Houthi ministers and officials. On Saturday, the Houthis said their prime minister had been killed in the strike. This led a number of commentators to claim that Israel had assassinated the prime minister of Yemen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houthis leadership is not the official government of Yemen. Rather, they are a rebel government backed by Iran. The Houthis control only a part of Yemen. Yemens internationally recognized government, on the other hand, is led by the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), whose chairman, Rashad al-Alimi, was appointed this past May. He had previously served as interior minister and deputy prime minister. Yemen also has a prime minister named Salem Saleh bin Braik, a former finance minister. The previous prime minister, Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, said he had resigned after facing many difficulties, Reuters reported. Yemen has been divided for many years. (Illustrative) Protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, hold up weapons as they rally to show support to Palestinians and Lebanon's Hezbollah in Sanaa, Yemen November 8, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/KHALED ABDULLAH) 'The PLC is committed to achieving peace' The Internationally Recognized Government (IRG) refers to the institutions of the Yemeni state that are recognized by the international community, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) organization reported. The IRG is based in the interim capital of Aden since February 2015, when President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi fled Yemens capital Sanaa, after it was overrun by forces of the Houthi-Saleh alliance in late 2014. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current PLC consists of eight members and is chaired by Alimi, the report said. The PLC is committed to achieving peace within what it terms the three references: the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative; the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference (NDC); and United Nations Security Council resolution 2216, ACLED reported. The official government has its own army and has forces in parts of southern Yemen, as well as in the governorates of al-Jawf, Hajjah, Marib, Saada, and Taiz. Yemen has been divided throughout much of its modern history. It was colonized in part by the British. When Yemen became independent, it was divided into North and South Yemen. South Yemen became a communist Soviet ally until 1990, when it was unified with North Yemen into what we now think of as Yemen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Yemen fought a long civil war in the 1960s. Egypt intervened to support pro-Nasser fighters against the Kingdom of Yemen, which was backed by Saudi Arabia. The civil war ended in 1970. The unified country was then ruled by Ali Abdullah Saleh from 1990 until 2012. Saleh fell from power during the Arab Spring and was eventually killed in 2017. The Houthis emerged from the mountains of Yemen, capturing Sanaa in 2014. They then moved south toward Aden, which caused Saudi Arabia to again intervene in Yemen, this time to stop the Houthis. The Houthis gained support from Iran and launched ballistic missiles and drones at Riyadh. This led to a complex war in Yemen, with several countries involved. In addition to Saudi Arabia and Iran, the UAE was also involved. Yemen's old and current divisions WHILE WE think of Yemen as a center of Iranian influence today, there was a time when al-Qaeda had a foothold there. It bombed the USS Cole in 2000 and was also home to the extremist American-Yemeni al-Qaeda figure Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed in a US drone strike in 2011. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Yemen became divided between the Houthis and the official government, it also suffered other divisions. The UAE, for instance, has backed the Southern Transitional Council in Aden. In essence, Yemens current divisions have aspects of the divisions that existed from the 1960s to 1990s, meaning that the Houthis control parts of what were once North Yemen, and the government controls part of what was once South Yemen. Yemens new prime minister, Braik, in office since May, had clashed with Alimi, chairman of the PLC, over his powers after Alimi refused former prime minister Mubaraks request to dismiss 12 of the governments ministers, six government sources told Reuters. Mubarak was appointed premier in February 2024 after serving as foreign minister. He came to prominence in 2015 when he was kidnapped by Houthi militiamen while serving as Yemens presidential chief of staff during the Houthis conflict with then-president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Mubarak had also sought to suspend the budgets of various ministries, such as the Defense Ministry, claiming there was corruption. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are promising signs of a shift in the balance of power in the countrys long-running conflict, [Alimi said in April], citing growing unity among anti-Houthi factions, Asharq al-Awsat reported. At the time, the US was bombing Yemen, a decision the Trump administration made in March. US airstrikes would soon stop, however, taking the wind from Alimis sails. Alimi had said he foresaw a broad national alignment in Yemen that would be ready to battle the Houthis. He said the emerging consensus among Yemens diverse political and military components to confront a common enemy was a key development on the ground, Asharq al-Awsat reported. Al-Alimi met late Tuesday with the head of the Consultation and Reconciliation Commission, his deputies, and senior figures from political parties and factions represented in the body, as efforts to unify anti-Houthi forces continue, the report said. The meeting came amid ongoing US airstrikes targeting Houthi positions across several provinces, including the capital Sanaa, as well as Saada, Hajjah, and Hodeidah. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yemen had become a tool of Iran, Alimi told German media outlets. In 2024, the US Council on Foreign Relations said a truce in Yemen had been breached by the Houthis more than once. They carried out a number of attacks on various places... under the control of the legitimate government, among which are the oil facilities, which cost the Yemeni people 70% of their basic resources. Nevertheless, our efforts continued, he said. We have responded to all the initiatives related to the establishment of peace and stability in Yemen. The Houthis had tried to drag Yemen into the conflict with Israel, Alimi said. It was important to dry up funding for the Houthis, he told the UN General Assembly last year. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has confirmed that Abu Obeida, the long-time spokesman of Hamas' military wing, was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City. "Hamas terror spokesperson Abu Obeida was eliminated in Gaza," Katz said on X on Sunday, one day after the military said it had targeted a senior member of the Palestinian extremist group. While the military said it had taken steps to mitigate risks to civilians, Gaza's civil defence agency, controlled by Hamas, reported at least seven deaths in an attack on a residential building on Gaza City's Rimal district, once considered a wealthy area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moments before Katz confirmed his death, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said the fate of Abu Obeida was still unclear. "We attacked the Hamas spokesman, the spokesman for an evil and murderous organization, Abu Obeida," Netanyahu was quoted as saying by his office. "We still do not know the final result. While I hope that he is no longer with us, I note that there is no spokesperson to report on this from the Hamas side," the prime minister said at the beginning of a government meeting. Hamas has so far not officially confirmed his death, after the Israeli military announced the attack on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas sources described the reports as psychological warfare, calling on Palestinians not to spread the rumours on Abu Obeida's death. Abu Obeida is the long-time spokesman of Hamas' military wing, the Qassam Brigades. He is known for appearing masked in public and video messages. Since the start of its campaign in Gaza, which has laid much of the sealed-off coastal territory to ruins, Israel has killed a number of high-ranking Hamas members, including Yahya Sinwar, considered the mastermind behind October 7. "Our impression is that Netanyahu's opposition is genuine. He will not agree to a partial deal," ministers told The Jerusalem Post. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified that he opposes a partial Gaza hostage deal after meeting with his security cabinet on Sunday nights to discuss the next steps in the operation to take over Gaza City, as hostage families protested outside of the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv. In the meeting, Netanyahu told the security cabinet that the US administration also opposes a partial deal. "Forget the partial deals. Go in with full force. Finish it," Netanyahu quoted US President Donald Trump as saying, adding that Israels window of legitimacy from the international community is limited, and that pausing for a partial deal would harm the effort to destroy Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our impression is that Netanyahu's opposition is genuine. He will not agree to a partial deal," ministers said. The discussion centered on the conquest of Gaza City, with the military presenting its plans. An Israeli official previously told The Jerusalem Post that the cabinet would not discuss the question of attempting to reach a partial deal or not. Zamir: Your plan will lead us to military rule IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir addressed the government's plan during a cabinet meeting and stated, "You are heading toward military rule. Understand the implications." The Israeli security cabinet meets to discuss the full military takeover of the Gaza Strip. (credit: Avi Ohayon/GPO) Yossi Fuchs, the Cabinet Secretary, responded: "That's not true." "Instead of military rule, we can encourage voluntary emigration," National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Zamr reiterated his warning, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told him: "We have made a decision." Netanyahu rejects Ben-Gvir request to hold vote on partial deal During the discussion, which lasted approximately six hours, the prime minister also rejected a request from Ben-Gvir to vote on a declaration stating Israel would not pursue a partial deal. "Thats irrelevant - we are only going for a full deal. We need to defeat Hamas," Netanyahu responded. Additional ministers, in fact, the majority of the cabinet, also opposed a partial deal. However, some including Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar expressed support. Saar stated that his position is influenced by Israel's difficult international standing and increasing calls at the UN for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Top security officials, including Zamir, acting Shin Bet director 'S,' and Mossad director David Barnea, expressed support for a partial deal. Maj.-Gen. Tamir Yadai, Deputy Chief of Staff, argued during the meeting that Hamas would only surrender under conditions of total military conquest, with all the costs that would entail. "I hear your positions, but ultimately, I decide - and you must fall in line," Netanyahu told ministers and security officials during the meeting. Ministers later told The Jerusalem Post that even hardliners, such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Missions Minister Orit Strock, were convinced that Netanyahu would not agree to a partial deal. "Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have fully internalized the principles and arguments against a partial deal, and have become the most effective advocates for the approach of 'decisive victory in Gaza, without stopping for a partial deal.'" In light of the heavy opposition to a partial deal within the cabinet, Zamir concluded the cabinet meeting by saying: "Whatever the Cabinet decides, the army will execute it with excellence." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials left the meeting at approximately 1:45 a.m. on Monday morning. Maj.-Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, head of the IDF's Hostages Directorate, was not invited to the security cabinet meeting. The reason is that there will be no discussion regarding negotiations for a hostage deal. Hostage families call for cabinet to negotiate a deal On Sunday, family members of the hostages in Gaza gathered outside the IDF headquarters to demand that the cabinet reach a hostage deal. "Your refusal to discuss the details of the deal currently on the negotiation table represents an irreversible loss," the statement said. "Sit down at the negotiating table now and don't get up until a viable agreement is reached for the return of every last hostage." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What exactly is this Cabinet convening for? I really want to ask you, Benjamin Netanyahu. Your Cabinet members boast - they actually boast - about thwarting deals that were on the table," Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker. "Now there is a deal on the table. Instead of taking it and leveraging it into a comprehensive agreement that would guarantee the return of the hostages - both the living and the deceased - and end the war, what are you convening for now?" Anna Barsky and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. Ebony and ivory really do live together in perfect harmony, a study has found. For years, animal rights campaigners have warned that the illegal ivory trade is depleting the elephant population. But scientists now believe the hunting of elephants for their tusks also threatens the ebony tree. They have discovered that ebony and ivory are reliant on a mutualism, where the presence of elephants is integral to the success of the ebony tree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Forest elephants eat the fruits of the ebony trees, and as they digest the food, the seeds exit their body in dung and are spread far and wide. But the scientists have found this gastric journey also helps the seeds become saplings because it hides them from rodents that would otherwise eat them. Seeds are more likely to become trees if they are eaten by elephants - PietLouw Rodents such as Emins pouched rat eat the seeds, but are nine times less likely to consume them if they have previously passed through an elephant. Elephants not only disperse ebony seeds well in their droppings, but also increase the odds that they will become trees in the future. Scientists in Cameroon studied the success of young ebony trees in the African rainforest area of the Congo basin. Ebony sapling development was compared in areas with and without forest elephants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ebony numbers reduced by two-thirds in areas without elephants, the study found. The elephants are native to this area but numbers have been dwindling as a result of illegal poaching for ivory tusks, which can be sold on the black market. Black Ebony is one of the hardest woods in the world - Damian Pawlos/iStock The illegal ivory trade has led to severe declines in elephant populations, but the long-term impacts on tree species are poorly understood, the scientists write in their paper. We show how paired declines in elephant and ebony populations are linked by a previously unrecognised mutualism in which elephant dung protects ebony seeds against seed predators. Disruption of this mutualism by poaching exacerbates seed predation by herbivores and was associated with a 68 per cent reduction in small sapling recruitment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This threat to the survival of a valuable and iconic tree species raises concerns about the far-reaching consequences of forest elephant extermination. Ebony trees can grow to be 80ft tall and produce large, fleshy fruits which each contain as many as ten seeds. Seeds are about two inches long and one inch wide. The scientists say that the trees, like elephants, face significant threats. Deforestation and over-exploitation for ebonys high-value jet-black wood are the main pressures. The illegal ivory trade has an impact on the fate of the ebony tree - Jekesai Njikizana/AFP However, with the discovery of the value of elephants to the tree, the fate of the ebony tree can now directly be tied to the ivory trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scientists believe that other trees also rely on elephants as seed distributors, and the benefits seen for ebony trees could also apply to other species. The significant benefits of dung protection may be widespread among the numerous plant species dispersed by elephants, the study authors write. Their identification should, therefore, constitute a conservation priority as they form an essential part of the forest biomass and are part of the cultural and economic heritage of the Congo Basin. The study is published in the journal Science Advances. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the commander of the northern Gaza brigade, and alleged replacement for Hamas military leader Mohammed Sinwar. (photo credit: SCREENSHOT/X/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT) According to the IDF and Shin Bet, Izz al-Din al-Haddad is already listed as a target by Israel, alongside several senior Hamas officials located abroad. After Hamas spokesperson Abu Obeida was killed by the IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) on Saturday, there is currently one name at the top of Israel's assassination list: Izz al-Din al-Haddad, commander of the Gaza City Brigade, who helped plan and lead the October 7 massacre. According to the IDF and Shin Bet, Izz al-Din al-Haddad is already listed as a target by Israel. Alongside his name are several senior Hamas officials abroad, who have also been designated by security officials as viable targets. However, their assassination operations are under the jurisdiction of the Mossad, and the execution approval is the responsibility of the political echelon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abu Obeida was a primary target not only because of the military damage he could cause, but also because of the political damage he had caused Israel. Above all, his death is a victory in terms of public awareness. Abu Obeida was a central figure very close to the inner circle of former Hamas chiefs Mohammed and Yahya Sinwar, as well as to Mohammed Deif, who led the terror group's military wing. Abu Obeida was 'the face of Hamas' At the same time, Abu Obeida maintained ties with field commanders and was a central figure in Hamass foreign relations. He was perceived in Gaza as the face of Hamas, and any statement from him was accepted without question. According to Israeli sources, he was the dominant figure in Hamass starvation campaign, which caused diplomatic harm to Israel among the international community. Scene of the strike in northern Gazs City, where Hamas military spokesman Abu Obeida was reportedly present on August 30, 2025. (credit: TPS-IL) The IDF said that the Shin Bet and the Military Intelligence Directorate worked hard to locate Obeida. The operation on Saturday evening was made possible through precise intelligence provided by the Shin Bet. The acting head of the agency, David Zini, led the operation from a Shin Bet operations center in central Israel, and was managed from a special operations room. If he were in a building like we understand, he wouldnt have been able to leave it alive. The strike was precise, and anyone inside the building would not have survived such an attack, said a security official. ROBINSONS Land Corp. (RLC) is the big winner at this years 13th PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards, taking home the events highest honor: Best Developer. PropertyGuru Group chief executive officer Lewis Ng giving a speech during the 13th PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards, celebrating sustainability and excellence in the industry It marks the fourth consecutive year the company has earned the title, reinforcing its place as one of the countrys most consistent and forward-looking real estate developers. - Advertisement - The company also claimed key awards for Best Luxury Developer and Best Sustainable Developer, thanks to a mix of innovative and environmentally conscious projects, including The Mall | NUSTAR in Cebu, work.able GBF Center 1 in Taguig, and The Victor at Bridgetowne in Quezon City. These wins reflect RLCs steady push toward creating premium developments that align with modern standards of sustainability and urban planning. Highlighting the night was a special tribute to Lance Y. Gokongwei, chairman of Robinsons Land, who received the first-ever Life Achievement Award for his decades of leadership in the industry. Under his direction, RLC expanded aggressively into residential, commercial, and hospitality sectors, while making significant investments in renewable energy and sustainable construction. Robinsons Land bested all nominees to win Best Developer, its fourth consecutive win. Across its subsidiaries, RLC collected a wide range of recognitions. RLC Residences was recognized for residential developments like Sync and The Residences at The Westin Manila, while Robinsons Offices earned the title of Best Commercial Developer for its GBF Centers 1 & 2. Meanwhile, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts was awarded Best Operational Hospitality Portfolio, with its Fili Hotel Bridgetowne receiving an honour for its design and guest experience. The companys collaboration with Hongkong Land, The Velaris Residences North Tower, received the coveted Best Condo Development (Philippines) award, underscoring the property firms strength not only in stand-alone developments but also in high-profile partnerships. The event also gathered developers from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Meanwhile, other major real estate players like Cebu Landmasters, Damosa Land, SM Prime and Aboitiz Land were also recognized for their regional development. Lance Y. Gokongwei, chairman of Robinsons Land Corporation, received the first-ever Life Achievement Award. The award was accepted by Mybelle Aragon-GoBio, president and chief executive officer, Robinsons Land Corporation, with PropertyGuru Group CEO Lewis Ng. Cebu-based developer Johndorf Venture Corp. debuted at the awards this year, bagging various across its projects. The awards also emphasized ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives. RLC Residences was honored for both Sustainable Design and Energy Efficiency, while the companys corporate social responsibility arm, RLove by Robinsons Land Foundation, Inc., won the Social Impact Award for its work in community development. As the PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards heads into its 13th year, organizers say the growing focus on sustainable, smart, and regionally inclusive developments is a sign of how the countrys real estate industry is evolving. Winners from this years awards will now move on to the 20th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final in Bangkok this December, where theyll compete with the regions best. Jenniffer B. Austria A Jacksonville lottery player is celebrating big after winning $1 million in Saturdays Powerball drawing. According to the Florida Lottery, the winning ticket was sold at Gate #1175, located at 4234 Dunn Avenue. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< The ticket matched all five white ball numbers, earning the second-tier prize of $1 million. The winning numbers for August 30, 2025, were 3, 18, 22, 27, and 33 with a Powerball of 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No players nationwide hit the jackpot, which has now rolled over to an estimated $1.10 billion for the next drawing on Monday, September 1. Players can check their tickets at any Florida Lottery retailer or online at flalottery.com. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. JANE LEW, W.Va. (WBOY) The Jane Lew Firemans Arts & Crafts Festival has returned to Lewis County, taking advantage of the warm weather this Labor Day weekend. The festival is celebrating its 45th year with arts, crafts, and a whole lot of community spirit. This years festival featured over 200 vendors selling a variety of goods, as well as plenty of festival food and family-friendly activities for the kids. A wood-carved cardinal for sale at the Jane Lew Firemans Arts & Crafts Festival (WBOY Photo) The festival acts as a fundraiser for the Jane Lew Fire Department, with members collecting donations in the middle of the street as drivers pass through town. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 46th West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival has 2nd day Vice president of the Jane Lew Fire Department Edsel Smith said the event acts as one of the biggest fundraisers for the department, and that the fair continues to grow each year. The whole reason is it is a fundraising event, we enjoy the atmosphere and the friends we make but it is our largest fundraiser, and we have to keep the doors open and thats one way to do it is these fundraising events and as I said, this is the largest one, Smith said. The Firemans Arts & Crafts Festival will continue into Sunday, wrapping up at 5:00 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. Vice President JD Vance has likely become all too familiar with getting relentlessly booed and heckled while out in public. And for many people on social media who oppose the Trump administration, the loud protests have been quite satisfying. Last Wednesday, Vance was accompanied by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller when he was heckled and booed during a visit to Washington, D.C.s Union Station amid President Donald Trumps militarized takeover of the citys police. In a video clip captured by HuffPosts Igor Bobic, loud boos can be heard from protesters in Union Station as Vance can be seen walking in the distance with security. In other clipsposted on X, protesters can be heard chanting: From Washington to Palestine, occupation is a crime! and Free D.C.! Related: Trump Once Again Inserts Black Women Into A Dizzying Rant About Chicago Experts Know Why Other chants directed at Vance were a bit more crude. One video captured by HuffPosts Arthur Delaney showed Vance walking as someone yelled,Go fuck a couch JD Vance! a reference to a made-up viral meme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Vance has been no stranger to this kind of protesting and heckling from the public. The vice president was booed while he vacationed with his family during a trip to Disneyland in July and he was met with hundreds of furious protesters holding up signs during a family vacation to Vermont in March. He also received fierce boos from a crowd at the Kennedy Center in D.C. that same month, while attending a concert with his wife, second lady Usha Vance. Vance and Hegseth leaving Union Station, lots of boos pic.twitter.com/oRT9wOca8c Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) August 20, 2025 And each time a video showing Vance getting relentlessly booed makes rounds on the internet, social media users take to Xto celebrate. A common theme? People are feeling satisfied and maybe even hopeful. I know its not much, but booing JD Vance does feel nice, one X user wrote back in March after Vance visited the Kennedy Center. Its good for him to understand that most of America is not a bunch of fawning sycophants and supplicants like hes used to at Mar-a-Lago and Fox News studios. The booers showed more defiance than Chuck Schumer did. JD Vance getting heckled and booed everywhere he tries to go on vacation or out to eat is rebuilding my hope in America, another X user wrote in August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This man cant go anywhere in the world without getting booed and I love that for him, another X user wrote after Vance visited Union Station. Kari J. Winter, a professor of American studies at the University at Buffalo, emphasized that these protests are an act of American patriotism. Protesting against tyrannical power and corruption is the foundational act of American patriotism, she said. The protests that we are witnessing across the country today are fueled by the spirit of resistance that inflamed Boston in the Age of Revolution. It is the duty of everyone who loves this country to speak up in whatever ways they can against the Trump administrations assault on every aspect of American society that has traditionally offered a gold standard to the world, she continued, adding: In place of gold standards, Trump promotes gilded baubles, golden toilets and gaudy ballrooms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Winter said that like Trump, Vance and Hegseth are bludgeoning the best and brightest American people and institutions. She pointed out that the Trump administration has been taking a sledgehammer to American gold standards, which, among many examples, include: attacks on universities, the free press, due process and on efforts to save lives and combat diseases through agencies like the United States Agency for International Development and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While speaking to reporters at Union Station on Wednesday, as protesters could be heard chanting in the background, Vance chided the protesters as a few crazy liberals who are screaming at the vice president. Winter called Vances comments about the protesters pathetic self-justifications. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JD Vances pathetic self-justifications echo the age-old attitude of royal underlings who can hardly believe that ordinary people resent their high-handed let-them-eat-cake airs, she said. Related: Poli Sci Experts Predict How Gavin Newsom's Brutal Mockery Of Trump And MAGA Will Resonate Does booing or yelling at the vice president present any legal concerns? While many are celebrating the boos and expletive-filled chants being leveled at Vance in public, you may be wondering about your rights, or you may have legal questions about these kinds of protests especially considering the current political climate. Raymond Ku, a professor of law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, told HuffPost that the short answer is that it all should be protected by the First Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are a couple areas of speech that are less protected ... the primary one here would be essentially threats, threats to the vice president, threats to anyone else whether its a public official or regular human being, he said. Along those lines, it doesnt even have to mean to carry it out, it would just have be a true threat. Ku said that people may, in some cases, consider whether throwing an insult is an example of fighting words, in which someone means to cause a fight. Traditionally, the courts have also said [that] could be punished, he said. But generally speaking, saying or yelling critical things at elected officials in public is very protected, he explained. Though Ku emphasized that doesnt mean as weve seen with this administration that there wont be an effort to try to punish people. And as for people yelling humiliating expletive-filled chants at Vance especially ones that have to do with couches Ku said that should also be protected completely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fighting words doctrine is essentially saying something to another person face-to-face, to provoke the average person to want to engage in violence, he said. So its a little flexible, but still, its very hard to overcome. But yelling couch-related insults at Vance that may cause embarrassment isnt the kind of speech that can be criminally punished, he said, before later explaining that a true threat is one that makes you fearful of bodily harm. And as for the importance of all the various kinds of protests happening against the Trump administration, Winter emphasized that we have a clear choice in the United States today. We can submit to endless lies, bottomless grift, escalating cruelty, and the terrorism of unfettered power, she said. Or we can stand up and boo, shout, wave signs. Whatever your platform, now is the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we dont protest, Trump will soon impose martial law on the entire country like he has in Washington D.C. she continued. Booing, heckling, expletives, protest signs, editorials, investigative journalism, art, music, dance any and every way you use your voice to dissent against tyranny is an act of love for your country. Related... Read the original on HuffPost The man was previously arrested for spraying the same phrase around Jerusalem twice before. After already being arrested twice before, a 27-year-old Jerusalem resident was arrested again on suspicion of spraying the phrase There is a Holocaust in Gaza on the central station of the Jerusalem Light Rail, Israel Police stated on Sunday. The man was previously arrested for spraying the same phrase on one of the walls of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem, as well as on the Western Wall. Graffiti paint saying ''There is a Holocaust in Gaza,'' on the sidewalk at the central light rail station in Jerusalem. (credit: POLICE SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) Earlier in August, antisemitic graffiti was found at the Western Wall and the Great Synagogue Security guards noticed the graffiti near Mughrabi Gate in the morning and alerted Israel Police. Police then discovered that a suspect had also allegedly written a similar message on the wall of the Great Synagogue in central Jerusalem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The graffiti was removed from the Western Wall by Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) conservation professionals. The IAA said the conservators used specialized methods and materials for graffiti removal from antiquities sites, which are water-based and do not cause harm to the surface of the ancient stone. The conservators completely removed the graffiti and restored the stones to their original state. Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Sites, condemned the act of desecration. A holy place is not a place to express protests, he said, adding that the police should locate the perpetrator and act appropriately. The De Immigrant volunteer millers will host an all-community read in September and invite community individuals and book clubs to take part. The book to be discussed is SIPSWORTH by Simon Van Booy. The book discussion will be held on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Windmill Cultural Center. The Windmill Cultural Center is located at 111 10th Avenue, across the street from Fultons windmill at the corner of 10th Avenue and 1st Street in downtown Fulton, Illinois. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to September 16, the public is encouraged to read or listen to SIPSWORTH by Simon Van Booy. The book revolves an elderly woman coming to terms with the next phase of her life and the small creature who changes everything. At the September 16 event, the book will be discussed by attendees. The discussion will be led by Volunteer Miller Heidi Kolk. This event is possible through the generous assistance of the Fulton, Illinois, and Clinton, Iowa, public libraries. Physical copies, e-books, and audiobooks of SIPSWORTH are available for loan at Fultons Schmaling Memorial Public and the Clinton Public Library (Clinton, Iowa). The event is free and open to the public. The facility is handicap accessible. Refreshments will be served following the book discussion. If you have questions, please contact 563- 249-6115. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. Its been nearly 50 years since astronomers detected the most famous space signal weve ever receiveda 72-second radio burst that lit up a printout at Ohio States Big Ear radio telescope in 1977. The stunned researcher, Jerry Ehman, circled the bizarre spike and wrote one word in the margin: Wow! Since then, the Wow! Signal has fueled endless speculation from alien contact theories to cosmic flukes. However, scientists may now be getting closer to the truth. And heres the twist: you can help. Scientists Reopen the Case Researchers at the University of Puerto Ricos Planetary Habitability Laboratory have spent years digging through archived SETI data, revisiting the signal with modern analysis tools. Their latest findings suggest that the signal likely originated from a natural astrophysical event, rather than an alien transmission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It may have been caused by a rare flare from a magnetar or soft gamma repeater, creating a sudden brightening of hydrogen radio waves in deep space. This study doesnt close the case, lead researcher Abel Mendez said. It reopens it, but now with a much sharper map in hand. Join the Search From Home Enter Wow@Home, the teams citizen science initiative that lets amateur astronomers join the search for similar cosmic signals. The kicker? You dont need a NASA-sized budget. Heres what you need to get started: Heres a breakdown of the equipment youll need to join Wow@Home: A Software Defined Radio (SDR) dongle ~$30 A USB-powered radio receiver that captures wideband radio signals. A low-noise amplifier (LNA) ~$20 Boosts weak radio signals before theyre processed. A directional antenna ~$100150 Think: a helical or Yagi antenna to target specific parts of the sky. A Raspberry Pi or mini PC ~$100200 Runs the scanning software and syncs with Wow@Homes database. Cables, connectors, weatherproofing, and mounting hardware ~$50100 Youll also need to install Wow@Homes free software, which handles signal analysis and uploads interesting findings to a shared database. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You wont be alone. Dozens of small-scale stations can run 24/7, collecting radio data that large observatories often cant capture due to limited scheduling. Why It Matters The Wow! Signal may not have been a phone call from aliensbut it still holds clues about how energy moves through the galaxy. And for the first time, non-scientists have a shot at contributing to the next big discovery in radio astronomy. With the 50th anniversary of the Wow! Signal approaching in 2027, the race is on to unlock its secrets. You dont need a PhD to take partjust a little curiosity and some DIY spirit. This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. During the meeting, the Hadash-Tal Party presented a roadmap toward the Joint List to the leaders of the Raam and Balad. The Arab parties Raam, Hadash, Taal, and Balad are negotiating to reestablish the Joint List bloc ahead of the next elections. The atmosphere [during their meeting on Sunday] was really good, MK Aida Touma-Sliman (Hadash-Taal) told The Jerusalem Post. Hadash-Taal presented a road map toward the Joint List to the leaders of Raam and Balad, he said. The plan included a detailed three-phase process that must be completed in the process of reestablishing the list, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The united bloc began to break apart ahead of the 2021 elections after Raam broke away. In a dramatic last-minute split in 2022, Balad left the two remaining factions and ran on a separate list. Currently, the two Arab Israeli parties in the Knesset are Raam (United Arab List) and Hadash-Taal. Hadash and Taal ran together in the 2022 election. The three main points of the road map presented by Hadash-Taal were: agreeing on the objectives the Joint List aims to achieve; formulating the character of the list and agreeing on a political program that will serve the objectives; and setting a timetable and mechanisms for reestablishing and managing the list, while learning from past experiences. MK Aida Toma Sliman at the Eli Horowitz Conference for Economy and Society, held by the Israel Institute of Democracy, in Jerusalem, on June 19, 2018. (credit: YOSSI ZELIGER/FLASH90) Raam and Balad had received the proposal positively and were now reviewing it before proceeding with negotiations, Touma-Sliman told the Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were two main reasons for reestablishing the Joint List, she said. On the one hand, it is important that the Joint List is in power to bring an end to the ongoing war in Israel, stopping the genocide, and trying to reach peace, Touma-Sliman said. Arab parties have shared goal to prent right-wing gov't from being in power On the other hand, the Arab parties have a shared aim to do all that is possible in preventing a right-wing government from being in power, like the one we have now, she said. Being in a Joint List is not going to make all of us suddenly agree or erase all the differences among us, she added. On the contrary, we will respect each others differences, but we believe that there is almost no real big issue or difference in ideas between the different parties, especially when the dangers are so great. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked whether the new Joint List bloc would be willing to join a non-right-wing coalition in the next government, Touma-Sliman said such thinking was going very much ahead of time, since the current goal is to bring the parties together. We need to wait until the end of the election and see what comes up, and then that will be discussed, and well go from there. Asked what would make this Joint List bloc different from the previous one, Touma-Sliman said in the past, there were no set mechanisms among the parties to settle their differences. I think that issues need to be discussed and decided about, she said. This is part of learning lessons from the past. Another aspect that would be different from the past Joint List is that the four factions within the bloc would not be allowed to engage in negotiations with other parties individually, Touma-Sliman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If there will be any kind of negotiations with any of the other parliamentary groups, it would be the Joint List as a group together and not giving anybody a chance to separate between us, she said. Regarding the Israel-Hamas War, Touma-Sliman said she hoped a hostage-ceasefire deal would be reached. A war is going on, a bloody war, when a genocide is happening, she said. We think that there should be a political agreement to end the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and this we all agree on. A federal judge on Sunday blocked the Trump administration from sending any unaccompanied migrant child to Guatemala unless they have a deportation order, just hours after lawyers alerted her of what they described as a hurried government effort to deport hundreds of children. U.S. District Court Judge Sparkle Sooknanan issued her order as the deportation effort was fully underway, with planes with migrant children on board ready to take off from Texas. Earlier Sunday, in the overnight hours, Sooknanan issued a temporary restraining order barring officials from sending a group of 10 migrant children between the ages of 10 and 17 to Guatemala, granting a request from attorneys who alleged the effort would skirt legal protections Congress established for these minors. She also scheduled a hearing in the afternoon to weigh the case's next steps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Sooknanan abruptly moved up the hearing earlier on Sunday, saying she had been alerted that some migrant children were already in the process of being deported. As that hearing got underway, Sooknanan announced she had just issued a broader temporary restraining order blocking any deportations of unaccompanied children from Guatemala and in U.S. custody who did not have a deportation order. She instructed Drew Ensign, the Justice Department lawyer representing the Trump administration, to quickly inform officials they had to halt their deportation plans. Ensign acknowledged deportation planes had been prepared to take off on Sunday, but said they were all "on the ground" and still on U.S. soil. He said he believed one plane had taken off earlier but had come back. At the request of Sooknanan, Ensign said he confirmed that the children on the planes would be deplaned and returned to the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for caring for migrant minors who enter the U.S. without authorization and without their parents or legal guardians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department said 76 unaccompanied children were slated to be sent to Guatemala on Sunday before the effort was blocked. Of those, 16 had been returned to HHS custody as of Sunday evening and the rest were expected to be in HHS care by 10:30 p.m. HHS houses unaccompanied children in shelters or foster homes until they turn 18 or until they can be placed with a suitable sponsor in the U.S., who are often family members. Sooknanan conceded her temporary restraining order, which is set to last 14 days, is "extraordinary" but justified it on the grounds that the government had decided to "execute a plan to remove these children" in the "wee hours" of a holiday weekend. In their lawsuit, lawyers for the group of Guatemalan children said the Trump administration had launched an effort to deport more than 600 migrant minors to Guatemala without allowing them to request humanitarian protection, even though U.S. law protects them from speedy deportations. They alleged the children could face abuse, neglect or persecution if returned to Guatemala. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ensign, the Justice Department attorney, said the Trump administration was not trying to formally deport the Guatemalan children under U.S. immigration law, but instead repatriate them to Guatemala so they could reunite with relatives there. He said the Guatemalan government and the children's relatives had requested the reunifications. But lawyers for the children disputed the government's claims, citing one case in which they say a child's parents did not request any repatriation. They also said a law known as the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act says unaccompanied migrant children who are not from Mexico must be allowed to see an immigration judge and apply for legal protections before any deportation effort. Some of the children facing return to Guatemala still have pending immigration cases, the attorneys said. Ensign said the government's legal position is that it can "repatriate" these children, based on an authority given to HHS to reunite "unaccompanied alien children with a parent abroad in appropriate cases." Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the deportation plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neha Desai, an attorney at the California-based National Center for Youth Law who works with migrant minors, said the U.S. government was attempting to deport children with "already filed claims for legal relief based on the abuse and persecution that they experienced in their home country." "This is both unlawful and profoundly inhumane," Desai added. Most of the unaccompanied children who cross the U.S. southern border without legal permission hail from Central America and tend to be teenagers. Once in the U.S., many file applications for asylum or other immigration benefits to try to stay in the country legally, such as a visa for abused, abandoned or neglected youth. As part of its larger crackdown on illegal immigration, the Trump administration has sought to make drastic changes to how the U.S. processes unaccompanied children. It has made it harder for some relatives, including those in the country illegally, to sponsor unaccompanied children out of government custody and offered some teenagers the option to voluntary return to their native countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has also directed agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other agencies to conduct "welfare checks" on children released from HHS custody, a move it has said is in response to disputed claims that the Biden administration "lost" hundreds of thousands of migrant minors. There are currently roughly 2,000 migrant children in HHS care. "Portrait of a person who's not there": Documenting the bedrooms of school shooting victims Passage: In memoriam Dr. Sanjay Gupta on the mysteries of chronic pain A federal judge has ordered an emergency halt to a plan by the Trump administration to send more than 600 unaccompanied Guatemalan children back to their home country some within a matter of hours after immigrant advocacy groups sued, calling the unannounced plan illegal. U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan issued the order just after 4 a.m. Sunday, finding that the exigent circumstances described in the lawsuit warranted immediate action to maintain the status quo until a hearing can be set. The judge, a Biden appointee, initially scheduled a virtual hearing on the matter for 3 p.m. Sunday, but later moved up the hearing to 12:30 p.m. after being notified that some minors covered by the suit were in the process of being removed from the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have the government attempting to remove minor children from the country in the wee hours of the morning on a holiday weekend, which is surprising, but here we are, Sooknanan said at the hastily assembled hearing. The judge also said, "I have conflicting narratives from both sides here, adding that what she heard from the advocates for the children doesnt quite line up with what Im getting from the government. The roughly 600 children arrived in the United States alone and are currently in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement. According to lawyers for the children, the administration is preparing to send them back to Guatemala without notice or a chance to contest their deportation in some cases abruptly halting their pending immigration proceedings. The attorneys say the Trump administration has described the deportation effort as part of a first of its kind pilot program" in cooperation with the Guatemalan government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justice Department attorney Drew Ensign disputed that the transfer of children constituted deportations at all, but would actually be reunifications of children and their parents. These are not removals under the statute, Ensign said. These are repatriations. ... Its outrageous that the plaintiffs are trying to interfere with these reunifications. During the hearing, Ensign said the planes involved were currently on the ground, though one may have taken off and returned to the U.S. with the children on board. He said the effort was the result of extensive discussions with the Guatemalan government, which confirmed the parents desire to bring the children back. All of these children have parents or guardians in Guatemala who have requested their return, Ensign said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, immigrant rights advocates said that was not true in at least some of the cases, and they accused the Trump administration of short-circuiting the required legal process. There are many children who do not meet the criteria, Mr. Ensign described, attorney Efren Olivares of the National Immigration Law Center said. He said some of the children were sitting on planes at airports in Harlingen and El Paso, Texas. The children who filed the lawsuit are identified only by initials and range in age from 10 to 17 years old, in addition to two identified only as minors. Sooknanans initial order covered only the 10 children named as plaintiffs, but she later expanded it to cover all such children not subject to an executable final order of removal. The lawsuit was filed just after 1 a.m. Sunday and the request for emergency relief less than a half hour later, court records show. The case has not yet been formally assigned to a judge, but Sooknanan is designated as the emergency judge for the U.S. District Court in Washington for most of the Labor Day holiday weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the suit, NILC attorneys said federal immigration laws exempt unaccompanied children from expedited deportation proceedings and provide additional protections for those seeking asylum. All unaccompanied children regardless of the circumstances of their arrival to the United States receive the benefit of full immigration proceedings, including a hearing on claims for relief before an immigration judge, they wrote. Defendants actions are thus exposing children to multiple harms in returning them to a country where they fear persecution and by flouting their legal obligations to care for them in the United States. The judge began the Sunday afternoon hearing by making sure that the Justice Department received her expanded order and had made sure government officials at HHS and the Department of Homeland Security were aware of it. I do not want there to be any ambiguity about what I am ordering, Sooknanan said. The Justice Department later told the court in a report that all the children who had been on planes ready to go to Guatemala had deplaned in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The episode is reminiscent of the extraordinary rush to halt President Donald Trumps effort to summarily deport more than 130 Venezuelans to an anti-terrorism prison in El Salvador in March, using his wartime authority under the Alien Enemies Act. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, issued a similarly quick ruling based on an overnight lawsuit, racing to halt flights carrying the Venezuelans after finding that the Trump administration appeared to be violating the immigrants due process rights. But the administration carried out the flights anyway, claiming they had already left U.S. airspace and, therefore, were not subject to Boasbergs command. Justice Department officials also argued that Boasbergs oral order in court was not binding. Ensign was the Trump administration lawyer arguing that case as well. Sooknanan began the hearing by instructing Ensign to make certain the Trump administration was aware of her broad blockade on the deportation effort a nod to Boasbergs earlier concern that the administration had defied the clear intent of his directive. Ensign argued that the governments authority to send the children back to Guatemala had been used by previous administrations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But lawyers for the children said at least some of the children set to be sent to Guatemala did not want to return, had no such request from their parents, and have legitimate fears about going back. It is a dark and dangerous moment for this country when our government chooses to target orphaned 10-year-olds and denies them their most basic legal right to present their case before an immigration judge, Olivares said in a statement before the hearing. Sooknanan, undoubtedly aware of the machinations in the high-profile case Boasberg handled on a weekend just over five months ago, sounded suspicious that the mass transfer of children early on the Sunday morning of a holiday weekend was routine and legally justified. The suit filed in Washington on Sunday came on the heels of a similar case filed in federal court in Chicago on Saturday. Details of that suit were not immediately available, but U.S. District Judge Georgia Alexakis halted the deportation of as many as four Guatemalan minors until Wednesday. Alexakis, a Biden appointee, also scheduled a hearing that day on the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spokespeople for DHS and HHS did not reply to requests for comment Sunday. Alexakis indicated that the Trump administration is currently investigating the location of the children in her case to determine whether any have already been deported or relocated from Illinois. Laura Smith, the attorney who filed the Chicago case, said Sunday that despite Sooknanans order some of the Guatemalan children were being loaded onto a plane in Harlingen, Texas. There were also indications Sunday that some of the facilities in which the children have been housed may be resisting instructions to turn them over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a memo dated Sunday and obtained by POLITICO, the acting director of HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement, Angie Salazar, threatened civil lawsuits and possible criminal prosecution against any ORR contractors who fail to comply with lawful requests from her agency. Salazar did not elaborate on the nature of the requests that were not being complied with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When ORR makes a decision regarding the care and custody of a child consistent with and in furtherance of its statutory and legal obligations, your refusal to comply can materially interfere with ORRs ability to effectively complete its statutory mission, Salazar wrote. Negligent or intentional failure to comply with lawful requests from ORR regarding the care of children in your care facility will result in prompt legal action, and may result in civil and criminal penalties and charges, as well as suspension and termination of contractual relations with your facility. A time-stamp on Salazars memo indicates it was signed about five hours after Sooknanans early morning order. A judge tossed a case, finding no probable cause on Saturday after Florida police arrested a man as part of an ongoing standoff over art at a crosswalk memorializing the 2016 mass shooting at the LGBTQ Pulse nightclub in Orlando, WESH reported. The man has been released from jail. Florida Highway Patrol arrested Sebastian Suarez during a protest Friday night outside the nightclub. He colored the bottom of his shoe with chalk and then left footprints as he crossed the street. He was facing a charge of defacing a traffic device. To come here and do something like this, and to be threatened with something so extreme as a felony charge for protesting and showing love to your fellow human, its just insane in my opinion, Suarez told WESH. Advertisement Advertisement We came out here yesterday just to show our support, to come out and help with the chalking, he said. He and his fiancee are visiting from Georgia. We put some chalk down on the ground, and before we knew it, an officer was approaching us, saying, We wanna talk to you, he said. I identified myself, tried to do everything the correct way, and before I knew it, I was in the back of a squad car. In 2016, Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 at the Pulse nightclub, making it the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. at the time. The crosswalk was created in 2017 to memorialize the victims. The memorial has since become an issue for Republicans amid Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ongoing culture war against LGBTQ Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Trumps administration directed governors to remove distracting art in the road. Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks, Trump Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on social media. Political banners have no place on public roads. Last week, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), controlled by DeSantis, painted over the Pulse rainbow sidewalk, months after it issued new guidance banning non-standard surface markings, signage, and signals. We will not allow our state roads to be commandeered for political purposes, DeSantis posted on X on Aug. 21. Protesters have been coloring the rainbow back in with chalk, and FDOT has been painting over it in black and white. Advertisement Advertisement Now, there are signs on the sidewalk that say, DEFACING ROADWAY PROHIBITED. Anything previously permitted or installed you can bring up from [the] past is irrelevant now under FDOTs new rules the departments secretary, Jared Perdue, said earlier this week, adding that its removing everything thats not compliant with state [or] federal standards. Suarez was the first person to take a fall in this political fight against the LGBTQ community, which I am an active part of, his attorney, Blake Simons, told reporters. This is a community I belong to. Theyre not injuring or damaging property using water-soluble chalk, he said. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A woman and children walk past federal agents patrolling as they hallways of immigration court after leaving a hearing at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on August 08, 2025 in New York City. Credit - Michael M. Santiago2025 Getty Images A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump Administration from deporting hundreds of unaccompanied children back to their home country of Guatemala, just as some of the children were boarded on planes and ready to depart. The last-minute order wrapped up a frenetic legal battle that began in the early hours of Sunday morning, when immigration advocacy groups filed an emergency lawsuit after discovering shelters holding unaccompanied children were abruptly told to prepare them for deportation within two hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan issued a temporary block on the deportations at 4 a.m. and called a hearing for Sunday afternoon. That hearing was moved forward when she heard the deportations were already underway, and the judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking deny deportations for 14 days. Read More: Inside Donald Trumps Mass-Deportation Operation I do not want there to be any ambiguity about what I am ordering, Judge Sooknanan said, adding that the government cannot remove any children while the case is ongoing. The judge ordered the children to be taken off the planes and made clear that her ruling applies to all Guatemalan minors who arrived in the U.S. without their parents or guardians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some children were taken off planes as they were waiting to take off on the tarmac. A government lawyer said in the hearing that one plane had taken off, but later came back when the order was issued. In their lawsuit, lawyers from the National Immigrant Law Center (NILC) said the childrenwho are in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)were due to be handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to Guatemala on Sunday. The ORR sent memos to shelters holding the children on Saturday telling them to take proactive measures to ensure [unaccompanied children] are prepared for discharge within 2 hours of receiving this notification. The memo called for the shelters to have two prepared sack lunches and one suitcase per child. The NILC attorneys said in the lawsuit that they were filing on behalf of hundreds of Guatemalan children at imminent risk of unlawful removal from the United States, aged between 10 and 17 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit said the estimated 600 children had active proceedings before immigration courts across the country, and removing them from the country violated the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and the Constitution. All unaccompanied children regardless of the circumstances of their arrival to the United States receive the benefit of full immigration proceedings, including a hearing on claims for relief before an immigration judge, the attorneys wrote in the lawsuit. Congress provided even further procedural protection to unaccompanied minors in removal proceedings by mandating that their claims for asylum be heard in the first instance before an asylum officer in a non-adversarial setting rather than in an adversarial courtroom setting, they added. Judge Sooknanan granted the plaintiffs' request for a restraining order to block the deportations early Saturday morning to maintain the status quo until a hearing can be set. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the hearing on Sunday, lawyers for the U.S. government insisted that the children were being repatriated with their parents. Justice Department attorney Drew Ensign said it was outrageous that the plaintiffs are trying to interfere with these reunifications. That claim was contested by the immigration advocacy groups and attorneys for some of the children, who said at least some of the children said they did not want to return and some faced danger back in Guatemala. I have conflicting narratives from both sides here, Sooknanan said. Absent action by the courts, all of those children would have been returned to Guatemala, potentially to very dangerous situations, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ensign told Judge Sooknanan the deportations were underway when the order was issued and that he believed one plane had taken off, but had come back. Minutes after the hearing ended, the Associated Press reported that five charter buses pulled up to a plane parked at an airport near the border in Harlingen, Texas, where deportation flights are known to depart from. Efren C. Olivares, vice president of litigation and legal strategy at the National Immigration Law Center, said the deportations could have caused the children irreperable harm. In the dead of night on a holiday weekend, the Trump administration ripped vulnerable, frightened children from their beds and attempted to return them to danger in Guatemala," he said in a statement following the ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are heartened the Court prevented this injustice from occurring before hundreds of children suffered irreparable harm. We are determined to continue fighting to protect the interest of our plaintiffs and all class members until the effort is enjoined permanently, he added. The ORR, which lies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), said the deportations were the result of an agreement between the U.S. and Guatemala. Attorneys representing the children were sent memos informing them that the Government of Guatemala has requested the return of certain unaccompanied alien children in federal custody for the purposes of reunifying the UAC with suitable family members. This communication is provided as advance notice that removal proceedings may be dismissed to support the prompt repatriation of the child, the memo, which was reviewed by TIME, said. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller criticized Sooknanan for blocking the deportations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The minors have all self-reported that their parents are back home in Guatemala. But a Democrat judge is refusing to let them reunify with their parents, he wrote on X. The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to a request for comment. ICE did not respond to a request for comment. Contact us at letters@time.com. A group of children who were loaded onto planes by federal officials overnight to be sent back to Guatemala will remain in the U.S. for now, thanks to a federal judges order over Labor Day weekend. Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, temporarily blocked the flights early Sunday after attorneys for the kids argued federal officials were violating the law and sending the children into potential danger. Her order comes amid a crackdown on immigration under President Donald Trump, who has vowed to carry out the largest deportation operation in American history. Chicago is expected to be the Trump administrations next target amid the crackdown, with city officials already preparing for the arrival of federal law enforcement agents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do not want there to be any ambiguity, Sooknanan said at a Sunday hearing, noting that her order applies broadly to Guatemalan minors who arrived in the U.S. without their parents or guardians. As a result, hundreds of unaccompanied kids who arrived from Guatemala will stay in the U.S. for at least two weeks as the legal fight plays out. People wait for their loved ones who were deported from the U.S. near Guatemalas La Aurora International Airport. A federal judge temporarily blocked officials from deporting Guatemalan minors who arrived in the U.S. without their parents or guardians (AP) I have the government attempting to remove minor children from the country in the wee hours of the morning on a holiday weekend, which is surprising, Sooknanan said in court. Sooknanan added that she has conflicting narratives from both sides, noting that what she heard from the childrens attorneys doesnt quite line up with what the government said. Minutes after the hearing, five charter buses pulled up to a plane at Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas, a hub for deportation flights. Hours earlier, authorities had walked dozens of passengers perhaps 50 toward the plane in an area restricted to government planes. Passengers wore colored clothing typically used in government-run shelters for migrant children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller has since accused Sooknanan of effectively kidnapping these migrant children and refusing to let them return home to their parents in their home country. The Trump administration insists it is reuinting the Guatemalan children at the Central American nation's request with parents or guardians who sought their return. Meanwhile, lawyers for at least some of the minors say that's untrue and argue that in any event, authorities still would have to follow a legal process that they did not. Charter buses were seen in Harlingen, Texas on Sunday as dozens of passengers were unloaded onto planes. (AP) One girl said her parents, in Guatemala, got a strange phone call a few weeks ago saying the U.S. was deporting her, according to attorney Efren C. Olivares of the National Immigration Law Center. The 16-year-old, who's been living in a New York shelter, said in a court filing that she's an honors student about to start 11th grade, loves living in the U.S. and is "deeply afraid of being deported. Other children identified only by their initials said in court documents that they had been neglected, abandoned, physically threatened or abused in their home country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do not have any family in Guatemala that can take good care of me, a 10-year-old said in a court filing. A 16-year-old recalled experiencing threats against my life in Guatemala. If I am sent back, I believe I will be in danger," the teen added. A relative of an unaccompanied minor deported from the United States reviews the list of those deported outside La Aurora International Airport (AP) Sunday's order came in a court case filed in Washington, but similar legal actions have been filed elsewhere, including in Arizona, where the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project said one of its clients is a 12-year-old asylum-seeker who has chronic kidney disease, needs dialysis to stay alive and will need a kidney transplant. Two other plaintiffs, a 10-year-old boy and his 3-year-old sister, don't have family in Guatemala and don't want to return, according to the group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the developments played out in the U.S., families gathered at an air base in Guatemalas capital, Guatemala City, in anticipation of the flights. Gilberto Lopez said he drove through the night from his remote town after his 17-year-old nephew called at midnight to say he was being deported from Texas. The boy left Guatemala two years ago, at age 15, to work in the U.S. and was detained about a month ago, Lopez said. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment Sunday. ___ Additional reporting by the Associated Press. Mike returned home to Philadelphia after a 15-year prison sentence and suffered an emotional breakdown. I just couldnt stop crying I dont know. It was the anxiety. It was just a lot, he said. I was under a lot of pressure and it just came crashing down. Mike, who was in his late 40s when we spoke, told me about his childhood filled with abuse, his first arrest at age 14, and the over 20 years of his life that he spent behind bars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a registered nurse and nurse scientist who studies how incarceration affects mental health, I know Mikes experience after release from prison is not uncommon. Studies show that Black men who have experienced incarceration have higher rates of PTSD, depression and psychological distress compared with Black men who have never been incarcerated. Working in psychiatric hospitals in Philadelphia, I met many patients in crisis who had been incarcerated at some point in their lives. As a part of my doctoral research, funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research, I interviewed 29 formerly incarcerated Black men to understand how incarceration has affected their mental health. My peer-reviewed findings were published in the journal Social Science & Medicine. All quotes shared here use pseudonyms to protect the mens privacy. Trauma of incarceration Mass incarceration in the U.S. has serious health consequences for individuals, families and communities. In Philadelphia alone, over 20,000 people return home from incarceration each year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While incarceration rates are declining in Philadelphia, the needs of those coming home remain significant. Many formerly incarcerated men described experiencing or witnessing violence, including being beaten by correctional officers and witnessing close friends get assaulted or killed. You know you are not regular because you come from a traumatic situation, right? said Thomas, 44, who spent 18 years incarcerated. The participants expressed that racism was common, especially while incarcerated in facilities located in the rural central and northern regions of Pennsylvania. I aint gonna sugar coat it Black people going up into them white people mountains, they call you [n-word] all day long and you basically there to accept it, Antonio told me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Incarceration was especially difficult for those who were held for months pretrial without ever being convicted and those incarcerated during COVID restrictions who spent more than 23 hours a day in their cells. Even though Im free, I aint free Participants described life on parole or probation, or in transitional housing, as another form of confinement. Ken, 56, has been out of prison for over a decade but said, Im still locked up, even though Im free, I aint free. You just get a whole new set of rules and regulations. Men described significant anxiety related to community supervision requirements, including difficulty sleeping the night before a probation appointment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Participants also described distress caused by no association restrictions. These are common parole and probation requirements that prohibit people under supervision from interacting with others who have criminal records, are also under supervision or are currently incarcerated. Violating this requirement can lead to a technical violation and reincarceration. While these requirements are meant to reduce the risk of reoffending, they often isolate people from supportive relationships and resources, including housing and employment. [There are] a lot of smart brothers in there. And it hurts my heart. And thats where the depression coming in too, said Reese, who spent six years incarcerated. I cant contact them in jail. Thats just how it is in the system. Philadelphia has the highest rate of community supervision including probation and parole among the largest U.S. cities, according to a 2019 analysis by The Philadelphia Inquirer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At that time, the Inquirer reports, 1 in 23 adults in Philadelphia were under community supervision and 1 in 14 Black adults in Philadelphia. The men I interviewed said they felt like parts of them never left jail or prison, while others felt that they brought prison or jail home with them. Tyrese, 34, said he stays home as often as he can. Ive been out of the joint for seven years now and feel like Im still institutionalized, I guess, he said. I know people that dont even come outside, referring to other formerly incarcerated men. Others had dreams that they were back in a cell, or at home still wearing jail clothing. Long after release, many described constant hypervigilance and anxiety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I can be walking to the bus station and there be people walking around me, Im constantly watching them, said Anthony, who was first incarcerated at age 18 and served 16 years. Im watching every movement theyre doing. Thats a habit I had from jail. Philly rapper Meek Mill, shown here at a 2018 rally outside a Center City courthouse, was sentenced to probation for 10 years after a conviction on drug and gun charges. He became an advocate of criminal justice reform. Michael Candelori/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images Finding work People who have been incarcerated often struggle to find employment after release, as many employers are unwilling to hire a person with a criminal record. This leaves about 35% of formerly incarcerated Black men unemployed. At the time of our interview, Tay, 31, was working part-time in carpentry. Because I had felonies on my record a lot of places wont hire me, he said. And a couple of places that I was working with, they ended up firing me once they did the background check. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These frustrations can easily spill over into family life. Mark, 30, also works part-time and said he found himself frequently becoming agitated and snapping at his kids, other family members and his girlfriend. I cant get the job I want or the job that I need to do what I need to do for my family and Ill be frustrated, he shared. Participants struggled with having to depend on others for basic needs upon release. Kenny, who is now self-employed as a caterer, recalled his experience a few years earlier. I was crying. I was a grown man, almost 40 years old, and my mother had to buy me underwear, socks, he said. The importance of fatherhood Despite their many hardships, some of the men spoke with joy about reconnecting with their children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the most positive thing that happened since Ive been out of prison is I got custody of my sons, said Ken, a father of two. Them kids saved me. Like many of the other participants with children, however, he was frustrated about being unable to provide for them and worried about repeating harmful cycles. You want to do good, but it makes you think bad stuff when you dont have the right resources, he continued. You dont want [your kids] to do the same things you did. Others struggled to bond with their children after years of separation. John, 29, explained, The bonding is kind of awkward, because you wasnt there, especially during the pandemic when there was no visits allowed. Returning to disadvantaged neighborhoods Most people released from incarceration return to neighborhoods with high rates of poverty, violence and other disadvantages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shawn, who lives in pubic housing, showed me abandoned buildings and boarded storefronts in his neighborhood and described how the environment made rebuilding his life harder. For many participants, returning to divested communities brought stress. They experienced frequent exposure to substance use, violence and negative police encounters, and they had limited access to basic resources and job opportunities needed to support recovery and stability. This is my real life. Its not fake. Its not no, Well, why did he go back and do this or that? he said. I live in an underserved, impoverished, danger zone period. Moving forward The experiences these men shared with me demonstrate how traumatic incarceration is, even many years after release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporting the mental health of formerly incarcerated Black men requires trauma-informed services, such as culturally responsive counseling, peer support and care that acknowledges the lasting effects of incarceration. It also means helping them build or rebuild their financial resources, reconnect with their children and loved ones, and supporting the broader communities they return to through investment in housing, employment and accessible health and social services. Read more of our stories about Philadelphia. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Helena Addison, Yale University Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Helena Addison received funding from National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number F31NR020434, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration and American Nurses Association Minority Fellowship Program, the University of Pennsylvania's Presidential PhD Fellowship, and Jonas Philanthropies to support this study and/or her PhD training. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health, or any other funding organizations or institutions. The views expressed in written training materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Louisiana often relies on federal assistance after its struck by natural disasters. But President Trump has indicated he wants to pull back on giving states this type of support. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) For years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleanians made the Federal Emergency Management Agency the butt of their bitter jokes. Anti-FEMA sentiment was so high in Louisiana that local businesses started selling T-shirts a couple of months after the storm lampooning the federal agency with slogans like Wheres FEMA? and FEMA stands for Federal Employees Missing in Action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sentiment is understandable. Almost a half dozen federal investigations launched in the six months after Hurricane Katrina made landfall Aug. 29, 2005 and turned into the countrys most catastrophic natural disaster determined FEMA failed in nearly every way to respond to the storm. Hurricane Katrina exposed flaws in the structure of FEMA and DHS that are too substantial to mend, concluded a 2006 U.S. Senate report titled Hurricane Katrina: A Nation Still Unprepared. Yet 20 years after the agencys feckless Katrina response, some Louisiana leaders find themselves in the awkward position of having to defend FEMA. President Donald Trump has made it clear he wants the federal government to play less of a role in natural disaster response, raising concerns that state and local governments might need to cover more of their recovery costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such a change would likely affect Louisiana more than almost every other state in the country. Since Katrina, Louisiana has received more public and individual assistance from FEMA ($12.6 billion) than all states but Florida ($16.6 billion) and New York ($19.4 billion), according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which tracks federal disaster spending. The money helped Louisiana respond to 25 extreme weather events, including 11 hurricanes, six floods and one ice storm, over the past two decades. That FEMA figure doesnt account for all of the money Louisiana has received in the wake of Katrina. There was another $11 billion from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development went to the Road Home program to rebuild housing. All told, the federal government put an unprecedented $76 billion toward Louisianas recovery from the 2005 storm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Louisiana simply wouldnt be able to handle the financial burden of major disaster response without significant support from the federal government, according to several former state officials interviewed. Storms with far less impact than Katrina have the ability to overwhelm the states assets, they said. If Louisiana has to worry about covering more disaster recovery costs, the state will have less money to spend on schools, universities, roads, bridges and economic development. If we didnt have the federal money, we would be in a terrible mess, and we would have been in a terrible mess from Katrina going forward, said Jay Dardenne, Louisianas former lieutenant governor and state budget chief for former Gov. John Bel Edwards. A damaged home is seen after Hurricane Laura passed through the area on Aug. 27, 2020, in Lake Charles. The hurricane hit with powerful winds causing extensive damage to the city. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Uncertainty at FEMA To what extent Trump will pull back on federal disaster assistance isnt clear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As recently as June, the president said he would push to eliminate FEMA altogether. He then backed off that rhetoric after July 4th weekend flooding in Texas killed at least 136 people, including children attending a sleepaway camp. His administrations response was directly criticized. Still, the Trump administration has already made several preliminary changes to FEMA that alarm emergency response experts. The agency has reduced staff and some of those who remain have been asked to help with hiring immigration enforcement agents instead of working on disaster relief. The FEMA cuts come on top of those to the National Hurricane Center and other federal programs that provide crucial information to hurricane-prone states and help them ready for incoming storms. Some reforms Congress enacted in the year after Katrina to strengthen FEMA have also been ignored. A law requiring FEMAs director to have experience in emergency response and disaster recovery isnt being followed. Trumps acting FEMA administrator David Richardson previously oversaw counter terrorism programs but does not have natural disaster management experience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are also concerns about whether a new policy delayed assistance during the Texas flood, similar to what unfolded in the aftermath of Katrina. Due to a bureaucratic breakdown 20 years ago, FEMA failed to promptly provide boats for search-and-rescue teams in New Orleans, even after federal officials knew flooding was widespread, according to a U.S. Senate report from 2006. This past July, several questions were raised about whether search-and-rescue teams were delayed during the Texas flood because Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem now requires every FEMA contract over $100,000 to be approved personally by her, the Associated Press reported. The Trump administration has denied those allegations. Richard Schafer navigates a boat past a flooded home in Baton Rouge on Aug. 15, 2016. Record-breaking rains drenched Louisiana over multiple days, causing historic levels of flooding that were blamed for at least 13 deaths and damaged thousands of homes. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) The ability of Louisiana and other states to respond to catastrophic weather with their own staff would also likely be impacted if Trump changes the traditional funding reimbursements for recovery efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal government will have a lasting role in responding to and funding the impact of disasters; local and state governments simply do not have the resources to do so, said Paul Rainwater, who was executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority that managed federal funding for state rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina. He went on to serve as former Gov. Bobby Jindals chief of staff and budget czar. The question the Trump administration faces, given some of its comments about FEMA, is: When will a White House step in and help? he said. Presidential discretion The president has a significant say in when FEMA provides funding to states after natural disasters, as well as how much money states or local governments receive. When a state is overwhelmed by a catastrophic event, a governor makes a formal request of the president for federal assistance. FEMA starts to provide help to the state authorities after it is granted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since returning to office in January, Trump has denied disaster relief that was expected to be approved. His decisions have affected liberal-leaning states such as Maryland and Washington and more conservative ones like West Virginia. He even stalled for a month on accepting a disaster declaration from Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who personally knows Trump and served as his press secretary during his first term as president. As president, Trump has the ability to not only approve federal assistance, but to also increase the share of the state or local costs that FEMA will reimburse. For example, federal law gives presidents the discretion to reduce or waive the requirement for a state or local government to cover 25% of the cost of debris removal after a storm. Louisiana has benefited from a reduction of these local financial responsibilities for nine weather events in the past 25 years, including for hurricanes Ida (2021), Laura (2020), Ike (2008), Gustav (2008), Rita (2005), Katrina (2005) and Ivan (2004). The 2016 Baton Rouge-area floods and a severe ice storm in 2001 were also approved for enhanced federal assistance, according to a 2023 Congressional report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But all the upheaval should be a signal to local and state officials to prepare as if that extra FEMA help might not be coming their way, former FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell, who worked for President Joe Biden, said in a call with reporters this week. There are, right now, a lot of questions about whether any of those costs are going to be eligible for reimbursement, Criswell said. You need to put plans in place to make sure that you can do it, regardless of whether you get federal support. U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said he personally advocated for the federal government to cover more disaster recovery bills after Hurricane Laura, which hit Southwest Louisiana, and the 2016 flooding. Sometimes a disaster is so profound that local governments have a hard time coming up with the tax revenue to cover their share of the recovery. If people lose their homes and are displaced, as happened after Katrina, cities and parishes wont have much money to put toward cleanup, Cassidy said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you destroy a community, you destroy their ability to raise tax money, he said in an interview. Jindal, who served as Louisianas governor from 2008-16 and was a congressman during Hurricane Katrina, said he thinks the federal government will always be an important partner in major disasters. But states and local governments should take on more responsibility for smaller events. There are many day-to-day disasters that many state and local governments can handle themselves, Jindal said. For the bigger disasters that can overwhelm, you still want to have some federal role. Its also crucial that local and state officials know what to expect from the federal government so they can be prepared, said Jindal, who was governor when hurricanes Gustav and Ike hit Louisiana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its important to have clear rules ahead of time, he said. People who escaped flooding after Hurricane Katrina caused levees to fail in New Orleans await aid and treatment outside the Morial Convention Center on Sept. 1, 2005, three days after storm struck the region. The federal governments response to the disaster was widely criticized. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) Landry: Louisiana shouldnt worry about FEMA Trump may have denied disaster relief to other states, but Gov. Jeff Landry said Louisiana has nothing to worry about when it comes to FEMA because of his good relationship with the administration. I think its all just a bunch of media hype trying to scare people. Were ready for hurricane season, the governor told reporters this week. Landry has a close relationship with Noem and said Trumps homeland security leader has already responded to requests for assistance for matters in Lake Charles and Terrebonne Parish this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Kristi Noem has done lately, I mean, we just call her, and we say, These are projects that need to be moved, Landry said. Louisiana is one of only a few states that has a local representative on Trumps FEMA review council, which is supposed to make recommendations on reforming the agency this fall. One of the councils 12 members, who include Noem and Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is Louisiana native Mark Cooper, Jindals former head of emergency management and former Gov. Edwards chief of staff. Obviously, Louisiana is playing a big role in this reimagining for FEMA, Cooper said this week in an interview from Oklahoma where the review council was meeting. Were being heard. Louisiana is being heard as part of this process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cooper said the council already met directly with Louisiana emergency response officials in the Landry administration. It held its second public meeting in New Orleans in July at his suggestion. The council has made no decisions about whether FEMAs reimbursement policies for state and local governments should change, Cooper said, but he suggested more might be asked of states. We need to do more to help states to be more self-reliant and resilient, he said. Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) A Kansas City-based nonprofit made its first-ever trip to Texas this weekend, bringing a message of hope, love, and kindness along with 1,500 toys for children receiving treatment at a local hospital. The organization, A Kind Act (AKA), selects a different state and childrens hospital each year to visit, delivering hundreds of toys to kids who could use a reason to smile. This year, Abilene was chosen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Co-founder Alycee Valdivia, who personally delivered the donation, began the project 20 years ago after receiving a life-changing medical diagnosis. In her late 20s and raising a newborn, doctors told her she had the kidney function of an 80-year-old and might not have much time left. That moment reshaped her life. For her birthday each year, Valdivia now combines her love for travel with her passion for giving choosing to spend it by gifting children who are facing their own medical battles. I think kindness is something we can all do in a world where we dont have control over some things, Valdivia said. She explained that acts of kindness not only help the children, but help her too keeping her motivated to live healthier, do better, and stay focused on others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kids I dont know what theyre going through, but I know theyre going through something to be in the hospital. And I cant control that. What I can control is trying to bring them a smile and to break them away from their reality for five minutes, even. Its such a joy. And it fills me. But I hope more than that, it fills them. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. Kari Lake, President Trumps top adviser to the U.S Agency for Global Media (USAGM), announced Friday night that 532 positions were nixed at USAGM and Voice of America. In a post on X, Lake said the layoffs were conducted at President Trumps direction to help reduce the federal bureaucracy, improve agency service, and save the American people more of their hard-earned money. The reduction in force of USAGM will likely improve its ability to function and provide the truth to people across the world who live under murderous Communist governments and other tyrannical regimes, Lake added. I look forward to taking additional steps in the coming months to improve the functioning of a very broken agency and make sure Americas voice is heard abroad where it matters most. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Thursday court document shows that Lake planned to lay off 46 USAGM employees and 486 VOA employees, and planned to keep 158 USAGM employees and 108 VOA employees. Lakes announcement comes on the heels of a federal judge barring the Trump administration from removing VOAs director, Michael Abramowitz, from his post. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberths Thursday ruling states that Abramowitz, who was told he would be subject to termination starting Aug. 31, can only be removed from his position as director by a majority vote of the International Broadcasting Advisory Board. The ruling dealt a blow to Lake and the Trump administration, which has been seeking to transform the English-language broadcaster into an America First outlet. The administration has been working to shrink VOA over recent months, including initiating similar large-scale layoffs in June, which were rescinded a week later. Paula Hickey, the president of the union that represents VOA employees, pushed back on the layoffs in a statement to the New York Times, saying the manner in which they are being executed reveals the contempt this administration has for federal employees and the rule of law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. At the end of every successful criminal prosecution, one question hangs over the heads of offenders, victims and attorneys. What will the final sentence be? While Kentucky has penalty ranges for those convicted of a felony, a decades-old law lets prosecutors pursue harsher punishments for those with previous felony convictions. Its called the persistent felony offender law and in recent years, it's faced reform efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2022 Louisville Courier-Journal investigation found that in the decades since its adoption, the persistent felony offender law has helped fuel the states incarceration rate, among the highest in the country, and added years of prison time to the sentences of tens of thousands of people. How Kentucky PFO law started and how its changed The persistent felony offender law was enacted in 1974, as part of a complete revision of the criminal code. The law was designed for extraordinary use and only applied to adults with two previous felony convictions that resulted in actual time spent in prison no suspended sentences or probation. In 1976, lawmakers greatly expanded it, with huge repercussions on Kentucky's prison populations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They created the second-degree persistent felony offender category, allowing someone to get a harsher punishment after just one conviction, and removed the requirement that someone must serve prison time to be eligible for a PFO charge. The new law meant many people convicted of first-degree PFO had to serve at least 10 years in prison before being eligible for parole. Who qualifies as a persistent felony offender? Under the current law, anyone over 21 years old, with at least one prior felony conviction for a crime after turning 18, could qualify as a second-degree persistent felony offender. Qualifying as a first-degree persistent felony offender is largely the same, except a person must have at least two prior felony convictions or one felony conviction for child sex crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prior convictions can be from any jurisdiction, including those outside the state. A defendants latest felony must have been committed within five years of the completion of their last sentence. However, in cases where someone was convicted of two or more crimes and served concurrent or uninterrupted consecutive prison terms, those only count as a single conviction under the persistent felony offender law. Kenton County Commonwealths Attorney Rob Sanders said drug possession, while a felony, is not subject to the sentencing enhancement, meaning those struggling with substance use wont face harsher penalties. What does punishment look like? First-degree persistent felony offenders face an enhanced sentence of 20 to 50 years or life imprisonment if newly convicted of a Class A or B felony. If their newest conviction is a Class C or D felony, they face a sentence of 10 to 20 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law mandates that second-degree persistent felony offenders be sentenced to a prison term within the penalty range for the next highest degree of felony. Those sentencing ranges include: 20 to 50 years or life in prison for a Class A felony. 10 to 20 years in prison for a Class B felony. Five to 10 years for a Class C felony. And one to five years for a Class D felony. So, a persistent felony offender convicted of a Class C felony would face the same punishment as someone convicted of a Class B felony. How the law has been used in Northern Kentucky It is not uncommon to see the sentencing enhancement invoked in Northern Kentucky courtrooms, particularly in violent crime cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jamie Simpson of Covington was sentenced in March to 60 years in prison for holding his wife captive and torturing her for hours before barricading himself inside her home in a lengthy standoff with police. As part of his conviction in a four-day trial in Kenton County Circuit Court, Simpson received a first-degree persistent felony offender enhancement. In Simpsons April 2023 indictment, prosecutors cited prior convictions for burglary, robbery and assault as reasons for their pursuing a sentencing enhancement. Jamie Simpson appears for the final day of his trial in Kenton County Circuit Court in February 2024. Johnathan Maskiell was deemed a second-degree persistent felony offender as part of his April guilty plea for murder in the killing of his cellmate at the Kenton County Detention Center. Prosecutors pointed to a 2017 burglary conviction in Clermont County as qualifying him for the enhancement, however, they only recommended a 25-year sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Increased punishment for convicted criminals who continue to break the law improves public safety by removing repeat offenders from our community for an extended period of time, Sanders said in a statement. Obviously, if someone doesn't break the law, they never have to worry about a sentencing enhancement, but if a felon learns their lesson and takes advantage of the second chances most first-time offenders receive, PFO will not come into play, Sanders added. Damon Preston, who leads the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy, said that while the state's PFO law has been trimmed back in recent decades, it still applies to almost all felonies, even nonviolent ones. "What it did to a sentence is so extreme in essentially doubling a sentence for one prior felony and if you've got two prior felonies, it can as much as quadruple the sentence," Preston said. "I do believe that's still the case." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Preston said there should be limitations imposed on when and how the sentencing enhancement is used. He added that he's not opposed to there being an enhancement when it's necessary to protect the public or when someone has been repeatedly convicted of similar crimes. The law currently gives prosecutors too much leverage in the courtroom and pressures defendants to take a plea deal over defending themselves at trial, Preston said. "It's so broad and so draconian that the penalty for turning down a plea is just too high," Preston said of the sentencing enhancement. Do other states have similar laws on the books? Kentucky is not the only state with a law allowing for harsher punishments for offenders with felony histories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In California, an offender can receive a five-year sentencing enhancement for each prior felony conviction they have, with the enhancement running consecutively to their latest sentence. Montana law allows for someone to be designated a persistent felony offender upon their third felony conviction, although at least one of those crimes must be a sexual or violent offense. Idaho similarly imposes a sentencing enhancement on offenders for their third felony and North Dakota can label someone a habitual offender for prior felonies a label that comes with harsher sentencing. The Louisville Courier-Journal contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What is Kentucky's persistent felony offender law and why is it used? With Congress back in session this week, Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) are ready to once again push House Speaker Mike Johnson and the White House for transparency in the Jeffrey Epstein case. The next step: a Wednesday press conference with 10 of Epstein's victims, Khanna told NBC's Kristen Welker in an interview on "Meet the Press," "many who have never spoken out before." "They're going to be on the steps of the Capitol," Khanna said. "They will be telling their story, and they will be saying clearly to the American public that they want the release of the Epstein files for full closure on this matter." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Outcry over the White House's handling of the Epstein case engulfed the administration early in the summer after the FBI and DOJ announced they had uncovered no evidence of a so-called client list and were effectively closing any investigation, angering the MAGA allies who were counting on more information about the disgraced financier and his connections to society's upper crust. Some of them, from Laura Loomer to Liz Wheeler, called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to lose her job. Trump didn't help matters, aggravating supporters last month by calling the Epstein case a Democratic hoax and disavowing the "PAST supporters" who he said "bought into this bullshit, hook, line, and sinker." In search of answers, Khanna and Massie introduced a discharge petition that would force Bondi to release a broad range of DOJ files on Epstein. The pair is determined to press on, even as the Justice Department transmits certain files over to the House Oversight Committee pursuant to an August subpoena. Khanna told Welker that he is confident the bill has the numbers to reach the finish line on the House floor. "I'm very confident it will," Khanna said. "I spoke to Congressman Massie. You had us both on a few weeks ago. We will have the petition live on September 2. We have all 212 Democrats committed to signing it. He has 12 Republicans. Only six of them have to sign it." Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said on Sunday that he is very confident in the passage of his and Rep. Thomas Massies (R-Ky.) bill on files related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Congress left town early without voting on your bipartisan bill, which would basically call for the release of all of the files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Do you think when Congress is back the bill will go to the floor and it will pass? NBC Newss Kristen Welker asked Khanna on Meet the Press. Im very confident it will, the California Democrat responded. I spoke to Congressman Massie. You had us both on a few weeks ago. We will have the petition live on Sept. 2. We have all 212 Democrats committed to signing it. He has 12 Republicans. Only six of them have to sign it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this summer, President Trump and his administration faced intense controversy over their handling of information related to Epstein from both sides of the aisle. Khanna and Massie are also preparing to bring survivors of abuse by Epstein, as well as his convicted co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, to the Capitol. The survivors will join the representatives at a press conference the morning of Sept. 3, Khanna and Massie have announced. In July, Massie said he would attempt to use a long-shot procedural gambit to force a vote on requiring the Justice Department to release files related to Epstein. We all deserve to know whats in the Epstein files, whos implicated, and how deep this corruption goes. Americans were promised justice and transparency, Massie said in a previous post on the social platform X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were introducing a discharge petition to force a vote in the US House of Representatives on releasing the COMPLETE files, he added. Massie and Khannas resolution would require Attorney General Pam Bondi to make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in the possession of the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorneys Offices that have links with Epstein within 30 days of the measure becoming law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Guinea-Bissaus decision to expel major Portuguese media outlets just three months ahead of its rescheduled national elections has sparked international condemnation and deepened concerns over democratic erosion. On 15 August, state broadcasters RTP Africa, RDP Africa, and news agency Lusa were ordered to cease operations in the country. The move, condemned as highly reprehensible and unjustifiable by the Portuguese government, prompted Lisbon to summon Guinea-Bissaus ambassador for urgent talks. No formal explanation has been offered by Bissau. Indira Correia Balde, head of Guinea-Bissaus journalists union, said the shutdown marks a dangerous escalation. Journalists are being systematically obstructed in their work, publicly insulted, and prevented from doing their jobs, she said, describing a worsening atmosphere since President Umaro Sissoco Embalo took power in 2020. Embalo dissolved parliament in late 2023 amid unrest, claiming a coup attempt, and has ruled by decree since. Though his mandate expired in early 2024, he plans to run for re-election in November. Critics accuse him of tightening control ahead of the vote. Reporters Without Borders called the media expulsion a severe blow to press freedom and warned of rising intimidation. Opposition figures, including former Prime Minister Baciro Dja and PAIGC leader Domingos Simoes Pereira, condemned the act as a prelude to electoral manipulation. Guinea-Bissaus actions have placed it at odds with its obligations as the current rotating chair of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, which upholds press freedom and democratic norms. Russian forces shelled the Kherson Oblast State Administration building at around 16:00 on 30 August, causing a fire that burned until morning. Source: Ruslan Mykhailevskyi, an officer in the Kherson defence forces, in a comment to Most, a local media outlet Details: The fire lasted all night. Firefighters managed to extinguish it only on the morning of 31 August. There were no casualties as a result of the strike and the fire. The media outlet noted that the building had already been almost completely destroyed by previous airstrikes. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! FRANKLIN COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) In June, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1143 into law. It prohibits drilling, exploration, and extraction of oil within 10 miles of national estuarine research reserves. It will help prevent any future oil exploration in the Apalachicola River. After over a year-long legal battle, the Apalachicola Riverkeeper killed the drill. It is the Apalachicola Riverkeepers job to protect the river from potential threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The river cant speak for itself. The bay cant vote. But we can speak up and we can vote. And we did speak up and look at what we did. We were actually able to accomplish it, Apalachicola Riverkeeper Cameron Baxley said. The Apalachicola community has rallied behind the fight, creating a Kill the drill petition. Were a very tight community here, and I think people want to keep this like the way it is, Forgotten Coast Parrothead Club Rick Miller said. The Apalachicola River is vital to the oyster and seafood industry. We showed them what the river had to offer, and we showed them what the perils could be if there was drilling here, what the oil could do to our ecosystem, how sensitive it is. So Im just glad that its not happening and that the river of wont be damaged by oil because it could really be catastrophic if something like an oil spill were to happen here, Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The community came together to celebrate the victory at the Apalachicola Yacht Club Saturday night with music by artists with Fins Up on the Forgotten Coast. The music festival celebrating Jimmy Buffett is going on at locations all over Franklin County. The Forgotten Coast Parrothead Club is raising money to bring back the band program at Franklin County High School. We have to band together and raise money. And theres just so much of that going on here. And the amount of money raised is awesome, and all funding getting causes, Apalachicola Yacht Club owner Clayton Mathis said. The fight to protect the Apalachicola River is never over. Baxley says Clearwater Land & Minerals LLC filed an appeal against the FDEP decision to deny an oil and drilling permit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baxley says they will continue to fight to protect the Apalachicola River and monitor potential threats. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. SAO PAULO (AP) The verdict and sentencing phase in the coup trial of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro starts Tuesday at the Supreme Court in Brasilia. The embattled leader faces a possible conviction of more than 30 years in prison for his alleged attempt to stay in power after losing his reelection bid in 2022. A five-justice panel will have until Sept. 12 to deliver their decision. The trial of the 70-year-old leader is receiving renewed attention after U.S. President Donald Trump linked a 50% tariff on imported Brazilian goods to his allys legal situation. Trump has called the proceedings a witch hunt, triggering nationalist reactions from leaders of all branches of power in Brazil, including President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bolsonaro, who denies any wrongdoing, was charged with five counts related to attempting to stage a coup. He is under house arrest and has repeatedly said the trial is politically motivated. It is unclear whether Bolsonaro, now wearing an ankle bracelet, will attend. Heres what to know about the proceedings: The opening Justice Cristiano Zanin, a former lawyer for Lula and chairman of the panel, will open the proceedings at 9 a.m. local time on Sept. 2. None of the two Bolsonaro appointees in the court are part of this panel. Zanin will call on Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the rapporteur of the case. De Moraes, whom Bolsonaro views as an opponent, is expected to read a lengthy report detailing the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecution and defense After the initial presentation, Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet will read the charges against Bolsonaro, his former aide Mauro Cid who signed a plea bargain deal with the prosecution and six other allies of the former president. Gonet is expected to speak for about one hour, followed by the defense lawyers, who will each have the same amount of time to speak for their clients. Due to his plea bargain, Cids lawyer will speak first, followed by the others in alphabetical order of their clients names. Former aide-de-camp Mauro Cid Former Intelligence Agency Director Alexandre Ramagem Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Navy commander Almir Garnier Former Justice Minister Anderson Torres Former Institutional Security Cabinet Chief Augusto Heleno Former President Jair Bolsonaro Former Defense Minister Paulo Sergio Nogueira Former Chief of Staff Walter Braga Netto The charges All defendants face five charges, but Bolsonaro is accused of masterminding the plot to stay in power. Here's a look at the charges, the potential penalties and Bolsonaro's alleged involvement: Attempting to stage a coup: Bolsonaro is accused of leading an attempt to stage a coup to remove Lulas democratically elected government after losing his reelection bid in 2022. There are multiple pieces of evidence to be analyzed, including an unsigned document that sought to invalidate the election and his alleged push for supporters to destroy government buildings in Brasilia on Jan. 8, 2023. Maximum prison sentence: 12 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Armed criminal organization: Bolsonaro is accused of leading a group that associated in a structured manner to commit violent crimes. Prosecutors say that members of the group threatened to use weapons to kill de Moraes. Maximum prison sentence: eight years. Attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law: Bolsonaro and the group were charged for trying to suppress Brazils democracy in multiple ways. Maximum prison sentence: eight years. Damage characterized by violence and a serious threat against the states assets: Bolsonaro is accused of leading the thousands who trashed the presidential palace, the Supreme Court, and parts of Congress on Jan. 8, 2023. Damage was estimated at 20 million Brazilian reais (about $3.7 million). Maximum prison sentence: three years. Deterioration of listed heritage: Bolsonaro is accused of encouraging supporters to camp outside military headquarters before the riots, which destroyed a 17th century clock, several paintings and books. Maximum prison sentence: three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The voting Once the presentation is over, the charges are read and the defendants lawyers speak, the justices will review any final requests from the parties. Then, each of the five panel members will vote on the defendants guilt. A majority of three votes is enough to convict. For those found guilty, each justice can recommend a sentence. If the recommendations differ, a single justice will determine an average of the prison time and possible fines. Serving time Bolsonaro and the other defendants can appeal to the full Supreme Court, which would mean their cases would be analyzed by the six justices who are not on the panel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the appeal is accepted, the full court won't retry the entire case. Instead, it will only review specific complaints on conflicting rulings by the panel, for example on whether a conviction in a specific count should stand or on the length of prison time. If a majority of the full Supreme Court upholds the conviction, then Bolsonaro will go to prison. But it is unlikely he would be transferred to a regular prison. As a former Army captain, he has the right to special incarceration, which could take place at the Armys headquarters in Brasilia or the Federal Polices main building in the same city. ___ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin said that European powers were hindering U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine and that Russia would continue its operation in Ukraine until Moscow saw real signs that Kyiv was ready for peace. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media reporters that the "European party of war" was continuing to hinder U.S. and Russian efforts on Ukraine. "We are ready to resolve the problem by political and diplomatic means," Peskov said. "But so far we do not see reciprocity from Kyiv in this. So we shall continue the special military operation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops to invade Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops. The United States says over 1.2 million people have been killed and injured in the war since 2022. Russia currently controls a little under one fifth of Ukraine. European powers say that they do not believe Putin wants peace in Ukraine. Putin has repeatedly said he is ready to discuss peace but that Russia will not give up any of the land that it has taken in Ukraine. Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov said on Friday that the Russian army had sped up its rate of advance in Ukraine and was taking control of 600-700 square km (502 square miles) a month compared to 300-400 square km at the start of the year. (Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) As Southern Californians swelter in a Labor Day weekend heat wave, forecasters are warning that one escape valve the beaches could be hazardous. Dangerous rip currents, as well as elevated surf of up to six feet, could strike beaches in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with the highest risk on south-facing shores, especially from Point Mugu to Malibu, the National Weather Service said in a beach hazards statement, which remains in effect through Monday evening. Swimmers can be pulled out to sea by the currents, and the Weather Service is advising beachgoers to stay near lifeguard towers or avoid the water altogether. High waves can also wash people off of beaches and rocks, the Weather Service warned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It being the holiday weekend, this was something we wanted to bring attention to," said Bryan Lewis, a Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard. "Im sure a lot of people will be escaping the heat and heading to the beach." Most of the region is under heat advisories until Tuesday evening, with highs of 95 to at least 105 degrees expected in the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys. Woodland Hills could hit 107 degrees on Tuesday. Areas near downtown Los Angeles, including the San Gabriel Valley, could experience highs of 95 to 100 degrees Sunday and 95 to 103 degrees Monday and Tuesday. Downtown L.A. is expected to hit 95 degrees Tuesday, compared with a normal high of around 85. It will be cooler along the coast, with highs in the mid 70s and possibly into the low 80s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although this weekend will be uncomfortably hot, temperatures won't approach record highs, such as 108 degrees for downtown, set in 1955. Starting as early as Monday night and into Tuesday, there's a chance of thunderstorms throughout the region, from a 10% to 15% chance along the coasts and some valleys to 15% to 25% for the mountains and the Antelope Valley. That brings the threat of fires sparked by lightning, amid high temperatures that could spur fires to grow vertically, in a plume-like shape, and to behave erratically. Forecasters are not expecting significant winds, though any thunderstorms could stir up the atmosphere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This summer has been "relatively mild" so far, said Lewis of the National Weather Service, with June and July quite a bit cooler than normal, then a few heat waves in August. To beat the heat this weekend, the L.A. County Department of Public Health recommends drinking plenty of water and avoiding outings during the hottest times of the day. Those without air conditioning should take cool showers or baths, use their stoves and ovens less and visit a place that does have air conditioning, such as a library or mall. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. SAN DIEGO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) Beaches throughout San Diego county are packed with locals and visitors enjoying the final days of summer this Labor Day weekend. Its definitely cool to be out on the beach for Labor Day, said Giuliana Gastinell, a San Diego State University Student from Texas. She and her friends, who are originally from Nevada, are embracing a different kind of fun along the coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement High rip current risk at San Diego beaches this Labor Day Where were from theres not really beaches for Labor Day weekend so its really just like a long weekend here its interesting, said SDSU student Adaly Martinez. The group of college students also beat out the beach parking rush. At first we were going to think about doing Lyft and we were like lets just try the trolley, but it was pretty easy, said SDSU student Jordyn Mitchell. Those who decided to drive ended up braving a sea of cars. It was difficult yeah because everyone wanted to get here for like Labor Day, said San Diego resident Juan Valderrama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others decided to pedal their way to the coast. As we got closer you could see all the traffic and, of course, you get here and its just the crowds are everywhere. a lot of excitement, said Jason Fletcher who is visiting from San Francisco. Fletcher and his friend said they biked from Chula Vista to enjoy the warm beach weather. San Diego Police were out on patrol and also enjoying some grilling while posted up in Mission Beach. I did see a lot of police here which makes me feel safe and a lot of firefighter rescue, said SDSU student Jordyn Mitchell. Locals like Adrian Torres bringing brought his family to the beach to make memories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was definitely a lot more crowded this weekend than we experienced in other holidays even like July fourth. We did get in the water which is fun. The kids enjoyed grabbing little sand crabs, he said. While others soak up the last days of summer, Torres said, This actually happens to be perhaps our last weekend before we move to a new city and a new state. Its definitely a memory for sure that we want to take with us. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. In his first summit as Prime Minister, Keir Starmer said his Government would operate with a profound respect for international law. He vowed: its why we will never withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights Starmer literally wrote the book on the ECHR and the Human Rights Act 1998, which placed the Conventions provisions into British domestic law. While the Prime Minister has been prepared to be flexible on all manner of other policies, fidelity to international law, regardless of the opinions of the British public, appears to be a core conviction. In June, the Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood addressed the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, where the European Court of Human Rights sits. While criticising the misuse of the Convention in deportation cases, she added: To be clear, this is not a critique of the Court of Human Rights. She praised the Convention as one of the great achievements of post-war politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was not the sentiment of Mahmoods predecessor William Jowitt, who served as Clement Attlees Lord Chancellor from 1945 to 1951. Jowitt expressed revulsion towards the Convention. Any student of our legal institutions, he said, must recoil from this document with a feeling of horror. According to Jowitt, the Conventions provisions were so vague and woolly that it may mean almost anything. As the Labour Government debated whether to sign the Convention in 1950, a ministerial brief warned that the ECHR could be used as a blank cheque which would allow Governments to become the objects of such potentially vague charges by crooks and cranks of every type. Cabinet minutes report that the Attlee Government felt it was intolerable that the code of common law and statute law which had been built up in this country over many years should be made subject to review by an international court. Labour ministers were even worried that the ECHRs protections for free elections and political opposition could be used by rapacious judges to invalidate the entire British electoral system. The post-war Labour Government believed many of their policies would have been endangered by the Convention. For example, the National Health Service was formed, in part, through the nationalisation of private hospitals with little to no compensation. Labour worried that a Convention which protected rights to private property and placed limits on Government expropriation would have made the creation of the NHS, in its uniquely British form, an impossibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, as historians Marco Duranti and Sanjit Nagi have brilliantly exposed, the European Convention on Human Rights was in large part an effort by European conservatives to stymie socialism. The key British advocates were Right-wingers who saw it as a way of constraining the apparent socialist excesses of the Attlee Government. David Maxwell Fyfe, the Conservative MP who helped draft the Convention, regularly compared Labour policies such as the union closed shop to Nazism. Ultimately, Labour decided for political reasons to sign the Convention. However, as historian Andrew Moravcsik writes, they treated the ECHR as a declaratory document and made no effort to introduce implementing or incorporating legislation. In addition, Labour succeeded in removing some of the most objectionable clauses, including the protection of private property rights, before they signed the Convention. But after Labour lost the 1951 election, the Conservative Government approved re-inserting these anti-socialist provisions in 1952. As the Attlee and many of his ministers feared, these same provisions were then used by capitalists to sue the next Labour Governments (under Harold Wilson and Jim Callaghan) for their socialist policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, the Callaghan Government was sued by the erstwhile shareholders in the aircraft and shipbuilding companies who had been nationalised by the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Act 1977 for inadequate compensation. Under parliamentary sovereignty, the British Government has freedom to name the levels of compensation for nationalisation, perhaps offering none at all, but under the ECHR compensation must be fair and is reviewable by judges. The British Government won the shipbuilding case, but socialists were less fortunate in Young, James and Webster v United Kingdom, when the ECtHR ruled that the union closed shop was in violation of the ECHRs Article 11 freedom of association. Conservatives were finally able to bring about the end of this practice by using the ECHR decision as a pretext for their anti-union legislation. In the 1990s, New Labour embraced the ECHR through the Human Rights Act 1998, but this was in the context of the triumph of globalisation, the Thatcherite neoliberal consensus, and the death of socialist political economy within the Labour Party. We were told then that it was the end of History. Liberalism had triumphed. But now even figures from the New Labour years argue the new contexts of today require a rethink of Britains ECHR ties. Former Home Secretary David Blunkett proposed that the Government temporarily suspend its membership in order to clear the backlog of asylum seekers. Jack Straw, another Home Secretary, has argued that Britain should decouple itself from the European Court of Human Rights interpretations. One Labour MP of 1997 vintage, Graham Stringer, has proposed leaving the Convention altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starmer recently told his biographer that international human rights was a sort of lode star which has guided me ever since his university days. It is a curious fact that the Labour Prime Minister now cheers the very document that previous socialist governments viewed with scepticism and even horror. Starmers Government will soon have to choose: does it remain dogmatically tied to the human rights revolution or return to its older principles of national sovereignty, economic planning, and democratic self-rule? Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer in Politics at Queen Mary, University of London Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Related video: RFK Jr. Says Autism Causes Will Be Revealed In September Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said Sunday he does not connect autism and vaccines in the wake of five top officials exit at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The science has debunked links between autism and vaccines for more than 20 years, NBC Newss Kristen Welker said on Meet the Press. Oh no, I agree, Lankford cut in. I dont I dont connect those two. Yeah, I dont I dont connect those two at all. But there are reasonable questions to say, Why do we have more cases of autism here? What is it? But I dont think theyre connected to vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rapid departure of five top CDC officials has rattled the public health community, with top experts and organizations warning it may leave the U.S. unprepared for future outbreaks and pandemics. In one day, four important leaders of the CDC announced they were stepping away from their roles in the wake of the ouster of CDC Director Susan Monarez shortly after her confirmation. On Thursday, the Trump administration said the CDC needs to be in line with the presidents Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, agenda. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has expressed skepticism about vaccines in the past, has long claimed that vaccines and environmental factors are likely behind the increase in autism diagnoses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy recently vowed the agency will soon reveal the cause of autism. We will have announcements as promised in September, finding interventions, certain interventions, now that are clearly almost certainly causing autism, Kennedy said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. And were going to be able to address those in September. Many experts suggest the growing autism diagnosis rate is more likely a result of improved autism detection and broadened criteria over the years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A Los Angeles Police Department patrol car smashed into the side of a Bobos Hamburgers in South Gate on Sunday morning after burglary suspects led officers on a chaotic chase. According to LAPD, officers began following two suspected burglars near Santa Fe Avenue and Slauson Avenue around 7:15 a.m. The suspects, who police said may have been armed, led officers on a pursuit in a gray sedan. During the chase, there was an officer-involved traffic collision at the intersection of Firestone Boulevard and Santa Fe Avenue. Images from Citizen.com show a patrol SUV sitting through the window of Bobos Hamburgers, with multiple police units at the scene and caution tape blocking off the restaurant. An LAPD cruiser is seen after crashing into a Bobos Burger in South Gate following a burglary pursuit. August 2025. (Citizen.com) An LAPD cruiser is seen after crashing into a Bobos Hamburgers in South Gate following a burglary pursuit. August 2025. (Citizen.com) While the burglary suspects ultimately escaped, the LAPD said officers arrested one woman on suspicion of grand theft auto during the incident, which seemed to be unrelated to the burglary suspects. It was not immediately clear if the woman was involved in the collision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The GTA suspect was not identified, and no injuries were initially reported. No further details have been released as the investigation continues. Luis Zuniga contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The Southern Nevada Health Consortium brought the community together for the 9th Annual International Overdose Awareness Day, an event about remembering the members of the community who lost their battle to addiction. New data shows overdose deaths jumped nearly 16 percent in the past year with fentanyl driving much of that increase. Overdoses and fentanyl have decreased all over the United States except for here. Just to put that in perspective, our overdoses have increased 115% from 2020 to 2023, said Chris Reynolds, president for the Southern Nevada Health Consortium. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The message is simple: overdoses are preventable, and with the right tools, the right education, and the right support, lives can be saved. Since 2018, opioid-related deaths in Clark County have more than doubled, climbing to 22 deaths per 100,000 residents. Reynolds said one of the hardest-hit communities is Downtown Las Vegas, where overdose rates are among the highest in the nation. This event is about realizing that this could be anybodys brother, mother, aunt, cousin, neighbor, or friend. We just want to educate people on how to identify overdoses and how to prevent them, Reynolds said. For families like Nicole Fredericks, the crisis is deeply personal. Her husband died of a fentanyl overdose in May, a loss she said shattered her world but also pushed her to speak out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was more than just a number, and that he mattered to so many people, and that this epidemic has to stop because hes a father and a husband, Frederick said. One of the most emotional tributes was the Soles for Souls exhibit that had rows of shoes representing every person in Southern Nevada who died of an overdose in the past year. The highest burden was concentrated in ZIP code 89101 with a mortality rate of 120 deaths per 100,000 residents. Fentanyl remains the primary driver of the local opioid epidemic, with fentanyl-related deaths increasing 92.7% between 2020 and 2023. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Just days after two crew workers helping battle Washingtons largest wildfire were arrested by Border Patrol, Washington Rep. Emily Randall who represents the district where the men are being held was denied entry to the facility, calling the situation disgusting in an interview with CNN affiliate KOMO. This would have been my fourth visit yesterday to the ICE facility in Tacoma, there in my district, Randall told CNNs Fredricka Whitfield on Sunday. I had done two previous announced visits and one previous unannounced visit, which is the statutory authority of Congress, the oversight body of ICE and Homeland Security. The statute prevents the Department of Homeland Security from using its funding to stop certain people, like members of Congress, from entering facilities where immigrants are held, if they are there to do oversight, but Randall was denied entry on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement to CNN on Sunday, a DHS official said, Rep. Randall did not follow proper protocol to schedule her visit of an ICE detention facility. This was nothing more than a political stunt to get media, clicks, and 15 minutes of fame. As ICE law enforcement have seen a surge in assaults, disruptions, and obstructions to enforcement including by Member of Congress themselves any requests to tour processing centers and field offices must be approved by the Secretary of Homeland Security. One of the two men arrested, his attorney said, had been waiting for a response to a U-visa application for seven years, which protects victims of serious crimes who assist federal investigators. Firstly, its illegal to detain people who have applied for victim-based immigration benefits, as one of the individuals who was detained did, Washington state Rep. Shaun Scott told CNN. Secondly, its also illegal, according to the federal governments own policies, to conduct immigration enforcement at locations where emergency responses are happening, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stephen Manning, a lawyer with Innovation Law Lab, a Portland-based nonprofit representing one of the detainees, said US Customs and Border Protection had concealed the whereabouts of his client blocking his access to his family and lawyers. Lawyers were able to locate the man when border officials later published a news release on the arrests. Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, on August 30, 2025. - KOMO The two individuals were arrested and transported to the Bellingham Station on charges of illegal entry and 8 US Code 1326 - Reentry of removed aliens, a Thursday release read. The Department of Homeland Security told CNN on Friday the firefighting response remained uninterrupted the entire time and that the two arrested crew workers had been cutting logs into firewood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNN has reached out to both companies who were reportedly contracted to assist in the firefighting services. In a statement to CNN on Saturday, Table Rock Forestrys CEO Martin Lopez said, None of our employees were detained. It is important to clarify that demobilization from a fire assignment is not the same as contract termination. Our contracts remain active, Lopez said. Table Rock Forestry is proud of the professionalism and integrity of our crews, and we remain committed to supporting wildfire suppression efforts and serving the communities that depend on us. DHS had said in a Thursday release that contracts with Table Rock Forestry were terminated following the conclusion of a criminal investigation by the Bureau of Land Management. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Randall said many questions remain about the raid. She also cited the same Department of Homeland Security policy as Scott, which restricts immigration enforcement within disaster response zones. Make no mistake about it, the federal government right now is pursuing a policy of disobedience with respect to its own stated immigration policies, Scott told CNN. Randall said the visits she does are essential to carry out constitutional oversight, especially as the centers become increasingly crowded due to the administrations nationwide raids. In previous visits, weve seen a stark increase in the individuals being detained inside. Weve seen struggles with staffing up to keep up with the demand and the health services at the facility, and so its my plan to continue going back and visiting, Randall told CNNs Whitfield on Sunday. CNNs Michelle Watson contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A ban on vaping products in the Malaysian state of Pahang will go into full effect in 2026. According to New Straits Times, local authorities have already stopped issuing licenses to sell vapes to smoke shops. "This decision follows the Pahang government's move to ban vaping and the use of electronic cigarettes," said Datuk Mohammad Fakhruddin Mohd Ariff, chairman of the Pahang Local Government, Housing, Environment, and Green Technology Committee, per New Straits Times. "We will no longer issue licenses for the sale of vape products." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similar bans are occurring around the world, putting a stop to the immense and complex toll of vaping. A ban on unregulated vapes went into effect in July across North Carolina, while the sale of certain disposable vapes is set to begin at the start of September in Texas. Increasing evidence against the health effects associated with vaping and smoking encourage bans like these. Aside from the known health impacts of smoking, particularly on the lungs and heart, the issue of microplastic consumption is introduced when inhaling smoke through these plastic devices. Microplastics have been linked to various cognitive issues, as well as to reproductive problems and cancer. To make the problems surrounding vapes, specifically disposable vapes, worse, a whole new environmental issue has been brought to light. These devices, which contain plastics, metals, and an assortment of chemicals, have become the newest littering burden and can be seen strewn everywhere, creating e-waste. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The products themselves and the chemicals they leach can be harmful to wildlife, degrade soil quality, and even pollute water sources. Furthermore, the proliferation of vaping among young people is a key reason Pahang and other places are moving forward with such strict bans. "We want the public, especially parents with children, to be well informed about the move to ban vape products and ensure traders are aware of it," Fakhruddin said, as reported by New Straits Times. "The state government has no plans to lift the ban on vape products." Should the government ban gas-powered lawn equipment? Absolutely Not yet Only for commercial use Nope Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. A woman has filed suit against Southwest Airlines, claiming that the company's longtime unassigned seating policy contributed to a drunk passenger assaulting her before a recent flight. Livia Rombola was aboard a Southwest flight bound for Kansas City, Missouri from New York's LaGuardia Airport back in June when she was attacked by Leanna Perry, a 32-year-old passenger from New York. In a drunken assault caught on camera, Perry grabbed Rombola's hair and screamed a variety of obscenities at her, including calling Rombola a fat a-- bitch. Perry was eventually restrained and taken off the flight on a gurney, according to reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court in Brooklyn on Aug. 25, Rombola took aim at both Perry and Southwest Airlines, claiming that "repeated exposure to online videos, headlines, commentary and social ridicule re-traumatizes plaintiff and prolonged her recovery, including, invasion of privacy, involuntary exposure, reputational harm, professional embarrassment, and social stigma," per the Daily Mail. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 4: A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX8 departs from San Diego International Airport to Chicago on March 4, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images) Kevin Carter/Getty Images Southwest's seating to blame? Specifically, Rombola put some of the onus for the incident on Southwest's seating policy. Not having assigned seats for passengers has been a hallmark of the budget airline for decades, but in their filing, Rombola and her legal team called it "a clear departure from the industry standards of other airlines' that 'created a foreseeable hazard of passenger conflict.'" The suit also says the "lack of proactive seat assignment directly contributed to the confrontation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like every other airline, Southwest does use boarding groups for its flights, but allows customers to choose their seats on the plane on a first come, first served basis. However, the airline announced earlier this summer that it will be eliminating that policy, starting on Jan. 26, 2026. What's next for all parties? Rombola is seeking unspecified damages that exceed jurisdictional limits of all other courts in New York State," said the New York Post. Perry is facing a litany of charges, including resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, disorderly conduct, three counts of harassment and three counts of attempted assault. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She pleaded not guilty in an initial court appearance and is due back in front of a judge on Sept. 3. This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. BEIRUT (AP) Lebanons parliament speaker on Sunday criticized Washingtons push to quickly to disarm the Hezbollah militant group, and called instead for a calm national dialogue to determine the fate of those weapons. Nabih Berri, a key ally of Hezbollah who was instrumental in negotiating with Washington to reach a ceasefire that ended a monthslong war between Israel and Hezbollah in November, made the remarks in an address to the country commemorating the disappearance of prominent Shite cleric Moussa al-Sadr. The Lebanese military will soon present a plan to the government on disarming Hezbollah by the end of the year, after President Joseph Aoun and most of Prime Minister Nawaf Salams government endorsed a proposal by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack. Both since coming to power earlier this year have vowed to monopolize all weapons in the hands of the Lebanese military and security agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Kassim has refused to discuss the matter of the Iran-backed group and political partys weapons until the Israeli military withdraws from five hilltops in southern Lebanon it controls and stops its near-daily strikes on Lebanon. We are open to discussing the fate of these weapons, which we Lebanese see as honorable, within the framework of a calm and consensual dialogue, said Berri. He said that would be in line with Aoun and Salams policies. Hours before the address, Israeli jets launched intense airstrikes over the southern Nabatieh province. Lebanons state-run National News Agency said they damaged some shops and homes. Israel said it was targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. Videos after the strike showed large smoke plumes coming from the rolling hills in the area. There was no immediate word of casualties. The original ceasefire plan last November called for Hezbollah to disarm in southern Lebanon below the Litani River, while Israel would withdraw its forces from Lebanon and stop its strikes. Disarming the group and other non-state actors in other parts of the country was to be addressed in a later stage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, U.S. officials have told Lebanese authorities not to expect the Israelis to take any steps to withdraw before seeing some sort of disarmament plan go into effect. Hezbollah insists that it has disarmed in the south and has done its part of the deal. Israel believes it is trying to rebuild its military capacities there. What the U.S. is proposing now goes beyond the principle of restricting weapons, said Berri, who criticized Israel for its ongoing near-daily airstrikes. In a recent visit to Lebanon, Barrack praised the governments decision to disarm Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops could begin withdrawing from southern Lebanon following Beiruts decision, without giving any details. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lebanese authorities fear a direct confrontation between the countrys military and Hezbollah. But Washington and Hezbollahs opponents see the opportunity for a swift disarmament after Israels large-scale attacks in Lebanon that killed a slew of senior Hezbollah military officials, and after their key ally Bashar Assad next door in Syria was ousted in a lightning insurgency last December. A low-level conflict between Israel and Hezbollah started a day after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack against Israel from Gaza, when Hezbollah began launching rockets across the border in support of its Palestinian ally. The conflict escalated into war in September 2024, leaving more than 4,000 people dead and causing destruction worth $11 billion in Lebanon, according to the World Bank. Andriy Parubiy, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in 20162019 and a current Member of Parliament, was shot dead in Lviv yesterday. His death is not only a personal tragedy for his family and colleagues it is another signal in a war that has long extended beyond the frontlines. A signal addressed to all of us: Russia wages war not only with drones and missiles, it also wages war through fear, targeting those who shape meaning and work for Ukraine. When we look at the events, particularly since 2022, a pattern emerges: these incidents may be connected. This is not a series of isolated episodes; it is a systemic strategy one we cannot ignore. The assassination of public figure Iryna Farion in July 2024. The killing of Odesa activist Demyan Hanul in March 2025. A series of attacks on activist and volunteer Serhii Sternenko, the latest of which occurred this spring. Two thwarted assassination attempts on journalist Dmytro Gordon, prevented by Ukrainian security services. These high-profile cases differ in circumstances but share the same underlying logic. Together, they form a consistent chain of events, indicating the systemic nature of Russias strategy, which may amount to official state policy. The Russian Federation has effectively adapted the so-called "decapitation strategy" traditionally used in military contexts and applied it to civilian and political structures, orchestrating assassinations and attempted killings of politicians, activists, and public figures whom the Kremlin considers "hostile symbols." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If investigations confirm that Russian authorities are behind these crimes, the legal qualification is clear international crimes. Under Article 50 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, political leaders, journalists, activists, and opinion-makers who are not directly participating in hostilities are considered civilians. Their deliberate killing during an international armed conflict constitutes a grave breach of international humanitarian law and must be investigated as a war crime. A key legal element is the connection to the ongoing international armed conflict. Under international law, the entire territory of Ukraine, not just the frontline, constitutes a conflict zone. This means that killings in Lviv or Kyiv may also be classified as war crimes if a Russian link is established. However, if investigators prove the systematic nature of these attacks demonstrating that they are part of a deliberate policy to eliminate Ukraines political, civic, and cultural elite the classification shifts: such acts would amount to crimes against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute. This would fundamentally change the scale of responsibility, implicating not only individual perpetrators but the political and military leadership behind these decisions. It is critical to recognize that this strategy is not new. For centuries, Russia has sought to silence Ukraines leading voices: the destruction of the Cossack elite and the autonomy of the Hetmanate, cultural assimilation policies, Bolshevik terror, the "Executed Renaissance" entire generations of Ukrainian writers, artists, scholars, and politicians were killed or sent to prison camps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Propaganda, smear campaigns, disinformation, assassinations, attempted murders, and intimidation these are tools aimed at undermining trust, eroding resilience, and instilling fear and chaos. The international dimension of this systemic threat is reflected in ongoing legal proceedings. The European Court of Human Rights is currently considering the inter-state case "Ukraine v. Russia (IX)", which focuses specifically on Russias systemic practice of politically motivated killings. Ukraine filed the case in February 2021, demanding that the Court recognize Russias policy of physically eliminating individuals deemed a threat by the Kremlin, both within Ukraine and abroad. As evidence, Ukraine submitted documentation of 24 high-profile assassinations and assassination attempts carried out between 2003 and 2020 across multiple countries. In particular, this refers to the 2017 killings of Colonel Maksym Shapoval of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine and Colonel Oleksandr Kharaberyush of the Security Service of Ukraine counterintelligence. Poland and Lithuania have joined the case as third parties, while several EU member states and the United Kingdom have been approached by the Court to provide data on ongoing investigations into related cases. We must call things by their names: these are not random tragedies. This is a deliberate element of Russias hybrid warfare. The goal is to spread chaos, paralyze political life, and silence the voices capable of leading society forward. In such conditions, the states role must go beyond documenting these crimes it must also build protective infrastructure to safeguard lives. A critical step is ensuring clear delineation of responsibilities among the institutions within the security and defense sector. To strengthen coordination and avoid duplication of functions, Ukraine should consider restructuring the subordination of certain operational units and combat divisions currently dispersed across intelligence and law enforcement bodies placing them under the Armed Forces of Ukraine where appropriate. This would enable each institution to focus on its core mission: counterintelligence, intelligence gathering, maintaining public order, and ensuring security without wasting scarce resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, we must demonstrate to the international community the systemic nature of these crimes so that accountability extends beyond individual perpetrators to the ideology and policy that weaponizes the deliberate killing of civilians. Only through a proper legal assessment of these attacks can we secure justice not only for those we have lost but for Ukraine itself, as it continues to fight for its right to existence and freedom. And the main question remains: how many more people are on Russias "list" of those it wants to kill? And what can we, as a state, do to protect them? This week, I dropped my daughter off for her first day of preschool near my home in Washington, D.C.s Petworth neighborhood. Outside the buildings entrance, the schools family-teacher organization had set up a table to welcome new parents. On the table lay the usual suspects for such a gathering: coffee, doughnuts and contact information for the organization. Alongside them sat something else, though: a stack of small, red cards. If youre not an immigrant or a relative of an immigrant, youre probably not familiar with the red card. Created by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, one side lists the bearers constitutional rights in that persons language of choice. The other side, in English, is designed to be shown to an immigration agent if the bearer is stopped, with statements like I choose to exercise my constitutional rights. It is utterly twisted that equipping parents with tools to assert their basic rights would be necessary on such a momentous day. And yet, that is life during President Donald Trumps takeover of Washington, D.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In asserting control over D.C.s police department and deploying thousands of National Guard troops to the citys streets, the White House has insisted that this intervention is to rescue our nations capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse, as Trump put it. For the first time in their lives, [D.C. residents] can use the parks, they can walk on the streets, said adviser Stephen Miller two weeks later. To be clear, while crime in the city hit a 30-year low last year, residents still want safer streets. In a recent Washington Post poll, over 70% of Washingtonians said crime was a moderately, very or extremely serious problem. Yet nearly 80% opposed the takeover and troop deployment. As someone born in Washington and who has lived here my whole life, I have a simple explanation for that discrepancy: Pretty much anyone living in D.C. can see every day that the White Houses justification is a lie. The National Guard units, for instance, have largely been deployed at tourist hubs like Union Station and the Washington Monument, but not where people actually live. During my own commute between Petworth, a residential neighborhood, and my workplace near the Capitol, only at the latter are National Guard members visible. Reports of troops acting as law enforcement are far rarer than videos of troops working on beautification projects i.e., picking up trash. And at an estimated cost of $1 million per day, thats an expensive garbage collection operation. My neighborhood, meanwhile, is part of Ward 4, which has the largest Hispanic population of the citys eight wards. The National Guard rarely makes its way up there, but, as the stack of red cards at my daughters school suggests, there is plenty of immigration enforcement. If you are an immigrant in our community, they are not questioning whether you are documented, whether you have papers, Janeese Lewis George, who represents Ward 4 on the D.C. Council, said recently. They are literally going up to anyone in our neighborhoods and communities and taking them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, reports Martin Austermuhle of the local news outlet The 51st, creeping suspicions that MPD officers are cooperating with the efforts are making residents think twice about calling local police to report crimes theyve witnessed or been victims of. So much for public safety. In different parts of D.C., a number of other law enforcement agencies have a heavier presence. But a review of arrest data from The New York Times found that the operation has been more of a sprawling dragnet than a targeted crime-fighting operation. Officers from some of the nations most elite federal law enforcement agencies, the Times reports, are often conducting traffic stops, performing low-dollar buy-and-bust drug operations or checking to see whether someone is drinking liquor from an open container. Meanwhile, local restaurants suffer and tourists shy away from the city some scared away by the White Houses claims that crime is rampant, others unsettled by the deployments themselves. To top everything off, while parents at my daughters school worry about dropping off their children, this same week a shooter killed two children at a school in Minneapolis. It was the 434th school shooting since the massacre at Columbine High School in 1999, which surely qualifies as a public safety emergency no matter the criteria. Yet after every one of these shootings, the political right insists we cant regulate the weapons that help monsters to mass-murder children. Because if we did, they say, what would stop the government from deploying troops in the streets? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And now that deployment has happened and these very same people are applauding! Its not clear how this occupation for that, in practice, is what it amounts to ends. While Trump needs Congress to sign off on his takeover of the D.C. police, he can keep the National Guard here as long as he wants. Whenever it does end, though, theres only one way to prevent it from happening again: granting D.C. statehood. Seven hundred thousand Americans live in the district, more than Vermont and Wyoming, and nearly as many as Alaska and South Dakota. Let the 700,000 decide how they wish to be policed. Let the 700,000 have a real say in how their tax dollars more than $40 billion last year alone are spent. Let the 700,000 have the same rights and autonomy that other Americans do. And dont leave us as a plaything for a future president. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com On August 30, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, paid a working visit to brotherly Turkiye at the invitation of the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Turkiye Yashar Guler, Azernews reports citing Azerbaijan Defense Ministry. As part of the visit, the Defense Minister attended the graduation ceremonies of the Military Academy, Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy of the National Defense University of the Republic of Turkiye. The President of the Republic of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, delivered a speech at the ceremonies and congratulated the graduates. The diplomas were presented to the Azerbaijani graduates who successfully completed their studies at the higher military academies by the Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan. The ceremonies concluded with the graduates solemnly marching in front of the grandstand to the accompaniment of a military band. 'France supports Greenland in rebuffing US advances' French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot's visit to Greenland comes after reports of anti-Danish campaigns allegedly stirred up by allies of Trump. File photo: Reuters France's foreign minister arrived in Greenland to express his nation's "solidarity" with the Danish autonomous territory, after US President Donald Trump repeatedly said he wants the United States to take over the island. Jean-Noel Barrot's two-day visit from Saturday comes days after Danish public television reported that at least three US officials close to Trump had been in Greenland trying to identify people they could use in anti-Denmark influence campaigns. Denmark summoned the US charge d'affaires on Wednesday after the report of the interference operation aimed at gathering information on issues that have created tension between Greenland and Denmark. France's foreign ministry said Barrot's trip will "demonstrate France's solidarity with Denmark, Greenland and the Greenlandic people in the face of current challenges", according to a statement. Barrot visited a French naval vessel, the BSAM Garonne, in the port of Nuuk, Greenland's capital, on Saturday. "These regions are certainly remote, but they are now affected by a form of conflict, a new form of aggression, which is why France, a major maritime power, is present there today," Barrot said. On Sunday, he will meet his Greenlandic counterpart, Vivian Motzfeldt, and Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Trump has repeatedly said the United States needs strategically located, resource-rich Greenland for security reasons, and has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it. Both Denmark and Greenland have insisted the island is not for sale and that it will decide its future itself. Most of Greenland's 57,000 people want to become independent from Denmark, according to a January poll, but do not wish to become part of the United States. (AFP) BURES/MILLER: Frank Bures talks about Pushing the River: An Epic Battle, a Lost History, a Near Death, and Other True Canoeing Stories in conversation with Scott Miller, leader of team Missouri River Speed Record, setting the Guinness world record for paddling the entire 2,350-mile length of the Mississippi River. 6 p.m. Tuesday, Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. CRACKED WALNUT: As part of its Expression! fall poetry festival, this chapter of the League of Minnesota Poets hosts a reading by members of the Cracked Walnut poetry workshop. 10 a.m. Saturday, Highland Park library, 1974 Ford Parkway, St. Paul. MARK DOTEN: Minnesota native and librettist presents Whites: Stories. 7 p.m. Thursday, Magers & Quinn, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KLECKO/HAMPL: Poet Danny Klecko, whose latest collection is We Talked About New York, teams with Patricia Hampl, retired University of Minnesota professor, award-winning writer and winner of a MacArthur genius grant to talk about their experiences in the Big Apple and whatever else they find interesting. You are going to hear two of St. Pauls most important divas, Klecko promises. 6 p.m. Sept. 7, Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. WILLIAM LOVING: California-based author discusses his novel Blue Earth River with author James C. Nelson. A former journalist at the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Los Angeles Times, Loving tells a heartfelt story about a couple in a small Minnesota town that publishes a beloved advice column written by Molly. When she descends into dementia, her husband takes over the column, offering more in-your-face advice. Set during the Trump years, the story embodies divisions in the town, drugs, alcohol, global capitalism and more. 7 p.m. Thursday, Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. POETRY READING: With Minnesotans Sandra Sidman Larson (And Now What Shall We Do? A Memoir in Poetry) and Margaret Hasse (Belongings). 4 p.m. Sept. 7, SubText Books, 6 W. Fifth St., St. Paul. POETRY NIGHT: With Minnesotans Joyce Sutphen and Connie Wanek. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Magers & Quinn, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LAUREN ROBERTS: Internationally bestselling Michigan-based author discusses her novella Fearful: A Powerless Story, set within the world of her Powerless trilogy and a companion to the first book, Fearless. 7 p.m. Sept. 7, Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins, presented by Magers & Quinn. Ticketed event. Go to magersandquinn.com. What else is going on Speculative Whiteness: Science Fiction and the Alt-Right by Jordan S. Carroll, published by the University of Minnesota Press, won a World Science Fiction Hugo award for best related work. Carrolls book makes the connection between the alt-right and some strands of science fiction. Carroll, who lives in the Pacific Northwest, defines alt-right as a fascist movement. Related Articles NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) The Chrysler Museum of Art is hosting a free glass-blowing workshop in the Perry Glass Studio Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The workshop will be hosted by Dan and Raya Friday, pivotal members in the glass-blowing community. Dale Chihuly is an instructor at the renowned Pilchuck Glass School in Washington while Raya is an artist and instructor at the legendary Corning Museum of Glass in New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will have nine participants from some of our regional native tribal communities. These persons are all artists who use other mediums, said Carrie Needell, Barry Curator of Glass. The goal of the program is to make an impact on providing education, access, and enthusiasm by inviting local Native artists to experience glass. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Local lawmaker hopes to lower speed limits in La Jolla under new state law SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) San Diego City Council President Joe LaCava says new tools are on the way to make La Jolla streets safer. LaCava told us a new state law, Assembly Bill 43, gives the city authority to lower speed limits along corridors like La Jolla Boulevard, especially near schools, businesses and high-pedestrian areas. For years, neighbors have raised concerns about unsafe driving habits, which normally relates to speeding, LaCava said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the law, the city can reduce speed limits by up to five miles per hour. LaCava said even small changes can have a big impact on safety. But he emphasized the city isnt rushing into changes. Encinitas locals call for road safety emergency after 12-year-old killed in crash The city has chosen to take it a step at a time and has only really looked at that kind of reduction in commercial areas, he said. One neighborhood that could see future changes is Prestwick Drive in La Jolla Shores. LaCava says the street poses unique challenges because it slopes downhill toward the beach and has a sharp curve at the bottom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Application under review to transform La Jolla Shores street into promenade One tool already showing success, according to LaCava, is roundabouts. He said theyve helped slow down traffic along La Jolla Boulevard. The great thing for me is when I saw that first 10-year-old child be able to walk across La Jolla Boulevard safely on their own, that just proved to me that roundabouts are the perfect solution, LaCava said. LaCava says the city will continue studying how these changes play out over time, with the goal of making La Jollas streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Aug. 31Scientists still have new leaves to turn over when it comes to understanding tree mechanics, as demonstrated by a recent study from Los Alamos National Laboratory, which found some plants may react differently to drought than previously believed. "Plants cannot run away if things change. But they actually are pretty adaptable, and we know very little about the adaptability and how they can actually manage situations," said Sanna Sevanto, a LANL scientist and one of the study's authors. The big takeaway from the study published in the journal Nature this May is that plants have more ability to adjust when they close their pores called stomata than previously thought. That means environmental conditions like rainfall may play a bigger role in how much water plants release than previously believed and could be good news for long-term predictions of plant survival under drier conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This was one of those surprise findings that you encounter by accident while looking for an answer to another problem," said Turin Dickman, another study author and LANL scientist. "By putting the pieces together from a number of incidental findings, we came up with a new way to think about an old concept." Some plants, like juniper, are classified as anisohydric, meaning they can adjust how much water they release through their leaves depending on weather conditions like monsoons or drought. Plants like pinon pine are called isohydric, meaning scientists believe they release a similar amount of water regardless of environmental conditions. Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists looked at how pinon pines and juniper trees respond when they get an influx of water. When pinon pines were given excess water followed by a subsequent period with no water, they were able to keep their pores open longer during the dry period. Plants control how much water is released via pores on their leaves. When the pores open, plants take in carbon dioxide the energy source they use to make food and release oxygen and water. Closing the pores helps a tree retain more water, but opening the pores allows a plant to gather more carbon dioxide reserves, the fuel it needs for photosynthesis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the arid New Mexico environment, even on moist days it can get dry enough for pinon pine trees to close their pores in the afternoon to preserve moisture. That limits the trees to doing photosynthesis in the morning. "But what we are showing in this paper is that if the conditions have been good enough, then they may not need to close their stomata in the afternoon," Sevanto said. "Their tissues can tolerate that afternoon dryness, and that gives them an overall bigger carbon intake for the day." The research indicates that pinon pines could be more resilient to drought following extremely wet periods. A 2013 study predicted pinon pine forests could be gone from the Southwest by 2050 because of drought. But the new research on stomatal closure points makes Sevanto hopeful. The study shows that during moist years, "pinon pine might have more capacity to rejuvenate itself and still become more resilient than we thought," she said. While scientists were able to observe this phenomenon in pinon pine, Sevanto would like to find out exactly how the trees lower their stomatal closure point and see if the same phenomenon can be observed in other trees. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) Rockford Police arrested Emmanuel Shanklin, 37, for allegedly possessing a stolen handgun. Officers were patrolling the area of Harrison Avenue and Kishwaukee Street when they pulled over a Jeep Cherokee for having an expired registration on August 28. A K9 gave a positive alert to authorities after an open-air sniff, according to court records. Police searched the SUV and found a loaded handgun and another loaded magazine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers determined the pistol was stolen out of Beloit, Wisconsin. Shanklin denied that he stole the handgun during an interview with officials. Shanklin is charged with possession of a firearm without a FOID, driving a vehicle with expired registration, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm while inside a vehicle and possession of a stolen firearm. The suspects mugshot was not available at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. PARIS (AP) French President Emmanuel Macrons decision to recognize a Palestinian state, prompting similar moves from other Western nations, angered Israel and its U.S. ally by putting a two-state solution back at the heart of diplomatic efforts to end the devastating war in Gaza. In a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, Macron wrote that our determination to see the Palestinian people have their own state is rooted in our conviction that lasting peace is essential to the security of the state of Israel. Frances diplomatic efforts stem from our outrage at the appalling humanitarian disaster in Gaza, for which there can be no justification, Macron added. Israel on Friday declared Gazas largest city a combat zone as the death toll surpassed 63,000 Palestinians, according to the territory's Health Ministry, since the war started on Oct. 7, 2023, with a Hamas-led attack on Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement France, the U.K., Canada, Australia and Malta have said they would formalize their pledge during the annual gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, which starts Sept. 23. Some others, including New Zealand, Finland and Portugal, are considering a similar move. Netanyahu rejects Palestinian statehood and plans to expand the military offensive in Gaza. Israel and US say recognizing a Palestinian state emboldens militants Macrons letter comes after Netanyahu accused him of fueling the antisemitism fire with his call for a Palestinian state, remarks Macron denounced as abject. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner also wrote a letter arguing that "gestures toward recognition of a Palestinian state embolden extremists, fuel violence and endanger Jewish life in France. Kushner was summoned by the French foreign ministry and represented in his absence by his deputy. Such angry reaction shows that symbols matter, said geopolitics expert Pascal Boniface, director of the Paris-based Institute for International and Strategic Relations. There is some kind of race against time between the diplomatic path, with the two-state solution back at the heart of the debate, and the situation on the ground (in Gaza), which is every day making this two-state solution a little more complicated or impossible. Boniface said some supporters of a two-state solution showed disappointment at leaders' decision to wait until September to officially recognize a Palestinian state, because they "fear that recognition will come when Gaza has even more become a graveyard. Calls on Israel to stop the Gaza offensive Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Macron and other international leaders have urged Israel to stop its offensive in the besieged territory, where most of its over 2 million residents are displaced, neighborhoods lie in ruins and a famine has been declared in Gaza City. The occupation of Gaza, the forced displacement of Palestinians, their reduction to starvation ... will never bring victory to Israel," Macron wrote in his letter to Netanyahu. "On the contrary, they will reinforce the isolation of your country, fuel those who find pretext for antisemitism, and endanger Jewish communities around the world. More than 140 countries already recognize a Palestinian state in what is a mostly symbolic move. The world will be the same the day after, said Muhammad Shehada, a Gaza political analyst and visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, it adds diplomatic pressure on Israel, he stressed. Heavyweight Western nations demonstrating strong support for a two-state solution shatters the illusion that Netanyahu is trying to sell to the Israelis and to the international community that mass population transfer or depopulation is the only way to solve the Palestinian issue, Shehada said. Strengthening moderate Palestinians French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot insisted this week that diplomatic efforts led by France and Saudi Arabia also resulted, for the first time, in highly significant condemnation of the Hamas attacks against civilians by all 22 members of the Arab League. During a July conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia at the U.N., Arab League nations agreed in their New York Declaration that Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shehada expects the move to strengthen the camp of moderate Palestinians, including by demonstrating to the public that the Palestinian Authority is gaining weight in negotiations. He said it may weaken the most violent leadership in Hamas by creating a diplomatic track that provides Palestinians with an alternative to violence, sending a message that diplomatic engagement will pay off and will lead to a Palestinian state, whereas violence will not take you anywhere. The Palestinian Authority hopes to establish an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Hamas drove out the PA when it seized Gaza in 2007, a year after winning Palestinian parliamentary elections. After the Hamas takeover of Gaza, the PA was left with administering semiautonomous pockets of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Though European leaders have put a reformed Palestinian Authority at the heart of their statehood push, it remains deeply unpopular among Palestinians, who see it as corrupt and unable to govern effectively. ___ Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war President Donald Trump is facing fierce pushback from his own supporters after announcing that the United States will welcome 600,000 Chinese students to study at American universities. I hear so many stories that were not going to allow their students, Trump told reporters earlier this week at the White House. Were going to allow their students to come in. Its very important, 600,000 students. But were going to get along with China. NOW Trump says hell allow 600,000 Chinese students into the U.S. pic.twitter.com/8h0S9O1Ib6 Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 25, 2025 The reversal comes just months after Trumps administration imposed sweeping restrictions on visas for Chinese students. In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. would aggressively revoke visas for those tied to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in sensitive fields, arguing the measures would put America first, not China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps pivot has sparked outrage among prominent figures in his Make America Great Again movement. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said admitting the students would replace our American students opportunities. Far-right activist Laura Loomer called them communist spies, while Fox News host Laura Ingraham pressed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on whether the decision fit the presidents America First agenda. Lutnick defended the move as an economic necessity, arguing that U.S. higher education would empty from the top without foreign students. He said allowing Chinese enrollment would boost elite universities while forcing weaker schools to close. The combined episodes underscore another misfire in Trumps message discipline first misfiring on global diplomacy, then sparking internal revolt over perceived policy reversal, only to backtrack with a quick clarification from the White House directly to Fox News. The post MAGA faithful push back on Trumps call for 600,000 Chinese students in US universities appeared first on Salon.com. RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA) A popular Central Illinois ice cream shop announced that it plans to close up one of its locations after Labor Day. On Sunday, The Main Scoop Ice Cream said it will close the doors to its Rantoul location for one final time on Sept. 1. For vets, by vets: Mahomet group supports first responders with mental health services This was not an easy decision but like many small businesses, we rely on community support, and sometimes the numbers just dont add up, the business said in a statement posted to social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Rantoul location opened for business in June, 2024. All of the other Main Scoop locations will remain open, management said. And, they plan to continue serving the community through catering and other offsite events. Earlier in the summer, The Main Scoop opened its first location in Paxton, and its second location in Urbana. The business also has locations in Mahomet and Monticello. Their locations can be found at: 403 E. Main St., Mahomet, IL 315 W. Main St., Monticello, IL 133 W. Main St., Urbana, IL 401 N. Broadway Ave., Urbana, IL 201 E. State St., Paxton, IL The Main Scoop is open from 2-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 2-10 p.m. on Fridays. On Saturdays, ice cream lovers can visit the business from noon to 10 p.m. And on Sundays, The Main Scoop is open from noon to 9 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Greenland's Nuuk Airport has suspended all international flights until further notice due to inadequate training. "The Danish Transport Authority has temporarily suspended the security screening of international passengers traveling from Nuuk Airport," Greenland Airports, which owns and operates all civilian airports in the territory, announced on Wednesday. "The suspension is due to the fact that, according to the Danish Transport Authority, the training of staff for screening international passengers does not fully meet the current requirements." The statement continued, "We are working intensively with the Danish Transport Authority to address the specific issues identified in the training. The goal is to restore normal operations for international traffic as quickly as possible." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greenland Airports made it clear that domestic flights would not be interrupted during this period. The suspension notice forced a United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Nuuk to return to the States. The airline canceled the flight as well as its return flight which was scheduled for Wednesday. United became the first airline to operate a nonstop route to the Greenland capital when its service launched in June. The last U.S. to Greenland service was via Air Greenland in the late 2000s. "Of course, there's things we have to learn. But I think it's been promising," the head of international relations at Visit Greenland, Tanny Por, told The Points Guy. "It's the first time we've had any airline come from outside Copenhagen or Iceland, ever, so it's really a big milestone and a big historical moment." This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Labor Day 2025 is celebrated on Monday, Sept. 1. The holiday honors American workers achievements and contributions in society and is celebrated on the first Monday in September. Despite it being a federal holiday, most stores usually remain open or operate on reduced holiday hours. The sole outlier is Costco, which is known for closing on Labor Day so that employees can celebrate at home with friends and family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres everything you need to know about store hours on Monday for Labor Day 2025. What stores are open on Labor Day 2025? When do stores close? Many popular retailers are confirmed to be open on Labor Day 2025. Shoppers will be able to take advantage of last-minute deals at these stores, many of which are offering holiday sales. Heres a list of retailers that will be open along with their store hours, according to their websites. Note: Shoppers should ultimately check with their local store in the event hours vary by location. More Labor Day 2025 Store Hours Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. TOPEKA (KSNT) A man accused of killing two people in Topeka and kidnapping a two-year-old child is now booked in a local correctional facility. Records with the Shawnee County Department of Corrections show that Christopher K. W. Barnshaw, 32, was booked at 2:35 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30. He is accused of killing Sean E. Thornton, 55, and Ashley T. Brown, 29, both of Topeka, and kidnapping Zabe Mendez in July this year. Shawnee County District Attorney charged Barnshaw with the following crimes: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two charges of murder in the first degree. Aggravated burglary of a dwelling. Aggravated endangering of a child. Kidnapping. Christopher Barnshaws mugshot. (Photo Courtesy/Shawnee County Department of Corrections) Topeka police were called around 9:50 a.m. on July 22 to a home in the 500 block of Wabash to conduct a welfare check. Officers found a man and woman dead, later identified as Thornton and Brown, and discovered a two-year-old child was missing. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issued an AMBER Alert for the child shortly after the deaths were discovered. The Mattoon Police Department (MPD) in Illinois later arrested Barnshaw for his alleged role in the Topeka killings and kidnapping of Mendez. Barnshaws bond is currently set at $10,000,000. Shawnee County Sheriffs Office identifies two killed in Montara shooting incident Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. UNIONDALE, N.Y. (PIX11) A Queens man is accused of starting a fire at a Long Island laundromat and blocking the entrance, according to authorities. Officers responded to the reported fire at Prendi Laundromat in Uniondale at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nassau County Police said. More Local News After investigation, police determined that a man had set a poster on fire near the front entrance of the building and blocked the door. A 53-year-old woman inside put out the fire and called 911. The man then fled the laundromat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A short time later, officers found 31-year-old Curtis Desir, of Richmond Hill, and arrested him without incident, according to police. Desir was charged with arson and unlawful imprisonment. Spencer Gustafson is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered New York state and city news since 2023. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the arrest of 33-year-old Alexander Dean Francis in Flagler County on Thursday, August 28, on 38 counts of Criminal Use of Personal Identification Information. Francis, a resident of Winter Springs, was detained for allegedly submitting hundreds of fake petitions. He is accused of using stolen identities to target seniors, with the goal of committing voter fraud and influencing a Constitutional Amendment backed by Smart and Safe Florida. Targeting seniors and exploiting their identities to commit voter fraud and change our states constitution is abhorrent and an affront to our republican form of government, said Attorney General James Uthmeier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation found that Francis, a paid petition circulator, submitted fraudulent petitions across Florida, including Flagler County. At least 35 victims, mainly over 60, reported stolen personal info used without their consent. Francis faces one count of Criminal Use of Personal Identification Information involving over 30 victims, a first-degree felony, and 37 counts of using victims personal information over 60 years old, second-degree felonies. Francis faces up to 585 years for all charges, with a potential 30-year sentence and a 10-year minimum on the first-degree felony. Hell be booked at Seminole County Jail with a $210,000 bond. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) The Panama City Police Department received multiple reports of a male exposing himself in the area of East and West Beach Drive on Friday. According to a news release, a now-deleted Facebook post described an incident involving indecent exposure and an assault. The caller contacted an administrative line once and 911 once. A 911 call was received at 7:28 p.m, and officers arrived minutes later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said contact was made with the caller, who reported that a male was exposing himself before she left the scene. Several officers searched for the suspect on foot, from Asbell Park to the end of Beach Drive. However, authorities said they were unable to locate anyone matching the description at that time. One dead in car crash on I-10 in Walton County Detectives have attempted to follow up with the caller, but have not yet been able to complete an interview. In an initial statement, officials said they received additional reports of indecent exposure in the area. Each of those reports was investigated, and an arrest was made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Keenan Gary, was later located, interviewed, and charged in connection with these incidents. This investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may follow. If you have information, please contact the Panama City Police Department at 850-872-3100 or submit tips anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 850-785-TIPS. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) A man was taken into custody early Saturday after allegedly firing at police officers during a welfare check. According to the Glynn County Police Department (GCPD), patrol officers responded to Motel 6 at the 3000 block of Scarlett Street shortly after midnight to check on a reported victim of domestic violence. During the welfare check, the suspect, identified as David Kevin Griffis, 58, allegedly fired multiple shots at officers using a handgun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three officers returned fire and Griffis retreated into his motel room, where he barricaded himself inside. No officers were injured in the exchange of gunfire. Police called crisis negotiators, who attempted to convince Griffis to surrender. After negotiations were unsuccessful, the GCPD SWAT team deployed CS/OC gas into the room and took Griffis into custody without further incident. Griffis was taken to a hospital for treatment related to gas inhalation. Officials said he did not suffer gunshot wounds. GCPD requested the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Meanwhile, GCPD Criminal Investigation detectives are investigating the case related to the alleged aggravated assault of the officers. The GCPD Office of Professional Standards and Accountability will perform an investigation into GCPD policies related to officer-involved shootings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Griffis was later charged with four counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of certain crimes. After obtaining a search warrant, police found Griffis had several drugs and narcotics, including: 28 grams of marijuana 10 grams of fentanyl 10 additional packages of fentanyl 14 grams of crack cocaine 0.8 grams of cocaine 14 grams of methamphetamine Various scheduled prescription pills Two handguns Any person with information should contact the GCPD non-emergency line at 912-554-3645 or anonymously at 912-264-1333. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. (KRON) A Bay Area man was arrested Friday for allegedly threatening to attack someone at an upcoming church event in Millbrae. San Mateo County Sheriffs Office deputies began investigating the alleged threats at 8:40 a.m. Friday, and identified the suspect as 50-year-old Alexi El Kadi of Belmont. Using social media, El Kadi allegedly threatened to attack a specific person during an event scheduled for Aug. 31 at the Our Lady of Lebanon Church on the 600 block of El Camino Real in Millbrae. The investigation began after a concerned resident reported a social media post by El Kadi who made specific criminal threats against a member of Our Lady of Lebanon Church, the San Mateo County Sheriffs Office said. The reporting individual also stated that El Kadi had a history of harassment toward an organizer at the church, resulting in sustained fear and concern for attendee safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cyclist killed in Peninsula highway crash Deputies arrested El Kadi at his Belmont home. Officials placed a gun violence restraining order on El Kadi, prohibiting him from owning or using a gun. El Kadi was booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility for a criminal threats charge. He is being held on $50,000 bail. The investigation is ongoing. Threats against anyone representing a place of worship is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in San Mateo County, San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said in a statement. I am thankful for the community member that alerted our office allowing us to quickly take the suspect into custody, keeping our community safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A Galloway man has been arrested and accused of assaulting a man with cerebral palsy in the Short North. According to a criminal complaint, Columbus police were called to the intersection of North High Street and East Third Avenue on Aug. 18, where they found a man walking on the sidewalk and bleeding from an alleged assault. When officers arrived, they found the victim suffering from multiple cuts to the face. an, cut in the face multiple times. Video surveillance footage allegedly shows the suspect, Nicholas Meadows, 34, in the area, and witnesses helped police identify him as a suspect, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California Gov. criticizes Ohio for homicide rate, but are his numbers accurate? The victim, who has cerebral palsy, could not protect himself when he was attacked from behind, suffering multiple injuries including a broken orbital bone, skull fracture, broken hand and brain bleed, police said. He was in the hospital for several days, where he underwent surgery. Meadows, who is also facing charges of aggravated menacing, assault and criminal endangerment from an incident four days prior, was arrested Wednesday. A Franklin County Municipal Court judge issued Meadows $500,000 in total bonds for both incidents. He is next scheduled to appear in court on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. CARLSBAD, N.M. (KRQE) Car break-ins are not uncommon in New Mexico. However, one man is accused of breaking into a police officers car and stealing his gun. Carlsbad police reported that one of their detective units was broken into back in April. During the investigation, officers discovered that a loaded AR-15 rifle had been stolen from the unit. Security cameras at the detectives home recorded a man in a white SUV parked outside around 3:00 a.m., and they captured footage of the suspect breaking into the patrol unit. Carlsbad police later learned from a report that 24-year-old Cody Boyd had taken his grandmothers SUV, and police say the car in the video matched the suspects. Officers tracked down the car and arrested Boyd, recovering the stolen items with the assistance of the Eddy County Sheriffs Office SWAT team. Boyd was taken into custody without incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man found beaten in Carlsbad, police seek publics help Several items were stolen from the police unit, including a SWAT helmet, a ballistic vest, a camera, and a taser. During further investigation, Boyd informed officers that a woman was in the car with him, but no charges have been filed against the woman based on the name he provided. Boyd is facing charges of aggravated burglary, larceny, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Boyd is scheduled to go to trial this fall. He has a lengthy criminal history that dates back to 2019, including charges of aggravated burglary and larceny. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) A man has been found dead in the area of Main Street in Northampton Sunday morning, according to police. Police find deceased man outside Enlite Cannabis in Indian Orchard Northampton Police Captain Corey Robinson stated in a news release that at approximately 7:16 a.m. on Sunday, officers received a report of an unresponsive individual in the area of 240 Main Street. First responders arrived in the area and found the victim, a 28-year-old man, who was confirmed to be deceased. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said that there is no threat to the public and no indication of foul play. The incident is being investigated by the Northampton Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Northwestern District Attorneys Office. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. Forty years ago, in the early hours of September 1, grainy black-and-white images of a metal cylinder appeared on the video feeds in the command center of Knorr, a research vessel searching the Atlantic seafloor for the worlds most famous shipwreck: the Titanic. Members of the four-person watch team, suspecting the object might be a sunken ships boiler, were unable to tear themselves away from what was unfolding on the screen, so they dispatched the teams cook to rouse Bob Ballard, the expeditions chief scientist who had been searching for the wreck since the 1970s. He was awake, reading in his cabin bunk. The cook didnt even finish his sentence. I jumped out. I literally put my flight suit over my pajamas, which I didnt take off for several days after that, recalled Ballard, senior scientist emeritus in applied ocean physics and engineering at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNN spoke to Ballard, and a member of his team, Dana Yoerger, a Woods Hole senior scientist in marine robotics, ahead of the 40th anniversary of the Titanics discovery. They recounted the unusual chain of events that led to that stunning sighting and how the adventure didnt stop there. As I came in, we had a picture of the boiler on the wall, and we looked, Ballard said. We realized it was definitely (from the) Titanic, and all bedlam grew loose. Even before Ballard and his team found the wreckage 73 years after the iconic vessel set sail in 1912, the Titanic was a source of ceaseless fascination. The unsinkable ship went down on its maiden voyage in a gilded age with Americans wealthiest on board, a tale of human folly, class prejudice and technological failure. Its discovery in 1985 only intensified the Titanics pull on the public imagination; it unleashed a 1997 blockbuster movie that remains one of the highest grossing in film history, several documentaries and museum exhibits, and for those with deep pockets, high-stakes trips to see its final resting place about 13,000 feet (3,900 meters) below the oceans surface, one of which, in 2023, resulted in fresh tragedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For ocean explorers such as Ballard and his colleagues, finding the Titanic was like climbing Mount Everest for the first time. The prototype technology that made it possible has since transformed deep-sea exploration and science, vastly expanding scientists knowledge of the ocean. But even with the right tools, it took an inspired shift in strategy to uncover the iconic shipwreck. The Titanic before it departed on its fateful voyage. It sank on the night of April 14-15, 1912. - Albert Harlingue/Roger Viollet/Getty Images The search concealed a top-secret mission The 1985 search for the Titanic was not Ballards first attempt at locating the wreckage. A 1977 expedition failed when a 3,000-foot drilling pipe to which sonar and cameras were attached snapped in two, according to Ballards 2021 memoir, Into the Deep. The experience, along with the need for live imagery, convinced Ballard that remotely operated underwater vehicles that could stream video back to the exploration vessel were a better way forward, but he struggled to find funding for his vision. Ultimately, the US Navy supported the development of Ballards technology, a deep-sea imaging system nicknamed the Argo. The Navy was interested in using it to determine why two nuclear submarines, the USS Thresher and the USS Scorpion, had sunk in the Atlantic in the 1960s, as well as for broader Cold War intelligence-gathering purposes. Ballard convinced Navy officials to build in some time to search for the Titanic during the expedition to survey the submarines, a ploy that ultimately acted as a cover story for the Navys secret mission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What people didnt know at the time, at least a lot of the people, was that the Titanic (search) was cover for a top-secret military operation I was doing as a naval intelligence officer, Ballard said. We didnt want the Soviets to know where the submarine was. Bob Ballard (right), then the head of the Deep Submergence Lab at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, with colleagues aboard the research vessel Knorr after the Titanic's discovery. - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Despite years of planning, Ballard wasnt optimistic that he would find the Titanic for two reasons: The time allotted for the search was short and a French team, led by engineer Jean-Louis Michel of the French oceanographic institution IFREMER with whom Ballard had been cooperating, was using a new, sophisticated ship-mounted sonar system to locate the ships final resting place. The agreement was that the French would find it, Ballard said, (and) once they found it, Id have plenty of time, a week would be sufficient, to film it. The French team, while close, missed the wreckage, and Ballards camera on a string, as he described it, spotted the wreck aided by a significantly narrowed search area following the French sonar scanning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ballard had what he called a light-bulb moment while mapping the debris of the Scorpion sub that was pivotal to the mission success. Its debris field was a mile-long trail, not in a small circular area as expected. Heavier objects sank straight to the seafloor, but lighter debris went down at a slower rate, and ocean currents carried them farther away. He realized that the Titanic, which fell to a similar depth as the Scorpion sub, would have a similar, if not larger, debris field and that looking for this stream of detritus would be easier than finding the hull and other heavy parts of the vessel. It was the technology and the knowledge of how to use it, Yoerger said. But also the big thing that led to our success was Ballards strategy. He wasnt trying to find the ship, he was trying to find the debris field, which is a much bigger target, and one thats particularly well-suited to finding with your eyeballs. ANGUS, the unmanned search and survey system, captured the first still images of the Titanic wreckage. - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute The discovery added a new word to the dictionary The Argo took black-and-white video of the Titanic in 1985, while an older system called ANGUS, with its 35-mm camera system, captured blue-hued still images revealing the wrecks existence. The team returned a year later with more advanced, color cameras to record every inch of the wreckage, including the ships swimming pool, grand staircase and bow, generating iconic images still familiar today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ballard also became the first person to visit the wreck that year via Alvin, a crewed submersible that he had previously piloted, which took more than two hours to reach the seafloor. Once there, he spotted poignant artifacts, including a childs doll, uncorked champagne bottles and silverware. He saw no human remains. Trails of rust covered the Titanic, created by bacteria that feasted on the metal, creating long, reddish spikes a phenomenon Ballard named rusticles, a word that subsequently entered the Oxford English Dictionary. Ballard recalled that some areas, covered in a protective pink paint when the ship was built, looked pristine. To preserve the very hallowed ground, Ballard said he advocated using a similar approach protective paint perhaps applied by underwater robots to prevent the wreckage from eroding further. The first evidence that researchers aboard the Knorr had found the Titanic came on September 1, 1985, from the distinct pattern of one of the ship's boilers. - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Rewriting science textbooks The Titanics final resting place was far from Ballards only discovery in a long, distinguished career as a scientist and explorer. Expeditions to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge provided key evidence for plate tectonics, while a voyage to the seafloor along the Galapagos Rift revealed the existence of hydrothermal vents and the fantastic life forms that live on them showing that life could thrive without sunlight and precipitating new theories about its origins. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ballard went on to discover several other storied wrecks: the Nazi warship Bismarck, the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown and PT-109, a Navy vessel commanded by President John F. Kennedy in his mid-20s during World War II. Ballard (right) is still exploring. In July, he was aboard the Nautilus exploration vessel in the Solomon Islands. - Ocean Exploration Trust The 21-day expedition in the Pacific mapped wrecks from five naval battles during World War II. - Ocean Exploration Trust But his golden touch faltered in 2019 when an expedition to locate Amelia Earharts downed plane turned up empty. The explorer said he thought it would be possible to find the aircraft with the help of new technologies. Its still on our checkbox, he said. While human-operated submersibles still have a role to play, he said that the future of ocean exploration is remote and robotic, and he ultimately envisions that uncrewed ships will ply the worlds oceans. To date, about 27% of the seafloor has been mapped. Were now getting to where we can launch multiple AUVs, autonomous (underwater) vehicles, sort of a pack of dogs that you can send out. We can put all those assets in the water at the same time, said Ballard, whose Zoom handle is Captain Nemo after the fictional character in Jules Vernes Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I mean, its all about bottom time. The real calculation you make is how long you are underwater. Yoerger has turned his focus away from the ocean floor and is developing an underwater robot that can explore the twilight zone the midwater ocean 200 to 1,000 meters (about 650 to 3,300 feet) below the ocean surface, just beyond the reach of sunlight, which plays a key role in regulating the globes climate by mitigating the rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. At 83, Ballard is still actively exploring the ocean. In July, he returned from a 21-day expedition aboard the Nautilus operated by his nonprofit, the Ocean Exploration Trust, to Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific. There, he began mapping vessels and planes lost during five major World War II naval battles between August and December 1942. I love it when kids tell me to stop discovering things, so theres something left for them to find, Ballard said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he said hes confident plenty of unknowns remain about the ocean for the next generation of explorers. Sign up for CNNs Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com WASHINGTON (DC News Now) D.C. police are investigating after a man was shot in Northeast late Saturday night. The Metropolitan Police Department said officers responded to the shooting in the 1500 block of F Street, NE, at around 11:10 p.m. At the scene, police found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. Man charged in deadly shooting of DC teen Medics rushed the man to the hospital for treatment. As of Sunday morning, there is no word on his condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators urge anyone with information about the shooting to call MPD at 202-727-9099 or text the departments tip line at 50411. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. Marking the first amid ongoing tensions, a 29-year-old man was arrested for protesting the removal of the rainbow crosswalk at Pulse. Orestes Sebastian Suarez was arrested Friday night by Florida Highway Patrol and charged with criminal mischief and defacing a traffic control device, court records show. Suarez, who was celebrating his birthday, colored the bottom of his shoes with chalk and walked across the crosswalk, according to court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FHP and Orlando Police Department have been heavily patrolling the area for over a week, telling protesters they wont be arrested if they are not impeding traffic. Protests erupted after the Florida Department of Transportation in the middle of the night painted over the rainbow crosswalk, meant to memorialize the 2016 mass shooting at Pulse that killed 49. Since then the department has had to repaint it at least once more due to ongoing protestors painting the crosswalk with rainbow paint and chalk. Suarez was released on Saturday after the judge found no probable cause he committed the crime, records indicate. Suarezs attorney Blake Simons called his release a victory in a post to Facebook on Saturday. The attempt by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Highway Patrol to infringe on our right to free speech and their attempt to conduct unlawful arrests has been thwarted, Simons said. The question now is whether FHP decides to continue with the unlawful arrests and thereby waste taxpayer money or move on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FDOT has ordered other cities to remove rainbows and other painted designs from their roads. DeSantis has defended the states actions, saying its not political and cited a new state law a claim lawmakers refute and the designs jeopardize both driver and pedestrian safety. But an Orlando Sentinel analysis of city traffic data shows the opposite. The citys many decorative crosswalks and murals in Downtown Orlando, including the crosswalk by Pulse, have helped reduce crashes with pedestrians despite increased foot traffic. In a statement, FDOT said it conducted a months-long update of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices with input from representatives of state and local governments. The update included a prohibition on non-uniform traffic control devices and explicitly prohibits the application of pavement or surface art on travel lanes, paved shoulders, intersections, crosswalks or sidewalks. NEED TO KNOW A Florida man says he was attacked by a bear as he was leaving his home on the morning of Aug. 15 The man, Alexander Rojas, 23, claims the animal bit his arm and clawed his rib cage before he was ultimately able to escape Ring camera footage of the moment shows the bear charging toward Rojas as he stood on his front porch A Florida man says he was attacked by a bear while leaving his home. Alexander Rojas, 23, of Apopka, a city in Orange County, revealed that he was leaving for work at approximately 4 a.m. local time on the morning of Aug. 15 when he was confronted by two young black bears, per local news outlet WESH 2 and USA Today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ring camera footage of the harrowing moment shared with WESH 2 shows Rojas stepping out onto his front porch. He is startled by something in his line of sight, at which point a bear charges toward him. The footage cuts out just before the bear makes contact. "For some odd reason, he [the bear] turned around, did more stutter steps toward me and bit my arm and then clawed my rib cage," Rojas told WESH 2, adding, "I was able to kick his feet out and knock him in the nose. Rojas said he ran to a neighbors home, where he called his girlfriend. Gofundme Bear charging toward Alexander Rojas Bear charging toward Alexander Rojas "She had heard me screaming, and I was telling her to bring me towels. I was bleeding all over the ground," he said. He added that he went to the ER, where he received tetanus and rabies shots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the incident, per WESH 2. Gofundme Alexander Rojas after the bear attack Alexander Rojas after the bear attack PEOPLE reached out to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for comment on Saturday, Aug. 30, but did not receive an immediate response. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Rojas recounted the incident in more detail on a GoFundMe established by his sister, Yhelisa Rojas, to help cover his medical expenses. Gofundme Blood on door after the bear attack Blood on door after the bear attack In that moment, I had three immediate options, he recalled. Attempt to open the door while a bear was still within five feet, run left where another bear of similar size was approximately 30 feet away, or run right toward the woods where the mother bear could potentially be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I had to make a rapid decision under pressure. Ultimately, I evaded both bears by hurdling over a vehicle and moving into an open space further down the street, he continued. He added, I want to emphasize that I did not harm or kill any of the bears. No bears were harmed during the encounter. My intent in sharing this information is solely to raise community awareness." Rojas additionally stated that he may have possible nerve or tendon damage in his forearm from the bite. As of Aug. 30, the GoFundMe has raised $1,121 toward its ultimate goal of $3,500. Read the original article on People BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) A man has been sentenced for the accidental shooting that took the life of a 17-year-old girl. Adan Allen Keelin, 20, entered a guilty plea on Aug. 29 for misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct in connection with the death of Kelsey McDuffie in April 2023. The morning of the incident, McDuffie was brought to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the back of her head, according to the Bulloch County Sheriffs Office. Keelin had also been shot in his left hand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies said that Keelin was showing McDuffie how to disassemble and reassemble a 9mm semi-automatic handgun when the gun discharged. The bullet pierced Keelins hand, striking McDuffie in the back of her head. According to Georgia Virtue reports, Keelin was ordered to serve 120 days in jail on the weekends, complete 80 hours of community service, complete an alcohol and drug evaluation, and pay $1,500 in fines. Keelin cannot consume alcohol or illegal drugs while on probation, cannot have contact with McDuffies family, must complete a firearm safety course, cannot own a firearm, and must surrender his carry permit if applicable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. A Georgia father is suing Delta Air Lines, alleging that a flight attendant slapped him in the face during an on-flight altercation last month. Mohammad Shibli was on a Delta flight from Atlanta to Fresno, California with his wife and two young children on July 29. When flight attendants began making their typical rounds, one of them refused to serve his wife, Shibli said in a press conference alongside his legal team Wednesday. After Shibli said he went to the back of the plane to request water, the same crew member refused him service and exhibited a "disrespectful tone" with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eventually, Shibli says he got water from another flight attendant, but the situation was not resolved. Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-300 landing in Amsterdam. NurPhoto/Getty Images Shibli says things turned physical Later in the flight, the original flight attendant made another set of rounds, during which she asked Shibli if he wanted water. When the Palestinian American said no and asked to be left alone, things escalated. She then asked if I wanted the police to meet me at the gate, insinuating that she was going to have me arrested. I asked her, For what? She just ignored me and continued her service, Shibli said, via the New York Post. As she walked back and forth to serve other passengers, she bumped into me with her body. I tried to ignore it, but the passenger in my row, whom I had never met before, could tell that the Delta attendant was provoking me." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shibli alleges that the flight worker whispered a slur in his ear, which led to him rising from his seat to confront her. At that time, the attendant moved toward Shibli and struck him with her open palm as hard as she could. 'Painful and embarrassing' Shibli said the entire "painful and embarrassing" incident left him feeling "humiliated" and worrying "the safety and security for myself and for my family." According to his lawyer, Ali Awad, Shibli wore a t-shirt on the flight that read "Palestine," adding that he believes it was the impetus for the flight attendant's behavior. Every Delta employee in the company must get education and sensitivity training on Palestine, Awad said. Delta ruined my clients day, and Delta, we demand a day of your profits." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Delta itself has issued a brief statement on the matter, saying that the flight attendant has been suspended as the company probes what happened. "While Delta does not comment on internal investigations or pending litigation, we are taking this situation very seriously, the statement reads. This flight attendant has been suspended while the investigation is ongoing. This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. NEED TO KNOW An Ohio man was arrested in Massachusetts on Aug. 27 in connection to the 2020 murder of 2-year-old Jamir Jones Police spotted 25-year-old Dioblis Williams wearing a wig before they arrested him [This] arrest is a reminder that you can run, but you cant hide, Acting U.S. Marshal Kevin Neal said in a statement An Ohio man wanted in connection to the 2020 death of a toddler has been arrested five years later in Massachusetts. Dioblis Williams, 25, was caught in the downtown area of Framingham on Wednesday, Aug. 27, around 8:30 a.m. local time, according to a news release from the Framingham Police Department (FPD). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams is accused of murdering Jamir Jones, a 2-year-old boy who was found unconscious five years ago in a bathtub in Columbus, Ohio. Police said they spotted Williams wearing a wig before they arrested him. Framingham Police Department Dioblis Williams Dioblis Williams Police officer Andrew Lewis was in the area to attend a briefing with the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS) about their attempt to arrest Williams, as he was believed to be in the city. Lewis, police said, noticed two individuals walking on the sidewalk, one of whom "appeared to be wearing a wig." "Officers observed the individual and came to the determination that the individual wearing the wig was indeed the male that the USMS and VFAS were intending to arrest," the release stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams was taken into custody and booked at the FPD. He was charged with Massachusetts Straight Warrant for Fugitive from Justice and Ohio Warrant for Murder. It is unclear why Williams was in Massachusetts. Framingham Police Department The wig police said Dioblis Williams was wearing The wig police said Dioblis Williams was wearing That person was in our community and wanted for a pretty horrific crime, deputy chief Sean Riley told KOLD News 13. When another officer tried to stop Williams, he ran across the street. The suspect then stumbled and dropped his wig before surrendering, the news outlet reported. KOLD News 13 also reported that Williams was thought to be in the area because of his Instagram usage. Williams has been charged with murder in the death of the toddler. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. According to Ohio news outlet 10TV, police in 2020 initially responded to a report of a drowning that was said to have occurred while Williams was babysitting his girlfriends son. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court documents reviewed by 10TV stated that Williams left the toddler unsupervised in the bathtub, and the boy was found unconscious in the bathtub and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy later revealed that the boy suffered blunt force trauma to his abdomen and bruises to his stomach, head and neck, per the outlet. Acting U.S. Marshal Kevin Neal released a statement about Williams arrest, saying, Todays arrest is a reminder that you can run, but you cant hide. Mr. Williams thought that he could evade arrest and accountability by hiding in Massachusetts. I hope that todays arrest brings us one step closer to justice for a young child whose life ended tragically." The U.S. Marshals Service said Williams will be arraigned in Massachusetts pending his extradition to Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People Not many people will jump at the chance to search for snakes in the wild. Paul Hobbs was born to do it. The Tennessee resident traveled to the Sunshine State with his father, son, and brother-in-law and captured 20 Burmese pythons to win the $10,000 top prize in the Florida Python Challenge. The family tradition started with Hobbs and his dad, Tom, who has won the novice category in the event, which is among the events that help raise awareness about dangerous invasive species and remove them from areas. "As soon as you see one, the adrenaline just kicks in. You're all flying out of the vehicle and ready for the ride," Hobbs told Local 10 News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 200 of the snakes were captured and killed during the 10-day hunt. Each can lay up to 100 eggs. Since 2000, almost 20,000 pythons have been caught in Florida though that's a drop in the bucket since as many as 300,000 live in the Everglades, according to the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "It becomes the top of the food chain," Ron Bergeron, South Florida Water Management District governing board member, said. "We have found a full, whole deer inside of a python up to a seven-foot alligator. "... These things can get up to 20 feet long and up to 200 pounds." Contractors paid by the state to hunt pythons year-round have removed 11,000 of the creatures since 2017, per the Miami Herald, but a U.S. Geological Survey report called eradication "likely impossible." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They're an apex predator," FWC nonnative fish and wildlife coordinator McKayla Spencer told the outlet. "Essentially when they become adults, there's really nothing that preys on them. " ... We don't currently have a way to eradicate them, but in the last few years, we've made some great strides. Every python removed is one less python to harm our native species." To compete in the challenge, participants must complete a training course. They are disqualified if they kill a native snake or inhumanely kill a python. Burmese pythons and other invasive species in Florida prey on white-tailed deer, American alligators, Key Largo woodrats, white ibises, marsh rabbits, and gopher tortoises. The Everglades is a 2 million-acre subtropical wetland that once featured uninterrupted flowing water over an area nearly four times as large. This effort and others, such as a $1 billion Kissimmee River restoration project, are underway to restore some of its natural glory. Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) A man from Manderson, SD, was acquitted of an Involuntary Manslaughter charge following a federal jury trial on August 28. 20-year-old Matocika Poor Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2025. According to a press release from the Department of Justice, the indictment charged that on November 16, 2024 the defendant assaulted a man after an unknown dispute at a Manderson residence. The man sustained an injury and later passed away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhoden mobilizes National Guard in South Dakota Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. Mark Knoller, the longtime CBS News radio correspondent and veteran political journalist, has died in Washington, D.C. He was 73. CBS News confirmed his death on Saturday, noting he had been in ill health and suffered from diabetes. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Knoller was an editor and radio reporter for CBS News from 1988 to 2020. He was a legend among White House journalists for his status as an unofficial presidential statistician. His frustration over the lack of a central database of daily presidential actions inspired him to take upon himself the enormous burden of keeping meticulous records of every presidential act, movement, and utterance, single-handedly filling an immense void in American history, CBS News Chip Reid wrote in his obituary for Knoller. Mark Knoller was the hardest-working and most prolific White House correspondent of a generation, said Tom Cibrowski, CBS News president and executive editor. Everyone in America knew his distinctive voice and his up-to-the-minute reporting across eight Presidential administrations. Born in Brooklyn, Knoller set his sights on a career in journalism as a youth. He graduated from New York University and began his career as a copy writer and then radio reporter at WNEW radio. In 1975, he joined the Associated Press Radio Network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Knoller moved to CBS after a 1988 meeting with famed CBS News producer Susan Zirinsky led to a job offer with the Eye network. Knoller came in first as an assignment editor but after a few years, he moved over to his dream job, as Reid described it, as a White House correspondent for CBS Radio. Former CBS News colleagues offered tributes to Knoller. Mark Knoller was simply the best, a legendary White House journalist who was a delight to be around, said CBS News senior correspondent Norah ODonnell. His work was his life. He was kind, funny and always gracious in sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of the presidency. His CBS family adored him, and we will miss our friend. Major Garrett, CBS News chief White House correspondent, said Knoller defined the role of White House correspondent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mark was the most devoted, tenacious and clear-eyed journalist I have ever had the honor of knowing. For as long as I live, I will count among my lifes greatest blessings that I was able to work alongside him, Garrett said. Jim Axelrod, chief investigative correspondent for CBS News, cited Knollers generosity with colleagues. As impressive as Mark Knollers sweep of knowledge about the White House and the presidency was it was surpassed only by his generosity toward his many friends and colleagues, Axelrod said. And he always answered with kindness, class, and a sincere desire to help. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. More than 25 years ago, a $20,000 check from the state to the New North Citizens Council, a community nonprofit, went uncashed. Time passed. The money became part of the states unclaimed property division, a department thats like the island of misfit toys of money, taking in orphaned funds from banks and other entities and holding them until they are claimed. Find Your Unclaimed Property Now! declares the states public online portal, FindMassMoney.gov. The site allows the public to look through a massive dataset to see if the state holds lost property in their name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But if the Springfield council searched, it wouldnt find that $20,000 listed. It would have to call the state office and ask if it had property in the organizations name. Thats because more than $450 million in property is not listed in the online portal, based on an analysis by The Republican newspaper of Springfield, using the full unclaimed property database it obtained from the state. While the state wins points for getting money back to its rightful owners, about half of the funds are not returned. The analysis by The Republican identified features of the program that can slow or obstruct the return of money. The Republicans review turned up many examples of money that belongs to recognizable groups and businesses in Western Massachusetts from about $19,000 owned by a Holyoke man to $40,000 for the Center for Human Development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Existing Massachusetts laws or policies would have to be changed to get money back to owners faster, as some states do. Everybody should go out and check the website, said Rory Casey, the Holyokes city treasurer, who is working to claim lost money for the city. Thats certainly been one of my takeaways. Ive been telling folks here in the city, colleagues, (and) people in my family. Go and check. Its pretty wild some of the stuff thats out there that youre owed. Property isnt detailed in the public portal for a variety of reasons, such as when the owners address is not listed. In the Springfield councils case, the funds were an unpaid check from the state itself, a category thats excluded from the online portal. Most of those properties dont have an address reported to the Unclaimed Property Division, but even the few that do require additional verification, said Mark William Bracken, assistant treasurer and director of the division. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The online portal acknowledges that some property is excluded from the website and to call for a complete search. Maria M. Ligus, the councils executive director, said she didnt know anything about her organizations unclaimed money and declined to comment. Defining lost property That unclaimed check is a tiny fraction of Massachusetts unclaimed property system. Lost property is not rare. The state holds more than $4 billion of the publics unclaimed funds. Mostly thats cash, but it also includes the value of stock and mutual funds, liquidated investments and even physical property. We say its one in 10 people. Its probably closer to one in four (or) one in five people have unclaimed property, Bracken said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its everyone from reporters at The Republican, to your coworker, to Lady Gaga, who has more $50,000 in unclaimed tax refunds under her legal name Stefani Germanotta, a fact the commonwealth publicized in 2023 and remains true as of June, according to records The Republican reviewed. What is lost property? Think checks that go uncashed, refunds from a utility company sent to an old address and bank accounts that get forgotten about and are deemed inactive. The department does not deal with real estate or vehicles, but does get some physical property from safe deposit boxes. When an institution cant find the propertys owner, it turns it over to the state, and Massachusetts keeps that property in perpetuity for people to claim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state spends millions each year to advertise the program including in The Republican and on MassLive.com and employs several investigators who focus on reuniting large sums of lost money with their owners. Still, between fiscal years 2015 and 2024, the state has returned less than half of the unclaimed funds its taken in, according to an analysis by The Republican. From 2015 through 2024, the state has received about $2.4 billion and returned $1.1 billion. A 2019 survey by the Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization found Massachusetts return rate was higher than many states, but not among the nations top dozen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A growing number of states have programs that automatically mail checks to people for property under a certain amount, typically less than several thousand dollars, if they can confirm the persons identity by using other records, like tax returns and those from the registry of motor vehicle. Massachusetts does not plan to start a similar program. In terms of returning money, Massachusetts is arguably better than most states, but certainly deficient in that its not automatically returning money, said Ron Lizzi, a Connecticut advocate for more transparency in state-run unclaimed property systems. Unclaimed money can be used by the state. Most of the money goes into the states general fund and the stabilization, or rainy day, fund, which the state can use to plug budget deficits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state still owes people their money, though, if they make a claim, Bracken said. We turn it over to the state every year, and the state does whatever they want with the money. But the underlying value of that money is always here to be paid out, Bracken said. Consumer protection goal Every state in the country has an unclaimed property division, according to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. In Massachusetts, the program goes back to the 1950s. State laws governing it have largely remained unchanged in 70 years, said Bracken, who has run the unclaimed property division since 2011 and is also executive director of the state lottery. When a business owes a person or entity money but cant find them, it can hold onto the funds for three years in most cases. Examples: overpaying a utility bill, an uncashed check, or a life insurance policy never cashed out after someone dies. After three years, the money is turned over to the states unclaimed property division. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That money belongs to that individual. It does not belong to the business, Bracken said. It is a consumer protection to be able to kind of have a central depository of peoples money, he said. And we try to make it as easy as possible for people to figure out and know: Hey, all you really got to do is check your name. FindMassMoney.gov allows people to search for lost property and make a claim for it. There is no expiration date: Property owners in Massachusetts always have the right to claim their cash. Their heirs inherit that right. On the state portal, people can search for property under an owners name and narrow it down with a city or zip code. An owner can make a claim for the property on the website by filling out basic information that gets cross-referenced with a third-party verification system. If it matches, the claim is approved in minutes, Bracken said. Thats the case in about half of all claims. If it doesnt match or meet the fast-track requirements, the person will get a claim form to fill out and return, while providing certain documentation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The claim form will state what the property is worth. But the online public portal does not show any amounts or show a range as some states, including Washington and Wisconsin, display in their portals. Thats to prevent fraud, Bracken said. He worries fraudsters would search for the large amounts and go after them. Showing the amount of money could motivate people to take possession of what is theirs, though, Bracken said. Sometimes he hears people say, Oh, its probably nothing, and they dont do anything, he said. The online database is not a complete search and excludes some properties, as in the case of the $20,000 state check issued decades ago to the New North Citizens Council. While searching, the portal tells users that some property, including cash less than $1, is excluded and to call customer service for a complete search. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bracken estimates 10% of the properties are not listed on the portal. If the property doesnt have an address reported to the unclaimed property division, it doesnt show up. Thats because a name alone isnt enough information for someone to know property is theirs, Bracken said. If a property for a common name was put on website with nothing other than just a name, then everyone with that name would file a claim thinking it is them, and it would cause mass confusion, he said. If someone calls the office, they can do a robust search and ask additional verification questions. Uncashed state checks are a category thats excluded from the public portal. The vast majority of them lack an address reported by the state agency that relayed them to the unclaimed property division, Bracken said. Even if they have an address attached, they require more verification, but its possible the public portal could include them in the future. Who knows, maybe you bringing up the question will change a process, Bracken said in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Between uncashed state checks and property without an address, more than $450 million worth of property is not on the public web database, according to an analysis of a more complete database The Republican obtained in an information request. That does not include property worth less than $1 that the portal also skips. Eye opening In Holyoke, the city is owed about $30,000, according to state data The Republican obtained. Its from a smattering of sources, like uncashed checks, insurance proceeds and refunds. Some of it has been in the states lost property system for more than a decade. Casey, the city treasurer since 2022, heard about the states program through its advertising and searched for the lost cash. It certainly was eye opening, he said. Some of the things are quite old. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Casey had a summer intern working on filing claims this year. Its a pretty simple process, but once you have to do that simple process dozens of times, it can eat up quite a bit of time, he said. Springfield has roughly $40,000 in unclaimed money that it plans to reclaim after the city treasurers office finishes an audit, said assistant city collector Michael Marcinkewich. Early this summer, the state sent Springfield a list of what it was owed, Marcinkewich said. Many contacted by The Republican were hesitant to comment on their unclaimed property. One person, who had more than $10,000 in unclaimed property, didnt want to comment publicly out of fear it reflected poorly on them. Some organizations contacted by The Republican seemed to think they were being accused of mismanagement or werent aware of the funds. The Center for Human Development has more than $40,000 in unclaimed property in the database. The Springfield-based human services organization has more than 80 addresses in Massachusetts and Connecticut, a spokesperson said. This brings occasional challenges in mailed materials reaching the correct CHD location in a timely manner, and from time to time, it results in items ending up in the Unclaimed Property Division, the spokesperson said in an email, in response to questions. While those processes can take time, the vast majority of our unclaimed property items ultimately end up appropriately accounted for, the statement said. The Trustees of Reservations, a statewide nonprofit that works in land conservation, recently filed paperwork to claim about $60,000 from an inactive savings account, a spokesperson for the organization said. Staff check the database regularly, she said. Westover Air Base has an uncashed check from the state for $25,700 thats been in the lost property system for more than a decade. When contacted by The Republican, a Westover spokesperson said they were looking into the issue but didnt provide a comment. One Springfield law firm that had $75,000 in unclaimed insurance proceeds didnt reply to a request for comment. One mystery emerged from the newspapers review. One of the largest amounts listed to a group in Hampden County was a Bank of America check for $117,337 to West Springfield Parent Teacher. The lost check was reported to the state in 2021. Attempts to reach PTO organizations in schools were not successful and a call to the towns accounting division was not returned. The Republican visited the residential address listed in the state database as associated with the lost property. A woman there said she worked in the schools years ago but didnt know anything about it. Investigating lost property When Reginald J. Steele calls people to tell them they have unclaimed money in their name, its not unusual for them to hang up. With a rise in scams, he said, I can certainly understand peoples hesitation. If people are uneasy, hell tell them to call the number on the states unclaimed property website. Or he will mail them an official letter. Steele is one of several full-time state investigators that search for people with unclaimed property. He focuses on the largest sums of money in the system, but also works to return money to charities and nonprofits. He once found $20,000 for the Springfield Symphony and Orchestra. At times, claiming money surfaces painful memories of the death of loved ones. Sometimes its too much for them, he said. Steele has worked with one woman for years whose parents had several hundred thousand dollars in unclaimed property that could be hers. She said, If I take this money they are really gone, he said. In another case, he came across $50,000 in an abandoned Bank of America account. He tracked down the owner. It turned out the money was raised for the child of someone that was killed in the Pan-Am 103 bombing, he said. Friends of a man who died in the 1988 terrorist attack raised money for his young son, but somehow it had gotten lost. Steele was able to give it to the family. He does run into dead ends. Some people virtually drop off the face of the earth sometimes, he said. But he doesnt get too hung up on finding them, he said, moving on to one of the other millions of names in the database. For Steele, its not uncommon to work on claims in the hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars. Its almost overwhelming, but its amazing how much large dollar amounts are in our system that are still sitting here, he said. But most of the property in the system is worth far less. About 40% of the property is worth $10 or under, he said. To try to reach people, including those with more modest sums, the state advertises the program, budgeting $5.8 million for that purpose this past fiscal year. Staff also go to public events for outreach. They will be at the Big E outside the Massachusetts building in September and will be able to help people search and file claims. Last year at the fair, staff helped people find nearly $900,000, Steele said. Some states automatically send checks Wisconsin has returned millions in unclaimed property to people without them ever having to search the states online portal or fill out a claim form. Thats because it started a program in 2015 that cross references the information for unclaimed property under $2,000 with other data, like tax records. If it can verify the owner, it will send a check automatically. Unclaimed property is something a lot of people dont know they have, said Anne M. Eudaly, unclaimed property supervisor at the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. It doesnt work for every property under the threshold. Some dont have enough information reported to the state and have to go through a regular claims process. But it works for many: Wisconsin returned $7.8 million in automated checks this past fiscal year, Eudaly said. And the state pays interest on some properties. Other states have since created similar programs, including Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island and Illinois. This year, Arkansas passed a law that will enable it to send some checks automatically and Pennsylvania started sending checks for lost property of $500 or less. Vermont started a program last year. The Rhode Island program sent out more than $2 million in automatic checks for lost cash to people in the last few years, according to that states treasurers office. Most checks make it to people. Only 3% to 5% of checks are returned as undeliverable, the office said. Massachusetts does not have a similar initiative or current plans to start one. Trust me, I would love to do it, Bracken said. One problem, he said, is that the state requires a signature from the person claiming property attesting that their information is correct to charge them tax on the interest. The state pays 1% annual interest for the first 14 years. The treasurers office would also have to work out data sharing agreements with other state agencies, like the RMV and Department of Revenue, Bracken said. We have explored the possibility of data matching in the past, but due to current Executive Branch policies, the Division is unable to issue automatic payments, a spokesperson for the Treasurers Office said in an email in response to The Republican asking if Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg wanted to start a program. That said, we have implemented numerous other ways to ensure that individuals are reunited with their unclaimed property, the statement said. The office sends direct mail to people with lost property to notify them. Last year, the office sent out more than 100,000 letters, Bracken said. Lizzi, the Connecticut activist, wants the state to go further. Massachusetts should automatically return unclaimed money without requiring claims, he said. The state should use the data it has on its citizens, businesses and nonprofits to automatically return it. ... Computers should do the work. Other states have been doing it for years. Massachusetts is behind. Jennifer Borden, a Boston attorney who specializes in unclaimed property, would also be happy for the state to start a program, believing it could cut down on costs of processing claims. Borden worked as the general counsel for the unclaimed property division for several years in the 1990s. Overall, Borden thinks the Massachusetts system works well. They are all about getting money back to rightful owners, she said. Lizzi has advocated for changes in his home state and elsewhere around the country. Years ago, he fell into the rabbit hole of unclaimed property in Connecticut, where hes pushed for reform. That prompted him look into other states. Across the country, billions in orphaned dollars sit unclaimed. Were talking about a huge amount of money and states should be doing a much better job at returning that money, he said. The potential to help people is enormous. Read the original article on MassLive. A Wrentham man has been arrested in connection with having over 100 videos of child sexual abuse on his electronic devices, according to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorneys Office. Wael Isreb, 66, is facing one count of possession of child pornography, the U.S. Attorneys office said in a press release Friday. Authorities began investigating Isreb after receiving information regarding files on the Kik messaging application, the U.S. Attorneys office said. They then executed a search warrant at his home and seized many of his electronic devices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A forensic analysis of Isrebs devices revealed that he possessed approximately 26 images and 115 videos of child sexual abuse, including a video depicting the rape of a child who appeared to be approximately three to four years old, the U.S. Attorneys office said. He was previously convicted of possessing child pornography in a Massachusetts state court in 2021. Isreb was arraigned in federal court in Boston on Thursday, the U.S. Attorneys office said. He is due back in court for a detention hearing on Sept. 4. Due to his previous conviction, Isreb faces 10 to 20 years in prison, a mandatory five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 if found guilty on the new charge. More local crime stories Read the original article on MassLive. BOSTON (WWLP) A Lawrence man has been arrested for allegedly possessing over 10 kilograms of illegal substances in connection with a drug manufacturing ring. Charging documents stated that last Thursday, police observed 31-year-old Joshua Morales of Lawrence enter a home in Methuen and leave with a large orange bag. The home was being investigated and monitored as an alleged drug distribution and manufacturing location. Three injured in Winchester Road crash in Warwick Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morales then allegedly drove to a location in Lawrence while under surveillance, where officers detained him. Police searched his vehicle and found 10,000 counterfeit Percocet pills believed to contain fentanyl and methamphetamine. Investigators also searched the Methuen residence, where they located and seized multiple kilograms of counterfeit Percocet and Adderall pills suspected to contain fentanyl and methamphetamine, an automated pill press, cutting agents, blenders, scales, and bowls and bags full of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine powders and binding agents. (U.S. Department of Justice) (U.S. Department of Justice) (U.S. Department of Justice) (U.S. Department of Justice) (U.S. Department of Justice) (U.S. Department of Justice) (U.S. Department of Justice) Morales was charged on Friday with one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. He was arrested on Thursday on related state charges and will appear in Boston federal court at a later date. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. Masses canceled after fire damages Greene Countys oldest Catholic church Masses at the oldest Catholic church in Greene County are canceled after a fire caused serious damage to parts of the building Sunday. According to the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, the fire at the Saint Ann site of Saint Matthias Parish in Waynesburg, Greene County, happened overnight. The diocese says the main body of the church appears to be intact, but adjoining spaces sustained extensive damage. No one was hurt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Diocese officials said all masses at the church are canceled for this week. The diocesan Jubilee Mass scheduled for Sept. 6 will be postponed. Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the fire. Saint Ann Church was founded in 1839. The diocese said its one of the designated pious visit sites for the Jubilee Year of Hope. It was unbelievable, it was very devastating. But, you know, very thankful that there was no loss of life, said Saint Anns pastor, the Rev. Tom Lewandowski. Lewandowski spent the better part of Sunday inside the church, cleaning up. He said the fire affected the priests vesting room, two classrooms and a bathroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most certainly its impacting the community and the parish as a whole because the parish is all of the county, Lewandowski said. Lewandowski said hes working to relocate services to nearby Catholic churches in the meantime. He also expressed gratitude to first responders for their quick action in preventing further destruction. Everything that got damaged can be replaced, he said. So we need to be grateful for that. Hours after the fire at Saint Ann, emergency crews were called to a fire at Buddys Hotel that damaged five rooms. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW As the Pickett Fire has spread in Napa County, California, emergency crews have deployed enormous resources to help contain the blaze. In a recent video, CalFire explained that 190,000 feet of fire hose has been used in ground efforts by firefighters. Thats so much hose that an entire team from the California Conservation Corps has set up a base camp to inspect, sort, and re-roll the used hoses. Fire hoses are not the only thing that have been used in impressive numbers by the emergency crews. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 176 engines have been sent to fight the Pickett Fire, along with nine helicopters and 35 dozers. The number of personnel currently deployed in containment efforts is 2,064. Since the blaze began a week ago, more than 6,800 acres have burned. But these gargantuan deployments have yielded some impressive results. No injuries or deaths have yet been reported from the wildfire and only 5 structures are said to have been destroyed so far. The fire is currently 65% contained. The House and Senate are headed for a tussle over the annual, must-pass defense spending bill as the upper chambers version stands at odds with the budget passed by the House and a proposal from the Trump administration. The Republican-led Senate Appropriations Committee last month approved nearly $853 billion for the Defense Department for fiscal 2026, a bill that allocates $21.7 billion more than President Trump requested earlier this year. The top-line increase, which includes a significant bump in munitions, pay raises for troops and support for Ukraine, puts the chamber on a collision course with the House, which wrote its version of the defense spending bill before the administration released its budget and before the final version of the reconciliation bill passed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who chairs the Appropriations panels defense subcommittee and crafted the major rewrite of Trumps defense budget, previewed the fight to come when he remarked the administration has underestimated the level of challenge that we have. The Senate bill underscores that we cannot seriously address these challenges while artificially constraining our resources, McConnell said July 31 during a Senate Appropriations markup. We cant build a Golden Dome, or restock our munitions, or bring back American shipbuilding without sustained increased investments in all of our national defense. And we cant treat reconciliation like a cure-all. The legislation boosts aid for Ukraine, Taiwan and NATOs eastern border; ramps up shipbuilding; funds a 3.8 percent troop pay raise; and puts billions of dollars toward rebuilding U.S. missile stockpiles depleted by shipments of weapons for Ukraines fight against Russia and conflicts in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House version largely followed the administrations flat numbers and went with a lower defense spending top line of $831.5 billion, sticking to the broad aspects of the administrations budget request that were available at the time. It does not include aid for Ukraine and has significant antidiversity and anti-abortion language, as well as other items that are nonstarters for Democrats, making it a tough lift in the Senate. The House passed its defense spending bill almost entirely along party lines in a close 221-209 vote on July 18. The Senates version is a much broader rewrite of the administrations budget that has strong bipartisan support. It made it out of the Appropriations Committee in a 26-3 vote. Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations panels have also been critical of the Pentagon for not sending its budget sooner administration officials did not formally unveil a proposed defense budget until late June, well past the early February deadline and splitting it up between regular appropriations and reconciliation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latter issue, they said, has created unnecessary confusion and may put the militarys most important weapons programs at risk, given that its unclear where the money might come from for certain systems. The reconciliation bill that cleared Congress last month included more than $150 billion for defense priorities. The fact is we did not have the presidents plan for his defense priorities when this bill was written, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), ranking member on the Appropriations subcommittee for defense spending, said. That makes this bill an incomplete product. One of the biggest fights on the horizon will likely be the issue of Ukraine aid. The Senates bill includes $800 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, under which the U.S. provides funds to buy weapons for Kyiv, and $225 million for the Baltic Security Initiative. That fund largely helps support Ukraine in its war against Russia. McConnell, a Russia hawk and part of the old guard of Republicans, has backed support for Ukraine throughout Russias invasion of the country, which began in February 2022. He has also expressed frustration with the administration for repeatedly halting shipments of weapons for Kyiv and not notifying lawmakers who authorized the shipments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shutting off engagement with Ukraine would undermine our militarys efforts to prepare for the modern battlefield, McConnell said last week. The issue has been bipartisan, with two other members of the Appropriations Committee, Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), introducing a separate bill last week that would provide Ukraine $54.6 billion over two years. Congress last passed a major aid package for Ukraine worth $61 billion in April 2024 under the Biden administration. The House and Senate now must reconcile their versions of the appropriations bill as they head into September. After that, it would be put to a final vote, and if passed, sent to the White House for Trump to sign into law or veto. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Sunday pushed back on what she called a misconception of federal funding losses if her department is wound down at the federal level the way the Trump administration wants. I think the misconception is that federal funding will go away if the Department of Education goes back more to the states. Title I funding is appropriated by Congress, thats going to continue, and that deals with most of the issue that youre talking about. IDEA [the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act], which is, you know, the funds for our kids with special needs, McMahon told NewsNations Chris Stirewalt on The Hill Sunday. Right, Stirewalt said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats going to not go away. Thats going to continue flowing. In fact, that should be the least concern of our states. But whats going to happen is those states that are being innovative and creative are going to continue to be that way, the Education secretary added. In July, President Trump said McMahon would start the process of dismantling the Education Department following a Supreme Court decision letting the administration resume layoffs there. The United States Supreme Court has handed a Major Victory to Parents and Students across the Country, by declaring the Trump Administration may proceed on returning the functions of the Department of Education BACK TO THE STATES. Now, with this GREAT Supreme Court Decision, our Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, may begin this very important process, Trump previously said on Truth Social. Only Congress has the authority to completely eliminate the Education Department, which has multiple functions that are mandated by law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Few What I did this summer reports from North Carolinas members of Congress to their constituents back home will include hosted town hall meetings. It is a time-honored tradition for members of Congress to go home for the month of August to meet with their constituents, hold town halls and campaign. The basic idea of August recess was to get out of DC, one, because its hotter than Hades, and two, was to make the connections back home, said Michael Bitzer, political science professor at Catawba College. That legislators should hear from their constituents, make the rounds and visit companies and locations in their district and having an interaction and engagement with their folks back home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asher Hildebrand, a political science professor at Duke University, served as retired Rep. David Prices chief of staff, and before that was the Chapel Hill Democrats district director. As district director, Hildebrand was in charge of setting up Prices schedule when he was back home. Hildebrand said there wasnt a hard and fast rule that members must hold town halls, but in modern political history, there was a fair expectation from voters that their representative would make the effort when they got time in the district to engage with constituents. And he added that this meant time spent with people regardless of their geography, politics or socioeconomics. It was about meeting voters who didnt have the means to come to Washington and lay out their case to their representative, Hildebrand said. Thats how we always approached it, Hildebrand said. We felt a sort of representational responsibility to engage with and provide an opportunity for input from a full range of views and interests that were represented in our district whether we agreed with them or not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sixteen people represent North Carolina in Congress: two in the Senate and 14 in the House. But studying the lawmakers news releases, newsletters and social media postings, McClatchy could find just four who held some kind of town halls over the August recess: Democrats Valerie Foushee, who invited the public to a library, and Deborah Ross, who met the Knightdale community at a local high school; and Republicans Addison McDowell and Pat Harrigan, who joined constituents by phone. U.S. House members began their recess on July 22. The Senate stayed in Washington until Aug. 2. Town hall meetings this year Rep. Pat Harrigan wasted no time, hosting a telephone town hall on July 23 his third since taking office. For nearly an hour, Harrigan 12,000 of his 700,000 constituents on topics ranging from Medicaid to grocery benefits to immigration policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The News & Observer reached out to all of North Carolinas House members to ask about their decision on whether to hold a town hall. Only Foushees, Ross and Harrigans teams answered. He sees this format as the best way to cut through the noise and make sure people get heard, because too often the rowdy, mob-like behavior weve seen at in-person events only drowns out everyday citizens and leaves the conversation to the loudest voices, said Lexi Kranich, Harrigans spokeswoman. That doesnt serve the district, and it doesnt strengthen our democracy. Ross scheduled her town hall in Knightdale on July 29. She also attended town halls for seniors in Garner on Aug. 7 and one for veterans on Monday in Raleigh. Her spokeswoman, Josie Feron, said signing up for Ross newsletter is the best way to learn when town halls will take place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Foushee held hers on Aug. 5, at Drakeford Library in Carrboro. Federal representatives meeting with constituents is how every day Americans make their voices heard in the halls of Congress, Foushee said in a written statement to McClatchy. My priority is representing my community which would be impossible without meeting my constituents face-to-face. McDowell held a telephone town hall on Wednesday, less than a week before Congresss post-Labor Day return to work. Rep. Brad Knott took part in an Americans For Prosperity town hall last week. Some of the other lawmakers did hold town halls earlier this year. Town halls not advised The National Republican Congressional Committee sent out a memo advising its members on how best to spend the August recess, and town halls were not part of the plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think what August has become in a very polarized environment nowadays is, if I put myself in front of my constituents, it aint going to be pretty, Bitzer said. In early March, Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican from Southern Pines who chairs the NRCC, told Republicans during a meeting not to hold in-person town halls, Politico reported. Across the country, theres been reports of town halls turning hostile for Republicans who didnt heed Hudsons advice. In the weeks following Hudsons recommendation, Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards of Western North Carolina held a town hall where he was booed, yelled at and escorted from the venue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NPR reported that of the Houses 219 Republicans, about 37 held town halls this August, with around 16 of them in-person. Rep. Mike Floods rambunctious meetings in Nebraska have made headlines. But that didnt stop Missouris Rep. Mark Alford from holding 15 in four days. Hildebrand said tense town halls are nothing new. He remembers having to navigate the Tea Partys reaction to the passage of the Affordable Care Act around 2010. I remember in Congressman Prices office, we sat down to talk about the right approach, and there was really no question that we were still going to do something by way of town halls, Hildebrand said. We put some thought into where we host them, how we would structure the program in a way that might defuse the sharpest edge of the conflict, but there was never any question that we were going to do them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when NRCC put out a memo on how Republicans should get out messaging on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from Huntersville, said could be Trumps Obamacare, it did not include town halls. Instead NRCC suggested: Hosting a small business round table to discuss tax cuts; Visiting local hospitals to discuss no tax on overtime; Visiting restaurants to discuss no tax on tips; Working at a local stores checkout to discuss lowering costs; Holding press conferences with major projects as the backdrop; and Stopping by hyperlocal media outlets for interviews. I think if anything has changed, its that basic expectation that members will be accountable to their constituents, live and in the flesh, and give constituents an opportunity to show up to do that, Hildebrand said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that it was striking this year though not the first time, that Republican leaders actively discouraged town halls. They knew that the members who were holding town halls were hearing from their constituents, and not just in urban areas, but in small towns all over the country, hearing a lot of frustration and anger about all of the cuts to federal programs and jobs and about many other things and so to actually put the word out and say, Dont take this risk, dont do it, is pretty extraordinary, Hildebrand said. District tours So where have your lawmakers been? Many of them spent time touring factories, pharmacies, nursing homes, meeting with farmers, and visiting food banks and the Goodwill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kranich said Harrigan has been on the ground nonstop this month sitting down with industry leaders in Forsyth County, holding roundtables with farmers in Yadkin County, touring a mining facility in Catawba County, and visiting small businesses across Lincoln and Iredell Counties. His focus has been and will continue to be making sure the voices of the Tenth are front and center in Washington, Kranich said. Other members got unique opportunities over the break. Rep. Greg Murphy got to throw out the first pitch at the Morehead City Marlins game. Rep. Mark Harris took a trip to Israel with House Speaker Mike Johnson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Don Davis has been on a weeks-long tour of his district that has taken up large chunks of his weekdays. August recess The tradition for members of Congress to leave Washington in August began in 1971, thanks to Sen. Gale McGee, of Wyoming, who fought for a monthlong district work period to be included in the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970. So yes, August recess is federal law. At least one vice president believed no good legislation ever comes out of Washington after June. Members of Congress once legislated from December through the spring and then took the rest of the year off. But as time passed, Congress stayed in Washington, stretching their work periods into July, then into October, and now, it feels like some members never go home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal law mandates that Congress takes a break from the end of July until the second day after Labor Day, give or take. When members of Congress voted for this legislation they argued the recess allowed them to go home, campaign, meet with constituents to get feedback on legislation and ideally run into them at their county fairs where they could collect feedback. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday laid out his vision for the coming months during which he plans to double down on efforts to kickstart the ailing economy and overhaul the country's finances. Speaking to public broadcaster ZDF, Merz, who took the helm of Europe's largest economy on May 6, said hiking tax was out of the question when it comes to plugging holes in the budged. Following lengthy discussions, his conservatives and their coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), had agreed not to raise taxes when striking their coalition deal earlier this year, Merz said in the interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This coalition agreement stands," he added. "The fact that the SPD has different ideas on this issue is just as okay as the fact that we have our own ideas on other issues. We are not looking for what divides us. We are looking for what allows us to govern responsibly together." In a dispute that has been onggoing for weeks, SPD leader and Finance Minister Lars Klinbeil did not ruled out raising taxes for top earners to close a foreseeable gap of more than 30 billion ($35 billion) in the 2027 budget. Germany's economy, once the envy across Europe, is reeling from two consecutive years of recession, as high energy prices, labour shortages, increasing competition from abroad and new US tariffs all continue to dampen growth this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the new government is scrambling for ways to fill the holes in the budget. In a bid to incentivize seniors to stay in the work force, Labour Minister Barbel Bas has announced draft legislation for a pensions scheme that is to enable retired workers to earn up to 2,000 per month free of tax on top of their pension. Dubbed Active Pension, the scheme is set to launch by January 1 "if everthing goes well," Merz promised on Sunday. "We want to try this on a voluntary basis," Merz said, adding that working life must be extended overall. "But this applies in particular to those who can and who want to. And now we have to see what happens." Aug. 30The state Department of Health on Saturday issued a public health order to "remove barriers and ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines at pharmacies across the state." One of the biggest apparent barriers is a federal advisory group that lists New Mexico as one of three states that requires approval for vaccine distribution from pharmacies. But DOH spokesperson Robert Nott said Saturday the department would work with the state's Board of Pharmacy "to amend the regulations where (the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) recommendations are required for pharmacists to administer the vaccine." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, a CVS spokesperson said they could not offer the newest COVID vaccines without approval from ACIP, an advisory board which recommends vaccine policy to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, who was recently fired and replaced. An Albuquerque Walgreens told a Journal reporter Friday that anyone wanting the new COVID vaccine will need a prescription. In a news release Saturday, state DOH officials said the department would work with New Mexico's Board of Pharmacy to remove barriers to getting vaccines at pharmacies. The DOH release stated that ACIP "has yet to convene and act on the matter." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's important for New Mexicans to know the New Mexico Department of Health is committed to keeping residents safe as we enter the 2025-2026 respiratory virus season," state Health Secretary Gina DeBlassie said in a statement. "This order will remove obstacles to vaccination access." There were four new COVID vaccine formulations approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday, but the release states "with a narrower range than prior seasons." The updated vaccines are for adults 65 and older across the board, but anyone younger will be required to have a condition, like asthma or obesity, "that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19." Previously, U.S. policy stated annual COVID shots were recommended for all Americans 6 months and older no matter age or condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FDA also removed the availability of the Pfizer vaccine for children under 5, although the Moderna vaccine is available to children as young as 6 months, but only those with an underlying condition. The news release from DOH said the department expected the new COVID vaccines to start arriving in New Mexico "within the next few weeks." Where and how they will be available was less clear in the release. In the public health order, dated Friday, DeBlassie directed the department "to collaborate with" the state BOP "to amend regulations to remove barriers and ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines." BRECKSVILLE, Ohio (WJW) A 9-year-old girl who left a birthday party alone on Saturday has been located, according to Chagrin Valley Dispatch. Glowing jack-o-lantern mushrooms return to Ohio in time for fall season According to the Ohio Attorney General website, the child walked away from a birthday party she was attending in Brecksville Saturday. Chagrin Valley Dispatch posted on Facebook, saying Female has been located. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No other information was immediately available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) A WalletHub report revealed that Mississippi is among the worst places for teen drivers, especially compared to recent years. For thousands of teens across the United States, the milestone of driving turns into a tragedy. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for individuals aged 16 to 19, a group that also faces the highest crash risk. Mississippi has historically ranked among the most dangerous states for teen drivers nationally. The states reputation has only become more noteworthy in recent years. Between WalletHubs report from 2023 to 2025, the states rank went from seventh worst to fourth worst for teens nationally. The website documented key statistics that led to the states overall ranking. Below is how Mississippi compares to the rest of the country for 2025. Statistic 2023 2024 2025 Teen driver fatalities per 100,000 teens 49th 48th 40th Teen DUIs per 100,000 teens 23rd 26th 39th Average cost of car repairs 34th 34th 34th Premium increase after adding a teen driver to a parents policy 32nd 32nd 21st Vehicle miles traveled per capita 48th 47th 48th Quality of roads 41st 41st 45th Presence of impaired-driving laws 25th 23rd 23rd Overall rank 44th 45th 47th Research cited by the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) found that dialing a phone number while driving increases a teens risk of crashing by six times, and texting while driving increases the risk by 23 times. For drivers 15-19 years old involved in fatal crashes, one in five was distracted by the use of cell phones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can view Mississippis latest drivers manual on the Mississippi Department of Public Safetys website. For those looking for a new car, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offer safety ratings for most vehicles sold in the United States. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) Legal aid providers face funding cuts in programs that assist the poor across Mississippi. The states two full-time legal services agencies, the Mississippi Center for Legal Services and North Mississippi Rural Legal Services, have a combined footprint that covers roughly the entire state. About 70% of their funding comes from the Congressional Legal Services Corporation (LSC). State legal agency leaders are currently worried about a U.S. House proposal that will roughly cut funding in half. President Donald Trump previously proposed eliminating the LSC. In 2006, the Mississippi Supreme Court created the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission (AJC). The above and other fears from state service providers were conveyed in the AJCs quarterly meeting back in August. Sam Buchanan, Executive Director of the Mississippi Center for Legal Services, said the proposed cuts would be catastrophic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zero funding would be devastating to us and the clients that we serve, Buchanan said. Our non-LSC sources are quite limited in Mississippi. Other programs planned and approved for grants this year saw funding cancelled. For instance, the Office of State Public Defender was poised to move forward with a study of outcomes regarding parent representation in Youth Court. A grant had been approved to do so, but it was cancelled. As federal budget cuts and stalling of existing funds become the national reality, Mississippis legal aid organizations fear how they will be impacted. AJC Executive Director Nicole McLaughlin stated that current resources make its mission statement hard to fulfill. From our access to justice perspective, we already do not have enough. It would be an extreme loss for Mississippi, McLaughlin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gun used in murder of Emmett Till on display at Two Mississippi Museums Gayla Carpenter Sanders, Executive Director of the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project, leads an ongoing effort to recruit lawyers in private practice to donate their time to provide free legal services. Her organization is recruiting up to 25 pro bono attorneys to provide critically needed services in counties with five or fewer practicing lawyers. Sanders and others emphasized the importance of looking to private resources to fill the gaps. Access to Justice Co-chair Chancellor Jacqueline Mask, at left, Access to Justice Executive Director Nicole McLaughlin, center, and Co-chair Blake Teller, at right, listen to a discussion about funding for legal assistance for the poor on Aug. 19 in Jackson (Courtesy: Beverly Kraft, MS Supreme Court) Mississippi Center for Legal Services Executive Director Sam Buchanan, at left, discusses possible funding losses during the Mississippi Access to Justice Meeting on Aug. 19 in Jackson. North Mississippi Rural Legal Services Deputy Director Minnie Howard is at right. Gayla Carpenter Sanders, Executive Director of the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project, is at center back. (Courtesy: Beverly Kraft, MS Supreme Court) Rhea Tannehill, Mississippi Bar President, said that recruiting lawyers to practice in underserved areas will be a priority. He noted the difficulty of recruiting lawyers to practice in the Mississippi Delta. Issaquena County has no lawyers practicing from an office in that county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think everyone realizes it has become an issue in small communities, Tannehill said. Introducing high school students to careers in law and encouraging law students to consider small-town law practice are among the AJCs current initiatives. Trial judges, local lawyers and the Mississippi Court of Appeals hosted law camps over the summer. Among Mississippis two law schools, 344 new law students started classes in August. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV. MISSOURI Friday afternoon, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe made it official, lawmakers will be returning to the Capitol next Wednesday. On the agenda: redrawing congressional districts. Missouri GOP Chair: Redistricting battle larger than any one person We spoke with Missouri senators on both sides of the aisle who say they dont expect this to be a quick process. Theyre protecting these pedophiles, is what theyre doing. Theyre trying to protect these pedophiles, said Senator Doug Beck (D)-1st District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate minority floor leader Doug Beck is referring to the Epstein files and says thats what the call for a special session to redraw congressional districts is all about. If Democrats get control of the House, they will release the files. We also know that Trump is in the files, we also know his name is in the files, and now theyve just said some of his cabinet members are, too, said Beck. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe announced the special session late yesterday afternoon. In doing so, Governor Kehoe said re-drawing the lines is about accurately representing Missouri values. Republicans hold over 90% of local county offices, and have held every statewide seat, said Governor Mike Kehoe (R)-Missouri. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Missouri to address redistricting in special session This is Missouris congressional district map as it stands right now. Current Missouri Congressional District Map This is the map Kehoe proposed yesterday, one he calls the Missouri first map. Proposed Missouri First Map While the proposal doesnt impact the 7th district. Which takes in a large portion of southwest Missouri, or the 8th district in southeast Missouri, it does have a big impact on several of the other districts. Specifically, it takes the 5th district, which right now is firmly in the hands of Democrats, and stretches it to the east. Governor Kehoe says that the map was developed right here in the Show Me State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It splits fewer counties and municipalities than the current version, while preserving two congressional districts as they currently stand, said Kehoe. Senate majority caucus whip Jill Carter says shes seen the Missouri first proposal, but is withholding judgment for now. What will be filed, though, has yet to be determined, said Senator Jill Carter. Senator Carter believes that a new plan will originate in the House, but the Senate will likely be where a large portion of the debate takes place. I do believe it will be a dicer fight in the Senate. The way that the rules run the Senate, and that the Senate functions, is that you have 34 independent senators that have equal power, said Carter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Senator Carter mentioned, the Senate does operate differently and offers the minority party tools the House doesnt, like the filibuster. Senator Beck says for now, all options are on the table. We have some tools at our disposal, so were going to look at that, but were hoping that they actually have a true debate in the Senate. Were hoping that they actually let that happen, said Beck. Senator Carter says she believes the process will be done in a fashion that hides nothing from voters. At least for me, politics has become so much about theatre, and the goal is to always try to be as transparent as possible, and then to be corrected if the perception of something isnt quite right, said Carter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Kehoes announcement has already sparked a response. For example, Maryland State Senator Clarence Lam, posting on X last night, said hes filed a bill request to redraw the lines in his state. Senator Lam said, quote, I submitted this because we need to fight back by sending a message to other states like Missouri and Indiana: Dont do it. But if you do pass these extreme gerrymanders, Maryland stands ready to act. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. KANSAS CITY, Mo. The Show Me State is making headlines between a shake up in the attorney generals office with Andrew Bailey becoming the FBIs co-deputy director, replaced by Catherine Hanaway, and potential Congressional redistricting. Jason Rosenbaum joins us to discuss those stories from St. Louis NPR. Read more Politics stories from FOX4 Then, Washburn Universitys Bob Beatty joins the show to talk about the increasingly crowded field for Kansas governor, as Democrats look to retain the seat Laura Kelly has held since 2019, and more Republicans vie to unseat her and reclaim the office for the party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. NEED TO KNOW Stacey Bruno, her husband and their two children evacuated their home in New Orleans a day before Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and traveled by car to her parents' place in Minneapolis After hearing about their story, Greg Lawrence, a local businessman, offered the family a home to stay in rent-free for a year The Bruno family has since returned to New Orleans and Stacey and her husband Harold have welcomed two more kids Stacey Bruno still remembers the very long drive from New Orleans to Minneapolis that she and her family undertook 20 years ago as they were fleeing the city one day before Hurricane Katrina struck. We didn't know if we were gonna be coming back, but we didn't bring much at all," Stacey, 46, tells PEOPLE, which first covered the familys ordeal in September 2005. "We had nothing but just the clothes on our backs and whatever we had in our suitcases." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, Stacey, then 26, and her family husband Harold, 31, and their two children, daughter Tiara, 8, and son Harold Jr., 6 considered waiting out the storm at home. But their growing uneasiness made them decide to travel to Minneapolis, where Staceys parents lived. My sister had her kids and she didn't really have any transportation, Stacey recalls. So we wound up picking up my sister the day before the storm and we all left. My in-laws were in one vehicle, and we were in another vehicle with my sister and her children. PEOPLE first covered the Bruno family's post-Katrina dilemma in 2005 Staceys in-laws were dropped off in Mississippi, her mother-in-law had relatives there, while the rest of the family continued onward to Minneapolis, a journey that lasted over 20 hours and 1,043 miles. Once they arrived, the family turned on the TV to see what was happening back home. We found out that the levees broke and our city was flooded, Stacey recalls. "We couldn't get back." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortunately for the Brunos, Greg Lawrence, a local businessman, heard about the familys dilemma and he and his wife Janet invited the family to live rent-free for a year in a home he owned. They're very lovely people, says Stacey. They pulled out all the stops. They made sure that we had bedding and clothes and food. They were really, really hospitable to us. Other residents assisted Stacey and her family with donations, from a bunk bed to a 27-inch television. We even actually had somebody at one point donate a vehicle to us, says Stacey. "We really got everything that we needed. During their stay in Minneapolis, the Brunos did briefly return to New Orleans to salvage what was left of their home. You had people going around and marking houses, Stacey says. And unfortunately, we had people actually go into our home and take a lot of things. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, the family was able to recover some personal keepsakes such as photos, the kids report cards and most importantly, a china cabinet that Stacey's father, a military veteran, picked up from Korea. He gave this china cabinet to my grandmother," she says. "It was definitely a family heirloom. Surprisingly I was able to get that china cabinet and bring it back to Minnesota to my parents." Courtesy Stacy Bruno Harold and Stacey Bruno today Harold and Stacey Bruno today Stacey and Harold remained in Minneapolis until their two children finished out the 2006 school year and then the family returned to New Orleans for good. We had to actually go into a trailer park, and the trailer was very small," Stacey says. "We stayed there for a while. And then we were able to get an apartment some months later. From there, we wound up getting housing somewhere else." Since last speaking with PEOPLE, Stacey and Harold, now 51, welcomed two more children, son Antonio, 16, and daughter Autumn, 11. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having formerly worked for the New Orleans Police Department, Stacey is now with the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services; she also has a sideline career as a photographer. And she became a grandmother for the first time when her now-grown-up son Harold Jr. and his fiancee Janay welcomed daughter AMyri, now 1. Courtesy Stacy Bruno The Bruno family The Bruno family Twenty years after Katrina, Stacey says the experience has changed the way she thinks about hurricanes. When hurricane season comes upon us, we always grapple. We see a storm and we think, 'Is this the big one? Is this one that we have to leave? If we evacuate, is it gonna be forever this time?' " she says. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. She also hasnt forgotten about the generosity of Greg and Janet Lawrence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I haven't talked to the Lawrences much since, Stacey says. I always wonder how his family is doing, and I always like to let him know, Hey, my family's doing fine. " Read the original article on People Nearly two months after the tragic July 4 floods in Texas that killed more than 130 people, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, said hes still seeking answers to some of the most basic questions about the federal governments response. Which emergency officials did the National Weather Service call on the night of the flooding? How exactly did the agency staff up for the storm event? How did vacancies in key positions at the local National Weather Service office, such as the warning coordination meteorologist, affect the outcome? In four letters to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and in a fifth to the Department of Commerce, the Austin congressman has demanded records that would help tell the story of July 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive never received a written response, said Doggett, who is accusing the agencies of stonewalling his inquiries. The congressmans push for records highlights gaps in the public accounting of what happened that day. In the immediate aftermath of the flooding, independent meteorologists said the National Weather Service issued timely warnings and that its forecasts were solid, given the limits of modern forecasting technology during flash flood events. What was less clear then and remains so as of late August was how effectively the agency was able to reach emergency managers and other stakeholders on the ground when the risk to specific locations became apparent. Reaching the last mile is something former NWS meteorologists have said suffers when forecasting offices are short on staff or overworked. Lloyd Doggett at the U.S. Capitol in 2024. (Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images file) If they have nothing to hide and the Trump slash-and-burn approach to the weather service did not have any impact here, they need to produce the logs, Doggett said, referring to the records he has been seeking. Getting public attention on it is perhaps the only way to get the administration to respond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neither NOAA nor the Commerce Department responded to requests for comment. Doggett sent his first letter to NOAA on May 20, before the flooding. In the letter, which was addressed to acting NOAA Administrator Laura Grimm, Doggett shared concerns about the vacancy rate in the Austin/San Antonio weather forecasting office. That office oversaw forecasting and communication in the areas hit hard by the July storms. A 22% vacancy rate at the local NWS jeopardizes the timeliness of forecasts and warnings on which the community relies, Doggett wrote, asking how the agency would cope with the staff shortages and if it planned to fill any of the offices roles. After the flood disaster, Doggett followed up with NOAA on July 8 with 15 additional questions about the agencys response. Doggett said he received a videoconference meeting on July 11 with Ken Graham, the agencys director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a letter sent after the meeting on July 11, and again in a July 24 follow-up, Doggett requested the agency provide call logs, chat logs, radar archives and shift logs, among other records. He said that stuff was easy to provide, Doggett said, relaying his memory of Grahams comments during their Zoom meeting. Ive been asking about it ever since and theres no good explanation. Executive branch agencies are allowed to respond at their discretion to individual members of Congress conducting oversight, according to the Department of Justices interpretation of the law. But executive agencies often voluntarily accommodate congressional requests. Doggett said hes hounded NOAA with calls and texts, and in an Aug. 27 letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Doggett accused the Commerce Department of stifling a response he believed was prepared by NOAA to address his questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have been advised that answers to my inquiries have been prepared, but that these are being withheld by your office, Doggett wrote. We have no evidence of the NWSs preparation, communication, and response or lack thereof related to the July 4 flood. The refusal to provide a complete, timely response, suggests the Administration has something to hide concerning its handling of this tragedy. Doggett said four children from Austin were killed in the floods and called for an investigation of the tragedy similar to those performed by the National Transportation Safety Board after major disasters, an idea that has drawn bipartisan support. If this had been 27 children being lost in a plane crash, we would have NTSB doing a thorough investigation of every aspect of state, federal and local [actions], Doggett said. I dont see any indication of a thorough evaluation of what did and didnt happen at the federal level. NBC News has filed several Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with NOAA, seeking records from the NWS. Some of these requests could turn up records with answers to Doggetts questions, but they have yet to be fulfilled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the requests, for chat logs and communications between forecasters, was listed as assigned for processing, according to the Commerce Departments public records website. The agency said another request for information about staffing and job cuts would be processed in batches and released publicly along with other similar requests about the Texas floods. We are working to provide an interim release by the beginning of September, with ongoing releases through the end of the year, Julia Swanson, the agencys FOIA coordinatorc wrote in an Aug. 18 status update. To focus our limited staff resources effectively, all other FOIA requests have been temporarily tabled so that the NWS FOIA team can focus on processing Texas flooding requests. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore defended his rhetoric against President Donald Trump over crime in his home city of Baltimore amid an escalating feud between the two leaders. "I have no interest in fighting with the president, but I have an interest in fighting for my communities and fighting for our people," Moore told ABC News' "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz in an interview that aired Sunday. Earlier this month, Trump offered to send the National Guard into other cities across the country after his law enforcement surge into Washington, D.C., calling Baltimore "so far gone." Moore responded by formally inviting the president to join him and Baltimore officials on a public safety walk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Moore says he never called Trump 'greatest president of my lifetime' as Trump claims After the two continued to trade barbs on social media, Trump rebuked the invitation and renewed his threat to send the National Guard into Baltimore, calling the city a "hellhole" in the Oval Office on Tuesday. Julia Cherner/ABC News - PHOTO: ABC News' Martha Raddatz walks the streets of Baltimore with Maryland Governor Wes Moore. "Wes Moore was telling me he wants -- 'I want to walk with the president.' Well, I said, 'I want to walk with you, too, someday. But first you've got to clean up your crime," Trump said. Baltimore, like most of the U.S., has seen a drop in crime and homicides in recent years, but remains one of the country's most violent cities. It had the fifth-highest rate of violent crime and fourth-highest murder rate per capita in cities with at least 100,000 people last year, according to recent FBI data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Moore acknowledged there is still "work to do there," he touted the progress the state has made and called out the president's comments. Julia Cherner/ABC News - PHOTO: ABC News' Martha Raddatz sits down with Maryland Governor Wes Moore in Baltimore. "It would just be great if we could have a president of the United States to actually understand that this is one of the great American turnaround stories that's happening right now, and we would love the help to be able to continue to do that work instead of this -- arrogant criticism and cynicism that he continues to introduce into the conversation," Moore said. Moore said while he "would love more federal support," he called the National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C. "performative." Raddatz pressed Moore on the reduction in crime in Washington since the increased federal presence that D.C. Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser cited this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You've heard Mayor Bowser say [they've seen an] 87% reduction in carjackings, robberies cut by half. Why wouldn't you want that here, if that is actually helping?" Raddatz asked. Nathan Luna/ABC News - PHOTO: ABC News' Martha Raddatz speaks with Maryland Governor Wes Moore in Baltimore. "If the president of the United States were to have a serious conversation with me and say, what can we do -- particularly when you look at the cost of the National Guard of well over a million dollars a day?" Moore responded. "I would tell him things like, we need to make sure we're increasing funding for local law enforcement." "Asking me to deploy my National Guard, people who are not trained for municipal policing, is just not a serious approach," Moore added. Mayor Bowser said there have been benefits in reducing crime from the surge in federal law enforcement to support local police, saying at a press conference this week that we greatly appreciate the surge of officers. But she has said the use of National Guard troops hasnt been efficient. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we know is not working is a break in trust between police and community, especially with new federal partners in community, Bowser said Wednesday. We know having masked ICE agents in the community has not worked, and National Guards from other states has not been an efficient use of those resources. In posts on his social media platform, Trump has also resurfaced a controversy over Moore's military record. The New York Times reported last year that Moore falsely claimed to have been awarded a Bronze Star in a 2006 White House application. During his 2022 campaign, clips of Moore being introduced as a Bronze Star recipient and not correcting the interviewers in 2008 and 2010 surfaced. Moore had been recommended for the medal but did not receive it until last year and has called it an "honest mistake." Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images, FILE - PHOTO: Governor Wes Moore officially receives the Bronze Star Medal in a ceremony at the Governors Mansion in Annapolis, Maryland, on Dec. 20, 2024. In response, Moore called Trump "President Bone Spurs" in a post on X, referencing Trump's medical deferment from the Vietnam draft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moore said about his post: "When the president wants to attack my military record as someone who's actually a decorated combat veteran, as someone who actually has served overseas, as someone who has defended the country, I just think that if the president wants to have a real debate about public service and about the sacrifice for this country, he should really sit that debate out. I'm not the one he wants to have it with." Asked why he put the Bronze Star on his 2006 application, Moore told Raddatz he "didn't think about it" since his commanding officers told him to include it. "I think it's pretty common knowledge or common belief that when your, when your commanding officers, and your superior officers tell you, 'Listen, we put you in, and we've gone through everything, so as you're going through your application, include it.'" Moore said. "I included it, and I didn't think about it." Pressed on why he didn't correct the interviewers when they wrongly introduced him, Moore said "Even at the time of those interviews, it wasn't something I thought about." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Now I'm thankful that the military, after they found out that the paperwork was lost and didn't process [it], that they came back and awarded me the Bronze Star," Moore said. "So I do have a Bronze Star that I earned in Afghanistan and a Combat Action Badge that I earned in Afghanistan. So I'm proud of that, but that's not why I served." "But do you regret not correcting when you were introduced that way?" Raddatz asked. "I don't regret not going back and consistently looking over my service records. I don't. I'm thankful for the service I did. I'm grateful for the fact that I had the opportunity to lead soldiers in combat, what a small fraction of this people of this country will ever understand," Moore responded. Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for ESSENCE, FILE - PHOTO: Governor of Maryland Wes Moore speaks onstage during the 2025 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Moore's national profile has risen from his public clash with the president and some have drawn comparisons to California Gov. Gavin Newsom's brash style. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked how Democrats should approach taking on Trump, Moore said the party should "move with the kind of aggression that is necessary." "The Democrats don't have a messaging problem, there's a results problem. The Democrats have to deliver results and stop being the party of no and slow and start being the party of yes and now because the frustration that people have, it is real," Moore said. While speculation mounts about his future presidential ambitions, Moore said he's focused on delivering results for Marylanders. "You've got to focus on protecting your people right now and the issues that the people in our states are facing, and that's where I know my focus is," Moore said. Editor's Note:This story has been updated. Pakistans central Punjab province is facing one of the worst flood emergencies in recent history, as raging waters affect the lives of more than 2 million people and claimed 33 lives over the past week, officials said on Sunday. The floods in three eastern rivers have affected the lives of 2.06 million people, Mazhar Chaduhary, spokesman for the provincial disaster management authority, told dpa. He said that the authority has evacuated 760,000 people to safe locations in 511 relief camps set up in the province. More than 2,000 villages have been submerged by three rivers: the Chenab, Sutlej and Ravi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Torrential rains in neighbouring India have worsened the flooding after excess water was released into the Sutlej and Ravi both controlled by India under the Indus Water Treaty. At least 33 people have lost their lives so far in Punjab over the past week whereas the death toll from rain-related incidents since June 26, has risen to 849, according to the National Disaster Management Authority. A flood alert has been issued for the downstream areas of Punjab and southern province of Sindh as a flow of over 31,000 cubic metres per second is expected in next 24 hours. The evacuation process in Sindh has started and tens of thousands of people are being shifted to safer places. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah told the media that his government will protect lives and livestock under any circumstances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The monsoon, a season of heavy rains in South Asia that runs from July to September, has been unpredictable and harsher in recent years under the impact of climate change, killing thousands and affecting millions. More than 2,000 people were killed in super floods that hit Pakistan in 2022, submerging a third of the country, which amounts to a landmass more than the size of the United Kingdom. Good morning KELOLAND! We are tracking areas of clouds and more chances of scattered rain today across the region. Our short-term forecast calls for areas of rain to sprout up around Sioux Falls today. The picture below shows the scattered nature of this rain around the region. There are plenty of gaps in between the rain areas, so dont be surprise to miss this rain in spots. Heres a closer look at Futurecast. You can see the slow-moving nature of the rain across central into southeastern KELOLAND. Notice the rain around Sioux Falls will likely move in from NW IA due to the counter-clockwise motion of the clouds around that spinning area of low pressure. We expect a lingering chance of scattered rain tomorrow, but the coverage looks more limited. We are not done with the rain chances as additional showers will develop on Tuesday into Wednesday as a strong cold front moves into the plains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This map shows the wind forecast into midweek. You can see the push of cool NW winds on Wednesday and highs should stay in the 60s East River. Much cooler weather will be on the way later this week as this series of cold fronts from Canada continues. The coolest air of the week may not arrive until Friday. Here are the details of the forecast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. Voters in each party have become more likely to support gerrymandering if it counters redistricting efforts that favor their political opponents, new polls show. New YouGov surveys from this month show that many Americans say partisan gerrymandering the practice of redrawing congressional districts to favor one party is unfair. However, these polls also show that support for tit-for-tat gerrymandering the practice of one state redistricting in order to counter gerrymandering in another state has grown throughout August. This comes as California engages in a tit-for-tat redistricting battle with Texas. This month, Texas lawmakers approved a new congressional map that is expected to ensure Republicans win five new districts. Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed the new map into law on Friday. President Donald Trump supported the effort, claiming earlier this month that Republicans are entitled to five more seats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before lawmakers approved the map, about 40 percent of Democrats said they would support their state redrawing its districts to favor their party if Texas changes its districts to favor Republicans, according to a YouGov survey taken in early August. After Texas lawmakers approved the map, about 53 percent of Democrats said they would support counter-redistricting, a YouGov survey from late August showed. The YouGov polls showed a similar trend among Republicans after California Governor Gavin Newsom and other Democratic state leaders proposed a new congressional map to counter Texass efforts. California voters will decide in November whether they want to approve the new map, which could add up to five Democratic seats in Congress. California Governor Gavin Newsom wants voters to decide whether to redistrict the state to counter Texass new congressional map (Getty) About 33 percent of Republicans said they would support their state redistricting to favor their party if California redraws its map to favor Democrats, according to an early-August YouGov poll. After Newsom put the map on the ballot, about 40 percent of Republicans said they would support counter-redistricting in their state, a late-August YouGov poll showed. Over the course of this month, overall support has also grown for counter-redistricting. In early August, YouGov asked voters: If a state redraws their districts for the U.S. House of Representatives to favor one party, do you think it is fair or unfair for other states to redraw their districts to favor the other party? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initially, about 51 percent of Americans said it was unfair, while about 23 percent said it was fair. But when YouGov asked again in late August, after Abbott signed the new map into law and Newsom launched his counter-redistricting effort, opinions were more evenly split. About 37 percent of Americans said counter-redistricting was fair, while 39 percent said it was unfair. This growing support for counter-redistricting isnt surprising, according to Alexander Rossell Hayes, a senior data scientist at YouGov. You can have these views, and they seem opposed, but theyre not totally inconsistent, Hayes told The Hill. He added: It kind of makes sense, in a way, for someone to say, I think gerrymandering should be banned at the national level. If its not going to be banned at the national level, and other states are doing it, weve got to do it too. ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held to reveal $2.5 million in renovations to the main floor of Missouri Western State University's library. The ceremony will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4, on the second floor of the Hearnes Center on MoWest's campus. The library is now a more bright and welcoming place," said Sally Gibson, MoWest's library director. "I want students to walk in, immediately feel welcome, and think this is a place for me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The improvements included expanding student study spaces by reducing the footprint of the staff workspace and offices. With more library resources and materials available online, the need for space to house materials or process print materials has been reduced, according to a press release from MoWest. The new space also includes a 24-hour study space, a model classroom, a fireplace lounge and group and individual study rooms. A door to the Center for Academic Support has also been added inside the library, so students can enter directly from the library. Aug. 30MORGANTOWN Like most people regularly traveling Grafton Road, Morgantown Police Lt. Jason Ammons was both bemused and intrigued earlier this summer to see a mobile home seemingly abandoned for weeks at the entrance to Scott Avenue. So, like most people, he took to Facebook. "I saw all the comments, and they're funny and then they're not, " he said. Standing before Morgantown City Council earlier this week, Ammons recalled the exact moment the little house on the highway stopped being a punchline in his mind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I remember seeing that somebody said, 'If only everybody knew the story.' So, I just reached out to the lady and said, 'Call me. Tell me the story.'" Ammons explained. The story is the mobile home represented a new start for a couple that had lost their home to a fire. The home had been donated, but it needed to be relocated an undertaking that can cost thousands of dollars. Whatever the details surrounding the initial effort to move the trailer, it's clear the results were pretty disastrous. It initially sat along Kingwood Pike, near the I-68 overpass. Then it sat along Grafton Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The West Virginia Division of Highways started asking questions. The social media commentary began. And Ammons started making phone calls. "I do know a decent amount of people, " Ammons said, explaining he reached out to a racing buddy who owns a moving company. "He said, 'Man, if you can give me some money just for my equipment, I'll come move it for free as far as business goes. No problem.' Then the announcer at the racetrack where we race said, 'Hey, I'll do a GoFundMe.'" And that's what happened. The house was moved to property a little further down Grafton Road and the remaining GoFundMe dollars went to getting it set up and the electricity turned on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ammons was recognized by Morgantown City Council on Aug. 26 for his willingness to step into a situation above and beyond his duty as a Morgantown Police officer to assist community members when they needed it most. "Knowing Jason, I don't think he would consider that working too much above and beyond what he's normally called to do but I think everybody else does, " Morgantown Police Chief Eric Powell said. "I certainly appreciated it and I think it definitely is worthy of recognition, especially along the lines of just demonstrating the engagement and care of community that's really what a police officer should exemplify working within the job, going that extra mile and making the extra effort to help people in need." Morgantown City Councilor Joe Abu-Ghannam said the fact that so many people were responsive to Ammons' calls to get involved speaks volumes about his reputation within the community. "I feel really humbled for it, " Ammons said of the recognition. "We're just trying to make sure somebody had a place to live." The trial of two national MS-13 leaders set to start in October in Brooklyn Federal Court marks the latest chapter in a years-long effort by federal authorities in New York City and Long Island to dismantle the notorious El Salvadorian gang. The sprawling case covers four brutal murders and several other violent crimes in New Yok City and Long Island. The defendants include Edenilson Velasquez Larin, 36, and Hugo Diaz Amaya, 37, two men who prosecutors say sit at La Mesa, or The Table the group of senior gang leaders responsible for overseeing MS-13s overall operations in the U.S. Velasquez Larin and Diaz Amaya were two of the few members of La Mesa outside of prison and were among the top leaders responsible for the gangs operations on the East Coast of the United States, federal prosecutors wrote in an April letter seeking an anonymous and partially sequestered jury. They will be tried alongside a number of their subordinates, as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MS-13 members join local chapters of the gang, known as cliques, spread out across Queens, Long Island and other parts of the country. Velasquez Larin, known as Tiny, led the Fulton Locos Salvatruchas clique, while Diaz Amaya, or Splinter, was a leader in the Park View Locos Salvatruchas clique. Three other men are also listed as defendants, but Brooklyn Federal Court Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall is expected to only allow four of the five men to go to trial at the same time, and its not yet known who will face a separate proceeding. The two-month trial comes after DeArcy Hall sentenced another MS-13 member, Juan Amaya-Ramirez, to 45 years for beating and choking a 17-year-old boy to death after using his girlfriend to lure the teen to his death in a Queens park in 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also comes after the July sentencing of Alexi Saenz, a high-ranking MS-13 member on Long Island, who got 68 years for his role in eight murders, including ordering the brutal 2016 slayings of two teenage girls as revenge for a high school brawl. Velasquez Larin personally committed one of the murders covered by the trial, and gave the order in three others, prosecutors allege. Diaz Amaya gave the green light in one of the four slayings, the feds say. The details of each killing are horrific. On May 23, 2016, Velasquez Larin, one of his co-defendants, Jose Espinoza Sanchez, 26, or Cable, and two members of the Hempstead Locos Salvatruchas clique killed 18-year-old Kenny Reyes in Nassau County because they thought he was part of the rival 18th-Street Gang, prosecutors allege. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They lured Reyes to a wooded area, telling him theyd be smoking pot together, but instead hacked at him with machetes, and buried his body in a hole, the feds said. Velasquez Larin and Espinoza Sanchez bragged about the killing for years, and rose through the ranks of MS-13 because of their bloody work, according to the feds. Reyes father reported him missing two days later, after the teen didnt show up for work. A second victim, Victor Alvarenga, ran afoul of Velasquez Larin and Espinoza Sanchez in 2018, when he started hanging out in Flushing and bragged that he was a homeboy, or a full-fledged member, of another clique, the Hollywood Locos Salvatruchas, according to court filings by prosecutors. At some point, Alvarenga disrespected Espinoza Sanchez, so the angered gangbanger and Velasquez Larin started researching their new antagonist, the feds allege Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They found out from MS-13 leaders in El Salvador that Alvarenga cooperated with cops there and was already green lit for death, the feds allege. So they told their subordinates in the Fulton clique to befriend and spy on Alvarenga, the feds said. Alvarenga got into a dispute with two members of yet another clique, Indios Locos Salvatruchas so the Fulton and Indios crews teamed up to put an end to him, the feds said. On Nov. 3, 2018, Espinoza Sanchez and four MS-13 members stalked Alvarenga for hours until he left a bar, then walked with him for a few blocks outside his home before shooting him in the head, the feds say. A spat between gang members led to another murder, in 2020, when Oscar Hernandez Baires, a Fulton member, started beefing with Eric Monge, then a member of the Guanacos Little Cycos Salvatruchas clique, the feds allege. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monge punched the Fulton member in the head, who complained to Espinoza Sanchez, who then in turn complained to Velasquez Larin who ordered Monges murder, the feds said. Velasquez Larin provided the guns, and early Sept. 6, 2020, Hernandez Baires joined MS-13 member Jose Guevara Aguilar, 26, in a mission to kill Monge near his Queens home. Baires has pleaded guilty in the killing, while Guevara Aguilar is one of the men facing trial in October. They waited for Monges wife to take his young children inside, then opened fire on Monge as he sat in the front passenger seat, the feds allege. Monges wife stepped back out just as they started shooting. Two more Fulton members, including Jose Arevalo Iraheta, whos also on trial, waited in a getaway car, the feds allege. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And in February 2022, Velasquez Larin and his fellow La Mesa bigwig Diaz Amaya ordered the murder of 20-year-old Oswaldo Gutierrez Medrano, a member of the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas clique, the feds allege. Several MS-13 members lured him to a spot in Nassau County by telling him hed be beaten up as part of a gang initiation ritual, but midway through the beating they started chopping him with machetes and knives, the feds said. The group dismembered him and buried him in the woods, and his distraught aunt and cousin filed a missing persons report after they didnt hear from him for more than a day, the feds allege. All five defendants face mandatory life sentences if convicted of murder in aid of racketeering. MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) Starting in September, Middle Tennessee State University Police will host self-defense classes for women who want to learn realistic tactics to protect themselves. The class will teach the Rape Aggression Defense Systems (RAD), which is described as a women only course that teaches how to defend against various types of assault. The course focuses on prevention and risk avoidance before moving into hands on self-defense tactics. One of Americas most conservative colleges in TN, says new report Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instructors are Tennessee Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) certified law enforcement officers and nationally certified RAD Systems instructors. According to MTSU, classes are open to any female 13 years or older, and attendees are not required to be a student, faculty, or staff of the college. No previous experience in defense is required, and instructors can accommodate attendees with any physical impairments. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The free class is 15 hours total and meets for three hours weekly. They will be held on MTSUs campus each Monday in September. Find additional information and register at police.mtsu.edu/rad/. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. CLEVELAND, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Over twenty agencies from across multiple counties responded to a three-alarm fire that broke out at the Daimler Freightliner facility in Cleveland Saturday afternoon. The fire started shortly before noon at the facility on Statesville Boulevard, according to Rowan County Emergency Services. Details on what caused the fire remain under investigation by the NC State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and the Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During fire suppression efforts, one firefighter fell into a small pit area but was able to safely exit the building. Thankfully, all employees at the facility were safely evacuated without injury. Several firefighters did experience heat exhaustion and dehydration while battling the flames. The American Red Cross provided on-scene support to those impacted. One firefighter was taken to the hospital for monitoring, but they are expected to recover. We are grateful for the rapid, unified response from so many partner agencies that ensured this incident was contained and that all occupants and personnel remained safe, said Kenny Payne, Chief, Cleveland Community Fire Department. The strong collaboration between emergency responders and Daimler staff helped limit injuries during a challenging incident. This is a Developing Story . Check back for updates Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. DECATUR COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) A blaze broke out at GSM Outdoors in Parsons Friday afternoon, drawing emergency personnel from across Decatur County, as well as neighboring counties. According to Decatur County Emergency Management, a 911 call came in just before 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29 about a structure fire at GSM Outdoors, but when crews arrived at the scene, they knew theyd need additional resources, so an all-call was issued to fire departments across the county, even the Decatur County Sheriffs Office Fire Brigade. In addition, nearby residents were asked to evacuate as a precaution. Officials said support was also requested from surrounding agencies, including the Lexington Fire Department, the Madison County Fire Department, the Chester County Fire Department, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, and the National Weather Service (for weather and smoke plume monitoring). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crews battle two-alarm apartment fire along Elm Hill Pike Meanwhile, Decatur County EMS said it was called to stand by at GSM Outdoors at the request of the Parsons Fire Department and the Decaturville Fire Department before the situation evolved. What began as single stand-by, quickly escalated into a large-scale, multi-agency operation. The fire spread quickly and grew in intensity, requiring multiple personnel to be evaluated, treated, and transported by our EMS professionals, the agency wrote on social media. To ensure that we could focus the necessary attention on those bravely fighting the firewhile also continuing to provide care for other medical emergencies across our countyDecatur County EMS requested assistance from neighboring counties and outside resources. (Courtesy: Decatur County EMS) (Courtesy: Decatur County EMS) (Courtesy: Decatur County EMS) (Courtesy: Decatur County EMS) (Courtesy: Decatur County EMS) (Courtesy: Decatur County EMS) (Courtesy: Decatur County EMS) (Courtesy: Decatur County EMS) (Courtesy: Decatur County EMS) (Courtesy: City of Parsons Police Department and Fire Department) (Courtesy: City of Parsons Police Department and Fire Department) (Courtesy: City of Parsons Police Department and Fire Department) (Courtesy: City of Parsons Police Department and Fire Department) (Courtesy: Decatur County Emergency Management) (Courtesy: Decatur County Emergency Management) (Courtesy: Decatur County Sheriffs Office) (Courtesy: Bath Springs Fire Department) (Courtesy: Bath Springs Fire Department) According to officials, in addition to Decatur County EMS, the following agencies helped at the scene with medical triage and treatment, as well as other emergency calls across the county: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Henderson County EMS Perry County EMS Hardin County EMS Medical Center EMS Houston County EMS Tennessee Department of Health Division of EMS Jackson-Madison County Health Department Air Evac 141 (which was temporarily evacuated for safety since its base is near GSM Outdoors) Air Evac 123 In addition, the Parsons Police Department, the Decaturville Police Department, and the sheriffs office ensured safety and security at the scene while the Dickson County Rescue Squad supplied critical items to set up emergency stations, along with ATVs so crews could respond quickly to those in need. The Utility Department, Lexington Electric, and Decatur County 911 also provided crucial assistance. 2 minors, 2 adults injured following Christian County crash The number of injuries varies among the reports from different agencies. For example, the City of Parsons Police Department and Fire Department posted Friday evening that two public safety officers and one firefighter were injured but stable. Several hours later, the Bath Springs Fire Department reported three injured firefighters were transported to local hospitals while others were cared for by Decatur County EMS. Then, on Saturday, Aug. 30, Decatur County Emergency Management announced several firefighters suffered minor burns and heat exhaustion, adding that a few who were brought to Henderson County Community Hospital were in good condition, and others were treated at the scene by EMS crews. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This incident highlights the strength of teamwork and mutual aid. Agencies from across West Tennessee came together to protect lives and property, and we are proud to serve alongside them, Decatur County Emergency Management wrote. Thank you to every responder, agency, and volunteer who contributed to this effort. Be it food donated, drinks donated or doing all you could to help Its this spirit of cooperation that makes Decatur County and West Tennessee so special. The City of Parsons posted a statement on Facebook Saturday afternoon, saying, in part, The City of Parsons wants to thank every fire department, police officer, emergency management team, medical staff, city employees, and volunteers who worked so hard during yesterdays fire at GSM. Your quick response, teamwork, and dedication mean more than we can ever say. We are so grateful for each of you. In moments like these, we are reminded of the strength of our community and the power of neighbors helping neighbors. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com According to officials, the fire may be down, but the scene is still active and restricted, so community members are asked to keep their distance and give crews the necessary space to continue their work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decautur County Emergency Management confirmed the structure was still smoldering and smoking Saturday afternoon, saying that may continue for a few days. The factory manager and operators told officials no hazardous chemicals were stored within GSM Outdoors Parsons facility, but Selmer Fire Department was asked to do air monitoring tests around the scene and downwind in nearby neighborhoods as a precaution. No hazards were found. Meanwhile, Air Evac 141 said its aircraft and crew safely relocated to the Beech River Regional Airport, but due to the bases proximity to GSM Outdoors, its teams will be displaced until the crew quarters and hanger are cleared and deemed safe to return. The Bath Springs Fire Department said the cause of the fire is still unknown, but its under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. WEBER COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) Three people were shot, including a man shot in the head and 5-year-old girl shot in the hip, in Weber County early Sunday morning, according to the Weber County Sheriffs Office. At around 1 a.m. on Aug. 31, Weber authorities received a 911 call of a man that had been shot in the area of 9300 W 900 S. While deputies were en route, additional calls came in reporting the possibility of other victims. Upon arrival, deputies found a large gathering with multiple vehicles leaving the area. Deputies found a man in his early 20s who had been shot in the head. He was flown to the hospital in critical condition, according to the sheriffs office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On scene, deputies also found a 5-year-old girl with a gunshot wound to her leg/hip and another male with a gunshot wound to his shoulder. Both individuals were taken to the hospital in non-life-threatening condition. Our detectives are currently speaking to all the witnesses that were in the area and are working to identify a suspect, a press release from the Weber County Sheriffs Office states. This remains an active and ongoing investigation. No further information will be given at this time. If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact Weber Area Dispatch at 801-395-8221 and reference case #25WC30717. This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available. Latest headlines: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. HACKENSACK, N.J. (PIX11) Multiple police cars were burned in a suspicious fire at a parking area for the Hackensack Police Department, officials said. The fire started just after 8 p.m. Saturday at an overflow parking area on Trinity Place, according to the Bergen County Prosecutors Office. 8 police cruisers set on fire in Brooklyn parking lot: NYPD Multiple police vehicles were parked and unoccupied in the parking lot when the fire broke out, officials said. No one was injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Jersey officials are investigating the fire as suspicious. In June, eight police cruisers were set on fire inside a locked parking lot in Brooklyn, according to the NYPD. The suspected arsonist was arrested later in June. Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. According to a press release, the City of Muscatine will temporarily close the downriver boat launch and adjacent parking lot near the Iowa Ave. entrance to Riverside Park. American Melody (City of Muscatine) The closure will be on Tuesday, September 2 from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to accommodate the arrival of the American Melody, a river cruise ship. The American Melody is scheduled to arrive in Muscatine around 11:00 p.m. on Monday, September 1. Passengers will disembark the next morning between 8:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., with the ship set to depart at 1:00 p.m. September 2. The downriver launch will be closed during the ships visit, but the upriver boat launch will remain open to the public for continued access for boating and fishing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. We're turning the calendar this week. With Labor Day's arrival comes a reminder that there aren't that many outdoor shows and festivals left before, you know... Maybe that's a good excuse to get out to a show this week. With the return of the school year and Labor Day, the week starts a little slow, but it starts looking like a fall concert calendar by mid-week. Here are all the concerts you shouldn't miss this week in the Twin Cities. Pup and Jeff Rosenstock Wednesday, Sept. 3, at Palace Theatre Advertisement Advertisement PUP has built a following the old-fashioned way, putting out a series of consistently solid albums. That's continued with their newly released fifth album, Who Will Look After the Dogs? Even if that record sounds a bit more mature and introspective, it's still full of pop-punk anthems with post-hardcore tendencies and AFI-like sing-along hooks. They're co-headlining with DIY punker Jeff Rosenstock, who also went a little more subtle on his most recent record, 2023's HELLMODE. It's an album that vacillates between quiet, melodic passages and all-out, raw energy. Though, of course, there are still entire songs of the latter, like the deeply personal political frustration of "HEAD." Ekko Astral opens. Marc Ribot record release Friday, Sept. 5, at The Cedar Cultural Center Prolific and innovative guitarist Marc Ribot is celebrating the release of his latest record, Map of a Blue City, at The Cedar. It's a different release for the songwriter who has collaborated with Tom Waits, John Zorn, Marianne Faithfull, Neko Case, and Elvis Costello. His interest in jazz, roots music, and noise is still present, but it's an album more centered on his voice. Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere, Minnesota-based roots songwriter Charlie Parr is performing at The Dakota. And over at The Hook and Ladder Theater, there's another installment of the Minnesota String Gathering, with a lineup that includes Brotherhood of Birds, The Foxgloves, and The Way Back Yard. The Black Keys. Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair. The Black Keys Saturday, Sept. 6, at Palace Theatre After a canceled Target Center gig in 2024, The Black Keys are coming to town for the first time in a while. They'd originally slated a Minneapolis stop following the release of Ohio Players, which featured Bryant Lake Bowl on its cover. But, another year, another record. They're touring behind this year's more pop-oriented album, No Rain, No Flowers, which is a little less heavy on the blues. The Heavy Heavy open. That same night, country star Jason Aldean will headline Xcel Energy Center, accompanied by Nate Smith, RaeLynn, and Dee Jay Silver. City Country Fest feat. The Hilltop Pines, Redwing Blackbird, Cowboy Thoughts, & more Saturday, Sept. 6, at Palmer's Bar Advertisement Advertisement A certain brand of country music is having a moment, with western sounds regularly infiltrating indie rock, hip-hop, and punk. City Country Fest, which has an enormous lineup, brings together classic country and more genre-blending groups at Palmer's. The lineup includes The Hilltop Pines, Cowboy Thoughts, Redwing Blackbird, Cole Diamond, Molly Brandt, Jeff Larson & The Kings of Neon, Phantom Fields, and others. At Pilllar Forum, catch Agora Bomb headlining an enticing lineup of local punk talent that also features Scrunchies, Anita Velveeta, and Mary Jam. Clipse Sunday, Sept. 7, at The Armory The duo of Pusha T and No Malice is on tour for the first time since 2010 behind the well-reviewed, Pharrell-produced record Let God Sort Em Out. Advertisement Advertisement The Virginia Beach brothers made a record with a chip on its shoulder, packed with aggressive but sparse beats and guest spots from Kendrick Lamar, John Legend, Nas, The Dream, and Tyler, the Creator. They recently performed "Chains & Whips" live with Kendrick for the first time, but don't expect that kind of cameo when they land at The Armory. EarthGang opens. Cornbread Harris Sunday, Sept. 7, at Palmer's Bar (free) Palmer's Bar is coming up on its Sept. 14 closing date. So, it's time to catch the Church of Cornbread there once more. This is the final date for Harris' long-running Sunday residency. Harris, a Minnesota music legend, famously plays a lot of gigs, but his Palmer's residency is a pillar of the concert calendar that we'll be sad to see disappear. If recent weeks are any indication, it's going to be packed. Get there early if you want a view of Harris at the piano. For something less intimate and locally oriented, The Doobie Brothers are playing with Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band at Mystic Lake Casino. Related: Just announced concerts: Halsey, Playboi Carti, Darkness Day Concerts on Monday, Sept. 1: Concerts on Tuesday, Sept. 2: Concerts on Wednesday, Sept. 3: Related: Halsey will return to 'Badlands' in Minneapolis this fall Concerts on Thursday, Sept. 4: Concerts on Friday, Sept. 5: Related: Movies to see this week: 'Sign 'O' the Times,' 'Jaws,' 'The Great Escape' Concerts on Saturday, Sept. 6: Concerts on Sunday, Sept. 7: Related: Surly announces free Darkness Day festival with Strung Out playing album in its entirety This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Aug 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the MN Lifestyle section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. A New Hampshire woman who fatally shot two of her children and her husband before killing herself last month was under investigation on suspicion of stealing money from her employer, police said. The bodies of Emily Long, 34, Ryan Long, 48, Parker Long, 8, and Ryan Long, 6, were discovered inside their home in Madbury on Aug. 18. A third child, a toddler, was found in the home unharmed, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emily Long had worked at Wing-Itz, a chicken wing chain in New Hampshire, as the director of operations. A complaint accusing her of theft from Wing-Itz was filed with the Hampton Police Department on Aug. 11 seven days before the murder-suicide, police said. Our department was not able to engage in a meaningful investigation prior to her untimely death, Hampton Police Chief Alex Reno said, noting the case remains open but suspended. Wing-Itz did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday. Its owner, Derek Fisher, was unavailable when reached by NBC News on Saturday, but told The Boston Globe this week that Long was suspected of embezzling about $660,000 from the business since January 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was essentially my number two in my company. We worked very closely together, he told the paper. Fisher said that on June 18, he and his bookkeeper noticed that a large number of checks from his business accounts had been written out to Long and deposited into her personal bank account. He said he confronted Long that day and asked her to provide three months of her prior bank statements, which she returned on Aug. 5. He reported that the statements looked unusual and he took them to Longs bank, which told him the statements had been allegedly doctored and manipulated, according to Fisher. He said he confronted Long again and asked her to accompany him to the bank and she declined. Fisher said that he decided to give her time because he knew her husband had been diagnosed with cancer a few months prior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They had agreed to meet at the bank on Aug. 11, but when the day came, Long texted Fisher saying she was resigning, or she could stay in some sort of remote capacity, or I could terminate her, Fisher told The Boston Globe. He said he felt he had no other option than to go to police and file the complaint. Fisher told the newspaper he doesnt seek to recover the money anymore. I feel like the child should get all those assets, he said, referring to the surviving toddler. Thats the only fair thing, or what I feel is right. The restaurant wrote on Facebook on Aug. 20: Our hearts and prayers are with Emily Longs family during this incredibly challenging time. We are profoundly grief-stricken to hear of their loss. From all of us we send our sincerest condolences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The grisly discovery of the slain family two days earlier shocked the community. Ryan Long died from multiple gunshots, and the two children died from a single gunshot, officials said. Their deaths were ruled homicides. Longs husband had been diagnosed with brain cancer, and she had posted about the diagnosis on her TikTok account, which was made private after the shootings, the New Hampshire Union Leader reported. The attorney generals office said a motive is still under investigation. While investigators are becoming aware of various concerns/issues ongoing in the household at the time of the event in question, people should avoid speculating that this event was caused by a single reason or stressor, the attorney generals office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988, or go to 988lifeline.org, to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Alzheimers disease doesnt appear overnight. It builds silently over decades. And now, scientists say one surprising factor might be accelerating that decline: nanoplastics. In a new preclinical study published in Environment and Health, researchers from Monash University and South China University of Technology found that exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics aggravated Alzheimer's-like symptoms in mice. The findings suggest that neurological damage may not be limited to the brain. It could spread through the gut-liver-brain axis, creating a cascade of inflammation and degeneration. These nanoplastics set off a chain reaction whereby Alzheimers disease develops and spreads from the top down, said Pu Chun Ke, adjunct professor at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. What Are Nanoplastics and Why Should You Care? Nanoplastics are microscopic fragments that result from the breakdown of everyday plasticswater bottles, food wrappers, and synthetic clothing. Theyre smaller than five millimeters and nearly impossible to avoid. Studies have found them in human blood, lungs, brain tissue, and even breast milk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mice in the study didnt just develop inflammation in the brain. They also showed signs of fatty liver disease, meaning the plastics caused systemic damage, not just cognitive decline. For men over 40 focused on long-term performance and mental clarity, this research highlights a growing concern: environmental toxins may be quietly affecting your brain health. Youre Already Exposed The bad news? Youre probably already carrying nanoplastics in your system. Whether its from microplastic dust in the air or chemicals leaching from your protein shaker, exposure is everywhere. The good news? There are a few simple steps you can take to reduce the daily load. What You Can Do Right Now Ditch the bottled water. Use stainless steel or glass. Stop microwaving in plastic. Heat accelerates chemical leaching. Check your food storage. Go BPA-free or use ceramic containers. Filter your water. Look for filters that remove microplastics. Vacuum and dust regularly. Microplastic particles accumulate indoors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This isnt fear-mongering. Its a reminder that performance and prevention go hand in hand. If youre already investing in your health, this is one more factor worth considering. This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Health & Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Its Labor Day weekend, and Monday is a paid holiday for many workers, including state employees. The holiday grew out of the labor movement in the late 1800s in New York City, and became a national holiday in 1894, according to the U.S. Labor Department. Among the thousands of North Carolina state employees with a day off for Labor Day are about 80 who work directly for the governors office. Good Sunday morning to you, and thanks for reading our Under the Dome newsletter focusing on Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. Im Dawn Vaughan, The News & Observers Capitol bureau chief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My colleague, data investigative reporter David Raynor, maintains The N&O government salaries database, and pulled together the salary information earlier this year for Steins Cabinet secretaries, who all earn $230,000 or $290,000. This time, we are sharing the salary data for the current staff for Steins office. Salaries range from $49,273 for special assistants to $230,000 for Steins chief of staff. Stein himself, whose salary is set by the General Assembly, earns $203,073. Those are the only two whose salaries top $200,000 a year. Steins top lieutenants are the highest paid, with Chief of Staff Seth Dearmin at the top of the pay scale, followed by salaries of $180,000 for Steins chief legal counsel, two deputy chiefs of staff and a senior adviser. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The position of administrative officer has a wide salary range, with the top salary of $180,000 going to Matt Calabria, the former Wake County commissioner who now leads Steins Helene recovery office, known as GROW NC. State employee raises for 2025 are on the table as the already late state budget is being negotiated by Republican House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate leader Phil Berger. The most recent data available for top salaries General Assembly leaders staff, from 2023, showed chiefs of staff for Berger and the House speaker at about $200,000 and $176,000, respectively. The N&Os searchable salary database is updated every month, with information from the state controller. Thanks for reading Under the Dome I want to thank one of our Under the Dome readers, Vernie Davis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just read your piece today about the status of potential veto overrides, Davis emailed me about this past Sundays newsletter. Thank you very much for your coverage of NC government news to help keep us up to date on the General Assembly and other NC government activities. This information better prepares us to communicate with our elected representatives. In my estimation this is one of the most valuable services of The N&O, Davis said. Davis went on to say that I pass these along to friends more than any other part of The N&O. Thanks so much for reading! Reach me at dvaughan@newsobserver.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Be sure to listen to our Under the Dome podcast that posts every Tuesday morning. On our new episode, Im joined by Charlotte Observer politics reporter Mary Ramsey. We talk about two newsmaking Charlotte-Mecklenburg members of the House delegation: Reps. Carla Cunnigham and Tricia Cotham. Know anyone else whod like to get this email? Forward them this newsletter, or send them this link so they can sign up. No longer want to receive this newsletter? Update your email preferences near the bottom of this email. Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If youre already a subscriber, thank you! A ride at the Nebraska State Fair on Aug 29, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner) GRAND ISLAND The Nebraska State Fair started Aug. 22 with Gov. Jim Pillen and retiring U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., talking from the Earl May Fair Square Stage about their love of the fair. Pillen said the fair gets better and better each year. Bacon called it such a treat to be there. Pillen said its important to appreciate who we are as Nebraskans. Bacon said he enjoys how the fair celebrates agriculture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the stock shows and food are the main attractions at the fair which is older than the state itself, the states political parties and politicians still engage in politics there, as Republican and Democratic Party leaders view it as a great way to connect with Nebraskans. For many people, the fair may be their only face-to-face interaction with the party outside of campaign season, a Nebraska GOP spokesperson said. Its a chance to listen, to build relationships, and to remind folks that the Republican Party is part of the Nebraska tradition, just like the fair itself. Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb calls the fair an excellent opportunity for Democrats to meet voters where they are and to enjoy a beef sundae, a fair concoction of mashed potatoes, shredded beef and cheese and sour cream, topped with cherry tomatoes to resemble an ice cream sundae. We must be there to represent, provide valuable party and candidate information, register voters and visit with Nebraskans who want a better future for our state and country, Kleeb said. A tractor at the Nebraska State Fair on Aug 29, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner) Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who had a booth of his own, said, Nothing surpasses being able to talk face-to-face with Nebraskans and hear their thoughts about the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There might be a chance for fairgoers to spot state senators such as Stan Clouse and Loren Lippincott, as well as members of the federal delegation, including 3rd District U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, walking past a combine. Kathleen Lodl, 4-H Program Administrator and an ex-officio member of the State Fairs Executive Board, said fairs are a chance for people to come together to share ideas, so it makes sense why political parties and candidates show up. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The political presence is a bit different than in past fairs, as one Nebraska State Fair tradition is fading candidate debates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most recent traditional State Fair debates came in 2018, when U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., debated State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln, a member of the Lincoln City Council at the time, and then-Gov. Pete Ricketts debated State Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha for governor. U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn talking to the media at the Nebraska State Fair on Aug 29, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner) In 2022, there were no debates at the State Fair between Pillen and former State Sen. Carol Blood for governor, as Pillen chose not to debate. Nor was there a fair debate between former State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks and 1st Congressional District U.S. Representative Mike Flood. During his 2024 bid against Fischer, registered nonpartisan Omaha labor leader Dan Osborn pushed to debate Fischer at the fair, but she and her campaign declined. Smith and his 2024 Democratic challenger, Daniel Ebers, didnt debate either. Former Nebraska State Fair Executive Director Bill Ogg said he didnt get an inquiry about a State Fair debate in 2022 which he considered surprising. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its customary to debate at the Nebraska State Fair, a tradition Osborn said in his campaign video last year. Lodl said fewer candidates need to reach broad in-person audiences like those at the fair because communication media has changed. So now instead of having to go to a public debate we see those on TV so that they can hit a wider audience of people. And so it wasnt necessary to have a public platform, Lodl said. Some candidates also turn down media-sponsored debates. Osborn attended the fair last week as an audience member for now-U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts federal issues forum. Ricketts faced a few hecklers and outbursts on Friday and defended his support for the tax and spending measure President Donald Trump labeled the Big Beautiful Bill. A fairgoer holding an Ricketts Review magazine during U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts forum at the Nebraska State Fair on Aug 29. 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner) At one point, an audience member yelled, Youre a f traitor, Pete! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While there were occasional outbursts, most of the central Nebraska crowd supported Ricketts. The forum featured panels from Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin and U.S. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming. Barraso and Ricketts talked about the benefits of preserving the tax cuts from Trumps first term and how Republicans new work requirements for Medicaid and food stamps are modest. Ricketts and other officials took no questions from the audience. Ricketts told the Examiner that despite the outbursts, the forum went wonderfully well and said such forums give people an opportunity to hear directly whats going on in Washington, D.C. Osborn criticized Ricketts defense of the bill, saying in a social media post that the math doesnt add up. He said the emergency funds for rural hospitals Congress put in the tax and spending bill werent enough to replace the same bills longer-term cuts to Medicaid. In modern politics, Osborns post and any Ricketts responses might be the closest voters get to a political debate at the fair, but both Ricketts and Osborn have expressed a willingness to debate during the 2026 race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, fairgoers walking near the political booths showed mild interest in what the booths offered. The state GOP booth featured cutouts of President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, tables filled with pamphlets from Republican candidates and yard signs. Fairgoers could test their knowledge of the Constitution with a small spin wheel. Nebraska Republican Party Chair Mary Jane Truemper, who manned the GOP booth on Friday, said her public interactions were positive, adding that people seem to really like Vance. Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts talked to Nebraska Republican Party Chair Mary Jane Truemper at the Nebraska State Fair on Aug 29. 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner) Some fairgoers took pictures with the presidential and vice presidential cutouts. Trumper said booth volunteers saw a few people who gave them side eye as they walked by the booth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democrats booth offered information about how to get involved with the party and a pamphlet resembling a newspaper, featuring a headline, Democrats win big, with a picture of Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr., who defeated Incumbent Republican Mayor Jean Stothert this year. Volunteers at the booth said that the people who typically visit are already Democrats. Still, they see it as an opportunity to recruit them to volunteer for the party and its candidates. Ricketts visited the GOP booth to have small talk with Truemper, saying he had never seen a party chair at the fair booth before. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE LAS VEGAS (KLAS) When you hear the word SCORP, you may think of the deserts creepy crawlers, but to Nevada State Parks, its an acronym that has importance behind it. It stands for Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, a 10-year roadmap to develop the future of parks from a state to a local level. Deputy administrator Janice Keillor and her state parks team want residents help to decide where $4 million should go each year. We ask questions like, How often do you go outside? How far are you willing to travel to go to an outdoor recreation amenity? What kinds of places do you like to go to? Is it a state park? Is it a national park? Is it a local park, or is it just walking around your neighborhood on the sidewalk? Keillor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those questions were asked as part of an online survey. Its not the first time theyve done the survey, but its the first time the plan has lasted a decade. Previous SCORPs lasted for five years, with research starting halfway through. One of the biggest demands in the last survey was to acquire more open space to protect it from constant development in the community. Nevada State Parks listened, making it a goal in the current SCORP, set to end in 2026. Were currently working on several acquisitions that will become part of our existing parks, Keillor said. Except for one, it would actually create a new park down the road at some point. In southern Nevada, leaders have used SCORPs funding for Ice Age Fossils State Parks trails and visitor center, along with projects on the local level within Clark County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if parks are not your cup of tea, Keillor wants to hear from you, saying it would help them know what the entire population in Nevada wants to see. I think if youre just getting information from a certain group, then I dont know if the results are at least as accurate as it could be, she said. The survey is open through September 15, and you can complete it at this link. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. (WFRV) On this weeks Newsmaker Sunday, Tom Zalaski is joined by Waupaca Mayor Brian Smith and City Administrator Josh Finch to discuss everything Waupaca has to offer northeast Wisconsin. Our tour of northeast Wisconsin continues on this weeks edition of Newsmaker Sunday! This time, we head to the western side of our viewing area for a visit to the City of Waupaca. Newsmaker Sunday: Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tune in to Newsmaker Sunday every Sunday at 7:30 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Homeland Security Secretary Krist Noem has been mercilessly mocked by California Gov. Gavin Newsoms office for claiming that Los Angeles wouldnt be standing today had President Donald Trump not sent in the National Guard. Noem appeared on CBS News Face the Nation Sunday and was asked by host Ed OKeefe, the networks senior White House correspondent, whether we should expect to see similar scenes in Chicago, which Trump has threatened to target next. Part of what distinguished the Los Angeles operations, however, is that National Guard troops were there, in essence, protecting or backing up those federal agents as they conducted operations, OKeefe asked the secretary. Is that what we should expect to see in Chicago? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noem said she wouldnt comment on the specifics of the plans for the Illinois city but claimed, I do know that LA wouldn't be standing today if President Trump hadn't taken action. Newsoms official press office account on X had a simple response. Newsom has been baiting Trump and his MAGA base in recent weeks by imitating the presidents unique style on social media (Getty Images) Hahahahahhahahahahahahahaha, the account said, along with a clip of the interview. Newsom sued the federal government after it deployed troops to LA in June following protests against the administrations anti-immigration operation. That city wouldve burned down if left to the devices of the mayor and the governor of that state, Noem continued. And so the citizens who live there, the small business owners in downtown LA, theyre thankful that president Trump came in with federal law enforcement officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OKeefe then stopped Noem and said he wanted to clarify her claim. You said LA wouldnt be standing if not for these federal deployments? he asked Noem. So many of those homes and businesses that were in downtown LA and in those areas were dealing with riots and violence, Noem said, doubling down. Coming in and bringing those federal law enforcement officers in was incredibly important to keeping peace. Newsoms official press office account on X had a simple response to Noems claim (@GovPressOffice/@atrupar/CBS/X) Newsom has been baiting Trump and his MAGA base in recent weeks by imitating the presidents unique style on social media. The governor has been posting in all caps, sharing outrageous AI memes of himself and using Trumps signature catchphrase: Thank you for your attention to this matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im just following [Trumps] example, Newsom told reporters last week when asked about his posting strategy. If you have issues with what Im putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns with what hes putting out as president. Noems comments about LA come as the Trump administration looks to deploy the military to Chicago, having already sent the National Guard to Washington, D.C. Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson laid out plans Saturday detailing how his administration would respond to any attempts by Trump to move into the city. We have received credible reports that we have days, not weeks before our city sees some type of militarized activity by the federal government, Johnson warned Saturday. It is unclear at this time what that will look like. We must take immediate, drastic action to protect our people from federal overreach. We may see militarized immigration enforcement. We may also see National Guard troops. We may even see active duty military and armed vehicles in our streets, the mayor said. DAYTON, Ohio, (WDTN) Thankfully, no one was injured after a water rescue call in Auglaize County late Saturday evening. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol post in Wapakoneta, the call for the water rescue came in from St. Marys Boat Club on Edgewater Dr. Officials from the post, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), local police and medics went to the scene. Combined $3.5M distributed to 4 local groups for conservation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The post said two boaters who were lost and disoriented were found. They were lost and their phones were dead. However, neither was injured. The ODNR shared the people had not returned their rental. ODNR Natural Resources Officers were called out to Grand Lake St. Marys State Park after it was reported two people did not return a boat rental. The two people and the watercraft were located around 9:37 p.m. Saturday night. No injuries were reported, wrote ODNR. The lake is still under an Algal Bloom/Toxin advisory. 2 NEWS is working to learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) The states health department is issuing a COVID-19 vaccine health order. CVS and Walgreens are now requiring either a prescription for the COVID-19 vaccine or are not offering it at all in some states. This comes as a new directive from the FDA on who is approved for the vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax. The directive allows all seniors to receive the vaccines, and only younger adults and children with health conditions. COVID is spiking again, especially in these states Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement CBS obtained from CBS, the pharmacy chain cannot vaccinate those even with a prescription in Massachusetts, Nevada, and New Mexico due to state laws and regulations. NMDOHs health order directs them to remove any blocks in the state with New Mexicos Board of Pharmacy to allow CVS and Walgreens to administer vaccines with a prescription in New Mexico. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) The Baton Rouge Police Department said a man was taken into custody following a brief standoff on North 44th Street Saturday evening. Around 6:30 p.m., officers responded to reports that the man had fired shots at another individual. When police arrived, the suspect refused to come out of the residence. Officers secured the area and waited until he eventually surrendered without incident, according to BRPD. Police confirmed that no one was injured, including the suspect, officers on scene, or the person he was reportedly shooting at. A handgun was recovered during the arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities have not yet released the suspects identity or the charges he faces. This is a developing story. Latest News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. There were no major issues as hundreds flocked to Seattles Gas Works Park Saturday, as a faith-based concert drew a large group of protestors. The event was largely peaceful on all sides unlike a similar faith-based rally in May, which led to violent clashes. The event was hosted by the conservative Christian activist group, Let Us Worship, as part of its Revive in 2025 tour. We will head into Americas darkest, most broken cities; cities where people have been ignored by their leaders and where homelessness, crime, drug addiction, and poverty are strangling the population, reads an excerpt from the events website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Let Us Worship founder and preacher Sean Feucht has been a strong supporter of President Donald Trump and has a history of posting anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric online. Several Canadian cities revoked permits for the group earlier this summer, citing safety concerns and code of conduct violations, according to The Guardian. Large demonstrations against the event were held simultaneously, as protestors used airhorns and kazoos to show Feucht he was not welcome. This is making a mockery of what Jesus actually stood for, said one protestor. KIRO 7 asked Feucht about the criticism his events are held to incite an opposing response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve gone to 400-something cities across America, he said. Weve gone to Seattle several times. I always tell people, if they think its hateful, come and see. The event, originally planned at Cal Anderson Park, was moved to Gas Works Park earlier this month. The city said the move came after conversations with organizers, who acknowledged Cal Anderson Parks cultural importance to Seattles LGBTQ+ community. Everyone has a First Amendment right to make their voices heard, regardless of content or belief, Harrell said in a joint statement with Seattle Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth. We are focused on facilitating that right of expression for everyone in our city, while also prioritizing safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A similar faith-based rally in May, held at Cal Anderson Park, ended in violent clashes between attendees and counter-protesters. The Seattle Police Department (SPD) reported 23 arrests that day, and at least 30 people were detained. According to SPD, protesters threw items at officers and knocked down fencing. One officer was hospitalized. Seattle Police maintained a large presence at Gas Works Park Saturday, out of an abundance of caution. One person was arrested for malicious mischief after throwing water at an independent journalist and damaging their camera gear. Supporters of Saturdays event, including Teila Anderson and Kozi Colbert, said they came out to show their love of Jesus Christ. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were just here to spread the word, Anderson said. It would be awesome too even if the people who are on the outside of the fences, if they want to join us. I mean, that would be great. Opponents of the event said its not that simple. They may be preaching love right there, but then when you show up to their other events, when you go to their actual church, thats when the bigotry and the hatred is really starting to set in, said Marcus D, a protester at the event. Both sides expressed a similar message: theyre not going anywhere. In America, you can worship as you want, Feucht said. They can be in the park and espouse that message, but we want to be here, said counterprotestor Doreen McGrath, Were not going back into any closets. Were not going back. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday stated that President Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard saved Los Angeles from certain destruction. "L.A. wouldn't be standing today if President Trump hadn't taken action then. That city would have burned down if left to the devices of the mayor and the governor of that state," Noem told CBS' Ed O'Keefe on "Face the Nation." "So, the citizens who live there, the small business owners in downtown L.A., they're thankful that President Trump came in with federal law enforcement officers and helped support keeping those streets open, keep their homes and businesses from burning down, and made sure the law and order was restored." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noem's comments come as the White House continues to weigh federalizing troops in other American cities in the name of fighting crime. Her statements drew a derisive rebuke from California Gov. Gavin Newsom. "Hahahahahhahahahahahahahaha," his office wrote on X alongside a recording of Noem's talk with O'Keefe. California leaders, including Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, slammed the president's decision to send the National Guard to Los Angeles amid protests over the White House's deportation agenda in June. State and local officials had the situation under control, they said, and federal escalation only threatened to heighten tensions. California officials are waiting for a decision from the Northern District Court of California over a lawsuit filed challenging the White House troop deployment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Noem doubled down when challenged by O'Keefe to repeat her claim. "So many of those homes and businesses that were in downtown and in those areas were dealing with riots and violence and coming in and bringing those federal law enforcement officers in was incredibly important to keeping peace," she said. "And so we are grateful President Trump was willing to send resources and people in, in order to enforce the law." Trump has next vowed to send the National Guard to Chicago, which Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker told O'Keefe would constitute "an invasion with U.S. troops." "Id tell [Noem] that what she's doing is inflaming passions and causing disruption that doesn't need to be caused," Pritzker said. "We have people that have lived, yes in the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago for decades, working here, paying taxes. Theyre law-abiding members of our communities, friends, neighbors, and why are we arresting them? Why are we making them disappear?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Saturday issued an executive order attempting to ward off Trump's National Guard threat. And Pritzker hinted at upcoming court battles if the White House goes through with its plans. But Noem pushed back Sunday, saying Pritzker was more worried about protecting his ego than protecting the people of Illinois' most populous city. "If he has one murder in the city of Chicago, he should be calling President Trump and saying, what's your ideas? What can we do," she said. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed President Donald Trump saved Los Angeles during a stop by Face the Nation on Sunday. Speaking to the hosts of the long-running CBS interview show, Noem credited Trump with the Southern California citys continued existence, saying it wouldnt be standing if Trump had not sent in the National Guard and Marines against the wishes of state and local leaders in June. Trump deployed troops to Los Angeles in response to civil unrest over Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that were also the work of the Trump administration. Protestors took to the streets to impede increased ICE action across the region, leading Trump to wrest control of the states National Guard from Gov. Gavin Newsom. On Sunday, Noem said residents of Los Angeles were thankful for the action, which is currently the subject of a lawsuit filed by state officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That city would have burned down if left to the devices of the mayor and the governor of that state, Noem said. The citizens who live there, the small business owners in downtown LA, theyre thankful that President Trump came in with federal law enforcement officers and helped support keeping those streets open, keep their homes and businesses from burning down, and made sure that law and order was restored. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. That troop deployment is looking more and more like an opening salvo in an ongoing battle between Trump and Democrat-led cities. The president took control of Washington, D.C.s police force and deployed the National Guard there earlier this month, in response to an unsubstantiated surge in crime in the capital. He has threatened similar actions in Chicago and New York. Watch Noems comments below via YouTube: The post Noem says Los Angeles wouldnt be standing if Trump hadnt called in troops appeared first on Salon.com. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday would not divulge specifics about potential plans to deploy the National Guard to U.S. cities, but said, We havent taken anything off the table. Asked on CBS Face the Nation when operations in Chicago are expected to start, Noem said, Weve already had ongoing operations with ICE in Chicago and throughout Illinois and other states but we do intend to add more resources to those operations. I won't disclose the details because they are law enforcement and investigative folks that are on the ground there, and I want to make sure we keep their security our number one priority, but we will continue to go after the worst of the worst across the country, like President Trump has told us to do focusing on those that are perpetuating murder and rape and trafficking of drugs and humans across our country, knowing that every single citizen deserves to be safe, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Moore: I have no interest in fighting with the president, but I have an interest in fighting for my communities Noem deferred to Trump on what operations in Chicago would look like in comparison to the deployment of federal troops after protests against ICE raids in Los Angeles earlier this year. Annabelle Gordon/EPA/Shutterstock - PHOTO: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem looks on as US President Donald Trump announces the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw will be held at the Kennedy Center in December 2025, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Aug. 22,2025. I won't speak to the specifics of the operations that are planned in other cities, but I do know that L.A. wouldn't be standing today if President Trump hadn't taken action, then that city would have burned down if left to the devices of the mayor and the governor of that state, she said. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, also appearing on Face the Nation, said deploying the National Guard to Chicago would be un-American. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, the people of Chicago know what this looks like and are prepared. We hope that they don't send any troops along with ICE, and if they do, they'll be in court pretty quickly because that is illegal. Posse Comitatus does not allow U.S. troops into U.S. cities to do- you know, to fight crime, to be involved in law enforcement. That's not their job. MORE: Mayor Eric Adams rejects Trump's call for federal troops to fight crime in New York City Asked to respond Pritzkers comments, Noem said, Well, for 13 consecutive years, Chicago had more murders than any other American city. In fact, just last year in 2024 they had three times the amount of murders that L.A. did, five times more than New York City. So, he can talk about what a great job he's doing as governor, but he's failing those families who will no longer have their child with them because of the violence that's happening in Chicago. Asked about Trump calling Chicago a hellhole, Pritzker said, You know, he wakes up in the morning and whatever whim strikes him is what he apparently says and recently, I guess I've been living rent-free in his head. Chicago apparently is living rent-free in his head. Nam Y. Huh/AP - PHOTO: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker speaks during a news conference at River Point Park, Aug. 25, 2025, in Chicago. Notice he [Trump] never talks about where the most violent crime is occurring, which is in red states. Illinois is not even in the bottom half of states in terms of violent crime, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When questioned about about that assertion, Noem said the president would absolutely consider sending troops into red states. MORE: Trump's plan to create Guard units to quell civil unrest alarms experts We absolutely are not looking through the viewpoint at anything we're doing with a political lens, she added. Meanwhile, Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for Washington D.C., said the deployment of the National Guard troops to the nations capital and the takeover of its police force has literally changed the safety landscape in Washington, D.C. Win McNamee/Getty Images - PHOTO: U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro speaks about murders in Washington in 2024 and 2025, Aug. 12, 2025, during a news conference at the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington. Washington was one of the most violent cities, not just in the United States, but in the world. So, let's not, let's not pussyfoot around this whole thing. We have got individuals who are being shot, stabbed, beaten and brutalized, and arrests are not being made, she said during an interview on Fox News Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pirro said shes collaborating with the D.C.s mayor and local partners and with police to ensure individuals who commit crimes receive a proper sentence. If President Trump didn't do this, Washington would continue to be one of the most violent cities in the world, and anyone who is against it is about politics and not about safety for our fellow citizens, she said. By Ju-min Park SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected a new missile production line and missile-manufacturing automation process, state media KCNA said on Monday. His visit on Sunday to the missile production line came ahead of a planned trip to Beijing to attend a military parade where Kim is set to mingle with foreign leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of travelling to China, Kim's tour of a weapons factory appears to have the "intention of showing off missile production capabilities", said a spokesperson at South Korea's Unification Ministry that handles inter-Korean affairs. North Korea is under heavy international sanctions imposed over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs that were developed in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Experts and international officials say the sanctions have lost much of their bite amid growing economic, military and political support from Russia and China. Kim said that the modernized production process would help increase major missile units' combat readiness, according to KCNA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He expressed satisfaction with a new automated missile production system that would increase productivity and ensure the qualitative character of products, KCNA reported. North Korea has sent soldiers, artillery ammunition and missiles to Russia to support Moscow in its war against Ukraine. The North's foreign ministry also criticised American cooperation with Japan and South Korea, singling out a recent trilateral joint statement that warned of cybersecurity threats from Pyongyang. The ministry "strongly denounces and rejects" the United States, Japan and South Korea for using cyberspace as a "theatre of geopolitical confrontation and hostile propaganda," a spokesperson said in a statement carried by KCNA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The more the U.S. persists in its anachronistic and malicious hostile acts against the DPRK through the intensified collaboration with its satellite countries, the more distrust and hostility will be piled up between the DPRK and the U.S.," the spokesperson added, using the initials of North Korea's official name. (Reporting by Ju-min Park; Additional reporting by Heejin KimEditing by Cynthia Osterman, Lincoln Feast, Ed Davies.) The northern lights are about to return to the night sky over Canada and part of the United States, one of the best opportunities to see the aurora in weeks. An eruption on the sun over the weekend blasted charged particles into space, and they are on a collision course with Earth. When the charged particles reach the planet, it will set off a colorful display of the Aurora Borealis. People as far south as Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa and Oregon could see the green or red glow of the aurora in the sky on Monday night. Photographers using long-exposure photography may be able to capture images of the lights from areas even farther south. The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are seen in the night sky near Yellowknife in Canada's Northwest Territories, early Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a geomagnetic storm watch from Sept. 1 into Sept. 2, with conditions likely to reach a level 3 out of 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The upcoming light show is not expected to be as significant as the aurora outbreaks of 2024, but it will be one of the best opportunities to see the lights since the spring. AccuWeather.com Seeing the aurora can be challenging in the summer due to the short summer nights, but with nights growing much longer in September, it gives skywatchers a higher chance of seeing the aurora during events like what is expected Monday night. Aurora viewing tips: Head to a dark area with a clear view of the northern horizon Allow time for your eyes to adjust to the dark, as the northern lights may be faint Use a tripod when taking pictures to help keep your camera steady LONDON (AP) Norway has agreed to buy at least five new British anti-submarine ships in a deal valued at 10 billion pounds ($13.5 billion) as the two nations deepen their cooperation to counter Russian operations in the seas along NATOs northern flank. They said Sunday that Britain will supply Norway with the Type 26 frigates, creating a joint force of eight British and at least five Norwegian ships that will operate jointly in Northern Europe. The ships are built by a group of companies led by U.K.-based BAE Systems. Our navies will work as one, leading the way in NATO, with this deal putting more world-class warships in the North Atlantic to hunt Russian submarines, protect our critical infrastructure, and keep both our nations secure, British Defense Secretary John Healey said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has spurred the North Atlantic Treaty Organizations European members to increase defense spending amid concerns that they could be Moscows next target. The Type 26 frigate is designed for anti-submarine warfare and high-intensity air defense, according to BAE. Australia and Canada have already agreed to buy variants of the Type 26 for their navies. The deal is expected to support 4,000 jobs and 400 companies in Britain. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre said the NATO member needed the frigates because it is facing its most serious security situation since World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Norway also considered ships made by the U.S., Germany and France, but chose the U.K. because of the countries historic links, Stre said. Norway and Great Britain are close allies with common interests and very close ties, Stre said. __ Grieshaber reported from Berlin. Stop someone on the street in London and ask them about interconnectors and chances are they will look at you blankly. But in Oslo, energy trading through these massive undersea cables has become a major issue. And one with huge implications for Britain. There is a real chance that Norway will run out of water this winter, meaning it will not be able to maintain electricity supplies to Great Britain. Norway could be forced to restrict exports under new powers which allow them to be restricted if there is a prospect of hydrological shortages. And not just once the shortages manifest. With elections to the Norwegian parliament on Sept 8, this is a hot button issue as low water levels lead to high prices for consumers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reservoir levels in southern Norway are now well below the 20-year average and heading towards 20-year lows. This is hugely concerning. Norway has almost no pumping capability which means that once the water has been used, it will not be replaced until it rains or the snow melts. The south of Norway is the main region of tension. This is where the interconnectors to Britain and Germany land, and where the population is highest. Since these two interconnectors opened in 2021, the region has seen higher prices. The issue of high and volatile prices has led to them becoming an issue of concern among the general public. Earlier this year, the governing coalition collapsed when the Centre Party left over disagreements with the Labour Party over interconnectors and energy policy. The Centre Party opposed implementation of the EU 4th Energy Package which is a legal requirement, and wants to cancel the interconnector deals with Britain and Germany. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even the Labour Party agreed to defer implementation of the Energy Package and not to approve any more interconnection in the face of widespread public opposition. Almost all of the parties competing in the upcoming election are against interconnection promising either no new cables, or the cancellation of existing ones. Notably, there is consensus that two of the Skagerrak links with Denmark which are coming to the end of their lives in the next year or so will not be renewed, which will cut cross-border capacity with Denmark by almost a third. This is highly significant Norway cutting electricity trading with one of its Scandinavian neighbours reflects the strength of public opposition to the cables. But Denmark also acts as a transit country for electricity exports from Norway to Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands, so this move will have a wider impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What happens next if water levels continue to drop remains to be seen, but the risks are real. In recent years, wet weather in late autumn has eased tight hydro balances, but experts are doubtful this will be repeated this time if autumn rain follows the pattern of the past few years, hydro levels will fall to 20-year lows and the authorities will be forced to act. There has only been a handful of days this year that Norway was a net importer of electricity. Other than to Sweden, from whom Norway tends to import, Norway exports electricity almost all of the time. European countries like Britain, Germany, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands have come to rely on cheap Norwegian hydro but what happens if the water runs out? The answer is rationing. Under amendments to Norways Energy Act, Statnett and local grid operators are legally required to prepare rationing plans in case water runs critically low. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These plans are not published, but the last time Norway came close to rationing was in 2003, when a prolonged drought forced Statnett to consider emergency measures. If water levels fall critically low, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (known as NVE) will implement rationing. Of course, in scarcity conditions, prices will rise, and Norway should attract imports which could stress neighbouring grids. Britain and Germany have become accustomed to receiving 1400 megawatts of Norwegian imports approximately the size of two large gas power stations. What Norway should do is impose export tariffs to raise the price of Norwegian electricity exports. This may sound protectionist, but it would correct a distortion in the current pricing method. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is also a basic question of fairness here: Norwegian hydro resources should primarily be used for the benefit of Norwegians. Not just because they paid for the reservoirs and dams in the first place but because they also lack alternatives. In a highly electrified society, electricity rationing could cause real hardship we saw in the Iberian Peninsula blackout earlier tis year how 11 people lost their lives in very benign weather conditions. A blackout or power rationing in a Norwegian winter would be far more dangerous. Asking Norwegians to endure that so German industry can keep running is politically toxic. The EU complains that restricting exports would be unfair and violate trading rules unless shortages are actually taking place. This is not entirely true countries are allowed under international trading rules to protect domestic stocks in order to prevent shortages. With parliamentary elections in just over a weeks time, and a real prospect of electricity rationing this winter, its time that Norwegian politicians put Norwegians first and stop pandering to European neighbours who have chosen to under-invest in their own generation capacity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And British policymakers should take note even if Norway does not make a political decision to suspend exports, a lack of water will have the same result. Whether by politics or by physics, Britain cannot rely on Norwegian hydro this winter. Indeed Norway might have to import two gas power stations worth of baseload generation from Britain this coming winter, essentially doubling the adverse impact on our grid. Policymakers must face that reality now, not when the lights flicker. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. By Nora Buli and Terje Solsvik OSLO (Reuters) -Norway said on Sunday it had chosen Britain as its strategic partner for the acquisition of new frigates in its biggest ever military investment, in a deal worth some 10 billion pounds ($13.51 billion) to boost the Nordic country's maritime defence. Germany, France, Britain and the United States had offered rival frigate designs in competition. "The frigates are an essential part of our defence because they are key to defend our sovereignty," Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told a press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Norway is NATO's monitor for the vast 2 million square kilometres (772,000 square miles) area of the North Atlantic used by the Russian northern fleet's nuclear submarines. A key mission for the frigates will be to monitor Russian submarines, whose base is on the Kola Peninsula, an area in the Arctic bordering Norway. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the deal, which he said was worth 10 billion pounds. The deal will eventually see a combined fleet of 13 anti-submarine warfare frigates eight British and at least five Norwegian operate jointly in northern Europe, he added. British officials, seeking economies of scale for their own navy and to boost Scotland's shipyard industry, had heavily promoted the BAE Systems' frigates, known as the T-26 City-class. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal would support 4,000 jobs across the United Kingdom, including more than 2,000 in Scotland, the British government said. Norway shares a border with Russia and is ramping up defence spending in light of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump's demand that NATO allies must bolster their own military strength. The draft agreement with Britain also guarantees industrial cooperation with Norwegian industry equivalent to the total value of the acquisition, the Norwegian government said. Norway, a nation of 5.6 million people, currently operates four frigates. It previously said it could order five frigates, with an option for an additional one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This will be the biggest purchase to date. And we are now entering final contract negotiations," Gahr Stoere said. ($1 = 0.7402 pounds) (Reporting by Nora Buli and Terje Solsvik in Oslo; additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper in London; editing by Gwladys Fouche and Ros Russell) Britain has agreed a 10bn deal with Norway to supply its navy with UK-made warships after France, Germany and the United States were snubbed. The decision to buy British Type 26 frigates, replacing its existing four anti-submarine warships, represents Norways biggest-ever military investment. The frigates are an essential part of our defence because they are key to defend our sovereignty, Jonas Gahr Stre, the Norwegian prime minister, told a press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Type 26 design is a rare export success for British industry, having been adopted by Canada and Australia, as well as the Royal Navy. A primary mission for the frigates will be to monitor Russian submarines, whose base is on the Kola Peninsula, a strategically important area in the Arctic bordering Norway. The deal will see a combined fleet of 13 anti-submarine warfare frigates eight British and at least five Norwegian operate jointly in northern Europe, according to Sir Keir Starmer. The Government, seeking to boost Scotlands shipyard industry, has heavily promoted the frigates, made by BAE Systems and known as the T-26 City-class. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Prime Minister welcomed the deal, which is expected to support thousands of jobs and hundreds of businesses across the UK. This success is testament to the thousands of people across the country who are not just delivering next-generation capabilities for our Armed Forces but also national security for the UK, our Norwegian partners and Nato for years to come, Sir Keir said. Mr Stre confirmed that Norway had considered proposals for frigates from France, Germany and the US. The other three frigate candidates were Frances FDI, Germanys F127, and the USs Constellation-class. He said: It has been a difficult choice. The four candidates, France, Germany, the US and the UK, have provided strong and competitive proposals. They are all close allies, and I wish to express my appreciation for a constructive process and dialogue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All four allies are strategic partners for Norway. The extensive co-operation on security and defence policy will continue at full strength with all of them. But a senior Norwegian naval officer branded his governments decision to buy British warships unwise because they contain Israeli parts. Capt Tor Ivar Strmmen a naval historian serving at the countrys naval academy criticised Mr Stre on Sunday. He told Norwegian state broadcaster NRK: Now we have chosen to buy a single-role submarine frigate, which I think is unwise, technically speaking. The British-trained officer added: The French frigate and partly the German frigate are a far better alternative in terms of performance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NRK claimed that Norways government had been advised against buying Type 26s because the ships reportedly contain components made by Israeli companies. An Israeli company, Plasan, was awarded a contract to make armour plating for the Type 26s in 2023. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. VINITA, Okla. (KFOR)- The Oklahoma Department of Corrections is searching for an inmate who unlawfully walked away from the Northeast Oklahoma Community Corrections Center around 9:05 p.m. on Aug. 30th. 33-year-old James Howell is a Native American male serving a 5-year sentence for False Declaration of Ownership in Pawn Shop out of Jackson County. James Howell. Image courtesy, Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Anyone with information regarding Howell or know of his whereabouts, ODOC says not to approach and call 911. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KFOR will update as more information arrives. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. (FOX40.COM) Vallejo officers responded to a report of possible vandalism, which resulted in an officer-involved shooting on Friday, according to the Vallejo Police Department. Video Above: Advocate expresses support for new gun control legislation amid sons death On the 200 block of Ascot Parkway, a report was made that a possible vandalism to a vehicle was in progress around 6:00 p.m. VPD said. Six arrested for alleged drug house near Jamestown Elementary Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers were able to locate the subject, who immediately walked toward them and pointed a handgun at them, which resulted in an officer-involved shooting, VPD stated. Authorities said officers immediately rendered medical aid, and the subject was transported, via helicopter, to an area hospital. The weapon was located at the scene and appeared to be a pellet/BB gun. The subject has been identified as 24-year-old Alexander Schumann, officials said. Schumann remains in stable condition at the area hospital. The Vallejo Police Department is to hold a town hall meeting to provide more information regarding this incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an active and ongoing investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. An Ohio city had its plastic bag ban overturned by the state's District Court of Appeals. The legal battle put a stop to efforts to reduce plastic pollution, frustrating many local residents and environmental advocates. What's happening? As the Athens County Independent reported, Athens attempted to ban single-use plastic bags. A Fourth District Court of Appeals decision stopped the ban from moving forward. Unfortunately, appealing the case to the Ohio Supreme Court would be too much of a financial strain on the city to continue the fight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, individual retailers and vendors in Athens get to choose whether they use plastic bags or not. Advocates have stated they are disappointed in local businesses' failure to adopt plastic bag alternatives on their own. The politics of the Republican-led Ohio Supreme Court contributed to the city's decision not to continue pursuing the plastic bag ban. Do you think the government should ban gas-powered lawn tools? No way Definitely Only certain tools I don't know Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "This decision does not reflect a change in the city's commitment to reducing single-use plastic bags or defending Home Rule," said Athens Law Director Lisa Eliason. "Rather, the decision is based on the reality that due to the current political makeup of the Ohio Supreme Court, the city has very little chance of prevailing." Eliason also shared: "We are disappointed in the result but proud the city championed this cause." Why are plastic bag bans important? Plastic bag bans are effective in reducing pollution and protecting our environment. Fewer plastic bags on our planet mean fewer risks to wildlife and less landfill pollution, as plastic bags can take 1,000 years to break down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With plastic bag bans in place, people learn to adopt sustainable habits, such as bringing reusable bags to stores. Small changes like this can have a big impact when more cities, states, and countries prioritize conservation over convenience. It's understandable when the ideals of freedom of choice and convenience prompt a legal or political standoff about topics like this, but it's nonetheless unfortunate when those deadlocks get in the way of working toward a sustainable future. Communities then experience more litter and plastic waste, detracting from the beauty of neighborhoods and green spaces. This is the kind of issue regulations are designed to address. What's being done to curb plastic bag use? Although this news from Athens, Ohio, is discouraging, there is still much progress being made to reduce single-use plastic bags worldwide. Governments have been able to eliminate billions of plastic bags from their waste streams and contribute to a safer, cleaner environment with fewer microplastics leaching into the soil and waterways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if you live in a community that has yet to pass a plastic bag ban, you can set a sustainable example for the people and businesses around you. Using less plastic in daily life can look like carrying reusable grocery bags, drinking from reusable water bottles, and bringing your own to-go containers to restaurants. In the stores where you regularly shop, consider speaking with a manager and encouraging them to ditch single-use plastic bags in favor of eco-friendly alternatives or charging a fee for disposable bags, which can encourage customers to bring reusable options. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. A county in Colorado is offering residents a rebate to boost wildfire prevention efforts by removing a highly flammable plant. The Longmont Leader reported that Boulder County is offering multi-family households up to $500 per unit for completing wildfire mitigation projects. Wildfire Partners created the pilot program to help residents take proactive actions to reduce the risk of seasonal wildfires by removing juniper vegetation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a home inspection, qualified applicants will choose a contractor to perform the work, and, provided it is completed before the Oct. 27 deadline, the rebate will be sent out within eight to 10 weeks. Wildfire Partners Program Manager Jim Webster explained that the program is about creating community-wide coordination to manage the risks in the long term. "By working together, we can make our neighborhoods safer and more fire-ready," he said. In the "Junk Your Junipers" initiative, Wildfire Partners explained that the plants present a huge risk because they retain dead leaves and trash, grow quickly and densely, and contain combustible oils. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, the organization recommended plants from the approved list of firewise plant materials from Colorado State University. As Colorado's Division of Fire Prevention and Control noted, wildfires are on the rise in the Centennial State. All 20 of the largest wildfires ever recorded have taken place in the last 20 years. The 2020 wildfire at Cameron Peak burned through over 200,000 acres, per the U.S. Forest Service. Do you think the government should ban gas-powered lawn tools? No way Definitely Only certain tools I don't know Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Increased instances of extreme weather events like this are a direct consequence of the planet-heating pollution produced by burning dirty fuels like coal, natural gas, and oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The scheme illustrates the power of action taken at the local level to tailor solutions to a community's particular needs. Several states are exploring ways to mitigate the harm caused by wildfire flames and smoke. A related story is unfolding in Arizona, where local authorities are offering cash breaks to remove grass lawns for less water-intensive flora and ease the state's critical water shortages. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Previous coverage above, DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The Florentine, a nearly 210-year-old restaurant in Germantown, has been awarded a $50k grant. The restaurant shared a post about receiving the funds through the Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant Program, which is presented by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express. It was chosen to represent the state of Ohio and is the second-oldest Inn in the state. (The oldest is the Golden Lamb Restaurant and Hotel in Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This grant will help preserve Germantowns oldest Landmark by restoring windows, repairing deteriorated wood, refreshing the paint, and renewing the brick sidewalk out front, wrote the Florentine. If youve never been here, nows the time to see why people have been making the trip for more than two centuries. The restaurant is owned by Bryce and Sheree Henson, who also own The Creamery at Market and Main. Photo via Florentine Restaurant. Photo via Florentine Restaurant. Photo via Florentine Restaurant. Photo via Florentine Restaurant. To learn more about the National Trust for Historic Preservation, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) pushed back on one of the Trump administrations top advisers for focusing on the transgender identity of the shooter who killed two children in Minneapolis. Omar spoke on CNNs State of the Union with Briana Keilar about Robin Westman, who opened fire at a church next to Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on August 27, killing two and injuring more than a dozen. Republicans have zeroed in on the fact that Westman previously identified as Robert after identifying as a woman. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who represents Minnesota has called for the repeal of the states transgender refuge law signed by Gov. Tim Walz. Prior to Omars appearance on the morning political show, Sebastian Gorka, a deputy assistant to the president, focused on transgender people committing mass shootings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In just a couple of years, we have seen seven mass shootings involving people of transgender nature or who are confusing their gender, Gorka told Keilar. The exchange devolved into crosstalk between the two, with Gorka saying CNN had lost its credibility. Afterwards, Omar, a member of the progressive Squad who represents Minneapolis, pushed back. Omar cited how Keilar had mentioned to Gorka that the Department of Homeland Security had taken away threat assessment resources from law enforcement. A memorial stands at an intersection near Annunciation Catholic School following the shooting, which left two children dead (Getty Images) These people are all over the place because they want to deflect from the reality, which is that there was someone who came in to that school through the window and assassinated two beautiful angels as they prayed, and put 14 other children in the hospital who are still fighting for their lives, Omar said. And it is important for us to make sure that we are offering a slew of solutions. And yes, as a community, it is important for us to say something when we see something, when somebody is exhibiting signs that there could be a problem ahead, that we talk to them, that we get them the assistance they need, and that, yes, we do alert law enforcement, she said. But this is not the moment to point fingers at people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans have consistently focused on transgender people since the 2024 election, seeing it as a winning political strategy after President Donald Trump ran an ad saying his opponent Kamala Harris is for They/Them and other Republicans hit Democrats for transgender athletes playing in womens sports. Minnesota has a trans refuge law that prohibits the state from recognizing criminal or civil subpoenas for peoples health care records to prosecute clinicians if they provide gender-affirming care to transgender youth. Republicans have repeatedly criticized Walz for signing the legislation, particularly when he ran to be vice president with Harris in 2024. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey criticized those who wanted to make the shooting about transgender people. Those using this tragedy as an opportunity to villainize the trans community, or any community, have lost sight of our shared humanity, he said on X after the shooting. Children died today. We shouldn't be operating out of a place of hate for anyone. We should be operating from a place of love for our kids. When Donald Trump announced that the federal government would take a 10 percent equity stake in the tech company and chip manufacturer Intel, the reaction was swift, predictable, and bipartisan. Senators Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, and Greg Stanton, a Democrat from Arizona, both referenced a slide toward socialism. Governor Gavin Newsoms press office shared an AI-generated image on X of Trump in front of a communist flag, writing ALL HAIL CHAIRMAN TRUMP! WITH HIS GLORIOUS 10% PURCHASE OF INTEL, THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF AMERICA ENTERS A BOLD NEW ERA OF GOVERNMENT-RUN BUSINESS. A piece from the libertarian CATO Institute noted that Industrial Policy [is] the Gateway Drug to Cronyism. Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Wyden called the arrangement nothing more than corporate extortion, while Rep. Daniel Goldman of New York described it as a shakedown that wouldnt end at Intel. My colleague Tim Noah called the move a form of fascist corporatism. Trump, characteristically undeterred, said he hopes to see many more cases like it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The responses capture the ideological confusion of this moment. Critics from across the political spectrum were quick to paint the arrangement as socialism. Senator Bernie Sanderswhos long been a proponent of public ownership in large corporationswas among the few who praised the deal, pointing out that he had introduced a similar amendment during debate over the CHIPS and Science Act, which was signed into law under Joe Biden. (Trump was able to secure the governments stake in Intel in part by withholding billions in funds designated for Intel in the CHIPS Act.) Calling this socialism, however, misses the mark widely. What Trump embraced when he declared the move necessary to ensure Americas national security and economic competitiveness, was not worker ownership or democratic control of the means of production, but state capitalism. Greg Ip of The Wall Street Journal argued that Trumps strategy resembled the Chinese model, dubbing it state capitalism with American characteristics. The American Prospect labeled it Trumpian state capitalism. Still, what matters most here is not the terminology but the precedent. The Intel deal should be treated not as a scandal, but as a shift in Americas approach to capitalismone that could serve Trumps cronyism or, if the left seizes it, a more democratic vision of public ownership and global competitiveness. For decades, the idea that the federal government could take equity stakes in private corporations has been treated as taboo, a vestige of Cold War suspicion of anything resembling public ownership. But it isnt without precedent in American life: During World War II mobilization, Washington didnt hesitate to take direct stakes in and direction over key industries; public ownership has long been part of the U.S. toolkit when national security was at stake. The 2008 financial crisis saw the government take temporary stakes in GM, Citigroup, and AIG. The Covid-19 pandemic involved massive public subsidies to airlines and small businesses and the invocation of the 1950 Defense Production Act to direct companies to manufacture devices like masks and ventilators. Now, with Intel, the U.S. has crossed another threshold by not just stabilizing or commanding companies in crisis but investing directly in their future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Intel is not the only company being targeted for government ownership. As part of an unprecedented deal, chipmakers Nvidia and AMD will now turn over 15 percent of their revenue from sales in China. In July, the Pentagon became the largest shareholder in MP Materials, the countrys only operational rare earth mine. A month earlier, the U.S. secured a golden share in U.S. Steel as part of its $15 billion takeover by Japans Nippon Steel, giving Washington the right to appoint an independent director to the companys board. On Tuesday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested the administration might extend the Intel model to defense contractors. In an interview with CNBCs Squawk Box, he noted that Lockheed Martin earns 97 percent of its revenue from the federal government. The company, he said, was basically an arm of the U.S. government. The way munitions have historically been financed, he added, has amounted to a giveaway. Industrial policy is no longer a fringe idea: It was a key component of Bidens presidency and one that was widely praised by policy experts. It is here to stay. The only question is who will benefit from it. By simply condemning the Intel deal, liberals and progressives risk ceding the ground to the right by allowing conservatives to dictate the narrative. Democrats too often play defense, backing off at the first cry of socialism. They should go on offense, argue plainly that public investment deserves public return, and that government power can serve the common good. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As commentator Krystal Ball recently put it on Breaking Points, I hope theres some bold Democrat out there somewhere whos looking at all of this [and saying] okay, theyve laid down the marker here. We can take this model and expand it and actually do it in the American interest. For decades, the United States has socialized the risks of private enterprise while privatizing the rewards. Weve showered corporations with subsidies and tax breaks and bailed them out when theyve failed while rarely asking for muchor sometimes anythingin return. If taxpayer money is going to prop up private firms, as it has for decades, then taxpayers deserve a share of the gains, too. Even if it takes Trump, like a broken clock, to stumble into the point, the underlying principle is sound: The government should hold equity in more of corporate America, not less. Other nations already do this. Norways sovereign wealth fund owns shares in thousands of companies worldwide. Chinas sovereign wealth fund, the China Investment Corporation, manages over a trillion dollars in assets worldwide, making it one of the largest state investors in global markets. Saudi Arabias Private Investment Fund is a key part of its foreign policy. Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, has suggested that the United States establish a sovereign wealth fund. Democrats should be taking notes. The United States, by contrast, has been content to subsidize corporate America without demanding ownership in return. Nowhere is the case for public ownership clearer than in the defense sector. Lutnicklike Trump, a broken clockwas right when he said that companies like Lockheed Martin already function as quasi-public entities, deriving nearly all their revenue from government contracts. They are, in effect, state enterprises run for private profit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The same logic applies, more urgently still, to fossil fuels. Oil and gas companies are huge recipients of public support in the form of subsidies, tax breaks, and infrastructure guarantees. Their core incentive is to extract and burn as much carbon as humanly possible. No serious observer still believes the free market can manage the climate crisis. Nationalization would not only ensure that the vast sums of public money already flowing into fossil fuels yields a return for taxpayers. It would also make possible a managed and just transition away from carbon. Norways state-owned oil company has demonstrated that public ownership is not only feasible but profitable. Pharmaceuticals form the third pillar of this argument. All three are life-or-death domains where markets consistently fail people with fatal consequences. The industrys most profitable products are overwhelmingly built on the back of publicly funded research, much of it financed by the National Institutes of Health. Between 2010 and 2019, every single one of the 356 new drugs approved by the FDA traced its origins to NIH-funded science, according to a 2020 paper by the Institute for New Economic Thinking. Yet the profits accrue almost entirely to private firms, who charge the public exorbitant prices for medicines that it effectively paid to invent. (Trump, meanwhile, has cut nearly $2 billion in research grants to the NIH, gutting the very research pipeline that makes these breakthroughs possible.) Taxpayers finance the breakthroughs, but then are forced to buy them back at inflated prices, often at the cost of debt or denied care. Taken together, defense, energy, and medicine are the three pillars of a secure society. All are already heavily subsidized, propped up, and protected by the state. The question is not whether governments will be involved but whether that involvement will continue to serve shareholders or be redirected toward a more livable future. Trumps Intel spectacle may fade from the headlines, but the larger lesson should not. Government intervention is already a fact of American capitalism. The issue is whether we continue to accept a system in which corporations feast at the public trough without giving anything back, or whether we move toward a model in which taxpayers are not only investors but stakeholders, beneficiaries, and decision-makers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The neoliberal era insisted that markets knew best and the governments role was to step aside. That consensus has collapsed. Industrial policy has returned. The choice now is between a corporate-led version that socializes losses while privatizing gains, or a democratic version that ensures public investments yield public returns. Trump may be pursuing this for all the wrong reasonscronyism, control, or just plain spectaclebut the move nonetheless cracks open a door others should be ready to walk through. If the left seizes this moment, it can help build a new common sense: one in which public money buys public power, and ownership becomes the foundation for a more equitable, sustainable economy. If it fails, Trump and his allies will be more than happy to define state capitalism on their own terms. MEMPHIS, Tenn. One person is in critical condition and two others detained by police after a shooting Saturday night in the Cherokee area. Police responded at 8:30 to a shooting in the 1500 block of Eastlawn. One male victim was found. Police say the victim and the two people who were detained knew each other. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBW) One person was hurt and two others declined treatment following a Sunday morning fire on West Flintlake Court. Horry County rescue crews arrived around 12:20 a.m. for a reported multi-unit residential fire. Officials said the fires cause is being investigated. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) One person is injured from a two-story house fire that was intentionally set in south Charlotte, according to the Charlotte Fire Department. Around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, crews responded to the fire on the 10600 block of Stallions Glen Lane and saw smoke when they arrived. The blaze was controlled in 28 minutes by 30 firefighters, officials said. According to Medic, one person was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday morning, CFD confirmed the fire was intentionally set and remains under investigation. They said the fire caused roughly $250,000 in damages. Authorities have not said if anyone is in custody. This is a Developing Story . Check back for updates Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. An effort to expeditiously fill chronically high state job vacancies with displaced federal workers in Hawaii since February is being touted as a success, though program use has been selective. Over the past six months, Operation Hire Hawai i, established via executive order by Gov. Josh Green, has resulted in 142 hires through Aug. 20, including many new employees not from the federal workforce amid a purge under President Donald Trump. The results have been really promising, state Department of Human Resources Development Director Brenna Hashimoto told members of the House Committee on Labor in a progress report on the OH-HI initiative Aug. 23 at the state Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This program has been really successful in expediting the process, she said. Hashimoto told the panel that 6, 149 applications were received through the program, resulting in 142 jobs being filled in various state agencies that collectively had about 5, 000 vacant civil service jobs, excluding public school teacher positions, when OH-HI began. As of Friday, the hiring count was up to 147, and 13 of the new state employees indicated they had come from the federal workforce, according to DHRD. About one-third of applicants through OH-HI were from the federal workforce, according to Hashimoto, who also said that individual state agencies were using the recruitment program only in some circumstances to fill positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were finding theyre using it selectively when its a critical job to fill, or they have a lot of vacancies and they want to try to use Operation Hire Hawai i, she said. They dont use it for everything. Hashimoto noted that OH-HI was being used for 127 different recruitment efforts since February, including a two-day job fair at the Hawai i Convention Center in April that attracted over 900 job seekers. Currently, about 40 recruitments remain open through the special program, while about 500 other recruitment efforts are open under the states regular hiring process that can take months. State agencies have hired about 800 people this year through July under the regular recruitment process, though DHRD said that cant fairly be compared with OH-HI because many of the 800 hires may have stemmed from efforts that spanned more than seven months. Under OH-HI, the department sends applications to agencies in need of corresponding jobs a day after they are received, and agencies are then supposed to make tentative hiring decisions within 14 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of the 142 hires through OH-HI, Hashimoto had information on which agency made hires in 112 cases as of Aug. 20. Two agencies, the Department of the Attorney General and the Department of Human Services, made the most, with 22 each. DHRD itself made five hires. Three agencies made no hires despite requests : the Department of Law Enforcement, the state Public Library System and the Department of Budget and Finance. The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism submitted the most requisitions for hiring among agencies27and was able to hire eight people. By comparison, the Department of the Attorney General made eight requisitions that led to its 22 hires. Hashimoto told the panel that more use of OH-HI by agencies isnt occurring because the program shifts considerable work typically handled by DHRD to individual agencies, which often dont have the resources to make better use of the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ASSESSMENTS of the results by members of the House committee were fairly positive, despite the number of resulting hires representing less than 3 % of applicants in a program targeted to recruit highly qualified personnel being culled from federal employment or from jobs that are losing federal funding. It sounds like the program is going very well, so congratulations on that, said Rep. Jackson Sayama, chair of the House Committee on Labor. Sayama (D, Wilhelmina Rise-Maunalani Heights- St. Louis Heights ) had asked Hashimoto why OH-HI couldnt become the states standard procedure for hiring, and was informed of the limitation that has made the program more of an option. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sayama also asked about agencies making conditional job offers through OH-HI within two weeks of receiving applications. Green said in February that he was directing state agencies to do so, but the written order doesnt include such language. Hashimoto told the panel the timetable isnt a hard-and-fast rule. Its a little bit aspirational, she said. Another difference with the initial stated intent of the program was its focus on displaced federal workers. Under OH-HI, anyone can apply for positions listed on the programs website at. Rep. Scot Matayoshi (D, Kaneohe-Maunawili ) expressed some frustration with the programs inception through an executive order from Green instead of using a state law enacted last year that aimed to accomplish the same thing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I got to admit, Im a little irritated, he told Hashi moto. The departments can already do this. Matayoshi authored House Bill 1832, which Green signed into law July 3, 2024, as Act 186. The law authorizes state agencies to review applicants minimum qualifications for vacant positions rather than DHRD, and requires DHRD to provide agencies with applications it receives for vacancies under certain circumstances. DHRD opposed the bill, which Matayoshi claimed can achieve the same results as OH-HI but hasnt been used. Hashimoto said some differences exist between the year-old law and OH-HI, including less work for individual agencies under OH-HI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matayoshi said after the briefing that its hard for him to assess if OH-HI is being used enough, though he likes the program. I do like Operation Hire Hawai i, he said. Its essentially my program. Camron Hurt, program manager for Common Cause Hawaii, a nonprofit advocate for government accountability, said its also hard to assess the effectiveness of OH-HI based on the number of hires after six months. I think its too soon to tell, he said. DHRD INTENDS to continue OH-HI for about a full year or possibly longer, and tentatively plans to hold another job fair in October or November after the next federal fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of Trumps effort to slash the size of the federal workforce has been in turmoil with litigation, union challenges and even rehiring. The presidents order, aimed at eliminating waste, bloat, and insularity, followed an initial buyout offer accepted by about 75, 000 federal workers around the country and a hiring freeze that included a recommendation to rescind around 200, 000 job offers and jobs for probationary employees. The federal government employs about 2.4 million people. Hawaii was home to about 35, 500 federal civilian workers in 2024, according to DBEDT. Its sort of uncertain what will happen when the next federal fiscal year starts, so we plan to continue this project at least through early next year, Hashimoto said. Greens order stays in force unless modified or rescinded by a subsequent order. No one can deny that Pete Buttigieg is a highly skilled and articulate politician. While mayor of South Bend, Indianas fifth-largest city with a population of 100,000, he became a major contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, narrowly winning the Iowa caucuses and finishing a strong second in the New Hampshire primary. Buttigiegs swift political rise catapulted him into President Joe Bidens Cabinet, where he served as Transportation secretary for four years. Now, with his sights clearly set on the 2028 presidential nomination, the latest polling averages for the Democratic primary show him in third place, behind former Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.). But midway through this month, Buttigieg revived what could be a real problem: the perception that he behaves too much like a political windsock, shifting with strong breezes rather than sticking with conviction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buttigieg, appearing on Pod Save America, avoided taking a position on whether the U.S. should continue with shipping arms to Israel. Typical of Buttigiegs equivocal rhetoric was his statement that I think we need to insist that if American taxpayer funding is going to weaponry that is going to Israel, that that is not going to things that shock the conscience. Sharing three minutes of word-salad from one of Buttigiegs non-answers, former Obama administration official Ben Rhodes tweeted, Pete is a smart guy and I admire a lot of what hes done, but I have absolutely no idea what he thinks based on these answers. He repeatedly talked his way around taking an actual position on U.S. arms shipments to Israel, which Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other human rights groups have accused of committing genocide in Gaza. When Buttigieg did offer a decipherable answer, it was tone-deaf to such realities. I think that we, as Israels strongest ally and friend, you put your arm around your friend when theres something like this going on, and talk about what were prepared to do together, he said. Days later, Buttigieg performed a quick swerve to put himself more in line with critics of Israel, stating that he would support an arms embargo on Israel and the recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The abrupt change underscores that Buttigieg is vulnerable to charges of making U-turns whenever it is expedient. A notable example is how he swiftly and drastically reversed course on Medicare for All during his presidential campaign. In February 2018, eyeing a run for president, he tweeted: I, Pete Buttigieg, politician, do henceforth and forthwith declare, most affirmatively and indubitably, unto the ages, that I do favor Medicare for All, as I do favor any measure that would help get all Americans covered. Buttigieg began 2019 by declaring that he was all for a Medicare for All system. In April, he was still talking quite favorably about Medicare for All, calling it very much a compromise position between nationalized medicine and fully private payer and provider thats the middle ground. But by early autumn, Buttigieg was speciously denouncing Medicare for All as a plan that would kick 150 million Americans off of their insurance in four short years lambasting the very same position that he had embraced the year before affirmatively and indubitably. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a September debate, Buttigieg ramped up his attack on Medicare for All, confronting its major supporter Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) by saying, I trust the American people to make the right choice for them. Why dont you? An online Buttigieg ad also jabbed at Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) for supporting Medicare for All, telling voters, I trust you to make the right health care decisions for yourself and your family slickly implying that Medicare for everyone would not entail such trust. Another ad from Buttigieg went further, declaring that his own new plan differed from the Sanders-Elizabeth Warren vision because it doesnt dictate it to the American people and risk further polarizing them. Buttigieg started to tout an approach that he called Medicare for All Who Want It. But Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a national co-chair of the Sanders campaign, pointed out that Buttigiegs plan wont bring the administrative costs down of private insurers or maximize negotiation with Big Pharma and hospitals. But that aspect of Buttigiegs plan was a selling point rather than a drawback for donors from the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries, who had begun to pour sizable donations into his campaign war chest. During the first half of 2019, Buttigieg ranked second among the 20 Democratic candidates receiving contributions from those sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the group Justice Democrats, Waleed Shahid, charged that Buttigiegs about-face reeked of opportunism. Buttigieg was for Medicare for All before he was against it, he stated. What happened this summer that made him abandon Medicare for All? He realized he was never going to beat Warren and Sanders as a progressive. Shahid attributed the sudden shift to a calculation by Buttigieg that he could raise tons of cash from corporate executives in the pharmaceutical and insurance industry. Many politicians are apt to adjust their policy positions over time for a variety of reasons. But Buttigieg has shown a remarkable knack for giving close observers whiplash as he pivots toward whatever he evidently sees as political advantage. In the Democratic field on the horizon for the 2028 presidential nomination, Buttigieg now seems to personify how ambition can erode values. He is likely to face a primary electorate with little patience for excessive cunning at the expense of clear principles. Norman Solomon is cofounder of RootsAction and executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy. His book War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine was published in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Azerbaijan Foreign Affairs Ministry has congratulated the Kyrgyz Republic on Independence Day, Azernews reports The ministry expressed sincere congratulations to the brotherly nation and its people on the joyous occasion on X platform. The 10th test of the SpaceX Starship has been launched and by all accounts was wildly successful in meeting its objectives. What do the results tell us about the likelihood that NASA and its commercial and international partners will beat China back to the Moon? A recent article by Eric Berger in Ars Technica sent shockwaves through space policy circles. After taking note of several successful tests of Chinese lunar hardware, including a prototype of a crewed moon lander, plus some of the previous setbacks suffered by the SpaceX Starship, Berger has come to a sobering conclusion. So its now probable that China will beat NASA back to the Moon this decade and win at least the initial heat of this new space race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conclusion is enough to ruin ones entire decade. Berger may be throwing in the towel too soon, but he does provide a much-needed wake up call. Sometime in the near future we might all be gathered around our television screens and watching the first people to walk on the moon since December 1972 speaking Mandarin. The Human Landing System version of Starship is one of the two tall tent poles of the Artemis program to take Americans back to the lunar surface for the first time since December 1972. The other is the development of extravehicular activity spacesuits. While NASA will send people around the moon with the Artemis II mission early in 2026, Artemis III cannot proceed unless the lunar lander version of Starship can take astronauts the rest of the way to the moon. A lot of things have to occur before that happens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to another piece in Ars Technica, those things include: Reuse: Developing a rapidly reusable heat shield and landing and re-flying Starship upper stages Prop transfer: Conducting a refueling test in low-Earth orbit to demonstrate the transfer of large amounts of propellant between Starships Depots: Developing and testing cryogenic propellant depots to understand heating losses over time Lunar landing: Landing a Starship successfully on the Moon, which is challenging due to the height of the vehicle and uneven terrain Lunar launch: Demonstrating the capability of Starship, using liquid propellant, to launch safely from the lunar surface without infrastructure there For Musks Mars ambitions: Demonstrating the operation of Starship over months and the capability to perform a powered landing on Mars. Officially, Artemis III is scheduled to take astronauts to the lunar surface in 2027, two years from now. SpaceXs Gwynne Shotwell has assured NASA Interim Administrator Sean Duffy that the Starship Human Landing System will be ready. No independent space observer believes that a 2027 moon landing is possible now. In 2028, maybe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two questions present themselves. Will China beat the United States back to the moon? In the long run, will that matter? Despite Bergers unsettling conclusion, a Chinese victory in the second moon race is by no means certain. With the success of its latest test flight of Starship, SpaceX could be getting its act together and will start racking up successes in advance of the Artemis III moon landing. China could stumble, with failures and setbacks that delay its own moon landing attempt. If the Chinese land people on the moon before NASA does, the event will be a monumental embarrassment for the United States. Fingers will be pointed. Blame will be placed. The argument over who lost the moon race will ensure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The answer to the last question would be everybody. Mistakes by politicians of both parties and people in the commercial sector will have contributed to a defeat in the second moon race. Those mistakes go back decades with two stillborn attempts to start a deep space exploration program, too much focus on space pork over sensible technology development and the overregulation of commercial space launches. The argument can be made that a flag and footsteps recreation of an Apollo mission by the Chinese wont matter in the long run. If NASA and its partners press on, using the Starship and later the Blue Origin Blue Moon to establish a nuclear-powered lunar base, Chinas victory will be fleeting. In the end, the winner of the new moon race may not be who gets back there first, but who establishes a permanent presence first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States and its allies have a decided advantage in Starship and its ability to move massive amounts of people and material from the Earth, to the moon, then to Mars and beyond. Mark R. Whittington, who writes frequently about space policy, has published a political study of space exploration entitled Why is It So Hard to Go Back to the Moon? as well as The Moon, Mars and Beyond , and, most recently, Why is America Going Back to the Moon? He blogs at Curmudgeons Corner. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Jews around the world are preparing for the coming High Holy Days, from the traditionally joyful New Year celebrations of Rosh Hashanah and the more solemn Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. This sacred period is marked by deep introspection: taking stock of our actions throughout the past year and committing ourselves to do better in the year ahead. Notably, the High Holiday liturgy is written in the plural we, a reminder that though we act as individuals, we are inextricably bound together as one Jewish people. The deep bonds between Jews worldwide are why, here in North America, we so viscerally felt the tremendous pain of the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023. They are why we see our own lives as bound up with the fate of the hostages languishing in Gaza and with the pain of their families. And it is this commitment to make the New Year better than the last that compels the Reform Jewish movement that I help lead in North America, and so many others in Israel and beyond, to raise our voices against the Israeli governments plans to further expand the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tragedy of Oct. 7 will live in the collective Jewish memory alongside horrors such as the destruction of the ancient Temples and the Holocaust. Hamas bears responsibility for this war, having mercilessly attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Through torture, murder, rape and kidnapping, Hamas sought to destroy Israel and eliminate the prospects for a peaceful future between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as between Israel and other regional Arab states. But in its efforts to win this war, Israel is losing the larger battle. The Netanyahu governments defense of Israel began justly, but it has become a quagmire. Nearly two years of war has not brought about the return of the remaining hostages, and the daily violence of war continues to take the lives of innocent Gazans and has brought widespread hunger into Gaza. The Netanyahu government has also shared no clear plan for the day after hostilities end. And the war is increasingly used by extremist members of the government as a pretext for their long-held desires to rebuild settlements in Gaza. Our concerns about the wars expansion and the hunger gripping Gaza echo those of hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have taken to the streets, week after week, urging the Israeli government to choose a different path. They amplify the voices of the hostage families who beseech the government to bring their loved ones home. And they reflect the views of respected Israeli military, security and political leaders who have warned that expansion of the war will prove to be a military, political and humanitarian disaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, an Israel Defense Forces attack on Gazas Nasser Hospital resulted in the deaths of 20 Palestinians, including journalists and medical providers. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a tragic mishap that it deeply regrets. Such deaths of innocents will inevitably continue as the war expands. Here in North America, the war is having direct repercussions, as well. It is causing painful divisions within families and within synagogues, and it has severely tested the nearly 80 years of bipartisan American political support that has helped Israel defend itself from hostile neighbors. All this comes at a time when North American Jews are experiencing a deadly spike in antisemitism. Attending a Jewish event should never come at the risk of a persons life, or any violence. Yet today, Jews around the world are increasingly targeted. When Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky were murdered as they walked out of a gathering on humanitarian diplomacy in the Middle East and North Africa, held at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, their assailant shouted, Free Palestine. Weeks later, in Boulder, Colorado, an attacker hurled incendiary devices at peaceful marchers demanding the release of hostages in Gaza injuring 12, including an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor, one of whom has since died. Again, the attacker shouted, Free Palestine. These assaults reveal a dangerous trend: antisemitic violence cloaked in the language of liberation. Murdering Jews is not resistance; it is terrorism. Such violence does nothing to advance Palestinian freedom it only deepens fear, hatred and despair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those of us committed to a free Palestine a Palestine free from Hamas tyranny and exploitation and free from the burdens of Israeli occupation must insist that this struggle cannot and will not be waged through the targeting of Jews. Ensuring Jewish safety must go hand in hand with bold political leadership that can deliver a future in which Palestinians and Israelis both live with dignity, freedom and peace. On the cusp of a new Jewish year the second in which Israelis taken on Oct. 7 languish in captivity it is time to end this nightmare. The hostages must come home, humanitarian aid must flow into Gaza in amounts sufficient to meet the need, and planning must begin for the day after. Only then can we truly begin to hope for the words expressed in the traditional High Holiday greeting: A Good and Sweet New Year. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Earlier this month, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification a group of experts that monitor hunger for the U.N. used data submitted by 21 humanitarian organizations and made a finding that 500,000 residents of Gaza City are experiencing acute malnutrition, starvation or death. Deir al-Bala and Khan Younis are likely to qualify as official famine areas by September, and the rest of Gazas population is struggling to cope with severe hunger. Given intensifying military conflict, the collapse of health care, hospitals, water and sanitation services, the destruction of homes, and Israels restrictions on the delivery of food, the group predicted that conditions are likely to get worse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the U.N. report as an outright lie, and allegations of famine as a fake campaign by Hamas. Meanwhile, Israel, which recently summoned 60,000 reservists to active military duty, is going forward with plans to invade Gaza City. Although President Trump previously indicated that he believed Palestinians in Gaza were starving, neither the White House nor the State Department commented on the finding. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee asserted on social media, Tons of food has gone into Gaza but Hamas savages stole it, ate lots of it to become corpulent. Just as we spoke out and had compassion for the victims and families of October 7, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) asked, how can Americans not speak out and have compassion for the masses of innocent people and children in Gaza? Is one type of innocent life worthy and another type of innocent life worth nothing? Greene has also blasted the State Department for halting grants of temporary visitor visas to Gaza residents seeking privately funded medical treatment in the U.S., many of them with life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Almost immediately, Greene was slammed for characterizing Israels war in Gaza as genocide. I dont care what crazy pants thinks, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said. Its not a genocide, you know, thats just not the case. People of good will and partisan conviction continue to argue, often at the top of their lungs, about whether genocide applies legally or morally to the situation in Gaza. In 2024, the International Court of Justice found that Palestinians who live there have a plausible right to protection and Israel must take additional steps to prevent genocide from occurring. A formal judgment from the court about whether Israel has violated the Genocide Convention, however, is unlikely to be issued until 2028. The debate is certain to continue. That said, Taylor Greenes plea to do more to reduce acute malnutrition, starvation and death should resonate with Americans across the political spectrum and by implication the federal government, which has considerable leverage with Israel, whether or not they think genocide is occurring right now. The criteria for a famine are very specific: extreme food shortages in one or more of every five households, and death by two adults or four children out of every 10,000 inhabitants each day from starvation of a combination of malnutrition and disease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of households in Gaza City reporting severe hunger was found to have tripled between May and July the period since Israel replaced the U.N. assistance system with distribution sites run by U.S. contractors, at which hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly been killed while surging to position themselves to get food. These numbers are, of course, almost impossible to verify. But a classified study by the Israeli military found that 83 percent of the Gazans killed in the conflict through May were civilians, an extremely high percentage for modern warfare. Anyone who is paying attention, moreover, can see that the situation in Gaza is dire. Logistical, capacity and resource challenges can be surmounted, according to Tjada DOyen McKenna, head of Mercy Corps, an aid program operating in Gaza. But only with an exercise of political will. The time for debate and hesitation has passed, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report concludes. Even a brief delay will exponentially increase the number of preventable deaths. America should act now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Glenn C. Altschuler is the Thomas and Dorothy Litwin Emeritus Professor of American Studies at Cornell University. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. I believe the Founding Fathers and Founding Mothers would support Judge Diana Gibsons ruling this week in a redistricting lawsuit against the Utah Legislature. Here are two reasons why. No taxation without representation First, the Founders objected to being taxed without representation. I am one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. As a Salt Lake City resident, I essentially had no representation in Washington, since my community had been gerrymandered out of existence, politically speaking. The Utah Legislature diluted the voices of urban voters who tend to favor non-Republican candidates by cracking Salt Lake County into four pieces that sit within four Congressional districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Common Sense, Thomas Paine argued that it was illogical for an island (Great Britain) to rule a continent (North America). Lets apply the common-sense test to this situation. In 2018, Utah voters passed Proposition 4, which established neutral criteria for redistricting, including a ban on partisan gerrymandering, and an independent advisory commission to draw up voting maps based on the 2020 census. Three years later, the Legislature repealed Prop 4 and drew its own maps, which were designed to give Republicans a monopoly on power, while ignoring the commissions proposed maps. When the Legislature carved up the state for partisan gain, I lived on the south side of Temple Square. Is it logical that I belonged to the same Congressional district as residents of St. George (300 miles to the south), while my co-plaintiff Wendy Martin, who lives on the east side of Temple Square, belonged to the same district as residents of Logan (80 miles to the north)? This split of our community made it difficult for my neighbors and me to advocate to our Congressional representative on issues that impact our area. It also meant we had no hope of electing our preferred candidates to Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I object to being taxed without representation for the same reasons John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington balked at paying taxes to King George III. Utahs redistricting ruling supports the rule of law Second, the Founders believed passionately in the rule of law. They understood that power breeds corruption and corruption breeds tyranny. Thats why they created a system, based on laws, in which three branches of government would hold each other in check and all three would ultimately be accountable to the citizens. Its much easier for citizens to hold the legislative branch accountable when citizens define voting district boundaries. Currently, after each U.S. Census, legislators create voting maps in 33 states, while independent commissions draw up maps in nine states. Allowing legislators from the dominant party to choose their own voters creates an inherent conflict of interest one that self-serving politicians will continue to exploit until citizens take that power away from them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of those politicians, Senator Mike Lee of Utah, wrote on August 25th, In essence, the U.S. Constitution already designates a form of redistricting commission: state legislatures. Theres little justification for transferring that power to unelected and unaccountable individuals, such as those on independent commissions. No, Senator Lee. Elected officials are meant to be accountable to citizens, not the other way around. When a state legislature functions as a redistricting commission, elected officials become dangerously unaccountable. In 2021, Utah legislators violated the states constitution, which grants voters the right to alter or reform their government, for the sole purpose of aggregating power precisely the kind of scenario the Founders had in mind when they built a system of checks and balances. When a politician thinks, My aims are so noble that anything I do to maximize my own power is justified, that politician has crossed a line, at least mentally, from democracy to authoritarianism. Democratic politician Beto ORourke crossed that line recently when he called on California Democrats to retaliate against Texas Republicans in a gerrymandering arms race. Its time to stop the madness. Politicians who subvert democracy to gain power will always be corrupted in the process. And if no one holds them accountable, it will be easier for someone else to undermine democracy in ways that are even more damaging. Thats why Judge Gibsons ruling, which reinstates Prop 4 and requires a fair map for the 2026 election, is a victory not just for Utah voters, but also for our countrys democracy. Utahns take pride in our tradition of self-governance, whereby the peoples will flows through elected representatives accountable to us the voters. Yet, Judge Dianna Gibsons August 25, 2025, ruling in League of Women Voters v. Utah State Legislature (League) threatens this foundation. By striking down SB200, reviving Proposition 4 and enjoining the 2021 congressional maps, Gibson oversteps judicial bounds, echoing the Utah Supreme Courts misguided 2024 decision that essentially turned citizen initiatives into super laws on par with constitutional amendments. These rulings disrupt the Legislatures constitutional authority under Article IX, Section 1, to draw electoral maps, risking instability for 2026 elections. Both decisions reflect judicial activism, not restraint. The Utah Supreme Courts creation of a fundamental right to unamended initiatives under Articles I and VI misreads Utahs Constitution, ignoring the limits of direct democracy. Initiatives are for enacting laws, not locking in policies that bind elected officials indefinitely. Gibsons order amplifies this error by voiding SB200 entirely and imposing remedies that encroach on legislative prerogatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But even accepting these rulings as binding for now, Proposition 4 remains a procedural statute not a substantive straitjacket. Proposition 4 is analogous to the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA requires agencies to assess environmental impacts via statements, promoting transparency. But it does not mandate outcomes. Similarly, Proposition 4 creates a commission to draft maps using neutral criteria like compactness, submits them for review and requires explanations for deviations. But lawmakers are not bound to adopt any of those maps unchanged. This NEPA analogy is crucial for understanding Proposition 4s limits. Enacted in 1969, NEPA revolutionized federal decision-making by mandating that agencies prepare Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for major actions. These statements detail potential effects, alternatives and mitigation strategies, ensuring public input and informed choices. Yet, as the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly held, NEPA is essentially procedural. It does not dictate that agencies must choose the greenest option or halt projects altogether. Instead, it guards against arbitrary decisions by requiring rigorous analysis and disclosure. If an agency follows the process evaluating impacts, considering alternatives and responding to comments it can proceed with its preferred action, even if critics disagree on substance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proposition 4 operates the same way. It establishes an independent redistricting commission to propose up to three maps per district type, adhering to standards like equal population, contiguity and prohibitions on undue partisan favoritism. The commission must hold public hearings, use best available data and submit plans to the chief justice for certification. The Legislature then reviews these proposals in a public session, with at least 10 days notice for public comment. If lawmakers reject the commissions maps, they must enact their own so long as the Legislature issues a detailed report explaining how its version aligns with the standards. Importantly, just as courts dont second-guess an agencys substantive decision under NEPA if procedures are met, Utah courts should not micromanage the Legislatures redistricting maps under Proposition 4. Judicial review is limited to ensuring compliance with the procedural steps: Did the commission propose compliant maps? Was there public input? Did the Legislature provide a reasoned explanation for deviations? If yes, the inquiry ends. The statutes private right of action allows challenges for procedural lapses or clear violations of standards, but it doesnt empower judges to redraw maps or impose their policy preferences. As the Utah Supreme Court emphasized in League, Proposition 4 did not take the authority to enact electoral maps from the Legislature. It serves as a check on process, not a veto on outcomes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This means the Legislature retains broad authority and discretion to draw maps as it deems best for Utahns. Lawmakers can prioritize rural-urban balance, economic communities or transportation corridors factors that might lead it to reject commission proposals. So long as the Legislature follows Proposition 4s steps and articulates why its map meets the criteria, courts must defer. Utah voters asked for sunlight and standards in redistricting. Proposition 4 compels transparency and reasoned decision-making. It does not hand the redistricting pen to the courts. Let the elected representatives determine the substantive policy and let the voters hold them accountable. A Los Angeles city councilmember has openly opposed Home Depot's plans to open a new location at Eagle Rock Plaza, claiming the home improvement retailer has been complicit with immigration enforcement operations. In an Instagram post, Councilmember Ysabel Jurado wrote, "Take your orange aprons somewhere else," citing a raid that occurred Thursday morning at Westlake Home Depot, one of several at that location since June. Jurado's district spans from downtown to El Sereno and Eagle Rock. Home Depot plans to demolish the former Macy's department store in Eagle Rock Plaza to make space for its new location, The Eastsider reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: L.A. Home Depot raided twice in one day. Critics say ICE is violating court order On Thursday, surveillance video obtained by The Times shows federal agents arriving in several vehicles across from the Home Depot and CARECEN Day Labor Center, and immediately running after people, including vendors and day laborers. As people scattered, federal agents can be seen deploying tear gas. A man who was apprehended and pinned to the ground by federal officials was punched in the face, according to a statement by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. We are disturbed by what can only be described as an act of terror and indiscriminate roundup of Latino street vendors, day laborers, and people who were going about their daily lives," the organization stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least eight to 15 people were arrested during the operation, according to CHIRLA. This specific home improvement store on Wilshire Boulevard and South Union Avenue has been the site of four immigration operations since June 6, including "Operation Trojan Horse," in which half a dozen border patrol agents jumped out of a Penske truck and arrested 16 people. These raids, Jurado said, "are part of a disturbing pattern across Los Angeles, with ICE repeatedly targeting Home Depot parking lots common gathering spots for day laborers without judicial warrants, in clear violation of people's rights." In her post, the councilmember accused Home Depot of "remaining silent." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When your name becomes associated with terror and you refuse to speak, you are complicit," the post read. "Home Depot has chosen power and profit over the working people who sustain it." Read more: ICE is hiring 10,000 agents. Some unexpected people want to join the Trump crackdown In a statement to The Times, Home Depot spokesperson Sarah McDonald said the company isn't notified of planned ICE operations and "we're not requesting them." In many cases the company doesn't know arrests happen until after they're over, she said. "Were required to follow all federal and local rules and regulations in every market where we operate," McDonald said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to the Times' request for comment before publication. Earlier this month, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court's block on "roving patrols" across much of Southern California. The ruling maintains a temporary restraining order barring masked and heavily armed agents from snatching people off the streets without first establishing reasonable suspicion that they are in the U.S. without documentation. The excessive use of force that occurred during Thursday's raid "and apparent disregard of community safety standards by federal agents is deeply disturbing, may be a violation of the TRO currently in place, and must be investigated, CHIRLA stated. On Friday, the East Area Progressive Democrats announced on Facebook that the group launched a #NoHomeDepot campaign to stop the retailer from opening a brick-and-mortar in the Eagle Rock Plaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staff writer Rachel Uranga contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) As the Oregon legislature convenes for a special session Sunday, two lawmakers are already planning ahead for next years short session, announcing their intent to introduce a bill to ban secret police in the state. Representatives Tom Andersen (D-South Salem) and Cyrus Javadi (R-Tillamook), both co-sponsors of the bill, said it would allow Oregon voters to amend the state constitution to not allow law enforcement to be masked or unidentifiable. It would further require them to wear official uniforms detailing names and badge numbers. However, there would be exceptions made in the case of SWAT teams and undercover operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Workers Over Billionaires shine light on Labor Day In a statement, Rep. Andersen said the impetus for this bill came with the increased presence of unidentified ICE officers in the state brought on by Trump administration policies, which he referred to as malignant forces. This is no longer just some Donald Trump fever dream. Its happening right now unidentified federal ICE officers are using violence and the threat of violence in our communities to replace normal law enforcement, he said. When I see masked, anonymous quasi-law enforcement ICE employees on our streets, making violent warrantless arrests, I am aghast and angry. We are becoming a nation of clandestine bounty hunters. Simply put, secret police have no place in a free and democratic society because public trust in government erodes when you dont know whos enforcing the law. Rep. Javadi echoed this sentiment, noting Oregonians shouldnt have to wonder whos knocking on their door in the middle of the night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a free society, the people who enforce the law should never be faceless or unaccountable, he added. This amendment isnt about partisanship, its about protecting the rule of law itself. The Oregon Constitution already safeguards us from unreasonable searches and seizures. This proposal makes sure we also safeguard the principle that law enforcement must be visible, identifiable, and responsible to the people they serve. In order for this bill to pass, it will require a majority vote in both the House and Senate during the 2026 short legislative session beginning in January. If passed, it will then be placed on the ballot for a public vote in the November 2026 general election. If approved by Oregon voters, the amendment will be added to the state constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Under state orders, Orlandos painted crosswalks are going away, but the eye-catching swans, citrus wedges and rainbows made the city a safer place to walk, reducing incidents where drivers slammed on the brakes, swerved or crashed as pedestrians crossed, city traffic data shows. The city added bright murals and decorative crosswalks at four intersections on Orange Avenue in downtown last year. Since then, foot traffic nearly tripled at those sections of the busy road, yet the rate of conflicts with vehicles plunged about 65%, according to an Orlando Sentinel analysis of city data. And at the rainbow crosswalk by the former Pulse nightclub painted in 2017 to help honor the 49 people slain there a year earlier there were just four crashes in the eight years since the colors were put down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There has been no data produced that shows that they are not safe, said Mike Lydon, founder of the urban design firm Street Plans, which has worked with cities on street art projects. My sense is the resurgence in this issue is motivated by politics, not actual data. Orlandos street art data challenges the position taken by Gov. Ron DeSantis administration, which insists, but has not provided data to show, that non-standard street markings can be distracting, jeopardizing both driver and pedestrian safety. Crosswalks and decorative street designs became a flashpoint in Florida on Aug. 21, when Orlando residents learned the Florida Department of Transportation, overnight, had painted over the rainbow crosswalk outside Pulse. The department has ordered other cities to remove rainbows and other painted designs from their roads and even covered over the checkered flag crosswalks outside the Daytona International Speedway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In defending the states actions, DeSantis has disparaged political statements on public streets and said a new state transportation law required the decorative crosswalks to be redone a claim refuted by lawmakers who passed it and the text of the legislation. His position, however, mirrors that of the Trump administration, which has pushed for uniform street markings nationwide as part of a safety initiative. Orlandos data is similar to the findings of the Knight Creative Communities Institute in Tallahassee, which found drivers drove roughly 25% slower around the decorative crosswalks it installed near schools, and drivers ran stop signs 10% less often. Nationally, Bloomberg Philanthropy, which backed Orlandos downtown crosswalks, has found that with decorated crosswalks there was a 50% decrease in the rate of crashes involving pedestrians and 38% fewer pedestrians crossing against the walk signal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Convinced by its data that street art enhanced pedestrian safety, Orlando officials were planning at least a dozen more artistic crosswalks in the coming months. One was already approved at Rock Lake Drive and Tampa Avenue near Rock Lake Elementary. But now those plans are scrapped, and the city, at the states insistence, is spending about $85,000 to remove the ones it painted in recent years. For about 20 years, the Orlando region spanning Sanford to Kissimmee has been one of the nations worst places to walk. In 2009, it was deemed the deadliest in Smart Growth Americas Dangerous by Design study. It held the distinction through 2019. In the most recent study last year, which reviewed five years of data, Orlando had improved but was still the 18th most dangerous in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Traffic engineers have sought various interventions for improvement, mostly centered on how to reduce the speeds cars travel and also trying to improve pedestrian behavior. In downtown Orlando, asphalt art appears to have helped, city officials contend. City data shows that 171% more people used the crosswalk when crossing Orange Avenue at Washington Street, Pine Street, Church Street and Central Boulevard. And despite that huge jump in people traffic, there was a 5.5% dip in actions that could lead to crashes, such as swerving. That data, when accounting for nearly three times more people using the crosswalk than prior to the murals, translates to about a 65% decrease in incidents per pedestrian, according to the Sentinels analysis, which was reviewed for accuracy by city planners. The analysis shows similar drops in the raw number and the rate of people crossing outside of a crosswalk or against a signal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Floridas new rules represent an abrupt about-face for its transportation department. FDOT, for example, approved the rainbow Pulse crosswalk in 2017 and included it in an Orange Avenue road-upgrade plan, even showcasing that decorative spot in a presentation given throughout the years-long process. After tearing up the crosswalk as part of the upgrades, FDOT itself repainted the rainbow earlier this year. Last spring, it had contests for school children to design colorful bike lane decorations as part of a safety program, holding ceremonies to announce the winners. Several months later those are to be painted over, too. Neither FDOT nor the U.S. Department of Transportation responded to requests for data, research or studies to support the new decision to eliminate the colorful crosswalks and street art. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first blow against street art seemed to come in a July directive from Sean Duffy, President Donald Trumps transportation secretary. Duffys memo demanded states fall in line with a safety initiative stressing the need for consistent markings on roads. Then he posted on X that taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks. Soon after, Florida cities began receiving notice from FDOT with similar messaging, noting that a new agency rule explicitly prohibits the application of pavement or surface art on travel lanes, paved shoulders, intersections, crosswalks or sidewalks. DeSantis on Tuesday pointed to a new bipartisan state law as a reason for his departments actions. The Florida legislature passed a law that was very clear were not doing the commandeering of the roads to put up messaging, he said in Tampa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But multiple state lawmakers in South and Central Florida said decorative crosswalks and street art were not part of their discussions when the Legislature took up that multi-pronged transportation bill in the legislative session this spring. None. Zero. Zilch, said state Sen. Carlos Smith, D-Orlando. The final transportation package adopted by lawmakers contained no explicit language banning street art. Sponsors of the legislation, including then-state Sen. Jay Collins, whom the governor appointed Aug. 12 to fill the vacant office of lieutenant governor, didnt say anything about crosswalks, intersections or street art during public committee meetings or full Senate and House floor debates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was never brought up or mentioned by anybody, said state Rep. Chip LaMarca, a Broward Republican and chair of the House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee, with jurisdiction over transportation LaMarca, who said he spoke with FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue multiple times about the agency heads priorities this year, and there was never anything like this involved in those discussions, nor any mention of new policies about street decorations. Fort Lauderdale, in LaMarcas district, has been ordered to remove several painted streets, including a rainbow section and state-approved seascape scenes. Elsewhere, Tampa was ordered to remove a pro-police Back The Blue road mural, and Delray Beach faces an administrative hearing next week to determine if it can keep its rainbow intersection. Whatever lawmakers intentions, this summer FDOT said the state had adopted new rules that required that roads and crosswalks be painted just black and white. In a statement, the agency said it conducted a months-long update of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices with input from representatives of state and local governments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The update included a prohibition on non-uniform traffic control devices and explicitly prohibits the application of pavement or surface art on travel lanes, paved shoulders, intersections, crosswalks or sidewalks. The agency did not answer questions on whether public hearings were held on those changes. Heidi Simon, director of thriving communities for Smart Growth America, said if road safety is the true concern, Floridas focus is misplaced. We know what is killing people, things like lack of visibility, increased speed, increased vehicle size, she said. FDOTs efforts would be better directed toward ensuring crosswalks are well-marked, have adequate lighting and include curb extensions that reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians, Simon said. Some dangerous roads dont have crosswalks at all, Simon added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FDOT has worked with Central Florida officials to make those sorts of changes along South Orange Blossom Trail and Alafaya Trail near the University of Central Florida, and the data suggests pedestrian safety have been greatly enhanced. FDOT knows where crashes are taking place and where people are dying, she said. I think their resources need to go to the places where the most devastation is currently happening to stop it and to reverse it. Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun Sentinel contributed to this story. Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers are urging drivers to exercise caution during Labor Day weekend. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Labor Day weekend is the worst holiday for impaired driving. News Center 7s John Bedell rode along with a state trooper on Friday. He saw the work they do to keep you and your family safe. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lt. Dallas Root is actively patrolling highways to enforce traffic laws and ensure safety. During a ride-along, he demonstrated the vigilance required to monitor driver behavior and enforce speed limits, particularly in construction zones. And hes cutting in and out of traffic a little bit, he said while on patrol. One motorcyclist was clocked at 70 mph in a 55-mph zone near North Montgomery County, just before a construction area. The big concern right now: youre coming into a construction zone at 70. We have increased traffic, Lt. Root told the motorcyclists. It puts you at risk because less people pay attention to the motorcycles to a smaller object. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moments later, Bedell said another driver caught Lt. Roots attention in the 50-mile-an-hour construction zone near Stanley Avenue. Alright, that cars 67. It just changed lanes and went in front of us, he said. And then changed lanes back to the left lane. Lt. Root pulled over the driver once they got out of the construction zone on I-75, closer to Benchwood Road. I couldnt pull you over until we got up here because theres no safe place to pull you over on the berm, he told the driver. Bedell said the driver left with a ticket. Then I watched you kind of cutting in and out of traffic, trying to jockey for position to keep your speed up, said Lt. Root. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They ended up on U.S. 35 in Dayton. Bedell reports that as Lt. Root clocked cars with a laser, he spotted one car going 76 mph and then 75 mph in a 55-mph speed limit. They sped up to catch up to the driver for a traffic stop. Im citing you for the lower speed. I checked you at 75, said Lt. Root. Bedell said this was a look at just a few hours of the work that state troopers will be putting in this weekend to slow drivers, and maybe even save a life. He heard one driver say this about the ticket. Definitely, this is a wake-up call. Before he picked up Bedell and his photographer for the ride-along, Lt. Root pulled over a driver at 6 a.m. on Friday. Root showed him a picture of a driver going 103 mph in a 65-mph speed limit. It was on Interstate 70 near Dayton International Airport. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] It was a Thursday and Carol Coolbaugh of West Pittston was recovering from surgery. At about 2 p.m., she mentioned to a friend that she hadnt heard from her son, Erik, that day. The mother and son talked daily, even though Erik struggled with addiction for over 18 years. Hours later she got a call from the coroner Erik had died of an overdose. But in the past 16 years, as she grieved, she sprang into action. First working with the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program then founding a local chapter of Grief Recovery After Substance Passing, or GRASP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By all accounts, her action has been showing results. Multiple counties in Northeast Pennsylvania have seen a decline in overdose deaths over the last several years. But each death is still painful, as Coolbaugh can attest. Lackawanna and Luzerne counties have seen a significant drop since 2021, attributed to the availability of naloxone, a lifesaving reversal drug, and treatment options. Last year, Lackawanna recorded 43 deaths attributed to overdose, down from 110 in 2021. In Luzerne the number was down to 89 in 2024, down from 208 in 2021. Wyoming County has seen a drop since a high of nine fatal overdoses in 2019, with numbers of five or fewer since 2020. The numbers are expected to continue to decline, local officials say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of overdose deaths in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties fell over the last several years. In Wyoming County the number of overdose deaths has remained low. (SUBMITTED) * Kate Favata, of Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health; Linda Missal, admissions coordinator at Victory House; Pamela Keefe, founder Michalenes Mission and Cliff Hall, program manager Volunteers of America, stand near a photo display of those who have lost their life to drug overdoses. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO) * Sara Atemose shown with her son Eli. Sara lost her sister Erica to an overdose. Now, she is living a sober life and trying to help others. (SUBMITTED) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Sara Altemose and her sister Erica as children. Erica Altemose died of an overdose in 2020. Now, Sara is clean and sober and works to help others struggling with addiction. (SUBMITTED) * Linda Missal, admissions coordinator at Victory House; Kate Favata, of Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health; Pamela Keefe, founder Michalenes Mission and Cliff Hall, program manager Volunteers of America, stand behind a photo display of those who have lost their life to drug overdoses. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO) * Linda Missal, admissions coordinator at Victory House; Kate Favata, of Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health; Pamela Keefe, founder Michalenes Mission and Cliff Hall, program manager Volunteers of America, stand behind a photo display of those who have lost their life to drug overdoses. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Show Caption 1 of 5 Kate Favata, of Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health; Linda Missal, admissions coordinator at Victory House; Pamela Keefe, founder Michalenes Mission and Cliff Hall, program manager Volunteers of America, stand near a photo display of those who have lost their life to drug overdoses. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO) Expand Devastating loss for each family Coolbaugh has been a cornerstone of information and support for families struggling with addiction for well over a decade. When Pennsylvania issued a standing order for naloxone in 2015, making it available to everyone who requested it, Coolbaugh rallied to get the message out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She walked through homeless encampments in Wilkes-Barre and beyond, leaving the opioid reversal drug at each tent. Working with the DARE program, Coolbaugh went into area schools and spoke to youngsters about the dangers of using drugs, especially opioids. Local and national officials say the availability of naloxone coupled with education about the hazards of the use of opioids, especially in the midst of a fentanyl uptick, have contributed to the reduction in overdose deaths. In spite of those falling numbers, Coolbaugh says even one overdose death is too many. Pam Keefe agrees and points out there were 89 overdoses in Luzerne County last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keefe lost her daughter Michalene to addiction in 2018. Like Coolbaugh, she found purpose in grief, and established Michalenes Mission, a nonprofit geared toward harm reduction, including a mobile syringe service. But both Coolbaugh and Keefe say although their efforts and the efforts of others have translated into the reduction in overdose numbers, each overdose is devastating to a family. We can celebrate the falling numbers, but we cant forget the grief each loss brings to a family, Coolbaugh said. Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland points out a reduction in drug overdoses doesnt necessarily mean there is a reduction in drug usage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He believes efforts to reduce opioid deaths, especially with the uptick of fentanyl in the drug supply, have been effective. The availability of naloxone, educational programs and increasing availability of detox and addiction management have all played a part in the dropping numbers, he said. Michael Gagliardi, administrator of the Luzerne/Wyoming Counties Drug and Alcohol Program, agrees. The agency partners with other organizations to make naloxone and other lifesaving tools, including fentanyl test strips, available to the public. Awareness has increased, access to treatment services has increased and availability of naloxone has increased, he said. Those are the three reasons we are seeing the drop in numbers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher * Wyoming County District Attorney Joseph Peters. (JASON ARDEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland at his office in Dunmore on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * Michael Gagliardi, Program Administrator, Luzerne/Wyoming counties Drug and Alcohol program Show Caption 1 of 4 Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher Expand From the legal perspective Lead prosecutors in Lackawanna and Wyoming counties say one of the ways to address overdoses is to reduce the supply of opioids through the vigorous arrest and prosecution of those who are selling them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They said although using drugs should also be prosecuted and punished, those struggling with addiction should be given the opportunity to recover and return to their families and community through programs that include treatment court. I believe our multiyear consistent decline is directly attributable to my emphasis that our law enforcement departments focus on investigating drug trafficking organizations, not individual dealers, Wyoming County District Attorney Joe Peters said, referencing a high of nine overdose deaths in 2019, followed by a reduction in successive years. In other words, every arrest of a dealer is not the end of a case, but the beginning of an investigation upward into suppliers and those in charge of an organization. We have also partnered with our federal law enforcement officers in various task forces so that a small county like Wyoming can avail itself of federal intelligence, personnel and equipment resources. Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher looks back to when he first joined the DAs office in 2012. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initially when I started it was mostly just heroin and then I saw it segued into fentanyl, he said. I saw the community and service providers, as well as courts and law enforcement, combating all the overdoses. I saw when they peaked. Gallagher also spent several years at the United States attorneys office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. That office, he said, focused very much on drug trafficking and how those substances were making it to the district. Traffickers, he said, adapt to new technology. For example, some will send a package by mail or other delivery service to a random address and track the package. When they know it is being delivered to a certain address, they will watch the house and scoop the package from the porch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also points out that not all packages coming into the U.S. are searched, so fentanyl and other drugs get into the country. It is the job of law enforcement to be vigilant when it comes to drug trafficking but also to differentiate between drug trafficking and those struggling with addiction. Anyone who is a pure drug trafficker will not seek help from law enforcement, he said. People who are drug addicts or middle men accumulating drugs and selling them to feed their habit, there is potential help for them. Investigators from the district attorneys office depend on human intelligence, which includes cooperators and informants, cellphone data and surveillance. When it comes to overdoses, the DAs office has one more tool in its toolkit that directly addresses the provision of drugs to people who overdose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are significant prosecutions for drug delivery resulting in death, Gallagher said. There are very real consequences for those who deliver drugs. And, if the person dies, they go to jail for a really long time. Overdose awareness continues Sara Altemose, sober for five years, will be attending this years Overdose Awareness Day at Kirby Park on Sunday. Altemose, 30, who lost her big sister, Erica, to an overdose, said giving back to the community and to those still struggling is an important part of her recovery. The two grew up together and shared clothes, thoughts about dating and unfortunately an addiction to fentanyl. The sisters sometimes talked about quitting, but always concluded their conversation with, Well start tomorrow. For Erica Altemose, who died from an overdose in January 2020, that tomorrow never came. But, following Ericas death, Sara Altemose determined to live a clean and sober life that would honor her. She went to a local rehab site, but left. Undeterred, she packed her things and went to the Pyramid rehabilitation program in Pittsburgh. On the third day, she called her mom and said she was leaving, threatening to go out to the streets of Pittsburgh if she wouldnt come. She remembers her mother saying, Sara, Im not coming. And so she stayed and did the work, even though it was hard to change a way of life. She thought about her mother and how much the death of her sister had devastated her. She thought about her father and how he somehow blamed himself for not being protector for the family. She was determined not to put her parents through the death of another child. She came home, she went to meetings, she got a sponsor. Six weeks into her sobriety, she found out she was pregnant. She calls the pregnancy the nail in my coffin of addiction. She named her son Eli, and she calls him E, just like she called her sister E. Altemose attends 12-step meetings, but she doesnt stop there. She shares her experience, strength and hope with others, including attending events such as todays overdose awareness program. She wants those still struggling with an addiction to know there is hope. Im living a life beyond what I imagined, she said. Its wonderful. LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. (FOX 56) A pair of inmates who had escaped from the Bell County Forestry Camp on Aug. 25 were taken into custody on Saturday. Kentucky State Police (KSP) announced in a news release that around 4 p.m. on Aug. 30, Billy Potter, 32, and Steven Spencer, 22, were found and arrested in Anderson County. Troopers reportedly responded to an alert from security cameras that detected a stolen vehicle with Tennessee license plates. State police pulled the car over, and the pair surrendered. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday and Thursday, school leaders at Clairfield Elementary School in Bell County took extra precautions for the safety of students while Potter and Spencer were at large, sending them home early and canceling class altogether the following day. Thank you to the officers working to apprehend the prisoners. Families, please stay safe. We look forward to seeing our students soon, Clairfield Elementary School wrote. Madylin Goins and Matthew Duckworth contributed to this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) Pakistans eastern Punjab province is dealing with the biggest flood in its history, a senior official said Sunday, as water levels of rivers rise to all-time highs. Global warming has worsened monsoon rains this year in Pakistan, one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, according to a new study. Downpours and cloudbursts have triggered flash floods and landslides across the mountainous north and northwest in recent months. Residents in eastern Punjab have also experienced abnormal amounts of rain, as well as cross-border flooding after India released water from swollen rivers and its overflowing dams into Pakistans low-lying regions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the biggest flood in the history of the Punjab. The flood has affected 2 million people. Its the first time that the three rivers Sutlej, Chenab, and Ravi have carried such high levels of water, the senior minister for the province, Maryam Aurangzeb, told a press conference on Sunday. Local authorities were evacuating people and using educational institutions, police and security facilities as rescue camps, she said. Pakistani TV channels showed people clambering into rescue boats and sailing across fully submerged farmland to safety. Others loaded belongings into boats, salvaging what remained from damaged homes, now abandoned. The Foreign Ministry is collecting data regarding Indias deliberate release of water into Pakistan, Aurangzeb said. There was no immediate comment from India. India had alerted Pakistan to the possibility of cross-border flooding last week, the first public diplomatic contact between the rivals since a crisis brought them close to war in May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Punjab, home to some 150 million people, is a vital part of the countrys agricultural sector and is Pakistans main wheat producer. Ferocious flooding in 2022 wiped out huge swathes of crops in the east and south of the country, leading Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to warn that the country faced food shortages. Figures from Pakistans national weather center show that Punjab received 26.5% more monsoon rain between July 1 and Aug. 27, compared to the same period last year. We cannot fight the water or stop it In Multan, authorities installed explosives at five key embankments to divert water away from the city, if needed, ahead of a massive wave on its way from the Chenab River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multan Commissioner Amir Kareem Khan said drones were used to monitor low-lying areas while teams tried to persuade residents who had not yet evacuated to do so. The water is coming in large quantities we cannot fight it, we cannot stop it, Deputy Commissioner Wasim Hamad Sindhu said, appealing on people to seek shelter in government-run camps. Resident Emaan Fatima went to a camp after water surrounded her home. Our animals are starving, and we are also not getting food anywhere else, she said. "We are not sitting here by choice. Our houses are in danger. We are very worried. Pakistan's disaster management authority said 849 people have been killed and 1,130 injured nationwide in rain-related incidents since June 26. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chief minister of southern Sindh province, Murad Ali Shah, said he had instructed the Irrigation Department to get ready for a super flood at barrages. We call it a super flood when the water level exceeds 900,000 cusec (cubic foot per second), Shah told reporters. We hope that the water will not reach the 900,000 level, but we still have to be prepared. The most important thing for us is that we save human lives and livestock." Pakistan's monsoon season usually runs to the end of September. - Associated Press writer Asim Tanveer in Multan, Pakistan, contributed to this report. BROOKINGS, S.D. (SDSU) The South Dakota State volleyball team fell in four sets to RV Northern Iowa Saturday evening at the McLeod Center. The Jackrabbits won the opening set 25-23 but dropped the next three 25-16, 25-18, 25-18. SDSU notched 11 blocks in the contest, matching its mark from Fridays season opener, but was out-blocked 12-11 by the Panthers and hit just .025 as a team. Sylvie Zgonc posted a 15-point, 15-dig double-double for the Jackrabbits. Annalee Ventling-Brown added eight kills, one shy of her career high, and notched four blocks. Madison Burr posted a match-high six blocks and added four kills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Libero Joslyn Richardson notched a career-best 20 digs while contributing two assists and a service ace. Maggie Meister , a freshman, was also in double figures with 12 digs. Rylee Martin recorded 28 assists, six digs and three blocks. Brooke Larsen checked in to add six digs and three assists in her collegiate debut. Northern Iowa was paced by 19 kills from Lily Dykstra and 17 from Cassidy Hartman. Dykstra also had 13 digs and five blocks. UNI had a 59-37 advantage in kills and 4-1 edge in ace serves. The Panthers committed 11 service errors, compared to two by SDSU. NOTES UNI improves to 10-0 all-time against SDSU. Taylor Byl , Katelyn Van Kirk and Brooke Larsen each made their official debut for SDSU. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UP NEXT The Jackrabbits return to Brookings to host Ole Miss in SDSUs home opener at 7 p.m. Friday, September 5 at First Bank & Trust Arena. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. On July 3, 2025, UI Community HomeCare, an affiliate company that supports the mission of University of Iowa Health Care, had someone access its computer system without permission. UI Community HomeCare quickly took action, shutting down its servers and bringing in cybersecurity experts to investigate. They were able to safely restore its systems within one business day. No electronic health record systems were affected by the data incident. While UI Community HomeCare and UI Health Care have separate operating systems, electronic health record systems, and information technology services, their relationship has historically involved sharing some patients, employees, and data files. After a comprehensive investigation, UI Community HomeCare learned that a cybercriminal was able to see and take copies of data files containing information from patients, including a group of UI Health Care patients. AUSTIN (KXAN) One person died overnight following a crash on north Interstate 35 heading south, according to local first responders. At 11:50 p.m. Saturday, the Austin Police Department said it was working a traffic fatality, which shut down all southbound mainlanes of I-35 during the crash investigation. Traffic was diverted to service roads, according to APD. Austin-Travis County EMS reported a pedestrian on the interstate was hit by a vehicle. That person died at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement APD said the driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and was cooperating with the investigation. MAP: Where have Austins fatal crashes occurred in 2025? According to ATCEMS, two additional people from a second crash were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The city of Shafter said an investigation is underway after a pedestrian was struck by a train on Saturday. The incident occurred at around 1:45 p.m. near Central Avenue and Central Valley Highway. Genesis Mata laid to rest in private funeral service City officials did not provide many details of the incident including the condition of the pedestrian. Residents were advised to avoid the intersection at Central Avenue and Central Valley Highway until further notice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amtrak is investigating the incident. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17 News. Penn Hills police are mourning the death of retired K-9 Officer Rap, who they say served the community with distinction. Police say Rap, a beloved member of our department, died peacefully in the presence of K-9 Specialist Klobucher and his family. K9 Raps loyalty, courage and service will never be forgotten, police stated in a social media post. His paw prints left a lasting mark on our department and in the hearts of everyone who had the privilege to meet and know him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rap completed over 20 felony tracks, assisted in numerous school searches and narcotics investigations, performed many public demonstrations and protected officers during hundreds of building searches. Rap was also recognized for his service with the prestigious Amen Corner Award. We ask that you please keep retired K9 Specialist Klobucher and his family in your thoughts during this difficult time, police said. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Dr. Maya Inbar (photo credit: Nadav Matalon) A Hebrew University study reveals that all languages, from English to rare tongues, share the same natural speech rhythm every 1.6 seconds. Have you got rhythm? George and Ira Gershwins famous 1930 song boasted that they had. Today, it has been discovered that if you speak in any of 48 languages, your cadence is amazingly the same as all people around the world, produced at a remarkably consistent rate of once every 1.6 seconds. This low-frequency rhythm is stable across languages, cultures, and ages, suggesting a universal cognitive mechanism of humancommunication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The findings shed new light on how the human mind structures language in time, according to a new study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI). The researchers suggest that their findings could have important implications for neuroscience, language learning, and speech technology. A natural conversation flows like a dance pauses, emphases, and turns arriving just in time. The study has discovered that this isnt just intuition; the brain follows a biological rhythm that is embedded in our speech. According to the study, which was led by Dr. Maya Inbar, Prof. Eitan Grossman, and Prof. Ayelet Landau, human speech across the world pulses to the beat of what are called Intonation Units (IUs), which are short prosodic phrases, most often groupings of words. Prof. Eitan Grossman (credit: Courtesy) Human speech follows a universal rhythm every 1.6 seconds, study finds They are marked by boundaries set by changes in intonation and timing, such as final slowing or lengthening. These units organize the flow of speech and help listeners understand sentences by signaling structure and meaning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The research has just been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences under the title A universal of speech timing: Intonation units form low frequency rhythms. The importance of IUs in communication has been studied in qualitative and experimental studies, most commonly within individual languages and without an explicit comparative methodology, Inbar explained to The Jerusalem Post. Testing whether IUs assume all these roles universally is a fascinating yet complex research program. To carry it out, we first realized that an important bottleneck needs to be lifted: the reliance on manual annotations of IUs. Therefore, before studying the structure of IUs in time, we began by devising an automatic annotation protocol. We then successfully validated its performance compared to traditional manual annotations across languages and applied it to a larger corpus of speech recordings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement THE TEAM analyzed 668 recordings in 48 languages spanning every continent and 27 language families. They did not include Yiddish, Chinese, Amharic, or Japanese, but they did encompass many widely spoken as well as rarely spoken tongues. They found that in every language from English and Russian to endangered languages in remote regions such as Totoli (belonging to the Austronesian language family spoken by only 25,000 people of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia) people naturally break their speech into chunks in a similar temporal fashion, a new unit beginning every 1.6 seconds or so. Prof. Ayelet Landau (credit: Amir Engel) We focused on spontaneous, informal speech recordings, aiming to capture speakers naturalistic behavior, Inbar noted. These findings suggest that the way we pace our speech isnt just a cultural artifact; its deeply rooted in human cognition and biology. We also show that the rhythm of intonation units is unrelated to faster rhythms in speech, such as the rhythm of syllables, and thus likely serves a different cognitive role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an important discovery because IUs play a critical role in helping listeners follow conversations, take turns speaking, and absorb information. They also offer children crucial cues for learning language. In fact, the low-frequency rhythm they follow mirrors patterns in brain activity linked to memory, attention, and deliberate action, thus highlighting the deep connection between how we speak and how we think. This study not only strengthens the idea that intonation units are a universal feature of language, said Grossman from HUJIs linguistics department, but also shows that truly universal properties of languages are not independent of our physiology and cognition. Landau, who holds appointments at HUJIs psychology department and the cognitive and brain sciences department, also lectures at the experimental psychology department at University College London. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Understanding this temporal structure helps bridge neuroscience, linguistics, and psychology. It may help explain how we manage the flow of information in the dynamic natural environment, as well as how we bond socially through conversation, she suggested. As we move toward more human-like AI speech, better treatments for speech disorders, and deeper insights into neurological function, this research offers a powerful reminder: beneath the beauty and diversity of the worlds languages lies a shared rhythm, one that beats roughly every 1.6 seconds. INBAR RECENTLY graduated from the Hebrew University. She participated in the joint HUJI-Tel Aviv University program in linguistics and was a fellow in the PhD Honors Program at the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, as well as in the Azrieli Graduate Studies program. In 2016, she joined Landaus Brain, Attention and Time Lab, dedicated to the cognitive neuroscience of attention and time perception. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Landau received a BA in psychology and philosophy and went on to study a masters degree in neuropsychology at HUJI, followed by a doctorate in cognition, brain, and behavior in the psychology department at the University of California at Berkeley. She was a postdoctoral researcher at the Ernst Strungmann Institute for Neuroscience in Germany and has since been awarded numerous grants from the European Research Council, the James S. McDonnell Foundation, Joy Ventures, DFG, the Israeli Science Foundation, and the National Institute for Psychobiology in Israel. Both Inbar and Landau play at least one musical instrument. Grossman, who does not, told the Post that when one makes a linguistic comparison, one always collects samples. There are all kinds of sampling biases and properties of how big the sample is and maybe geography. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ideally one needs as wide a range as possible in order to make generalizable claims. The kind of spoken data we relied on in this study is annotated carefully and thus hard to get. It would have been great to include more of the over 7000 languages of the world, but even artificial intelligence is not currently in a position to do it. Grossman was a postdoctoral researcher in the Ramses Project (and later a visiting professor) at the University of Liege, a Kreitman Fellow at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and spent 2010-2012 at the Martin Buber Society of Fellows in Jerusalem. He also spent some time as a senior research fellow at Berlins Humboldt University. His research revolves around the questions, Why are languages the way that they are, and how do they become the way they are. India's shrimp export volumes are expected to decline by 15-18 per cent in the current fiscal year following a sharp hike in US tariffs, which will take the total import duty to 58.26 per cent, effective August 27, according to a report by Crisil Ratings. The rating agency said that the move will also hit realisations, even as Indian exporters attempt to shift their product mix and explore alternative markets. The reciprocal tariff imposed by the US stands at 50 per cent, but for shrimp exports, a countervailing duty of 5.77 per cent and an anti-dumping duty of 2.49 per cent were already in place before the recent tariff announcements took effect. Export revenues, which have remained flat over the past four years, are now projected to decline 18-20 per cent year-on-year, despite a temporary surge in shipments during the first quarter as exporters rushed to fulfil orders ahead of the tariff hike. In FY25, India exported around USD 5 billion worth of shrimps, with the US accounting for nearly 48 per cent of this. With exporters unable to pass on the increased cost to customers, operating profit margins are likely to shrink by 150-200 basis points. This double blow of falling revenues and compressed margins will weaken debt protection metrics and put pressure on the credit profiles of exporters. An analysis of 63 rated shrimp exporters--representing about 55 per cent of the industry's revenues--reflects this trend, the rating agency added. The US has traditionally been a top export destination for Indian shrimp due to its favourable market conditions, repeat buyers, and better profit margins. Even with existing anti-dumping and countervailing duties, as well as a 10 per cent reciprocal tariff introduced in April 2025, exporters continued to supply to the US, as buyers absorbed part of the cost. However, the steep hike in duties now places India at a major competitive disadvantage compared to countries like Ecuador, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand, which face significantly lower tariffs. The report further added that the falling business volume will also cause the operating margin to plunge to its decadal low of 5.0-5.5 per cent this fiscal. This will be due to three reasons: the impact of the tariff plus levies, lower capacity utilisation resulting from a loss of revenue, and shrinking sales of value-added and large shrimps, which were mostly exported to the US and generated higher revenues and margins. (ANI) PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) Community members, family and friends gathered Sunday to honor Wilbur and Effie Blake with an honorary street naming at the corner of New York Avenue and Cox Avenue. Family members spoke at the event and shared how the Blakes are remembered as pillars of their neighborhood, leading by example and inspiring generations through their commitment to education, faith, and family. Together, they raised 12 children, nurtured more than 50 grandchildren, and guided countless others in Peoria, family members said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They said Wilbur Blake created the first softball diamond at Peoria Stadium, paving the way for the areas first African American softball teams. Beyond sports, he was known for giving neighborhood children rides to school and mentoring young people facing challenges. He was also active in the Peoria Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, the Henry Brown Masonic Lodge No. 22, and other community organizations. According to the family, Effie Blake played an equally vital role, serving as head mother on the churchs Mothers Board, singing in the choir, and working on the cuisine committee. She was even recognized as Most Loyal Fan by District 150 for her support of local student athletes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For their children, Sundays ceremony was a reminder of just how far-reaching their parents influence was. Its something special. The way my parents were viewed in the neighborhood was just wonderful they were involved in so many lives, said their son, Cortez Blake. Granddaughter Kurshawna Mackey shared personal memories, from catching lightning bugs with her grandmother to watching the sun break through the clouds during the ceremony. When you came out, the sun came out too. I know theyre watching over, and theyre very proud, Mackey said. Family members say the new street sign will serve as a daily reminder of the couples impact, ensuring the Blakes legacy of faith, generosity, and community continues to inspire future generations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. Fort Worth police have identified a suspect who was arrested after a woman was found shot to death inside a house in east Fort Worth early Saturday morning. Josue Bayardo Rodas, 29, was arrested and faces a murder charge, jail records show. Officers were initially dispatched to a report of a possible stabbing in the 2600 block of Yeager Street about 7:30 a.m. Saturday, according to a police statement. The victim was not stabbed but was found in bed with a gunshot wound to her upper body and head, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators found that the victim and Rodas had stayed at the location for a short time prior to the shooting but did not live there permanently, police said. Rodas was seen leaving the area several hours prior to the discovery of the victims body, police said. Rodas was found and arrested in west central Texas, police said. Homicide detectives are investigating the case. The Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office will identify the victim after her next of kin have been notified. The Tories are to challenge Labour to back local residents over migrants under plans to require asylum hotels to secure planning permission. The party is to table amendments to planning legislation that would mean hotels would have to get permission in order to house asylum seekers and local residents would have to be consulted on the proposals. The move comes after the Home Office last week won a Court of Appeal ruling overturning a temporary injunction forcing the closure of the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, and the removal of 138 asylum seekers currently housed in it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Epping Forest district council claimed that the use of the hotel for migrants breached planning rules. On Monday, it will announce whether it will appeal to the Supreme Court to reinstate the injunction or wait for a full hearing in the High Court of the case in October. More than a dozen councils controlled by the Tories, Reform and Labour are still considering legal challenges to seek the closure of asylum hotels in their areas. The Tories amendments to the Governments planning and infrastructure bill, would not only require planning permission for a hotel to change its use to housing asylum seekers, but also enable formal objections to the proposals from local communities. They would cover not only future asylum hotels but also the 210 current hotels housing more than 32,000 asylum seekers. The proposed new rules would apply to migrants being held in houses of multiple occupation (HMOs), say the Tories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, said: Conservative councillors in Epping took the initiative and challenged the Labour Government on their use of asylum hotels. While other parties carp from the sidelines, the Conservatives are getting on and doing what we can to stop Keir Starmer from making an even bigger mess of our country. By fighting that legal challenge, Keir Starmer showed he prioritised the rights of illegal immigrants over the rights of the British people. With this amendment, Starmer and Labour are going to have to decide again whether they will continue to ride roughshod over communities as they push asylum hotels into Britains towns and cities. On Friday, Ms Badenoch urged Conservative councils to continue with their legal actions to shut asylum hotels despite the Court of Appeal judgment. The Tories accused Angela Rayner, in her capacity as housing minister, for leaving councils in the dark by failing to provide guidance on whether they should treat converting hotels into asylum accommodation as a change of use. In written parliamentary questions, Matthew Pennycook, the planning minister, said they had no plans to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James Cleverly, the shadow housing secretary, said: Labour has left councils in the dark, refusing to say whether turning a hotel into an asylum hostel counts as a change of use. That failure of basic guidance has left local authorities rudderless and handed the planning system over to lawyers and judges. Angela Rayner has ducked every question on this, promising vaguely to end hotel use while providing no framework for how councils are supposed to handle it in the meantime. The row came as Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, said the rights of asylum seekers outweighed the safety concerns of local people. She had been asked on Sky News whether she agreed with lawyers who argued in the Court of Appeal last week that the Home Offices duty under the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) to protect asylum seekers from destitution trumped Epping Forest district councils powers to close the Bell hotel to migrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She replied: Yes, of course we do. But what I would add is that whilst I recognise the obvious and legitimate concerns that people have about the use of asylum hotels, had we not acted in the way that the Home Secretary did around that case, we would have ended up with lots of disruption in terms of what that would have meant around asylum hotels. We will close them, but we will close them in an orderly way, not just where we turf people out on the streets in significant numbers. A balance of rights She maintained the Government had to consider a balance of rights. When people come to this country and claim asylum, we have a responsibility as a Government to assess their cases and to process them, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those who have got a clear right to be here, for those who have evidenced what they are facing in terms of persecution, then that will be decided. Where they dont, then we will take action to remove people from the country. So we do have responsibility to process those. Our responsibility to those who live locally is also important as well. And I completely understand why many people in places like Epping where hotels have opened up feel incredibly frustrated about that. They have a right, of course, to demonstrate lawfully and peacefully. Ms Phillipson also confirmed the Government was seeking to reform the ECHR to help tackle the immigration crisis amid growing demands for change from within Labour as well as from the Tory and Reform leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking on the Sky News Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips programme, she said Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, would look specifically at Article 8 of the ECHR, which protects the right to privacy and family life. The Home Secretary has committed to looking at the Article 8 provisions to see whether they need updating and reforming for the modern age, Ms Phillipson added. We do believe there needs to be reform of the ECHR and thats what the Home Secretary is looking at. Ms Phillipson stressed that changes to the ECHR would need to be balanced against the UKs obligations under international law, and its global standing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said: We also believe as a Government that our responsibilities under international law matter too, and our standing in the world matters as well. Our standing in the world matters if we want to strike trade deals with countries, and weve had great success in recent years in striking those trade deals. Then we need to be a country thats taken seriously. We need to be a country that honours our obligations and honours the rule of law. Those are important principles we talk about. Anti-migrant protester punches officer A police officer was punched in the face by masked anti-migrant protesters demonstrating on Sunday. Violent confrontations broke out between police and a large group of protesters in Canary Wharf shopping centre near the Britannia Hotel, which houses migrants. Masked protesters clash with police officers in Canary Wharf on Sunday - George Cracknell Wright The Metropolitan Police said four people had been arrested for common assault, drug possession, assaulting a police officer and failing to disperse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The protest began peacefully but violence broke out shortly after 4.40pm when a group of masked men entered the nearby shopping centre and became aggressive towards police. A Met spokesman said: One of our officers was punched in the face luckily they have not suffered significant injury. Later on Sunday night, about 200 protesters unhappy about a hotel housing asylum seekers in Epping marched on the towns council offices. They gathered outside the Epping Forest district council building, where a woman climbed the steps and unfurled a Union flag. She was detained by officers after refusing to leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in the evening, the protesters stood behind metal barriers across the road from the Bell Hotel, waving at passing cars that sounded their horns. Police officers watched on, with more waiting in vans in surrounding roads. Two men and one woman were arrested by Essex Police after the demonstration. A woman was arrested on suspicion of breaching a Section 14 which set out specific areas where the protest could take place. Essex Police said her arrest was categorically not for flying the Union flag, as some people had suggested. One man was arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after an emblem was reported to have been set alight. This relates to an alleged incident on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A second man was arrested for breaching the Section 14 order after refusing to leave when the assembly had concluded, police said. Reform whips up anger but has no plan Lord Blunkett and Jack Straw, former Labour home secretaries, have called for the UK to either suspend the ECHR, or decouple the UKs human rights law from the ECHR to allow the Government to deport more illegal migrants and foreign criminals. Ms Phillipson accused Reform UK which has proposed quitting the ECHR of whipping up anger about immigration but not having a plan to tackle the issue. She said: I understand the frustration that people feel, because I understand when they see, for example, asylum hotels and big numbers of people in their community. I understand how that can make people feel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Nigel Farage and Reform, they dont actually want to sort this problem interests are served by whipping up anger rather than fixing it. The Education Secretary repeated that the Government was committed to ending the use of hotels as accommodation for asylum seekers by the end of this Parliament in 2029. I dont want to see large numbers of people accommodated in asylum hotels, she said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The far north Fort Worth neighborhood association suing to remove three Keller school trustees over a plan to split the district announced their intention Friday to pause another lawsuit filed earlier this year. The removal lawsuit, filed in Tarrant County on July 31, has been accepted by a district judge in Johnson County after being transferred there earlier this month. It was severed from an injunction lawsuit, which seeks to prevent future efforts to split the Keller district. Representatives of the Heritage Legal Task Force, formed by members of the Heritage Home Owners Association, said in a news release Friday that the two lawsuits overlap, and they plan to pause the injunction lawsuit to focus on the removal of the so-called rump board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case for removal is built on a foundation of new evidence obtained through the original lawsuit and seeks to hold the board members accountable for their documented incompetence and unlawful conduct, the release states. The plaintiffs Keller school board president John Birt, former president Charles Randklev and vice president Heather Washington are accused in the lawsuit of violating the Texas Open Meetings Act and Keller ISD board policy when they privately discussed and took other steps in connection with the proposed split last year. Attorneys representing the board have argued that the claims have no merit and said the trustees never violated the Open Meetings Act or stepped outside legal bounds when considering the split. According to the July 31 lawsuit, talks about the idea of dividing the district began as early as May 2024. The trustees previously held that the earliest they discussed the split before it became public was Dec. 19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Randklev announced during an executive session on Dec. 19 that the board would vote on the proposal as early as Jan. 16 in order to rapidly implement the plan, the lawsuit states. Before the plan could be implemented, the Star-Telegram published news of the split that had leaked online in early January, and the proposal was called off in early March after several weeks of controversy. The Heritage Legal Task Force recently asked the Texas Education Agency to oversee the Keller school board to make sure meetings are conducted properly. More top stories from our newsroom: Guilty verdict in Tarrant Countys 2nd fentanyl murder trial Fort Worth killed DEI. How will city address disparities? Johnson County sheriff charged with abuse of office [Get our breaking news alerts.] BLUEFIELD Planning work is ongoing behind the scenes for two large-scale transportation improvement projects in Bluefield. They include the Midway Tunnel replacement plan and the Safe Streets for All project. The Safe Streets and Roads for All initiative is being funded through $25 million in federal dollars and more than $5 million in state funding. It involves various transportation upgrades across the city to benefit motorists, bicycle riders and pedestrians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The projects goal is to convert four of Bluefields key intersections to roundabouts, create pedestrian and bicycle accommodations through a strategic mountain gap, and to make safety improvements that include implementing traffic-calming strategies and installing sidewalks, crosswalks, rectangular rapid-flashing beacons, and street lighting on selected corridors. Locations for Safe Street projects range from College Avenue, Stadium Drive, Cumberland Road, Princeton Avenue, U.S. Route 52 and other roads in the city along with the intersection connecting Cherry Street, Maryland Avenue and Stadium Drive. The grant will install three road roundabouts, two of them on College Avenue and one at the U.S. Route 52 near Hill Avenue and the entrance to Bluefield State University. Stadium Drive will be another of the grant projects focus areas. The Midway Tunnel project is a $13.4 million plan that will allow for the replacement of the archaic structure that links Bluefield with Old Bramwell Road and the construction of a new overpass bridge and pedestrian and bicycle walkway above the tunnel. Planning and negotiations on both projects are continuing, City Manager Cecil Marson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those are all being worked on, Marson said in response to questions by the Daily Telegraph. We are in constant dialogue with the West Virginia Department of Highways and the feds. I mean probably every other day. Right now as far as the Safe Streets for all goes we are negotiating the grant agreement with the federal highways and thats just sort of a back and forth to make sure that the budgets captured, and all the agreements are signed. The city, the state, the federal government and engineering firms are all working on the project, according to Marson. So its moving forward and were super excited about it, Marson said. Its going to be historic once we get it done and get this project going. But the Safe Streets for All project wont be completed overnight. Marson said the engineering and design phase alone will take months to complete. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once we get the agreement signed and we start getting the engineers in here, then there will be a lot more publicity because well start getting all the utilities together and it will probably be a good eight to 12 months of just planning and engineering design before you see shovels in the ground. Once the work begins, the city will have five years to complete the Safe Streets for All project. Bluefield was awarded a $25,748,152 federal grant in late 2024 by the U.S. Department of Transportation for the project. The state of West Virginia is providing another $5 million in funding for it. The total funding picture for the Safe Streets for All project is just over $31 million. The Midway Tunnel replacement project is being funded by a $13,480,000 award for the city of Bluefield secured by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., through the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program, a component of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Capito announced during the original grant award that the federal funding will allow for the replacement of the Midway Tunnel and the construction of a new overpass bridge and pedestrian and bicycle walkway above the tunnel. In her official announcement, Capito, said the project will involve the construction of an overpass bridge and will make road improvements on the approach to an intermodal facility. Specifically she said the project will replace an existing one lane, signal-controlled railroad underpass (Old Bramwell Road/County Route 11/Midway Tunnel) with an overpass that includes separated pedestrian and bicycle accommodations. The existing tunnel is prone to flooding, and only vehicle can enter the structure at a time. Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) Three people were injured in a shooting on US-131 in Wyoming early Sunday, police say. It happened between 3:30 a.m. and 3:45 a.m. in the northbound lanes of the highway between 44th and 36th streets, Michigan State Police said. Police investigate a shooting on US-131 in Wyoming on Aug. 31, 2025. Police investigate a shooting on US-131 in Wyoming on Aug. 31, 2025. MSP said three people were shot. They were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover. As of Monday, one has already been released from the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said the shooter and victims were in separate cars on the highway. Its not yet known whether they know one another. MSP said whoever was responsible drove off after the shooting. It is working to find the vehicle and suspect. The highway reopened open after closing for several hours at 44th Street while emergency crews were on scene. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Two people were killed and two more hospitalized during a shooting in Mount Washington Sunday afternoon. Cincinnati police responded to a shots fired call at a building near the intersection of Beacon Street and Glade Avenue before 1:30 p.m. Aug. 31, department spokesman Lt. Jonathan Cunningham told reporters on scene. The shooter, a man whose identity has not been released by police, killed two people and critically injured another person. He then shot himself in an attempt to take his own life, Cunningham said. Police conduct an investigation near the 1500 block of Beacon Street in Mount Washington after four people were shot on the afternoon of Aug. 31, according to Cincinnati police. The shooter was transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center along with one other person. Both remain in critical condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When officers arrived, shots were still being fired, Cunningham said. The shooting occurred both inside and outside of the residence, but additional details on how the shooting began were not available. "Truly a tragedy today," Cunningham told reporters at the scene of the shooting. "The pain is very widespread, being felt by those involved and by our officers." No information on the victims of the shooting or their connection to the shooter was available Sunday afternoon. Police are still on scene in Mount Washington as the investigation remains ongoing. Cunningham says there is no active threat to the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of 4:30 p.m., Beacon Street was blocked off between Ambar and Sherman avenues. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 2 dead, 2 hospitalized after shooting in Mount Washington, police say The Chief Minister landed at Dusseldorf International Airport, where Anja de Werth warmly received him from the Protocol Division, Consular Affairs, State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), representing Minister-President Hendrik Wust; Abhishek Dubey, Charge d'Affaires, Embassy of India, Berlin; and Vibha Kant Sharma, Acting Consul General of India, Frankfurt. Upon arrival, the Chief Minister was welcomed with a grand reception by hundreds of members of the Tamil diaspora, including children, community leaders, and families bearing flowers, placards, and balloons. The reception is a testament to Tamil Nadu's global cultural footprint and the Chief Minister's international stature as a political leader. As part of his German itinerary, the Chief Minister will preside over a large diaspora event on Sunday, which will be attended by hundreds of people and include cultural programmes curated by Tamil associations across Europe. During the event, he will honour several Tamil Sangams from various parts of Europe for their contributions to preserving Tamil identity and promoting Tamil Nadu abroad. On Monday, the Chief Minister will lead a high-powered investment conclave in Dusseldorf, engaging directly with global investors and industrial leaders. Several key investment announcements and MoUs are expected. He will also hold one-on-one meetings with major investors looking to invest as well as expand operations in Tamil Nadu. The Chief Minister is scheduled to meet with the Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wust, as part of deepening bilateral cooperation between Tamil Nadu, India's most industrialised state, and Germany's most industrialised state. After the Germany leg, the Chief Minister will proceed to the United Kingdom for a series of investor meetings, diaspora interactions and academic engagements. (ANI) German police said the man who was found dead in a shisha bar in Hamburg early on Sunday morning was killed by gunfire. The perpetrator has not yet been apprehended, according to police. Emergency forces were called to the establishment in the northern German port city's Hohenfelde district shortly after 4:30 am (0230 GMT), but medics were unable to resuscitate the 33-year-old man. After evidence indicated the man had been fatally shot, police said the homicide division and public prosecutor's office took over the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sniffer dogs were deployed at the scene, and inquiries, particularly into the motive, are ongoing. The area around the crime scene, located on a six-lane thoroughfare, has been cordoned off, with investigators combing the neighbourhood and searching for witnesses. It comes after two men were attacked at the same bar by masked assailants in December. Some three years ago, a 27-year-old man was killed in the establishment after shots were fired at his face and heart, in what police believe was an altercation related to the drug scene. By Ted Hesson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A political standoff over U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to crack down on crime and illegal immigration in Chicago intensified on Sunday as a top administration official promised to deploy more federal officers and the Democratic governor of Illinois portrayed Trump as a threat to democracy. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told CBS News' 'Face the Nation' that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Chicago and other parts of the country would be bolstered, but declined to provide details. Noem said Trump would make any decision to deploy National Guard troops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the same program, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said Trump wanted to deploy troops so that he could halt or manipulate U.S. midterm elections in 2026. "He'd like to stop the elections in 2026 or, frankly, take control of those elections," Pritzker said. "He'll just claim that there's some problem with an election, and then he's got troops on the ground that can take control." White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson criticized Pritzker for not doing more to deal with crime. "Chicagos residents would be much safer if Pritzker actually did his job and addressed his crime problem instead of trying to be a Resistance Lib hero," Jackson said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump and top officials have said in the past week that Chicago would soon be a target for the Republican presidents efforts to tackle crime and illegal immigration. Trump for years has criticized crime in Chicago, a Democratic stronghold, although city figures show most categories of violent crime have dropped this year. Earlier this month, Trump kicked off an aggressive public safety campaign in Washington, D.C., deploying National Guard troops, flooding streets with federal officers, and federalizing the city police department. The surge has generated political and community pushback in D.C., a federal district where Trump wields exceptional power. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, issued an executive order on Saturday that said local police would not assist with National Guard or other federal operations. Noem said on Sunday that Trump's decision to send thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles in June following protests saved that Democrat-led city from being decimated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "L.A. wouldn't be standing today if President Trump hadn't taken action," Noem said. "That city would have burned down if left to the devices of the mayor and the governor of that state." California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said at the time that the decision was "purposefully inflammatory." Reuters reported previously that as Trump began his push to send the National Guard and Marines to U.S. cities, military leaders privately questioned whether the troops had received proper training and warned of the "far-reaching social, political and operational" risks of aiding law enforcement. (Reporting by Ted Hesson; Editing by Don Durfee and Nia Williams) A large majority of Ukrainians appear to be in favour of a ceasefire, but only if clear security guarantees can be provided, according to a recent survey. Of the 1,600 Ukrainians surveyed, 75% saw security guarantees from Europe and the United States as a prerequisite for ending hostilities, the Ukrainian Rating Group reported. Amid US President Donald Trump's efforts toward ceasefire talks, discussions have long centred around Ukrainian calls for credible security guarantees, intended to deter Russia from attacking again in case a peace deal is reached. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The poll also found that 82% of respondents considered negotiations a realistic path to ending the war. Of these, 62% favoured involving other countries to help broker a compromise, while 20% supported direct negotiations with Moscow. Of those surveyed, 59% backed ending the fighting and seeking a compromise, while 20% wanted the war to continue until the Donbass region and the Crimean Peninsula are fully reclaimed. Only 13% supported a return to the pre-February 23, 2022, borders, which would exclude Crimea and Donbass. The Rating Group conducted the survey among 1,600 people in Ukraine between September 21 and 23 this year. Pope Leo XIV on Sunday reiterated his call for an end to the war in Ukraine. "I strongly reiterate my urgent appeal for an immediate ceasefire and a serious commitment to dialogue," Leo said while delivering the Angelus prayer in St Peter's Square. "Sadly, the war in Ukraine continues to sow death and destruction," the head of the Catholic Church noted. "Even in recent days, bombings have struck several cities, including the capital Kiev, causing numerous casualties." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Now is the time for those responsible to renounce the logic of weapons and take the path of negotiation and peace, with the support of the international community," he said. "The voice of weapons must be silenced, while the voice of fraternity and justice must be raised." Russia has been waging a full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbour for more than three and a half years, plummeting the country with airstrikes that have caused widespread destruction and civilian deaths. More than 20 people were killed in Kiev early on Thursday in the heaviest aerial assault since July. Leo, the first US pope, also addressed the recent school shooting in Minnesota, which left two children dead. "Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world," Leo, who was born in Chicago, said. Pope Leo XIV prayed publicly on Sunday for the victims of the shooting at a Catholic school in Minnesota and called for an end to the "pandemic of arms, large and small." The U.S.-born pope spoke in English as he denounced the attack and the "logic of weapons" fueling wars around the world, during his Sunday noon blessing from his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square in Rome. "Our prayers for the victims of the tragic shooting during a school Mass in the American state of Minnesota," Leo said. "We hold in our prayers the countless children killed and injured every day around the world. Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two children 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moysk were killed Wednesday, and 20 people were injured during a shooting attack at the Church of Annunciation in Minneapolis, as hundreds of students from the nearby Annunciation Catholic School and others gathered for a Mass marking the beginning of the school year. Pope Leo XIV at the window of the apostolic palace overlooking St.Peter's Square during his Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican. / Credit: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images The shooter, who later died by suicide, fired 116 rifle rounds through the church's stained-glass window. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Leo had refrained from any political commentary about guns in America, sending a telegram of condolence that focused exclusively on the spiritual. He expressed sadness over the "terrible tragedy" and extended his "heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected." Leo had opened his appeal on Sunday by demanding an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and a "serious commitment to dialogue" from the warring sides. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's time that those responsible renounce the logic of weapons and take the path of negotiations and peace, with the support of the international community," he said. "The voice of weapons must be silenced, while the voice of fraternity and justice must rise." "Portrait of a person who's not there": Documenting the bedrooms of school shooting victims The Long Island home renovation that uncovered a hidden story Passage: In memoriam VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born leader of the global Catholic Church, prayed on Sunday that God would "stop the pandemic of arms" after a mass shooting on August 27 at a Minnesota Catholic school that killed two children. "Our prayers (go) for the victims of the tragic shooting during a school Mass in the American state of Minnesota," Leo, speaking in English, said in a weekly prayer with crowds in St. Peter's Square. "Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms large and small, which infects our world," said the pope. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leo was elected pope by the world's cardinals in May after the death of the late Pope Francis. He has shown a different style to his predecessor, rarely speaking off the cuff and usually preferring a more cautious tone in his public appeals. Sunday's appeal was also a rare instance of the pope addressing a world event in his native English. Leo usually prefers to use Italian, the language of the papacy. (Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Hugh Lawson) NAUGATUCK, Conn. (WTNH) 75 years of Portuguese heritage were celebrated on Saturday at the Sao Piao Festival in Naugatuck. The event was hosted by the Naugatuck Portuguese Club. Plainville Hot Air Balloon Festival dedicates this years celebration to fallen firefighter For decades it has been a way for residents to showcase connections to Portugal. It is a wonderful feeling to keep traditions alive, Luci Dasilva, the chair of the festival said. Thats why I do it. I do it to keep our Portuguese culture and the community. Sao Paio is Naugatuck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attendees were able to experience Portuguese culture by sharing stories, food, music and traditions, along with a 5-K road race. Its a great opportunity to show off some of the culture aspect of the Portuguese and be able to share that with them, Pablo Feliciano, of Enfield, said. The festival continues on Sunday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A new no-cost market in central Arkansas is helping to address food insecurity and food deserts. The market, which distributed fresh produce Saturday morning in Little Rock, is a collaboration between several local organizations. Potluck Food Rescue, Arkansas Workforce Connections, Sacred Harvest Ministries and others shared resources at the Arkansas Workforce Center on Mabelvale Pike. Arkansas nonprofit launches new app to combat food insecurity in the state Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chris Wyman, executive director for Potluck Food Rescue, said this was the first such event at this location. He expects it will become a quarterly event or possibly happen every other month. The event offered free, fresh groceries and opportunities to connect with organizations addressing hunger and workforce development. Organizers said the goal is to build stronger communities by increasing food access, promoting sustainability and supporting education. More events are planned, and additional information can be found at PotluckFoodRescue.org. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. The technological gaps in India's emerging semiconductor ecosystem are capturing the interest of global players from allied sectors, who view this as a strategic opportunity to support the country's goal of becoming a preferred destination for chip manufacturing. Many companies are ramping up their operations in India and focusing on localising equipment manufacturing, bridging gaps through R&D, skilled workforce training, and infrastructure development -- as semiconductor firms increasingly seek partners with deep expertise and a strong local footprint in the Indian ecosystem, according to industry executives. The participation of firms in India's flagship semiconductor-focused event, Semicon India 2025, supports the trend. Scheduled from September 2-4 in the national capital, the event will attract more than 30 countries as participants in this year's edition. SEMICON India 2025 aims to catalyse global collaboration, support domestic innovation, and strengthen India's role as a trusted, scalable, and competitive electronics manufacturing hub. International companies, including Applied Materials, IBM, Infineon, LAM Research, Merck, Siemens, TSMC, and Tata Electronics, among others, will participate. Speaking to ANI, Anil Chaudhry- Head, Robotics & Solutions at Indian arm of Taiwan-based Delta Electronics (India) said that the Delta sees India as a promising market, not only because of the increasing investments and government initiatives like the announcement of 10 semiconductor fabs but also due to the current technological gap that exists in high-speed precision machinery, which remains largely dependent on imports. "So, the technological gap in terms of high-speed precision we can place. It is 100 per cent dependent on the machine, which is made outside India. And then what is basically we have taken the initial steps to start doing a level of localisation and then we see in the future we will be more focusing on the make in India equipment which fits not only to the semiconductor market, but also to the electronics market," Chaudhry said. He said, leveraging Delta's strong foundation in Taiwan, the company is working toward localising equipment manufacturing and bridging that gap through R&D, skilled workforce training, and infrastructure development. The company has invested USD 500 million in its operations, with a significant portion allocated to infrastructure, including land, test equipment, and factory expansion. Taiwan's Delta Technologies specialises in offering end-to-end solutions in both the semiconductor fabrication (fab) and assembly-testing (T-set) segments. This includes digital twin technologies, factory-level software integration, machine simulation, and facility management systems that enable seamless tool-to-utility connectivity within cleanroom environments. Chaudhry said that semiconductor companies are looking for companies that have expertise in the allied activities of the core semiconductor manufacturing, which is propelling the players to localise their operations in Indian soil. Supporting the trend, he noted that Delta is not alone in the Indian market but is facing competition from Japanese, Korean, and Singaporean players. "They (Semiconductor Cos) are looking for people who are already in India...and they would like to work along with us as much as possible... So we are leveraging that advantage. We have a unique proposition in the Indian market," Chaudhry noted. "We are creating the right infrastructure in delta India with the experience we have from the international market, like Taiwan and Japan. And in terms of infrastructure, we are creating high-standard labs where we train our foremen and our operators to do the very specific actions required in the semiconductor," he further added, indicating how global companies are strengthening their Indian units to capture the semiconductor opportunity. "We are adding the R&D people in the organisation who can understand how to generate the semiconductor drawing in terms of piping, in terms of the movement of the tool. We are creating the software team," Chaudhry stated. Talking about the intent to participate in the Semicon India 2025, Sanjeev Srivastava - Head, Industrial Automation, said, "We have a lot of products and technology that would go along with the semiconductor industry. So that is one of the intents of participating in this event, and also, India is going to be a big hub for semiconductors, and our initial engagement in this industry will be beneficial for both the industry as well as for us." Discussing the company's localisation efforts, he noted that with fourteen regional offices, four manufacturing facilities (Rudrapur, Gurgaon, and Krishnagiri), and two R&D centres (Gurgaon and Bengaluru), Delta has a strong presence across India, supported by more than 200 channel partners. As of date, the government has approved 10 semiconductor manufacturing projects with a cumulative investment of more than Rs 1.60 lakh crore in 6 states - Gujarat, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. India is expected to see its first commercially produced chips from new facilities before the end of this year. On August 28, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the first Made-in-India semiconductor chip, will be rolled out from Sanand's CG plant. (ANI) STANTON, Ky. (FOX 56) An employee of a food service partner for the Powell County Detention Center (PCDC) was arrested on Saturday morning for alleged inappropriate misconduct involving an inmate. According to an arrest citation, Samantha Catron, of Hope, was allegedly captured on security camera video having deviant intercourse with an incarcerated person. Jail staff posted on social media Saturday that Kellwell Food Management, which Catron worked for, had been a trusted partner with the PCDC commissary since 1992. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Catron was arrested just before 8 a.m. Saturday morning, according to jail staff. Our top priority is, and will always be, the safety and ethical treatment of our residents. This standard applies to our staff and any contractors who work inside our facility, Jailer Teddy Lacy wrote. Read more of the latest Kentucky news Catron was reportedly lodged at the PCDC while waiting for transfer to another facility. She was charged with third-degree sodomy. More information about the misconduct investigation will be released as it becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Were talking with Porter McNeil and Michelle Crawford. We switch to Illinois where President Trump reiterated his threat to send the National Guard into Chicago under the premise of fighting violent crime. He called Chicago a hellhole. Lets get real with some facts about big cities with the most violent crime. Our colleagues at The Hill listed the ten cities with the worst violent crime rates per capita based on FBI data from 2024. Here are the worst eight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1. Memphis, Tennessee 2. Detroit, Michigan 3. Baltimore, Maryland 4. Kansas City, Missouri 5. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 6. Albuquerque, New Mexico 7. Houston, Texas 8. Nashville, Tennessee Half of them are in states run by Republicans, half by Democrats. Chicago ranks 29 on this list. Washington, D.C. is tenth. If the President is really serious about going after crime in big cities by sending in the National Guard, why isnt he going down the list and starting with Memphis? Thats a good question to ask the White House, because crime is in red states and blue states, and if he were really serious about Chicago, instead of bringing the military in, he should try to invest more and stop blocking funds for community policing, McNeil said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres so many things that can be done to address it, President Trump did run on being tough on crime, so hes following through on a campaign promise, Crawford said. To hear more from the panel, click on the video. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. The Plaid Penguin is asking the court to intervene after its relationship with Chef Jim Nobles restaurant group soured. ALSO READ: Cabarrus County to settle lawsuit with fired manager over unpaid compensation The Charlotte branding, public relations, marketing and communications firm has filed a complaint against Nobles Restaurants LLC in Mecklenburg County Superior Court. It alleges breach of contract and unjust enrichment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint says Nobles Restaurants terminated a consulting agreement between the parties early without justification and refused to pay for contracted services. We disagree with their interpretation of events related to the end of that relationship, an executive with the restaurant group says, directing further questions to attorneys. Nobles restaurants include Bossy Beulahs Chicken Shack, Roosters Wood-Fired Kitchen, Noble Smoke, The Jimmy, Copain and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Dream Center. Read the full story on CBJs website here. VIDEO: Cabarrus County mother sues school board, former teacher over alleged assault on autistic son Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) | Key Capture Energy This story was originally published by Ottawa News Network. BLENDON TWP. A proposed large-scale battery energy storage system in Blendon Township has sparked environmental and health concerns among residents, though a formal application for the project has not yet been submitted. Township officials are considering a proposal for a battery energy storage system, or BESS, which is designed to store electricity from the power grid and release it during periods of peak demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parcel would be at 8284 88th Ave., located in the townships northwest corner. The concept is new to the township and to much of Michigan, which currently has no battery storage facilities in place. This is new to us, said Township Supervisor Greg Golembiewski. Everyone has more questions than answers right now. The company, Key Capture Energy, first approached township officials with the proposal about 18 months ago. Residents primary concerns revolve around the risks of fires and potential groundwater contamination from a chemical leak. Golembiewski confirmed on Wednesday, Aug. 28, that no formal application had been submitted by KCE. The townships planning commission would need to approve the project once it is formally presented before anything can happen, Golembiewski said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is nothing on the planning commission agenda, and I havent heard back from Key Capture about their application. We dont like to speculate until we see a formal application and there is nothing right now, he said. Many residents attended an Aug. 18 public hearing to voice opposition to the facility, highlighting a local dispute now intertwined with a statewide legal challenge over renewable energy development in Michigan. According to meeting minutes, residents expressed fears about fire, water contamination and safety, including: Fire risks associated with large-scale battery storage facilities. Water usage, especially in light of current issues with wells drying up in the area. Lack of clear evacuation plans for neighboring areas in the event of an emergency. Residents urged the board to reconsider the ordinance and to take into account the safety, environmental, and governance implications before proceeding, according to the meeting minutes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Golembiewski said residents have valid concerns, which is why the company held a public hearing about the project in July. At that time, KCE officials were on site to answer questions and address residents concerns. If the project is built, Blendon Township would be the first Michigan location for KCE which owns and operates 14 facilities 11 in Texas and three in New York totaling more than 620 megawatts. What is BESS? According to the Economic Development Responsibility Alliance of Michigan, large-scale battery storage sites are a crucial part of the new renewable energy grid. Because industrial wind turbines and solar fields do not produce a constant supply of power, BESS facilities store electricity for when it is needed most. The BESS sites, which look like rows of shipping containers filled with lithium-ion batteries, can draw surplus energy from the power grid. They then sell this stored electricity back to utility companies at a higher price during periods of high demand, helping to balance the grid and prevent shortages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed Blendon Township site is a 12-acre site at 8284 88th Ave., where KCE hopes to put a four-hour, 100-megawatt battery storage facility. Company officials have said they chose the location because it has the capacity to house standalone battery storage. The property is also close to the existing transmission grid and has an adjacent electric substation, which makes it easier to connect to the existing system. Next steps Blendon Township could consider two paths for permitting the KCE project. If the township approves a Compatible Renewable Energy ordinance, it could receive a State Renewable Ready Communities Grant. This grant would pay the township $5,000 per megawatt-hour, totaling $500,000 for the KCE facility. The township would receive half of that amount when construction begins and the other half when the project is finished. However, if the township denies the proposal, KCE can bypass the local approval process and apply directly to the state under Act 233, a law signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November 2023. In that case, the township would not receive the grant money. The Minnesota State Fair briefly closed its main gate on Saturday afternoon. A protest that marched from Hamline Park to the fair's main gate prompted a single gate closure beginning at 1:08 p.m. Buses using that gate were paused, and pedestrians were redirected to other entrances, a spokesperson tells Bring Me The News. The annual protest, called the Not Fair: Stop Taking Cheap Shots Rally, was organized by Black Lives Matter Twin Cities. "Enough is enough," reads an event page for the protest. "Join us in a loud, peaceful stand against corruption, racism, and the evil, money-hungry politics-for-profit machine that is destroying lives, warping our future, and destroying the environment." Minnesota State Fair in 2025Photo by Dustin Nelson/Bring Me The News An emergency alert was issued to nearby residents, KSTP reports, notifying fairgoers that the gate was not operating due to the protest. The publication adds that the protestors returned to Hamline Park without incident, according to the St. Paul Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The gate reopened and traffic resumed as normal at 2:32 p.m. "Saint Paul Police were closely monitoring an organized peaceful protest that was scheduled for today. The protest was organized by Black Lives Matter protesting against corruption, racism, standing up for justice and more," St. Paul PD said. "The group marched from Hamline Park, 1564 LaFond Ave to the front gate of the MN State Fair, traffic was shut down for a short time at approximately. Saint Paul Police monitored and provided traffic control for the protest to ensure the safety of everyone involved. At approximately 2:30pm the group left and marched back to Hamline Park without incident ... The State Fair made the decision to close the gate." Related: Walz mulls special session on gun legislation following Annunciation shooting in Minneapolis This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Aug 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. SOMERSET, Ky. (FOX 56) When Anthony McCollum became jailer at the Pulaski County Detention Center in 2018, he set out to give back to the communityand to make sure inmates leaving jail didnt end up back behind bars. McCollum told FOX 56, One of the things that we came up with was being able to develop these work programs to be able to teach them how to do the basic skills, give them certificates to be able to gain employment once they leave the facility. 1 hurt, 1 seriously injured in crash near Lexington winery Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats how the Inmate Work Detail was born. Dozens have completed the program, earning certifications in welding, safe food handling for restaurant jobs, and even obtaining their GEDs. The program also connects them to the community. Back in May, inmates were out helping clean up just hours after a tornado tore through the area. McCollum said, I think it gives them a sense of pride and a sense of purpose. But for inmates, its about more than pride. Its about a second chance. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Isaac Dunlap, an inmate who has been at the detention center for 24 months, told FOX 56 he hoped society would view him as a potential asset to the community when hes released, thanks to this program. When I get out, maybe people wont judge a book by its cover. That theyll actually be willing to look at me and say, Well, hes actually got some experience. Hes knowing what hes doing. Hes got his head on his shoulders. Dakota Young, another inmate who has been serving his sentence for the past 23 months, said, It makes me feel good knowing that I can accomplish something like that, you know what I mean? And it helps a lot in the future getting jobs and stuff as long as they can look past the felony charges. McCollum says employers willing to give these men and women a fresh start can reach out directly to the detention center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has arrived in China on 31 August for a four-day visit. Source: RBC (RosBusinessConsulting) Details: Putin is expected to attend a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War, as well as take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, which will be held in Tianjin from 31 August to 1 September. The Kremlin leader will deliver a speech at the summit and participate in a meeting in the SCO Plus format, which includes leaders of member states along with observer countries and dialogue partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, he will hold meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier, it was reported that Erdogan had also travelled to China to take part in the summit. Putins visit to China will last four days, which is unusual for him. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Aug. 31 to attend a major regional security summit, Chinese and Russian state media reported. The four-day visit, a rare trip abroad for Putin, underscores Beijing and Moscows efforts to counter Western influence in global affairs. Footage from Russias TASS news agency showed Putin stepping onto a red carpet and being welcomed on the tarmac by senior city officials. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV described China-Russia relations as at their "best in history," calling them "the most stable, mature and strategically significant among major countries." China has become a crucial economic lifeline for Russia during its war against Ukraine, while Kyiv has grown more vocal in accusing Beijing of directly supporting Moscows war effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinese President Xi Jinping will host about 20 world leaders at the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The SCO, founded in 2001 by six Eurasian nations, has since expanded to 10 permanent members along with 16 observer and dialogue partners. Its scope has broadened from security and counter-terrorism to include economic and military cooperation. Xi is expected to use the gathering to promote a vision of a post-U.S.-led international order, while providing a diplomatic boost to Russia as it faces isolation and sweeping sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine. Ahead of the trip, Putin told Chinas Xinhua news agency that Moscow and Beijing oppose "discriminatory" sanctions in global trade. Russias economy remains under heavy strain from Western restrictions and the costs of its war in Ukraine, with economists warning of a looming recession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaders from across Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia are also set to attend the summit. Beijing has billed the event as a show of solidarity among the "Global South," seeking to highlight cooperation between developing and lower-income nations. Read also: Ukraines intel chief warns of Russian disinformation wave ahead of Zapad-2025 military drills Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. With this weeks Russian missile and drone onslaught across Ukraine, which included the largest bombardment of Kyiv since February 2022 its clear that despite President Donald Trumps claims that he would be able to end the conflict quickly, we are still far away from an end to Vladimir Putins. A cease-fire remains elusive, despite Trump signaling one in Alaska last month and threatening Putin with vague severe consequences if it failed to take place. Russian sanctions under President Biden were substantial, but they were insufficient and underenforced, and military supply deliveries were often tardy. Still, that Administrations rhetoric and actions were consistent in support for Ukraine. Disturbingly, despite occasional tough talk from Trump which we have saluted over the past eight months, it seems he is unwilling to exert any actual leverage on Putin. Trump has had all the cards and dropped the deck as Putins imploding economy leaves Russia far from being an economic superpower. Other world leaders now wonder if he is all bark and no bite. Once again, top Trump officials are denouncing the attacks as egregious and that they threaten the peace Trump is pursuing, yet Trump refuses to take any substantive action to pressure Putin to stop or to punish Putin for his transgression. Trump must surely know that a verbal wrist slap is unlikely to stop the Russian dictator. Similarly, before the Alaska Summit, Trump had threatened new sanctions and tariffs on Russia if Putin did not agree to end the war in Ukraine, but no such sanctions and tariffs have been imposed since. Where are those long-promised sanctions and tariffs? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Likewise, sometimes Trump verbally muses about strengthening support for Ukraine such as when he posted to Truth Social, speculating about whether Ukraine should be allowed to strike deep within Russia but his actions consistently fail to match his rhetoric, as U.S. aid to Ukraine draws down and Europe increasingly foots the bill. There is a striking disconnect between what Trump is saying and what he is doing and every time, Trump does not match his rhetorical bellicosity with any actual action or pressure on Putin, as Putin continues unabated. Is Putin playing Trump, promising progress in a peace deal which will never come to buy more time to batter Ukraine? Or is Trump playing us, dangling vague assurances while letting Putin get away with it? The biggest winner Regardless, its clear who the biggest winner is from Trumps inability to deliver the peace deal he has long promised: Putin wins, and everyone else loses. Each and every single day the war goes on, Russia continues to gain more land and kill more Ukrainians, helped by the fact that U.S. assistance for Ukraine is dwindling as Ukraine runs low on munitions. As former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Mike McFaul pointed out, there is no doubt that since President Trump has been in the White House, Putin has gotten more aggressive. There have been more attacks on Ukrainian civilians, and the number of drone and missile attacks have gone up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is much that Trump can do to pressure Putin if he chooses to do so much of which he himself has threatened or mused about, but failed to act upon. Perhaps the most potent leverage would be tightening economic pressure on Putin through sanctions and tariffs. While the secondary tariffs recently levied on India for buying Russian oil is a good first step, that is just the tip of the iceberg, with countries such as China, Turkey, and others continuing to buy ample Russian oil providing windfall revenues for Putin. By tightening the screws on Putins already crumbling economic house of cards, Putin could run out of money very soon perhaps even by the end of the year. There is ample congressional traction for this, including the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 legislation co-sponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, which would impose secondary tariffs and sanctions on countries which continue to fund Russias war machine. Business will back Trump toughening up Trump will find that American businesses stand united behind him, with zero major US businesses eager to return to Russia after pulling out in the largest stampede in history in 2022, with 1,200+ companies leaving overnight. We helped to spark those mass exits and continue to hear that from CEOs that none are interested in returning given the unstable collapsing nature of Russia economy, the difficulty of doing business there, the risk to executive lives, Putins impulsive expropriation of private businesses, the ease of substitutability of Russias raw materials at comparable commodity prices, elsewhere, and the former minuscule 1% to 2% prewar revenues Russia represented for most multinationals while doing business there. Some were alarmed by reports that mid-tier functionaries at Exxon have been engaged in backchannel discussions with Rosneft. This was a failed diplomatic ruse truly little more than cosmetic moves dangling before Putin into the unlikely prospect of normalized relations with the U.S. after the war ends. Putin saw through this insincere U.S. tactic. The reality is, as Exxon insiders have confirmed to me, Exxon has little appetite for unreliable Russian oil. Exxon has no incentive to become hostage to Putins mercurial whims while incurring massive global reputational risk holds little appeal. It is plainly uneconomic to drill in the Russian Arctic Circle, with a much higher marginal cost of production than far cheaper and more reliable oilfields in Guyana, the Middle East, and the Permian Basin in the U.S. The U.S. business contingent to Alaska was cosmetic Trump appeasement for Russian talks to tantalize Putin or fool the public. In reality, they have no need for that added supply and cannot afford the drilling in the Arctic Circle anymore. It proved uneconomic under Rex Tillerson, but the Ukrainian invasion gave them an excuse to withdraw along with BP and Shell. Russia has periodically threatened litigation and even sued its former partner Exxon as US technology is vital to assist the anachronistic inefficient Russian extraction systems which cost twice as much as for other OPEC+ nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Exxon produces roughly 4.5 million barrels a day with 1.5 million (a third of their production) coming very efficiently from Guyana, where its not even at half capacity yet. Another third of output is from the Mideast (Aramco) and the final third from the U.S., where it also has undertapped proven reserves. With crude oil prices plunging to $63 per barrel (WTI)/$66 per barrel (Brent), there is little interest in expanding supply from inefficient Russian sources. Trumps chants of Drill baby, drill is not the mantra for any oil company. Oil barons groan as Trump embarrasses himself with such ignorance of their real agenda. All hat, no cattle is the phrase that genuine Texas cowboys have for city slickers like Trump who wear rhinestones and pretend to be tough and knowledgeable when they have no idea what theyre talking about. Who commits suicide by shooting themselves five times? As an added kicker, it is plain disorienting, if not dizzying, to have to deal with a constantly changing cast of interlocutors, with successive waves of top executives at Russian energy firms somehow committing suicide during Putins term. This includes figures at Gazprom, Lukoil, Transneft and Rosneft who have mysteriously fallen out of windows, somehow committed suicide by shooting themselves five times in the back, or accidentally getting run over by cars. Simultaneously, Trump has to fortify military assistance for Ukraine. Already, there is growing momentum in Congress, including from Trumps GOP allies, for another major military aid package to help Ukraine, despite the misguided cries of outnumbered, outgunned isolationists such as JD Vance not to support Ukraine anymore. Already, there is a bipartisan proposal in the Senate for a new $54.6 billion package in new aid to Ukraine, which would be the largest aid package for Ukraine yet. Despite Trumps tough talk, he constantly fails to match his rhetorical bluster with genuine action to squeeze Putin. Trump, who normally enjoys creating maximum leverage for himself, seems bizarrely unwilling or unable to challenge Putin beyond verbal wordplay. Where are the severe consequences against Putin that Trump has often threatened, but never implemented? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not too late to change that if things continue at this rate, it will be hard to say whether Putin is playing Trump, or Trump is playing us. Either way, the U.S., the EU, and Ukraine are all worse off under Trumps confusing cowardice. The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com The BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BRICS CCI) successfully hosted the BRICS CCI Healthcare Summit 2025, a landmark gathering convened under the leadership of Prann Sharma, President, BRICS CCI Healthcare Vertical and Executive Director-Strategy, BRICS CCI that underscored the growing global momentum towards blending traditional systems of medicine with modern healthcare practices. With the theme "Bridging Tradition and Innovation," the Summit marked a milestone in integrating AYUSH with modern science, paving the way for global healthcare collaborations and future-ready systems. Distinguished dignitaries attended the summit. The Guest of Honour Address was delivered by Anurag Sharma, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, and Ramdas Bandu Athawale, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, while the Chief Guest Address was delivered by Prataprao Jadhav, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH and Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The event also featured an exclusive video address by Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Gracing the events with their eminent presence were Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH; Anil Sooklal, High Commissioner, High Commission of South Africa; Roman Babushkin, Charge d'Affaires, Embassy of the Russian Federation to India; Harisoa Lalatiana Accouche, High Commissioner of Seychelles to India and Lebogang Zulu, National Chairperson - BRICS Women's Business Alliance South Africa, among others. "As envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AYUSH is our heritage and the foundation of an inclusive global healthcare system that bridges tradition with modern science", stated Pratap Rao Jadhav, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH and Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Anurag Sharma, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, said, "There is no need for clinical trials for traditional systems of medicine, as their long-term use and evidence-based outcomes already validate their efficacy." Delivering the opening remarks, Dr. BBL Madhukar, Co-Chairman and Director General, BRICS CCI, reiterated the chamber's commitment to advancing healthcare innovation. "Healthcare is a sector that touches every aspect of society, including education, environment and cultural identity," he noted. Prann Sharma, President, BRICS CCI Healthcare Vertical and Executive Director-Strategy, BRICS CCI, said, "We are already witnessing a global shift, with people moving away from synthetic and chemical-based products towards natural, safe and sustainable alternatives." Sameep Shastri, Vice Chairman, BRICS CCI, remarked, "Ayurveda and other traditional systems remain vital today, especially when combined with modern science to expand access to healthcare." The Summit was also graced by diplomats from the Embassies of Russia, China, South Africa, Belarus, Iran, and Seychelles, among others. The BRICS CCI Healthcare Summit 2025 concluded with a renewed resolve to bridge tradition with innovation, fostering collaborations across BRICS nations to build healthcare systems that are accessible, affordable, and future-ready. The Summit generated immense enthusiasm among AYUSH manufacturers and Vaidyas, further energising the traditional healthcare community across the BRICS+ nations. (ANI) On September 3, China will host a grand military parade to commemorate the eightieth anniversary of Japans defeat in World War II. While this kind of pageantry is a routine affair in Beijing, it has grabbed international attention for one striking reason: for the first time ever, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Koreas Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un will be under one roof. Since the inception of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has relied extensively on assistance from China and North Korea. Trade between Russia and China has soared from a pre-war baseline of $130 billion to $245 billion. Chinese exports of automobiles, aviation parts and semiconductors have redressed Russias supply chain bottlenecks. North Korea has supplied Russia with millions of artillery shells and dispatched over 10,000 combat troops to the frontlines. The scale of Russias wartime cooperation with China and North Korea has stoked Western fears of a nascent trilateral partnership. In their influential April 2024 Foreign Affairs article, Centre for New American Security CEO Richard Fontaine and Senior Fellow Andrea Kendall-Taylor argued that these three countries along with Iran had forged an Axis of Upheaval. In addition to inflicting untold harm on Ukrainian civilians, this axis also poses an existential challenge to the US-dominated rules based international order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Concerns about the threat posed by the Axis of Upheaval reached a fever pitch during the final months of President Joe Bidens administration. In March 2024, the White House instructed the Pentagon to prepare contingency plans for a coordinated Russia-China-North Korea nuclear attack. President Donald Trumps recent discussions about de-nuclearisation talks with Russia, China and North Korea is merely a less hawkish approach to countering the same danger. Despite this atmosphere of alarmism, there are reasons to doubt the severity of the threat posed by the Axis of Upheaval. During Israel and Americas twelve-day war against Iran in June, Russia and China only offered symbolic solidarity with Iran. While South Korean intelligence reports revealed that Russia proposed trilateral military exercises with China and North Korea in 2023, these drills have not yet transpired. The substantive limitations of the Axis of Upheavals threat can be explained by several inter-related factors. Russias military overextension in Ukraine and Chinas risk aversion restrict their ability to pose a cohesive military challenge to the West. Although Russia and China routinely tout their no limits partnership and North Korea has mutual defence treaties with both countries, mistrusts within the axis run deep. China is stepping up its espionage activities in the Russian Far East and Russia is aggressively cracking down on sensitive hypersonic missile technology transfers to Beijing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kim Jong-Un is also emulating his grandfathers Cold War-era strategy of playing both Russia and China off each other to maximise revenues. As Russias hard currency transfers to North Korea have triggered the countrys fastest economic growth in eight years, China is concerned about its eroding influence over Pyongyang. While these travails should add grounding to sensationalist assessments of the Axis of Upheavals scope, next weeks gathering still presents serious cause for concern. While a trilateral summit is unlikely to occur, high-profile bilateral meetings between the axis members will almost certainly take place. These meetings would showcase the anti-Western blocs power and build on messaging from the August 31-September 1 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tianjin. As Trumps 50 per cent tariffs aim to incrementally reduce Indias oil purchases, Putin could lock in new energy deals with China. Much like how China allegedly discouraged Global South members from attending the Ukraine-friendly June 2024 peace summit in Switzerland, Beijing could use its diplomatic clout to further stall the progress of peace negotiations. As Europe vacillates on new secondary sanctions against Russias trade partners, Putin and Xi could further advance their counter-Swift payment messaging services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Korea, meanwhile, could gain assurances from Russia and China on UN sanctions relief, solicit support for its ballistic missile programs, and agree to a new potential arms-for-troop deal with Russia. Americas recent sanctions on a Russia-linked fraud network supporting North Koreas WMD program and Trumps dialogue overtures towards Kim Jong-Un are unlikely to thwart these highly dangerous forms of collaboration. The Russia-China-North Korea axis is not an unassailable trilateral bloc. Nonetheless, it still poses a multitude of threats to Western countries, their partners and the broader international system. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Philanthropy among the world's wealthiest is under renewed scrutiny as donors debate what meaningful generosity looks like. Against that backdrop, difficulty comes from trying to ensure donations create real impact rather than good publicity, Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk said. "The biggest challenge I find with my foundation is trying to give money away in a way that is truly beneficial to people," Musk said on the "WTF is" podcast, hosted by Nikhil Kamath. He added that it is easy to give NEED TO KNOW A new book titled Power and the Palace details an account given by Queen Camilla about a sexual assault she experienced as a teenager In a 2008 conversation with then-London mayor Boris Johnson, Camilla recounted the moment a man put his hand on her as she was riding the train, according to the book Queen Camilla has focused much of her life on advocating for survivors of sexual and domestic violence A new book about the relationship between the British royal family and the country's politicians details an account given by Queen Camilla about a sexual assault she experienced as a teenager. An excerpt from Valentine Low's new book Power and the Palace, published in The Times on Sunday, Aug. 31, recounts the first few encounters between Camilla, now 78, and then-London mayor Boris Johnson in 2008. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Guto Harri, the communications director who worked with Johnson, 61, when he was the newly elected mayor of London at the time, Camilla invited Johnson to Clarence House for a first meeting. Harri said that Camilla shared a deeply personal story from her teenage years during their meeting, related to Johnson's plan to open three rape crisis centers in London. "[The] serious conversation they had was about her being the victim of an attempted sexual assault when she was a schoolgirl," Low writes in the book. "She was on a train going to Paddington she was about 16, 17 and some guy was moving his hand further and further 'At that point Johnson had asked what happened next. She replied: 'I did what my mother taught me to. I took off my shoe and whacked him in the nuts with the heel.' Harri said: 'She was self-possessed enough when they arrived at Paddington to jump off the train, find a guy in uniform and say, 'That man just attacked me', and he was arrested.' " Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Charles and Camilla, circa 1972 Charles and Camilla, circa 1972 "The relevance of this conversation was that Johnson at the time wanted to open three rape crisis [centers]. There was already one in south London, and he wanted to open ones in east, west and north London, Low writes. Harri said: 'I think she formally opened two out of three of them. Nobody asked why the interest, why the commitment. But thats what it went back to.' " Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buckingham Palace declined to comment when reached by PEOPLE. Camilla has long made supporting victims of rape, domestic violence and sexual abuse a key priority of her public work. In March, she reached out to Gisele Pelicot to commend her for her extraordinary dignity and courage. The Queen was tremendously affected by last years rape trial in southern France, which ended with Pelicots husband, Dominique, being found guilty of repeatedly drugging and raping his wife of 50 years. "As a long-term supporter of survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, the Queen wrote to Madame Pelicot privately, a royal aide told Newsweek. It was very much her instigation and determination to write to express support from the highest level." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The palace aide said that statement also resonated deeply with Queen Camilla. As [Pelicot] rightly put it, why should she be made to feel like a victim or hide away in shame? "She helped highlight a very significant societal problem despite all the personal suffering she'd been through, they continued of Camillas admiration. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty King Charles III and Queen Camilla on July 23, 2025 King Charles III and Queen Camilla on July 23, 2025 Last year, the Queen also hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace to recognize supporters of survivors of sexual assault and mark the relaunch of the Wash Bags project, which provides toiletries to those affected by rape and abuse. "Each one of you has a powerful story to tell: whether you work in this country or overseas; whether you are based in a refuge, a Sexual Assault Referral Centre, a charity, Parliament, or, most important of all, you are a survivor," she said in part during the event, addressing center staff, police officers service users and other guests. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! She has also been involved in a number of other projects to advocate for victims, including SafeLives, a charity that works to stop domestic violence. In 2024, she also appeared in a TV documentary titled Her Majesty The Queen: Behind Closed Doors that followed the Queen as she works to raise awareness of domestic and sexual violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a 2021 speech at a Women of the World event, Camilla condemned the culture of silence that fosters abusers and keeps victims from coming forward. After all, rapists are not born, they are constructed, she said at the time. And it takes an entire community male and female to dismantle the lies, words and actions that foster a culture in which sexual assault is seen as normal and in which it shames the victim. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org. Read the original article on People Jacqueline Siegel and her late husband, Westgate Resorts founder David Siegel, dedicated their lives to combating the nations drug abuse epidemic after their daughter, Victoria, died of an overdose at age 18 in 2015. Now, Siegel is expanding her efforts with a new initiative, Angel Army, despite the loss of her husband earlier this year and the loss of her sister from drug use on the same day. I feel that this has been making me more ambitious[and increased] the strength in me to fight even harder for families, she said. Because Im done with these deaths from drugs. I really am. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Siegel may be best known nationally for the 2012 documentary, The Queen of Versailles, which followed Siegel, David and their family as they sought to build a 90,000-square-foot mansion called Versailles House, on Kirkstone Lane near Windermere. The couple, one of the wealthiest in Central Florida, created the Victorias Voice Foundation following their daughters death to honor her memory and raise drug awareness and abuse prevention. The 10th anniversary of Victorias death was in June. I couldnt bring my daughter back to life, but, but I can save other peoples lives, Siegel said of why she and her husband made Victorias Voice. But when David passed away in April, Siegels sister Jessica Mallery, who was very close to David and already struggled with depression, decided to use cocaine to boost her mood. She was found by their mother, but it was too late, Siegel said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although she was officially pronounced dead days later, after having been put on life support so her organs could be donated, Siegel feels like she lost her husband and sister in the same day. She was 43 years old. [I thought] I was going to have more time to focus with my sister in Victorias Voice, and I was going to bring her, because she was good for so long, as a success story, she said. For this to happen was just a huge, huge blow to the family. Its been very difficult. But Siegel said she is harnessing her grief the same way she did when her daughter passed away by turning that pain into passion and purpose. Angel Army, Siegels new initiative to combat the drug epidemic, is a partnership between Victorias Voice, Fentanyl Fathers, a nonprofit lead by grieving parents who have lost children to drugs, and EricsHouse, which counsels people who have lost loved ones to substance abuse or suicide. It was launched in July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The initiative aims to provide support and counseling for grieving parents; educate the public about drugs, mental illness and how to recognize warning signs and intervene early; arrange speaking events to reach both children and adults, including at schools, churches and other community spaces; and push for lifesaving policy reforms and stricter regulations on illicit substances, according to its website. The initiative is being supported by a $2 million pledge from Chris Delgado, a local businessman who leads Goliath Ventures, a blockchain firm with its headquarters in downtown Orlando. Delgado plans to disburse the $2 million by the end of 2025. Delgado, who is involved in multiple philanthropic causes in the Orlando community, says he was motivated to support Angel Army by seeing his own uncle struggle from drug addiction. He, fortunately, has been a recovering addict and hasnt passed away, Delgado said. But it definitely struck me as a kid growing up, watching someone so talented get ruined by a choice of doing drugs. So its always had a special place in my heart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sunday is International Overdose Awareness Day. Siegel wants other families who lost loved ones to drugs to know they are not alone. This is a club that we never asked to be in, but were here for a reason, she said. On April 7, 2023, Rabbi Leo Dee lost his wife and two daughters in a terror attack. Israel Police officers apprehended Rabbi Leo Dee on the Temple Mount on Sunday morning. Dee, who lost his wife, Lucy, and daughters Maia and Rina in a roadside terrorist attack in the West Bank in April 2023, ascended the Mount ahead of his upcoming wedding to Aliza Teplitsky. This morning, I found myself standing on the Temple Mount. Tonight I will be standing under the chuppah, smashing a glass to remember the destruction of our holiest place. That glass is supposed to symbolize brokenness. But heres the thing Ive learned in the two-plus years since the tragedy that took my wife and two young daughters: commemorating brokenness is never enough, Dee told The Jerusalem Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was held by police after wearing tefillin as part of morning prayers, and was released after receiving a summons for a hearing. Footage from the scene on Sunday morning shows Dee dancing and singing in celebration in the Temple Mount plaza, donning the tefillin. On April 7, 2023, the British-Israeli family was driving along Highway 57 in the Jordan Valley in the West Bank during the week of Passover. Lucy, 48, and her daughters, Maia, 20, and Rina, 15, were ambushed near the Hamra Junction when Palestinian terrorists opened fire on their vehicle, causing it to crash after ramming it off the road. The terrorists shot the victims at close range before fleeing. The sisters were declared dead at the scene, while Lucy succumbed to her wounds a few days later. Leo, along with his three other children, was driving in a separate car along the same route. The attack drew widespread international condemnation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Life is like walking up a down escalator. The moment you stop moving, you start sliding backward. Standing still is not an option not for me, not for Israel, not for the Jewish people, Dee continued. A dream, an action, and a recovery He continued, For me, rehabilitation has meant three things: a dream, an action, and a recovery. My personal recovery began a year ago when I started dating again, and the action comes today when I marry my beautiful bride, Aliza. But my dream my dream is bigger than myself, bigger than my children. Its about the Jewish people, the State of Israel, and the hostages still held in Gaza. The attack that killed Lucy, Maya, and Rina Dee was attributed to the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas terrorist organization. Special forces later conducted a raid in Nablus in May, where the assailants Hamas operatives identified as Hassan Katnani and Muad Masri were located and killed in a firefight. Dee concluded with a call for full Israeli sovereignty over the Temple Mount. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For two millennia, Jews have prayed to return to Jerusalem, and in our liturgy that phrase overwhelmingly means one thing: the Temple Mount... History has a funny way of nudging us. When Jews dont act, God creates conditions where we have no choice. When we divide, our enemies attack, forcing us to unite. When we ignore the Temple Mount, God allows Hamas to brand their war The Al Aqsa Flood, [with Al-Aqsa being the Arab name for the furthest mosque, built on the Temple Mount] ... what we should really be fighting for... My prayer this morning is that our leaders will soon choose this option for the sake of Israel, for the sake of our people, and for the speedy return of our hostages, he said. Telegraph readers are a sensible bunch. One thing writing this column has taught me is that many of you think that Britain is no longer a land of opportunity, that we should all be heading for the exit and that Labour hypocrisy is a sin apart. On this, I disagree. Let me try and persuade you why this perspective is wrong and why our Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is the living embodiment of how aspiration and upward mobility remain alive on these islands. There is a strong case to be made against Rayner. She bought her own council house with a discount while being a critic of such sales. On entering government in 2024, she slashed the reduction available to others. In London, the maximum discount to long-serving tenants was reduced last year by the Deputy Prime Minister wearing her housing secretary hat from 136,400 to just 16,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She is at the top of a government that seems to regard second homes as an affront to morality, yet she now has bought her own 800,000 seaside pied-a-terre. And she has, perfectly legally, avoided 40,000 of stamp duty by switching the designation of her primary residence. The higher rate of stamp duty on second homes was a Tory measure. The same is true of the council tax premium of up to 100pc on them, although it only came into force this April. But the fact that George Osborne and Michael Gove, respectively, are responsible for these moves does not let Rayner off the hook. Labour supports them to the hilt and will surely extend them further over the next four years. Doing your best to lawfully minimise your tax bill may exemplify a certain entrepreneurial spirit, but it needs some explaining if you are a leading member of a government raising taxes to an 80-year high. Here one needs to immerse oneself in Leftist thinking to appreciate why, to Rayner, it might not seem like a double standard at all. The socialist worldview posits that our life is governed by vast, impersonal forces. To this mindset, it is societys inherent structures that hold back the working class. And if that is true, our own personal choices wont alter these realities they will only be reformed by state action. If that is your conviction, then the choices you make in your personal spending will change virtually nothing. So why not, in the weasel words of every corporation, when it is challenged on its creative accounting, only pay all the tax you are legally obliged to? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So what is the positive case for Rayner? It is that she is a fine example of upward mobility and aspiration, perhaps the finest the Commons has seen since Norman Tebbit. She shows that its still possible to rise from the most disadvantaged backgrounds to one of the top positions in the land. And this remains more possible in the UK than in many other countries. Over the past few decades, the Labour benches in the Commons have been gradually becoming less representative of the working class. Around one in ten Labour MPs, it is estimated, had a working-class occupation before being elected; in the 1980s, it was double that figure. Rayner is very much one of that shrinking cohort. Red Queen?, Michael Ashcrofts biography of the Deputy Prime Minister, sets out in forensic detail just how materially deprived and emotionally fractured Rayners childhood was. While her parents both came from working-class backgrounds, they came to rely on welfare payments. Rayner makes no secret of the fact that her mother and father did not hold down steady jobs, and they relied on financial support. Like many disadvantaged children, Rayner left school with no qualifications. She was pregnant at 16. Labour MP Ed Milibands privileged upbringing enabled him to secure a House of Commons role early on - David Levenson/Getty Contrast this backstory with that of one of her cabinet colleagues, Ed Miliband, the Energy and Net Zero Secretary. His childhood makes it seem like it was almost a foregone conclusion that he would rise to the top of the Labour Party. It is not only the scions of plutocrats or Tory toffs who, by accident of birth, enjoy boundless advantages in their chosen field of endeavour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ed and his brother David are the sons of Ralph Miliband, a Marxist political theorist at the London School of Economics and then the University of Leeds. In the 1970s and 80s, the home of Ralph and his wife Marion in Londons Primrose Hill frequently entertained Tony Benn and other luminaries of the Labour Left. Benn recorded that: Marion is a very good cook. Wed have a lovely meal, and then wed all sit and talk. According to his biographers, Mehdi Hasan and James Macintyre, Benn would even help the Miliband boys with their homework. At 16, Ed did not do an Angela and drop out of school, but rather spent his summer working in Benns Commons office. The old Lefties diaries for August 29, 1986, recorded: Said goodbye to Edward Miliband, who has been working here for six weeks. Hes a very bright young man who got eight A grades in his O levels. House of Commons internships as they then werent called and effortless introductions to the leading figures of the Left were not the backdrop of Angelas youth. She had to struggle to make her own mark. Upward mobility takes many routes. The one taken by the Deputy Prime Minister is not the Thatcherite path of an Essex entrepreneur sacrificing all to build a thriving business. But that does not make it a lesser achievement. And it is an admirable, indeed heroic, one. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Zamir addressed concerns about Hamas leaders who have been able to operate from luxury apartments in foreign cities like Tehran, Damascus, and Beirut despite Israel's declaration to target them. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir threatened Hamas leaders abroad, saying, "We will reach them too," after the military's confirmation on Sunday that Hamas spokesperson Abu Obeida had been killed in a Gaza strike. Zamir addressed concerns about Hamas leaders who have been able to operate from luxury apartments in foreign cities like Tehran, Damascus, and Beirut despite Israel's declaration to target them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas leaders are managing negotiations and campaigns against Israel from luxury apartments and five-star hotels, instead of constantly worrying about their personal survival, a senior officer remarked to Maariv, frustrated with the Mossads current role in pursuing Hamas leaders abroad. Zamir highlighted the recent killing of Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida and assured that the IDFs operations would continue to be proactive. "We will continue to operate offensively with initiative and operational superiority across all theaters at all times," he stressed, addressing the criticism and signaling that the pursuit of Hamas leadership both in Israel and abroad remains a critical priority. We surprise, initiate, and will reach every target to ensure the security of Israels citizens. IDF soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip, August 28, 2025. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) In recent days, in a special operation, the bodies of Idan Shtivi and Ilan Weiss, may their memory be a blessing, were returned, Zamir said, addressing the return of the two Israeli hostages over the weekend, Since the beginning of 'Operation Gideon's Chariots' in March of this year, the remains of ten hostages have been returned, in addition to Edan Alexander. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will continue to work resolutely to return them and will spare no effort; this is our moral mission." Security of Israeli citizens With the start of the new school year, Zamir conveyed a message of reassurance to residents of northern Israel. "The return to school is made possible thanks to the actions and achievements of our forces since the war began, actions that continue even now. Northern Command continues to target and destroy emerging threats, he said. Zamir further emphasized that Israel's fight against Hamas in Gaza continues as reserve soldiers prepare to return to the battlefield in the coming days. "The mission is not yet over," he concluded. "Our achievements are thanks to their readiness to step up time and again for the security of Israel." As the IDF continues to lead offensives on multiple fronts, including striking Hamas leadership both in Gaza and abroad, the security of Israeli citizens remains the driving force behind these ongoing military operations. Amnesty International on Thursday accused Hamas and its allies for the first time of crimes against humanity during and after their October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, with the Palestinian militant group rejecting the report as "lies"."Palestinian armed groups committed violations of international humanitarian law, war crimes and crimes against humanity during their attacks in southern Israel that started on 7 October 2023," the human rights watchdog said in its 173-page report. A motorcycle rider who sped recklessly through a crowded Ocean County park on Saturday and eluded officers is being sought by police for their fast and furious behavior. The biker is being sought by Berkeley Township police for a 4 p.m. joyride through Veterans Park while there were large crowds at the park enjoying the beautiful day, live music, and delicious food trucks, township police said on the departments Facebook page. The motorcycle drove through large crowds of people and on the wrong side of the roadway, while refusing to stop for officers, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An officers body cam captured video of the biker. Reckless park biker sought by police If you are the one pictured, do the right thing and turn yourself in, police warned. Berkeley Township Police thrives on maintaining safe and family friendly environments and this behavior will not be tolerated. Anyone who can anonymously identify the person or provide information may call police at 732-341-6600 or e-mail Sgt. Varady at varady@btpdnj.org. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X@CommutingLarry and on BlueSky@commutinglarry.bsky.social Larry Higgs Stories by Larry Higgs Bollywood actor Boman Irani visited Pune's historic Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Mandal to offer his prayers on the occasion of Ganesh Utsav. The actor performed the evening Maha arti at the Mandal and later interacted with the devotees present. While speaking to mediapersons, Irani said on Sunday, "I am very happy as I had the darshan of Lord Ganesha. My niece lives in Pune, and at her home, Ganpati has arrived, where I also performed puja. Ganesh Utsav is a festival where people come together and stay together." "When Lord Ganesha departs, he leaves behind a message that he will return the next year, and until then, people should remain united. That is the true message of Ganesh Utsav unity. I did not ask anything from Bappa today. He has already given me everything people's love, respect and support. Today, I only asked for the chance to say thank you," he added. Sharing details about his upcoming projects, Irani said, "I am working on a film directed by Priyadarshan, for which I will soon be going to Kerala for the shoot. The film also stars Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. Recently, at the age of 65, I also completed a film as a director." Praising the Mandal's historic significance, the actor added, "What I really like about this Mandal is its speciality, this is the country's first public Ganpati idol. Its establishment is very historic. Through this idol, the fight against evil forces is clearly depicted." Along with Boman Irani, Marathi film actor Santosh Juvekar was also present and offered prayers. Earlier on Sunday, Salman Khan and family bid farewell to Lord Ganesha with love, music, and energy, turning the visarjan into a true celebration of faith. The 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' actor took to his Instagram to share a video, giving fans a glimpse of the special day. The clip showed the family gathered together as the beats of Marathi dhols and cymbals filled the air. Each family member took turns lifting Bappa before the immersion, making the ritual deeply personal and heartfelt. Ganesh Chaturthi, a ten-day festival, starts on the fourth day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month 'Bhadrapada'. This auspicious ten-day festival starts with 'Chaturthi' and ends on 'Anantha Chaturdashi'. (ANI) Many of the voters Nigel Farage needs worry his party is mad, incompetent and extreme. They like his policies but fear his colleagues and wider party. If Farage can reassure these voters, he is a viable next Prime Minister; if not, he will remain merely a high-profile leader of a protest party. This makes Reforms party conference on Friday the most important event of his long political career. Reform regularly poll north of 30 points, purely off the back of tough pledges on immigration, woke and crime. This is probably enough to make them the largest party in Parliament at the next General Election, but not enough to guarantee them a place in Government. They need something more to get there. Unlike the Conservatives and Labour, Reform have no problems with their overall positioning. The public believe Nigel Farages pledges on their key policies above all on immigration because he has talked of little else for 25 years. And they know neither Labour nor the Tories given their collective record can be trusted on similar issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Reform could use their conference to refine some of their policy announcements, the last thing they need to do is unveil a raft of exciting new ideas. They can leave that to the other parties. Their challenge is wildly different: this conference is Reforms chance to prove to prospective voters the country is safe in their hands. Very simply, vast numbers of voters fear Reform is full of mad men (and a few mad women too). Having recently witnessed gross political misconduct by both parties whose incompetence has had a negative real-world impact on the economy, the NHS and wider society voters have no stomach for more stupidity. They have no stomach for ideological extremism either. In Englands democratic history, its voters have always shied away from hardline political parties in general elections. While it caught on in Europe in the 1930s onwards, the English endlessly rejected extremism from the Left and Right; they always chose mainstream parties with mainstream policies, even when they doubted their abilities. Conservative and Labour failures in the last decade have sent English voters looking for alternatives, but they are the same people at heart. They will not vote for parties who they think will mess up their lives, nor for parties who will target groups maliciously or unfairly. Reform currently top the polls, but if voters get more whiffs of incompetence and extremism they will drop a dozen points within days and their status as a protest party will return on a permanent basis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can hardly blame people for worrying. Reform has been a shower since Nigel Farage assumed the leadership. They have lost two of their MPs already having themselves referred one of them to the police and they appear endlessly embroiled in wars with people on their own side. It hardly inspires confidence. Farage fairly argues that Reform is merely suffering from growing pains as the party expanded massively before he took over, without the ability to conduct proper vetting. This is a reasonable defence and the public have accepted this. But with Reform destined for Downing Street, this defence will not hold for much longer. All this takes us back to Fridays conference. What is it that prospective voters want to see and hear from Nigel Farage? Assuredly, not more jokes, nor vitriolic attacks on the leaders of other parties, nor yet more hard-edged language on immigration, woke and crime. They want to hear a serious speech from someone they could imagine walking into Downing Street. That means a serious speech in both substance and tone. He should choose boring over barnstorming. And what is true of Farage is also true of his senior colleagues, above all economics spokesman Richard Tice. Voters have seen what economic incompetence and risk-taking does to the country. They saw it under Liz Truss and they are seeing it now under Rachel Reeves. Tice needs a similarly serious speech, reassuring voters that he will not crash the economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In laymans terms, Reform needs to grow up. Farage needs to show he is not leading a group of dodgy student activists, but an alternative Government. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A federal judge on Sunday afternoon temporarily blocked the removals of unaccompanied Guatemalan minors in US custody as the government was in the process of repatriating some of them in the early morning hours. A notice sent to attorneys about the removals prompted an early Sunday morning scramble among lawyers who say kids were woken up in the middle of the night and would be at risk if returned to their home country. CNN first reported that the Trump administration was moving to repatriate hundreds of Guatemalan children who arrived in the US unaccompanied, in coordination with the Guatemalan government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a Sunday hearing, Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan, a Biden appointee, said she received a call around 2:36 a.m. notifying her that the children were being processed for repatriation to Guatemala. I have the government attempting to remove unaccompanied minors from the country in the wee hours of the morning on a holiday weekend, which is surprising, but here we are, she said. Sooknanan asked the Department of Justice to provide evidence supporting its claim that the children had been requested to return by their parents or legal guardians. DOJ attorney Drew Ensign told the court, Thats what Ive been told, while attorneys challenging the removals argued that was false. The judge gave the government until Friday to file a formal response to that question. The plaintiffs agreed to file an expedited motion for a preliminary injunction by Tuesday, with DOJs reply due Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sooknanan reiterated her order that the US government not remove any of the individual plaintiffs or other unaccompanied Guatemalan minors in US custody, who she ruled were part of the class protected under the order, for two weeks. During the hearing, Sooknanan asked the Department of Justices lawyer to clarify the childrens whereabouts, some of whom had already been placed on planes. The Justice Department said in a court filing on Monday that the 74 minors, who had been on planes to be repatriated Sunday, are now back in US government custody. We are heartened the Court prevented this injustice from occurring before hundreds of children suffered irreparable harm. We are determined to continue fighting to protect the interest of our plaintiffs and all class members until the effort is enjoined permanently, said Efren C. Olivares, vice president of litigation and legal strategy at the National Immigration Law Center, which filed the lawsuit. Legal service providers who work with children were notified by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which is charged with the care of migrant kids, that Guatemala had requested the return of certain unaccompanied alien children in federal custody for the purposes of reunifying the UAC with suitable family members, according to a notice obtained by CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The children, ranging in age, are believed to not have a parent in the US, though they may have a relative, and have a parent or legal guardian in Guatemala. The criteria also includes children who do not have a pending asylum case and wont be trafficked upon their return, according to the notice. Unaccompanied minors walk up bank of the Rio Grande after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border early on April 30, 2021 in Roma, Texas. - John Moore/Getty Images But attorneys who represent some of the children say that those who have been identified are at risk if returned to Guatemala and are in ongoing immigration proceedings. In the lawsuit filed Sunday, attorneys argued that the Trump administration is violating US law, which affords unaccompanied migrants special protections and ensures kids arent removed without due process or the opportunity to seek relief from deportation. CNN reached out to the departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller criticized Sooknanans ruling Sunday, writing in a post on X, The Biden judge is effectively kidnapping these migrant children and refusing to let them return home to their parents in their home country. The plaintiffs in the case, which was filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, are 10 unaccompanied minors from Guatemala, ranging from ages 10 to 17, who have been identified for removal, and the majority of whom are in ongoing immigration proceedings. One of those children, a 10-year-old indigenous child, suffered abuse and neglect from other caregivers in Guatemala. Her mother is deceased. The immigration attorney who represents multiple Guatemalan kids told CNN that the children were terrified and confused. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reaction when you explain whats happening is disbelief. Theyre very scared. They all say theyre afraid to return to Guatemala for different reasons, the attorney said. They were literally taken out of their beds in the middle of the night, on a holiday weekend. Late Saturday, the Office of Refugee Resettlement also notified shelter providers who care for unaccompanied migrant children that kids had been identified for reunification with their parents and or legal guardians in country of origin and must be prepared to be discharged within two hours, or four hours if the child is in a foster care program, upon receiving notification, according to a notice obtained by CNN. The children, the notice states, must be travel ready, including proper documentation, medication, personal belongings, and two prepared sack lunches. Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo announced that his government is ready to receive the minors, with a capacity to handle 150 weekly. This decision comes as part of a coordinated effort with the US government, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are prepared to receive them. Our programming allows us to receive approximately 150 children per week under ideal conditions, facilitating their safe relocation. The exact number depends on our capacity to identify family members and ensure a secure return, Arevalo said. This story and headline have been updated with additional details. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Like most regular travelers, I have experienced my fair share of issues when renting a car. I've arrived at the airport only to find that my reservation had been lost, that service was out of cars, even though I had reserved one well in advance, or even that the desk had closed prematurely. As if the car rental process wasn't already stressful enough, one prominent rental car company is moving forward with a controversial plan that could add even more stress to your travels. For years, rental car companies have performed manual inspections on cars when they are returned, checking them for any potential damage incurred by the driver. However, Hertz is now moving forward with a plan to digitally inspect each vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Early on, however, there has been a lot of skepticism and criticism about the move. Hertz Rolls Out New Technology Hertz, one of the largest car rental companies in the United States, is moving forward with new technology that uses AI to digitally check cars for damage. In a statement, Hertz said that the manual inspection process of its cars "caused confusion and frustration" and was "subjective and inconsistent." "With digital vehicle inspections, we're introducing much-needed precision, objectivity, and transparency to the process giving our customers greater confidence that they won't be charged for damage that didn't occur during their rental, and a more efficient resolution process when damage does occur," the company said in a statement to CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hertz added that the new technology should give customers "greater confidence that they won't be charged for damage that didn't occur during their rental." Hertz told CBS News that it is currently using the new technology at 10 airports throughout the country, but that it hopes to expand the technology in the future. Lawmakers Demand Answers While Hertz has made it pretty clear it intends to move forward with the technology, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed concern about the move. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut has demanded answers from the rental car company about how the technology will be used, according to CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who is the chair of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, had similar concerns. Hertz is apparently the only car rental company in the United States that issues damage assessments to customers without human review, Mace noted. Hertz Faces Problems Already The new technology has only been in use for a few months, but it has already led to at least one high-profile incident that generated a slew of negative press. In a LinkedIn post last month, Adam Foley, who actually advises companies on using AI technology as his profession, told a story of a recent experience with Hertz in which he was charged nearly $200 for what he felt were negligible damages that would not have even been detected by humans, if they even existed at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Upon picking up the car and exiting the facility -- high-powered cameras took a 360 picture of the car. Upon returning the car, a similar process took place," Foley wrote in his post. "2 hours later, I received a notification that damages were found which highlighted the areas. One small ding on the roof (but possibly just dirt or anything else that could throw off a camera) and one similar artifact on the hood. Nothing any human would detect or reasonably consider 'damages.'" Foley said that the automated message from Hertz told him that he owed $190, but it would only be $125 if he paid immediately a tactic he called out as manipulative. He also pointed out that he was immediately threatened with legal action if he did not pay. He went on to describe the lengthy and cumbersome appeals process and how difficult it was to speak to a human throughout the process. Foley is not the only one to face problems like this. Lindsay Owens, a Washington, D.C.-based consumer advocate, said that other customers have experienced similar situations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We've seen cases where customers have disputed the damage because they think it's a shadow and not actually a dent or a scratch or a mark," Owens told CBS. It's worth noting that Hertz did eventually refund Foley, but it came after his post went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage and attracting substantial media attention. Without that, he isn't sure that he would have received a refund. "I think that without national news coverage the charges would still be standing today," Foley said. "It shouldn't take the amount of publicity I received following my post to be treated like a valued customer." Foley said that had he been informed that Hertz was using that technology before he rented the car, he likely would have chosen another rental service. How to Avoid This Technology While Hertz has embraced this technology, its major competitors largely have not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Avis which also owns Budget, Zipcar, Payless, and Maggiore told CBS News that its inspections remain "human-led." Meanwhile, Enterprise Mobility, which owns Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, and Alamo Rent A Car, said it did not use the technology at their rental locations. Sixt, meanwhile, confirmed to CBS that it does use the technology at some locations. However, it's worth checking with your rental service before booking, since policies tend to often and quickly. This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. CHICAGO, Ill. (WKBN) Jon Heyman of the New York Post is reporting that former Cleveland Guardians first baseman Carlos Santana is signing with the Chicago Cubs. Santana was released by the Guardians on Thursday. This season with Cleveland, he was batting .225 with 11 home runs and 52 RBIs. He signed a one-year free agent with the Guardians back in December after Josh Naylor was traded to Arizona. Santanas release ended his third stint with the Cleveland organization. He appeared in 1,450 games while posting a batting average of .249 with 227 home runs and 762 RBIs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the Guardians, he has also played for the Phillies, Royals, Mariners, Pirates, Brewers and Twins in 16 MLB seasons. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militia on Sunday stormed offices of two United Nations aid agencies in the capital Sana'a and arrested some workers, according to a Yemeni source. Gunmen linked to the Houthis entered the offices of the World Food Programme (WFP) and the the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)in the rebel-controlled city, a source close to the agencies' employees told dpa on condition of anonymity. The gunmen arrested around seven WFP workers and three working for UNICEF, and took them to an unknown location, according to the source. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The motive for the abductions is not yet clear. There was no immediate comment available from the Houthis or the UN. The campaign has expanded in other areas under the militia's control in war-torn Yemen including the Houthi stronghold of Saada in the far north, local workers said. The Houthis have previously abducted UN workers, accusing them of spying for the United States. Twenty-three aid workers were still in detention as of March, according to UN information. Some of them have been held for more than three years. It comes a day after the militia announced that its prime minister and several ministers had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Sana'a on Thursday. The Houthi government is not internationally recognized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was the first time that the Houthi announced deaths of senior officials since Israel started retaliatory strikes against the group. Since the eruption of the Gaza war in October 2023, the Houthis have regularly attacked Israel with missiles and drones in support of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement. Israel has repeatedly targeted sites in Houthi-ruled areas in Yemen in response. Later Sunday, the militia's chief Abdel-Malek al-Houthi said the latest assassinations would not prompt the Houthis to back down and vowed they will continue their attacks on Israel. "Our military approach to targeting the Israeli enemy, whether with missiles, drones, or the naval blockade, is ongoing, steady, and escalating," he said in a televised address aired on the group's al-Masirah TV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also stressed the role of security agencies in the Houthi-ruled areas against "infiltration" and targeting the group's officials. "The coming days will witness additional successes of great importance in aborting the Israeli enemy's attempts to carry out crimes against our dear people, whether against their official institutions or the public community," al-Houthi said without elaborating. Yemen has been embroiled in a power struggle since 2014 between government forces, supported by a Saudi-led alliance, and the Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran. The UN considers the conflict a humanitarian disaster which has taken a heavy toll on infrastructure in the impoverished country. Republican leaders and activists are demanding sweeping bans on transgender treatments and accountability for doctors and hospitals following last weeks Catholic school murders in Minneapolis. As The Dallas Express reported, a transgender gunman opened fire inside a Catholic school on August 27, killing two children and wounding 17 others during a back-to-school Mass. The tragedy has renewed debate over so-called gender-affirming care and whether medical professionals should face liability for performing such procedures. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, pastors and faith leaders framed the attack as part of a broader war on Christianity, warning believers to remain steadfast amid rising hostility. That religious response has now been joined by a wave of Republican leaders demanding political action and accountability for hospitals, doctors, and mental health professionals involved in transgender treatments. Democrats: Gun Control, Not Prayer Democrats, meanwhile, have largely avoided addressing the role of transgender ideology in the shooting, instead focusing on calls for stricter gun-control laws. Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minn.) criticized efforts to highlight the attackers gender, calling it not the moment to point fingers and urging a broader focus on combating gun violence through measures like assault weapon bans and enhanced mental health resources, according to the New York Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrat Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) likewise expressed frustration over congressional inaction on gun reform, pushing for common-sense measures such as stronger background checks and age limits on firearms purchases, per The Daily Beast. Minneapolis Democrat Mayor Jacob Frey also criticized thoughts and prayers, pointing out that these kids were literally praying when the murders occurred, calling for action instead of spiritual consolation, People reported. GOP Leaders Respond Republican leaders said the shooting highlights the dangers of normalizing transgender ideology, describing it as both a mental illness and a public safety risk. Mental illness should be treated, not affirmed. Altering official records or performing harmful medical procedures should be criminalized especially on children, Senate Republican Executive Committeewoman Christin Bentley told The Dallas Express. Texas has taken steps in the right direction, but theres more work to do to protect kids and ensure those suffering get real treatment. Tarrant County Republican Chairman Bo French went further, telling The Dallas Express that Congress must shut down what he called the transgender industry. After multiple mass shootings by individuals identifying as trans, Congress must act immediately to shut down this industry, French said. Ban the drugs. Ban so-called affirming care. Ban surgeries. Ban counseling. Ban changes to government documents. Do everything possible to restore sanity and certainty to America. U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill described transgenderism as a disease and condemned what he called predators pushing it onto children. Transgenderism is not only a disease, its a dark distortion of natural order and God-ordained gender, Gill told The Dallas Express. This woke, weird ideology is mutilating children and being shoved down their throats by predators in education and media. Those who further entrap the young and vulnerable should face consequences. Studies Raise Doubts Studies also raise concerns about the transgender medical industry. A four-year review by the National Health Service in England found evidence supporting hormone blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors was remarkably weak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A California study found individuals who underwent sex-altering surgeries were twice as likely to commit suicide following vaginoplasty procedures. A May 2025 Department of Health and Human Services review likewise cast doubt on the effectiveness of gender-transition procedures for young people. The 409-page federal report concluded that evidence supporting puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries was very low in quality and carried significant risks, including irreversible infertility. It recommended prioritizing psychotherapy as a safer first-line treatment. Activists Demand Accountability Republican activists said the evidence, combined with repeated acts of violence, shows the practice must end and that doctors should face liability for the harm caused. Doctors and psychologists should not be allowed to transition people because this is not medicine, its ideology, activist Jeff Younger told The Dallas Express. Medicine is supposed to heal the body and mind, not mutilate healthy organs or feed delusions. Professionals who do this are abusing their authority and harming patients. Younger added, There is never a medical or psychological justification for harming people. Affirming delusions, chemically altering the body, or surgically altering body parts all demonstrably harm people. There should be criminal penalties for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Dallas Express previously reported that a California judge granted Jeff Youngers ex-wife, Anne Georgulas, authority to transition their son James into a girl. Tracy Shannon, a self-described trans widow, echoed calls to end the practice. Transgenderism should be eradicated from polite society, Shannon told The Dallas Express. Send this kink back into the bathhouse, dark rooms, and gay clubs. All surgeries and hormone therapies should be banned. Affirmation therapy should be banned and criminalized. It is brainwashing and a conduit to unnecessary medical procedures. Professionals who validate mental illness instead of treating it should be held accountable. Faith Leaders Call for Regulation Faith leaders also demanded stronger protections. Pastor Troy Jackson of New Beginnings Church in Bedford told The Dallas Express that society has a moral duty to shield children and adults from procedures he described as dangerous and irreversible. I do believe we must end the medicalization of minors, no puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgeries for children. For adults, I support strict regulation: full disclosure of risks, mandatory waiting periods, independent psychological evaluations, robust malpractice liability, and truthful advertising, Jackson said. Counseling should be free to explore reality, not coerced to affirm a predetermined outcome. Contrast with Democrats The Minneapolis Catholic school attack has sharpened the political divide. Democrats emphasize gun restrictions, while Republicans argue the greater threat is the normalization of transgender ideology and the medical industry enabling it. The GOP is pushing not only for bans but for full accountability of hospitals and doctors who profit from procedures critics say irreparably harm children. The Dallas Express contacted the Cleveland Clinic and UCLA Health two providers of gender-affirming care for comment. This article will be updated if they respond. NEED TO KNOW On Jan. 6, 1982, Annette Schnee, 21, and Bobbie Jo Oberholtzer, 29, vanished near Breckenridge and were later found shot, linked by a matching orange sock That night rescuers pulled local miner Alan Lee Phillips from a snowdrift after he signaled SOS with his headlights, and he said a facial bruise had come from a fall Genetic genealogy later matched DNA to Phillips, who was arrested in 2021 and later died by suicide in prison On the same night two women were killed near Breckenridge, Colo., in January 1982, rescuers pulled a miner from a snowdrift during a blinding storm. Decades later, DNA evidence showed that the stranded driver, Alan Lee Phillips, was the man who killed them, according to CBS' 48 Hours. On Jan. 6, 1982, both women were hitchhiking separately after work in the busy ski town, according to 48 Hours. Annette Schnee, 21, was last seen around 4:45 p.m. leaving a Breckenridge drugstore with medication. At 6:21 p.m., Barbara Bobbie Jo Oberholtzer, 29, called her husband from a pub to say she had a ride. She was seen again at about 7:50 p.m. before she disappeared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the next day, friends and searchers began finding Oberholtzers belongings along the roadside near Hoosier Pass her distinctive blue backpack, a bloody glove and a tissue and, that afternoon around 3 p.m., her body was discovered in a snowbank. She had been shot, and zip ties were on one wrist, according to 48 Hours. Park County Sheriff's Office Barbara 'Bobbie' Jo Oberholtzer Barbara 'Bobbie' Jo Oberholtzer Investigators also recovered a brass key ring her husband had made for her to defend herself, along with a single orange bootie sock which at the time had no obvious connection to anything. It was just one of those mysterious things that you pick up at a crime scene that you keep until you know what it is, or never will find out, former CBI agent Jim Hardtke said of the stray sock, per 48 Hours. Authorities didnt realize Schnee was missing until two days later, when a co-worker reported she hadnt shown up for shifts. On July 3, 1982, a young boy fishing discovered Schnees body face-down in a stream about 20 miles south of Breckenridge. Forensics showed she had been shot in the back; her clothing was in disarray. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the autopsy, a medical examiner noted an orange bootie sock on Schnees foot matching the one from Oberholtzers scene formally linking the cases, according to the state cold-case database and 48 Hours. Park County Sheriff's Office Annette Kay Schnee Annette Kay Schnee Schnees sister Cindy French recalled, Mom would just say, I just wanna know why, how. And nobody can give it to me. Nobody knows why or how. Hours after Oberholtzer and Schnee were murdered, that same night, rescuers responded to a pickup stuck in a snowdrift on a mountain pass outside Breckenridge. The driver was Alan Lee Phillips, according to 48 Hours. Park County Sheriff's Office He'd used his trucks headlights to signal SOS in Morse code, which a sheriff aboard a commercial flight spotted and radioed down. Local fire chief Dave Montoya pulled him out and noted a prominent bruise on his face. Phillips initially said hed fallen while wandering in the snow, according to CBS though investigators later concluded Oberholtzer likely struck him with the brass key ring as she fought back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For decades in between, however, the trail ran cold. Until early 2020, when Park County Det. Sgt. Wendy Kipple turned to genetic genealogy, submitting DNA from Oberholtzers bloodied items to United Data Connect, according to 48 Hours. A genealogist pointed detectives to two brothers with the Phillips surname; only Phillips lived in Colorado. Detectives covertly collected his DNA from discarded trash including saliva on a napkin in a Sonic Drive-In bag and matched it to blood recovered with Oberholtzers belongings. Park County Sheriff's Office Later testing on the orange bootie sock reinforced the link between both victims, 48 Hours reported. Phillips was arrested on Feb. 24, 2021. A jury convicted him on Sept. 15, 2022, after roughly five hours of deliberation, and he was sentenced on Nov. 7, 2022, to two life terms to be served consecutively. Phillips died by suicide at Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in Ordway, Colo., according to CBS News Colorado. Read the original article on People Fast fashion is a rapidly growing industry that is making a mark with global pollution. While the demand for cheap, quickly produced clothing is prevalent in the United States, the effects are starkly visible for locals in Kenya. What's happening? According to the Sierra Club, local fishers along the Nairobi River are "more likely to catch T-shirts than tilapia." The massive amounts of clothing are not just piling up in landfills they are in waters and seriously impacting everyday life. Any kind of waste, including textile waste, has to go somewhere. While the nonprofit environmental organization highlighted efforts across Africa to turn to regenerative or sustainable clothing options, fast fashion has already inundated the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. is the top exporter of used clothes, and much of it heads to Africa. While those who donate their used items instead of throwing them in the trash may think this is a worthy cause, the excessive amount of cheap items have to go somewhere. Why is mounting textile waste concerning? Fast fashion items, in particular, are typically made with cheap, plastic-based materials. This means, when littered, they can become microplastic pollution. As a result, food and water supplies are exposed, with humans and wildlife likely to ingest the microplastics, which come with a plethora of health effects. "The fashion system was built to produce, market, sell, and then forget," Nathalie Naina of Africa Collect Textiles, an initiative to collect textile waste, told the Sierra Club. "No one is thinking about what happens after." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While sustainable clothing brands may feature high price tags because of the quality and effort put into items, the cost of continuing to buy cheap, plastic clothes is much higher. If excessive consumption continues, with buyers not giving a second thought to the unending lifecycle of fast fashion goods, the resulting waste will keep inundating wetlands across the world and cause a much larger issue. What can I do about textile waste? Supporting sustainable brands is a good place to start to avoid fast fashion. While countless brands have been found guilty of greenwashing, or parading eco-friendliness to promote their products, plenty of genuinely green companies are out there. The Sierra Club highlighted The Revival and Maisha by Nisria as Africa-based brands to support. Thrift shopping can be just as important, as it does not add items to the pile and gives unique, older things new lives. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Beach erosion is nothing new to Ocean Isle Beach, a small community in North Carolina. But this year, residents are scrambling to protect their homes with sandbags, worried the shoreline is slipping away faster than ever. What's happening? Erosion is carving away the beachfront in Brunswick County, leaving houses more vulnerable with each passing season. Locals say the issue has accelerated, forcing some to secure permits for emergency sandbag walls along the shoreline, WWAY reported. Normally, the Army Corps of Engineers pumps in new sand during a beach re-nourishment project. However, this year the contractor was unable to complete the project. That left residents to fend for themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Hopefully someone will take the job and it'll get re-nourished out here. You're just buying time; it's not a fix forever," longtime resident Mickey Cochran told WWAY. Why is beach erosion concerning? When natural buffers like dunes and beaches erode, homes and infrastructure lose their first line of defense against storms and flooding. Rising seas magnify the risks, which have already climbed about 8 inches globally since 1880. Human activity plays a role as well. Burning dirty energy sources like coal, oil, and gas adds pollution to the atmosphere that warms the planet and melts glaciers and ice sheets. That extra water, along with the thermal expansion of warming oceans, drives sea levels higher, leaving coastal communities like Ocean Isle more exposed. These stronger, faster-changing conditions are part of a broader trend. While extreme weather events have always existed, scientists say human-driven warming is like putting storms and flooding on steroids, making them more powerful and destructive. What's being done about it? Local officials are trying to stabilize the beach with sand fencing, new dunes, and planted vegetation. But long-term protection goes beyond sandbags. Communities across the country are investing in flood-resilient infrastructure, restoring wetlands, and using oyster reefs to naturally blunt wave energy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everyday actions help, too. Reducing home energy use, choosing cleaner transportation, and supporting renewable energy all help reduce the pollution driving sea level rise. Exploring critical climate issues can also show practical ways to stay engaged and support solutions. While sandbags might buy Ocean Isle residents a little time, bigger steps both local and global will determine how well coastal towns weather the rising tide. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. "I have not read the statement. But Mahua Moitra ji has made some objectionable statements in reference to the Home Minister. This is not right," Deo told ANI on Saturday. TMC MP Mahua Moitra has reportedly said Union Home Minister Amit Shah's "head should be cut off" for failing to check the infiltration of illegal Bangladeshis into India. A video was posted on social media earlier showing the purported remarks of Moitra, where she said, "He (Amit Shah) keeps saying infiltrators, infiltrators, infiltrators. The border is protected by forces that come under the Home Ministry." Responding to the alleged remarks, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has urged West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to take punitive action against her party leader if she does not agree with the remarks. He demanded an apology from the West Bengal Chief Minister, too. In a post on X, Vishnu Deo Sai shared, "The remark made by the Trinamool Congress MP against the Honourable Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji is not only objectionable but also a serious criminal act. Such audacity to make such remarks would not be possible without the backing of the Trinamool Congress high command and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee." He further said that such remarks were an insult to the honour of 140 crore countrymen. (ANI) The recent purge of several high-level members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent shock waves through the political establishment. And with political shock waves seeming to hit every few hours these days, thats quite a feat. The ouster of Dr. Susan Monarez, the CDCs new director and an infectious disease expert who was just confirmed by 51 Republican senators in July, was unexpected. But it was her unwillingness to sign off on dubious new COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and the apparent pre-determined findings of the vaccine board, which Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has packed with his quack cronies, that likely did Monarez in. That it immediately triggered the resignations of five other top CDC scientists in protest made it all the more astounding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy is probably the worlds most famous vaccine skeptic, having spent years wallowing in the rabbit hole of dark conspiracy theories. A card-carrying practitioner of the woo-woo wellness movement, he was a known fanatic on this issue when he and Donald Trump apparently struck a backroom deal during the campaign to deliver his followers in exchange for a role in the new administration. Since the woo-woo and wingnut factions of the growing anti-vaccination movement merged in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, that represented a fairly good-sized chunk of voters. Trump needed them, especially since hed lost credibility with that crowd when he bragged about Operation Warp Speed, which produced and approved COVID vaccines in record time. It was widely suspected that among Kennedys first orders of business would be to do away with vaccines. On Aug. 27, the Food and Drug Administration announced stringent restrictions on this seasons COVID vaccines. Besides limiting the updated shot to adults 65 and older and immunocompromised people, the agency has also cut research funding for the vaccines mRNA technology, which has shown tremendous promise for breakthroughs in cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Kennedy has also promised to provide the results of a new study, apparently thrown together in the last couple of months, that will reveal the cause of autism. Considering he recently demanded the retraction of a Danish study that found no correlation between aluminum a component of vaccines for the last 100 years and autism, its fair to suspect he has miraculously discovered that he was right all along and childhood vaccines are the culprit. At the heart of Kennedys ideology is an apparent belief in eugenics, something he shares with the president, who has extolled the racehorse theory and expressed confidence in his own good German genes. Kennedy has signaled his own fidelity to eugenics by suggesting recently that people with autism are nonfunctional members of society, a claim that echoes the 1920 essay Permitting the Destruction of Life Unworthy of Life, which claimed that people with disabilities and mental illness are nothing more than empty human husks who are a terrible, heavy burden upon their relatives and society as a whole. He and TV Dr. Mehmet Oz, who serves as director of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, declared that being healthy is your patriotic duty and suggested that people who get sick or develop a disability are traitors and probably dont deserve medical care. None of this, then, is as unprecedented as we might like to believe. It was really only after World War II that America came to a consensus view on the value of science and technology research. If you saw Christopher Nolans 2023 film Oppenheimer, you might remember the character of Vannevar Bush, one of the bosses who oversaw the Manhattan Project. Played by Matthew Modine, Bush was a key advisor to Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry Truman during and after the war. Bush wrote a seminal report called Science, The Endless Frontier, which shaped how the federal government would fund research in the post-war world. The report set the idealistic agenda that drove American achievement in science and technology and the prosperity that followed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Presidents from Roosevelt onward supported that agenda. Some, like John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, pushed it very hard. But in the 1970s, scientific advances like the birth control pill challenged the business world and certain religious factions, which formed an unlikely alliance against that bipartisan consensus. Want more sharp takes on politics? Sign up for our free newsletter, Standing Room Only, written by Amanda Marcotte, now also a weekly show on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. In his 2005 book The Republican War on Science, political journalist and science writer Chris Mooney revealed how the GOP had worked to discredit climate change, stem cell research, the effects of smoking and pollution on public health, the benefits of alternative energy, evolution and educational standards. A year earlier, while Mooney was working on his book, 62 of the nations preeminent scientists signed a statement released by the Union of Concerned Scientists titled Restoring Scientific Integrity in Policy Making, which charged President George W. Bushs administration with widespread manipulation of the process through which science enters into its decisions. In an expanded follow-up report issued in 2008, the UCS found: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [A] well established pattern of suppression and distortion of scientific findings by high-ranking Bush administration political appointees across numerous federal agencies. These actions have consequences for human health, public safety, and community well-being. [S]trong documentation of a wide-ranging effort to manipulate the governments scientific advisory system to prevent the appearance of advice that might run counter to the administrations political agenda. [E]vidence that the administration often imposes restrictions on what government scientists can say or write about sensitive topics. The reports findings were serious and alarming. But whats happening now is all that on steroids. The main difference is that in Kennedys HHS, the suppression is no longer grounded in ideology or even business interests. Its in service of crank conspiracy theories, quack wellness influencers and weird dystopian visions of supermen doing pull-ups to demonstrate their patriotism. So it shouldnt surprise anyone to learn that Kennedys choice to be the CDCs acting director has no medical or scientific training. A former biotechnology investor and executive, Jim ONeill serves as Kennedys deputy at HHS, where he also worked during the Bush administration. Hes also closely associated with tech lord Peter Thiel. During his first term, Trump tried to appoint ONeill as head of the FDA. But it soon came to light that ONeill had promoted the idea that the FDA should no longer consider the efficacy of drugs when deciding on their approval. People, he said, should use them at their own risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All this makes it patently clear: American leadership in the fields of science and technology is coming to an end. We had a good run, bringing many important advances, such as the vaccines for polio and COVID-19, to the world, not to mention prosperity to American businesses. But the demise of our scientific progress and influence didnt begin with Donald Trump or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Their actions are the natural consequence of a concerted effort begun long ago by a group of people, and a political party, who decided that supporting reason and rationale were not in our national interest. You have to wonder if any of them saw this coming. The post RFK Jr. tightens his chokehold on the nations public health appeared first on Salon.com. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Governor Larry Rhoden is mobilizing SD National Guardsmen at President Donald Trumps request. According to a press release, Rhoden is mobilizing 12 guardsmen from the 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment based in Rapid City. The group will support operations in Washington D.C., the news release said. Push in House for cleaning up DOC before prison vote South Dakota stands in solidarity with President Trump, Rhoden said in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mobilization is under the command of the D.C. National Guard, and the army guardsmen will activate on a Title 32 status, the press release said. Title 32 means the guardsmen are under state authority but funded by the federal government. Their initial deployment is expected to last for 30 days, though according to section 904 of Title 32: The Governor of the State may, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Defense, extend the period one time for an additional 90 days to meet extraordinary circumstances. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. A Riviera Beach police officer is on administrative leave after his arrest Aug. 30 on a charge of driving under the influence. The Florida Highway Patrol detained Maj. Travis Walker shortly after 2 a.m. Aug. 30. It stopped him on Interstate 95 just north of 10th Avenue North in Lake Worth Beach. Further details of the incident were not immediately available. Police Chief Michael Coleman said Walker has surrendered his city equipment and vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the judicial system presumes everyone is innocent until proven guilty and affords them a fair trial, as police officers, we must be held to a higher standard, Coleman said in a prepared statement. I can assure the residents of Riviera Beach that this conduct is not reflective of our department, and we will continue to hold ourselves accountable to those whose trust is placed in us, Coleman said. Online court and jail records indicate Walker is free on bond and is scheduled to appear before Palm Beach County Judge Lourdes Casanova on Sept. 16. Court records indicate the county Public Defender's Office represented him at an Aug. 30 bail hearing. As a policy, the office does not comment on open cases. Media reports indicate Walker joined the Riviera Beach Police Department in 2002. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Riviera Beach police officer charged with DUI ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) Nearly 25 local organizations marched down Campbell Avenue in downtown Roanoke Saturday morning as part of the ninth annual Roanoke Labor Day Parade. Its an opportunity for union folks around the area to come together and enjoy each others company, reminisce, talk about things that are going on in their environment, said Western Virginia Labor Federation president Chuck Simpson. It also gives the unions a chance to participate and come out and take part. The parade celebrates the laborers ahead of Mondays holiday, by shining a light on the work done by local unions to support the working class. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Western Virginia Labor Federation supports unions and workers across about a third of the state of Virginia. When somebody is bargaining a contract, when somebody is having an issue at work, they need support, said Simpson. They need people to come out. Or when somebody is out there trying to form a union in their workplace, and they need support. We bring people together to make that happen. Simpson has done that kind of work for more than three decades, and the causes are personal to him. Ive been on strike five times, he said. I know what its like. You get out there and you dont know when youre going back to work. You need people to come out and shake your hand and pick you up. If youre having a bad day, someone to buy your lunch, bring you water. And it does make a difference because its a collaborative effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parade is an embodiment of that collaboration, bringing together workers and unions from around the region to celebrate and support a common cause. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv. Rodion Shchedrin, the composer who has died aged 92, was once the enfant terrible of Russian music and later a widely performed man-of-the-world; a great survivor of the Soviet era, he was vilified by some as the regimes tame modernist, but praised by others for successfully protecting dissident composers from the excesses of the state despite never belonging to the Communist Party. Shchedrins works were championed by the biggest names in music. Leonard Bernstein conducted the premiere of Concerto for Orchestra No 2 (1968), commissioned by the New York Philharmonic; the deeply spiritual Sotto Voce (1994) for cello and orchestra was written for Mstislav Rostropovich and the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Seiji Ozawa; and Concerto Cantabile (1997) for violin and orchestra was dedicated to Maxim Vengerov, who gave the first performance with the Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich conducted by Mariss Jansons. Shchedrin occupied a middle ground between the established Soviet masters and his more overtly rebellious and agonised contemporaries such as Alfred Schnittke and Sofia Gubaidulina. Yet musical accommodations were required. Relations with the authorities were always complex, for [Dmitri] Shostakovich and [Sergei] Prokofiev as well as others, he said. I remember playing in a performance of Prokofievs Zdravitsa [a cantata written for Stalins 60th birthday], for instance. But wouldnt you compromise if you had to save your family? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man himself was serene, subtle and quietly witty. In contrast with the image of the Soviet artist as a tortured soul in the mould of Shostakovich, he composed cheerful works including Three Merry Pieces (1997) for piano trio. Shchedrin (giving a speech in front of President Vladimir Putin, 2019): In our family, politics was never discussed, he wrote in a memoir. - YURI KADOBNOV/AFP via Getty Images Ever the musical magpie and stylistic chameleon, he wrote an energetic set of 24 Preludes & Fugues (1964-70) inspired by Shostakovichs cycle for the pianist Tatiana Nikolayeva; continued Rachmaninovs tradition of choral cycles with The Sealed Angel (1988); and produced a brazen piece of Tchaikovsky-esque patriotic ceremonial in The Solemn Overture (1982), its inspiring sequences briefly subverted by ethnic drumming. He was also a brilliant pianist, giving the premieres of his first three piano concertos and only later casting the net wider: Nikolai Petrov gave the first performance of the Fourth Piano Concerto in Washington in 1992; Olli Mustonen the Fifth in Los Angeles in 1999; and Ekaterina Mechetina the Sixth (Amsterdam, 2003). His Fifth Concerto for Orchestra, known as The Four Russian Songs, was commissioned by the BBC for the 1998 Proms, taking as its premise a troika ride across varying landscapes both physical and musical, while his Old Russian Circus Music was heard at the 1997 Proms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shchedrin remained firmly his own man. We musicians are like the leaves of a tree which is the history of music. We cannot grow on any other tree, he told Gramophone magazine during a recording session for his Second Symphony (subtitled 25 Preludes for Orchestra) with the BBC Philharmonic and Vassily Sinaisky in 1997. For me modern music doesnt exist. Thats why I dont like festivals of contemporary music. It should be just music. It must be professional and it must be music. Thats all. Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin was born in Moscow on December 16 1932, proudly claiming to share his birthday with Ludwig van Beethoven. He was the son of Konstantin Shchedrin, a composer and music theory teacher, and his wife Concordia, nee Ivanova, who worked in the financial planning department at the Bolshoi Theatre. His paternal grandfather was an Orthodox priest in Aleksin, a village 100 miles south of Moscow, from where the peasant folk tales and tunes provided inspiration for much of the composers music. Shchedrins wife Maya Plisetskaya in a scene from his Little Humpbacked Horse, 1971 - AFP via Getty From a young age he devoured books, later basing some of his operas and ballets on the authors he had read: Leo Tolstoy (Anna Karenina, 1972), Nikolai Gogol (Dead Souls, 1976), Anton Chekhov (The Seagull, 1979) and Vladimir Nabokov (Lolita, 1992), that last work drawing protests from child-exploitation campaigners at its premiere in Stockholm. Some subjects were taboo. In our family, politics was never discussed, he wrote in a memoir. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the Second World War young Rodion fell in with a feral crowd, later taking his street behaviour to the Central Music School. He was expelled for one outrage too many after attacking a clever young cellist with a razor blade. He was given a second chance with a place at the Moscow Choral School, thanks to his fathers connections and his own ability to sing in tune. Here he came to the attention of the composer Aram Khachaturian who arranged for him to study at the Moscow Conservatory. As a student Shchedrin made extra money by playing clarinet, trumpet and piano. I remember playing the clarinet in music for a funeral. The weather was freezing, the orchestra had red noses and frozen fingers, not like todays warm churches, he said in 1997. His First Piano Concerto Naughty Limericks (1954), ballet The Little Humpbacked Horse (1955) and Symphony No 1 (1956) were richly inventive works, heralding a promise that rarely disappointed. However, he described his first opera Not Love Alone (1961) as a bad experience, adding: I was straight out of the conservatory, and it was a soft, gentle piece with sexual overtones, when the Bolshoi wanted something patriotic. It was cancelled after the premiere. Later operas enjoyed more success such as The Enchanted Wanderer (2002), based on Nikolai Leskovs novel about an errant monk, which drew on influences from the Orthodox Church. Valery Gergiev, a great champion of his music, conducted the British premiere at the 2008 Edinburgh International Festival, though Rupert Christiansen in The Daily Telegraph described it as not unpleasant, inept or crass, but so torpidly paced as to make Parsifal seem like Formula One. Shchedrin also drew on religious themes in Boyarina Morozova (2006), borrowing from the churchs prohibition on musical instruments in services to produce a work for four soloists and chorus but no orchestra, only a handful of solo instrumentalists. He was a brilliant pianist - Alamy By 1964 he was a professor at the Moscow Conservatory, but Shchedrin turned freelance in 1969, having refused to sign an open letter the previous year in support of the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops. In 1973 he was Shostakovichs anointed successor as head of the Russian Composers Union, a post he held until 1990. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the collapse of Communism he divided his time between Germany and Russia, remaining as productive and imaginative as ever. The Adventures of an Ape (2020), a concerto for narrator, trumpet, horn, flute, harp and two percussion players with accompaniment of a string orchestra and harpsichord, was an example of the type of hybrid genre that he had been pursuing over the previous quarter of a century. In 1958 Shchedrin married Maya Plisetskaya, a leading dancer and choreographer, whose father had been executed on Stalins orders and whose mother was exiled to Siberia. During the Communist years the couple lived under almost permanent KGB surveillance. Her half-century association with the Bolshoi led to five ballets, most famously the flamboyant Carmen Suite (1967) in which his jazzy rescoring of Bizets operatic music for strings and 47 percussion instruments matched the audacity of her performance. Impassioned, reckless, over-blooded, vulgar and ridiculously compelling, was one critics verdict when it appeared on disc in 1969. Maya Plisetskaya died in 2015 and in 2017 Shchedrin received the Russian Order of Honour from President Putin. Rodion Shchedrin, born December 16 1932, died August 29 2025 Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. After debuting the worlds largest cruise ship, its reasonable to think Royal Caribbean should pause for a moment of celebration. The company did host a formal naming ceremony for its brand new Icon-class ship at Port Canaveral earlier in August, but that milestone doesnt mean the cruise line has plans of slowing down anytime soon. During a media sailing on Star of the Seas, Royal executives detailed plans for upcoming private destinations, a new class of ships and the design behind Perfect Day Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were already deep into the design of a new class. Were constantly looking at designing for the future, said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International. A whole group of us probably spend 50% of our work day designing for the future of Royal Caribbean, either destinations or ships. Its fantastic, its a lot of fun. Pictures: A first look on board the worlds largest cruise ship The planned openings of new private destinations are helping to transform Royal Caribbean from a traditional cruise line into a full-fledged vacation company, Bayley said. When we started developing the private destinations and designing ships like Icon, we recognized that this was no longer, in any way, a traditional cruise, he said. It was a brand new collection of experiences that transcended cruise and moved into land-based vacation options. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company has ships and destination openings planned out as far as 2028, meaning that cruise fans will have a lot to look forward to in the coming years. New ships ahead Some of Royals upcoming plans discussed in a media information session onboard Star of the Seas werent new news. For example, its already publicly known that the companys third Icon-class ship, Legend of the Seas, is set for a 2026 debut and will sail out of Fort Lauderdale in the fall after Mediterranean itineraries next summer. Royal is also working on its fourth Icon-class ship, which is already under construction and will feature a pretty ambitious set of new activities and features that passengers can enjoy when the ship debuts in 2027. The Icon class could potentially include a fifth and sixth ship. Youre going to see us continue to evolve the class, said Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbeans chief product innovation officer. As we get to Legend of the Seas, The Pearl will take on a new dynamic inside of it that were unbelievably excited about. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the coming years, the cruise line will continue to expand on the success of its Oasis class, which currently includes Port Canaverals Utopia of the Seas that sails short itineraries to the Bahamas. Building off the success of the Oasis class, we want to keep on going. Utopia has been a phenomenal success for us with the three- and four-night program out of Port Canaveral, Schneider said of the sixth ship in its class. A seventh unnamed ship is due in 2028. Weve already committed to the name and the enhancements that are coming with Oasis 7. Schneider also confirmed development of Royals new Discovery series, which will be a smaller class of ships than Icon. Were more in the dreaming phase, he said. Were dreaming up future classes of ships that are big and small, you name it. Were in a heavy ship dreaming phase right now. Royal Beach Clubs in the works The first of Royal Caribbeans beach clubs, which was unveiled in 2023, is slated to open in Nassau this fall. Vacationers can now book day passes to the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, which will welcome its first revenue guests on Dec. 27. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beach clubs are day beach clubs in high-volume ports where a percentage of our guests go, but not all of them, Schneider said, comparing the new offering to the Perfect Day products, which almost all ship guests visit. About 35% of our guests will have an opportunity to go there on an annual basis. After a short tender boat ride from the port, guests can enjoy three neighborhoods: one geared toward families, another for partying and a chill area. Visitors can find two beaches and three pools, including what will be the worlds largest swim-up bar. Food and drink offerings can be found at three beach grills and 10 bars. The Royal Beach Club is a combo of everything that people want to do if they spend the day on the beach, Bayley said. One of the great attributes of the beach club is the worlds largest swim-up bar. The vibe will be E for Everyone. The kids will have spaces and places where they can have a great time. Royal Beach Club expands with a Cozumel, Mexico, location in 2026 and a new destination in Lelepa, an island in the South Pacific, slated to open in 2027 for Australian cruisers. Perfect Day Mexico After opening Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas in 2019, Royal Caribbean is eyeing a new Perfect Day destination in Mexico. Set to open in the fall of 2027, the new private enclave is set in Mahahual in the state of Quintana Roo home to the port of Costa Maya and will have double the amount of guest-facing space as the existing Perfect Day offering in the Bahamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The focal point of the destination is the Loco Waterpark with the tallest waterslides in the Americas. Thrill seekers can explore 31 slides across 5 towers, the tallest of which features a Jaguar head and flames shooting out of the top. Among Perfect Day Mexicos seven major neighborhoods is Splash Cove, which is slated to feature the worlds longest lazy river. Schneider said the waterway will also feature a crazy river option in one segment and a swim-up bar that visitors can enjoy during the one-hour journey. The destination will also feature the worlds largest sombrero that will serve as the roof of a margarita-centric bar. Similar to Perfect Day at CocoCays Hideaway Beach, Perfect Day Mexico will include El Hideaway for adults only and the premium Costa Beach Club to the north of the main attractions. Concerns about the environmental impacts of the projects have spurred a petition on Change.org that has nearly 300,000 signatures. The petition calls for the project to adopt a model based on sustainability, respect for ecosystems and justice for local communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Royal Caribbean responded to the petition by vowing to submit an Environmental Impact Statement to relevant authorities in the coming weeks and host community meetings. Among sustainability initiatives promised by Royal are mangrove conservation, water flow restoration, reef protection and a waste management system that results in more than 95% of treated water being available for beneficial reuse. In addition, the company has pledged to use 100% green energy to power our site by 2024. Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com. Stay up to date with our latest travel, arts and events coverage by subscribing to our newsletters at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani sustained several injuries, including a spinal fracture, in a car accident Saturday evening, according to Michael Ragusa, who identified himself as the head of Giulianis security. Ragusa said Sunday in a statement on X that Giulianis vehicle was struck from behind at high speed on a highway Saturday. New Hampshire State Police said in a news release Sunday that both vehicles were "heavily damaged." In his statement, Ragusa said that prior to the accident Giuliani was "flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident," and that Giuliani "immediately rendered assistance and contacted 911," staying on scene until police arrived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Police said they are investigating the crash, which occurred on Interstate 93 southbound in Manchester. Authorities identified Giuliani as a passenger in the vehicle that was struck. Police said lanes surrounding the crash were closed for approximately one hour as they investigated. Ted Goodman, whom police identified as the driver of the car Giuliani was in and who has served as a representative for Giuliani in the past, did not immediately reply to a request for further details. State police said Goodman sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital. State police said they have identified the driver who struck Goodman and Giulianis car, and they reported that the driver was also taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No charges have been filed at this time and all aspects of the crash remain under investigation, state police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ragusa said in a statement, which Giulianis social media accounts reposted, that Giuliani was transported to a nearby trauma center, where he was diagnosed with a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg. Reached for further comment on Giulianis condition, Ragusa said in a statement that Giuliani was in great spirits and fully alert and conscious. Giulianis doctors are pleased with his progress, Ragusa added. Ragusa also said in a separate social media post that the accident was not a targeted attack. Giulianis son, Andrew Giuliani, acknowledged the incident on X, thanking all the people that have reached out since learning the news about my Father. Your prayers mean the world. As a son, I can tell you Im honored to have a Dad that I can call the toughest SOB Ive ever seen! he added. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City and ex-Trump attorney, has been hospitalized with serious injuries following a car crash in New Hampshire, according to his head of security. The collision happened on Saturday night, according to spokesperson Michael Ragusa, while Giulianis vehicle was travelling on a highway. Details on the crash are limited; Ragusa only said Giulianis vehicle was struck from behind at high speed. Initial reports did not say when or where in the state this occurred, or whether there were any other injuries as a result of the crash. In addition, no details on the other driver or any other possible passengers were provided. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giuliani was then transported to a nearby trauma center, where Ragusa said he was diagnosed with a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg. At 12:55 p.m. on Sunday, Giulianis X account published a post that said, Thank you to @MariaRyanNH who is a board certified nurse practitioner overseeing the care of Americas Mayor . (Nurse practitioners do everything a doctor does except surgery) Before the crash, Ragusa said Giuliani had been flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident. The spokesperson said that Giuliani helped her and called 911, and remained on the scene until officers arrived. However, Ragusa later stated that this was not connected to the crash that happened an unspecified amount of time later. Ragusa added the following statement to his original X thread about the crash: This was not a targeted attack. We ask everyone to respect Mayor Giulianis privacy and recovery, and refrain from spreading unfounded conspiracy theories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the X replies, when someone asked where Giulianis security was at the time of the crash, Ragusa said, You cant control reckless drivers hitting you from behind my brother. Also in the replies, Ragusa said Giuliani was in a rent a car no one knew it was him, emphasizing that this was a random collision. Luis Zuniga contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Rudy Giuliani has been discharged from Elliot Hospital in New Hampshire following a car crash this weekend. Ted Goodman, Giulianis rep, told HuffPost in a statement Tuesday that Giuliani is recovering well. According to police, Goodman was driving the car when another car crashed into them from behind. News of the car crash broke Sunday, when Michael Ragusa, head of Giulianis security, said in a statement that before the wreck, the 81-year-old former New York City mayor was helping a victim of domestic violence who had flagged him down for help. After Giuliani waited for police to arrive to help the domestic violence victim, Giuliani and Goodman drove away and a car struck them from behind on the highway, according to Ragusa. Politics: James Carville Pinpoints Whats Oozing Out Of Trump Right Now: You Can Just Feel It Giuliani was transported to a nearby trauma center, where he received treatment for fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ragusa said it was not a targeted attack and asked the public to refrain from spreading conspiracy theories. Investigators said they dont believe the driver who struck Giuliani had any connection to the domestic violence incident. At this time, all aspects of the crash remain under investigation, including whether distraction or curiosity of the initial scene was a factor, police said in a news release. No charges have been filed. Giuliani served as mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001 before becoming an adviser to President Donald Trump and his personal lawyer. In 2023, Giuliani, along with Trump, was indicted for conspiracy to change the outcome of the 2020 election. In 2024, his law license was suspended for making false and misleading statements to the public and courts about the 2020 election. Related... Read the original on HuffPost Originally appeared on E! Online Rudy Guiliani is recovering from a terrifying car crash. The former New York City mayor was hospitalized after being involved in a motor vehicle accident on the evening of Aug. 20 in New Hampshire, during which he was allegedly hit from behind on the highway after stopping to help a victim of domestic violence. Prior to the incident, he was flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident, Giulianis head of security Michael Ragusa wrote in a statement shared to Instagram Aug. 31. Mayor Giuliani immediately rendered assistance and contacted 911. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He remained on scene until responding officers arrived to ensure her safety, the statement continued. Following this, while traveling on the highway, Mayor Giulianis vehicle was struck from behind at a high speed. The 81-year-old was then, according to the statement, transported to a nearby trauma center and diagnosed with a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg. More from E! Online Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His business partner and medical provider were promptly contacted and arrived at the hospital to oversee his care, the statement concluded. At this time, no further updates are available. In the caption of the post, Ragusa also shared an update on how Giulianiwho shares kids Andrew Giuliani, 38, and Caroline Giuliani, 35, with ex-wife Donna Hanoverhas been doing since the incident. He sustained multiple injuries but is in good spirits and recovering tremendously, he wrote. We thank everyone for their continued prayers and support. In a separate post shared to X, Ragusa alleged that the incident was not a targeted attack, encouraging online users to refrain from spreading unfounded conspiracy theories. (Photo by Alex Kent/Getty Images) As he further explained to The New York Post, Ragusa said that Giulianiwho dubbed the nickname Americas mayor following his leadership in New York after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001is expected to remain in the hospital for another two or three days before being discharged and required to wear a brace for the broken vertebrae. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayor is in great spirits, Ragusa told the outlet. Hes a beast. He survived 9/11. Meanwhile, Giulianis son expressed his gratitude for all the well wishes their family has received since the accident. Thank you to all the people that have reached out since learning the news about my Father, he wrote on X. Your prayers mean the world. As a son, I can tell you Im honored to have a Dad that I can call the toughest SOB Ive ever seen! For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat attended a book launch event in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur, organised in memory of former RSS functionary Kashinath Gore. Bhagwat released a souvenir on Saturday, which was focused on the life work of Gore on the occasion. RSS chief mentioned that whenever he came to Bilaspur, he felt the presence of Kashinath Gore. "Even if we say that Kashinath was a volunteer of the Sangh, the description of his life is complete. Because the first Sarsanghchalak Doctor Saheb used to say, the personality of a volunteer is such that it attracts people. If anyone met Kashinath once, he would develop a bond with him," RSS chief Bhagwat said. Bhagwat highlighted the normal life that Kashinath Gore used to live and said that while people look towards great men for inspiration. Invoking the name of Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Bhagwat said, "People think they cannot be a great personality like Shivaji Maharaj. He was a great man. People think that if someone has to be like Shivaji, then let that be someone in the neighbour's house, not in our own house. One should strive to be a good person, keep their family and society happy, and keep moving forward on the path of progress as much as possible." Chairing the program, Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Raman Singh, also mentioned that Gore dedicated every moment of his life for the nation. Singh added, "He set an example in every role - volunteer, householder, government servant. His entire family remained engaged in national work; that tradition continues even today. His personality is cited as an example even today." (ANI) Former mayor of New York City and lawyer for President Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, was injured in a car accident in New Hampshire Saturday evening, his head of security said in a social media post Sunday. Giuliani, 81, suffered a fractured thoracic vertebra, as well as cuts, bruising and injuries to his left arm and lower leg after his vehicle was struck from behind at high speed while traveling on the highway, according to a post by Giulianis security head Michael Ragusa. Despite his injuries, Giuliani is in great spirits Ragusa said. He is fully alert and conscious, and his medical team is pleased with his progress. The Mayor is eager to return to his work and looks forward to getting back to business in just a few days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immediately prior to the crash, Giuliani was flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident, according to the statement posted by Ragusa. Mayor Giuliani immediately rendered assistance and contacted 911. He remained on scene until responding officers arrived to ensure her safety. In a statement, the New Hampshire State Police Department confirmed it is investigating a crash that left three people injured, including a passenger identified as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. State troopers were investigating a reported domestic violence incident on the southbound side of Interstate-93 in Manchester, NH, when they saw the accident involving Giuliani happen on the other side of the highway just before 10 p.m. Saturday, according to NHSPD. A 19-year-old woman driving a Honda HR-V struck the back of a Ford Bronco being driven by Giuliani spokesperson Theodore Goodman, with Giuliani as a passenger, NHPD said in the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result of the collision, both vehicles went into the median and were heavily damaged, according to the statement. All three people suffered non-life threatening injuries, NHPD said, adding that no charges were immediately filed as it investigates the crash. Giuliani thanked Maria Ryan, his business partner and a nurse practitioner, for overseeing the care of Americas Mayor in a social media post Sunday evening. Ryan, who lives in NH, according to local property records, has long been rumored to be Giulianis secret girlfriendsomething they have consistently denied. Giuliani and Ryan attended a local baseball game together the day before the accident, according to video posted by ABC affiliate WMUR. In legal filings related to his bankruptcy case, creditors have reportedly accused Giuliani of illicitly transferring money to Ryan, a former hospital administrator and anti-vaccine activist. (NewsNation) Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani was seriously injured in a car crash in New Hampshire. Giuliani, 81, was hospitalized with a fractured thoracic vertebrae and multiple cuts and bruises to his arms and legs after he was struck from behind at a high speed while driving on Saturday night, his spokesperson Michael Ragusa said. Before the crash, Giuliani stopped driving to help a woman who told him she was the victim of a domestic violence incident. He called 911 and stayed with the woman until officers arrived and made sure she was safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California Highway Patrol to protect Kamala Harris: Report Shortly after pulling back onto the highway, his vehicle was struck from behind by a female driver, an incident entirely unrelated to the earlier situation, Ragusa said in a statement to NewsNation. In a post on social platform X, Ragusa said Giuliani was in good spirits and recovering tremendously following the crash. Thank you to all the people that have reached out since learning the news about my Father. Your prayers mean the world, Giulianis son Andrew said in a social media post. As a son, I can tell you Im honored to have a Dad that I can call the toughest SOB Ive ever seen! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giuliani served as mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He later served as President Donald Trumps lawyer during his first term, and was disbarred in 2024 in both New York and Washington D.C. after spreading false claims about the 2020 presidential election. He was also found liable for defaming two election poll workers in Georgia and accused them of tampering with ballots during the election. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. Rudy Giuliani is recovering from a fractured vertebra and other injuries following a car crash in New Hampshire in which he was a passenger, a spokesperson for the former New York City mayor said Sunday. Giuliani was being driven in a rented Ford Bronco by his spokesperson Ted Goodman when their vehicle was struck from behind by a Honda HR-V driven by a 19-year-old woman late Saturday evening, New Hampshire State Police said in a statement. Troopers witnessed the crash, which caused both vehicles to hit the highway median and left them heavily damaged, state police said. Goodman and the 19-year-old suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to hospitals for treatment, the agency added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State police said they are investigating the crash and no charges have been filed. Giuliani, 81, was taken to a nearby trauma center and was being treated for a fractured thoracic vertebra, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg, according to a statement posted on X by Michael Ragusa, Giulianis head of security. Giuliani sustained injuries but is in good spirits and recovering tremendously, Ragusa said, adding: This was not a targeted attack. Prior to the accident, Giuliani had been flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident" and contacted police assistance on her behalf, Ragusa said. After police arrived, Giuliani continued on his way and his vehicle was hit shortly after pulling onto the highway in a crash that was entirely unrelated to the domestic violence incident, Ragusa told The Associated Press in an emailed statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State police said troopers were investigating a domestic violence report on the southbound Interstate 93 highway shortly before 10 p.m. and observed the crash, which occurred on the northbound lanes. Troopers and fire personnel quickly crossed to provide help. New Hampshire State Police declined to comment on whether Giuliani had contacted the agency regarding the account of a domestic violence incident. Goodman did not respond to requests for comment and Giuliani's team did not provide additional details about the circumstances surrounding the crash. Thank you to all the people that have reached out since learning the news about my Father, Andrew Giuliani, Rudy Giulianis son, wrote in a post on X. Your prayers mean the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crash follows some rocky years for the onetime Republican presidential candidate, who was dubbed Americas mayor in light of his leadership in New York after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. Giuliani later became President Donald Trumps personal attorney for a time and a vocal proponent of Trumps allegations of fraud in the 2020 election, won by Democrat Joe Biden. Trump and his backers lost dozens of lawsuits claiming fraud, and numerous recounts, reviews and audits of the election results turned up no signs of significant wrongdoing or error. Two former Georgia elections workers later won a $148 million defamation judgment against Giuliani. As they sought to collect the judgment, the former federal prosecutor was found in contempt of court and faced a trial this winter over the ownership of some of his assets. He ultimately struck a deal that let him keep his homes and various belongings, including prized World Series rings, in exchange for unspecified compensation and a promise to stop speaking ill of the ex-election workers. ____ Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz in New York City contributed to this report. Rudy Giuliani was injured in a late-Saturday car crash near Manchester, New Hampshire, suffering a fractured vertebrae and lacerations after stopping on the highway to assist a domestic-violence victim, a spokesman said on social media Sunday. @RudyGiuliani was in a car accident in NH on Aug 30 after assisting a domestic violence victim. He sustained injuries but is in good spirits and recovering tremendously. Thank you for the prayers & support. official statement below. pic.twitter.com/ohYJCcXpjR Michael Ragusa (@themikeragu) August 31, 2025 The Former New York City mayors rental car was hit from behind at high speed, Ragusa said. He was hospitalized but in great spirits, the spokesman said, and was expected to be released in a few days. More from TheWrap Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ragusa said Giuliani was flagged down on the highway by a woman who had just experienced a domestic incident. Giuliana called 911 and stayed with her until authorities arrived, and was hit after leaving the scene. Giuliani worked as an attorney for President Donald Trump in his effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The post Rudy Giuliani Injured in Late-Night Car Wreck After Stopping to Help Domestic-Violence Victim appeared first on TheWrap. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, 81, was injured in a New Hampshire car accident, his spokesperson said. Giulianis car was hit from behind on Saturday night, according to Michael Ragusa, his spokesperson and head of security. The 81-year-old was taken to a nearby trauma center, where physicians discovered he had a fractured thoracic vertebrae, and multiple cuts and bruises, Ragusa said. He was also injured on his left arm and lower leg. Shortly before the crash, the spokesperson said Giuliani had been helping a woman who was injured in a domestic violence incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to the incident, he was flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident. Mayor Giuliani immediately rendered assistance and contacted 911, Ragusa said. He remained on scene until responding officers arrived to ensure her safety. Following this, while traveling on the highway, Mayor Giulianis vehicle was struck from behind at high speed, he added. He was transported to a nearby trauma center, where he was diagnosed with a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg. Rudy Giulianis car was hit from behind on a New Hampshire highway, his spokesperson says (AFP/Getty) The Independent has contacted the New Hampshire Highway Patrol for more information. Giulianis business partner and medical provider were contacted and have since arrived at the hospital to oversee his care, according to Ragusa. The ex-mayor is now in good spirits and recovering tremendously, Ragusa added in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giulianis son Andrew, who currently leads the White Houses FIFA World Cup 2026 Task Force, urged people to keep his father in their prayers, the New York Post reports. Giulianis fellow Republicans have also wished him well on social media. Far-right activist Laura Loomer posted: Pray for his recovery. Conservative podcaster Benny Johnson shared a similar message on X, writing, Please pray for Americas Mayor. He is expected to stay at a Manchester-area hospital for a few more days to undergo tests, and then wear a brace for the broken vertebrae, according to the Post. Giuliani served as New York City mayor from 1994 through 2001. He later served as President Donald Trumps lawyer during his first term in the White House, and has peddled false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. In January, Giuliani settled with two Georgia election workers who sued him in 2023 for defamation after he falsely claimed the pair had manipulated 2020 election results. A jury awarded the pair $148 million in damages. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been hospitalized after sustaining serious injuries in a car accident in New Hampshire on Saturday, August 30. The 81-year-old politician, who served as mayor from 1994 to 2001, reportedly suffered a fractured vertebrae, lacerations, and other injuries after his vehicle was struck from behind at high speed. According to his head of security, Michael Ragusa, Rudy Giuliani had first stopped to help a woman in distress before the accident occurred. Rudy Giuliani Injured After Stopping To Assist Domestic Violence Victim ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA Ragusa explained in a statement shared on Instagram that Giuliani was flagged down by a woman who identified herself as the victim of a domestic violence incident. Giuliani immediately called 911 and stayed with her until police arrived. Not long after resuming travel, Giulianis vehicle was struck from behind on the highway. The crash left the former mayor with a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple contusions and lacerations, and injuries to his left arm and lower leg. He was rushed to a nearby trauma center for emergency treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giulianis business partner, Maria Ryan, who is also a nurse, quickly arrived at the hospital to oversee his care, according to the New York Post. Hes getting further tests and stabilization of his injuries, Ryan told the outlet, adding that his medical team is continuing to evaluate him. Doctors expect Rudy Giuliani will remain hospitalized for two to three days before being discharged with a brace for his broken vertebrae. Giulianis Condition Revealed After Brutal New Hampshire Car Accident ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA Despite the severity of his injuries, Ragusa said the former Associate Attorney General is in remarkably good spirits. The mayor is in great spirits. Hes a beast. He survived 9/11, he noted, pointing to Giulianis reputation as a resilient figure from his time leading New York through one of its darkest chapters. The accident marks another dramatic turn for Giuliani, who has remained a polarizing figure in American politics since leaving office. Once celebrated as Americas Mayor in the aftermath of 9/11, he has more recently faced mounting legal troubles, investigations, and financial strain. Past Incidents Add To Rudy Giulianis Tumultuous Post-Mayoral Years Ron Sachs - CNP / MEGA In 2022, the former mayor claimed he was assaulted while campaigning for his son, Andrew Giuliani, in Staten Island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As The Blast previously reported, Giuliani was inside a ShopRite supermarket on Veterans Road when an employee allegedly slapped him on the back and shouted, Hey, whats up, scumbag? Eyewitness Rita Rugova-Johnson told the New York Post she was stunned to see the incident unfold at such close range. Were talking, and all of a sudden an employee came out of nowhere and open-handedly slapped him in the back, she recalled. Law enforcement officials quickly arrested the on-duty worker at the store. While Rudy Giuliani described the encounter as an assault, prosecutors later reduced the attackers charges to misdemeanor crimes, a move that drew its own round of debate. Giulianis Bankruptcy Tossed Out Rod Lamkey - CNP / MEGA Giulianis accident also comes on the heels of major financial turmoil. In December 2023, the former mayor filed for bankruptcy just days after a jury handed down a staggering judgment in favor of two former Georgia election workers. The women successfully argued that Giuliani had spread lies about them during the 2020 election, sparking racist threats and harassment that upended their lives. The bankruptcy filing initially froze collection of the debt, buying Giuliani some time. But the reprieve didnt last long. In 2024, his attorneys floated the idea of appointing a trustee to liquidate his assets before abruptly changing course and asking for the bankruptcy case to be dismissed. A judge eventually tossed out the case, leaving Giuliani without the protection of federal bankruptcy laws automatic stay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Rudy Giuliani insisted that the onetime U.S. attorney expects to be totally vindicated in court, but for now, the dismissal has opened the door for those owed money to try and recover at least a portion of their claims through legal channels. There haven't been any updates since. Rudy Giuliani Remains Entangled In Legal And Financial Chaos After Indictments Rod Lamkey - CNP / MEGA Giulianis accident and financial woes are only part of a long list of troubles that have defined his post-mayoral years. In August 2023, he was indicted in Georgia on charges related to election interference, followed by a similar indictment in Arizona in April 2024. On top of that, Rudy Giuliani has been disbarred in both New York and Washington, D.C., further tarnishing a once-prestigious legal career. Between ongoing criminal cases, financial pressure, and mounting judgments, the former mayor remains entangled in a web of controversies that show little sign of slowing down. Russian forces struck the city of Kherson at around 12:00 on Sunday 31 August, killing a woman and injuring at least six people. Source: Kherson Oblast Prosecutors Office; Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration Details: Investigators have found that Russian forces attacked one of the streets of Kherson with a drone at around 12:00 on 31 August 2025. A woman was killed in the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the procedural guidance of the Kherson District Prosecutors Office, a pre-trial investigation was launched into the war crime (Article 438.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Also on Sunday, Russian forces attacked the central part of the city. A medical and an educational facility, an administrative building and a residential building were damaged by shelling. As of 13:43, six people were reported injured in the Russian attack. Background: Russian forces shelled the Kherson Oblast State Administration building at around 16:00 on 30 August, causing a fire that burned until morning. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Russian troops launched 142 attack drones on Ukraine on the night of 30-31 August. Ukraines Air Force has reported that 126 of the UAVs were shot down or jammed. Source: Ukraines Air Force Details: Sixteen attack drones hit 10 locations, and crashes of downed drones were recorded in six locations. Background: On the night of 30-31 August, Russia launched a large-scale drone attack on Odesa Oblast, injuring one person. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar has criticised the BJP government for not maintaining law and order in the national capital, claiming that crime has increased here. "It is very sad that every day we hear that crime has increased in Delhi. Murders are happening every day. At least one murder is happening every day. What is this? Where is the Home Minister? Where is LG? The four-engine government seems to be failing badly in Delhi," Kakkar told ANI on Saturday. Kakkar's remarks come amid the double murder of two women in Delhi's Rohini Sector 17. Decrying the state of rising crime, the AAP spokesperson mentioned that Delhi seems to be a "dangerous place" where even the Chief Minister can get attacked. "If she is not able to protect herself, then how will she protect the people of Delhi? And what is the BJP doing about this?" she said. Earlier on August 30, a man allegedly killed his wife and mother-in-law over a domestic dispute, police said. The accused, identified as Yogesh Sehgal, has been arrested by the police. The police said that a PCR call was received at the KNK Marg police station, stating that a woman and her mother had been murdered in a flat located in Sector-17, Rohini. When the police reached the spot, they found the blood-soaked bodies of two women inside a room on the third floor of the flat. The deceased were identified as Kusum Sinha (63) and Priya Sehgal (34). On August 20, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked by a Rajkot resident, Rajesh Khimji, at her Civil Lines residence during Jan Sunvai. The accused has since been arrested and sent to custody while further investigation into the matter is underway. On August 25, another accused in connection with the incident was arrested by officials. "Delhi police have arrested an auto driver from Rajkot, Gujarat, who is a friend of the accused Rajesh. He had allegedly transferred money to Rajesh," the Delhi Police said. The Delhi police has also intensified its probe into the attack on Chief Minister Gupta, with investigators now seeking data from both her personal and official residences. According to senior police sources, dump data -- which provides details of mobile tower locations, device signals and call records of all numbers active in a particular area -- is being retrieved from telecom service providers for specific time windows. (ANI) The Kremlin has accused Ukraine's European allies of disrupting efforts by US President Donald Trump to bring the war to an end. In an interview broadcast by Russian state television on Sunday, spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that the European Union had a vested interest in the fighting to continue. "The European warring party is maintaining its fundamental course, it is not giving in," said Peskov, referring to European arms deliveries to Ukraine, which Russia has repeatedly used as a pretext for not agreeing to a ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's efforts, on the other hand, to find a solution to the conflict are still not being valued enough, Peskov said in China on the sidelines of a multi-day trip by President Vladimir Putin. While Russia was thankful to Trump, "the Europeans are obstructing these efforts," said Peskov, a close confidante of Putin. Russia was ready to solve the conflict with political and diplomatic means, Peskov said, but stressed that the "special military operation" - Russia's official wording for the war waged on its neighbour since 2022 - would be continued until Kiev changes course. Despite those statements, Putin has made no attempts to hide his lack of interest in a peace deal, despite a highly-anticipated meeting with Trump in Alaska earlier this month, which has failed to yield results. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Days after that meeting, Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a number of European leaders at the White House to debrief and discuss next steps. Zelensky stressed afterwards that he continues to reject Russian demands for territorial concessions in exchange for a ceasefire. While Ukraine insists on a halt in fighting as a precondition for peace negations Russia has repeatedly said it wants a deal first before it will stop pummelling Ukraine with airstrikes Russian forces have lost more than 290,000 soldiers killed and wounded along the entire front line since the start of 2025. Source: a report of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 31 August Details: It is noted that Russia suffered its heaviest losses in Donetsk Oblast, particularly on the Pokrovsk front, where it concentrated its main efforts but failed to achieve any of its strategic objectives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stabilisation measures are ongoing in certain parts of the front. Zelenskyy noted that Ukrainian units are weekly replenishing the "exchange fund" with captured Russian soldiers. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are ready for new attacks. Quote from Zelenskyy: "We analysed in detail the situation on the Zaporizhzhia front and the enemys intentions. Also the situation in the border areas of Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts. We will continue our active operations in exactly the way needed for Ukraines defence. The forces and resources are prepared. New deep strikes have also been planned." Background: Ukraines General Staff said that Russia's seasonal offensive campaign ended with no results. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! After months of playing lip service to U.S. efforts to end the war in Ukraine, the head of Russia's military on Aug. 30 said Moscow will continue both fighting on the front lines, and launching mass missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities. "The implementation of the tasks of the (full-scale invasion of Ukraine) by the Joint Group of Troops will continue by conducting offensive actions," the chief of the General Staff of the Russian army, Valery Gerasimov, said in comments reported by Russia's Defense Ministry. "Today we will clarify the tasks of the troop groups in the directions for the autumn period," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement makes a mockery of U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to end the war, after multiple extensions of a deadline to see if Russian President Vladimir Putin was serious about peace. "We will know in within two weeks whether there will be peace in Ukraine. After that we will have to maybe take a different tack," Trump said on Aug. 21. Gerasimov also said that "targeted massive fire strikes continue," referring to the regular mass missile and drone attacks that Russia launches against Ukrainian cities. He claimed these are "launched only against military objects and facilities of Ukraine's military-industrial complex," though Russian missiles and drones regularly hit residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the latest attack on Kyiv on Aug. 28, 25 people were killed, including four children. Three of them were aged 2, 14, and 17. The attack damaged more than 20 locations, including a shopping center in the city center. The attack also damaged the building of the British Council and the premises of the EU mission to Ukraine. Two missiles hit within a distance of 50 meters of the delegation within 15 seconds, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, noting that no staff members were harmed. Overnight on Aug. 30, Russian attacks killed at least three civilians and injured at least 47 in Ukraine, regional authorities reported. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said he is ready to meet Putin and hold peace talks with Russia, while the Kremlin has rejected calls from Kyiv and its allies for an unconditional ceasefire and ramped up attacks against Ukrainian cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Wishful thinking, outright lies Ukraine dismisses Russias claims of battlefield success Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Aug. 30 (UPI) -- An overnight aerial attack by Russia hit residential areas in southeastern Ukraine, killing one and injuring 29, Ukrainian authorities announced on Saturday. Russia launched 537 drones and 45 missiles targeting the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, ABC News reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for sanctions against nations and entities that enable Russia to continue its assault on Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also called for economic and energy sanctions against Russia. "This war won't stop with political statements alone," Zelensky said in a post on X. "We expect action from the U.S., Europe and the entire world." Ukraine's air defenses shot down all but 24 drones and five missiles, the Ukrainian Air Force announced. The remaining drones and missiles damaged more than 40 houses and 14 apartment buildings and knocked out power to about 25,000 households. Homes, businesses and infrastructure also suffered damage in the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region, and debris from intercepted drones and missiles also damaged properties and caused some injuries elsewhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine targeted two Russian oil refineries in drone attacks early Saturday. Ukrainian forces struck the Krasnodar Refinery in southwestern Russia and the Syzran Refinery that is located southeast of Moscow in Samara Oblast, Ukrainian drone commander Maj. Robert Brovdi announced. The Ukrainian military is assessing the success of its drone attacks. Six civilians, including an 11-year-old boy, were injured in Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on Sunday 31 August. Source: Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration Details: The Russians attacked the Nikopol district with first-person view (FPV) drones and heavy artillery. They targeted the city of Nikopol as well as the Marhanets, Myrove and Pokrovske hromadas. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A woman, 64, has been taken to hospital in a moderate condition. A man, 23, and a woman, 42, were also injured. They will receive outpatient care. The strikes damaged an industrial facility, several houses, an outbuilding and a gas pipeline. Five cars were also smashed. The Russians used guided aerial bombs and drones to attack the Synelnykove district. Three people two women aged 31 and 51 and an 11-year-old boy sought medical help in the town of Synelnykove. They received medical assistance. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Russian attacks killed at least five civilians and injured at least 61 others in Ukraine over the past day, regional authorities reported on Aug. 31. Russia launched a mass wave of drones and missiles against Ukraine overnight, with strikes and explosions reported in Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Kherson, Odesa and elsewhere. Moscow's forces deployed 142 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys against Ukraine, the Air Force reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian forces intercepted 126 drones, and 16 drones struck at 10 different locations. Fallen debris was also reported at six locations. In Kherson Oblast, two people were killed and 14 were injured in Russian attacks, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. Nine houses, medical and educational institutions, an administrative building, cars, and a gas station were damaged. One woman was killed as a result of explosives being dropped from a Russian drone. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one person was killed and 37 were injured in the city and surrounding areas. Local authorities received 382 reports of damage to houses, apartments, farm buildings, garages, cars, critical infrastructure, and social infrastructure, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Donetsk Oblast, Russian attacks killed two people and injured five over the past day, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported. Odesa Oblast suffered a heavy attack on its energy infrastructure. The city of Chornomorsk and its surroundings suffered the most. One person was injured, private houses and administrative buildings were damaged. According to the governor, more than 29,000 consumers were left without electricity due to the attack. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a 58-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man were injured in a Russian drone attack; the man was taken to a hospital. Private houses, two residential buildings, garages, power lines, and gas pipelines were damaged, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Sumy Oblast, two men were injured in Russian air strikes and drone attacks, the regional military administration said. One of the men was attacked while riding a scooter. The attacks come despite months-long push by U.S. President Donald Trump to negotiate a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected calls from Kyiv and its allies for an unconditional ceasefire and ramped up attacks against Ukrainian cities. Read also: Russia says the quiet part out loud war in Ukraine to continue, more mass bombings of cities Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A Russian Shahed drone has struck one of the critical infrastructure facilities in Nizhyn in Chernihiv Oblast, leaving the city without water and electricity. Source: Nizhyn Mayor Oleksandr Kodola in a comment to Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne Quote: "As soon as the all-clear is given, engineers will assess the level of damage and its consequences for the city. At the moment, there are no casualties. As for civilian infrastructure damage, there is no information yet until the scene is inspected." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Nizhynvodokanal [a water utility service in the city of Nizhyn] reported that water supply during the day will be maintained using generators from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 17:00 to 21:00 (if the electricity supply is not restored by the evening). Residents of Nizhyn have been urged to urgently stock up on water. Background: On the night of 30-31 August, Russian troops launched 142 attack drones on Ukraine. Ukraines Air Force reported that 126 of the UAVs had been shot down or jammed. Russia also carried out a large-scale drone attack on the Odesa district. The city of Chornomorsk and its outskirts were the most affected. Four energy facilities were attacked in the Odesa district overnight. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been denied access to a newly built dam on the channel of one of the cooling ponds at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). Source: Slovo i Dilo (Word and Deed), a news portal, with reference to an IAEA report Quote: "The IAEA team based at the ZNPP site Europes largest nuclear power plant (NPP) continues to request access to the newly constructed dam but have not yet been permitted due to security concerns." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The dam is designed to support the plants reactor cooling system. The IAEA emphasises that access is crucial for assessing the situation regarding the cooling water. In addition, during this weeks walkdown, the IAEA team was unable to access the western section of the turbine hall at one of the Zaporizhzhia NPP reactors. In late May, an IAEA representative told Reuters that there were no signs indicating that Russia was preparing to restart the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP. In April, the Russians said they did not want to give up control of the occupied plant as part of a peace agreement, Slovo i Dilo recalls. Background: Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraines General Staff has responded to a report by its Russian counterparts on the "results of the spring-summer campaign of 2025", calling it lies and pointing out that Russias offensives ended with no results. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook Quote: "It [the report ed.] is based on attempts to present wishful thinking as reality and on outright lies. After three and a half years of the Kremlins full-scale aggression, its latest seasonal offensive campaign has yielded virtually no result. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite what was said in [Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery] Gerasimovs statements, Russian forces did not take full control of any major city. Instead, the Russians have lost nearly 210,000 of their soldiers killed and wounded in senseless battles in Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts since the beginning of the year, while 2,174 armoured vehicles, 1,201 tanks, 7,303 artillery systems and 157 multiple-launch rocket systems have been destroyed or damaged. The enemys fake reports about security zones in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts are nothing but an attempt to conceal the failure of operations that have resulted in a dead end and tens of thousands of losses for the Russians. This year alone, our soldiers have killed 19,080 [Russian] fighters in Kursk commands operational zone, and more than 25,000 have been wounded." Details: Ukrainian forces emphasise that Russian figures on captured territories have been "significantly exaggerated", but add that Russias losses of more than 291,000 soldiers killed and wounded have been "100% confirmed". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The General Staff also dismissed Russian claims about "high-precision weapons" and "the destruction of Ukraines missile industry", calling them fabrications. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in an interview on Aug. 31 that he expects Russia's war in Ukraine to last a long time, as most wars end in military defeat or economic collapse a scenario he does not foresee for Russia or Ukraine. "I am preparing myself inwardly for this war to last a long time," Merz told German public broadcaster ZDF. Merz's remarks came a day before the expiration of a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for a bilateral meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We will know in within two weeks whether there will be peace in Ukraine. After that we will have to maybe take a different tack," Trump said on Aug. 21. Despite months of U.S.-led diplomatic efforts and repeated deadlines from Trump, Russia has shown no signs of relenting. Just a day earlier, Moscow's top general vowed to continue the war in Ukraine on both the front lines and against Ukrainian cities. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said he is ready to meet Putin and hold peace talks, while the Kremlin has rejected calls for an unconditional ceasefire and increased attacks against Ukrainian civilian targets. Merz also noted that peace cannot be achieved "at the price of Ukraine's capitulation," warning that Russia would simply target another European country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The day after tomorrow it will be us," Merz added. "That is not an option." Earlier this week, Merz argued that Germany is "already in conflict with Russia," citing Moscow's hybrid operations and sabotage efforts across Europe. He also declined to say whether Germany would consider sending troops to Ukraine as part of future security guarantees a condition Kyiv has said is critical for peace. Read also: Wishful thinking, outright lies Ukraine dismisses Russias claims of battlefield success Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. On August 31, a reception and concert program were held at the Tianjin Meijiang International Convention and Exhibition Center in honor of heads of state and government and their spouses, hosted by the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, and First Lady Peng Liyuan, Azernews reports. President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan welcomed President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva. Afterward, the heads of state and government and their spouses posed for a group photo. Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju noted that if the leader of the party is not interested in any debate except creating a "political drama", it is a "loss" of members of the Parliament and said that the Union government will "push through" the bills. While addressing the advocates' association on 'Parliamentary System in the Largest Democracy in the World', on Saturday, Rijiju said, "I tell the younger member of parliament that when your leader tells you to create disruption in the House, you should resist and tell them that you have come to Parliament to speak for the people who have voted... If the leader of the party is not interested in any debate or discussion except creating a ruckus and political drama, it is a loss of members of the parliament... It is not a problem for the govt.; it is in the majority, and the govt. will push through its bills. But the loss is for the opposition MPs..." He also referred to the recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament. "During the monsoon session, over the course of three weeks, I repeatedly urged the opposition parties to join the discussion... Ultimately, we had to force our majority and pass the bills in the parliament." The Monsoon session of the Parliament, which commenced on July 21, culminated on August 20, a day ahead of its scheduled ending, with both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die. The session had 21 sittings spread over 32 days. The session saw continuous disruptions over the opposition's demand for discussion on Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, with Lok Sabha seeing about 31 per cent productivity and Rajya Sabha about 39 per cent. With the Houses witnessing continuous disruptions throughout the session, the productivity of Lok Sabha has been approximately 31 per cent and that of Rajya Sabha approximately 33 per cent. (ANI) SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A massive Russian air attack on Kyiv last week killed at least 23 people, including children, and damaged a residential building along with the European Unions delegation offices. Ukrainian officials say nearly 540 drones and 45 missiles were launched in the strike. Among those on the ground was Mira Rubin, a San Diego native delivering aid when the attacks hit. Rubin, working with her nonprofit Shield of Freedom, was delivering first aid kits made by San Diego locals to the front lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While on her mission, the strikes hit just a few blocks from where she was staying. Trump casts doubt on Putin-Zelensky meeting: Maybe they have to fight a little longer I really thought it was in our neighborhood, it was so loud, like thunder multiplied by 100, she recalled. Rubin says at least four children were among the victims of the attack. Ukrainian officials reported nearly 500 drones and 45 missiles were launched, killing at least 23 people. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump was not happy about this news, but also not surprised. The attack occurred as the United States continues efforts to negotiate peace between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian community in San Diego shares hope the war will end soon Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubin says she and other San Diego volunteers will continue helping those on the front lines, even at personal risk. Im doing my best. Im very happy. Im here to help in whatever way I can to save these lives, Rubin said. Rubin encourages anyone in San Diego who wants to help to contact Shield of Freedom, which organizes events to support those on the front lines in Ukraine. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Related video FIGHT FOR POWER: Explaining The Redistricting Wars Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) is stepping back into the political arena as a crusader against partisan redistricting. Urging Californians to terminate gerrymandering, the former governor and Hollywood icon has joined the likes of former GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), donor Charlie Munger Jr. and state GOP legislators in pushing back on the plan, which could net five Democratic House seats by temporarily bypassing the states independent redistricting commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schwarzenegger has long been a champion of the commission, which voters approved during his tenure as governor. Political experts see him entering the spotlight to defend his legacy even as current California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) stresses that the redistricting plan wont undercut the existing system. Schwarzenegger was and is a Republican, but there are certain issues that separate him pretty dramatically from the party mainstream. One of those was his work on climate change legislation, but his reform legacy might be what makes him most proud, said Dan Schnur, a former Republican strategist whos a professor at the University of California, Berkeley and University of Southern California. He sees it as under threat. California Democrats, led by Newsom, are asking voters to approve a ballot measure via a special election this fall that would effectively circumvent the Golden States independent redistricting commission, allowing Legislature-approved lines to take effect mid-decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plan could effectively nullify Republican-led redistricting in Texas, where the state Legislature last week approved new lines that could net five GOP House seats after President Trump suggested the GOP is entitled to five more House seats. Newsom sees the Texas moves as part of a broader Republican effort to rig next years midterms and has stressed that, if the plan is approved, the power to redistrict would eventually return to the independent commission, after the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections. But Schwarzenegger has hit back against the efforts in both states. It is very wrong what theyre doing to Texas, and it is very wrong what theyre trying to do in California. It is not at all serving the people. It is serving the party, Schwarzenegger told the Houston Chronicle earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his two-term tenure as governor, he championed the 2008 and 2010 voter-approved initiatives that established and then expanded the independent redistricting commission. In a mid-August interview, the Republican Hollywood heavyweight told The New York Times that he has a good relationship with Newsom and isnt trying to support Trump, but rather that he wants to defend the system he helped build. Its nothing personal, he told the Times, as he pledged to fight for his promise of citizen-led redistricting. California Republican strategist Mike Madrid, co-founder of the Lincoln Project, called Schwarzeneggers effort part of his legacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its definitely a legacy play for Schwarzenegger, but it also has the benefit of being something that he has long, long believed, Madrid said. This was something he was talking about even before he was running for governor, as part of one of the intractable problems that was making California grind to a halt. That makes Schwarzenegger uniquely positioned to argue against Proposition 50, Madrid said, compared with other figures who appear to be weighing in from a more partisan perspective. Exact details of how Schwarzenegger may fight back over the next nine weeks remain unclear, but hes signaled readiness for the gerrymandering battle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On his Arnolds Pump Club site, hes selling a terminate gerrymandering shirt, a nod to his blockbuster film. The proceeds are being split between the California and Texas branches of the League of Women Voters, a nonprofit opposing partisan redistricting though the California leg has said its not taking a stance on Proposition 50. Hes also backed an effort, Politico reported this week, from Munger, the mega-donor who helped fund the ballot measures that set up the commission initially. In remarks at a Politico summit on Wednesday, Newsom stressed that he has long supported independent redistricting and that the ballot measure itself supports the system, except for a temporary period, just for congressional seats, to respond to this unprecedented assault. He also revealed hes spoken to his predecessor about the push. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I visited with Arnold on this. We debated this, the governor said, shrugging off a suggestion that the pair publicly debate the issue. I completely respect his point of view and position. And by the way, I told him, I share it. I just told him redistricting doesnt exist anywhere in this country if this guy [Trump] wins and wires this. If you actually care about this issue, youre going to stand up for this. Newsom also said he reminded Schwarzenegger that were actually protecting his legacy by maintaining the independent redistricting and affirming it. The text of the amendment proposal acknowledges that its California policy to support the use of fair, independent, and nonpartisan redistricting commissions nationwide and calls on Congress to pass federal legislation for a U.S. constitutional amendment that requires the system nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, former Speaker and fundraising juggernaut McCarthy is also rallying support to stop Newsoms power grab. And Trump, though hes not involved with campaign efforts, has vowed lawsuits against California over the plans. If Trump does get more involved, that could pose problems for the opposition while Schwarzeneggers tack is more likely to resonate with the overwhelmingly blue voter base in California. Leave it to someone like Schwarzenegger, and its going to have far more credibility. Voters wont see him as a partisan actor, said California Democratic strategist Matt Rodriguez. Both opposition camps the more traditional Republicans and the reformers want to beat Proposition 50, said Schnur. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre running different strategies. Theyre hoping that their efforts can ultimately become and ultimately complement each other. But theres inevitably going to be points of friction in terms of message, in terms of strategy, and in terms of fundraising, Schnur said. With a short runway to a Nov. 4 special election, the California redistricting fight could quickly become one of the most expensive and contentious ballot measure campaigns in state history. The effort has already drawn more than $13 million in support and $10 million in opposition, according to tallies from the California secretary of state, as of Friday. Munger has contributed the bulk of the opposition dollars, records show. And campaigning isnt the only avenue California Republicans are using to push back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California GOP legislators have so far filed two petitions to try to halt the plan before the state Supreme Court. Both were rejected, but political experts expect this isnt the end of legal challenges against the maps. The top Republican in the California Assembly this week also proposed a two-state solution, suggesting the Golden State be split to isolate redder inland areas in response to redistricting. Though it isnt seen as a viable proposal in the Democratic supermajority-controlled Legislature, it highlights the intensity of Republican pushback. At the same time, Democrats are revving up to make the fight a referendum on Trump. You have galactic, spatial egos, from President Trump to Charlie Munger to Arnold Schwarzenegger to Kevin McCarthy. Its going to be real hard to hold that together in a short period of time, but what it does tell us is it will be the biggest status game in politics this fall, said David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University who has worked on books about ballot measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Updated at 7:07 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Government scientists are using drones and sniffer dogs to fight back against an eight-toothed Christmas-tree eating beetle. The spruce bark beetle, or Ips typographus, has killed millions of spruce trees across Europe and the creatures can be blown into the UK on the wind. To tackle the invading bugs, scientists have been experimenting with an unusual array of techniques to eliminate the beetles before they spread. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Forestry Commission claims the new approach means they have now eradicated the beetle from at-risk areas in the east and south east of the country. While there is not currently an increased risk to Christmas-tree supply, landowners have been warned to remain vigilant. Destroying trees for decades The spruce bark beetle has been destroying spruce trees for decades across Europe and if left uncontrolled, the beetle has the potential to cause significant damage to the UKs spruce-based forestry and timber industries The beetles rear and feed their young under the bark of spruce trees in webs of interweaving tunnels called galleries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When trees are infested with a few thousand beetles they can cope, using resin to flush the beetles out. But older, stressed trees natural defences are reduced and the beetles can start to multiply rapidly. Since 2013, more than 100 million cubic metres (130 million cubic yards) of Norway spruce have been killed by the beetle in Europe. Forest Research had been working with border control for years to check imported wood products, and trees for planting, for signs of beetles. However, a few years ago it emerged that the beetles were entering the UK after being blown over from the continent on the wind. Dogs and drones used To tackle the spread, scientists at Forest Research began deploying a mixture of techniques. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drones are first sent up to survey hundreds of hectares of forest, looking for signs of infestation from the sky as the beetle takes hold, the upper canopy of the tree cannot be fed nutrients and water, and begins to die off. Next, entomologists have to go on foot into the forests to inspect the trees themselves. We have 725,000 hectares of spruce alone, if this beetle was allowed to get hold of that, the destructive potential means a vast amount of that is at risk, Andrea Deol at Forest Research, told the BBC. When the spruce bark beetles find a suitable host tree they release pheromones chemical signals to attract fellow beetles and establish a colony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That strong smell, as well as the smell associated with their insect poo makes them ideal to be found by sniffer dogs who work alongside the teams of entomologists on the ground. The teams also deploy cameras on their bug traps, which are now able to scan daily for the beetles and identify them in real time. Vital to remain vigilant The result of this work means that the UK has been confirmed as the first country to have eradicated Ips typographus in controlled areas deemed to be at risk from infestation in the south east and east England. Anna Brown, the Forestry Commission director of forest services, said: The success of our eradication and monitoring programme shows that we are managing to keep this pest from establishing in England, but this takes a huge amount of effort and the continued support of the woodland and forestry sector. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spruce is important for our current timber security, and it is vital that we remain vigilant, especially with this warm weather which results in a heightened risk of trees becoming stressed and more vulnerable to pest and disease threats. There is no evidence of spread within the UK, but all landowners and land managers should continue to check the health of spruce trees on their land. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Rising global temperatures have been linked to several critical climate issues, such as an increase in extreme weather events and melting Arctic ice sheets. But a new study has flagged higher temperatures as a direct threat to the gharial population in India. What's happening? According to a team of researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India, increased ambient and nest temperatures are heavily influencing the sex of gharial hatchlings. Warmer climate conditions have led to more female gharials than males, which is affecting the sustainability of the critically endangered species. Gharials, also known as fish-eating crocodiles, are notable for their distinctively long, narrow snouts. Primarily found in freshwater river systems of India and Nepal, they are well adapted for catching fish, their main food source. However, habitat loss caused by pollution and human activities has drastically reduced their numbers, leading to their critically endangered status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gharial eggs are reliant on stable and favorable growing conditions to ensure healthy hatchlings. Incubation temperatures can determine how the eggs develop and how likely they are to survive. With a heavily skewed ratio of female gharial hatchlings, the species may face struggles with breeding, further harming its already dwindling population. Why is a healthy gharial population important? Surya Sharma, a project scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India and co-author of the study, spoke to Mongabay about the team's research. "Our study was prompted by growing concerns from field observations suggesting a female-biased sex ratio in gharials," Sharma said. "Since crocodilians, including gharials, have temperature-dependent sex determination, we suspected that rising ambient and nest temperatures, likely driven by climate change and habitat alterations, might be altering hatchling sex ratios and shifting population dynamics," Sharma added. As predators and scavengers, gharials can play a vital role in maintaining healthy river ecosystems. Their presence indicates a stable food chain by regulating fish populations, contributing to the overall biodiversity. Without a sufficient number of gharials patrolling waterways, the entire ecosystem may face increasing difficulties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A heat wave during the thermosensitive period could push nest temperatures past the tipping point, leading to nest failure or severely skewed sex ratios," added Sharma. As noted by the Climate Change Knowledge Portal, mean temperatures have steadily increased throughout India since 1901, aligning with the overall warming trend throughout the planet over the same time frame. What's being done about rising global temperatures? In an effort to address rising global temperatures, there has been an increased focus on reducing emissions, adapting to climate impacts, and promoting international cooperation. This includes initiatives such as the Paris Agreement that aim to promote actions such as reducing energy consumption and adopting sustainable practices. Species such as the gharial are now dependent on the human population to enact change to ensure their survival. "By mapping the relationship between ambient conditions and nest-specific temperatures, conservationists can identify which nests are most vulnerable and target interventions accordingly," explained Sharma. "This kind of predictive planning will be vital as we prepare for future climate scenarios and extreme weather events," Sharma said. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Heres what youll learn when you read this story: A remarkable fossilized larva has been discovered by scientists with its brain and guts still intact. The fossilized creature is one of the earliest ancestors of a group known as arthropods, which includes insects, crabs, and lobsters. A unique window into the past, the ancient critter has allowed experts a chance to better understand evolutionary links between the arthropods of the past and those of the present day. We know what fossils look like. For example, typical dinosaur fossils are bones turned to stone and preserved from the passage of time located, if were particularly lucky, in large collections that can be reassembled to represent the beast they used to prop up in their entirety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, not all fossils are like that. Some are just impressions of small creatures or animals left in rocks, but most have something in commonits just the hard stuff left behind. With the exception of those found in environments particularly adept at preservation, the soft tissues degrade over time and all were left with is stony bone. But not always. Sometimes we get luckylike a team did when it located a fossil of a 520-million-year-old worm larva that still had its brain and guts intact. Its always interesting to see whats inside a sample using 3D imaging, Katherine Dobson, one of the co-authors of a study centered on this remarkable find, said in a press release, but in this incredible tiny larva, natural fossilization has achieved almost perfect preservation. That almost perfect preservation made the specimen an absolute gold mine for evolutionary biologists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the press release, the structures observed within the creaturewhich were studied via 3D images generated from scans made using a technique known as synchrotron X-ray tomographyinclude a brain, digestive glands, a primitive circulatory system and even traces of the nerves supplying the larvas simple legs and eyes. The incredible amount of detail preserved in this ancient fossil showed scientists that we had previously dramatically underestimated the complexity of early arthropodsa group that came into being during the Cambrian Explosion and includes creatures like crabs, lobsters, insects, and millipedes. That detail also allowed scientists to draw evolutionary connections between the critters of the ancient past and those scuttling around today. For example, preserved in the larva was a region of the brain known as the protocerebrum. Now that scientists have seen it, they can see that it evolved into the nub of arthropod heads that has allowed them to thrive in such a wide variety of environmentsfrom the depths of the ocean to every single continent on Earth (yes, including Antarctica). When I used to daydream about the one fossil Id most like to discover, Martin Smith, the lead researcher on the study, said in a press release, Id always be thinking of an arthropod larva, because developmental data are just so central to understanding their evolution. But larvae are so tiny and fragile, the chances of finding one fossilized are practically zeroor so I thought! I already knew that this simple worm-like fossil was something special, but when I saw the amazing structures preserved under its skin, my jaw just droppedhow could these intricate features have avoided decay and still be here to see half a billion years later? Right now, the scientists are happily counting themselves lucky that the creature was preserved at all, giving us a unique window into what life looked like in our distant past. Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue You Might Also Like President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to play a bigger role in protecting regional peace and stability, as he held up China as a stable power that will champion the developing world. Hosting dozens of state leaders to a welcome banquet as part of the SCO summit in the northern city of Tianjin, Xi said that the grouping had become an "important force in promoting the building of a new type of international relations". "At present, the world is undergoing a century-long change at an accelerated pace, and unstable, uncertain and unpredictable factors have increased significantly," the Chinese leader said at the start of the banquet, according to state news agency Xinhua. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. "The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has an even greater responsibility to maintain regional peace and stability and promote the development and prosperity of all countries." Xi's remarks come amid efforts by China to present itself as a key leader of the developing world, with analysts earlier saying the SCO summit would give Beijing a chance to build solidarity with the Global South. The summit also comes at a time when Beijing is working to rally support from other nations in reshaping the international order, as the United States under President Donald Trump shows signs of retreating from its global leadership role and is waging a worldwide trade war. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other SCO leaders and officials pose for a "family photo" in Tianjin on August 31. Photo: Pool via Reuters alt=Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other SCO leaders and officials pose for a "family photo" in Tianjin on August 31. Photo: Pool via Reuters> Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SCO "will make greater contributions to promoting solidarity and cooperation among member states, gathering the strength of the Global South and promoting the progress of human civilisation", Xi said, reiterating what was his overarching message in a string of bilateral exchanges with world leaders over the weekend. Earlier on Sunday, in a closely watched meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Xi said the two countries should become "neighbours on good terms" and that they could play a key part in the Global South, according to a Chinese readout. Modi is on his first trip to China in seven years and, in what appeared to be a clear sign of improving ties, Xi called for the two Asian neighbours to deepen mutual trust and boost multilateral collaboration. During talks later with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, Xi said China "stood ready to enhance multilateral coordination with Azerbaijan in a joint effort to safeguard the common interests of the Global South and advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And at separate meetings with the leaders of Armenia and Belarus during the day, Xi said China was willing to join hands with other countries to "practice true multilateralism". Russian President Vladimir Putin was the last to appear as Xi and first lady Peng Liyuan greeted leaders and took photos with them before the banquet. Xi greeted Putin with a two-handed handshake, in contrast to the more formal handshakes he shared with the other leaders. He then called for an interpreter and talked to the Russian leader for nearly two minutes more than the rest. Putin is leading a big delegation to China on what the Kremlin has described as an "unprecedented" four-day visit, with possible cooperation deals to be announced in the coming days. He will also attend the Victory Day parade in Beijing on Wednesday, alongside dozens of other world leaders. Modi will not be among them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xi launched his flurry of diplomacy on Saturday, by meeting five state leaders and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres ahead of Sunday's start to the two-day summit. Xi told Guterres that China was a "source of stability and certainty" amid global changes and that "history teaches that multilateralism, solidarity and cooperation are the right way to address global challenges". Xi also called for joint efforts to "revitalise the authority and vitality" of the United Nations to become the central platform for addressing global affairs. Some 30 world leaders and heads of international organisations are expected to attend Monday's SCO summit - an event China's foreign ministry has billed as the "largest in SCO history" and "one of the most important activities this year for China's head-of-state diplomacy and home-ground diplomacy". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Analysts said the world would be watching to see how Beijing tried to position itself as a global power at a time of rising geopolitical tensions. In his welcome to Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Saturday, Xi said the two countries should make "greater contributions to maintaining world peace and stability" and promote global development and prosperity. China and Egypt, he said, should "shoulder their historic mission and responsibilities as major countries of the Global South, and jointly oppose unilateralism and bullying acts". Beijing has repeatedly called for countries - particularly those from the Global South - to stand up against unilateral and protectionist measures, in apparent reference to Trump's isolationism and his sweeping tariff wars on countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That message is expected to be echoed on Wednesday during the massive military parade in Beijing commemorating the end of World War II. In Tianjin, Xi is expected to deliver keynote speeches and suggest ways for the SCO to "constructively safeguard the post-war international order and improve the global governance system". The member states will also adopt a series of documents to deepen security, economic and cultural cooperation, according to an earlier report. The grouping was formed in 2001 as a Eurasian security bloc but it has since expanded to include other areas such as economics and trade. According to the Chinese foreign ministry, it brings together 26 countries across Asia, Europe and Africa, including its dialogue partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additional reporting by Yuanyue Dang This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. LIMA, Peru (AP) A powerful explosion on Sunday caused damage at a branch of a Mexican-owned bank located on the periphery of Perus capital, police said. No victims were reported. The attack with explosives is the second one targeting the bank in under a week and comes as crime surges in the South American country. Early Friday morning, another explosion at a different Compartamos bank branch destroyed an ATM and damaged part of a nearby bridge. Banks are closed on Sundays in Peru and local television footage showed cleanup crews collecting broken glass, removing aluminum doors and placing black plastic over the branchs facade. Two ATMs were damaged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The motive for the attacks was not immediately clear, and Compartamos said in a press release that police and the bank were investigating both explosions. But police say there has been a wave of attacks targeting businesses linked to an increase in extortion. Reports of extortion in Peru jumped to 15,989 between January and July 2025, a 28% increase compared to the same period in 2024, according to official data. There are daily reports of explosions at homes, on public buses, at restaurants, daycare centers and schools. In January, explosives detonated at the Public Prosecutors Office in the northwestern La Libertad region. Compartamos Bank - whose parent company is the Mexican group Gentera, with operations in Mexico and Guatemala - confirmed the material damage in a brief statement. It said it is working with the police on the investigation and will not make further comments for now. Compartamos has over 1 million local clients and specializes in microfinance, according to company data. It operates more than 100 branches across almost all of Peru. Lunada Bay, a picturesque cove in Los Angeles Palos Verdes Estates, is most (in)famous for its aggressive surf localism rock throwing, tire slashing, and general harassment for anyone who lives outside the 90275 zip code. Although a recent lawsuit mostly ended the reign of terror incited by the Lunada Bay Boys, a group of wealthy residents, who were classified as a gang. But theres something else to Lunada Bay, which is one of the only spots in Los Angeles County that can hold a swell during the biggest blobs that roll through the region in the wintertime. Theres a secret shipwreck rotting away on the rocky shores. As local real estate agent, Richard Haynes, explains: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Bays Forgotten Shipwreck. Did you know LA has a real shipwreck you can still hike to? Beneath the cliffs of Lunada Bay in Palos Verdes Estates lie the rusting remains of the SS Dominator, a 441-foot Greek freighter that crashed in 1961 while on its way to the Port of Long Beach to refuel. Back then, news spread quickly. Crowds hiked, boated, and even flew in to see the stranded giant. The chaos got so wild, California Highway Patrol issued a Sigalert. Decades of pounding surf have torn her apart, scattering the remains across the rocky shore. Today, only fragments are left of what was once the South Bays most famous shipwreck. Related: Dismembered Body Parts Discovered on California Coastline What the SS Dominator looks like today...over 60 years later. Scott Varley/Digital First Media/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images On a foggy night, while attempting to enter Long Beach to refuel, the SS Dominator crashed into the rocks on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. And there it has remained for over 60 years. Today, only fragments of the vessel remain. At the time, allegedly, thousands of visitors came to view the shipwreck, while today, most folks probably dont even notice it. So, next time you head down to Lunada, take a look to the south end of the bay, and youll find a secret relic of forgotten history. Related: Surf Gangs Infamous Lair Further Demolished This story was originally reported by Surfer on Aug 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Surfer as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Labor Day 2025 is fast approaching, as the holiday will be celebrated on Monday, Sept. 1. However, sales have already started at many stores ahead of the weekend and malls are no exception. New Jersey shoppers looking to take advantage of last-minute holiday deals are in luck because all malls in New Jersey should be open. Heres what you need to know about mall hours in New Jersey for Labor Day 2025. What malls are open in New Jersey on Labor Day 2025? Most malls in New Jersey, 12 of which are part of the Simon Mall chain, will operate from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Labor Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other malls not part of the Simon Mall chain, such as American Dream, will keep their stores open from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Note: It is best to check with each mall for operating hours, as they may differ due to the holiday. The following malls in New Jersey will be open on Labor Day: More Labor Day 2025 Store Hours Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. Delhi Police's Special Cell has apprehended two more members of the Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu-Venkat Garg gang after a brief encounter in Rohini's Sector 28, said an official on Sunday. The Special Cell had earlier arrested two sharpshooters of the same gang in Jafarpur Kalan. Two criminals associated with the gang, identified as Naveen alias Bhanja (25), a resident of Rohtak, and Anmol Kohli (26), a resident of Ambala Cantt, were wanted in a case of firing at a businessman's house for extortion in the Chhawla area. According to a Delhi Police Special Cell official, two members of the Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu gang were arrested after a brief encounter in Delhi's Jafarpur Kalan area. Both sustained gunshot injuries in their legs and were admitted to the hospital. They were wanted in connection with a firing incident at a businessman's house for extortion in the Chhawla area. Police said one of the arrested is a sharpshooter, while the other is a logistics provider of the Nandu-Venkat Garg gang. The duo was involved in the August 28 firing incident under the jurisdiction of Police Station Chhawla. On Saturday, police recovered two automatic pistols, a Glock 17 and a Star, along with seven live cartridges and four empty cartridges from members of the Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu-Venkat Garg gang after an exchange of fire in Rohini's Sector 28. Speaking to ANI, Additional CP Special Cell P.S. Kushwah said, "In the intervening night of August 29-30, a team of Special Cell apprehended two sharpshooters -- Harshdeep alias Ankit alias Nikki, 20, a resident of Chhota Kuddan, Ambala Cantt, Haryana, and Naveen Dhiman, 24, a resident of Ward No. 12, Dhoop Singh Nagar, Panipat, Haryana -- after a brief exchange of fire. Subsequently, two automatic pistols, seven live cartridges and four empty cartridges were recovered from the accused. The accused were wanted in a case of firing for extortion against a businessman registered at PS Chhawala, Delhi." Officials of the Special Cell/Southern Range had received credible input regarding the presence of Harshdeep and Naveen Dhiman in Rohini, Sector 28. A team had been formed to track and apprehend the accused. Specific information was later received that the two would be visiting Rohini Sector 28 in the intervening night of August 29-30 to meet an associate. Accordingly, a trap had been laid by the Special Cell team. When the accused were spotted, they were signalled to stop and surrender. On realising they were cornered, they opened fire on the police team without provocation. The police team retaliated in self-defence, during which Harshdeep and Naveen sustained gunshot injuries. They were immediately overpowered and taken to Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Rohini, for treatment. Harshdeep, born in 2005 in Ambala Cantt., Haryana, has completed his 10th standard from a school there. He had come into contact with Venkat Garg through social media. Lured by the promise of a job abroad, he had begun committing crimes as part of the gang's activities. He had been tasked by Kapil, also known as Nandu, to fire shots at the Chhawala premises of the target businessman. Naveen Dhiman, born in 2001 in Panipat, Haryana, has completed a B.Sc. in Computer Science from a college in Panipat. He was the maternal cousin of Harshdeep. Lured by the promise of money, he too had begun committing crimes as part of the gang's activities. (ANI) ANDERSON Emergency personnel were busy overnight Friday responding to two car accidents, both described as "serious," within 8 hours. The East Madison Fire Territory reported on its Facebook page that late Friday night the Water Rescue Task Force was dispatched to the scene of an accident "involving an overturned vehicle at the White River north of Chesterfield." The Facebook post said that the vehicle came to rest in the river "but required a low angle rope rescue to make access to it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Early Saturday morning, the fire territory reported, emergency personnel were called to Indiana 9, where they extricated a person from an overturned vehicle. A Lifeline helicopter transported the person to an Indianapolis trauma center, according to the Facebook post. No other details of either accident were available Saturday afternoon. Another Connecticut theater has found a new leader. Welcome Constantine Pappas as the new artistic director of Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury. Transitions for top leadership positions at theaters can take many different paths. When Darko Tresnjak stepped down as artistic director of Hartford Stage in 2019, he gave the theater over a years notice of his intentions before his departure was publicly announced. When his successor Melia Bensussen was found after a nationwide search, she and Tresnjak each programmed half a season to ease the transition. Other long-established Connecticut theaters, which have brought on new artistic directors within the last six years or so include Long Wharf Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, the Connecticut Repertory Theatre at the University of Connecticut and the Eugene ONeill Theater Centers National Playwrights Conference. James Bundy, the artistic director of the Yale Repertory Theatre since 2002, announced earlier this year that he will step down at the end of the 2025-26 season. Each theater has handled the challenge of a smooth transition differently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Pappas was named the new artistic director of Seven Angel Theatre, a small professional theater company with an outsized presence in the Waterbury community, the only things remaining on the schedule from his predecessor were four one- or two-night concert events. He and the theaters other newly anointed leader, managing director Craig David Rosen, had to make their mark right away, putting together a full five-show season within a couple of months. Effectively, everything going forward from Sept. 17 is us, Pappas said of the new team. Its nothing shy of a massive undertaking, for us to come in and be told By the way, theres no season. Hes not complaining a clean slate is something a lot of new leaders wish for but it certainly led to a busy summer. Pappas is only the second artistic director in Seven Angels 35-year history. Semina DeLaurentis, who founded the theater in 1990, announced at the beginning of the 2024-25 season that she would be stepping down as artistic director at the end of that same season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A CT theater founder is saying goodbye after 35 years. But she is not leaving the stage. The first mainstage theater season under the leadership of Pappas and Rosen begins with the musical Lucky Stiff by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, running Sept. 26 through Oct. 12. Based on the novel The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo, its a farce about a British shoe salesman who must, in order to inherit millions of dollars from his eccentric uncle, take the uncles corpse on an overdue vacation to the French Riviera. Lucky Stiff was written in 1988 and was Ahrens and Flahertys first collaboration. The team went on to create The Seussical, Once on This Island and the stage musical version of Anastasia (which premiered at Hartford Stage in 2016). Ive known the show for a while, Pappas said. Im an Ahrens and Flaherty fan. This is like a French Weekend at Bernies. Lucky Stiff is followed by the comedy play The Art of Murder by Joe DiPietro Nov. 14-30. Pappas describes it as a four-person murder mystery where the answer to the mystery is right in the title. The main character, a painter, wants to murder his art dealer. The play is set in the Connecticut countryside. Theres another local connection: some of DiPietros best known works were developed at Connecticut theaters: All Shook Up and Nice Work If You Can Get It (aka They All Laughed) at Goodspeed Musicals and the revue I Love You, Youre Perfect, Now Change at the Long Wharf Theatre. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farce of Nature by Jones Hope Wooten is at Seven Angels Theater March 6-22, 2026. Its a true farce, Pappas said, with some of the key elements of the form like a crazy family and mobsters. A Grand Night for Singing, a musical revue of songs by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, will run April 24 through May 10, 2026. The show covers songs from nearly a dozen Rodgers and Hammerstein shows, from classics such as The Sound of Music, Oklahoma, The King & I and Cinderella to lesser-known shows like Pipe Dream, Allegro and Me and Juliet. The Goodspeed Opera House used A Grand Night for Singing as the first show it did indoors after emerging from the COVID shutdown in 2021. Pappas said he would like to see a nine-piece onstage orchestra be part of the show, partly to underscore Seven Angels history as a concert hall. The 2025-26 season ends June 19 through July 3, 2026 with Something Rotten!, the popular musical set in the 1590s when a pair of failed playwrights, guided by a prophecy from the nephew of Nostradamus, decide to one-up William Shakespeare (whos depicted as a sort of Elizabethan rock star) by inventing musical theater. Songs include Hard to Be the Bard, Bottoms Gonna Be on Top and God, I Hate Shakespeare. The all-comedy programming was intentional. I wanted it to be fun, Pappas said. I think people these days need to go out and have a good time. Even the murder mystery is a dark comedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pappas and Rosens inaugural season is in keeping with DeLaurentis established Seven Angels Theatre programming style, which favored contemporary comedies and reasonably sized modern musicals. DeLaurentis was able to premiere a number of new plays and musicals at the theater, something Pappas is interested in but doesnt want to rush into just yet since some new works can be a hard sell. Seven Angels concert bookings have been as important to the theater as the theater shows. Pappas took a close look at the music programming and noticed a few gaps he wanted to fill. He said the theater has booked its first-ever gospel group. If you look at the make-up of Waterbury, its a no-brainer. The Sept. 7 event features local gospel artist Quinn Mitchell and Friends plus the Mount Olive AME Zion Choir and the decades-old female vocal group The Spiritual Souls. Other concert bookings will be welcome and familiar to Seven Angels audiences. The theater does well with tribute acts, so tributes to U2 (I Will Follow), Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Macalas), Simon & Garfunkel (On Bleecker Street), The Eagles (7 Bridges Road) and The Rolling Stones (Crossfire Hurricane) are all on the schedule between now and February 2006. The new management team intends to continue Seven Angels traditions like the annual New Years Eve stand-up comedy shows. Eventually, Pappas said, we could double the number of concerts that we did last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes also looking to entice wider audiences not just for concerts but for Seven Angels theater classes and performance workshops. He feels the classes have left out a large demographic of people 20 to 55 who could use acting to improve their communication skills at work and elsewhere. Pappas is hoping to turn an unused space in the building into a new classroom, studio or even a small black box cabaret venue. That project and other potential renovations wont be happening for a while though, not until the new team has settled in a bit. Some of the changes Pappas hopes to make are more managerial in nature, like putting more of the administrative work on computers rather than having to find something in a box. While he had to hit the ground running in terms of programming the 2025-26 season, Pappas had already gotten up to speed on another aspect of Seven Angels. Shortly after he appeared in the musical comedy First Date at Seven Angels in 2019, COVID hit, he recalled, and Seven Angels went through a rough transition, they brought me on for a video project. Then they asked if I wanted to take over the Halo Awards the annual ceremony DeLaurentis started in the 1990s that involves over a hundred high school theater programs around the state and I said, Absolutely! So when the position of artistic director was advertised last year, Pappas thought Ive got to try for this. I walked in for my interview and instead of my resume I handed them a five-year strategic plan for the theater. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That sense of purpose and a long-term vision, Pappas feels, is what won him the job. As he begins his new position at Seven Angels, Pappas has spent time getting to know the Waterbury community. He has lived in Connecticut for five years, having grown up in California then moved to New York City for his acting career. It was while doing Jesus Christ Superstar at Seven Angels in 2017 that he fell in love with another member of the cast, Mandy Leigh Thompson; they got married this year. Like DeLaurentis, Pappas comes to Seven Angels after having had a strong career as a professional actor. Among his other credits, he was in the big national tour of Phantom of the Opera that played the Waterbury Palace in 2017. DeLaurentis performed in many Seven Angels shows over the years. Will Pappas? He said that while he may well find himself onstage there, his main focus at the theater right now is on the management side. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to uplift the community, to use what we have here to further enrich the community through the arts, he said. In that vein, another way he hopes to follow DeLaurentis lead is to attend as many performances at Seven Angels as possible, greeting audiences and introducing the performances. Many regular Seven Angels audience members were already renewing their subscription before the new season was even announced. We have tried and true subscribers, Pappas said. The response has been really positive. For more information on Seven Angels Theatres 2025-26 season and the theaters new leadership, go to sevenangelstheatre.org. Fort Worth honored fallen police officer Sgt. Billy Randolph by renaming the South Patrol Division headquarters in his memory, following a unanimous City Council vote. Randolphs family attended the meeting for the commemoration. Randolph was a longtime veteran of the Fort Worth Police Department, serving nearly 30 years with the agency. He was assigned to the South Patrol at the time of his death. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Randolph was killed last year when a vehicle allegedly traveling the wrong way on an Interstate 35W off-ramp struck him. He had been assisting with a fiery 18-wheeler crash earlier that day. The driver, 25-year-old De Dujalae Evans, allegedly attempted to flee the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then-Police Chief Neil Noakes described Randolph as a hardworking officer and a devoted husband and father. Sgt. Randolphs unwavering commitment to public safety, his integrity, and his compassion left an enduring impact on those he served with and the citizens he protected, the resolution read. The building will now be called the Billy Randolph South Division Headquarters. The name change is intended to honor Sgt. Randolphs nearly 30 years of dedicated service, leadership, and sacrifice, which exemplify the highest standards of the Fort Worth Police Department and deserve lasting commemoration, the resolution stated. The change takes effect immediately. Randolphs family expressed gratitude for the recognition. As she approached her 40th birthday, Latricia Green didn't want to go into the next decade scared and unhappy. She endured physical and emotional abuse over several years from her ex-husband, Mario Green, who she had been living with despite their 2018 divorce, said her friend Shaniqua Gibson. So, on her birthday in March 2025, after the couple got into an argument and Mario Green kicked her out of the house in Detroit, she made up her mind. She left him for good, Gibson recalled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was big for her," said Gibson, who had witnessed her friend's bruises and consoled her over the years. Latricia Green never went back. She lived out of her car, often sleeping at Henry Ford Hospital's parking lot where she worked as a scheduler, before moving into an apartment in July, rented in Gibson's name for safety, she said. She cooked her first meal in her new home. Her couch was in the process of being delivered. But she never really got comfortable, Gibson said. She felt paranoid. Latricia Green, known as "Trish," was her family's favorite little cousin and was remembered as fun, loving and silly. Police say the 40-year-old was fatally shot by her ex-husband on Friday, Aug. 22, at Henry Ford Hospital. Her "sanctuary" had been her work, Gibson said, but it would be where she ultimately met her demise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police say Mario Green shot his former spouse, Latricia Green (whose maiden name is Brown), in the basement of Henry Ford Hospital on Aug. 22. Green, 53, was taken into custody early morning the next day after a manhunt. This week, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office charged him with first-degree murder and several other crimes, including aggravated stalking. He was remanded to jail after his arraignment. Family members of Mario Green declined to comment when reached by the Free Press. It was unclear, as of Thursday, Aug. 28, who Mario Green's attorney is because the case has been sealed by the court. Her close friend and former co-worker Gibson told the Free Press in an interview this week that Latricia Green tried to get help but was let down at each turn, including by the criminal justice system and her employer. Green's fate is an example of several systematic flaws in the way domestic violence cases are treated in Michigan, advocates have said. She literally cried out for help at every step of the way," Gibson said. Friend says victim felt scared Latricia Green and Mario Green had been together 15 years and married for six of those years, Gibson said. They got divorced in 2018, according to court records. But he never allowed Latricia Green to leave, according to Gibson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was physically abusive in "the most heinous ways," Gibson said, recalling the bruises she saw on her friend. She would call off work to try and hide it from co-workers. She also endured mental abuse, degrading her and making her "feel less than." She hid her struggles from a lot of people, including family, Gibson said, because she didn't want others to get involved and feared escalation. Since she left him in March, Mario Green had contacted her "consistently," Gibson said. Latricia Green went to court twice this summer to get a personal protection order (PPO) against him. The first was denied by a judge because it did not "meet the burden of proof" but the second was granted. Mario Green repeatedly interfered with her at Henry Ford Hospital, showing up without her permission and trying to grab her, calling her job and threatening colleagues and, most recently, breaking into her car at work, Green wrote in her second PPO application. "I am asking for help before this goes too far, and things are too late," she wrote in that July 20 petition. Wayne County Judge Carla Testani granted the PPO a day later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But a spokesperson for the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said it has no record of her requesting for the PPO to be served. Once a judge signs a PPO, it must be served to the other party, according to the Michigan Legal Help website, meaning the person is notified of court papers filed against them. That can be done through a process server, law enforcement, a friend or relative or certified mail. Serving the PPO may cost a fee. For instance, it costs $26 for the Wayne County Sheriff's Office to serve a personal protection order, plus mileage. If a PPO hasn't been served, the respondent won't be immediately arrested for violating the order unless there was a crime. Once a PPO is granted by the 3rd Circuit Court, a petitioner will get a copy within 24 hours through email, along with directions on how to get the order served. The approved PPOs are also sent via email to local enforcement to be entered into a statewide information system so that it is available to all agencies across Michigan, Chief Judge Patricia Perez Fresard said in a statement to the Free Press. Fresard said the court wants domestic violence survivors to know they are "not alone and that they have options." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We stand ready to help identify resources and connect individuals in Wayne County and the surrounding areas with services that can provide safety, support and hope for the future," Fresard said, and provided the following court website for additional help: https://www.3rdcc.org/general-information/self-represented-litigants/resources Gibson wasn't aware a judge granted the PPO until she saw a news story about it. Green's first cousin Dia Brown said she doesn't know why the PPO wasn't served. "Maybe at the last minute, she got scared," she said. The PPO doesn't bring the safety of a 24-hour security or a bodyguard for example, Brown said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In many states, its a requirement that PPOs are served for victims at no cost but not in Michigan. The burden lies on the victim to facilitate service. And even if a PPO is served, there is usually little to no enforcement of PPOs by law enforcement, Jeni Hooper, the interim executive director at First Step, an organization based in Wayne County that serves victims of domestic and sexual violence, said earlier this week. Victims face a number of barriers, from having to report violations to a lack of resources and support at the court level to help them navigate the system and make them aware of everything they can do to protect themselves, advocates told the Free Press. Victim sought help from police, employer, friend says Gibson said Henry Ford Hospital was aware of Mario Green's behavior, saying Latricia Green asked her office be moved because her ex-husband knew where she was. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gibson said Green told her there was a hospital security order forbidding him from the premises and his pictures were in the offices. Latricia Green had conferences with security, she said. Mario Green knew he was prohibited from coming to the hospital because of his past harassment and stalking of his ex-spouse, Worthy's office said in a news release. It's unclear exactly how he knew that. The basement of the hospital is a public space that doesn't require security badge access, according to hospital officials. Gibson expressed frustration over what she described as the hospital's lack of action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was feeling the escalation, and she was so consistently scared, Gibson said. Police at the scene of the fatal shooting at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. Justin Wan, Detroit Free Press Henry Ford Health spokesperson Dana Jay referred the Free Press to the Detroit Police Department for further questions and provided the following statement on Aug. 28, saying a "thorough internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragedy" is ongoing: "We offer our profound condolences to Latricias family and friends, including the colleagues who came to know and love her in her 20 years as a Henry Ford Health team member," the statement reads. "As we mourn the loss of our team member, we are scrutinizing our own security measures so that we can take meaningful steps to enhance the safety and security of our facilities." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Green also went to Detroit police for help. Green wrote in her PPO petition that on July 19 she noticed her ex-husband following her "from Oak Park all the way back to the city and on Woodward and the Blvd" and he continued to try and turn his car into hers and block her off. Green wrote that she went to a police station to file a police report after the incident and was told to go back to Oak Park to make the report. In text messages from July 19 that Gibson shared with the Free Press, Green told her friend she was at the police station but it was "pointless" and that she was tired of crying. Gibson said her friend went to a Detroit police precinct near the hospital. According to the Detroit Police Department, the sign-in sheet in the lobby of the department's 3rd Precinct, located at 2875 W. Grand Blvd., did not have her name on July 19. Detroit police do not have a record of her being in the lobby that day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Green was in distress. She wasn't sleeping at night. She nearly got into accidents, according to Gibson, because she was trying to see whether her ex-husband was following her. Mario Green's ex: 'I cry for Latricia' Green has faced past criminal charges that stem from similar incidents with other women. In January 2001, he was charged in Wayne County with aggravated stalking and domestic violence. In that case, despite having a restraining order filed against him, Green was accused of assaulting a woman and repeatedly threatening and harassing her, according to court documents. He pleaded guilty to the aggravated stalking felony charge a few months later; prosecutors dropped his domestic violence charge. He was sentenced to five years of probation and had to participate in an intervention program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In another case involving a different woman, he was charged in 2013 in Wayne County with domestic violence, assault with a dangerous weapon and felony firearm. A jury found him not guilty. Another woman, KaTina McCleney, 44, said he stalked her, after they dated and then broke up more than 20 years ago. She described an incident to the Free Press when she said he followed her and put a gun to her head and said if he couldn't have her, no one could. She remembers freezing at the time and thinking about her son. McCleney said she filed a police report right away but told the Free Press she couldn't recall the exact date. Court records show that she was granted a PPO against Green in 2002. Detroit police said they did not find any police reports from McCleney from 2002. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I cry for Latricia because this should have never happened to her," she said. Green also received a maximum of 7 years in prison in 2012 after pleading guilty to a felony arson charge and as someone previously convicted of a felony, according to state records. The Wayne County court system indicated he received a shorter sentence on this conviction. He served just over three years in prison, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections. He was paroled in January 2010 and discharged from parole in July 2012. 'She deserved peace' Latricia Green, known as "Trish," was her family's favorite little cousin their "baby." She was fun, loving and silly. She smiled all the time. Unfortunately, that's the type of person a "monster" goes after, her first cousin Dia Brown told the Free Press. She has known Green whose family prefers to use her maiden name Brown since birth. News of her death at the hands of her ex-husband was devastating for her family. "She deserved to live. She deserved peace," Brown told the Free Press. Latricia Green was the very first friend Shaniqua Gibson made in Detroit. The pair shared a close bond and Gibson consoled Green over the years. Now, Latricia Green's family is living with the aftermath of the loss. Green, a born and raised Detroiter, came from a close-knit and churchgoing family. She was her late grandmother's favorite, according to Brown. Green didn't have children of her own, but ever since she was young, she was very nurturing, caring for her little brother and cousin's children, Brown said. "I just hate that he had her in such fear," she said. "Latricia was strong. She was the light of any room she was in," Gibson said, who first met Green in 2016 when she moved to Detroit and started working at Henry Ford Hospital. She was the person you could get sound advice from and she didn't give up on the people she loved. The pair remained in contact despite Gibson moving away, talking frequently. Green was a bridesmaid at Gibson's wedding. Latricia Green's loved ones want her story and fate to change how authorities and the public respond to domestic violence and pleas for help. Brown called for stiffer penalties for domestic violence and violating PPOs. Gibson urged the hospital to enforce safety measures. Green had recently been accepted into a radiology program at Oakland Community College and had just started her first semester, Gibson said. She loved children and dreamed of being a mom. She wanted to travel and just see more places. But her biggest goal, her friend said, was to be "emotionally safe and secure." "She didn't deserve to live the last few months of her life in absolute fear," Gibson said. How to get help: Call Michigans Domestic Violence Hotline at 866-864-2338. Free Press staff writers Andrea May Sahouri, Kristen Jordan Shamus and Dave Boucher contributed to this report. Contact Nushrat Rahman: nrahman@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Henry Ford Hospital shooting victim 'cried out for help' Absentee ballots are prepared to be mailed at the Wake County Board of Elections on Sept. 17, 2024, in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images) Heather Honey, a high-profile denier of Donald Trumps loss in the 2020 election, has been appointed to a senior position in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in which shell help oversee the nations election infrastructure. Honey is a protege of Cleta Mitchell, a lawyer who tried to help Trump overturn the 2020 election results. In 2024, ProPublica reported that Honey had played a key role in Mitchells behind-the-scenes effort to change Georgias election rules to allow Republican officials to contest a potential Trump loss in that years presidential race. Honey also promoted election conspiracy theories, including one Trump cited in a speech to his followers before they stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This report was originally published by ProPublica, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. Though states do the on-the-ground work of running elections, DHS supports them with tasks beyond their capacities, such as protecting IT infrastructure and voter databases from foreign intrusions. The agency, with bipartisan support, took on this role in the aftermath of Russias interference in the 2016 election. Experts on voting and state election officials warned that Honeys appointment as DHS deputy assistant secretary of election integrity could erode trust between state and federal officials, prompting states not to share information with the agency. We are witnessing a dangerous trend: the elevation of known bad-faith actors like Heather Honey, said Adrian Fontes, Arizonas Democratic secretary of state, in a statement, citing Honeys well-documented history of spreading election lies that have been debunked in court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fontes called her involvement with DHS deeply troubling and said when the agency gives a platform to individuals who have actively worked to erode public trust, it becomes harder to view DHS as a reliable partner in election security. A DHS spokesperson did not answer questions from ProPublica on Honeys appointment or the exact nature of her responsibilities. Honey didnt respond to calls or emails. The White House also didnt respond to a request for comment. Her name is listed on the organizations leadership structure online, and her appointment was first reported by the website Democracy Docket. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In the first Trump administration, the federal government set up programs designed to shield U.S. elections from foreign interference, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, an arm of DHS. But Trump soured on this and other initiatives after the director of CISA publicly rebutted his claims that the 2020 election was stolen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the start of the second Trump presidency, the administration has gutted those programs, cutting hundreds of employees at CISA. Its director, Chris Krebs, is now under federal investigation, DHS has said; Krebs told CNN that the investigation appeared to be an act of political retribution. The Justice Department has also rolled back a program aimed at combatting foreign influence campaigns. Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in a memorandum that the Justice Departments program was disbanded to free resources to address more pressing priorities, and end risks of further weaponization and abuses of prosecutorial discretion. David Becker, the executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, a nonprofit focused on building trust in American elections, said the cuts had dismantled nearly all of DHS capacity to protect election infrastructure. He said state elections officials feared that Honeys appointment, combined with the program cuts, signaled the Trump administrations intent to eliminate bulwarks of fair U.S. elections. The hiring of an election conspiracy theorist with no election knowledge or expertise is the culmination of this reversal, Becker said. DHS now appears poised to become a primary amplifier of false election conspiracies pushed by our enemies. Two sources familiar with Honeys hiring at DHS said she began working for the agency last week. An organizational chart dated Aug. 18 on the departments website identifies her as a leader in the agencys Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans. Her position wasnt on a version of the website archived in July, and officials in former administrations said that theres been no such job previously. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not clear yet what Honey will oversee, but former DHS officials said that deputy assistant secretaries are typically the agencys top experts in their subject areas. Theyre often involved in drafting executive orders and crafting policies. They also serve as liaisons to the White House and the National Security Council. Since Honey started, Trump has announced a movement to get rid of mail-in ballots and voting machines via executive order, though a top aide subsequently said the administration would pursue those goals through legislative action. DHS has also threatened to cut off about $28 million in grants to help states prepare for terrorism and disasters if they dont change voting rules to conform to the administrations priorities, NPR has reported. Honeys duties likely would include helping to organize the governments policy responses if foreign actors make intrusions into the nations election systems, former officials said. To do this, and to assess the security of election infrastructure, someone in her position would typically have access to classified information, including the governments election-related intelligence. Experts expressed concern about Honeys portfolio, given her history of spreading misinformation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heather Honeys past misleading claims about vote counts in Pennsylvania, among other things, have helped fuel false conspiracy theories about stolen elections, said Larry Norden, an election expert at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, a nonpartisan law and policy group. Before becoming swept up in the Stop the Steal movement, Honey had no experience in the federal government or as an election administrator, working as a Pennsylvania-based private investigator. After the 2020 election, she became a contractor for a Republican-backed audit seeking proof of fraud in ballots cast in Maricopa County, Arizona. According to emails between employees working on the review, which ended up reaffirming Bidens win, Honey helped draft the final report. Since then, Honey has led at least three organizations devoted to transforming election systems in ways championed by conservatives, such as tightening eligibility requirements for people to be on voter rolls. Members of Honeys Pennsylvania Fair Elections, a state chapter of Mitchells nationwide Election Integrity Network, have challenged the eligibility of thousands of residents to be on voter rolls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Honey has also been involved in numerous other efforts to transform elections around the country, including a successful push to get many states with Republican leadership to pull out of a bipartisan interstate partnership to share data to make voting more secure. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Do you have information you can share about Heather Honey or elections work being done in the federal government, especially at the Department of Homeland Security? Contact reporter Doug Bock Clark at doug.clark@propublica.org or on Signal at 678-243-0784. If youre concerned about confidentiality, check out our advice on the most secure ways to share tips. Christopher Bing and William Turton contributed reporting. BARCELONA, Spain (AP) A flotilla of ships departed from Barcelona to the Gaza Strip Sunday with humanitarian aid and activists on board in the largest attempt yet to break the long Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory by sea. This comes as Israel has stepped up its offensive on Gaza City, limiting the deliveries of food and basic supplies in the north of the Palestinian territory. Food experts warned earlier this month that the city was in famine and that half a million people across the strip were facing catastrophic levels of hunger. The Global Sumud Flotilla is carrying food, water and medicine. Activists on board demanded safe passage to deliver the much-needed aid and the opening of a humanitarian sea corridor, according to a statement. The almost 23-month war has killed more than 63,000 people, with at least 332 Palestinians dying of malnutrition, including 124 children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The maritime convoy of about 20 boats and delegations from 44 countries is claimed to be the largest attempt to date to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip by sea, which has now lasted 18 years. They will be joined by more ships from ports in Italy and Tunisia in the coming days, on the route from the western end of the Mediterranean to the Gaza Strip, organizers said. Thousands of supporters flocked to the Barcelona pier, some of them wearing kaffiyehs and chanting Free Palestine! and Boycott Israel! to send off a wide variety of boats, flying Palestinian flags, from rundown old luxury yachts to tiny wooden sailboats and industrial-looking vessels. One of them, the Sirus, is more than 100 years old. Around 70 boats are expected to take part in the final leg of the journey, flotilla spokesperson Saif Abukeshek told Spanish public television after the departure. The fleet could reach Gaza around Sept. 14 or 15, he added. The story here is about Palestine. The story here is how people are being deliberately deprived of the very basic means to survive, said Swedish activist Greta Thunberg at a news conference. She is one of the most recognizable figures on the expedition, formed by hundreds of activists, politicians such as the former mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, and journalists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ships carrying tons of humanitarian aid departed from the Italian city of Genoa and will join the expedition in the coming days. It is not the first time Thunberg has attempted to reach Gaza waters this year. She was deported by Israel in June when the ship she was traveling on with 11 other people, the Madleen, was stopped by the Israeli military. It has been very clear that Israel has been continuously violating international law by either attacking, unlawfully intercepting the boats in international waters, and continuously preventing the humanitarian aid from coming in, said Thunberg in an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday. The Global Sumud Flotilla will be the fourth attempt to break the maritime blockade so far this year. The Conscience first tried in May, but was attacked by drones after setting sail from Malta. After the Madleen, the Israeli military stopped another aid ship, the Handala, in late July, detained 21 international activists and reporters and seized its cargo, including baby formula, food and medicine, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a news conference before the departure in Barcelona, actor Liam Cunningham played a video showing a girl singing while planning her own funeral. The girl, Fatima, died four days ago, he said. What sort of world have we slid into where children are making their own funeral arrangements? Cunningham told reporters. An Israeli official said Saturday that the country will soon halt or slow humanitarian aid into parts of northern Gaza, as it expands its military offensive against Hamas, a day after the city was declared a combat zone. The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when an attack by Hamas militants inside Israel claimed the lives of 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took 251 people hostage. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that actor Susan Sarandon was not part of the crew aboard the boats. ___ Medrano reported from Santiago, Spain. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) Receiving alerts about weather, travel and public safety is important; as a result, many cities have services that directly communicate with their residents. For those trying to be informed about weather alerts or even which roads to avoid, information is often difficult to find. However, WJTV 12 News compiled information from most cities across the Jackson metro on how to be informed about hyperlocal issues via text. Below are the numbers and links to access to best stay in the know. Brandon: 38276 Text your zip code to 38276 to receive emergency-only alerts For more personalized alerts, visit Brandon-MS.MyFreeAlerts.com Byram: web link Visit https://www.byram-ms.us/subscribe-text to receive text notifications shared on the city of Byram website Clinton: 91896 Text CLINTON to the above number to receive city text message notifications and emergency alerts Flowood: 601-996-4875 Text Flowood to receive city text message notifications and emergency alerts Jackson: 311 Call number for non-emergency issues Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MHP plans high-visibility patrols for Labor Day travel period Madison: 855-681-3838 Text Madison for city and public safety alerts Pearl: 91896 Text Pearl for city and emergency alerts Ridgeland: 38276 Text RIDGELAND to receive city news and emergency alerts Vicksburg: 601-429-0444 Text alerts or call the above number to sign up for emergency alerts and city notifications Yazoo City: 95577 Text YAZOO for city news, weather updates and election results Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV. Poisonings from the legal drug nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, are increasingly occupying the nationwide emergency services in Germany. The number of inquiries regarding nitrous oxide poisonings has almost doubled from 2023 to 2024, David Steindl, head of the poison emergency service at the Charite Hospital in Berlin, told dpa. The number for the region of Berlin and Brandenburg rose from 35 to 66 inquiries over that time, he said. At the Poison Information Centre (VIZ) for the south-western state of Baden-Wurttemberg, there were six inquiries about nitrous oxide in 2023 and already 17 in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Poison Information Centre for the north of Germany (GIZ-Nord) reported 34 consultations on this topic, up from 19 the previous year. In some cases, there was permanent damage such as paralysis of the arm and leg muscles, the GIZ-Nord said. The GIZ-Nord is responsible for the states of Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. Permanent damage to the nervous system possible The federal government has initiated a draft law to prohibit the purchase and possession of nitrous oxide for minors. Nitrous oxide is particularly popular as a party drug among teenagers and young adults. It can be bought in cartridges and inhaled through balloons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has an euphoric effect, but consumption is associated with high risks. These range from dizziness and fainting to hallucinations and permanent damage to the nervous system. Toxicologist Steindl is calling for a package of measures. "A mere ban is too short-sighted in my view," said the doctor. He added that advertising must also be curbed and awareness campaigns launched to inform teenagers and young adults about the significant consequential damages. A single typo, formatting error, or slang word makes an AI more likely to tell a patient they're not sick or don't need to seek medical care. That's what MIT researchers found in a June study currently awaiting peer review, which we covered previously. Even the presence of colorful or emotional language, they discovered, was enough to throw off the AI's medical advice. Now, in a new interview with the Boston Globe, study coauthor Marzyeh Ghassemi is warning about the serious harm this could cause if doctors come to widely rely on the AI tech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I love developing AI systems," Ghassemi, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, told the newspaper. "But it's clear to me that naive deployments of these systems, that do not recognize the baggage that human data comes with, will lead to harm." AI could end up causing discrimination against patients who can't communicate clearly in English, native speakers with imperfect command of the language, or anyone that may commit the human mistake of speaking about their health problems emotionally. Doctors using an AI tool could feed it their patients' complaints that were sent over an email, for example, raising the risk that the AI would give them bad advice if those communications weren't flawlessly composed. In the study, the researchers pooled together patients' complaints taken from real medical records and health inquiries made by users on Reddit. They then went in and dirtied up the documents without actually changing the substance of what was being said with typos, extra spaces between words, and non-standard grammar, like typing in all lower case. But they also added in the kind of unsure language you'd expect a patient to use, like "kind of" and "possibly." They also introduced colorful turns of phrase, like "I thought I was going to die." From there, they fed these cases to four different AI models, including OpenAI's GPT-4 though, to be fair, none that were particularly cutting-edge to judge if a patient should visit their doctor, get lab work done, or not come in at all. The numbers were striking: overall, the AI tools were seven to nine percent more likely to recommend patients not to seek medical care at all when reading complaints with imperfect but arguably more realistic language. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Adding additional information, even if true and relevant, often reduced the accuracy of models," Paul Hager, a researcher at the Technical University of Munich who was not involved in the study, told the Globe. "This is a complex issue that I think is being addressed to some degree through more advanced reasoning models... but there is little research on how to solve it on a more fundamental level." That the bots are woefully inaccurate isn't surprising. Hallucinations, instances of a chatbot generating misinformation, have plagued the AI industry since the very beginning and may even be getting worse. But in what might be the clearest sign that the tech is also reinforcing existing biases in a medical scenario, the tested AI tools disproportionately gave incorrect advice to women specifically. "The model reduced care more in the patients it thought were female," Ghassemi told the Globe. Women's medical complaints have long been downplayed by predominantly male doctors who write them off as being too emotional and not that long ago, as suffering from a female-exclusive "hysteria." What stood out to Ghasemi was that the AI could correctly identify a patient as being a woman even when they excised all references to gender in the complaints. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is kind of amazing," she told the newspaper. "It's a little scary." Ghassemi and her team's findings pair unsettlingly with another recent study, published in Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology, which found that doctors who became hooked on AI tools saw their ability to spot precancerous growths notably decline after the AI tools were taken away. In other words, the AI seemed to atrophy the doctors' ability and made them worse at their job a phenomenon called "deskilling." "If I lose the skills, how am I going to spot the errors?" Omer Ahmad, a gastroenterologist at University College Hospital London, asked in a recent interview with the New York Times. "We give AI inputs that affect its output, but it also it seems to affect our behavior as well." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Circling back to Ghassemi's work, if doctors embrace using AI tools to parse their patient's complaints, then they're at risk of losing one of the most fundamentally human skills that their job demands: knowing how to talk and connect with the people whose wellbeing depends on them. This also has huge implications for the many people that seek out medical advice from a chatbot directly. We shudder to think of all the users out there that're being told by ChatGPT not to see a doctor because of a typo in their prompt. But if we can't stop the tech from being adopted, we should demand more stringent standards. Ghassemi published previous research, the Globe noted, showing that AIs could detect race and would respond to Asian and Black users with less empathy. "We need regulation that makes equity a mandatory performance standard for clinical AI," she told the paper. "You have to train on diverse, representative data sets." More on medical AI: Something Extremely Scary Happens When Advanced AI Tries to Give Medical Advice to Real World Patients (LA JUNTA, Colo.) Six people were arrested, and a large amount of illegal firearms and narcotics were seized when the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the La Junta Police Department partnered in carrying out a search warrant on a location that had allegedly been linked to criminal activity on Friday, Aug. 29. According to CBI, a search warrant had been issued for a home in the 1300 block of San Juan Avenue, near City Park in La Junta, which had long been a source of community concern, having repeated complaints involving suspected drug distribution and other criminal activity. Law enforcement had worked to gather intelligence linking the home to the possession and trafficking of stolen firearms. When CBI and La Junta police arrived at the location, a man later identified as 30-year-old Ezekiel Aguilar attempted to run from the home, according to CBI, but was caught in the backyard. Others inside the home at first refused to comply with commands to exit the home and tried to barricade themselves inside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After less-than-lethal tactics were used, three people, 33-year-old Adrianna Smith, 33-year-old Jordan Del Rio, and 28-year-old Jeremy Del Rio, ran out of the home and were arrested, according to CBI. During a search of the home, 30-year-old Jaycob Butts was found hiding in a closet, and he tried to fight law enforcement before being taken into custody. CBI reported that during a search of the home, six firearms, including an SKS battle rifle, were found, as well as a homemade semi-automatic short-barreled rifle with a homemade suppressor. The weapons were unmarked, lacked serial numbers, and are illegal in Colorado and under the National Firearms Act. Law enforcement also found a significant amount of drugs, according to CBI, including 143 grams of fentanyl, which equals about 1,430 pills, and around 17 grams of methamphetamine. An unknown quantity of cash was also found. CBI stated that while officers were searching the home, 41-year-old Zachary James arrived and was arrested on outstanding felony warrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to CBI, six people were arrested, including: Butts for Obstruction and Resisting Arrest Smith for Obstruction Jordan Del Rio for Unlawful Distribution, Special Offender Dangerous Weapon, and Obstruction Jeremy Del Rio for Unlawful Distribution, Special Offender Dangerous Weapon, Obstruction, and Resisting Arrest Aguilar for Outstanding Arrest Warrants James for Outstanding Arrest Warrants. This operation highlights the commitment of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the La Junta Police Department to address drug and firearms trafficking in our communities, said Todd Quick, La Junta Police Chief. The recovery of illegal weapons and dangerous narcotics reinforces the importance of collaborative law enforcement efforts to safeguard the citizens of La Junta and the State of Colorado. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitin Nabin slammed TMC MP Mahua Moitra's reported remark about Union Home Minister Amit Shah and alleged that efforts are going on to "completely change" the demography of Bengal. "...I believe that the use of such words by a woman can help people understand how violent the people sitting in the government today have become and efforts are being made there to completely change the demography of Bengal and our Home Minister is constantly fighting for it, he is fixing those things, so restlessness is visible but she does not know that the Home Minister has everyone's blessings. No one will be able to harm him," Nabin told ANI on August 30. TMC MP Mahua Moitra has reportedly said Union Home Minister Amit Shah's "head should be cut off" for failing to check the infiltration of illegal Bangladeshis into India. A video was posted on social media earlier showing the purported remarks of Moitra, where she said, "He (Amit Shah) keeps saying infiltrators, infiltrators, infiltrators. The border is protected by forces that come under the Home Ministry." Responding to the alleged remarks, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has urged West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to take punitive action against her party leader if she does not agree with the remarks. He demanded an apology from the West Bengal Chief Minister, too. In a post on X, Vishnu Deo Sai shared, "The remark made by the Trinamool Congress MP against the Honourable Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji is not only objectionable but also a serious criminal act. Such audacity to make such remarks would not be possible without the backing of the Trinamool Congress high command and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee." He further said that such remarks were an insult to the honour of 140 crore countrymen. (ANI) This story is part of SLO Tribune's Parents Central, our expanding coverage for local parents. We're tackling issues that matter to you the most, explaining the "what it means," from school budgets to children's health. We also want to have fun: Send us your best tips for local parents and things to do. Email tips@thetribunenews.com. Gina Dattilo, a former teacher at Arroyo Grande High School, learned her choir classes were going to be cut when students began coming into her classroom asking questions, upset that they couldnt register for the next year. The news came in April, shortly before spring break and Dattilos wedding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were coming to me and asking me if I knew anything, and I said No, she told The Tribune. The last she had heard from administrators, the choir program was on its way to another year of survival. After she heard it from her students, she reached out to the counseling office, which confirmed that it had been directed by administrators not to offer choir courses. They were actually pretty upset for me because they thought that I had already known, she said. The counselor who I talked to actually said, Oh my gosh, I never wouldve started telling kids this if you didnt know. When Dattilo met with her vice principal, she received the official word her choir and piano classes were being cut because the courses hadnt met the enrollment numbers required to continue. District says it is rebuilding choir program District spokesperson Amy Jacobs told The Tribune in an email that only four students had signed up for choir for the 2025-26 school year at the time the cuts were made. Because of that, the district is rebuilding the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The high school intends to establish a choir club at the high school to generate interest. The hope is that the club will attract more students and allow choir to become a formal class once again, Jacobs said. Dattilo estimated that at least 10 of her returning students had expressed interest to her about joining choir, and several had said their friends were interested, too. At least 17 students were enrolled in the program last year, Dattilo said. She never got to see the numbers that got her classes cut. Arroyo Grande High Schools choir was the only high school choir program in the district, Nipomo High School theater teacher Cadence Mitchell told The Tribune. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nipomos choir program was cut several years ago, which had a ripple effect on the theater department, since choir classes help train students musical performance skills. Now to hear that the only choir program in our entire district is being cut is very disheartening, she said. Mitchell added that arts education adds value to the community. Visual and performing arts is meant to create students who have confidence in themselves, students who can talk to people, students who are able to introduce themselves at a party to a stranger and feel OK in how to approach someone, she told The Tribune. Were just building life skills that you just dont get within the regular class. ... When you start cutting dance, when you start cutting choir, when youre limiting band, when you cut theater, everyone loses out. Its not just the students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dattilo said she heard disappointment about the cuts from other teachers, students and community members. Basically, everyone I talked to about it was upset about it, she added. Jacobs said the district values music education and the value it brings to students lives. She added that the district is constantly juggling courses and offerings, and choir didnt have the necessary interest to warrant a class. We regularly explore options such as combining levels, rotating offerings, or co-curricular vocal ensembles, though those arent always feasible, she wrote. If demand increases in the next cycle and staffing allows, we will schedule choir again. Pennsylvania has some unique laws that may surprise its residents. From the mundane to the ridiculous, here are 12 Pennsylvania laws that you may not have known about. Catching fish with bare hands Photo by Michael Nguyen/NurPhoto via Getty Images According to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, it is unlawful to use anything other than the authorized tools, such as nets and poles, to catch fish. Grabbing a fish by your bare hands could get you a fine. Singing in a bathtub This law was established in 1969 as part of the Bathroom Singing Prohibition Act. The act was passed in order to force performers to showcase their talent in a public setting. Removing snow from the vehicle Photo by JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images This law leans more toward common sense as a safety measure. A reasonable effort must be made to remove snow and ice from the windshield, roof, and trunk of the car. Drivers who fail to do so could be fined up to $50 for each offense. Riding in a boat on the highway Under section 3706 of Pennsylvanias Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes, it is a general rule that no one should occupy a boat attached to a trailer while it is being moved on the highway. Towing an occupied boat is also prohibited. Buying a car on Sundays Toru Hanai/Bloomberg via Getty Images Pennsylvania is one of the few states that still has Blue Laws, which ban certain specific activities on Sundays. According to this law, car dealerships are prohibited from selling cars on Sundays. Dealerships arent required to be closed on Sundays, and potential buyers can discuss the sale, but will have to wait to complete the purchase. Discharging a cannon during a wedding Not limited to cannon-fire, it is illegal to fire a gun, revolver or any other explosive weapon at a wedding. Fortune telling in exchange for money Photo by Maxim Konankov/NurPhoto via Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Telling fortunes, using cards, tokens or other means of astrology, is considered a third-degree misdemeanor. The law was established in 1861, when fortune-telling and astrology were considered corrupting. Proximity of a childs bedroom to the bathroom This law is part of the Pennsylvania Code, stating that a childs bedroom may not be more than 200 feet from a bathtub, shower, or toilet. While this law is most likely in place for child treatment facilities, it is good practice for those with tiny bladders. Permit for wearing makeup Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images While its not a law that is enforced, requiring a permit for women who wear makeup is still a law in the books in Morrisville. Sweeping dirt under the rug Remainder of a cleaning ordinance in Pennsylvania, and rather dated, it was stated to be illegal for housewives to sweep dirt and dust under the rug in their homes. Selling pretzels in bags Photo by Daniel Vogl/picture alliance via Getty Images Dating back to the Prohibition Era, Philadelphia has a law that prohibits pretzels from being sold in sealed bags. By targeting popular snack companions of beer, such as pretzels, it was thought that people would consume less beer during the dry years of Prohibition because the snacks were consumed in the open, rather than in beer-friendly environments. Housing more than 16 women under one roof Ultimately debunked, there was a rumor that a law was placed prohibiting more than 16 women from living together in a house because the state defines that number as a brothel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. Avoid screens before bed is one of the most common pieces of sleep advice. But what if the real problem isnt screen time its the way we use social media at night? Sleep deprivation is one of the most widespread yet overlooked public health issues, especially among young adults and adolescents. Despite needing eight to 10 hours of sleep, most adolescents fall short, while nearly two-thirds of young adults regularly get less than the recommended seven to nine hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poor sleep isnt just about feeling tired its linked to worsened mental health, emotion regulation, memory, academic performance and even increased risk for chronic illness and early mortality. At the same time, social media is nearly universal among young adults, with 84% using at least one platform daily. While research has long focused on screen time as the culprit for poor sleep, growing evidence suggests that how often people check social media and how emotionally engaged they are matters even more than how long they spend online. As a social psychologist and sleep researcher, I study how social behaviors, including social media habits, affect sleep and well-being. Sleep isnt just an individual behavior; its shaped by our social environments and relationships. And one of the most common yet underestimated factors shaping modern sleep? How we engage with social media before bed. Emotional investment in social media Beyond simply measuring time spent on social media, researchers have started looking at how emotionally connected people feel to their social media use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some studies suggest that the way people emotionally engage with social media may have a greater impact on sleep quality than the total time they spend online. In a 2024 study of 830 young adults, my colleagues and I examined how different types of social media engagement predicted sleep problems. We found that frequent social media visits and emotional investment were stronger predictors of poor sleep than total screen time. Additionally, presleep cognitive arousal and social comparison played a key role in linking social media engagement to sleep disruption, suggesting that social medias effects on sleep extend beyond simple screen exposure. I believe these findings suggest that cutting screen time alone may not be enough reducing how often people check social media and how emotionally connected they feel to it may be more effective in promoting healthier sleep habits. How social media disrupts sleep If youve ever struggled to fall asleep after scrolling through social media, its not just the screen keeping you awake. While blue light can delay melatonin production, my teams research and that of others suggests that the way people interact with social media may play an even bigger role in sleep disruption. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are some of the biggest ways social media interferes with your sleep: Taken together, these factors make social media more than just a passive distraction it becomes an active barrier to restful sleep. In other words, that late-night scroll isnt harmless its quietly rewiring your sleep and well-being. How to use social media without sleep disruption You dont need to quit social media, but restructuring how you engage with it at night could help. Research suggests that small behavioral changes to your bedtime routine can make a significant difference in sleep quality. I suggest trying these practical, evidence-backed strategies for improving your sleep: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Give your brain time to wind down: Avoid emotionally charged content 30 to 60 minutes before bed to help your mind relax and prepare for sleep. Create separation between social media and sleep: Set your phone to Do Not Disturb or leave it outside the bedroom to avoid the temptation of late-night checking. Reduce mindless scrolling: If you catch yourself endlessly refreshing, take a small, mindful pause and ask yourself: Do I actually want to be on this app right now? A brief moment of awareness can help break the habit loop. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Brian N. Chin, Trinity College Read more: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brian N. Chin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Aug. 30The son of a man serving a life sentence in the high-profile killings of three Muslim men is facing criminal charges in a separate case. Adil Syed, 26, is charged with two counts of criminal sexual penetration in the alleged May 25 rape of a 15-year-old girl at an Albuquerque park. His father, Muhammad Syed, was sentenced to life in prison last November for fatally shooting three Muslim men over a two-week span in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adil Syed was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Friday. It is unclear if he has an attorney. Syed most recently faced a battery charge in April for a family fight, but the case was dismissed. In 2021, Adil Syed told police he had fired a gun at a man in self-defense outside a Walmart near Zuni and San Mateo SE. He never faced charges in that incident. On May 27, a woman came to a police station in Southwest Albuquerque to report her granddaughter had been raped days earlier, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. The grandmother said the girl, identified as A.A., had been having panic attacks and nightmares and had "contracted a lifelong illness" as a result of the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said A.A. told them she met her attacker on Snapchat, and on May 25, he picked up her and her two cousins. The girl said the man drove them to a park and locked the doors after her cousins got out. The girl told police the man raped her as she cried and tried to push him away, only stopping when her cousins came back, according to the complaint. She said the man took them back to her aunt's apartment, where her cousin briefly fought with him. Police said A.A. told them she had become suicidal since the rape. The complaint states detectives traced the suspect's Snapchat to Adil Syed and confirmed he matched the description of A.A.'s attacker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One cousin told police that the girl "lied about the rape" and it was consensual, but the girl's other cousin said otherwise, according to the complaint. The cousin added that he fought the rapist because he was "overprotective" of A.A. Police said on July 2 detectives got a search warrant for Adil Syed's DNA to compare to any found in A.A.'s rape kit. Syed told police he would not provide DNA until he spoke with an attorney but never called them back. Albuquerque police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said on Friday officers arrested Syed at his family's home in Southwest Albuquerque. Aug. 30PLANKINTON Community members, state officials and family gathered Saturday, Aug. 30 to dedicate the South Dakota Highway-258 bridge near Plankinton in honor of U.S. Army Specialist 5 Richard L. Miller, who was killed in the line of duty in Vietnam on June 11, 1969. The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs (SDDVA) hosted the ceremony as part of the state's Fallen Heroes Bridge Dedication program, which memorializes service members by naming bridges in their honor. Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Aaron Pollard said the program ensures veterans' legacies endure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "One of the things they say is that veterans die two deaths when they pass away and when they are forgotten," Pollard said. "By dedicating these bridges, it gives everybody an opportunity not to forget these veterans. When someone drives over those bridges and sees a name, it gives them an opportunity to look into that veteran's story and remember their sacrifice." Pollard said the program has been in place for about seven years, with families choosing the bridge location for their loved one. "Every event is driven by the family," he said. "We work with them to make sure it's as meaningful as possible." For Miller's family, that meaning runs deep. His sister, Susan Schmidt, recalled being just 12 years old when her brother served. "I remember him coming home on leaves and surprising my mom and dad," Schmidt said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schmidt said the dedication represents more than a sign on the highway. "It means so much to us for the recognition of his service and the sacrifice that he made," she said. "Richard would be very proud, but humble." The newly dedicated bridge now stands as a reminder of Miller's courage and a place where his community and future generations can honor his memory. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. We Wont Be Erased read giant letters in front of a rainbow painted on a street near Fort Lauderdale beach that served as the site of a protest on Saturday morning. Dozens of LGBTQ+ advocates and several state representatives rallied against a state order to remove the street designs in Fort Lauderdale, offering gratitude to city officials for fighting back. At an emergency city meeting Wednesday night, Fort Lauderdale city officials voted to fight a state order to remove a rainbow pride flag and other artsy designs painted on local streets. This is not about paint on the pavement, said Alfredo Olvera, President of Dolphin Democrats, an organizer of the rally. This is about whether we will allow hatred and fear to divide us or whether we will stand shoulder to shoulder and fight for the dignity of every human being. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Florida is removing colorful crosswalks and street art across the state following a federal directive to eliminate distractions from roadways. Gov. Ron DeSantis said he supports a statewide order to repaint and warned against allowing state roads to be commandeered for political purposes. Many of the colorful crosswalks are rainbow symbols of pride for the LGBTQ community. The state has identified 11 road displays in Fort Lauderdale that it wants removed, including street art of a pride flag near the beach and several colorful crossings in various parts of the city. Rally attendees on Saturday waved flags and held up signs that read They cant erase us and Crosswalks arent the problem. Hate is. They emphasized that the rally is about much more than paving over street art. It may seem silly to some people and that its just a painted rainbow on the street, said Hillary Dougherty, a Broward County mom who grew up in Wilton Manors. But what it means to the community is youre safe here. Youre welcome, and we care for you. ... This feels like the erasure of a community and acceptance. Florida Department of Transportation workers have been painting over rainbow designs and local art installations all over Florida. Among the first removed and the most controversial was a rainbow crosswalk commemorating the 49 people killed in the 2016 mass shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. An FDOT crew repainted the Orlando crosswalk in the middle of the night, outraging community members Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saturdays rally along A1A in Fort Lauderdale comes a day after Florida Department of Transportation District Secretary Steven Braun gave the city a hearing date of Sept. 15 to make its case for keeping the street art, but warns there will be no change of heart. Delray Beach is fighting a similar state order and has been given a hearing date on Tuesday. Some cities, including Boynton Beach and West Palm Beach, have agreed to remove their LGBTQ+ rainbow markings after getting ordered to by the state. This is not what we asked our elected officials to do, said state Rep. Daryl Campbell, representing District 99, which includes a section of Fort Lauderdale. This is not what we elected our governor to do. We are wasting taxpayers dollars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Campbell urged Floridians to hold their political leaders accountable: Instead of focusing on the things that we need. This is a distraction from us focusing on healthcare and from us focusing on housing. Florida is in a crisis right now, a crisis of affordability, and the best that we have in our leadership in the state and in D.C. is to attack painted sidewalks and murals. Is that is that the best that we can do? Fort Lauderdale resident Ed French said he, too, believes political attention on crosswalks is misdirected. Is this what we should be focusing on hate and division and discrimination? French asked. Are they the things that matter when we have incredibly high crime rates? We had one of the worst school shootings in the country in our community, and yet the governor seems to want to focus on drag shows, and rainbows and crosswalks, and banning books. What we need is people to focus on the things that make us safer and healthier. State Rep. Mitch Rosenwald, whose District 98 also includes part of Fort Lauderdale, said he doesnt see the evidence for the Department of Transportations actions. Theres no compelling research, peer-reviewed research that colored crosswalks lead to unsafe streets. What were seeing here is a state mandate from the Florida Department of Transportation to make a community less visible, our community. This isnt just silly. Its serious, and actually its even dangerous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rosenwald noted that the rainbow flag where the rally was held is on a side street with little traffic, not a crosswalk. It is one of the art designs the state wants to paint over. Lets remind the state to redirect its time and money to things that actually matter, like giving Floridians a fair chance to own a house and keep that house and raising the minimum wage to a living wage. Enough of government interventions that intrude on our private lives, he said. L3Harris Technologies has expanded its Palm Bay campus with a new $100 million satellite integration-test facility that will support President Donald Trump's future Golden Dome defense system to thwart incoming ballistic missiles and hypersonic weapons. "Space is the new high ground," LaTasha Dandy, L3Harris space dominance general manager, said during an Aug. 22 Space Coast Symposium panel discussion. "I came from the aeronautics industry, working on fighter jets for a very long time. And it used to be that fighter jets were your high ground. You could get up there, get stealth, try to send missiles into enemy territory from a plane. That is no longer enough. You've got to go higher," Dandy told the audience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The sky is not the limit anymore. And we've got to go higher than that to protect our nation from existential threats," she said. This artist's rendering depicts a L3Harris Technologies infrared space satellite in orbit, providing the military with missile warning and tracking coverage. Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming NASA, SpaceX, Blue Origin rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral L3Harris officials conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 21 at the 94,000-square-foot high-bay structure, known as Building 31, which will support 100 new jobs with average annual salaries of $105,000 off Palm Bay Road. In May, Trump announced a $25 billion investment in Golden Dome technology and structure, with upcoming plans to spend $175 billion during a three-year span. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During her symposium remarks at Raddison Resort at the Port in Cape Canaveral, Dandy likened Building 31 with "the power of 100." "Because this is a facility that's almost 100,000 square feet, $100 million investment into this facility that's going to create about 100 jobs with at least $100,000 salaries to these employees. So this is a growth and an investment for L3Harris," Dandy said. Development of the L3Harris satellite facility predates Trump's second term in office and his Golden Dome executive order. In July 2023, the company sought property tax breaks from Brevard County and Palm Bay for an estimated $294 million expansion of its Palm Bay campus. That two-building campaign included Project LEO the new satellite facility and Project SAMT, an acronym for secure advanced manufacturing technology. The Palm Bay City Council unanimously approved $12.1 million in city property tax breaks, but the Brevard County Commission rejected the company's request for $7.2 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second new building coming to L3Harris' Palm Bay campus is an advanced microelectronics facility measuring about 98,000 square feet, according to the company's media relations department. Equipped with a manufacturing cleanroom, this facility will create roughly 100 new jobs with average salaries of about $111,000. Headquartered in Melbourne, L3Harris previously developed five missile-tracking satellites that launched into orbit in February 2024 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on the Space Force's USSF-124 national security mission. Last year, the aerospace giant received a contract valued up to $919 million to develop 18 future satellites with infrared hypersonic missile-tracking technology for the Space Development Agency. L3Harris is also building a 16-satellite SDA constellation. "The big event I'll call it our Sputnik moment happened in 2021. And that's when China launched what's called the fractional orbital bombardment system," Ed Zoiss, L3Harris president of space and airborne systems, said in a video released last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Essentially, a missile took off from China, did a three-quarter loop almost fully orbited the Earth then dropped out of orbit and maneuvered around our land-based and sea-based radar systems. That was really the moment that we knew that we needed a new defensive system. One that was based in space, not based on the Earth," Zoiss said. "So we need to create a new space-sensing layer in order to counter this threat," he said. For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space. Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter. Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: New L3Harris facility to support Trump's Golden Dome in Palm Bay, Florida SpaceX remains on track to surpass 100 launches on the Space Coast for 2025 after knocking out No. 70 on Sunday morning with four months to go. A Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-14 mission with 28 satellites lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Stations Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:49 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 23rd flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It marked the ninth launch in August for the Space Coast with eight from SpaceX and one from United Launch Alliance. Among those launches were the final crewed mission from Florida this year, the Aug. 1 launch of Crew-11, and the return of Boeings X-37B mini space shuttle to space for a classified Space Force mission. ULAs lone mission was its first national security flight for its new Vulcan rocket. The manifest also just this past Thursday saw the flight of SpaceXs fleet-leading booster making a record 30th trip to space with another successful landing. Elon Musks company has two more launches on tap this week to start would could be an even busier September with Starlink missions planned from Canaverals SLC-40 on Wednesday during a window that runs from 7:06-11:06 a.m. and then Thursday from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A during a launch window from 7:18-11:18 a.m. Later this month, Falcon 9 rockets are slated to launch a resupply mission with Northrop Grummans Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station on Sept. 15 and then a science mission with multiple payloads for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA no earlier than Sept. 23 as well as more Starlink flights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SpaceX has flown all but four of the 74 orbital launches that have taken off from the Space Coast this year, which is closing in on surpassing the record 93 launches from all companies the region saw in 2024, a milestone that could be met by the end of October. The pace continues to climb with 2023 having seen 72 overall launches from Florida. Space Launch Delta 45, which oversees the Eastern Range and supports all rocket launches from the Space Coast, had stated it could support as many as 156 launches a year. While not expected to hit that mark, SpaceXs increased pace has also been paired with the recent return to a normal flight rate from ULA, which has had three launches so far this year but plans to fly as many as five more among its remaining Atlas V rockets and growing supply of Vulcans. Its next mission is on tap for the end of the month when an Atlas V is targeting a Sept. 25 launch from Canaverals Space Launch Complex 41 with 27 satellites for Amazons Project Kuiper, a competitor to SpaceXs Starlink. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeff Bezos Blue Origin flew the other launch of the three providers that have flown from the Space Coast when it debuted its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket in January. Its next flight could also be at the end of the month with the company still targeting no earlier than Sept. 29 to fly a pair of spacecraft for NASA to Mars. SpaceX has also flown 38 operational missions of its Falcon 9 from Californias Vandenberg Space Force Base in 2025 as well as four test suborbital missions of its in-development Starship and Super Heavy from its Texas site Starbase, including a successful flight on Sept. 26. The company is awaiting approval for two Starship launch sites on the Space Coast that could see up to 120 launches a year when fully operational. These would be in addition to maintaining its launch pads for Falcon 9 and the larger Falcon Heavy. Multiple Western Massachusetts communities this past week recognized Overdose Awareness Day with vigils and other events to bring awareness about those who have died of drug overdoses and others who recovered. As part of the event, Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers announced officers have saved nearly 650 people who suffered overdoses since police began carrying Narcan, the drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. The damage inflicted by the opioid crisis to our Springfield community has been tremendous and continues to take Herculean efforts from the city, including our Police and Health Departments, nonprofits, our community partners and stakeholders to heal, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Springfield held a vigil to recognize those who suffered overdoses and their families on Wednesday night at City Hall. Hope for Holyoke observed Overdose Awareness Day on Friday with and information fair, speakers and a prayer for victims in Veterans Park. Westfield held an event on Thursday night that included resource tables, music and speakers. Read the original article on MassLive. St. Francis Health System will begin to see patients at its new Claremore clinic Tuesday. The Claremore Warren Clinic is taking over the space next to Walmart on South Lynn Riggs Boulevard, where the shell of a MedWise urgent care facility had stood for the past year or so. The Claremore Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the facility Wednesday. Brent Dennis, vice president and chief medical officer of St. Francis' Warren Clinics, said the hospital system doesn't want Claremore residents to have to go to Tulsa or Broken Arrow for primary care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I can't think of any community where we have had more people say, 'We need you in our neighborhood' than the Claremore community," Dennis said. "We really are excited to be here with patients [who] have been anticipating our arrival and with our employees, [who] want to see that their own doctors work closer to home." The clinic has six exam rooms and will open with six to eight personnel on site, Dennis said. It will be open weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is not an urgent care facility; it is a primary care hub where patients can see their main doctors and schedule appointments with specialists, who will come from Tulsa to see patients at Claremore. The clinic will also support virtual doctors' visits. The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation, ranked Oklahoma 48th in the nation for access to health care earlier this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A lot of our health statistics across the state, they're not where we need to be," Dennis said. "The way that we're going to move the needle in this state for health care is providing access in your local neighborhoods to preventative health care, to lifestyle medicine, to rapid response for access when you need it most. I think we are able to do that through sites like this." Collin Henry, president of Warren Clinic, said he is excited for St. Francis to be part of the Claremore community and to grow alongside it. Executive Director Meggie Froman-Knight of Claremore Economic Development said it was a privilege to welcome St. Francis to Claremore. "Saint Francis is well-known for a culture of compassion, excellence and service," Froman-Knight said. "By choosing Claremore, they affirm this is a place where quality health care, good jobs and lasting community can thrive." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a Catholic health system, Henry said it is St. Francis' tradition to bless new facilities just before they open. The Rev. David Carvajal of Claremore's St. Cecilia Catholic Church spread holy water throughout the building and led attendees in prayer. "God ... has brought you here together for the blessing of this primary care clinic, established here in Claremore for the care of the sick," Carvajal said. "May he strengthen you by his grace so that in serving the sick with tender charity, you may serve Christ himself." The water level of Delhi's Yamuna crossed the danger mark on Sunday morning. The warning mark for the city is 204.50 metres, while the danger mark is 205.33 metres, and evacuation of people starts at 206 metres. The water level of the Yamuna is above 205.33 metres and is rising due to continuous heavy rainfall in Delhi. Delhi has been experiencing rainfall for the past few days. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a "Generally cloudy sky with moderate rain" forecast in New Delhi from today till September 2. "Thunderstorm with rain' forecast has been issued for September 3, whereas "Rain or Thundershowers" forecast has been issued for September 4 and 5. Earlier on Thursday, a flood relief camp was set up in Delhi's Mayur Vihar, as the water level of the River Yamuna had crossed the danger mark the previous day. "These tents are set up for living...People living inside their homes near the river will come out and live in these tents when the flood comes," Ashok, a resident of Mayur Vihar, said to ANI about these flood relief camps. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall has caused widespread disruption across Himachal Pradesh, affecting road connectivity and public utilities. According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) of the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), the cumulative death toll since the onset of the monsoon on June 20 has risen to 320. Of these, 166 fatalities were a result of rain-related incidents like landslides, flash floods, and electrocution, while road accidents caused 154 deaths. The ongoing heavy rains have been the primary reason for most of the recent utility disruptions. As of 6:00 PM on August 30, 2025, 839 roads, 728 electricity distribution transformers (DTRs), and 456 water supply schemes were non-functional. This marks an increase in disruptions compared to the morning report on the same day. In line with the infrastructure damage report, a total of 839 roads and three national highways remain blocked due to the rainfall. The districts of Chamba, Mandi, and Kullu are the most impacted, with 286, 197, and 175 roads blocked, respectively. NH-03, NH-05, and NH-305 are among the national highways that are currently closed. Alongside this, a total of 728 DTRs are disrupted across the state. The most significant power disruptions are in Chamba (363 DTRs) and Kullu (225 DTRs). Mandi district has also reported 123 DTR disruptions. There are 456 disrupted water supply schemes across Himachal Pradesh. The most severely affected districts are Chamba with 93 schemes disrupted, and Mandi with 56. Shimla and Sirmaur districts have also reported 52 and 38 disrupted schemes, respectively. The SEOC report highlights that restoration efforts are ongoing but are challenged by persistent heavy rain and difficult terrain. (ANI) (FOX40.COM) The Sacramento Police Department responded to reports of a stabbing around 4:45 p.m. in the Sacramento area. According to SPD, the stabbing occurred in the 2700 block of Ramp Way. When officers arrived at the scene, they found two adult males and one adult female with non-life-threatening injuries. Batmobile breakdown on Highway One in Carmel: CHP to the rescue Police said two people were transported to a local hospital to be treated for their wounds. A possible female suspect has been detained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this time, officers are working on learning more about what caused the stabbing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. A Tacoma program intended to bring healthcare to the unhoused faces further challenges as several employees have left the program just months after it started. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department maintains the staffing changes will not impact the planned rollout of the program. In October 2024, TPCHD and the City of Tacoma announced the Street Medicine Pilot Program funded by a $1 million grant from the Washington State Health Care Authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly six months later, the program had yet to become fully operational as it was slowly hiring healthcare professionals to be a part of the team . In May, Bianca Shell, program manager for the street medicine program who was hired in March, told the Tacoma Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness the program would likely not be fully staffed until September 2025. At the time, Shell reported the program had hired two peer-support specialists, a homelessness liaison and a nurse with a behavioral health background. She said the department was in negotiations with a medical doctor and a nurse practitioner. During Tacoma City Councils Community Vitality and Safety Committee meeting on July 10, Chantell Harmon Reed, director of public health for TPCHD, attributed some of the delays to full implementation of the street-medicine program to the bureaucratic process related to contracting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harmon Reed told the committee the program had launched a full deployment as of May 26 . She described the full deployment as a cargo van full of supplies to distribute and a converted van serving as a medical-exam area. Harmon Reed said the full deployment would be operational once a week until September as the street-medicine team tried to understand how it will regularly operate. By September, the street medicine team planned to do three full deployments a week before expanding to four a week after October. During a Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness meeting on Aug. 29, Shell reported the program would be facing staffing challenges after losing a registered nurse. In July, a physician associated with the street medicine program also left TPCHD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shell said the program would be facing short-term staffing challenges and availability issues until the advanced nurse practitioner the program hired months ago is able to join the program in the coming weeks. Kenny Via, a spokesperson for TPCHD told The News Tribune as of Aug. 29 the program has a health officer, James Miller, as the medical director of the program, as well as a program manager, an advanced registered nurse practitioner, a peer navigator and an outreach worker. Our Street Medicine program continues to offer comprehensive medical services throughout Tacoma, Via wrote in an email to The News Tribune. We plan to hire a registered nurse soon. Our services and timeline for scaling up the program have not changed. Via said the physician who left the program in July was hired in May. When asked for comment on why the employees left the program, he said it was against department policies to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the case of the RN, however, we had been contracting for that position. We are now planning to hire someone directly, which should greatly improve our teams efficiency, he told The News Tribune. Previously, some outreach volunteers expressed concerns the street-medicine team did not provide a phone number it could be reached at when outreach workers find someone who needs healthcare on the street. Shell told the Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness on Aug. 29 the program was working to develop a phone number for the team as well as a QR-code which links to a form people could fill out when they or someone they know needs healthcare from the street-medicine team . In June, a panel of homeless-service providers in Pierce County sounded the alarm on the need for healthcare among those living unhoused . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On June 3, Jake Nau, the homeless outreach manager for St. Vincent DePaul, told Pierce County Council members at least 50% of the unhoused people he meets are either over 55 or are experiencing a physical or mental disability they either were living with before becoming unhoused or have incurred through their experience living on the streets. During the 2025 survey of those living unhoused in Pierce County, volunteers counted 2,955 people living unhoused in a single night. Of those surveyed, 27% reported having a mental health condition, 19% reported a chronic health condition and 20% reported having a physical disability. According to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), people who experience homelessness have an average life expectancy of around 50, almost 20 years lower than people who are housed. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention states that people experiencing homelessness are at a greater risk of infectious and chronic illness, poor mental health and substance abuse. Sadly, summer comes to an end this month. But the good news for stargazing over Pottsville this September is that there is plenty happening in the heavens, and there are still many summer constellations to see. Sunsets are also earlier. The full moon this month is next Sunday, Sept. 7. Most years, the September full moon is considered the annual harvest moon, but this one is a bit too early to be labeled as such. By definition, the harvest moon is the closest full moon to the autumnal equinox. The next full moon, on Oct. 6, will officially be the Harvest Moon for 2025. Saturn is returning to the early evening sky just in time for autumn. On Sept. 21, Saturn reaches what is known as opposition, when Saturn and Earth are at their minimum distance from each other this year, just over 795 million miles. That is considered close for Saturn. During opposition, Saturn and the sun are at opposite ends of the sky, making Saturn visible all night long, rising in the east at sunset and setting in the west at sunrise. Oppositions between Saturn and Earth happen every 378 days as Saturn and Earth travel in their respective orbits around the sun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To the naked eye, Saturn will appear as a moderately bright star barely above the eastern horizon toward the end of evening twilight. It is easy to spot since it will be the brightest star-like object in that part of the sky. As tempting as it is to train your telescope on Saturn early in the evening, you are better off waiting until at least 10 or 11 p.m. to let it rise higher in the sky, above the blurring effects of the atmosphere near the horizon. Over the past year or so, viewing Saturn through a telescope has been less dramatic because its beautiful but very thin ring system, composed mainly of ice, has been nearly on edge from our vantage point on Earth. This happens about every 14 years. The good news is that the angle of the ring system will gradually begin to open up by early December and will continue that trend until 2032. In the meantime, with the ring system mostly out of view, you can easily see many of Saturns moons, especially Titan, its largest satellite. The best time for serious evening stargazing this September will be the last two and a half weeks of the month. That is when the moon and its light will be out of the evening sky. This is prime Milky Way viewing time. Every star we see in the night sky is part of our home galaxy and relatively nearby. But if you live in the countryside or can travel away from light pollution, you will see even more. Look for a milky ribbon of light reaching across the sky from the southwest to the northeast horizon, nearly bisecting the celestial dome. That is the Milky Way band, the combined light of billions of stars that make up the plane of our own galaxy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brightest part of the band is in the southwest near the horizon, where a constellation resembles a teapot tipping to the right. That is Sagittarius, which Greek mythology says is a centaur, a half-man, half-horse shooting an arrow. The bright puff of steam above the teapots spout is in the direction of the center of the Milky Way galaxy, about 26,000 light-years away. That area would be much brighter if not for the thick gas and dust obscuring it. Elsewhere in the evening sky is a mixture of summer and autumn constellations you can explore with the help of the attached map. In the northern sky are Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the Big and Little Bears. In the northeast, the sideways W outlines the throne of Cassiopeia the Queen. The great autumn constellation Pegasus, the winged horse, is rising in the east after sunset. Look for the large diamond of stars outlining Pegasus torso, called the Square of Pegasus. Attached to the left side of the square is the constellation Andromeda the Princess, which contains the Andromeda Galaxy. This is the nearest neighboring galaxy to the Milky Way, more than 2 million light-years away. You should be able to spot it with binoculars or a small telescope, appearing as a faint patch of light. If skies are especially dark, you may even see it with the naked eye. Enjoy the longer nights of September. Mike Lynch is an amateur astronomer and retired broadcast meteorologist for WCCO Radio in Minneapolis/St. Paul. You can contact him at mikewlynch@comcast.net. (WHTM) On This Week in Pennsylvania, Rob Bair, President of the PA Building and Construction Trades Council, joins the show and discusses the state of labor in Pennsylvania and the states AI data center boom. We also take a look at the latest developments in Pennsylvanias ongoing budget negotiations. Every week, This Week in Pennsylvania gives a comprehensive look at the weeks biggest news events in Pennsylvania, provided by the abc27 News team, along with the latest updates on local stories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania Check your local listings for weekly air times. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Connecticut State Police have identified a driver who died in a crash on Route 66 in Middlefield on Friday night. Venancio Papalotzi-George, 46, of Meriden, was pronounced dead at the scene of a head-on collision just after midnight on Meriden Road. According to Connecticut State Police, Papalotzi-Georges 2012 Honda Civic collided head on into a 2009 Jeep Wrangler. According to a Middlefield Volunteer Fire Company, the first arriving units found a two-car motor vehicle crash with serious damage to both vehicles. Officials said one vehicle rolled over on its roof and had a fire in the engine, according to fire officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fire officials said multiple bystanders pulled the person out of the vehicle. The person was treated for serious injuries and transported to Hartford Hospital. Connecticut State Police said the investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Trooper Connor Hourigan at Connor.Hourigan@ct.gov or call Troop F in Westbrook at 860-399-2100. State troopers are helping sheriffs deputies after an injury crash in Darke County on Saturday night. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Deputies and medics responded just before 7:15 p.m. to reports of a crash on U.S. 127 and State Route 705. State troopers from the Piqua Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) are assisting with the crash, according to an OSHP dispatcher. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dispatcher told News Center 7 that there were injuries and a reported entrapment in this crash. The Darke County Sheriffs Office is investigating the wreck. News Center 7 reached out to them, but no information was available. We will update this developing story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Heres what youll learn when you read this story: Einsteins Theory of General Relativity, an immensely important update to Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation, is currently our best approximation of how the universe ticks. But there are some holes in Einsteins theory, including some gravitational weirdness around low acceleration wide binary stars. A study claims that the behavior of these slow-moving celestial objects cant be explained by a Newton-Einstein theory, which relies on dark matter, but could be explained with an idea known as Modified Newtonian Dynamics, or MOND. In 1687, English physicist Isaac Newton published his famous Law of Universal Gravitation. The idea that all objects attract in proportion to their mass was a revolutionary idea that became a huge boon for understanding the ways of the universe. But even Newtons influential work had its limitationsspecifically, it couldnt explain gravitational phenomena such as black holes and gravitational waves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thankfully, Albert Einstein came around in the early 20th century to help patch things up a bit with his Theory of General Relativity. But space is a big place, and even Einsteins sometimes meet their limit. One of the most well-known of these limits is a black holes center, or singularity, where Einsteins famous theory appears to break down completely. Now, a study from scientists at South Koreas Sejong University suggests that another limit to Newton and Einsteins conception of gravity can be found in the orbital motions of long-period, widely separated, binary starsalso known simply as wide binaries. The results of this study were published this month in The Astrophysical Journal. After analyzing 26,500 wide binaries within 650 lightyears captured by the European Space Agencys Gaia space observatory, co-author Kyu-Hyun Chae discovered something strangewhen these celestial objects achieved extremely low orbital accelerations around 0.1 nanometers per second squared, the observed accelerations were nearly 30 to 40 percent higher than Newton-Einstein models would predict. However, if these accelerations were above 10 nanometers per second squared, they followed the Newton-Einstein theory as predicted. Something weird is happening specifically at these ultra-low accelerations. In the standard model of gravity, this is where concepts of dark matter become vitally important. Because scientists dont know anything about this hypothetical form of matter and energy that supposedly makes up a majority of the universe, its possible that dark matter is influencing this strange gravitational interaction. However, Chae argues that Modified Newtonian Dynamics, or MONDfirst proposed by Israeli scientist Mordehai Milgrom in 1983could explain (among other galactic anomalies) these low acceleration deviations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most surprising element is that a MOND-influenced theory of gravityalso co-authored by Milgromexplains this unexpected 1.4 times acceleration boost. This theory is called a A Quadratic Lagrangian, or AQUAL, and Chae says his work represents a direct evidence for the breakdown of standard gravity at weak acceleration. This systematic deviation agrees with the boost factor that the AQUAL theory predicts for kinematic accelerations in circular orbits under the Galactic external field, Chae says in the paper. Similar to how the Newton-Einstein theory relies on the ever-elusive particle known as dark matter, MOND contains its own limitations and challenges. Chaes study appears to be a big +1 in the pro column for Modified Newtonian Dynamics, but the theory is still just thata theory. It will need much more observational support before it upends our modern understanding of gravity and the universe we inhabit. Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get the Issue Photo credit: Hearst Owned Get the Issue You Might Also Like Aug. 31On Aug. 3, Alaska's U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan posted on social media a video he recorded at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., in which he said he was preparing to return to Alaska to "keep explaining this One Big Beautiful Bill." "There has been nothing better in a long time for the great state of Alaska," said Sullivan. Every August, members of Congress return to their home districts for several weeks. This time around, the task for Sullivan, along with the two other members of Alaska's all-Republican congressional delegation, was to sell their legislative accomplishment from the preceding month: a behemoth budget reconciliation bill that offsets the extension of tax cuts by slashing spending on Medicaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alaska's U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski faced searing criticism from many of her moderate and left-leaning supporters after she cast the deciding vote in favor of the bill's passage. But the bill could prove more politically decisive for Sullivan and Alaska's only U.S. House member, Rep. Nick Begich, who both face reelection bids next year. Both Begich and Sullivan have sought to portray the bill as a triumph for the state, even as a majority of Alaskans indicated in a recent survey that they oppose it. Whether or not Sullivan and Begich succeed in convincing Alaskans could determine their political future. In the days after Sullivan's video at the Lincoln Memorial, he met with President Donald Trump at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson ahead of the president's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin; he went fishing on the Kenai; he attended a commissioning ceremony for a new Coast Guard icebreaker in Juneau; he accompanied the secretaries of housing, health and transportation as they visited Anchorage; he took a helicopter ride to examine Juneau flood damage; he visited a Navy strike group stationed in the Gulf of Alaska; and he went to the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. On Wednesday, a coalition of left-leaning groups in Anchorage sought to draw attention to one thing that Sullivan, Begich and Murkowski did not do during the recess: host a town hall open to the general public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're here tonight because it is August recess in America, and that means allegedly the delegations of the members of Congress are home in their districts. Allegedly they are here. They are hiding," said Kristen Crowell, executive director of Fair Share America, a group that has orchestrated 48 such events across the country to denounce Republican members of Congress for passing the budget reconciliation bill. "We are here tonight to make sure that they know exactly who they are accountable to," said Crowell, a Wisconsin resident, eliciting applause and cheers from an Anchorage crowd of several hundred. GOP lawmakers across the country have faced pushback for limiting town halls amid criticism over the impacts of the budget reconciliation bill. But town halls have long been uncommon in Alaska. Sullivan was met with boos during a 2017 gathering in Anchorage, and has generally stayed away from the format since. Alaska's longtime former U.S. representative, the late Don Young, famously avoided such events. Begich faced criticism earlier this year when he cut off a question from a Trump critic during a telephone town hall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murkowski has more regularly sought to hear from everyday Alaskans, most recently holding a February call that drew more than 1,000 Alaskans, during which she fielded questions about mass firings in the federal government and other contentious topics. Sullivan declined multiple interview requests from the Daily News during the August recess. Sullivan's office backed out of plans for the senator to discuss the One Big Beautiful Bill Act with Daily News staff this month. U.S. Rep. Nick Begich also declined multiple interview requests from the Daily News. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski did not grant an interview to the Daily News, but answered questions from Alaska reporters in her Anchorage office shortly after the August recess began. Sullivan's spokesperson Amanda Coyne said in a statement that "far-left-wing affiliated Democrat groups have been trying to scare Alaskans by spreading blatant falsehoods about the OBBB." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Sullivan has been engaging directly with Alaskans across the state to set the record straight. Leading up to and during the August recess, Senator Sullivan held productive meetings with local city officials, chambers of commerce, rotary clubs, hospital leaders, Alaska Native health providers, housing advocates, members of Alaska's aviation community, veterans, service members, members of the Alaska state Legislature and employees at local businesses," Coyne wrote. Opponents of the budget reconciliation bill say that the new Medicaid work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks it demands which go into effect in 2027 will do little to root out waste and fraud, but could cause thousands of eligible Alaskans to lose access to health care due to paperwork hurdles. Sullivan, for his part, reasons that the bill does not directly cut Medicaid reimbursement rates for Alaska. He also points to a rural health fund that could direct hundreds of millions of dollars toward the state in the coming five years. Sullivan has focused his efforts to explain the budget reconciliation bill on touting its benefits to Alaska resource development, investments in the Coast Guard and tax cuts. Numerous analyses find that the tax cuts will disproportionately benefit wealthier Americans. Coyne said they deliver "tax relief for hard-working families and small businesses." Crowell, on Wednesday, had a well-practiced response to Sullivan's message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're watching Republican members of Congress now traveling the country trying to spin the lies, trying to spin the Big Beautiful Bill as something that is on the side of people," said Crowell. "We're going to continue to organize and double down to make sure that every one of our community members knows who betrayed us." Her words were met with a chant from a man in the audience: "Throw Dan Sullivan out!" "Throw him out! Throw him out!" the call echoed. "This is what accountability looks like, ladies and gentlemen," Crowell said. No serious challengers have entered the race against Sullivan as of August, but his fate in the 2026 election could depend on how effective he and his GOP colleagues are in portraying the budget reconciliation bill as a triumph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crowell's rallying cry was followed Wednesday by testimony delivered by Sarah Krug, an Anchorage resident who relies on Medicaid to care for her child who has cerebral palsy, and Abram Goodstein, an Anchorage rabbi whose children are enrolled in Denali KidCare, the Medicaid program for Alaska children. Both said they were worried that the budget reconciliation bill would weaken the public assistance on which they rely. "When people argue against Medicaid funding, they fail to see the human cost. Cuts to Medicaid mean that families like mine will be forced to go bankrupt for trying to provide care," said Krug. "Thousands will simply fall through the cracks, left without the care that they need to survive." Both Sullivan and Begich have largely sidestepped any public debate about the projected cuts to Medicaid spending across the country. Begich, whose August calendar has included a visit to the Red Dog Mine north of Kotzebue and acting as Alaska tour guide for a group of Congress members on the House Natural Resources Committee, has focused his attention on the benefits that may come from the oil and gas lease sales mandated by the bill. When asked during a press conference whether he has taken the time to explain the budget reconciliation bill to its detractors, Begich contended that he has, in fact, held town halls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Some of these town halls are specific to specific groups. So we'll be focusing on veterans, on natural resources and other issues, and we'll continue to talk about this message of just how good the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is for the people of Alaska," he said. "I was actually out at the fair while I was back here in state, just taking questions from folks, constructive criticism, praise," said Begich, adding that he welcomed both. [Government shutdown looms as Congress returns after monthlong August recess] While Sullivan and Begich have described the bill as indisputably good for Alaska, Murkowski has acknowledged that the projected cuts to Medicaid and food assistance spending dictated by the bill could be harmful. She has said she was compelled to support the bill in order to influence its contents in the state's favor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The benefits of the reconciliation bill include tax relief averaging thousands of dollars for the typical Alaskan, new resource development opportunities, and infrastructure investment across our state," Joe Plesha, a spokesperson for Murkowski, said on Friday. "The Senator and her team have highlighted those benefits at events throughout August, while also meeting with leaders in the healthcare space, state legislators, and (Department of Health) officials to coordinate on next steps as the measure is implemented." Plesha said Murkowski "secured a number of additional priorities" for Alaska in the bill, and her office is "working to ensure the state understands and benefits from them." Barcelona, Spain Volunteers from across the world have come together in the main hall of one of Spains oldest labour unions, the UGT once a registration centre for international volunteers who came to Spain to fight fascism during the Spanish Civil War. Now it has trained the nonviolent international volunteers Palestine supporters, activists, journalists and politicians who will sail on the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza on Sunday. We are not heroes. We are not the story. The story is the people of Gaza, organiser Thiago Avila, a lifelong activist for Palestine and environmental justice, told the crowds gathered for a news conference before the ships set sail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their goal is to deliver humanitarian aid, which is the flotillas only cargo, and open a humanitarian corridor for Palestinians facing being starved and killed by Israel. In less than two years of war, Israel has killed more than 63,000 Palestinians with tens of thousands more injured and missing. Sailing into the uncertain About 26,000 applications from people around the world came in and were whittled down to the hundreds who will be on board the roughly 100 flotilla boats. The flotilla will start in Barcelona and head to Tunisia, where it will be joined by more vessels on Thursday. Once out again on the Mediterranean Sea, it will converge with more boats leaving Italy and other undisclosed ports, and together they will sail in formation to the Gaza Strip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Organisers know time is against them as Israel kills Palestinians daily, not only using air strikes and ground forces but also a man-made famine that it has imposed. Since 2010, all freedom flotillas to Gaza have been intercepted or attacked by Israeli forces. In June, the ship Madleen was illegally intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters about 185km (115 miles) west of Gaza, where Israel has no authority. Its crew, which included climate activist Greta Thunberg, were detained or expelled. In 2010, the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, made up of six ships carrying humanitarian aid and more than 600 passengers, was raided by Israeli commandos in Mediterranean waters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commandos killed 10 activists and wounded dozens. Other attempts were blocked by Israel in 2011, 2015, 2018 and multiple attempts in 2025, including the Conscience, which was struck twice by drones 25km (14 nautical miles) off Malta. An earlier attempt over land, called the Global March to Gaza, set out in June to deliver aid to Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt. Many of those volunteers have regrouped in Tunisia to gather ships to join the Global Sumud Flotilla. Volunteers from more than 42 countries attended training and panel discussions focusing on the nonviolent nature of the Global Sumud Flotilla [Mauricio Morales/Al Jazeera] Determined volunteers The Barcelona gathering reflected a wide international presence, including delegations from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland and the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The volunteers, some veterans of multiple flotillas, are focused on their collective purpose: to break Israels siege of Gaza and deliver aid to its people. Training sessions in Barcelona were intense, designed to prepare participants for scenarios such as interception in international waters, arrest, imprisonment, deportation, violent assault or bureaucratic strategies to halt the departure of boats. But the foundation of their preparation is maintaining nonviolence in any of these scenarios, something the organisers highlighted several times and warned that breaking from that principle would not be accepted. Every volunteer has signed a strict code of conduct, committing to peaceful resistance and rejecting systems of oppression and exploitation throughout the mission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Workshops also revisited the history of nonviolent struggle from Mahatma Gandhis leadership in Indias independence movement to Rosa Parkss defiance against racial segregation in the United States. Among the participants was Luna Valentina, a 24-year-old Colombian volunteer. She is married to a Palestinian refugee and has lived in exile herself after being targeted in Colombia for her activism during mass protests against right-wing former President Ivan Duque. Luna Valentina, a 24-year-old Colombian activist living in exile in Jordan, will be part of the flotilla [Mauricio Morales/Al Jazeera] The couple live in Jordan after facing racism in Europe as they tried to find somewhere to settle, she told Al Jazeera. During the Global March to Gaza, Valentina joined other Colombians on the way to Rafah. She recalled the solidarity, strength and care she found among fellow Colombian female activists, some of whom will set sail with her now, and others who will support the mission from land. Getting ready to set sail On Friday, a three-day celebration of the volunteers and their mission began on Moll de la Fusta, a port walkway in Barcelona, as the countdown began for their departure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a warm outpouring of support as sounds of drums filled the air, hundreds of Palestinian flags fluttered and crowds gathered for a festival of music, culture and art to show support for Palestinians in Gaza and for the volunteers of the flotilla. What everyone is hoping for is that the ships will arrive on the coast of besieged Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid that Israel has blocked from entering. For Avila, the father of a newborn, this flotilla continues a legacy: I love my daughter so much, as the mothers and fathers in Gaza, and because of this love, we cannot leave a world like this. We have to change the society that enables a genocide to happen, he told Al Jazeera. I believe that anyone that is not dead inside dies a little bit with every child in Gaza that dies, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That sentiment was shared by an Australian mother of four who has also joined the flotilla. Her voice broke as she said: No one should live and die like this. Everyone deserves the same dignity and freedom. Tiruvallur Congress MP Sasikant Senthil was admitted to Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital on Saturday after a sudden spike in his blood pressure. He was staging an indefinite hunger strike in Tiruvallur, demanding the immediate release of education funds due to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha scheme (SSA). Senthil began his indefinite fast on Friday in his constituency, protesting the alleged withholding of over Rs 2,000 crore from Tamil Nadu under the SSA by the Union government. On the second day of the protest, he reportedly developed dizziness and uneasiness due to a sudden rise in blood pressure late last night. Following this, an 108 ambulance was called, and a team of doctors provided him with first aid before advising immediate hospitalisation. He was then rushed to the Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital, where he is currently under treatment. The Congress MP stated that he was receiving proper medical care and remained stable. "I am admitted to Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital with high blood pressure on the second day of my indefinite hunger strike, demanding Tamil Nadu's rightful funds under SSA. I am under proper medical care and remain steady," Senthil said in a post on X. https://x.com/s_kanth/status/1961324686274625780 For the 2024-2025 academic year, the Union Government has yet to release 2,152 crore of Samagra Shiksha funds to Tamil Nadu. To press for this demand, MP Senthil launched a hunger strike at his party office in Tiruvallur. Senthil claimed that the Union Government's decision to withhold 2,152 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme has put the future of 43 lakh students and 2.2 lakh teachers in Tamil Nadu in grave uncertainty. "It is with deep pain and greater determination that I announce the beginning of my hunger strike against the BJP-led Union Government's decision to withhold 2,152 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme, which has put the future of 43 lakh students and 2.2 lakh teachers in Tamil Nadu in grave uncertainty," Senthil said in a post on Friday. Sasikanth Senthil had repeatedly sought to raise the issue during the Zero Hour and also under Rule 377 in Parliament in July this year. He also wrote to Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan on August 19, urging him to release the funds. In May, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had alleged that the BJP-led Centre was withholding education funds to the State for its 'petty politics'. (ANI) COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) This week on Sunday Briefing: Ohio National Guard troops are on the ground in Washington D.C. at President Donald Trumps request. Crime is an issue, Rep. Mike Carey (R-Ohio) said. I think the governor (Mike DeWine) did the right thing. Ohio governor race: Contextualizing Ramaswamy, Acton fundraising records This is another one of his control factors, to be able to take over D.C., Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What are DeWines protocols for sending in the guard, and why are members of Congress split over the move? Longshot candidates hoping to offer alternatives to voters are finding themselves facing an uphill battle. Whether youre Democrat, Republican, Independent, whoever, people are screaming from the rooftops for new young voices, Democratic Senate candidate Chris Volpe said. We have a distrust for our politicians, gubernatorial candidate Heather Hill said. We have a distrust for each other. Man charged in beating of man with cerebral palsy in Columbus Short North Do party leaders on both sides of the aisle cut voters out of the process by throwing their support behind established candidates? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres an update to the Women in Law exhibit at the Ohio Supreme Court as it opens to the public. Find out where we found the first female chief justices portrait after it spend months in the courthouse basement. Republican strategist Katie Eagan and Democratic strategist Brian Rothenberg weigh in on whats happening on Capitol Hill and why candidates with no name recognition cant get a break. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. President Trumps administration is facing fallout from this weeks leadership shakeup at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where the agencys director was terminated and other top officials resigned. The president fired Susan Monarez on Wednesday after she clashed with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., over vaccine policy. Monarez is contesting her firing. After Monarezs firing, Demetre C. Daskalakis, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Daniel Jernigan, director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, and CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry resigned, arguing that the recent leadership changes are barring them from fulfilling their roles as public health officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy and the administration defended Monarezs firing, with the White House saying on Thursday that Trump has the authority to fire those who are not aligned with his mission. Some Republican senators are at unease over the tumult at the CDC, while Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, called on Kennedy to step down from his post. Daskalakis is set to appear on ABCs This Week, where he will likely discuss his resignation and what is ahead for the CDC. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers will be back in session next week after the August recess and will grapple with the upcoming funding fight as the deadline for a government shutdown approaches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) will be on Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures where she will likely weigh in on the upcoming funding battle in the Senate. On Wednesday, a deadly shooting took place at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, where two children were killed and 18 others were injured by 23-year-old Robin Westman. Mississippi State Superintendent of Education Lance Evans will be on NewsNations The Hill Sunday, where he will likely weigh in on the shooting. Trumps crackdown on crime in the nations capital has continued. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a Saturday morning update that more than 80 arrests were made, and 11 illegal firearms were seized overnight in Washington. So far, police have made over 1,450 arrests since the president federalized the local law enforcement and deployed the National Guard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There, and other topics, are likely going to be discussed at the upcoming Sunday shows: NewsNations The Hill Sunday: Education Secretary Linda McMahon; Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer (D); Mississippi state Superintendent of Education Lance Evans and Professor Catherine Pakaluk. Fox News Fox News Sunday: U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro; Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.); Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.). ABCs This Week: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.); Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.); Former CDC official Demetre Daskalakis. NBCs Meet the Press: Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNNs State of the Union: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.); Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to President Trump. Fox News Sunday Morning Futures: White House trade adviser Peter Navarro; House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.); Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.); New York City Mayoral Candidate Curtis Sliwa (R) and former deputy national security adviser Victoria Coates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Blue Apron was a pioneer in the meal kit industry, now saturated by options. However, the New York-based company is getting ready to ditch their subscription model, and it may not be for the reason you think. "We turned subscription fatigue into a dystopian fever dream," Angela Campos, creative and commercial director of Quirk, said as the company prepared to debut a three-part Black Mirror-esque ad campaign. "Trust me, its a lot more fun to watch than to live through." As the company, which launched in 2012, prepares to transition to an a la carte ordering model, the dystopian ad campaign holds a mirror to our dependency on subscriptions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Somewhere along the way, you had to subscribe to everythingeven dinner, a narrator in one of the clips says. With the new Blue Apron, you dont. According to Raina Enand, head of marketing for Blue Apron, "Life is really different now." "Busy families need more control and flexibility," she said. Echoing Enand, Blue Apron SVP and GM Whitney Pegden told Good Morning America, "Blue Apron has always been about helping people cook and eat well at home but the way families manage mealtime has changed." In addition to overhauling their purchasing model, the company has also doubled its menu options. Other new options include "Assemble & Bake" meals that families can cook in just 10 minutes and "Dish," a single-serve option that comes oven ready. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For customers who are committed to their subscription model, Blue Apron+ offers free delivery and Auto Ship options. "Weve been working on this for the past year, listening to customer feedback on what the market is moving towards, and we really thought about this as all encompassing from every aspect of the business," Enand said. "Calling it a rebrand is actually doing it a disservice. Its really a relaunch of the company." This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Aug 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Food section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Neighbors are on edge after a man who sexually assaulted a woman while she was walking in West Hollywood remains at large. On Aug. 13, West Hollywood deputies responded to the 1200 block of North Sweetzer Avenue shortly after midnight. The female victim said she was walking when the suspect suddenly approached her and sexually assaulted her. He fled the scene before authorities arrived. Witnesses who saw the attack rushed over to help her. One of the neighbors captured cell phone footage of the suspect running away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Probably a little after midnight, I turned off the TV and I heard some screaming, a neighbor, Peter Dobson, told KTLAs Chris Wolfe. I came outside and saw the commotion at the end of the block and there was this poor girl who had apparently been assaulted and raped. Detectives released images of the suspect that were captured on the day the assault occurred. Authorities are searching for a male suspect who sexually assaulted a woman while she was walking in West Hollywood on Aug. 13, 2025. (Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department) Authorities are searching for a male suspect who sexually assaulted a woman while she was walking in West Hollywood on Aug. 13, 2025. (Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department) Suspect arrested after woman sexually assaulted while jogging in Ventura He was described as a Hispanic man between 18-30 years old. He stands around 5 feet and 6-7 inches tall and has a thin build. He was last seen wearing a dark long-sleeved sweater, dark shorts with a light-colored stripe and a dark driving cap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighbors in the area were stunned to hear of the attack. I think its very shocking because this is a relatively safe community, another neighbor said. Its important to stay super hyper-vigilant when youre alone. Its extremely important to watch your surroundings. You want to make sure theres no one following you. I imagine the best thing to do is for everybody to keep their wits about them, Dobson said. If theyre walking home late at night. I suggest you always have friends with you. Anyone who recognizes the man or has information on the case is asked to call the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments Special Victims Bureau at 877-710-5273 or email specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. For more than a year and a half, Southern California detectives traced a trail of smashed doors, stolen alcohol, and pried-open ATMs, chasing a group of suspects believed to be responsible for a wave of nighttime commercial burglaries. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Major Crimes Bureau, Metro Detail said the suspects targeted liquor stores, tobacco shops, pharmacies, and other convenience-type stores throughout Los Angeles County, and were later linked to similar burglaries in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. Authorities said the suspects often masked their identities with hooded sweatshirts and face coverings, used power tools to cut through security doors, and fled in high-performance vehicles, including stolen Chevy Camaros. Several incidents prompted dangerous police pursuits, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives conducted extensive work to build the case: reviewing surveillance video, analyzing forensic evidence, interviewing witnesses, and coordinating with law enforcement agencies across Southern California. In all, they identified more than 50 victim businesses. The investigation culminated in the early morning hours of Aug. 28, 2025, when Metro Detail detectives executed multi-location search warrants at four residences three in Long Beach and one in Alhambra. Kidnapping suspect arrested after crashing stolen car with 3 children inside Authorities recovered suspected stolen property, thousands of dollars in cash, evidence linking the suspects to the crimes, two loaded semi-automatic handguns, and an assault pistol equipped with a silencer and an extended high-capacity magazine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arrest warrants had been previously obtained from the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office. The following suspects were taken into custody: Marco Rivera, 22, of Long Beach, $1,025,000 bail Nakoa Taylor, 20, of Long Beach, $1,000,000 bail Jaheim Ebry, 21, of Long Beach, $1,000,000 bail Francisco Araiza-Lopez, 25, of Alhambra (previously arrested), $1,075,000 bail In addition, Isaac Araiza-Lopez, 19, of Alhambra, was arrested on charges of possession of narcotics for sale and multiple felony firearm-related offenses. Authorities are urging anyone with information about these crimes to contact the LASD Major Crimes Bureau, Metro Detail at (562) 946-7893. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477 or online at www.p3tips.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Samuel Deng was slowly closing in on the beaches of Majorca and his dream to reach the shores of Europe when his small open-topped boat broke down. As the vessel drifted aimlessly, the 21-year-old from South Sudan, who fled war to set sail from Algeria, had no options left. So he jumped into the water and started desperately swimming north. I almost died. But God did not give up on me, he said. It took two days before Mr Deng was, mercifully, picked up by the Spanish coastguard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By that time, his two closest companions another young man from South Sudan and one from Somalia were nowhere to be seen, pulled away by the currents and lost to the waves. Sitting in the shade of a pine tree in Majorca, known for its whitewashed villas, silky beaches, smart marinas and turquoise bays, Mr Deng lifts his T-shirt to show vivid red welts under his arms and around his neck. They were caused by his life jacket gnawing away at his skin for two days, the wounds rubbed raw by saltwater. Mr Deng is waiting to be put on a ferry to Barcelona or Valencia, where he hopes to be accepted as an asylum seeker. But his ultimate goal is to get to Britain. A group of migrants from north Africa gather at the ferry port in Palma having been brought in by the coastguard after four nights at sea - Ben Montgomery Asked why, he says: Because I speak English and that is the language of the UK. We were colonised by the British. I dont speak French or Spanish, so in those countries I could not survive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The route to the Balearic Islands of Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera is the fastest-growing migrant route in the Mediterranean after crackdowns on the passage from west Africa to the Canaries, the crossing from north Africa to Italy, and the Balkan route. The numbers are striking and alarming for many of the inhabitants of the islands. The Balearics are most famous for their tourism with dancers entertaining foreign visitors in the squares of Palma, an elegant city full of expensive apartments, below - Ben Montgomery General view of Palma It is a trend that is also causing a rift with the mainland. The sharp increase in arrivals has provoked a furious row between the government of the islands, which is centre-Right, and the Spanish national government of Pedro Sanchez, which is Left-wing. Mr Deng set sail with 22 others crammed on board the small boat that eventually gave up on them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is now staying in a complex of buildings, including a church and a museum, owned by the Catholic Church a few miles east of Palma, the capital of Majorca. Migrants and refugees who arrive on Majorca, the largest of the Balearics, are brought by boat to a ferry terminal in Palma. Exhausted by their journeys, their clothes encrusted with salt, they slump down in a small park just opposite the terminal, where the Red Cross provides them with food and drink. Just 100 yards away, there are glass-fronted apartment blocks and luxury yachts. Migrants at the ferry port in Palma where they receive aid from the Red Cross, below - Ben Montgomery Red Cross volunteers help a migrant Asylum seekers who get to Majorca have either been intercepted at sea and rescued by the coastguard, or have managed to reach the island directly, grounding their small boats on beaches or puttering into bays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The coast of Majorca is littered with the boats that they abandon more than 250 have arrived this year. In the picturesque resort of Colonia de Sant Jordi on the south coast of Majorca, where smart shops and apartments ring a sandy beach, two boats are tethered in the marina. They are basic vessels open boats with no cabin or canopy, powered by a single engine. Many like them are unlikely to reach their destination. The small boats docked in Colonia de Sant Jordi are typical of the ones used in the crossing from Algeria, on which many come to grief - Ben Montgomery Numerous vessels have disappeared without trace, leaving families in limbo as they try to find out what happened to their missing loved ones, says a Spanish NGO that helps migrants, Caminando Fronteras. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Deng left South Sudan two years ago, fleeing civil war, tribal fighting and death threats from gunmen who stole cattle from his family, members of the Dinka tribe. It took him two years to trek through Libya, Tunisia where he says he was beaten by the authorities, like many sub-Saharan Africans and then reach Algeria. He is one of a growing number taking this treacherous new route. So far this year, 258 boats have brought 4,859 migrants and refugees to the islands, 77 per cent more than in the same period last year. Just last weekend, 400 migrants arrived in Majorca. There is a mix of nationalities from the north and east of Africa. A migrant makes a phone call to his family to tell them he has reached Palma - Ben Montgomery Marga Prohens, the head of the islands regional government, said: We have reviewed the data and the route between Algeria and the Balearics is the one that is growing the most, not only in Spain but in the whole of Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Balearic government said it was not receiving the resources it needs from the mainland, and complained it felt abandoned by Madrid. Not only is it expected to deal with the arrivals from Algeria the islands have also been told that they will have to take a share of migrant minors who arrive in the Canary Islands from west Africa. 0109 migration When the island government objected, Angel Victor Torres, a Spanish government minister, threatened to send in the security forces, prompting Ms Prohens to accuse him of thuggery. Ms Prohens represents the centre-Right Partido Popular, which relies on the hard-Right Vox party for support in the Balearic regional parliament. Vox has not been slow in calling the influx of refugees and migrants a full-blown emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fulgencio Coll, a Vox politician, said this week that the Madrid governments failure to declare a national emergency over the massive invasion of immigrants should make Mr Sanchez public enemy number one. Ms Prohens has called on Madrid to strengthen co-operation with the Algerian authorities so the crisis does not worsen, saying the new route is being organised by sophisticated trafficking gangs. Migrants pay smuggling gangs up to 3,000 a head for the crossing, which takes around 50 hours if the weather is favourable. Ms Prohens will travel to Brussels in September to discuss the crisis with Magnus Brunner, the European Commissioner for home affairs and migration. Islands left alone to face the mafias Sebastia Sagreras, a spokesman for the Partido Popular, told the Spanish media: The Balearics cannot continue to be the back door for illegal immigration to Europe while prime minister Pedro Sanchez looks the other way and leaves the archipelago alone to face the mafias. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Balearic government has demanded that Frontex, the EUs border protection force, intervene, calling for aircraft, drones, boats and personnel to be sent. Asked whether that was likely, a Frontex spokesman told The Telegraph that the agency would only deploy if it received a request from a national government and that had not happened yet. The spokesman said: Our operational presence is always based on official requests from member states relating to their governments. Frontex is ready to extend its operations if requested. For now, we have not received an official request to support Spain in managing the border at the Balearic Islands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The route to the Balearics has opened up because of the suppression of other routes, notably the sea crossing from west Africa to the Canaries. As a result of greater cooperation with departure countries such as Morocco, arrivals on the Canaries route are down by 46 per cent this year. It is a big drop from 2024, when 47,000 landed on the islands. 1501 Illegal border crossings into EU drop sharply in 2024 Italy has drastically cut the number of migrants and refugees crossing the central Mediterranean, largely through deals with Libya and Tunisia, while tighter controls in the Balkans and Greece have also seen a decrease in migrant numbers. More than 60 migrants have died on the Balearic Islands route so far this year, with 40 bodies washing up on the islands beaches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plight of the refugees and migrants may be desperate, but many islanders have scant sympathy. Asked whether he was worried about the surge, Alex Vicci, the manager of a restaurant in Palmas old town, said: Yes, along with all our other problems like the cost of living and over-tourism, and unaffordable housing. Mr Vicci, who is a migrant himself, having come to Majorca 22 years ago from Venezuela, added: The government in Madrid seems to be saying that everyone can come to Spain. But thats not possible. There are not enough jobs for everyone. Luis, a 25-year-old taxi driver who ferries tourists from Palma to the airport, said: I am sorry that these people have difficult lives, but I worry that they dont integrate, especially the North Africans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They have different values to us. It feels we are looking at a future where white people will be a minority in Spain. The ferry port in Palma, where the rising tide of migrant arrivals is causing concern among residents - Ben Montgomery Juan, 39, a bar owner in a narrow street near Palmas centuries-old cathedral, said: People are worried. We have had a big increase in numbers this summer. Majorcas summer season may be slowly winding down, but the pace of migrant arrivals shows no signs of doing so. The desperation of the migrants contrasts sharply with the expensive boutiques, hedonistic nightclubs and sophisticated restaurants that make Majorca a tourism jewel of the Mediterranean. Humphrey Carter, the deputy editor of the Majorca Daily Bulletin, the islands English language newspaper, said: The numbers are not on a par with what the Canaries had to deal with for a decade or so, but if you look at the percentages, they ring alarm bells theyre dramatic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its becoming weaponised politically now, which is not helpful. Its an emergency that needs to be dealt with. But its not an invasion, not yet. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. The Arkansas Economic Development Commission has been busy on the world stage representing the Natural State. Talk Business & Politics host Roby Brock met AEDC Executive Director Clint ONeal to discuss his recent trips to Israel and the United Arab Emirates and the bridges being built to see a greater impact for the state. Roby then talks with Arkansas State University Chancellor Dr. Todd Shields to discuss the new freshman to physician pathway program developed in partnership with the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Talk Business & Politics airs on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on FOX 16. For more coverage, head to TalkBusiness.net. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLRT - FOX16.com. TALLADEGA COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) A Talladega man was killed in a head-on crash Saturday night, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Demetrius Pope, 51, was fatally injured around 9:25 p.m. when the Toyota Camry he was operating hit a Dodge Caravan. The crash happened on Alabama 21 about three miles south of the Talladega city limits. Alabama ATV park crash leaves 2 dead, 7 injured Pope died at the scene. The driver of the Dodge was airlifted to UAB Hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. Flash floods in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, have caused significant damage to local businesses, particularly affecting vegetable sellers. The Vegetable Association Union President, Budhi Prakash Sharma, said that the loss is estimated to be in crores of rupees. Many labourers have lost their jobs, exacerbating the economic strain on these vendors. While speaking to ANI, he said, "The loss is of crores of rupees. All are people, and the labour has become jobless. We are facing huge losses..." Chaman Kapoor, Chairman of the Hotel Industry, stated that while the hotel business had suffered losses in May and June, hopes of improvement in August had also been dashed due to the cloudburst and incessant rainfall. Furthermore, he added that not only hotel workers, but also vegetable and milk suppliers, had been affected. "In May and June, the business was down. The rain began at the beginning of July and August, resulting in fewer tourists. We expected to regain business towards the end of August, but due to the cloudburst and incessant rainfall, the Old Manali pul was swept away... Not just hotel owners, but everyone associated with it is also affected. Hotel workers, vegetable and milk suppliers are all affected..." Kapoor told ANI. The floods have washed away portions of the Manali-Leh highway and damaged multiple stretches of the Chandigarh-Manali national highway, disrupting transportation and access to markets. Local businesses, including shops and restaurants such as the iconic Sher-e-Punjab in Manali, have been severely impacted, with many vendors incurring significant losses. The state's losses have already touched 2,394 crore due to rain-related incidents, with 320 deaths reported. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has announced a special package for disaster-stricken states and sought assistance from the central government. Authorities are working to restore connectivity and provide relief to affected areas, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indian Air Force (IAF) assisting in rescue operations. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted light to moderate rainfall over some parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand today. Furthermore, it has also been predicted that gusty winds of around 40 kilometres per hour, accompanied by moderate rain at a rate of 5 to 15 millimetres per hour, will occur. Residents in all affected regions have been advised to remain vigilant, take all necessary precautions, and plan their travel accordingly. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has stated that the rehabilitation of people affected by the incessant rain and floods was a challenge for the government, but it would be overcome with the support of the people. (ANI) (NewsNation) Employees of multiple Target warehouses in upstate New York have filed a lawsuit against the company, saying they should be paid for the time walking to and from their workstations. The complaint alleges violations of New York labor laws and was filed Aug. 26 in U.S. District Court in Albany, according to local paper Times Union. The law firm representing the employees estimate that thousands of workers could be due thousands of dollars in back pay for each year they were employed at the two warehouses dating back to 2019. The two sites, located in in the towns of Wilton and Florida employ a combined 2,000 people. The Wilton warehouse has 1.5 million square feet of space, and the Florida warehouse, located just outside the city of Amsterdam, is 1.8 million square feet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cracker Barrel joins disasters of logo refreshes of recent years Hourly employees of the warehouses are required to walk long distances up to approximately half a mile to and from their assigned departments, where they are required to clock in at the start of each shift and clock out at the end of each shift, the lawsuit states. Jeanna Kratzert, a former employee at the Wilton warehouse, and Neil Mosher, who works there now, filed the lawsuit. Kratzert told local news outlet WNYT that when working there, it took her up to 10 minutes to walk to her assigned places to clock in or out. The lawsuit alleges an employee not paid for that time can miss out on up to $2,000 per year. NewsNation has reached out to Target for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. By Steve Beatty In an environment increasingly hostile to children and working families, unions are more important than ever before. At NJEA, we recognize our responsibility to the members we represent and the students we educate. We are determined to make sure our public schools remain the best in the nation, because New Jersey families deserve nothing less. And as a labor union, we are proud of the work with do alongside our members to ensure that they have fair contracts, safe working conditions, access to affordable health care and a secure retirement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our members go far above and beyond for their students. They change lives, so our union works hard to make sure they are supported and compensated like the dedicated, successful professionals they are. Our vision is even larger than that. We are committed to working in partnership with parents, advocates and stakeholders to achieve equity and justice not only in our public schools but in New Jerseys communities and in our nation as a whole. A successful union does so much more than bargain and enforce contracts; it also works in solidarity with its members and the public to improve economic conditions for all working people. And as a union with an emphasis on public education and community well-being, NJEA recognizes its obligation to stand up for students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its no secret why that matters. What our students experience outside of school profoundly impacts their success in school. If they are hungry, if they are fearful in their neighborhoods, if they lack access to safe housing or regular medical care, if their families are in economic distress or if they do not feel they can live authentically as who they are, that all affects their academic success. Thats where our best-in-the-nation educators truly make a difference, and parents are our most important partners in that work. Despite cynical political attempts to drive a wedge between parents and educators, that relationship remains strong because we share the same key goal: to see our students their children succeed. Every parent knows what makes their child unique and special, and so do we. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our job, in partnership with parents, is to provide the encouragement, resources and opportunities each student needs and deserves in the classroom and beyond. That old union slogan solidarity forever! describes the relationship we build with parents each year. And we are working to strengthen that same solidarity within the larger labor union and advocacy communities, as well. We know the more successful we are as unions in protecting and advancing the rights and economic security of our members, the fairer our economy as a whole will become, even for workers who dont yet have access to unions. When our partners and allies are successful in lobbying for things like affordable housing, health care access and a clean environment, our communities grow stronger and our students have greater opportunities to succeed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Labor solidarity like that brought landmark worker safety laws and regulations at the beginning of the last century, saving untold lives over the last 100+ years. Its also what helped the American middle class emerge as a force in the middle of that century, ushering in an unprecedented era of shared prosperity. The corporate class has always opposed progress for working people, preferring a system that benefits the few to the detriment the many. Public schools and unions have long been the antidote to unrestrained corporate greed. Public schools foster independent and critical thought. They give Americans the opportunity to achieve their full potential even if they are born without access to wealth or privilege. Unions are how those same Americans can make their voices heard and have their demands met in a system that has always favored the wealthy and well-connected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On this Labor Day, Im proud to be a public school educator and a union member because I still believe that when working people unite, we have the power to build a better world for ourselves and our children. Solidarity forever! Steve Beatty is a high school social studies teacher in Bridgewater-Raritan, and the incoming president of the New Jersey Education Association. A teenager was hospitalized after being shot near the Rutgers-Newark University campus on Saturday night. Police officers responded to the incident near the 300 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard in Newark at 10:03 p.m. on Saturday, according to Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda. Officers found a 16-year-old boy who had been shot and was transported to University Hospital for treatment, Miranda said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is currently in stable condition, and the incident remains under investigation, he said. The 300 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard runs through Rutgers-Newark University campus . Its unclear whether the shooting took place on campus. NJ Advance Media has reached out to Rutgers Police for more information. Stories by Lauren Sforza Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. (FOX40.COM) An 18-year-old boy was taken to the hospital Saturday night after he was found with gunshot wounds, according to the Stockton Police Department. Video Above: Understanding Common Gun Terms Officers found the boy around 6:21 p.m. in the area of Albany Drive and Astor Drive. Police said he was taken to the hospital for life-threatening injuries. Officers have no suspect information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. TEMPLE, Texas (FOX 44) Temple police are asking for the publics help in locating a missing teenager. According to the Temple Police Departments Facebook page, 14-year-old Elena Chapa was last seen on Thursday, August 28, 2025, around 2:45 p.m. in the 100 block of North 31st Street. Investigators say she left home voluntarily and at the time, Chapa was wearing a blue shirt and green pants. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to contact the Temple Police Department at 254-298-5500. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. On an unassuming corner in West Hollywood, a massive round silver building towers over the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Orange Drive. The Tesla Diner, which opened in July, is a two-story restaurant, electric vehicle charging station, Drive-in theater and merchandise shop all rolled into one. But its also become a major pilgrimage destination for fans of polarizing billionaire Elon Musk and his many companies. Musk first announced the idea of a Tesla diner in 2018, but it took five years for construction to begin. By the time the diner opened, Musk and his companies had been through a rollercoaster of events, from buying what was then Twitter in 2022 to an alliance (and explosive fallout) with President Donald Trump to Tesla being hit by mass protests and plummeting sales. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But for some customers at the diner, Musks foray into politics, the messy breakup with Trump and Teslas struggles are merely background noise. Jetsons-style diner Teslas Cybertruck is known for its sharp angles. But at the diner, nearly everything has rounded edges save, of course, for the Cybertruck food boxes. Tesla drivers can choose from 80 supercharger stations surrounding the diner and can order food directly from their cars touch screens, while audio for the drive-in movie screens is piped into their sound system. People wait in line as Tesla electric vehicles, including the Cybertruck, park beneath a giant movie screen at the Tesla Diner. - Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images An attendee eats a Tesla burger from a Cybertruck-inspired box. - Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images But many customers choose to experience the diner inside, which involves entering through a circular entryway that leads to curved counters, oval booths and rounded chairs all in shades of chrome, white and black. A spiral staircase, decorated with displays of various versions of Teslas Optimus autonomous robot, lead to the Skypad rooftop, where Tesla and Optimus-branded merchandise is sold including $35 Tesla gummy candies. From the Skypad, diners can watch the giant movie screens and take in views of the Hollywood sign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the diners opening weeks, an Optimus robot served popcorn on the Skypad, but staff said it had been out of service for several weeks when CNN visited in mid-August. Other elements from the opening days have also changed. Several of the food options like the Epic Bacon were no longer on the menu when CNN visited. A Tesla Optimus robot scoops popcorn and gestures at attendees during the opening of the Tesla Diner on July 21, 2025. - Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images But none of these hiccups have deterred the companys fans. Tesla fan clubs regularly hold meetups at the diner, and Cybertruck owners in the opening days held coordinated light shows, which involved trucks lining up autonomously and flashing their headlights synced up to music. Fans gathered at the diner on Tuesday to watch the launch of Musks SpaceX Starship. Others have documented their cross-country road trips (in their Teslas, of course) to reach the diner. Musk fans shrug off recent drama Jacob Towe, a high-end lighting designer, visited the diner while on a trip from Florida. He told CNN that before the diner opened, fans were limited to visiting exclusive supercharger stations, going on factory tours or visiting SpaceXs Starbase. The diner is a more down-to-earth and natural place to chat with like-minded people, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Towe, who owns five Teslas, several Starlink satellite internet devices, as well as Tesla powerwall and powerbank charging systems, said he sees Musk as one of the worlds rare innovators. People dine inside during the opening of the restaurant on July 21, 2025. - Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images He said he appreciates Musks ability to ignore public opinion even to a fault. Its entertaining, if nothing else, Towe said, adding that its an example of Musk being 100% data, 0% noise. He also admires Musks jump into politics and Musks vow to start his own political party after a public squabble with Trump. Towe called the political undertaking pretty impressive and an example of Musk choosing a hard path. (Musk will) come up with something that everyone says should not be done, or its actually really hard and way too expensive, Towe said. Musk will somehow do it and figure it out and then somehow make money out of it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A group of fans recently presented Musk with thank you letters and a compilation video as part of the annual X Takeover event in Silicon Valley. The effort started as a Tesla fan event but evolved into a celebration of Musks companies. John Stringer, one of the events organizers and the president of the Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley group, told CNN that the video came about because of the way Musk and his companies have been treated. The newly opened Tesla Diner with Teslas parked at Superchargers on July 31, 2025, in Hollywood, California. The retro-futuristic 24-hour diner and supercharging station is located on historic Route 66 and features two 66-foot movie screens and 250 seats for dining. - Mario Tama/Getty Images Im a believer in the things that hes doing because its having an impact, and no one else is driving this type of impact, Stringer said, before adding that Musk is the greatest mind on the planet. He is out here trying to help the world and make it better, Stringer said. Neighborhood headaches and protests Not everyone is pleased with the diner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a neighboring apartment building, there is a poster of Musks face with the word DOUCHE underneath it that takes up a window facing the superchargers. Other neighbors have complained about their windows being completely blocked by the giant movie screen and the increased traffic and noise. The diner has become a magnet for protestors who have also targeted Tesla showrooms and factories. The demonstrations have been in response to Musks former role in the Trump administration and his public stances on immigration and transgender issues. Even some Tesla fans said that while they support Musk, they hope he will return his focus to his companies. Customer Patrick Renner told CNN that he was very excited to try out the diner when he arrived in his gray Model Y. But when asked how he feels about Musks foray into politics, Renner said that while Musk can do a lot of things and is very smart, he thinks Tesla needs him at the moment. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 44) More than 800 new laws will take effect in Texas on September 1, reshaping key areas of daily life from schools and health care to property rights and public safety. The date marks the traditional rollout for legislation passed during the states regular session, when Gov. Greg Abbott signed a total of 1,155 bills. Some measures went into effect immediately, such as a ban on student cellphone use during school hours, clarification of Texas near-total abortion ban, a major property tax cut, and additional oversight of the states electricity grid. Others wont become active until next year or until voters weigh in on constitutional amendments in November, including stricter bail requirements and a proposed $3 billion dementia research fund. Roughly 140 bills received no action from the governor, with several dozen still becoming law automatically. Among the most consequential changes is Senate Bill 1, which lays out the states $338 billion two-year budget. More than 70 percent of that spending will go toward education and health and human services. Highlights include a new school voucher program, fresh funding for public schools, long-promised property tax relief, and investments in energy, water, and broadband infrastructure. The budget originally included $60 million to allow Texas to join a federal summer lunch program for low-income children, but Abbott vetoed the measure over concerns about federal funding reliability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Education policy will be one of the most visible areas of change. Senate Bill 2 creates one of the nations largest school voucher systems, allowing families to use taxpayer dollarsabout $10,000 per child, with more for students with disabilitiesto cover private school tuition and related expenses. Although the law takes effect this fall, the program is not expected to launch until the 2026-27 school year. At the same time, House Bill 2 will steer $8.5 billion into public schools, with more than $4 billion earmarked for teacher pay raises and additional money for safety, special education, and early childhood programs. Other new laws bring culture-war battles into classrooms. Senate Bill 10 requires schools to display posters of the Ten Commandments, though a federal judge has temporarily blocked enforcement in several districts. Senate Bill 12 bans diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in K-12 schools and restricts lessons or clubs tied to gender identity or sexual orientation. Senate Bill 13 hands more control over library books to parents and school boards, while Senate Bill 37 gives university regents more authority over hiring and policy enforcement, particularly on issues involving DEI. Lawmakers also focused heavily on safety and emergency preparedness. House Bill 33, authored by former Uvalde mayor and current state Rep. Don McLaughlin, requires law enforcement agencies to develop coordinated crisis response plans and mandates active-shooter training. Agencies will also have to issue detailed after-action reports following school shootings, ensuring faster public access to information. Infrastructure and resources will see long-term shifts as well. Senate Bill 7 establishes new funding streams for water projects, part of a wider effort to address Texas looming water shortages, though parts of the plan depend on voter approval in November. Senate Bill 15 relaxes city lot-size requirements to encourage more affordable housing construction. Senate Bill 17 bans land ownership in Texas by governments and citizens of China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, a move supporters argue protects national security but critics warn could foster discrimination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other notable measures include Senate Bill 33, which blocks cities and counties from financially supporting abortion travel; House Bill 46, expanding medical marijuana eligibility to patients with chronic pain, traumatic brain injury, and Crohns disease; House Bill 229, which codifies a biological definition of man and woman across state code; and Senate Bill 835, known as Treys Law, which bans nondisclosure agreements in sexual assault and human trafficking cases. From sweeping education reforms to water planning and land ownership restrictions, the changes reflect both long-running priorities and contentious political battles. As Texans wake up on September 1, many of these laws will quietly slip into daily life, while others are sure to spark ongoing legal and political fights. Law Summary SB 1 Budget $338B; majority to schools & health. SB 2 Vouchers $10K per child for private tuition (2026-27 start). HB 2 Teacher Pay $8.5B infusion; $4B for raises. SB 10 Ten Commandments Posters in classrooms (court-blocked). SB 12 DEI Ban Outlaws diversity and LGBTQ programs in K-12. SB 13 Libraries Parents and boards control book access. SB 37 Universities Regents gain more hiring and compliance power. Law Summary HB 33 School Safety Crisis plans, active-shooter training, and after-action reports. Law Summary SB 7 Water Fund $1B yearly for water projects if voters approve in November. SB 15 Housing Lots Allows smaller 3,000-sq-ft lots in new subdivisions. Law Summary SB 17 Foreign Land Ban Blocks purchases by China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. Law Summary SB 33 Abortion Travel Cities and counties barred from funding abortion-related travel. HB 46 Medical Marijuana Expands program to chronic pain, TBI, Crohns disease. HB 229 Gender Definition Defines man and woman by biological sex traits. SB 835 Treys Law Bans nondisclosure agreements in sexual assault and trafficking cases. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. State of Texas is a weekly program produced by Nexstar for KXAN and Nexstars other stations. You can watch it live every Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KXAN or the KXAN+ smart TV app. AUSTIN (Nexstar) While the Texas Legislature enters the third week of 2025s second special session, the primary battle for one of the states US Senate seats continues. On Monday, Texas House Republicans attempted to censure their Democratic colleagues for breaking quorum during the previous special session. However, they fell short of the necessary votes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How much were Texas Democrats fined for breaking quorum? Over the past week, lawmakers moved forward with bills related to restricting sex-segregated private spaces, allowing private lawsuits over abortion pills, replacing statewide standardize testing in schools, and allowing Texans to get ivermectin without a prescription. Theyll have more to consider in the session, with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott adding topics to the special sessions agenda twice this week. On Friday, Abbott signed the states new and controversial congressional maps into law. Those maps were already the subject of lawsuits brought by groups representing Black and Latino voters in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas is also locked in legal challenges to laws passed earlier this year, such as Senate Bill 10, which created an unfunded mandate that public schools must display the Ten Commandments. Civil rights groups sue to block ban on DEI, LGBTQ+ student groups Supporters called Senate Bill 12 the Parents Bill of Rights. Now, opponents are suing over the bill theyre calling the Student Identity Censorship Law. Senate Bill 12 is a blatant attempt to erase students identities and silence the stories that make Texas strong, American Civil Liberties Union of Texas Staff Attorney Brian Klosterboer said. SB 12 is one of the most extreme education censorship laws in the country, undermining the free speech rights of Texas students, parents, and educators. Were challenging this law in court because our schools should be places of truth, inclusion, and opportunity not fear and erasure. SB 12 is an expansive bill relating to public school governance. Chiefly, the bill bans diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts from the Texas public schools, including banning DEI student groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At its core, the Texas Parental Bill of Rights in Education is about reaffirming that parents are the chief decision makers for their children, SB 12 author State Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, said when laying his bill on the Senate floor in March. Making it clear that their fundamental role in their childs education, their moral and religious upbringing, is decided by their parents. Read more about the focus of the lawsuit to block SB 12 from taking effect. RFK Jr., Abbott pledge health care funding for rural Texas communities St. Marks Medical Center in La Grange, Texas, used to provide emergency services and orthopedic surgery, but closed its doors in 2023 due to financial difficulties. Tejas Health Care CEO Sheri Kehler said it left a large gap in health care access for the community. Thats had a huge impact on the community, Kehler said. People were using that hospital to have access to emergency services, and now they dont have that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday participated in a roundtable discussion on solutions to rural health care access. Rural America is in crisis, and the rural hospitals are absolutely critical for them to survive these crises, Kennedy said. We have an obligation to ensure that those communities are going to be able to succeed, Abbott said. One of the most important ways to do that is having access to health care. Read more about what Kennedy and Abbott promised for rural communities during the discussion. Paxtons lead over Cornyn narrows in Texas Southern poll Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons lead over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in the states Senate primary is narrowing, according to an August survey from Texas Southern Universitys Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The poll shows Paxton holding a 5-point lead among likely primary voters, 44% to 39%, in a two-way race with Cornyn. Another 17% said they were undecided. The 5-point gap between Paxton and Cornyn remains the same in a hypothetical three-way race with Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, who has been considering a primary run. Paxton leads in the poll with 35%, while Cornyn trails at 30%. Hunt comes in with 22% support, and another 13% said they were unsure. Whoever wins the Republican nomination could face Colin Allred, who is running in the Democratic primary for the US Senate seat. Allred sat down for an interview with KXAN about his latest campaign, which can be watched below. Read more from The Hill about the poll, including how it compares to other recent polls. Former astronaut talks Democratic primary run for US Senate Allred currently faces former astronaut Terry Virts in a primary race to earn the Democratic Partys nomination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virts announced his run in June, ahead of Allreds announcement. The former F-16 pilot calls himself a common-sense Democrat on his campaign website. I bring a focus on mission and not on politics, Virts said in an interview on State of Texas. Virts said his background with NASA and in the Air Force is what will convince undecided voters. Its been 30 years of running the same type of candidate, If were going to win in Texas, I think we need to run a different type of candidate, like me, he said. Colin Allred, who lost to Sen. Ted Cruz in the 2024 Senate election, is currently the frontrunner to be the democratic nominee, but Virts is not discouraged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cant just try the same thing over again, Virts said. I can beat Ken Paxton. Allred and Virts are currently joined in the primary by Emily Morgul and Michael Swanson, two outsider candidates with limited presence in the race. Other political figures, such as state Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, former US Rep. Beto ORourke, and Congressman Joaquin Castro, a Democrat from San Antonio, have signaled interest but have not entered the race. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. In a major crackdown on narcotics, the Delhi Police apprehended a woman from the Kalandra colony, Bhalswa dairy and recovered 300 grams of heroin from her after acting on a tip-off. The accused has been identified as Afsana (23), a resident of Jahangirpuri. Accordingly, a case u/s 21, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) was registered at the PS Bhslwa Dairy. The accused was later arrested. After sustained interrogation and arrest of Afsana, in a late-night raid, Delhi Police arrested two suppliers, identified as Narender (37) and Jyoti aka Manshi (35). A total of 712 grams of heroin were recovered from them, broken down as 52 grams, 470 grams, 170 grams and 20 grams. Sections 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act were also added in the case. A total of 1,012 grams (1 kg and 12 grams) of Heroin was recovered in all. On August 29, the Delhi Police dismantled an inter-state gang engaged in a mobile phone snatching and smuggling racket, arresting eight accused and seizing more than 300 stolen devices. Speaking to ANI on Thursday, South Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ankit Chauhan explained the modus operandi of the gang, stating that they operated through a well-established network. After being pickpocketed, the stolen phones are transported to West Bengal and then smuggled into Bangladesh. "We have busted an inter-state gang involved in mobile snatching and smuggling of mobile phones. We have arrested a total of eight accused and recovered more than 300 mobile phones. After pickpocketing, a man named Mohammad Mujahir takes the mobiles from here to West Bengal. In West Bengal, he meets Mohammad Khalid, who then takes the mobiles to Bangladesh and smuggles them illegally," DCP Chauhan said. Explaining the reason for smuggling these stolen phones to Bangladesh, the senior official stated that once a device is reported stolen, it is blocked on the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) of the Government of India, preventing its use anywhere in the country. He said, "The main reason for this nexus is that once a mobile is reported stolen on the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) of the Government of India and we block it, that mobile device cannot be used anywhere in India. To avoid these technological advancements, people send their mobile phones from here to Bangladesh so that they can be used there." (ANI) COLLEGE STATION, Texas (FOX 44) Texas A&M University Health Services is launching its ninth annual observance of Suicide Awareness Month this September with a series of programs aimed at raising awareness, reducing stigma and expanding access to support for students, faculty and staff. The monthlong campaign will feature wellness activities, educational sessions, community events and creative workshops across campus, as well as collaborations with local partners in Bryan-College Station and McAllen. Organizers say the goal is to create opportunities for Aggies to learn, connect and access resources while fostering a culture of care. A new highlight this year will be speaker and comedian Joshua Rivedal, who will present Turning Impossible into Im Possible on Sept. 24 at Rudder Theatre. In his program, part performance and part education, Rivedal will share his experiences with loss, mental health challenges and resilience while offering practical tools for self-care and suicide prevention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement National data underscore the urgency of such efforts. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention estimates that each year about 1,100 college students die by suicide, while nearly 24,000 attempt. Research shows that the vast majority of those who die have an underlying, treatable mental health condition. Experts emphasize that discussing suicide openly does not encourage it, but instead helps reduce stigma and promote help-seeking. Texas A&Ms month of awareness begins with the Virtual Walk Challenge, running Sept. 331. Organized with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Living Well at Texas A&M, the event encourages participants to form teams, log miles and raise awareness together. Other featured activities include: De-Stress with Farm Friends: Sept. 4, 10 a.m.1 p.m., Simpson Drill Field 1100 Pinwheels Display: Sept. 1219, Academic Plaza Resource Fair: Sept. 10, 11 a.m.2 p.m., Rudder Plaza Talk Saves Lives Presentations (Virtual, registration required): Sept. 17, 11 a.m.noon; Sept. 23, 45 p.m. Creating Safer Communities Presentation (Registration required): Sept. 18, 45:30 p.m., Memorial Student Center Room 1400 Planting Self-Care Workshop: Sept. 11, 23 p.m., Student Services Building Room 108 Meditation & Doodling (Registration required): Sept. 17 and Sept. 24, 11:30 a.m.12:30 p.m., SSB Room 208 Breathe In, Stretch Out Yoga: Sept. 25, 5:306:30 p.m., J. Wayne Stark Galleries Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A full schedule is available at tx.ag/UHSsam. University Health Services also provides same-day non-emergency support for students in need. For help after hours, students can use the TELUS Health Student Support app for 24/7 assistance. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available at 988. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. AUSTIN (KXAN) Following a decade-long dispute, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and the United States filed settlement agreements related to the Texas v New Mexico and Colorado case. The dispute began in 2013 when Texas claimed that New Mexico had violated the 1938 Rio Grande Compact, which requires the equitable apportionment of the waters of the Rio Grande River. The Rio Grande provides water to roughly six million people in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and the Republic of Mexico. According to the New Mexico Department of Justice, the agreements allow the states and their water users to move forward in implementing sustainable long-term compliance with the Rio Grande Compact and water resources management practices in the Lower Rio Grande. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The settlement agreements will be considered during a Sept. 29 hearing, and the U.S. Supreme Court will make the final decision in the case. If approved by the Court, the settlement will provide certainty for water users in New Mexico and Texas and ensure that local communities and economies in the Lower Rio Grande can continue to thrive. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. Recently, we had a classic lesson in how far our toxic politics have fallen the Texas redistricting in midyear. Apparently, President Donald Trump, who is firmly opposed to the corrosive and corruptible effects of Democratic politics, has no such limitations with Republican politics. The president contacted the governor of Texas and asked for five additional seats to guarantee the Republican hold on the house during midterm elections. In other words, Trump wants to rig the midterm elections to favor Republicans. When the the governor of California threatened to do exactly the same thing in his state with respect to redistricting to advantage Democrats, Republicans screamed their heads off at the illegality and unfairness of California considering redistricting. Apples vs. apples, but of course they couldnt see that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opinion: Antitrust pushes by JD Vance and AOC, Cracker Barrel outrage signal big change. I think the moral of the story is clear: Anything Republicans do to Democrats is at worst a misdemeanor, but if Democrats respond in kind, its a felony. Were well on our way to a one party Banana Republic. Barry Snyder, Milwaukee Opinion: Meet new face of cancer in Wisconsin: She's under 50. We can't wait to act. Tips for getting your letter to the editor published Here are some tips to get your views shared with your friends, family, neighbors and across our state: Please include your name, street address and daytime phone. Generally, we limit letters to 200 words. Cite sources of where you found information or the article that prompted your letter. Be civil and constructive, especially when criticizing. Avoid ad hominem attacks, take issue with a position, not a person. We cannot acknowledge receipt of submissions. We don't publish poetry, anonymous or open letters. Each writer is limited to one published letter every two months. All letters are subject to editing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Write: Letters to the editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 330 E. Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 500, Milwaukee, WI, 53202. Fax: (414)-223-5444. E-mail: jsedit@jrn.com or submit using the form that can be found on the on the bottom of this page. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Trump-Newsom redistricting fight a lesson in toxic politics | Letters Thailand's Constitutional Court fired Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Friday after finding that she had broken ethical guidelines by speaking with a senior Cambodian official over the phone. The decision ends the term of the nations youngest prime minister and delivers the latest blow to the powerful Shinawatra political dynasty that has dominated Thai politics for more than two decades. Her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was prime minister from 2001 to 2006, has in the past faced allegations of putting his personal interests over those of the nation. In a 6-3 vote, the judges on Friday found that Paetongtarns conduct in a 15 June call with Cambodias former leader Hun Sen compromised national interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The call, which became public just weeks before a deadly border conflict erupted between the two countries, sparked outrage in Thailand. Paetongtarn was heard in the audio of the conversation on the tense border situation, calling Hun Sen his "uncle" and seeming to call a general in the Thai army an "opponent." The 39-year-old defended herself, arguing that her familiar tone during the call was a negotiating tactic aimed at de-escalating tensions. Paetongtarn also apologised, insisting her conversation did not damage national security. Petition alleged alignment with Cambodia The complaint against Paetongtarn lodged by a group of senators alleged that due to a personal relationship that appeared aligned with Cambodia, (she) was consistently willing to comply with or act in accordance with the wishes of the Cambodian side. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It further charged that her reference to the Thai general lacked demonstrable honesty and integrity and seriously violated or failed to comply with ethical standards. However, the court said in its ruling that Paetongtarn intended to uphold Thailands national interests and tried to prevent serious conflicts that could affect its sovereignty and border security. Thailand's suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra gestures during a press conference after her dismissal, in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakch - Sakchai Lalit/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved. It concluded that her actions did not clearly appear to be dishonest, although the majority opinion nevertheless found that her conversation constituted a breach of ethical standards. After the courts ruling Friday, Paetongtarn said she would accept it but insisted that she was innocent and had acted with the sole purpose of saving lives. A leaked phone call Audio of the call was leaked online by Hun Sen, who was Cambodias prime minister for 38 years until his son Hun Manet took over the job in 2023. The phone call came as long-standing border tensions escalated after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief fracas with Thai troops in disputed territory in May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In late June, the two countries engaged in five days of combat that killed dozens of people and displaced more than 260,000. Related The friendly tone of Paetongtarns call raised hackles among many Thais because of her familys history. Thaksin Shinawatra, a business owner who earned a vast fortune in the telecommunications sector and seemingly had a warm friendship with Hun Sen, faced allegations of putting his personal interests over Thailand when he was prime minister. He was ousted from power by a military coup but managed to remain a dominant force in Thai politics, with his daughter becoming prime minister, until Friday's ruling dealt what is possibly a final blow. DARLINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) The Darlington County Sheriffs Office is investigating after three people were shot sometime on Saturday night. It happened on Gallowaytown Road, spokeswoman Jordyn Jefferson told News13. There was no immediate word on injuries. This is a developing story. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. The original plan, which would have cost billions of shekels and demanded a vast amount of intelligence collected to succeed, was continuously delayed and would not have have been ready in time. The Mossad's original plan of attack against Iran was scrapped prior to October 7, former defense minister Yoav Gallant revealed in an interview with N12's Meet the Press on Saturday. Gallant claimed that the plan was "too complex and not lethal enough" in the interview and that he had called for a shift to aerial strikes on the regime in an alternative "100-day paper" he'd presented in March 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The original plan, which would have cost billions of shekels and demanded a vast amount of intelligence collected to succeed, was continuously delayed and would not have been ready in time for Israel to act, he said. "Anyone going to war with Iran must assume Hezbollah will be drawn in," he continued, criticizing former prime minister Naftali Bennett and MK Benny Gantz's inaction in ordering the production of further military equipment during their terms. "200,000 shells were taken from us for Ukraine. Did they order a single new shell to be produced? The answer is no." Gallant praised the IDF for its work in Operation Rising Lion. When asked about the Mossad's contribution, he noted that though the Mossad did assist in minimal areas, the majority of the operation was carried out by the Israel Air Force, according to information collected by the military. People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, June 28, 2025. (credit: MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY) VIA REUTERS) Iran's nuclear program has been delayed "by years," he said, but warned that the regime can and will rebuild, and that Israel must be prepared for when war on the Iranian front resumes. On the hostages and war in Gaza In the interview, Gallant also noted that five objectives were laid out at the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Three of these objectives: eliminating Hamas' organizational capabilities, decimating its leadership, and gaining full operational freedom for the IDF within the Gaza Strip, have been achieved by the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To achieve the two remaining goals, returning the hostages and replacing Hamas' rule with an adequate alternative, requires a political arrangement, Gallant said to Meet the Press, going on to claim that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich hold veto power in the government. He urged them, and the government at large, to agree to the framework of a ceasefire-hostage deal presented by US envoy Steve Witkoff. "We do not leave anyone behind: Not wounded soldiers and definitely not civilians," Gallant said. "I believe that we must bring all the hostages home, and if we can bring home ten hostages, half of those who are still alive, and the remains of the deceased hostages in the first stage of the deal, then we must take it." Troops of Border Security Forces (BSF) apprehended a narco-smuggler and recovered seven kilograms of heroin from his possession in Ferozepur, authorities said. BSF Punjab Frontier in a post on X on Sunday, said, "Acting on precise input of the BSF Intelligence Wing, alert troops laid a Naka on a suspected route in Ferozepur" "A suspicious biker, who attempted to flee upon interception, was swiftly apprehended by the BSF team. On thorough search, packets of heroin weighing approx. Kgs were recovered from his possession. The narco-smuggler has been handed over to Police for further investigation. His revelations are likely to lead to more recoveries and arrests in the coming days" Earlier this month, the BSF, in a joint operation, seized narcotics assessed at over Rs 75 crore in the illicit market and arrested eight persons, busting an international racket. The achievement followed a special joint operation conducted on August 21, acting on specific intelligence developed by the BSF and meticulously planned and launched in close coordination with the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) Aizawl unit and the Excise and Narcotics Department of Mizoram. The joint team successfully intercepted four suspected vehicles on the Aizawl-Champhai National Highway (NH-6), between Keifang and Seling villages, approximately 60 kms from Aizawl. "A total of eight individuals were apprehended along with four vehicles," said the BSF in a statement. During the search, the border guarding force said three plastic bags containing fifty packets, each weighing about one kilogram, filled with approx 10,000 pinkish tablets suspected to be Methamphetamine (Yaba) were recovered. "The total weight was found to be approximately 50 kilograms, amounting to 5,00,000 tablets approximately. In addition, three soap cases containing 36 grams of Heroin were also recovered. The combined value of the seized narcotics is assessed at over Rs 75 crore in the illicit market," it said. This major success highlights the synergy and seamless coordination between the BSF, NCB, and the Excise and Narcotics Department, Mizoram, whose joint efforts ensured the disruption of a significant narcotics trafficking attempt along the vulnerable Mizoram-Myanmar corridor. "The operation reaffirms the resolute determination of security and enforcement agencies to combat the menace of drugs, safeguard society, and protect the youth from falling prey to narcotics smuggling networks," said the BSF, which is mandated to guard India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders. The BSF said it reiterates its unwavering commitment to the war on drugs in close collaboration with sister agencies and assures that such coordinated actions will continue with greater intensity to deliver decisive blows against organised drug trafficking syndicates operating in the region. (ANI) CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ala. (WJW) A weekend accident at an ATV park in Alabama left two adults dead and seven young children injured, including a 1 year old. According to a joint press release from several investigating agencies, first responders were called to the Indian Mountain ATV Park around 4 p.m. Saturday on reports of a serious ATV accident with multiple injuries. Woman dies after being ejected in Vermilion crash Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the scene, emergency first responders discovered a side-by-side RZR carrying nine people collided with another RZR. It then flipped and hit a tree, the press release states. The driver was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. An adult female and three children were flown by medical helicopters to trauma centers in Birmingham. The woman did not survive her injuries. Additionally, four more kids were taken by EMS to a Georgia hospital for treatment. According to the press release, the children involved range in age from 1 to 12 years old. Scenes like this are always difficult, especially when they involve children. Please do everything you can to ensure the safety of yourself and those around you, Cherokee County Coroner Paul McDonald said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Making the response even more difficult, investigators said the location of the accident was remote and difficult to access, requiring staff at the ATV park to escort first responders to the site. Indian Mountain ATV Parks website says its one of the largest private off-road parks in the south with 4,700 acres of land. This is a tragic accident and highlights the importance of operating RZRs and other recreational vehicles in a safe and responsible manner, Cherokee County Jeff Sheriff Shaver said Lorain police officers recovering from shooting honored at Guardians game The investigations is ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. A five-year project to chart the wildlife of a remote national park in the Himalayas turned up some amazing results, most notably the first-ever sighting of an elusive carnivore in the area. The Miami Herald reported that researchers set up 10 trail cameras to monitor the wildlife of the Makalu Barun National Park in Nepal. Rare carnivore seen 'ambush hunting' at Nepal park in first-of-its-kind sighting https://t.co/wgqcjQI5qn TriCityHerald (@TriCityHerald) July 30, 2025 One of the most interesting features of the park is that it is the only protected land that contains both tropical forests and mountains. Mount Makalu, the fifth-highest mountain in the world, overlooks the park. The area is known for its rich biodiversity, but it is yet to be fully surveyed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The project captured over 38,000 images of 30 different mammal species, including a dozen sightings of the spotted linsang. As the study, published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa, noted, the spotted linsang is "one of Asia's least-studied species." Though not endangered globally, they are extremely rare in Nepal; it's believed that fewer than 100 individuals remain in the wild. Despite their critical condition in Nepal, they have received scant attention from scholars. The spotted linsang is a nocturnal tree dweller, easily recognizable by its slim build and long bushy tail. It preys on birds, small mammals, and reptiles, maintaining the balance of the ecosystem by controlling the prey population. They're scavengers, but little is known about their reproductive cycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study also revealed the presence of dholes, otherwise known as Asiatic wild dogs. The story highlights how beneficial trail cameras are in aiding conservation efforts, especially for rare species. They help provide clues about an animal's range, numbers, and needs. The information gleaned from the images will inform future strategies at the national and local levels. Trail cameras can also inform and inspire the public to back the necessary legislation to protect endangered species. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The sighting helps fill in the gap in scholarship and forms a more complete understanding of one of the most unique spots on the planet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the researchers noted: "This study provides the first photographic evidence of dhole and the spotted linsang in Makalu Barun National Park, extending their known ranges, and offering new insights into their distribution and ecological roles within this biodiversity hotspot." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Train passengers will be tracked by GPS as part of a trial that could cut fare dodging. New digital ticketing technology is being rolled out on East Midlands Railway (EMR) to track when passengers enter and leave train stations and automatically work out their fares. It is similar to Londons Oyster Card system, where travellers tap in and tap out and trust computer systems to calculate how much they have to pay for their journeys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Government officials have promised that the GPS technology will give the best-value fare on the day, while a spokesman for Trainline whose technology is powering the trial added that daily and weekly caps would be available so commuters would not overpay. Lord Hendy, the rail minister, said: The railway ticketing system is far too complicated and long overdue an upgrade to bring it into the 21st century. Through these trials were doing just that, and making buying tickets more convenient, more accessible, and more flexible. By putting passenger experience at the heart of our decision-making were modernising fares and ticketing and making it simpler and easier for people to choose rail. Lord Hendy, the rail minister, says the ticketing system is due an overhaul - Eddie Mulholland for The Telegraph GPS tracking of rail passengers could close a loophole exploited by fare-dodgers known as doughnutting, where dishonest passengers buy a ticket for the start and end of their journey to get through automatic barriers leaving the middle empty, or unpaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [This scheme] deters abuses like so-called doughnutting and helps protect industry revenue while making rail travel simpler for everyone, said the Trainline spokesman. Rail sources estimate that fare evasion costs the industry around 350-400m per year, while taxpayers handed over 12.5bn in subsidies for passenger trains in 2024 meaning fare evasion increases rail subsidies by just over three per cent. Around 10.3bn was paid in rail fares during 2023-24, according to Office of Rail and Road figures, As many as 4,000 people can register for the new public trial of the GPS ticketing tech. Those who sign up online must download a smartphone app that tracks their location. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For automatic barriers and ticket checks, a unique bar code pops up in the app that can be presented to scanners. False prosecutions scandal News of the new ticket tech comes amid an ongoing scandal over prosecutions for alleged fare evasion that has seen tens of thousands of wrongful criminal convictions being erased. Earlier this year the Government admitted that train companies both state-owned and privately run had been breaking the law in how they used criminal courts to bring private prosecutions against alleged fare-dodgers. Nonetheless, some 75,000 convictions have had to be wiped after the false prosecutions scandal came to light, thanks to The Telegraphs reporting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some sources have compared the railway industrys behaviour to the Post Office scandal, where thousands of innocent sub-postmasters were wrongfully dragged to court and ruined by the state-owned company on false criminal charges. The Telegraph also revealed last week that senior Department for Transport (DfT) lawyers believe non-legally qualified rail staff involved in those cases may have themselves committed criminal offences during the scandal, along with train company directors. Although Parliament put strict controls in place to ensure only qualified lawyers could bring private prosecutions, train companies sidestepped these laws for decades by using so-called lay prosecutors to do the work. Solicitors have legal duties that reduce the chances of the law being broken during overenthusiastic private prosecutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is an offence for a company director to allow staff to behave in this way, although there is a legal defence if they honestly believed they were not breaking the law in doing so. A Solicitors Regulation Authority spokesman said the body, which prosecutes people who break the ban on non-legally qualified people doing work that can only be carried out by solicitors, had been informed by DfT that an internal investigation was ongoing. The Solicitors Regulation Authority does not intend to take any action against individual rail company law-breakers, The Telegraph understands. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) Guidelines for transgender students are now under an existing policy at Comstock Public Schools after a standalone policy was rescinded in March. The move was announced by Comstock Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Thoenes during Mondays Board of Education meeting. Applaud came from some in the crowd. Side-by-side, old Policy 5106 for transgender students and the administrative guidelines for Policy 3115, covering non-discrimination, anti-harassment and non-retaliation are nearly identical. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The guidelines read gender non-conforming students instead of transgender students in the introduction section. However, most of the language is the same from the gender support plan to restroom and locker room access. The board voted to remove Policy 5106 back in March under recommendation from attorneys. The aim was to reduce the districts risk as federal officials cracked down on related policies in schools. Courtesy of Comstock Public Schools. Thoenes says while the board votes on polices, administration officials are left to carry out the goals through guidelines. While viewing Policy 5106, he said the text appeared to be more of action items suited for guidelines meant to carry out policy. He shared the new guidelines with CPS Board President Pamela Dickinson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She thought it was a viable idea as a compromise that would reassure the board that we would not put the district at risk financially for loss of federal funding in any way, Thoenes said. And it also reassured our community that students would have these kinds of protections, that all of our students would have these kinds of protections. It was presented to the board via email and shared Monday night, needing only board awareness, not an approval. Thoenes said it was well received by district leaders and concerned parents. I feel like now we have a path forward for our principals and for our students and staff as well as our community and our board, he said. The move is being seen with both praise and concern from some who packed the boardroom after the policy was removed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morgan Stevenson was part of the effort to keep it on the books. While not attached to the district, she said she has friends whose children attended Comstock. She said the change is a positive, but wants to see more. That is him being brave and leading by example because that is important, Stevenson said. Its a great step but its not enough. Just as Dr. Thoenes dropped that in there, these children are only protected as long as hes superintendent. Because the next superintendent could just come right back in and remove it as quickly as he entered it. Stevenson emphasized that the guidelines expanded protections to more students in the LGBTQ community. However, theres still a push to get the original trans student policy back. We need the board to take that step and we need the board to show us with action that they truly support and protect and respect these different identities and gender non-conforming and that they are willing to fight for them, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. The following is the transcript of an interview with Cindy McCain, World Food Programme executive director, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Aug. 31, 2025. ED O'KEEFE: We go now to the executive director of the World Food Programme, Ambassador Cindy McCain, who joins us this morning from Rome. Ambassador, thank you so much for being with us, and you're with us in part because you're just back from a trip into Gaza. So few outsiders are getting in these days to assess the situation. What did you see? U.N. WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CINDY MCCAIN: Well, first of all, thank you for covering this. I did go into Gaza. I entered through the Kissufim gate. Went to Deir al Balah, then on to Khan Yunis and out through the Kerem Shalom- Kerem Shalom gate. I saw a lot of devastation. I saw a lot of hunger. I saw people waiting in long lines for water. You know- what you would expect to see in a situation like that. And there's- there's clear desperation on the- on- in the hearts and minds of the people there, because there just is not enough food. I met with a family that- of 11 people that had come from the north. They'd got- walked all the way down. And what I saw, they had pictures that they brought with their- with their belongings, and I saw the kind of the before and after pictures. And there- I didn't even recognize these people. They have the weight loss, the malnutrition, the stress and everything that- the toll that it's taken on their family. It's- it's truly, truly a devastating situation, and something that we need to demand a cease fire about right now and make sure that we can get in there and feed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: And yet, Israel has declared Gaza City a combat zone and is ending humanitarian pauses and ramping up air strikes around the city. Gaza, of course, is one of the areas where a global monitor has confirmed famine. You talk about the hunger you saw in and around that region. What will a more aggressive military offensive in that area mean for Gaza City? MCCAIN: Well, it's going to limit the amount of food that they have access to. Of course, the danger alone is a whole other part of that, as you know, and it does not make it easy for humanitarian aid workers to get in there as well to make sure that we can do our job. The one thing that I've been saying all along about situations like Gaza City and others is that humanitarian aid workers are not targets. They're not targets, and this has to end. So I'm hoping that perhaps it won't be as bad as we think it's going to be. But I have a feeling- I have a feeling we're going to see some- some more serious devastation. ED O'KEEFE: In fact, you bring up the issue of safety for humanitarian workers. Last year, among the deadliest on record, nearly 400 killed in the line of duty. There was a World Food Program convoy that came under fire in Gaza last month. I mean, absent a ceasefire, what more needs to be done by warring parties to protect humanitarians as they try to carry out this work? MCCAIN: Well, these people are desperate. You know the- in terms of the ones that are on the ground, rushing the trucks, etc. What we need is full, unfettered access at scale, to be able to get in and feed, and feed in a way where the panic subsides. And secondly, of course, we don't do anything that involves guns or military in any way, shape, or form. And that's on purpose. That's who we are. That's our mandate. And so, obviously, a ceasefire, as I said before, being able to get in at scale, unfettered and in a safe manner, and continuously get in, and get into the furthest sites where we can't get food into- into the most vulnerable people that are- that are at risk right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: As part of your trip to the region, you also met with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. You described it as a productive meeting, and said you discussed what you need in order to be able to get access. But, you've also said it was clear there isn't enough food getting into Gaza. And I want to read you something that the Prime Minister's Office posted on social media. They said, in part, it's regrettable that Mrs. McCain has since issued statements contradicting what she told us in Jerusalem. That is a misrepresentation. Israel is enabling a steady flow of aid in sufficient quantities. What's your response to the Prime Minister? MCCAIN: Well, I stand by what I said. There's not enough food getting in. And without a full ceasefire and the ability to get in, as I said, at scale, unfettered, making sure that we're safe, doing it as well. That's the only way we're going to be able to feed people. We have, in recent weeks, been able to get a little more food in. So that's an accurate statement. But it's not enough. It simply isn't enough to be able to do the job and stop malnutrition, starvation, and all the things that have occurred as a result of it. Let me- let me add one thing to that, malnutrition and starvation and famine of any kind, it's not just about food. It's about water. It's about medicine. It's about the ability to treat the entire body of a person who is undernourished or malnourished in that way. So it involves more than just the food trucks, although that's very important, but it also involves things- special feeding for children, as well as medicine and water that need to all get in. ED O'KEEFE: So let me shift you to another part of the world, because it is the World Food Program, after all, and Sudan is the other part of the world that is in the midst of famine. Earlier this month, one of your convoys was attacked while delivering it in that country as well. What challenges are you facing there, trying to get food to the people who need it in Sudan? MCCAIN: Well, the incident that you just described, of course, the attacking the convoys. We're, right now we're in what we call the lean season, and so there's a lot of rain happening. It makes it even more difficult to get heavy trucks across to where the food needs to go. And of course, the conflict, El Fasher is the- is where the famine exists right now, within- within the Darfur region, but there's famine in other parts of Sudan as well. Again, it's- it's the safe access that we need to have and- and like other places, full- full unfettered access as well, and in a safe manner for our people delivering the food. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Ambassador Cindy McCain, thank you so much for bringing that important perspective to us this morning. We'll see you soon. MCCAIN: Thank you. ED O'KEEFE: And we'll be right back. "Portrait of a person who's not there": Documenting the bedrooms of school shooting victims The Long Island home renovation that uncovered a hidden story Passage: In memoriam The following is the transcript of an interview with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Aug. 31, 2025. ED O'KEEFE: Governor Pritzker, thank you for doing this, and thanks for the tour. We appreciate it. I want to start with the fact that we've now learned the Trump administration is preparing to launch what they call major immigration enforcement here in Chicago in the coming days. The Homeland Security Secretary on Friday suggested, quote "going to use LA as an example." So that mix of federal agents deploying with the assistance of National Guard troops potentially, to protect them and federal property. What's your response to those apparent plans? GOV. JB PRITZKER: Well, they've been here before, ICE has, scaring the communities across the city of Chicago. Frankly, right here in Little Village, businesses had to close, people had to stay home- people who are U.S. citizens, by the way, because they're afraid of being snatched off the streets and disappeared by people wearing masks and throwing them into vans. So the people of Chicago know what this looks like and are prepared. We hope that they don't send any troops along with ICE, and if they do, they'll be in court pretty quickly, because that is illegal. Posse Comitatus does not allow U.S. troops into U.S. cities to do- you know, to fight crime, to be involved in law enforcement. That's not their job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: If they're doing federal immigration work, a judge might say, if they're protecting those federal agents, that's okay. I mean, you'll just fight that in court as long as you can? GOV. PRITZKER: Well, National Guard troops- any kind of troops on the streets of an American city don't belong unless there is an insurrection, unless there is truly an emergency. There is not. ED O'KEEFE: Have you been briefed by anyone in the administration about these plans? GOV. PRITZKER: No one in the administration, the President, or anybody under him, has called anyone in my administration or- and me, have not called the city of Chicago or anyone else. So it's clear that, in secret, they're planning this- well, it's an invasion with U.S. troops, if they, in fact, do that. The other thing is, you know, they ought to be coordinating with local law enforcement. They ought to let us know when they're coming, where they're coming, if it's ICE or if it's ATF or whoever it is. But, they don't want to do that either and I must say, it's disruptive, it's dangerous. It tends to inflame passions on the ground when they don't let us know what their plans are, and when we can't coordinate with them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: We're speaking with Homeland Security Secretary Noem on Sunday. If she were to call you, what would you say? What's your message to her? GOV. PRITZKER: Well, I'd tell her that what she's doing is inflaming passions and causing disruption that doesn't need to be caused. We have people that have lived, yes in the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago for decades, working here, paying taxes. They're law abiding members of our communities, friends, neighbors, and why are we arresting them? Why are we making them disappear? Indeed, they're even disrupting the lives of people who are attempting to go through a legal process to stay in this country, who've been invited to a hearing, and then they're arresting them in the hallways on their way to that hearing. So this is dangerous. They shouldn't be doing it. It's anti-American. It's un-American. And I would tell her to maybe check herself for what does she really believe? ED O'KEEFE: She's also critical of the fact that Chicago is one of those cities that doesn't cooperate with federal immigration operations and she was quoted as saying that Illinois, quote, "refuses to have our back." GOV. PRITZKER: Well, that's not true. In fact, there were police officers who made sure that there was nobody interfering or attacking or causing problems for the ICE officials that were here. People have a right to express themselves. People have a right to their First Amendment, you know, freedom to express and we protect that too in the city of Chicago. So it's not true that the- nobody has their backs. What we won't do, however, is engage in what is a federal effort, that is to say they have their job, immigration. We have our job, which is to fight violent crime on the streets of our city and by the way, we're succeeding at that job, but when they bring people in and don't coordinate with us, they're going to cause enormous problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: The President has had some things to say about the Windy City several times in recent days. "Next it should be Chicago." "Chicago is a killing field right now." "Everybody knows Chicago is a hell hole right now. Everybody knows it." Your reaction? GOV. PRITZKER: You know, he wakes up in the morning and whatever whim strikes him is what he apparently says and recently, I guess I've been living rent free in his head. Chicago apparently is living rent free in his head, even though, on other days he'll talk about Baltimore, he'll talk about New York. Notice he never talks about where the most violent crime is occurring, which is in red states. Illinois is not even in the bottom half of states in terms of violent crime. Indeed, we're in the best half of the states so- but do you hear him talking about Florida, where he is now from. No, you don't hear him talking about that, or Texas. Their violent crime rates are much worse in other places, and we're very proud of the work that we've done. And we want more help. You know what kind of help we want? Civilian law enforcement help. We would like ATF agents to help us take more guns off the streets. We would like FBI, again, to coordinate with our local law enforcement to help catch perpetrators of crimes. If they would do that, we would welcome that. But that's not what they're planning to do. What they're planning to do is send troops into the city of Chicago, not because they want to fight crime, but because Donald Trump has other intentions. ED O'KEEFE: So bottom line would more federal agents in Chicago, assisting local law enforcement help deter crime right now? GOV. PRITZKER: Of course, you want to help us catch bad guys? Bring the FBI, bring the ATF. We already coordinate with them, by the way. We do a lot of work with them. We do some- we do drug interdiction, we do- fighting gangs, and we do, you know, interdiction of guns at the borders. I want to point out, by the way, what- if Donald Trump really wants to help us, what he would do is pass universal background checks for guns. We have that in the state of Illinois, but no state around us has it. How about having it on a federal level? Because that would help keep guns off the streets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: And part of the reason I ask about the potential for federal deployments to help right now is that according to a CBS News data analysis of what's gone on in Washington just in the last few weeks, while crime there as well was down and in most cases down double digits. It's down nearly 50 percent in the three weeks since the National Guard moved in. It's also down 41 percent, homicides down 69 percent, robbery down 63 percent, and the mayor concedes carjacking, which would become a bigger problem, down 83 percent since the federal agents showed up. So this kind of deployment he's set up in Washington, that he says he wants to do in other cities, at least in Washington, is showing potential success. And what I hear you saying is, well, sure, if they show up, it might help us, too? GOV. PRITZKER: I'm saying we don't want troops on the streets of American cities. That's un-American, and frankly, the President of the United States ought to know better. This one doesn't seem to. He hasn't read any books. He doesn't seem to understand the Constitution or the laws. ED O'KEEFE: But if he just sends the FBI, the ATF, DEA-- GOV. PRITZKER: -- Yeah, they're here already -- Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: -- And he sends more of them. GOV. PRITZKER: We have some working with us now. Would love more help. You know what else he's doing? He's cutting funds that help us to fight violent crime from the federal government. ED O'KEEFE: Give me an example of how those cuts have affected the ability to fight crime in Chicago. GOV. PRITZKER: So, let me just tell you what happened in Illinois when we had a Republican governor and he cut funding for programs that helped prevent crime. What happened was we saw a significant increase in crime. When you cut, for example, those programs that help to interdict crime, right, that help the- give kids summer jobs and so on. When you cut those programs, crime goes up. Our Republican governor, who preceded me, did that and what do you know? Crime went up. Donald Trump is now doing the same thing. He's taking away federal funding for those programs which are so important to us. We've increased funding at the state level, but we need that federal funding. It's on top of that. One more thing, the business community in the city of Chicago got together and put $100 million forward to help us, back in 2022, to help us to fight crime through these prevention programs. It's working. Crime is down. I mean, murders are down 50 percent in the city of Chicago and you can go through every statistic, almost everything is much better as a result of that work. Donald Trump is trying to take that money away. And he isn't listening to the business community here. He isn't listening to the clergy here. He isn't listening to people on the ground, Republicans here who understand that putting troops on the city of Chicago's streets is going to cause more problems than he understands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: Have you called him or anyone at the White House to say there's no need to come? GOV. PRITZKER: I think I've been pretty clear publicly-- ED O'KEEFE: Well, it's one thing to be clear to us, why not pick up the phone? GOV. PRITZKER: If he wants to send troops, he should call. I've been very clear about what it is that we'd like help with. But, instead, he's talking about sending troops. Nobody's called, literally nobody from the White House. Nobody from the federal government has called anybody in our administration or the city of Chicago. If they actually wanted to help, they might call and say, what help do you need? I think I've been pretty clear about what help we need. I don't know why they haven't bothered to reach out if they have plans of their own, but honestly, we'd be happy to receive a call. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: But you see no need to call yourself and say, what is this all about? Here's what I would like instead? GOV. PRITZKER: When we have an emergency and we need the federal government to send troops in, believe me, I will pick up the phone and call. That is not something going on in Chicago today. ED O'KEEFE: You know, there's another example of how you could potentially be responding to this, and there's no question that what he's talking about is unprecedented. But we've already seen now another state, California, say they're going to be sending teams of state police into major cities. Sounds like it might be to thwart potential federal deployments. Is that something you would consider? Sending Illinois State Police into the streets to help deter crime? GOV. PRITZKER: We do that all the time. We have Illinois State Police- I have the best state police in the country. And, in fact, they coordinate with the Chicago Police Department and police departments all across the state of Illinois to do exactly that, to make sure that we're bringing crime down. They've been very successful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: I long wondered, his focus on Chicago, do you think that has anything to do with the fact that back in the day, he had a business relationship with your extended family in the hotel business? There was a conflict, for example, in New York over a Hyatt Hotel. He has real estate, obviously, here in the city. I mean, could that be part of it? He mentioned, for example, this past week, I'm in the hotel business. His family's in the hotel business. Is there something from that that might cause this? GOV. PRITZKER: I don't know, but I'm not in the hotel business. I'm not engaged in that and I was-- ED O'KEEFE: I said extended family, right. GOV. PRITZKER: a kid. I was a kid when he was doing any business back then. So all I can say is that, for some reason, he's got it in his head that he should be attacking the city of Chicago. We won't stand for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: What do you think it's going to do to the country if that happens? Deploying in Washington, where he has federal control, is one thing, but if he sends military forces into a major American city- in a state that didn't ask for it, beyond Los Angeles, what do Americans make of that? GOV. PRITZKER: Well, they should understand that he has other aims, other than fighting crime. That's the first thing they should understand. The second is, it's an attack on the American people by the President of the United States. Now, he may disagree with a state that didn't vote for him. But, should he be sending troops in? No. And think about what- think about what he says. He says he's sending troops to fight crime. Are any of the red states that vote for him- voted for him, seeing troops in their states, and yet they have higher crime rates than the city of Chicago? No. ED O'KEEFE: You said he has other aims. What are the other aims? GOV. PRITZKER: The other aims are that he'd like to stop the elections in 2026 or, frankly, take control of those elections. He'll just claim that there's some problem with an election, and then he's got troops on the ground that can take control if, in fact, he's allowed to do this. We have sovereignty. There's a 10th Amendment in the United States, and it says that the states have sovereignty. Our laws are supreme unless there is a federal law that supersedes it. Our National Guard should be under the control of our governors. When the President calls up the National Guard, in my entire lifetime, that has only been to either enforce a federal law, in the case of 1965, as you're aware, that was done, or to send them, as regularly happens, happened under Biden, happened under every president my lifetime, to send them abroad to fight for this country, because they're trained to go to war. They're trained to protect the country. They're not trained to do law enforcement on the street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: I hear you talking about invasion, I hear you talking about- I hear you talking about him suspending elections. Are you suggesting- is it your belief he's an authoritarian? GOV. PRITZKER: Look, I can tell you this. I built a Holocaust Museum. I know what the history was of a constitutional republic being overturned, after an election, in 53 days. And I'm very, very concerned. We could talk about lots of authoritarian regimes in the world, but that just happens to be the one that I know. And I can tell you that- that the playbook is the same. It's thwart the media, it's create mayhem that requires military interdiction. These are things that happen throughout history, and Donald Trump is just following that playbook. ED O'KEEFE: On guns real quick, you've passed and signed some pretty significant firearms legislation this summer here in Illinois. How does that legislation help stop shootings at churches and schools from happening? GOV. PRITZKER: Well, we've banned assault weapons in the state of Illinois. We've banned bump stocks. We've banned switches that turn a regular gun into, essentially, an automatic weapon. These are all things that reduce the number of shootings. And by the way, guess what? Shootings are down significantly in the city of Chicago and across the state of Illinois. And again, I very much believe that people who have a right to own a gun should be able to go get one, but that you've got to have universal background checks. You've got to make sure that you're not selling guns that give someone the ability to commit a mass attack, in a school or anywhere else. But people have a right to protect themselves. There's a second amendment and I believe that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE: You said you're having some issues with the states around Illinois, right? GOV. PRITZKER: Well, yeah. There's not a single state around Illinois that has universal background checks. Don't we think we ought to make sure that people who buy guns should have a right to own a gun, and that we shouldn't have people who have significant mental health issues, or a felony record that should keep them from owning a gun? ED O'KEEFE: There appears to be a bit of a divide in your party about how to approach the President. You either fight back, don't cooperate, don't show up for meetings with him, or you find ways to seek common ground and do things on behalf of your state. I think I know the answer to this, but where do you come down on how Democrats should be engaging the White House? GOV. PRITZKER: I think I've been pretty clear, since the very beginning, that I know who Donald Trump is, I know what his aims are, and they're not good for the American people. They're not good for the people of Illinois. And so, yeah, I've been standing up to Donald Trump, and I'm going to do everything I can to stop him from taking away people's rights and from using the military to invade states. I think it's very important for us all to stand up. I've called for people to get out in the streets, use their megaphones and their microphones, make sure they go to the ballot box to vote. That's been my attitude toward Donald Trump, and that's what I think people should be doing all across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ED O'KEEFE Does the next Democratic presidential nominee, though, need to campaign to promise to undo everything he's done? GOV. PRITZKER: Oh, I don't know. I'm not thinking about- that's too far away. Let's talk about the 2026 election. ED O'KEEFE: You're running for reelection. GOV. PRITZKER: I am running for reelection. ED O'KEEFE: Can a voter walk into the booth in Illinois knowing that you're going to serve a full term if you're reelected to a third term? GOV. PRITZKER: I'm- I've been in office now for six-and-a-half years. I have dedicated myself, myself entirely to the state of Illinois, and I always will. I don't know what the future holds. What I can tell you is I'm totally dedicated to upholding the rights of people in the state of Illinois and making sure that we're protecting them, especially from a tyrant who's taken over the White House. ED O'KEEFE: But you- are you planning to run for President right now? GOV. PRITZKER: My plan is to run for reelection as governor of the state. ED O'KEEFE Is it something you think about at least? GOV. PRITZKER: You know, I look around, we've got a bench among the Democratic Party that is really terrific. I could point to governors. I could point to senators. I think there are a lot of good choices. I can just say that there, you know, there's no reason for us not to be thinking about all of those choices and thinking about what is it that the American people really want? What they want is to be able to go to the grocery store and afford things. They want to be able to buy a house. They want to be able to get a good job, and those are things that Democrats are fighting for. Republicans with tariffs, with fighting against the middle class by giving a massive tax cut to the wealthiest, while taking away Medicaid and food assistance, where clearly, Republicans are not on the side of average working people in the United States. ED O'KEEFE: When we talk about the bench. Is it responsible, is it accurate to put you on that bench? GOV. PRITZKER: What's accurate is that we've got a terrific group of people who could be President of the United States, on the Democratic side, and I'm happy to stand with them as we stand against Donald Trump. ED O'KEEFE: I'm acknowledging that they're trying to get us to wrap up and so I just have like two more so they can calm down. One of the- when people start looking at the future field and your name comes up and you're familiar with this, they go, well, yes, successful Midwestern governor, but he's a billionaire whose family made its money in hotels. Is a guy who's a billionaire because his family made money in hotels and other successful companies, the answer to the Democratic Party's future? Especially when the base of your party is so worried about issues like income inequality and the rich getting away with things that the working class doesn't? GOV. PRITZKER: You know, people asked that question when I ran for governor back in 2018, and I think what I've proven to them is, first of all, I won by a significant margin, almost 16 percent in the state. Second, what I've proven to them is that I stand up for working people and the most vulnerable in our society, that I am a true blue Democrat who's been fighting for the rights of women, the rights of minorities, making sure that we're doing everything that we can to keep the people of Illinois safe. And I think that's why I got reelected, also by double digits, and I hope to get reelected again next year. ED O'KEEFE: And bottom line it for us, is there any chance Illinois redraws its congressional lines before next year's midterm elections? GOV. PRITZKER: That's not something that I want to do. It's not something that any of us want to do. But I have to say, if Donald Trump is going to force his will on the American people by going to his MAGA allies in various states and have they- having them redraw in the middle of a decade, when you're supposed to be doing it right after a census, with a year ending in one, not a year ending in five. If he's going to do that all over the country, I think all of us have to think about what it is that we can do to counter that. ED O'KEEFE: What much- what much more could you do, though, as an Illinois Democrat? I mean, your map already gets an F from most good government groups for being gerrymandered. Would you wipe out all the Republican districts? GOV. PRITZKER: We've had a lot of very successful candidates in the state, and I can tell you this, that, yeah, it is possible to have more democratic districts in the state of Illinois, and we- we could do it. Like I said, it's not something that I want to do, and I'd like it to stop here. I know Texas is now signing this map into law, the governor of Texas. We know how much he cares about the country, not at all. And we're now going to see it in California, probably. I hope that it ends there. It ought to end there. And we ought to, you know, get a census done in 2030 and a new map done in 2031. ED O'KEEFE: Alright, we'll end it there. Thank you for taking the time. GOV. PRITZKER: Thanks, Ed, good to see you. The Long Island home renovation that uncovered a hidden story Dr. Sanjay Gupta on the mysteries of chronic pain "Portrait of a person who's not there": Documenting the bedrooms of school shooting victims Donald Trumps deployment of the National Guard, along with other military or paramilitary forces, to police the streets of Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and very likely other American cities can be called many things. Its ominous, and clearly meant to be. Its dangerous to the future of democracy assuming, for the moment, thats still what we have in this country. Its also clumsy, farcical and potentially self-destructive; I would argue that those qualities complement the menace, rather than undercutting or contradicting it. But heres what its not: Its not unprecedented, or even all that unusual. According to the pseudo-moral discourse of norms and guardrails in which so much of American journalism remains imprisoned, we dont do troops in the streets in the worlds leading democracy, because then we wouldnt be the worlds leading democracy, would we? Except, of course, in rare and exceptional circumstances governed by strict rules which sounds convincing unless you bother to look closely, which is when you discover that the exceptional circumstances have happened pretty often for all kinds of reasons, and the rules are so hazy and indistinct as not to be rules at all. Its more accurate to say that theres a weak political taboo around sending troops into the streets a taboo almost more honored in the breach than the observance and that presidents or governors need to embrace or concoct a purportedly compelling reason for violating that taboo. Sometimes that reason strikes most people as plausible, as in the wake of a hurricane, an earthquake or a major wildfire. But not always. Trump is far from the first president to use the National Guard to demonstrate federal supremacy over state and local governments, which is something of a sore point in U.S. history, as you may recall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of which is to say that there arent distinctive and troubling qualities to Trumps ramped-up use of military force in American cities. Its just that those troubling qualities are inherently subjective. As is so often the case, Trump, molded by the sharper minds in his inner circle, has perceived the flaws and weak spots in our crumbling 18th-century constitutional order and exploited them ruthlessly. What troubles so many non-MAGA citizens (an actual majority, if we believe recent polls) is not the fact that the president is sending in the troops, but exactly who that president is and why hes doing it. This is neither an original observation nor an encouraging one, but the second Trump presidency represents the fulfillment, or near-fulfillment, of a tendency toward ever-increasing executive power that extends back at least as far as Franklin D. Roosevelt, and arguably all the way to Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. This may be too much historical shorthand, but one could argue that the extraordinary extensions of presidential powers that Lincoln used to crush the Confederacy marked the beginning of a process that brought us all the way here, to the brink of a neo-Confederate authoritarian idiocracy. If thats even 10 percent true, it has to rank as one of the cruelest historical ironies imaginable. Whats distinctive about Trumps domestic use of the military, of course, is that the excuse for it is transparently absurd: The alleged disorder the Guard has been dispatched to suppress is either invented or imaginary. In L.A., the crisis was entirely the result of the federal governments overtly racist and willfully indiscriminate police-state actions, in seeking to detain and deport undocumented immigrants by the thousands (along with whoever else got swept up). There is no crime wave in D.C., as has been extensively documented, but the existence of any crime whatsoever especially if committed by a Black person was all that was necessary. But if we understand Trumps troop deployments as political theater aimed at his base and intended both to crush protest movements and divide the political opposition well, theres nothing new about that at all. As it happens, I got my first lesson about this as a small child, when then-Gov. Ronald Reagan sent the California National Guard into the streets of Berkeley in May 1969. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OK, thats not quite true: My memories of those weeks are fragmentary and unreliable, and I lived two miles away from the conflict zone, on a bucolic suburban street of Arts & Crafts houses and enormous plane trees. (A few blocks up the hill from Kamala Harris!) Most of what I actually know about the Peoples Park protests I learned after the fact. I told people for years that Berkeley had been under martial law, which wasnt technically true. To be fair, it kind of felt like it at the time. (William L. Rukeyser/Getty Images) The California National Guard in Berkeley, California, May 1969. Even at 56 years distance, these events which originated in a seemingly minor land-use dispute between community activists and the University of California seem strangely contemporary. Reagan had been elected on a pre-MAGA wave of right-wing outrage, promising to crush the pre-woke student protests of the late 60s, and seized on the Peoples Park protests as a golden opportunity for street theater and good TV. He sent in 2,700 National Guard troops, a force many times larger than was conceivably necessary, and they spent the next two weeks breaking up even small and peaceful demonstrations with tear gas, batons, rubber bullets and (occasionally or allegedly) buckshot. I must interject here that Maj. Gen. Glenn Ames, commander of the California National Guard, claimed, in a monologue worthy of Dr. Strangelove or perhaps The Odyssey, that Berkeley degenerates had tried to poison or contaminate his all-American troops: LSD had been injected into fudge, oranges and apple juice which they received from young hippie-type females. I think we all needed that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Growing up in Berkeley involved believing that we were special people in a special place, a notion also enforced (if mostly in a negative sense) by the rest of the world. So the National Guard thing seemed special too. It definitely wasnt, except for the minor but intriguing point that in Berkeley almost everyone involved was white. Consider these examples, which are by no means encyclopedic. Draft Riots, New York City, 1863 You can definitely go further back into American history than this, given that the official history of the National Guard is much longer than that of the U.S. military, and begins with the militia established by British authorities in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636. But theres no doubt that the draft riots of July 1863, an unstable and ugly combination of class conflict and race war, marked a decisive turning point in the use of federal power to quell urban disorder and offered a pre-echo of many subsequent events, up to and including Jan. 6. At the obvious risk of oversimplifying this complicated and dreadful event, what began as a legitimate protest against a harsh conscription law that targeted working-class men many of them impoverished immigrants from Ireland with no stake in the Civil War rapidly degraded into an outright pogrom against Black New Yorkers and their homes and businesses, along with government buildings and institutions. Perhaps as many as 1,200 people were killed (no one knows for sure) and thousands more Black residents were burned out of their homes and forced to leave the city. The mayor and the governor dithered for several days before requesting federal intervention (I dont know; does anything about that sound familiar?), but finally a force of 4,000 regular Army troops, less than two weeks after fighting at Gettysburg, arrived to stop the violence. Historical scholarship on the draft riots is intensive and disputatious; my only concluding point is that they seem to contain all the most painful and contradictory lessons of our nations history in compressed form. Public school integration, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1957 (Paul Slade/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) National Guardsmen with an African-American student, Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, 1957. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arguably we should pause to consider the use of federal troops in the South during Reconstruction, which was thematically connected both to the draft riots and to this event. For economys sake, lets skip forward nearly a century to the early years of the civil rights movement and another signal use of federal power. President Dwight Eisenhower a Republican, in case you hadnt noticed sent the National Guard to Arkansas capital city to enforce the terms of the Supreme Courts ruling in Brown v. Board of Education that made racial segregation in public schools illegal. Shall we talk about painful historical irony a bit more? This showdown mesmerized the nation and struck many people, in America and around the world, as the beginning of a reckoning with the legacy of slavery that might lead, on some distant day, to a society of genuine racial equality. Well, OK, and it also began the process that turned the white South hardcore Republican and now we have reached the dystopian-narrative plot point where the possible reversal of the Brown decision no longer seems inconceivable. Nope, I never thought I would find myself writing those words either. Civic uprising aka race riots, Detroit and Newark, 1967 (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images) The National Guard in Detroit, 1967. Its unfair to link the events in these two cities too much. They had disparate and quite different causes, and in the hazy historical imagination they blend together into the long hot summer and also into the epoch-shaping following year, when insurrections or riots broke out in numerous cities after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But even amid the near-constant social chaos of the late 60s, Detroit and Newark stand out for a number of important reasons. In both instances, the inciting incident involved alleged or apparent racist violence perpetrated by white cops in increasingly Black cities. (Neither city became majority Black, however, until after the uprising and/or rioting, when white flight intensified.) The level of outrage and the amount of property destruction was admittedly remarkable, and reflected years of built-up anger. If anything, the level of state violence in response was even more disproportionate. In Detroit, after Republican Gov. George Romney and President Lyndon Johnson had gotten over their personal and political animosity, they sent in 8,000 National Guard troops and nearly 5,000 regular Army soldiers, all of which arguably made the violence worse. (The Guard shot and killed at least nine unarmed people under, at best, dubious circumstances.) Rather than offer a potted history of the similar-but-different 1967 violence in Newark, I refer you to Salon contributor Bob Hennelly, who can tell this story better better than almost anyone. Oh, but wait: The truly important part here, I suspect, is that white people, in Michigan and New Jersey and pretty much everywhere else, were terrified out of their wits. The reputations of those two cities were permanently poisoned, and the contagious notion that American cities in general were full of angry Black people eager to commit mayhem spread throughout the Caucasian body politic. As difficult as this may be to imagine, Donald Trump was a 20-year-old college student at the time. Kent State, Ohio, 1970 (Bettmann Archive/Getty Images) Students flee from tear gas fired by National Guardsmen, Kent State University, 1970. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This perhaps overly-famous event, like the weeks of protest in Berkeley I dont exactly remember, didnt have anything to do with race, at least not explicitly. Leading student radical Tom Hayden made a somewhat cogent case, both then and later, that the antiwar movement on American campuses became adjacent to or allied with racial justice movements in the cities, which fueled establishment paranoia and led to exaggerated military response. That sure-enough happened at a normally placid state school in Ohio in May 1970, when a posse of poorly trained and obviously freaked National Guard troops opened fire on a nonviolent demonstration, killing four students and wounding nine others. Look, Im not saying Kent State was inconsequential: All lives, in fact, do matter! But in a list full of embedded historical ironies, its noteworthy that the deaths of four college kids, as memorialized in a doleful pop-rock ballad, had a generational impact out of scale with a bunch of more dramatic or more violent events. For our current purposes, its worth adding that a not-inconsequential percentage of the public looked at what happened in that Kent State field and were like, lol yes! Rodney King riots, Los Angeles, 1992 Here we reach another history-changing event that quite a few of todays readers can actually remember, which arrived as a massive shock to the American system at the tail end of the supposedly peaceful and prosperous Reagan-Bush I years. After LAPD officers were acquitted on all criminal charges for the vicious beating of Rodney King, an unarmed Black man, much of the metropolitan area erupted in what remains the largest single civil disturbance in American history. (Steve Grayson/WireImage) A car burns, Florence and Normandie Avenues, Los Angeles, April 29, 1992. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was another tale of two narratives, set against a social landscape in which violent crime was much more pervasive than it is today. (I know, almost nobody believes this, and you might not either: Its true!) For many Black people, this was evidence that 25 years after the long hot summer very little had changed in terms of police racism and economic segregation. For a lot of white folks, it was more OMG the cities are chaotic, violent and disastrous and we need to lock em all up. Theres no way to sugarcoat the scale of destruction, which extended over more than 30 square miles. Almost no one would claim that sending in the National Guard was unnecessary in this case; it ultimately took 10,000 Guard troops and about 600 U.S. Marines to restore an uneasy peace. Los Angeles and its troubled police department were permanently changed by this trauma, and I would argue that on a national scale we are still living in its aftermath, which included Bill Clinton and neoliberalism and mass incarceration and wow, somebody stop me before this gets really depressing. Want more sharp takes on politics? Sign up for our free newsletter, Standing Room Only by Amanda Marcotte, also a weekly show on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. One reason why so many people refuse to believe todays crime statistics, I suspect, is the enduring suspicion that what happened in 92 is waiting to happen again. We could call that bad conscience, but why be judgmental? Oh yeah, and in 1992 Donald Trump was a playboy tycoon in his mid-40s, at the peak of his tabloid celebrity. The King riots, and the Central Park Five case, would shape his understanding of social reality from that moment onward. Black Lives Matter protests, numerous cities, 2020 Speaking of bad conscience, all of that happened five years ago this summer, after the killing of George Floyd. Seems like yesterday and also like a bygone era, right? The National Guard was called out in lots of places and did very little to reduce the tension, but despite the blatant longings of the guy in the White House, also didnt make things worse. I think this history is too recent to unpack in any coherent way, but I think the Black Lives Matter summer both led to the election of Joe Biden later that year and to, yknow, what happened after that. Does that make sense? U.S. Capitol, Jan. 6, 2021 Speaking of not making sense: I dont really want to dwell on this one, do you? The National Guard got there eventually. Almost everyone who was arrested or convicted got away with it, and a lot of them never got caught in the first place. Do you want me to try to convince you that this event, and its still-unresolved meaning for you and me and our so-called republic, have nothing to do with race? Tell that to Laura Loomer. The post Troops in the streets: The police-state dark side of democracy appeared first on Salon.com. DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) A Troy student was injured in a Saturday night shooting on campus. The shooting occurred at around 9:30 p.m. near the Trojan Fitness Center, just across the street from the Veterans Memorial Stadium. Troy University Police say the female student was shot in the foot and the injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Only one shot was fired in the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The campus was not put on lockdown after the shooting, but a safety alert was issued to students to stay away from the area. The Trojans game against the Nicholls State Colonels ended around the same time as the shooting. According to TUP, there is not an ongoing threat to the campus or the surrounding community. The shooting is under investigation and anyone with information is asked to call the Troy University Police Department at (334) 670-3215. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com. A month before the fatal Minneapolis church shooting, the Trump administration cut $18.5 million in funding from a Homeland Security program aimed at identifying and preventing potential mass shooters. In July, the administration significantly downsized the DHS Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3), which administers the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grant Program. This initiative had previously funded local efforts to identify and prevent potential mass shooters. The downsizing included reducing the center's staff from 45 full-time employees to just a handful and eliminating numerous contracts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Minnesota, this reduction in federal support led to the termination of grants that had been allocated to local agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. These grants, totaling around $800,000, have been instrumental in supporting initiatives aimed at identifying and mitigating potential mass violence threats. The CP3-funded programs aimed to establish multidisciplinary teams that included mental health professionals, school officials, social workers, and law enforcement officers to assess and manage potential threats. Suspected shooter Robin Westman questioned in journal entries why authorities hadn't looked further into his strange behavior (Getty) For instance, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's grant was intended to create a statewide threat assessment and management team focusing on active shooters and related threats. Similarly, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office's grant sought to enhance collaboration among various professionals to address mass violence risks. DHS officials defended the decision in a statement, claiming, the grant program previously administered by CP3 was nothing more than a slush fund for left-wing ideologies, and did next to nothing to combat actual threats in our communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, critics argue that these programs were essential in equipping local agencies with the tools needed to prevent violence. Democratic Representative Betty McCollum, along with five other lawmakers, had previously urged DHS in a letter to reinstate the funding, citing the importance of such initiatives in the face of increasing threats to schools and religious institutions. Never in our worst nightmares could we have imagined another tragedy occurring so soon, McCollum said on Friday. The CP3-funded programs sought to create teams of mental health professionals, school officials, social workers, and law enforcement to identify and manage potential threats (Getty Images) In the aftermath of the shooting, First Lady Melania Trump spoke about the importance of proactive measures to identify and address potential threats. "The tragic mass killing in Minnesota illuminates the need for preemptive intervention in identifying potential school shooters, she wrote on X. Early warning signs are often evident, with many individuals exhibiting concerning behaviors and making violent threats online prior to their actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She continued, "To prevent future tragedies, it is crucial we look into behavioral threat assessments across all levels of societybeginning in our homes, extending through school districts and of course, social media platforms. Being aware of these warning signs and acting quickly can save lives and make American communities safer. Even Westman reportedly wondered why authorities hadnt looked more into their concerning behaviors. According to journal entries, quoted in CNN, Westman had recently experienced a breakup, purchased multiple firearms within a short period, frequented gun ranges, and ceased employment at a local marijuana dispensary. Two children were killed and 18 more were injured in the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School (Getty Images) In one entry, Westman wrote, I have been showing signs for a while, I need to be stopped! I dont want to abandon my plan, but I really want to be stopped for the sake of my family. Experts have said, while its impossible to determine the extent the grants could have prevented the shooting, that the loss of such resources may have left communities more vulnerable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This event in Minneapolis was 100 percent preventable. This was exactly the kind of event we could have stopped, a former DHS employee, speaking to CNN anonymously to avoid jeopardizing their deferred resignation, said. Two children, 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski, were killed in the shooting near the Annunciation Catholic School, and 18 others were injured. Westman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound following the attack. Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari expressed concerns about the impact of US President Donald Trump's tariffs on India and urged the Centre to show "spine" and not "bow down" to American pressure, recalling India's past experiences in dealing with similar situations. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Tewari criticised Trump's policy of "isolationism," saying it's damaging the US-led security architecture established after World War II in 1945. "It's a painful situation, some parts of the Indian economy will get hurt, but under no circumstances should we bow down to questura (Italian word for police force); the government should stand up straight, demonstrate spine, we have weathered far more serious crises in the past," Tewari said. Tewari emphasised the need for dialogue with the US government, highlighting India's "people-to-people" relationship with the US, which predates the current government relationship. "We have a natural syncretic relationship with them, a people-to-people relationship with them, which predates even a warm government relationship, which only started in 1998 when the Jaswant Singh reset took place. We should try and persevere, but under no circumstances can or should India concede on its vital economic interest," he said. Tewari suggested widening strategic choices and economic frameworks to navigate the complex relationship, terming it "50 shades of grey". "This is a binary; there are always 50 shades of grey between black and white. Yes, it is a tough situation, and in this situation, everything needs to be done. To widen our strategic choices and economic framework," he said. The US imposed 25% tariffs on Indian goods, which were later increased to 50%, citing India's purchase of Russian oil and alleged funding of Ukraine's war. The tariffs are likely to harm India's economy, particularly in sectors such as textiles and IT. Tewari emphasised that the 50% US tariffs on India are unjustified and will hurt both countries' economies. "Well, President Trump, in the quest for American isolationism, is gutting the entire US security architecture, which the United States constructed very assiduously post the Second World War in 1945. While India and Brazil are in the highest tariff bracket for reasons that are completely inexplicable and totally extraneous, other countries have also been bearing the brunt. Switzerland was in the 39 per cent bracket," Manish Tewari told ANI. He emphasised that key US allies worldwide are losing trust in the country, which will ultimately harm US foreign and economic policies. "So under those circumstances, this is not only reconfiguring the economic architecture of the world, but this is reconfiguring the security architecture of the world as well. No longer, countries or US allies, whether in Europe, North Asia, East Asia, South East Asia, Australia convinced that the United States is a reliable partner so there the Trump presidency, by the time it ends would have ended up doing so much of damage to US foreign and strategic policy that it will take decades to be able to reclaim that trust," Tewari said. He suggested widening strategic choices and economic frameworks to navigate the complex relationship with the US. India is accelerating free trade agreements with the EU, UK, and others to reduce dependence on the US market. Tewari referenced the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) developed by PM Jawaharlal Nehru and the "self-reliance" policy by PM Indira Gandhi as cornerstones of India's economic and foreign policy. "To try and build on the two individual postulates which were inunciated by Prime Minister Nehru, which is Non Alignment and called multi alignment today and by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi called Atma Nirbharta (Self Reliance) today. Eventually, when the chips are down, you are falling back to those maxims which have been the cornerstone of India's economic and foreign policy," he said. (ANI) Forget the signing bonuses at Amazon or the tuition deals pitched by the U.S. military. The Trump administration is offering one of the richest deals in government recruiting history: up to $60,000 in student loan forgiveness and a $50,000 signing bonus for anyone willing to become a deportation officer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The offer is designed to supercharge ICEs ranks as the administration prepares for what Trump has promised will be the largest deportation effort in American history. With billions in new funding for immigration enforcement, the White House is betting that big money and looser entry requirements will attract thousands of new agents. Its a dramatic shift in federal hiring, and surprise, its already stirring attention. Must Read Why Trump is desperate for new recruits Immigration is the beating heart of Trumps second-term agenda, and the recent One Big Beautiful Bill assigns more than $150 billion to immigration enforcement. More ICE agents, he argues, mean more arrests, faster deportations, and a show of law and order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DHS Secretary Kristi Noem says the bill will help the Department of Homeland Security and our brave law enforcement further deliver on President Trumps mandate. ICEs budget now rivals the combined totals of the FBI, DEA and ATF, underscoring how central the agency has become to the administrations vision. But the push comes with a problem: ICE has historically struggled to fill its ranks. Law enforcement agencies everywhere are competing for the same pool of applicants, and city police departments already strapped for staff say theyre losing potential recruits to better-funded federal jobs. The administration is dangling bonuses and removing previous obstacles. The college degree requirement has been dropped, making the job more accessible to people without a four-year diploma. Age caps have been scrapped, allowing both fresh high school graduates and retirees to apply. And enhanced retirement and overtime benefits are on the table to sweeten the deal. The campaign even has a patriotic marketing twist. Recruitment ads feature bold, militaristic slogans, and actor Dean Cain best known for playing Superman in the 1990s is aggressively promoting the effort. Read more: Rich, young Americans are ditching stocks here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Is money enough to move the needle? DHS officials say more than 110,000 applications poured in just weeks after the program launched. Applications are coming from a wide mix of people: retail and service workers hungry for a better paycheck, recent graduates weighed down by student loans, and retired cops seeking one last career run. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But numbers on paper dont equal boots on the ground. The application surge may look impressive, but experts point out that only a fraction of candidates will survive the screening process, physical fitness tests, and training pipeline. ICEs main training academy in Georgia already faces bottlenecks, and expanding capacity will take time. Local law enforcement leaders are also bristling, and there are worries that federal incentives will compete with local jurisdictions for recruits. State and local agencies cant possibly compete with a six-figure federal incentive package, John DeCarlo, University of New Haven criminal justice professor, told The Wall Street Journal. Critics also argue the flood of applicants says less about enthusiasm for immigration enforcement and more about desperation for debt relief. With Americans carrying about $1.8 trillion in student loans, the offer of wiping out $60,000 is no small carrot. What more ICE officers mean for America The White House insists an expanded ICE force is critical to national security. Trump frames the move as a way to wrest control of the border and deliver on his pledge to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But not everyone agrees that bigger is better. Civil rights groups note that most detainees in ICE custody have no criminal record, and they warn that rapid expansion will increase mistakes, abuses and community distrust. Critics also question whether the sheer volume of new hires especially if training standards are loosened could lead to poorly prepared officers making high-stakes decisions in the field. For now, though, the money is doing the talking. ICEs coffers are overflowing, applications are pouring in and the administration is eager to turn recruits into officers. Whether that actually delivers the immigration crackdown Trump is promising or creates new problems for law enforcement and communities alike is the billion-dollar question. What to read next Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. Subscribe now. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. The Trump administration will axe 532 jobs at Voice of America (VOA) and the agency that oversees it, it was announced on Aug. 30. Kari Lake, acting CEO of the Agency for Global Media (USAGM), said on a post on social media that the move will "to help reduce the federal bureaucracy, improve agency service, and save the American people more of their hard-earned money." But the move is just the latest in a long-running battle between VOA, an outlet that U.S. President Donald Trump has accused of being "radical." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement VOA was established during World War 2 in an effort to counter Nazi propaganda. In February, the outlet employed approximately 1,300 staff. Since then, programming has been slashed, with broadcasts now limited to just four languages. The latest layoffs will leave VOA with just 108 staff members. The decision to dismantle VOA has met legal challenges. On April 22, a U.S. federal judge ordered the administration to reinstate all employees and contractors, ruling that the mass dismissal likely violated U.S. law. However, a federal appeals court overturned that order, allowing the layoffs to proceed. The Trump administration temporarily reinstated several staff members from VOA's Persian-language service amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. But at least two of those individuals also received layoff notices on June 20, according to the NYT. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has long criticized U.S.-funded media organizations, criticizing them over their coverage of the U.S. president, and often referring to them as "fake news." In total, the networks reach an estimated 427 million people across the world and employed thousands of employees across the United States, Cuba, Europe, and Asia. The Trump administration has previously cut thousands of federally-funded positions, with the cuts directly impacting support for Ukraine. In February, the Trump administration terminated the employment of top officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) after they attempted to prevent representatives from Elon Musks DOGE from accessing restricted areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Exclusive: Maker of Ukraines new Flamingo cruise missile facing corruption probe Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Former AmeriCorps service member Daniel Zare, 27, visits Project CHANGE at Sligo Middle School on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025 in Silver Spring, Maryland, where he mentored students before federal government cuts in April. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) The Trump administration has agreed to release $184 million for AmeriCorps, the federal agency for service and volunteerism, after a coalition of 22 attorneys general and two governors sued in April. The coalition, which included Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey, challenged the administrations plans to eliminate 90% of AmeriCorps workforce, cancel contracts and close $400 million worth of programs the agency supports, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronhas office said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the last minute, when required to provide legal justification as to why it withheld funds, the administration instead did what it should have done from the beginning and released the funding, said Frey. AmeriCorps represents some of the best of American values: service, community, and opportunity, said Frey, and Maine would have been deprived of this important, congressionally-funded AmeriCorps programming had I not joined suit to enforce the law. AmeriCorps, a federal agency signed into law in 1993 by former President Bill Clinton, places roughly 200,000 members across the United States at 35,000 service locations, according to current agency data. There are more than 200 AmeriCorps locations in Maine. It supports national and state community service programs by funding and placing volunteers in local national organizations that address critical community needs. It also provides support for organizations to recruit and supervise volunteers. Members serve in schools, local governments and with a wide range of nonprofits that focus on health, disaster relief, environmental stewardship, workforce development and veterans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The frozen funding has created uncertainty for AmeriCorps programs across the country. In June, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction that reinstated hundreds of AmeriCorps programs that were unlawfully canceled and barred the agency from making further cuts without going through a formal rulemaking process. The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), however, continued to withhold more than $184 million for service programs for seniors and those awarded highly competitive federal grants. The coalition filed an amended lawsuit in July and requested another preliminary injunction to release the remaining funds, Neronhas office said. The Trump administrations deadline to respond was Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rather than oppose the states motion, the administration instead informed the court that OMB would release all withheld AmeriCorps funds which AmeriCorps will distribute to programs nationwide, as quickly as possible, Neronhas office said in a statement. In addition to the attorney general lawsuit, a nationwide coalition of nonprofits, including three from Maine, also sued the administration over the rescinded funding. A version of this story was originally published by Pennsylvania Capital-Star. Like Maine Morning Star, Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: info@penncapital-star.com. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE President Donald Trump appeared to admit that his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the countrys war in Ukraine was a flop because he failed to secure a ceasefireor much of anything but presidential pleasantries. Trump sat down for an Oval Office interview with reporter Reagan Reese of the conservative-slanted Daily Caller on Friday. Addressing the challenges he has had brokering peace between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump prefaced that he inherited this war. President Donald Trump (right) reaches to shake hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Aug. 15, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska. / Andrew Harnik / Getty Images Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 during former President Bidens term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were talking about a lot of lives. Were not talking about something that I started, Trump said. I inherited this war. And all Im trying to do is put out the flame, you know. And I thought I had it done. Trump again alleged that he had seven times ended other wars, which has been contested by several reports. I did it with wars that were tougher than this in terms of nobody, he said. So three of those wars are going on for more than 30 years, and I got them all done. This war is just, its been very difficult. Its been a difficult war. The MAGA figurehead has consistently raged against critics of his Putin meeting for suggesting that it did nothing to move the Russian president toward peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet Trump now also seemed doubtful of a Putin and Zelensky face-to-face meeting and a timeline for peace between the two warring nations. According to Trump, he hoped his good relationship with Putin would be enough to seal a deal but it wasnt. Thats why I really thought we would have this done. I would have loved to have had it done, he told Reese. Maybe they have to fight a little longer. You know, just keep fighting. stupidly, keep fighting. Heres me and the president before our interview yesterday. Hes very much alive! More coming soon: pic.twitter.com/Cl33CvCVWf Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) August 30, 2025 To promote her interview with the Commander-in-Chief, Reese took a jab at rumors swirling around Trumps health and claims that he is declining in a tweet. She included a photo of her on a walk with the president and captioned it, Hes very much alive! More coming soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet Trump kept the conversation focused on Putin and Ukraine, doubling down on his declaration that he would not put American boots on the ground to assist Ukraine. But he said he could send a plane. If I could stop that and have a plane flying around the air every once in a while, its going to be mostly the Europeans, but we, wed help them, he said. They, you know, they sort of need it, and wed help them if we could get something done. The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for greater clarity on what was discussed at Trumps summit with Putin. President Donald Trump compared Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to children when asked about a potential meeting between the two leaders. In an Oval Office interview on Friday with The Daily Caller, Trump responded to questions about his talks with Putin and Zelensky this month to end the war in Ukraine. When asked what he and Putin disagreed about during their summit in Alaska earlier this month, Trump told the outlet that the two of them got along and suggested the war may continue a little longer. I dont know. We got along, he said. You saw it, weve had a good relationship over the years, very good, actually. Thats why I really thought we would have this done. I would have loved to have had it done. Maybe they have to fight a little longer. You know, just keep fighting stupidly, keep fighting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump then compared Zelensky and Putin to children fighting on a playground, noting he isnt sure a bilateral meeting between the two leaders will happen. The president previously said he was arranging for Putin and Zelensky to meet, and that he would join them for a trilateral summit afterward. A [trilateral] would happen. A [bilateral], I dont know about, but a [trilateral] will happen, Trump told The Daily Caller. But, you know, sometimes people arent ready for it. I say, I use the analogy. Ive used it a couple of times. You have a child, and theres another child in the lot, in the playground, and they hate each other, and they start swinging, swinging and swinging, and you want them to stop, and they keep going. Trump admitted that he meeting with Putin in Alaska didnt have the desired outcome. (Reuters) He continued: After a little while, theyre very happy to stop. Do you understand that? Its almost that way. Sometimes they have to fight for a little bit before you can get them to stop. But this has been going on for a long time. A lot of people are dead. When Trump met with Putin on August 12, the pair walked away without any signs of a deal to end the war. The Russian president also reportedly demanded that Ukraine cede the eastern Donbas region, which has been partially occupied by Russia for more than a decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Afterward, Zelensky and several European leaders including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with Trump in the White House to discuss a deal and potential security guarantees for Ukraine. Top White House officials now believe that some European leaders may be prolonging the war by publicly supporting Trumps push for peace while privately urging Zelensky to wait for a better deal, Axios reports. An unnamed senior European official who was involved in the recent talks told the outlet they were surprised to hear about the criticism from White House officials and maintained that European leaders arent playing a game behind Trumps back. The Independent has contacted the White House for comment. Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. There have been more than 950,000 Russian casualties since the war began, including up to 250,000 fatalities, according to a report released in June by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That means that Russia has suffered as many as five times the number of fatalities in Ukraine (in just over 3 years) as in all Russian and Soviet wars combined since World War II (covering roughly 77 years), the report says. Meanwhile, there have been more than 400,000 Ukrainian casualties, which includes both the wounded and the killed, according to the report. President Donald Trump is defending his administration's decision to allow 600,000 Chinese students to study in the U.S. over the next two years, as trade negotiations continue between the two countries. Some of the president's allies, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Laura Loomer, have assailed the White House for appearing to walk back its initial hard line on Chinese international students. But Trump told The Daily Caller's Reagan Reese that he decided to allow Chinese students entry into the country in the interest of maintaining Washington's relationship with Beijing. "I think that its very insulting to a country," he said in an interview published Sunday. "I have a very good relationship with President Xi. I think its very insulting to a country when you say youre not going to take your students." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move surprised many of Trump's MAGA faithful and for good reason. In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the federal government would move aggressively to revoke the visas of Chinese students. That's far from the only action the administration has taken to target international students. On several occasions early in Trump's second term, the White House endeavored to deport pro-Palestinian international students. And amid a protracted dispute with Harvard, the White House in May pushed to block any international student from attending the prestigious university. The administration also introduced an expanded vetting system for student visa applicants, which includes social media monitoring. Admission to the United States to study at an elite American university is a privilege, not a right, Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X in June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Trump told the Daily Caller he was looking out for smaller universities by allowing Chinese students to return to the country. "Its also good for our system, when you take them out and you know whos going to be affected, the lesser colleges, the top colleges arent going to be, its the lesser colleges that are," he said. POLITICO did not have independent access to the transcript of Trump's interview with The Daily Caller, set to be released in full on Monday. President Donald Trump says he wants to do away with mail-in ballots. Those inside his own fiercely loyal political party arent so sure thats a good idea. Earlier this month, Trump continued his long-running criticism of voting by mail, falsely claiming that the United States is the only country that allows such a method and calling the practice corrupt. Your election was rigged because you have mail-in voting, Trump quoting advice he said he received from Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a recent interview with Fox News. Its impossible to have mail-in voting and have honest elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In social media posts this month, including one late Saturday, Trump indicated that he could act unilaterally and abolish mail-in balloting through an executive order ahead of the 2026 midterms. Its a method of voting that accounted for 30% of all votes cast during the 2024 general election, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, an independent and bipartisan government group. Voter turnout by mail exceeded 30% in at least 14 states and the District of Columbia, according to the most recent data available. Trump won half of those states, most of which have Republican governors or secretaries of state overseeing elections. Others, like Arizona and Michigan, have Democrats overseeing elections but are major electoral battlegrounds. My view on vote-by-mail is that I think it should be permissible, Michigan state House Majority Leader Bryan Posthumus, a Republican who endorsed Trump last year, said in an interview with NBC News. But I also believe that currently, the way it exists, specifically in Michigan, it is the highest risk for fraud. Posthumus perspective was echoed by nearly a dozen other GOP officials across the country who sympathized with Trumps grievances and agreed that changes to mail-in balloting are necessary. But they question whether Trump could or should legally enact a ban. Some also worry a ban could create issues for members of the military who vote overseas and for Republican candidates in states where voting by mail is popular. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Trump often does, sometimes he overstates his case, said Paul Dame, chair of the Vermont Republican Party. I dont think anyone supports a complete elimination. That would disenfranchise men and women overseas. Im sure thats not his intention. An executive order? I dont know Though Vermont heavily supported Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris last year, more voters there backed Trump in 2024 than in his previous two White House bids, and the state is one of just eight states that automatically sends a mail ballot to all qualified voters. Thats where Dame says improvements could be made in his state and others heavily reliant on mail-in ballots. A ballot goes out to every address, not every person, he said. There may or may not be a person who lives at that address. We need to have a clean list. In Michigan, Posthumus has proposed amending the state constitution to require proof of citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID to cast a ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We shouldnt just go off and get rid of voting by mail, Posthumus said. We need to buckle down and secure the weakness and vulnerability in it. Ive always been a proponent that it should be easy to vote and hard to cheat. As long as our vote-by-mail systems are secure, then the access to the ballot box that it allows for is a good thing. Jim Runestad, a Michigan state senator who also serves as the states GOP chair, said he hadnt drilled down into Trumps posts on voting by mail but believes the presidents push, broadly, is legitimate. You have a lot more potential for fraud when youre not voting on Election Day, in person, he added. Thats the safest way to do it. But if Trump were to sign an executive order banning mail-in voting, plenty of political and legal issues would remain. The Constitution gives the right to each state to determine the times, places, and manner of House and Senate elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whether he can do this by executive order, I dont know, Runestad said. What the potential legal hurdles are to that, I dont know. But I know that by far the safest voting is in person, with ID. The president and Congress can pass laws that would override those state-level election laws, but that would be a heavy political lift for Trump and his allies, particularly in the Senate, where Democrats can block legislation. Senate Democrats will make sure that any and every measure that would make it even more difficult for Americans to vote will be dead on arrival in the Senate, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement responding to Trumps threat to do away with mail-in voting. What are you going to do about our military? In South Dakota, another state with a high vote-by-mail turnout, GOP Chair Jim Eschenbaum also expressed concern that a ban could unfairly disenfranchise military personnel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cant get rid of vote by mail because weve got military serving, and if anybody deserves a vote in our elections, its the people that are willing to die for us, Eschenbaum said. So we cant ban it, but I think it should be limited in the respect that it is somewhat ripe for fraud. Eschenbaum said he believes the White House certainly can dictate election policy for federal elections, but I would express my concerns to President Trump and ask him, What are you gonna do about our military? The White House did not respond to a request to comment. Trump expressed support late Saturday on Truth Social for exempting the military from any ban. Voter I.D. Must Be Part of Every Single Vote, Trump wrote. NO EXCEPTIONS! I Will Be Doing An Executive Order To That End!!! Also, No Mail-In Voting, Except For Those That Are Very Ill, And The Far Away Military. USE PAPER BALLOTS ONLY!!! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement William Feely, an RNC committeeman from Nebraska, was more open to backing Trumps call for a ban. While Nebraska boasts high participation in mail-in ballots, this does not render us immune to vulnerabilities [that] can be exploited, Feely wrote in an email. Under President Trumps leadership, the RNC is dedicated to building upon our successful election integrity efforts from the 2024 election cycle. We stand ready to support any and all changes to our nations election laws as directed by the President and Congress. Over the years, Trump has beat the drum against mail-in voting, but there is little evidence that the practice is plagued with fraud, and there are safeguards that already exist to protect against misuse. Before they are counted, election officials vigorously verify the validity of every mail ballot submission, as explained below, the Bipartisan Policy Center says. Mail ballots suspected of fraudulent activity are set aside for further investigation and, when appropriate, are referred to law enforcement for prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A database maintained by the conservative Heritage Foundation that tracks election fraud cases includes 217 total criminal convictions for election-related fraud between 2020 and 2025. Those figures include all types of violations, not just those related to mail-in ballots. Despite little hard evidence that rampant voter fraud exists in any form of voting, the idea of election integrity has remained the biggest selling point for Trump as he has pushed for sweeping legal reforms and continues to baselessly claim fraud is what cost him the 2020 presidential election. WE WILL BEGIN THIS EFFORT, WHICH WILL BE STRONGLY OPPOSED BY THE DEMOCRATS BECAUSE THEY CHEAT AT LEVELS NEVER SEEN BEFORE, by signing an EXECUTIVE ORDER to help bring HONESTY to the 2026 Midterm Elections, Trump posted on Truth Social on Aug. 18, following his meeting with Putin. He issued a follow-up post this week: Republicans: BAN MAIL-IN VOTING!!! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump maintains that voting by mail is used by Democrats to cheat during elections and steal races from Republicans, even as Republicans in some states have benefited greatly from the process. In Ohio, where Trump has won by comfortable margins three times and where the GOP has dominated elections for statewide office for two decades, Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose has presided over a system that produces few cases of fraud. After Trumps post about a vote-by-mail ban last week, LaRose spokesperson Ben Kindel said the secretary of state, who won re-election with Trumps endorsement, was willing to discuss opportunities for improvement. Kindel also underscored who has the power to institute a ban. Changes to Ohios voting process require a vote of the General Assembly, so Im sure well be talking with them as well, Kindel said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Ambassadors are not known for making enemies. But with the might of Donald Trump behind him, both as a family member and political ally, Charles Kushner is not afraid to tear up the diplomatic rulebook. The emboldened United States ambassador to France, whose son, Jared, is married to Mr Trumps daughter Ivanka, sent a letter last week to Emmanuel Macron, accusing him of failing to protect French Jews and not doing enough to fight anti-Semitism. In a further unprecedented move, the 71-year-old then snubbed a summons from the foreign ministry asking him to explain his actions, sending his deputy instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the US president in his corner, the former real estate magnate is mirroring his iconoclastic approach to politics without fear of reprisal, angering the French and overhauling centuries of stately protocol. Just two months into the job, Mr Kushners actions have already been labelled grotesque by a fellow ambassador who accused him of insulting his host country and meddling in their affairs. Amy Greene, a senior fellow and specialist in US politics and transatlantic relations at the Institut Montaigne think tank in Paris, said it showed how Mr Kushner was carrying out Mr Trumps bidding and bringing the presidents boardroom tactics to diplomacy. Its coherent with the Trump administrations approach generally towards allies, Ms Greene told The Telegraph. Donald Trump hasnt made a secret of the fact that hes sceptical of Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ambassador has a history of flouting norms of behaviour. Donald Trump and Charles Kushner (right) surrounded by relatives on the White House lawn after he is sworn in as a diplomat - Brendan SMIALOWSKI/AFP/getty In 2005, he was jailed for a string of offences, including hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law and send footage to his wife Mr Kushners sister in a bid to silence him over an investigation into his illegal campaign donations. Prosecuting the case was Chris Christie, a former New Jersey governor, who described it as one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes he had seen. Mr Christie endorsed Mr Trump in 2016 and served as the head of his transition team, but was sacked after election day by Jared Kushner, then Mr Trumps senior adviser. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has never welcomed Mr Christie back into the fold and the pair have publicly attacked each other ever since. Only last week, Mr Trump called for the Republican to be investigated by the Justice Department. Pardoned during the final days of Mr Trumps first administration over tax evasion, campaign finance offences and witness tampering, Mr Kushner has risen from the confines of his Alabama prison cell and been handed the keys to the Hotel de Pontalba in Paris, neighbouring the Elysee Palace. It marks a stunning comeback for the disbarred attorney, whose other son is married to the model Karlie Kloss. In one of his first major moves in the post, Mr Kushner, who is Jewish and an active philanthropist of Israeli causes, criticised Mr Macron after a number of anti-Semitic incidents in France. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His outburst mirrors remarks by Benjamin Netanyahu, who warned Mr Macron of an alarming rise of anti-Semitism in France and accused him of feeding the fire by his intention to recognise Palestine statehood. France is home to the largest Jewish community in Western Europe, at about 500,000 people, and also has a significant Arab Muslim population. Emmanuel Macron has been accused of fuelling anti-Semitism in France with his plans to recognise the statehood of Palestine - MAGALI COHEN/Hans Lucas Earlier this summer, Frances national Holocaust memorial was vandalised along with three synagogues and a Jewish-owned restaurant. Mr Kushners letter, which was also published in The Wall Street Journal, said: I write out of deep concern over the dramatic rise of anti-Semitism in France and the lack of sufficient action by your government to confront it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frances ministry of foreign affairs was quick to condemn the accusations, calling them unacceptable and pointing out that Mr Kushners comments crossed diplomatic lines that forbid envoys from meddling in domestic affairs. According to the 1961 Vienna Convention, which governs diplomatic relations, ambassadors and diplomatic agents have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of the state. The ministry summoned the freshly installed ambassador to its offices on the Quai dOrsay. But the day of the summons, Mr Kushner snubbed the foreign minister and sent his deputy instead, knowing he had Mr Trumps full support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the public fallout, Mr Kushner appeared on French news channel LCI to address the furore. Normally an ambassador, when hes in the territory and its possible to attend the summons, he goes. This shocked a lot of French people. Explain to us, why didnt you go? the journalist asked. Without elaborating, Mr Kushner said his deputy attended in his place because he was not available and denied that it was an act of disrespect. Mr Kushner and his wife, Seryl Kushner, leaving the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris in July - Abaca Press It was his number two who came and we told him that his statements were unjustifiable and unjustified, Jean-Noel Barrot, minister of foreign affairs, told French radio RTL. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unjustifiable because it is not up to the representative of a foreign country to come and give lessons in government to France in his country. And it is unjustified, because few countries in the world are so radically, fiercely, opposed to anti-Semitism, and this has been the case since the French Revolution. Ms Greene said the move reflected the Trump playbook of disregarding history and sentimentality in favour of provocation, but it should come as no surprise. During his nomination hearing, Mr Kushner said one of his priorities would be to promote Holocaust education. His first outing as US ambassador in France was to the Memorial de la Shoah in Paris, one of several visits to Holocaust memorial sites and synagogues across the country after officially taking up his post July 11. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the child of Holocaust survivors and representing the greatest country in the world, visiting the Memorial de la Shoah as my first stop in France was deeply personal. The memory of the Shoah demands vigilance, he wrote on X. What is unusual, however, is Mr Kushners personal official state department letter to the French president, Ms Greene said. Trump parallels drawn She drew parallels with Mr Trumps presidential style where personal dynamics often take precedence over diplomatic civility, and where matters of the state are conducted like a business. In the letter, Mr Kushner points out that both he and the president have Jewish children and grandchildren. The presidents daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism before marrying Mr Kushners son Jared and the couple raise their three children in the Jewish faith. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump has threatened to pull funding at several elite American universities alleging anti-Semitism. Traditional diplomacy is being subsumed by personalised diplomacy, Ms Greene said. The fact that theres a personal link evoked in that letter speaks to a larger personalisation of diplomacy in the second presidency. The timing of his statement is also notable. Mr Macron is poised to formally recognise Palestinian statehood next month at the UN General Assembly. Since announcing his intention on July 24, other countries including the UK, Australia, Canada, Portugal and Malta have also followed suit. France was the first G7 nation to declare its intention to recognise Palestine as a state and Mr Macron is positioning himself as a strategic leader in the crisis. But in an interview with Paris Match published on July 31, Mr Kushner minced no words about his intention to influence French politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frances decision to recognise a Palestinian state is a gift to Hamas and a blow to peace, he said, adding he was deeply disappointed. I hope to change president Macrons mind by September. If the French public was not acquainted with the ambassador before, the high-profile row drew fresh attention to the diplomat this week, with a dozen articles entitled Who is Charles Kushner? in various forms. Father of Donald Trumps son-in-law, imprisoned for over a year who is the US ambassador to France Charles Kushner summoned by France? reads a headline on news channel site BFMTV. Who is Charles Kushner, the American ambassador in Paris who is lecturing France? asks weekly news magazine LExpress. Charles Kushner is father-in law to Ivanka Trump after she married his son, Jared - AFP/MANDEL NGANMANDELNGAN/Getty After his pardon by Mr Trump, the real estate developer donated $1m (740,000) to his political fundraising campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elie Barnavi, a former Israeli ambassador to France, criticised Mr Kushners conduct, which he described as grotesque. Accusing France of not doing enough, or worse, of being complicit in this wave of anti-Semitism is simply absurd, he told FranceInfo. Though he noted that we can always do more, Mr Barnavi described the US ambassador as a donor to the sitting president rather than a career diplomat. During the LCI interview, Mr Kushner denied interfering with local politics but reiterated that French government leaders can do much more than simply condemn these acts. The businessman also admitted that he was not the best choice as a diplomat and he did not work well with protocol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If President Trump wanted to select the best diplomat to come to France, he didnt make the right choice. Im not the best. And I dont think hes the greatest diplomat either. Thats why hes one of the greatest presidents of the United States, he said. He doesnt understand protocol, and neither do I. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Congress MP Manish Tewari vehemently denied Union Minister Kiren Rijiju's allegations that Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is working with "anti-India" forces, specifically George Soros. In an interview with ANI, Tewari dismissed Rijiju's claims as "absurd" and demanded concrete evidence to support these allegations, questioning Rijiju's credibility as a Union Minister. "Kiren Rijiju is a Union Minister. Before saying such absurd things, he should have thought them through carefully. If he has proof of this allegation, he should make it public. You cannot make an acquisition like this against anyone," Tewari said. Tewari said that to make an allegation like this without having any proof against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and that too against a person from whose family two former prime ministers died for this country, does not augur well for a Union Minister. "To say that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha is working against the country and making acquisitions like this against a person from whose family two former prime ministers were martyred does not augur well for Kiren Rijiju. He has been Minister for the last 11 years. If you expect statemenship from the Opposition, the Ruling alliance should demonstrate it first," he said. This comes after, in late August 2025, during an interview with ANI and in other public statements, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju made multiple allegations regarding Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party. Rijiju alleged that Gandhi is on a "dangerous track" and is working in coordination with George Soros, an investor and philanthropist frequently targeted by right-wing figures. "Rahul Gandhi is going on a very dangerous track. George Soros says that one trillion dollars are kept to destabilise the Indian government. The anti-India Khalistan force sitting in Canada, the US, the UK, and many Left organisations are conspiring to work against the country. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress are working in coordination with them, weakening the country. This is very worrisome. But no one can destabilise the country under PM Modi's leadership," Kiren Rijiju had said. Rijiju also claimed that Soros's Open Society Foundations are part of a network that includes "anti-India" forces and left-wing organisations conspiring against the country's government. Rijiju accused the Congress party of attacking Indian institutions like the judiciary and Election Commission after failing to win elections, with the intention of creating instability. The Union Minister alleged that the Congress party had worked with anti-India groups whenever it failed to win elections. "... When Congress cannot win elections, then they and the forces against India together start attacking the government and the institutions so that the public loses faith in this country's institutions... They have repeatedly said that the judiciary and the Election Commission are sold, to weaken them..." Rijiju told ANI. Rijiju's claims also drew attention to the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), an investigative journalism platform that receives partial funding from Soros's foundation. The BJP has previously suggested the OCCRP is part of a foreign plot to destabilise India. Rijiju further alleged that even Congress MPs are "uncomfortable" with Rahul Gandhi's statements in Parliament, claiming they fear the party will suffer the consequences of his remarks. However, Congress leaders described Rijiju's claims as a "classic diversion tactic" designed to distract from the government's failures. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi is leading the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar over the issue of "vote theft." Covering over 1,300 km across 20 districts, the yatra is scheduled to conclude in Patna on September 1. The high-stakes Bihar assembly elections are expected later this year, although the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced an official date. (ANI) The Trump administration announced it will cancel $5 billion in foreign aid through a historic pocket rescission, marking the first use of this Presidential power in 50 years. The White House said the cuts target woke, weaponized, and wasteful spending across multiple federal agencies, including USAID and the State Department. The elimination of these funds represents a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy priorities. The administration is using authority under the Impoundment Control Act to bypass Congress and unilaterally cancel appropriated spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A pocket rescission occurs when a president asks Congress to rescind (or cancel) funds very close to the end of the fiscal year [September 30] so close that the funds expire before they can be used for new obligations, a Watchblog post from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) explains. However, the GAO states that pocket rescissions are illegal because they cede Congresss power of the purse by allowing a president to, in effect, change the law by shortening the period of availability for fixed-period funds, adding that the Impoundment Control Act does not provide that authority. The largest cut targets USAIDs Development Assistance account, slashing $3.2 billion from programs the administration claims bankroll initiatives that are antithetical to American values and represented the worst of USAIDs woke excesses. The account has funded climate change projects, diversity initiatives, and LGBTQ activities worldwide. Among the programs facing elimination: $400 million annually for global climate grift projects, including partnerships with the Green Climate Fund and climate resilience efforts in Honduras. The administration also highlighted $60,000 for listening tours in Timor-Leste and $12,000 for telling the USAID story in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democracy Fund faces a $322 million cut. The administration argues these so-called democracy promotion activities undermine American values and interfere with the sovereignty of other countries including our allies. Specific programs targeted include $2.7 million for South Africas Democracy Works Foundation, which published articles titled The Problem with Whiteness and The Problem with White People. Another $4 million went to advance global LGBTQI+ awareness. State Department contributions to international organizations will be reduced by $521 million. The cuts affect U.S. funding for UNESCO, which the administration says has long fostered antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment, and the World Trade Organization, accused of enabling global trade cheating by the Chinese Communist party. UN peacekeeping operations face nearly $840 million in combined cuts. The administration cited thousands of credible allegations of sexual abuse against peacekeepers, including cases where underage girls in Kosovo were kidnapped, tortured, and prostituted. Additional cuts target peacekeeping infrastructure projects, including $11 million for armored personnel carriers for Uruguay and $3 million for barracks for Kazakhstan peacekeepers. Somalia programs face nearly $300 million in annual cuts. In Donald Trumps increasingly addled worldview, if he can imagine it, he has the authority to do it. I have the right to do anything I want to do. Im the president of the United States, he told reporters this week in the Oval Office, justifying his decision to deploy armed National Guard units to Washington, D.C., and his threats to send forces to Chicago and beyond. If I think our country is in danger and it is in danger in these cities, he said, I can do it. Trump is using the military to beta-test an American police state. And he is going about it in a way that could stoke conflict between military units of Republican- and Democratic-governed states, says Ret. Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, who spoke to reporters on a conference call, Tuesday. Thats the scariest thing about what were watching right now. Trump signed a stark executive order this week directing the Pentagon to immediately create a special police unit inside the D.C. National Guard to enforce public safety and order in continued response to the crime emergency hes declared in the nations capital. (Earlier this year, the federal government touted that violent crime in the district was at a three-decade low.) But the executive order is not limited to the federal capital, where Trump wields broad powers. The order calls for building similar capacity in Guard units across the country, as well as the creation of a standing National Guard quick reaction force available for rapid nationwide deployment. Trumps order anticipates Guard members quelling civil disturbances and ensuring the public safety. Trumps move to direct the might of the U.S. military internally is raising alarms among legal scholars. There is no statutory authority to federalize the National Guard for the purpose of policing local crime, says Liza Goitein, a national security expert at the Brennan Center, who highlighted for reporters the pernicious effects of Trumps orders. At minimum, using soldiers as a domestic police force creates a chilling effect in particular, she said, for people seeking to protest the person who commands the soldiers. Trumps order does more than marshal the military. It envisions civilians entering the fray to enforce the presidents notions of law and order. The executive order calls for the creation of an online portal where Americans with law enforcement or other relevant backgrounds and experience can apply to join Federal law enforcement entities to support the policy goals of the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The language of the order, first flagged by The New York Times, is ambiguous. Would these civilians join in a paid capacity? Or as civilian volunteers, as the Times described it, resembling a federal posse? A White House official would not clarify beyond telling Rolling Stone that the portal hopes to attract qualified applicants who support Trumps initiative to crackdown on crime in D.C. Trumps order puts a task force chaired by top White House adviser Stephen Miller in charge of the recruiting effort. Trumps most nakedly authoritarian lieutenant, Miller regularly demonizes anyone to the left of Trumps MAGA movement. In an appearance on Fox News with Sean Hannity this week, Miller described Democrats in ways that would make a demagogue blush: The Democrat Party is not a political party, it is a domestic extremist organization, Miller said. He peppered his diatribe with false claims that the Democratic Party does not represent American citizens and but is devoted exclusively to the defense of hardened criminals, gang bangers and illegal-alien killers and terrorists. Miller blasted Democratic mayors as evil, while falsely alleging they are rejoicing in subjecting residents to a constant blood bath. He called Trumps militarization of the streets of the nations capital a liberation, declaring: President Trump has literally set the people of Washington, D.C., free. Strident enemy-within bluster is not new from the Trump administration. But advancing the notion that Trumps militarized police state ought to be turned against one of the two major political parties is harrowing and a bright-red flag for anyone tasked with recruiting security forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The language of Trumps EO itself is also troubling. It can read like a dog-whistle to the rights own extremists. The ranks of the Oath Keepers, for example, are brimming with ex-military and law enforcement. As detailed in court proceedings, its leaders were waiting on an invitation from the president during the tumult of Jan. 6 to join a violent crackdown on Trumps enemies in D.C. The militia group had infamously stationed its own, armed, quick reaction force across the river in Virginia. These convicts are now at large after Trumps mass pardon spree. Beyond this troubling recruiting, the mission is the problem here, Max Rose, a former Democratic congressman from Staten Island, New York, tells Rolling Stone. The presidents intent is to scare the hell out of millions of people principally his political opponents, Rose says. Thats why its being done in such a public, brazen manner. Rose, like Eaton and Goitein, was a panelist on the press call, which was organized by the Vet Voice Foundation, a group devoted to defending democratic values. Its CEO, Janessa Goldbeck, denounced Trumps steady march to using the military as a partisan tool, calling the new executive order the most dangerous step yet by the president. Its a blueprint to use Americas military forces to police our own citizens, she said. Several panelists on the call highlighted the danger of Trump potentially shattering precedent by deploying National Guard units from one state into another against the will of that states governor. This norm has been treated as inviolable, because the alternative is blatantly unconstitutional, said Goldbeck. Put bluntly, the Constitution prevents states from invading other states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This invasion threat is no longer an abstraction. In a press conference this week, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois spoke directly to my fellow governors who might consider sending National Guard units into my state against the wishes of its elected representatives and its people. Pritzker spoke with a firmness that could be read as a veiled threat: Any action violating the sacred sovereignty of our state to cater to the ego of a dictator, he said, will be responded to. Retired Maj. Gen. Eaton is a Vet Voice adviser. Using military jargon, he raised the specter of a blue-on-blue conflict a form of fratricide, as he described it in which American military units wind up shooting at each other when they both believe theyre doing the right thing, but their chain of command is flawed. Eaton imagined a dangerous scenario in which a state like South Carolina or Mississippi were to deploy Guard troops to California, only to be told by the governor: You will not enter the state of California. This can spin out of control if the governors feel that they are the last line of defense for the U.S. democracy, Eaton says. And Americas current cold war between Republican and Democratic governed states could suddenly turn hot. The last time America had a blue-on-blue, he cautions, was the Civil War. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Donald Trump began his second term in the White House with some bellicose threats to Canada and Greenland, even if few took seriously the prospect of either being invaded or annexed by the US. But the sabre-rattling currently going on towards Venezuela seems to be more serious. American warships carrying cruise missiles and marines have steamed towards the Caribbean coast in what is said to be the largest US Navy task force in recent years. One senior White House official has told the regime that its days are numbered. The Venezuelans are sufficiently rattled to have ordered a national call up of militia while deploying drones and warships. Nicolas Maduro, the countrys president, has told his people to prepare for imperial aggression. He declared: No one will lay their hands on this land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is likely that this is just the reaction President Trump wanted to frighten but not strike. His beef with the Left-wing president is that he is allowing drugs to pass through Venezuela on their way to the US. The Americans have accused President Maduro of heading a group called the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns) and even put a $50m bounty on the Venezuelan leaders head. The size of the task force, while large, is by no means able to invade a country the size of Venezuela; but the Americans have previous form in engineering political upheaval in the region, from Cuba to Panama. Maduro, whose election victory last year was dismissed by observers as a fraud, has seen off attempted coups before, including during Mr Trumps first presidency. He began his second term trying to improve relations with Caracas, to little avail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Venezuelan leaders refusal to end drug trafficking is not something Mr Trump can ignore given his electoral promises to get on top of the narcotics trade. But will he strike? Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. President Donald Trump acknowledged that his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin did not produce the peace deal he had hoped for in Ukraine. I thought I had it done, Trump told The Daily Caller in an interview published Saturday. He met with Putin earlier this month in Alaska for negotiations aimed at ending hostilities. While Trump claimed the two discussed a peace agreement, no public resolution has emerged. Trump said Putin is unlikely to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy soon. Were not talking about something that I started. I inherited this war. And all Im trying to do is put out the flame, he said, adding that he has previously done it with wars that were tougher than this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump highlighted his claimed success in ending longer conflicts and has publicly campaigned for a Nobel Peace Prize in recent months. During the interview, he reiterated that no U.S. troops would be deployed to Ukraine but said he might provide air support. Trump declined to clarify a major point of disagreement from the summit but emphasized his good relationship with Putin. Thats why I really thought we would have this done. I would have loved to have had it done. Maybe they have to fight a little longer. You know, just keep fighting stupidly, keep fighting, he said. The comments mark one of Trumps rare admissions that a diplomatic effort under his watch fell short, while still portraying himself as a potential peacemaker on the international stage. The post Trump said hed end Ukraine War he was wrong appeared first on Salon.com. A voting station during the New York Mayoral primary in June 2025. Credit - Spencer Platts2025 Getty Images President Donald Trump said Saturday he would sign an Executive Order requiring voter identification for all U.S. elections, a move that will likely be challenged in court as unconstitutional. Voter I.D. Must Be Part of Every Single Vote. NO EXCEPTIONS! I Will Be Doing An Executive Order To That End, Trump said on Truth Social. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president also reiterated his intention to ban voting by mail in all cases except for people who were very ill or Far Away Military. The sweeping reform plans are based on Trumps persistent claim that voter fraud is a widespread problem in the country that cost him the 2020 electiona claim that he presented no evidence for in the years since, and which numerous investigations by his own administration have also failed to bring charges for. Read More: Trump Says Only the U.S. Votes by Mail. Here Are the Facts Voter identification laws currently differ in each state, but many Republican states have made their laws stricter in recent years in response to Trumps repeated false claims of fraud. As of 2025, 36 states require identification from voters at the polls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, states vary in their strictness. Some require photo identification, and some have exceptions for low-income voters, those who have religious beliefs against being photographed, or those who are victims of domestic abuse and require confidentiality. Election laws are set by state legislatures, and are then governed by a combination of the governor, the attorney general, the chief election official and the state board of elections. The Constitution does not give the president the power to regulate elections, and previous attempts by Trump to change election rules have been blocked. Opponents of voter ID laws point to research that shows they disproportionately impact people of color, the elderly and student voters. Citizens of color are almost four times more likely not to have a current government-issued photo ID compared to white citizens, according to a study by nonprofit Voteriders. The same study found that some 34.5 million Americans either do not have a drivers license or state ID, or have one that does not have their current name or address on it, and are dissuaded from fixing problems with their ID by economic barriers, bureaucratic barriers, and just general confusion over voting requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps announcement follows a March 2025 executive order that directed the Election Assistance Commission to require Americans to present a passport or another government-issued proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. That order was based on another false claim that the U.S. was allowing foreign nationals to vote in elections, and called on election officials to enforce the Federal prohibition on foreign nationals voting in Federal elections. Soon after Trumps executive order announcement, 19 states sued Trump, citing it as "an unconstitutional attempt to seize control of elections." Several judges have since found most of the executive order unconstitutional, providing a preview of the legal battles ahead for Trumps plans on voter identification requirements. One judge, U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper, issued a preliminary injunction on the order in June. She said that the order violates the Constitution and interferes with States inherent sovereignty and their constitutional power to regulate the time, place, and manner of federal elections. Contact us at letters@time.com. President Trump doubled down on his warnings to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) on Saturday to get Chicago crime under control or possibly be subjected to a federal law enforcement takeover. Six people were killed, and 24 people were shot, in Chicago last weekend, and JB Pritzker, the weak and pathetic Governor of Illinois, just said that he doesnt need help in preventing CRIME, Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. He is CRAZY!!! He better straighten it out, FAST, or were coming! MAGA. President DJT. Trumps threat marks the latest in the back-and-forth between the president and the Democratic governor since Trump suggested he would deploy National Guard troops in Chicago in comments earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump and Pritzker, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, have traded barbs in recent days, with Trump often citing Chicago crime statistics in his notes. Panic stricken Governor Pritzker says that crime is under control, when in fact it is just the opposite. He is an incompetent Governor who should call me for HELP, Trump wrote in a similar post earlier this week. Pritzker challenged Trumps Chicago crime assertions in a Wednesday post on X, writing, According to federal data, 13 of the top 20 cities in homicide rates have Republican governors. None of those cities are Chicago. 8 of the top 10 states in homicide rates are led by Republicans. None of those states are Illinois. And yet Trump is sending troops here. Pritzker earlier this week cautioned Trump against sending the National Guard to the Windy City, as he has with other Democrat-run cities, including Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Pritzker called the move exactly the type of overreach that our countrys founders warned against. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) also hit back at Trumps plans by signing a Saturday executive order detailing how the Windy City will attempt to respond to President Trumps potential move. The City of Chicago will do everything in our power to defend our democracy and protect our communities. With this executive order, we send a resounding message to the federal government: we do not need nor want an unconstitutional and illegal military occupation of our city, Johnson said in a statement. Trump has touted a drop in crime in Washington, D.C., since he began his federal takeover of the nations capital earlier this month. DC is virtually, in just 14 days, a CRIME FREE ZONE. The people living and working there are ecstatic!!! President DJT, Trump also wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore characterized the deployment of National Guard troops to combat crime as "performative" in an interview that aired Sunday. Speaking to host Martha Raddatz on ABC's "This Week," the Maryland Democrat said: "The National Guard is completely performative because the National Guard is not even trained for it." Moore has been critical of President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Washington and invited him to spend time with him in Baltimore, another city in Trump's sights. The president has repeatedly mocked Moore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The National Guard is not trained for municipal policing," Moore said to Raddatz. "You know who is trained for municipal policing? Things like local law enforcement, and things like FBI agents and ATF agents." Raddatz noted that Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser despite footage of some of the Guard being used to spread mulch in the Capital has said the current deployment in her city has reduced crime. Moore said using the National Guard is not a long-term solution to a complicated problem, and that it absorbs funds that could be better spent in other ways. "Do you know what I would tell him?" Moore said, referring to Trump. "I would tell him things like: We need to make sure we're increasing funding for local law enforcement. And we have to invest in our community groups and community organizations. Like, that's a serious approach how to address this issue, but asking me to deploy my National Guard people who are not trained for municipal policing is just not a serious approach." Raddatz asked Moore why it seemed that he preferred to "fight with the president" rather than work with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I have no interest in fighting with the president," Moore said, "but I have an interest in fighting for my communities and fighting for our people, and I respect Mayor Bowser, and I'm glad that the trend that she has seen over these past few weeks has continued the downward trend that D.C. has seen over the past year. That's wonderful." But he added: "The idea of introducing the National Guard into every major American city it is, it is not sustainable, particularly when you're looking at the cost." The administration's plan would see Gaza transformed into a tourism resort and a high-tech manufacturing and technology hub. A postwar plan for Gaza formulated by the Trump administration has circulated in recent days, which would turn the Gaza Strip into a "trusteeship" administered by the US for ten years, The Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing the 38-page document viewed by the newspaper. The plan, which is called the "Gaza Reconstitution, Economic Acceleration and Transformation Trust" (GREAT) was developed by some Israelis who were involved in creating the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The report also added that financial planning was conducted by a team from the Boston Consulting Group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration's plan would see Gaza transformed into a tourism resort and a high-tech manufacturing and technology hub. According to the Washington Post, Gazans would be temporarily relocated, either through voluntary departures to another country or into restricted, secured zones within Gaza during reconstruction. The report added that Gazans who own land would be offered a digital token by the trust in exchange for rights to develop their property, while also being given the option to use it to finance a new life elsewhere or be redeemed for an apartment. Each Gazan who chooses to leave would be provided $5,000 cash payment and subsidies to cover four years of rent and a year of food. US President Donald Trump an announcement in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, US, August 22, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/JONATHAN ERNST) 'Riviera of the Middle East' Two sources familiar with the planning told the Washington Post that major elements of the plan were designed to bring to life Trump's vision of a "Riviera of the Middle East." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is a very comprehensive plan we are putting together on the next day (in Gaza)," US envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News' "Special Reporting with Bret Baier" prior to a policy meeting regarding Gaza that was held last week. "Many people are going to see how robust it is and how well-meaning it is, and how it reflects President Trump's humanitarian motives here." Trump had previously proposed a complete US takeover of Gaza alongside the permanent displacement of Palestinians from the coastal territory. However, following global outcry and the plan being deemed "ethnic cleansing" by the UN and other experts, the original framework of the idea was abandoned. Former Trump Middle East envoyJared Kushner has also voiced his own version of a postwar Gaza plan in the past, which included bulldozing areas in the Negev to relocate Palestinians, while turning Gaza itself into beachfront properties. Reuters contributed to this report. Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari has said that the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which seeks to remove Ministers both at the Centre and the state if they are arrested and detained for 30 days, has been brought by the BJP to scare its NDA allies. While not directly naming the Janata Dal (United) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Congress leader suggested that the BJP might not be able to secure two-thirds of the votes required in both houses of the Parliament to pass a constitutional amendment. "First of all, a Constitutional amendment needs a two-thirds majority in both houses. Will the allies in the government, the coalition partners who are providing support, also support this? Because this law is not for the Opposition but rather to scare them (NDA allies)," Tewari told ANI in an exclusive interview. The recently proposed bills, including the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill, the Union Territories Amendment Bill, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, provide a legal framework for removing the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and ministers from their posts if they are detained for 30 days on serious criminal charges. The bill has been referred to a Joint Committee of both Houses. To pass a Constitutional amendment, the government needs a two-thirds majority, or 364 votes out of a total of 543. Saying that the bills are "completely destructive" of the basic structure of the Constitution and demolishes Article 21, Tewari said, "the basic structure doctrine holds that rule of law and democracy are indestructible features of the Indian Constitution. Implicit in the rule of law, going back to the time of the ancient Greeks and the Romans, is the presumption that you are innocent until proven guilty." "This amendment squarely stands that presumption which is the foundation of jurisprudence in countries across the world completely on its head," he added. Calling the bill "completely absurd in its conception", the former Union Minister said that even a JPC is not required to discuss the bill, and it should simply be taken back. "According to my personal opinion, I believe that everyone should participate in parliamentary proceedings, but there is nothing in this law which can be debated in the parliamentary committee. This is so black and white, and it is so absurd in its conception, he (Amit Shah) does not require a JPC, the law is of one paragraph, whatever I am saying here, I will say in the JPC too five minutes later. The law does not make sense, and it should be taken back," he said. Drawing comparisons with the 10th Schedule in the Constitution, which is the anti-defection law introduced by former PM Rajiv Gandhi, Tewari said that just like how that law has not been effective in stopping defection, the current proposed bills will also not stop corruption in politics. "When you talk about ethics, then that cannot be taught with law. You tried to teach it with law, but when the 10th Schedule was included in the Constitution, to stop this 'aaya Ram gaya Ram', it was called the anti-defection law. Did defection stop? One which was a 'retail' activity till 1985 that became wholesale, to supermarket, to now being a mega mall activity," he said. Tewari alleged that the bills will be used to target any leader through fake cases and investigative agencies will be weaponised, including the PMLA being used too. "There are so many fake cases which are filed, through which law enforcement agencies are weaponised. Tomorrow you can put a case on anyone, and for 30 days they are kept inside. In PMLA law, you won't get bail for 2-3 years," he said. While multiple political parties, including the Trinamool Congress (TMC), and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have said that they will boycott the JPC, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, while still criticising the bills, has expressed willingness to join in on the discussions. The Congress too has voiced opposition to the bills multiple times, calling it 'draconian' and a 'distraction' from the 'vote chori' allegations raised by Rahul Gandhi. When the bill was tabled in parliament and set to be sent to the JPC, opposition leaders tore the bill up in the house as a mark of protest. (ANI) Turkey has suspended trade and airspace access to Israel, but past patterns suggest rhetoric may outpace impact as Israel adapts and Ankara weighs its own costs. Turkey announced Friday that it is cutting all economic and commercial ties with Israel. Turkish ports would be closed to Israeli vessels. Turkish ships will be barred from Israeli harbors. Israeli aircraft will not be allowed in Turkish airspace. Many hours after the announcement, Turkish diplomatic sources said that the closure of airspace only applies to official Israeli government planes as well as aircraft carrying weapons to Israel, and not to civilian flights. Still, the Turkish government has yet to make an official announcement regarding this clarification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The measures mark a sharp escalation in already tense relations, though experience shows Ankaras declarations often sound tougher than their actual impact. The question is not whether these measures sting in the short term, but whether they will endure or materially change the balance between the two countries. Israel has navigated Turkish restrictions before, with more noise than bite. The countrys diversified supply chains and its habit of building redundancies give it room to maneuver. Consider the numbers. In 2023, two-way trade was roughly $7 billion. Turkish exports to Israel accounted for about six percent of Israels total imports, and Israeli exports to Turkey were in the range of $1.5-$1.6 billion. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan poses with Hisar medium air defense surface-to-air missile system and Siper high to medium air defense surface-to-air missile system ,during a ceremony at Aselsan Golbasi Campus in Ankara, Turkey, August 27, 2025. (credit: Murat Kula/Presidential Press Office/Handout) When Ankara tightened the screws, the Bank of Israel stated that the economys open structure helped mitigate the shock and that the impact on imports and prices was limited. In other words, Israel found substitutes at a rapid pace, including for sensitive inputs such as cement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enforcement has also proved inconsistent. Sweeping proclamations in 2024 were followed by reports of goods moving via third countries. Reuters reported that Turkish exporters with firm orders quickly explored routes through hubs such as Greece, Bulgaria, or Romania once the ban hit. A Reuters data graphic later highlighted a jump in recorded exports to the Palestinian territories, raising questions about whether some goods were still reaching Israel after transshipment. Even during the boycott period, practice diverged from politics in surprising ways. As the Post reported in August 2024, IDF bases are powered by [a] Turkish-owned plant, an awkward reminder that business realities, long-term contracts, and infrastructure ties rarely stop on a dime. That dissonance is not an argument for complacency; it is a reason to treat Ankaras latest move as pressure, not permanence. Erdogan makes bold statements, weak actions Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans rhetoric has consistently escalated alongside these steps, often framing Israel in apocalyptic terms to satisfy domestic politics and regional positioning. Yet the economic and diplomatic calculus points in another direction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turkey remains a NATO member that depends on Western markets and investment. A prolonged freeze on all Israel-related trade, shipping, and overflight would also exact costs on Turkish producers who value access to Israels consumer market and to Israeli technology and services. The rivalry is part of a wider competition that stretches from the eastern Mediterranean to northern Syria. In April, the Post reported that Israel and Turkey were exploring a deconfliction mechanism in Syria, with the aim to prevent friction as both operate in the same battle space. A companion analysis argued that such a channel is necessary given the pace of Israeli air activity and Ankaras ambitions to shape Syrias future. What should Israel do now? First, keep the temperature low and the logistics nimble. Importers have already diversified toward Europe and Asia. The government should accelerate regulatory smoothing for substitute suppliers, monitor spot prices for key materials, and publish regular updates on supply chains to reassure consumers and builders alike. Second, treat the embargo as a strategic lesson, not just an inconvenience. Reducing single-country dependencies is prudent, and the last year has shown that private ingenuity, combined with clear government signals, can close gaps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Third, maintain focus on the strategic theater where miscalculation would be most costly. If there is a real channel to coordinate in Syria, Israel should test it, carefully and quietly, with clear redlines. This does not mean normalizing relations with Ankara on Turkeys terms it means minimizing operational risk where both sides already operate, while continuing to expose and counter Turkish support for actors that threaten Israeli security. In the near term, expect more drama than transformation. Turkey may enforce the new measures tightly for weeks or months; a complete and enduring rupture is unlikely. Turkish products can still reach Israel through third-party hubs, and Israeli buyers will lean harder on alternate suppliers, which reduces Ankaras leverage over time. The smart bet is that, after the shouting, practice will again creep ahead of proclamation. A National Guard Humvee drives through flood waters on the streets of New Orleans in early September 2005. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector) In 2005, as a reporter embedded with a Missouri National Guard unit in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, I witnessed one of the largest disaster relief operations in American history. On the ground with the men and women of a Missouri Guard military police company, I was far removed from the decisions and the blunders that would ultimately mar the massive rescue effort. Instead, I saw firsthand how average Americans coped with the hardships and uncertainty of being thrown into a situation without precedent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was dirty and messy, and the outcome was uncertain. I ate MREs with the Guardsmen and chatted about their families and listened to concerns about their Constitutional duties as soldiers. Now, the National Guard is on the streets of the District of Columbia, with live ammunition, summoned by President Donald Trump to assist in a hastily declared and thinly supported law enforcement mission. Trump is also considering other Democratic stronghold cities for such deployments, including Chicago and New York. The contrast between the deployments could not be sharper. Twenty years ago, the National Guard was called up in the thousands for a devastating national disaster. Today, the Guard is in DC on a partisan mission that breaks political norms. If Trump federalizes the Guard and sends it to other cities, it would likely violate the Posse Comitatus Act, a foundational 1878 law meant to limit the use of federal troops in law enforcement on American soil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storm that struck New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2005, was devastating. In addition to winds in excess of 100 mph that turned roofs into sails and toppled walls, Katrina also brought a surge of water that overwhelmed levees and flood walls and submerged 80% of the city. A citywide evacuation had been ordered, but some residents stayed, including many from the poorer sections of the city who didnt have anywhere else to go. Thirty thousand people spent days in the shelter of last resort, the Louisiana Superdome, without lights or air conditioning, food or water, or functioning restrooms. Misery was widespread across the city, especially in the Lower Ninth Ward, a historically Black section of the city that experienced catastrophic flooding. The hurricane left 1,800 people dead in New Orleans and across the Gulf coast and displaced more than a million. Katrina was also the costliest storm on record, with damage estimated at $161 billion. But the Missouri National Guard unit I was embedded with didnt know any of this on its convoy to New Orleans. When the soldiers of the 1138th Military Police piled into their Humvees and trucks at company headquarters at West Plains, Missouri, they had about as much information (or rather, misinformation) about the situation on the Gulf as did anyone who had been paying attention to the news. They expected out-of-control looting and general lawlessness. But the reports of looting were exaggerated and the most lawless element was among the New Orleans police, who shot 10 civilians, including four fatally. Because I was with the Missouri National Guard unit every hour of every day on the convoy south, I knew what they were talking about. There were earnest discussions among the soldiers about what they would do if ordered to fire on American citizens for looting, and the consensus was that they would refuse. What looked like looting to one individual might just be survival. Somebody might be carrying a television to trade for food and water. Above all, they wanted to help people in need, by effecting rescues or bringing much-needed supplies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later, as I walked the French Quarter, I noted maroon-bereted 82nd Airborne soldiers on patrol with automatic rifles at hand. This was a disturbing sight in an American city, one that brought to mind third-world countries. But this was no banana republic. This was New Orleans in distress, and some regular Army troops, in addition to National Guard units from all 50 states, had been sent to help. The National Guard has been deployed on American soil periodically for disaster relief or to assist local authorities with civil unrest. The latter includes the George Floyd protests in 2020, the LA riots of 1992, and at Kent State. On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of Vietnam war protestors on the Kent State University campus, killing four students. A photograph of one of the dead students, with a girl kneeling and crying out for help behind, shook the soul of America and won the Pulitzer Prize. The Ohio Guard had been sent to the campus by Gov. Jim Rhodes, at the request of the Kent mayor, after the ROTC building had been burned to the ground the previous night. The Guard, with bayonets fixed, was attempting to disperse a crowd of 2,000 demonstrators. The students threw rocks, and the soldiers responded with tear gas. Then, in the space of 13 seconds, the Guardsmen fired more than 60 shots at demonstrators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear why the soldiers took kneeling positions and opened fire, although one of the survivors said there is audio tape evidence of the command being given. Eight Ohio Guardsmen were acquitted in 1974 after a judge declared, after a two-week trial, that the government had presented insufficient evidence to support the federal indictments. The National Guard is generally exempt from the Posse Comitatus Act, as it is normally under the control of state governors, but it becomes subject when it is called up under federal service. The District of Columbia is a special case, because the district is under control of Congress and the president is, in effect, the governor of the district. If Trump were to deploy the Guard elsewhere, there would be a host of legal challenges. But he has already demonstrated his willingness to expand the use of the military on U.S. soil, as his administration has authorized the Guard to be deployed to assist with alien processing in 20 states with Republican governors. The states with Democratic governors, including Kansas, would no doubt object. The militarization of immigration and law enforcement is disturbing. Trump is using it to punish jurisdictions that are Democratic strongholds, many of which have significant Black populations, and others that are hotbeds of dissent. His official justifications dont pass the litmus test of truth. He claimed to deploy the Guard in D.C. to fight crime, despite violent crime there hitting a 30-year low, according to the Department of Justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some leaders in Kansas City, Missouri, are worried their city may be next. I do think Kansas City should be prepared, because this will probably happen to us, said Kansas City Democrat Barbara Washington, as reported by the Kansas City Star. I think the actions of our president have shown that he is not open to equality for people of color. While other politicians doubt Trump will take interest in any city in a state as deeply red as Missouri, some worry the high crime rates of Kansas City and St. Louis may be enough of an excuse. Kansas, where 101 out of 105 counties went for Trump in 2024, may be relatively safe. Well, except for the city of Lawrence, which might just be blue enough to attract the presidents dictatorial gaze; it went for Kamala Harris by a margin of more than 2-1. In D.C., the 2,200 Guard members have spent the past week mulching cherry trees and clearing homeless camps. That would be in keeping with Trumps obsession with the value of real estate and his disregard for human life. But the true goal of the deployment appears to be a further test of just how much the American public will take before standing up to authoritarianism. Congress and the Supreme Court have repeatedly demonstrated their loyalty to Trump, so ultimately any change must come from the ballot box. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the seven months Trump has been in power, he has upended convention and pursued an unchecked appetite for power. The American landscape has been transformed into a terrain fit for a dictator, with ever-expanding executive power, a masked secret cadre of ICE agents pursuing migrants and sometimes citizens, a crackdown on diversity and dissent, and the growing presence of an armed military in our cities. How long will it be before theres another 13 seconds in which the National Guard faces off against unarmed protestors and in the chaos leaves one or more dead on the ground? This is something Trump may be actually hoping for, because any act of violence serves as an excuse to call out more troops. And more troops means more intimidation, more control, more power. Trump is building a case for martial law through a series of immigration and law enforcement emergencies, but only for those blue cities hed like to punish or neutralize. Chicago, New York, Baltimore. It would only be a small step from there to declaring an election emergency. He wouldnt have to cancel or postpone the 2026 midterms. Just the presence of armed troops at polling places to ensure a fair election might discourage enough voters to do the trick. Hes already vowed to end mail-in voting, an anti-democracy pledge that would have sunk any other president quicker than you can say Watergate. I dont know what the National Guard troops deployed in D.C. are thinking, or what those who might be tasked with alien processing feel about it. All I have is my experience with that Missouri National Guard military police company a generation ago. But based on that, I suspect directing the Guard to deprive American citizens of their civil liberties might be more difficult than Trump thinks. Many will remember their oath is to the Constitution, not to any president or ideology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recently, the Trump administration placed on leave some 30 Federal Emergency Management Agency employees who signed an open letter warning of a Katrina-level disaster because of agency mismanagement. The Trump-appointed leadership, the letter said, was simply too inexperienced and too partisan to do their jobs. The letter cited the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006, which exposed the federal governments failures to prepare for disasters and deliver aid quickly. There will never be another Hurricane Katrina. But thats only because the World Meteorological Organization retired the name after 2005. There will be other storms, equal to or worse than Katrina, and Trump administration ignores the signatories of the warning letter at our peril. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We find ourself in an age of storms. To survive the current political hurricane, we must find the courage to stand up to political bullying, be guided by reason but moved by compassion, and be willing to help those among us who are in the most danger of being washed away. The situation is without precedent. Never before, not even during Watergate, has a U.S. president engaged in such an authoritarian power grab. If we were faced with one or two crises at a time, then it would be easier to know how to respond. But the entire federal government has been turned inside out and made the political instrument of one man. From the dismantling of the intelligence community to the purging of scientific integrity at public health and disaster response agencies, from the war on migrants to the squelching of dissent on college campuses, and now to the use of the military in law enforcement, the house Abraham Lincoln referred to in his 1858 speech is not just divided, but on fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to speak plainly about the moment that we are in, and the actual crisis, not the manufactured one, that we are facing in this city, and as a state, and as a country, Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, said Aug. 25 in Chicago. If it sounds to you like I am alarmed, that is because I am ringing an alarm, one that I hope every person listening will heed. The odds that either of the Kansas Cities or Lawrence or any other blue dot in a red state will be targeted right now is low, but that doesnt mean we shouldnt respond to Pritzkers tocsin. It will be dirty and messy, the outcome will be uncertain, and there will be a lot of talk about civil disobedience and our Constitutional obligations as citizens. We are beyond the guardrails of a two-party system and are now facing a party of one with ever-expanding executive power. Its time for us to talk, at our kitchen tables and taverns and community centers, and decide what orders well follow and what kind of nation we want. Max McCoy is an award-winning author and journalist. Through its opinion section, the Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here. By Matt McKnight TACOMA, Washington (Reuters) -Two firefighters who were responding to a wildfire in the state of Washington when they were detained by U.S. border agents are being held at an ICE detention center in Tacoma, a U.S. congresswoman said on Saturday. U.S. Rep. Emily Randall, a Democrat who represents the district where the detention center is located and the fire is burning, told Reuters she made an unannounced visit to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said she was not allowed inside, but that officials there confirmed they were holding the two people working for companies that had been contracted to help fight the 9,000-acre Bear Gulch fire in the Olympic National Forest. Federal officials have not named the two arrested on Wednesday. Randall said she had been unable to speak to the detained firefighters. In a letter to U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon on Thursday, lawyer Stephen Manning said his Portland, Oregon, firm was representing one of those arrested, an Oregon resident Manning said was unlawfully detained. Manning, who was seeking Wyden's help in gaining his client's release, said the man had come to the United States with his family as a four-year-old about 19 years ago and was awaiting a response to a visa application made after he and his family were victims of a crime in Oregon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection statement on Thursday, the Bureau of Land Management had terminated contracts with the firefighting companies after completing an unspecified criminal investigation. The BLM asked for Border Patrol help verifying the identities of 44 members of the companies' work crews. Two of those people were arrested after being determined to be in the U.S. illegally while the other 42 were escorted off the federally owned land. The wildfire broke out on July 6 and was 13% contained on Saturday. "What's really troubling to me this week is the unprecedented coordination between BLM and Border Patrol to raid an active response site," she said. "This 9,000-acre fire has yet to burn a home or kill anyone, but that is because of the incredible work of fire crews who are managing timber, who are cutting firebreaks to ensure that the fire doesn't spread into more populated areas." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said on Friday that the detained people were providing support roles and not actively fighting the fire when Border Patrol agents conducted the identity check. The department said their arrests did not affect firefighting. The wildfire broke out on July 6 and was 13% contained on Saturday. Washington State Department of Resources Commissioner Dave Upthegrove told Reuters that details of the criminal investigation of the contractors were unclear. "This is all occurring at a time when the Trump administration's crude and inhumane approach to immigration enforcement has intentionally and unnecessarily stoked fear and mistrust among members of the public including firefighters putting their lives on the line to protect our state," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE officials have criticized the Trump administration's push for high daily arrest quotas that have led to the detention of thousands of individuals with no criminal record, as well as long-term green card holders, others with legal visas, and even some U.S. citizens, according to Reuters reporting. (Reporting by Matt McKnight in Tacoma; Additional reporting by Ted Hesson and Valerie Volcovici in Washington. Editing by Donna Bryson and Richard Chang) Two women were killed in a boating tragedy at a Maine beauty spot on Labor Day weekend, while a third is in a critical condition, local authorities said. The group of seven was enjoying the long weekend Saturday on the waters of upper Flagstaff Lake, near the town of Eustis, when their pontoon boat started to go under and flipped over, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said in a news release. The driver of the boat, named by the department as John Morris, 50, attempted to raise the bow but it continued to go under and the boat flipped, throwing all seven passengers into the water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were in front of the beach area of the Cathedral Pines Campground and approximately 180 feet from the shore when the tragedy occurred. Farhana Nasir, 53, of Selden, New York and Kiran Akbar, 23, of Lake Grove, New York died at the scene, authorities confirmed. Noor Nasir, 22, also of New York, was airlifted to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical in Bangor where she is in critical condition. None of the passengers wore life jackets, the department said. Two women were killed in a boating tragedy in a Maine beauty spot on Labor Day weekend, while a third is in a critical condition, local authorities said (Getty Images) Witnesses on the shore and on the lake rushed to assist those in the boat, and were able to get all seven of them to the shore, the department said. Three of the passengers were unresponsive and CPR was performed on all three. No one in the boat was wearing lifejackets, the release added. The initial investigation indicates that alcohol is not a factor in the crash. The incident remains under investigation. Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG Uber is trying to sell Pennsylvania lawmakers on a partial solution to the two-month budget impasse, telling them it supports taxing ride-hailing trips statewide to raise desperately needed revenue for public transit. But the pitch comes with a big stipulation: Uber will only support expanding the states 6% sales tax if the commonwealth classifies app-based drivers or couriers as independent contractors, not employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doing so would achieve a longtime goal of tech firms and render moot a 2020 state court ruling that found that Uber drivers are not self-employed. That ruling allowed drivers to receive unemployment benefits they had previously been denied, along with other labor protections like workers compensation. Uber also supports requiring the same app employers to contribute a limited amount of money to flexible savings accounts that workers can use to pay for health insurance or sick days. Freddi Goldstein, Ubers lobbyist in the state Capitol, told Spotlight PA that the company has lately been shopping its proposed compromise to legislative leaders and the Shapiro administration. Transit agencies across Pennsylvania, most notably SEPTA in Philadelphia, say they need more state money to stay afloat. Lawmakers have so far struggled to agree on a way to raise more revenue, either through legal cannabis or a tax on slot-like skill games. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Senate Republicans are on board with Ubers proposed bargain. Caucus spokesperson Kate Flessner said in an email that it would be a fair and reasonable way to bring uniformity to ride share companies, while helping to ensure they continue to have a strong presence in PA. State Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R., Indiana) had previously expressed openness to expanding eligibility for the sales tax as a revenue source, although he offered no further details at the time. But state House Democratic spokesperson Elizabeth Rementer said that her caucus is opposed to trading away labor rights for extra revenue. Depriving workers of legal protections and basic benefits such as health care and social security in exchange for a contribution to a flexible savings account is no bargain for the taxpayers left with the tab, Rementer said. We appreciate the interest shown by the ride share companies in their efforts to find a long-term funding solution for our mass transit crisis, but this proposal misses the mark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Gov. Josh Shapiro declined to comment. Where did this idea come from? The idea of funding transit by taxing ride-booking trips isnt new. It was first proposed by Transit for All PA, a union-backed grassroots coalition. In a policy memo, the group argued the expanded tax would not disproportionately burden already marginalized communities, since users are typically wealthier, and was unlikely to meaningfully change behaviors and anticipated generated trip revenue. The group estimated such a proposal would raise approximately $250 million annually. Pennsylvania exempts traditional taxi services and other ground transportation purchases from sales tax. However, at least two states and multiple local governments tax ride-hailing trips. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This spring, Democrats in the state House and Senate introduced bills to implement the tax, which have since languished in committee. But they still caught the attention of a powerful player in the gig work universe. Goldstein, the Uber lobbyist, told Spotlight PA that the ride-booking giant believes a deal in which Pennsylvania taxes rides in exchange for classifying all app-based drivers and couriers as independent contractors would net the state approximately $100 million annually. We want to be good neighbors in the state, Goldstein added. The idea to officially classify gig workers as independent contractors has a longer legislative history in the commonwealth. Last session, such language was included in a Republican senators proposal to establish portable benefit accounts for workers who deliver food, transport passengers, walk dogs, or are otherwise hired through an app-based service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would have required app-based companies to contribute money into these accounts, which workers would be able to use to pay for things like health care premiums or to compensate themselves for sick days. A GOP-controlled state Senate committee advanced the legislation, but it didnt get a full chamber vote and wasnt reintroduced this session. Along with splitting the state House and Senate, Ubers proposal divides business and union advocates. The states Chamber of Business and Industry, a pro-business advocacy group, backed it as part of an overall effort to fund infrastructure in the state, arguing that the move would not only generate revenue but also benefit consumers by providing stability to the industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We understand the gravity of the moment and appreciate the sentiment expressed by many lawmakers that all options should be on the table, the group wrote in a statement this week. But the independent contractor language in particular has previously inspired stern opposition from organized labor. In a letter to lawmakers last year, the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, a federation representing tens of thousands of unionized workers, said the state Senate bill would misclassify gig workers and deny them public benefits. Simply put, the misclassification of workers has allowed these companies to bypass providing essential employee benefits and paying their fair share of taxes to the detriment of workers, high-road employers, our schools, and our communities, the letter concluded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Nikil Saval (D., Philadelphia), a sponsor of a bill to tax ride-booking trips, struck a similar tone in an interview with Spotlight PA. Since ride-hailing companies share the roads with public transit, he thinks it would be fair to make sure they also help pay to maintain the commonwealths infrastructure. But Saval is opposed to the independent contractor language. Tech companies, he said, are fully disinterested in supporting transit. Theyre just interested in a deal that benefits them. Were out here to support transit, not to screw workers at the same time, he said. Shapiros history on this issue is mixed. The governor voiced support for a 12-month pilot program that delivery company DoorDash ran in Pennsylvania last year, in which it paid into benefit accounts for workers. At the time, Shapiro called the pilot a positive step forward, and said his administration looks forward to seeing the results of this program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A DoorDash-commissioned study of the pilot program found that it included 4,400 app workers, who received on average $233 though amounts varied by time spent on the job. However, Shapiro did not support the state Senate bill last year, a spokesperson said at the time. BEFORE YOU GO If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. The Security Service of Ukraine -- the main tasks of which include counter-intelligence operations -- is involved in the investigation into the Saturday killing of the former speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Andriy Parubiy, who chaired the Rada -- Ukraine's unicameral parliament -- from April 2016 to August 2019, was shot dead by an unidentified assailant in the western city of Lviv on Saturday. In posts to social media, Zelenskyy called Parubiy's death "a horrific murder" and said the search for the perpetrator was ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Many resources are deployed -- all that's necessary," the president said in a Saturday post to Telegram. "The crime was, unfortunately, carefully prepared. But every effort is being made to solve this crime." Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters - PHOTO: Andriy Parubiy, who at the time was the speaker of Ukraine's parliament, reacts during a session of parliament in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 22, 2019. MORE: With Putin 'stalling' peace talks, NATO minister says US has 'powerful leverage' Zelenskyy said he spoke with the head of the SBU, Vasyl Maliuk, about the incident. "The Security Service of Ukraine is engaged in the investigation. I instructed that verified information be promptly communicated to the public," he wrote. Parubiy was a prominent pro-European Union and pro-NATO politician who was among the leaders of the 2014 Maidan Revolution, which saw a grassroots pro-Western protest movement topple pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the revolution, Parubiy served as the secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council in 2014, during which time Russian forces seized Crimea and sparked conflict in the eastern Donbas region. Roman Baluk/Reuters - PHOTO: A police officer guards at the site of a murder of former Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Andriy Parubiy in Lviv, Ukraine, on Aug. 30, 2025. MORE: Russia's 'massive strike' on Ukraine overnight kills 1, injures 29, Ukrainian authorities say ABC News' Oleskiy Pshemyskiy and Morgan Winsor contributed to this report. KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine plans new strikes deep into Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday, after weeks of intensified attacks on Russian energy assets. "We will continue our active operations in exactly the way needed for Ukraines defence. The forces and resources are prepared. New deep strikes have also been planned," Zelenskiy said on X after meeting Ukraine's top general, Oleksandr Syrsky. (Reporting by Pavel PolityukEditing by Gareth Jones) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding bilateral talks with Chinese President XI Xinping ahead of the SCO summit, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha on Sunday said that there are some matters of concerns about China. He also raised concerns about China's role during the Operation Sindoor. "... There are some matters of concern about China. In the briefings of our armed forces and government officials, it has been repeatedly mentioned that during Operation Sindoor, China's role was to stand with whom directly or indirectly, and we have all seen that. I hope that they will convey our concerns about China to them," Jha told ANI. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday emphasised the commitment to taking the India-China ties forward, based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity, during his bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He appreciated the progress made on several fronts, including ties and peace, following the border post disengagements. He also spoke about the beginning of the Kailash Mansoravar Yatra and touched upon the beginning of direct flight connectivity between the two countries. He said that an agreement has been reached on border management between the two countries."Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created," PM Modi said. "An agreement has been reached between our Special Representatives regarding border management. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been resumed. Direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity," the Prime Minister Modi said. He thanked the Chinese President for the warm welcome and congratulated China for successfully chairing the SCO. "I congratulate you on China's successful chairmanship of the SCO. I thank you for the invitation to visit China and for our meeting today". (ANI) Key developments on Aug. 30-31: Ukraine's ex-parliament speaker shot dead in Lviv 'Wishful thinking, outright lies' Ukraine dismisses Russia's claims of battlefield success Russia says the quiet part out loud war in Ukraine to continue, more mass bombings of cities Trump considers sending US private military companies to secure Ukraine peace deal, Telegraph reports Andrii Parubii, a Ukrainian politician and former parliamentary speaker who played a prominent role in the EuroMaidan Revolution, was shot dead in Lviv on Aug. 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said Parubii was targeted with eight shots from a short-barreled firearm, with seven shell casings found at the scene. The suspected assailant was reportedly dressed as a delivery courier and rode an electric bicycle. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, and law enforcement agencies are investigating Parubii's murder, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. "The crime was, unfortunately, carefully prepared. But everything is being done to solve it," Zelensky said on his Telegram channel. Parubii, born in 1971 near Lviv, was a long-time activist, lawmaker, and government official. He participated in the Orange Revolution in 2004, was elected to office in 2007, and led self-defense volunteer groups during the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2013-2014. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted during EuroMaidan, Parubii was appointed secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. He held the position from February to August 2014, when Russia invaded Crimea and started the war in Donbas. His role as the National Security and Defense Council secretary at the onset of Moscow's aggression made him a common target of Russian propaganda and disinformation. Ruslan Stefanchuk, the current parliament speaker, called Parubii a "consistent defender of Ukrainian statehood." "On behalf of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, I express my condolences to Andrii's family and friends," Stefanchuk said in a public statement. Parubii is survived by his wife and daughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The news of Parubii's death also garnered reactions from abroad. International figures, including Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys, and EU Ambassador Katarina Mathernova, praised him as a fighter for democracy and Ukraine's European future. Police are investigating possible Russian involvement in the death of Parubii, although no concrete information has been released thus far. Police also confirmed that there is no evidence linking the killing to the murder of Iryna Farion, an ex-lawmaker and professor who was murdered in Lviv in July 2024. Read also: Russias war in Ukraine to last a long time, Merz says 'Wishful thinking, outright lies' Ukraine dismisses Russia's claims of battlefield success Russia's 2025 springsummer campaign has ended with "almost nothing," Ukraine's General Staff said in a statement Aug. 31, dismissing the Kremlin's recent claims of battlefield success as "wishful thinking" and "outright lies." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "After three and a half years of full-scale Kremlin aggression, yet another of its 'seasonal' offensives has ended in almost nothing," the statement read. The statement came in response to recent comments from Moscow's top general, Valery Gerasimov, who said Russian forces hold a strategic advantage on the battlefield, and made clear Russia has no intention of ending the war in Ukraine. "The figures presented by the occupiers regarding captured territories and settlements are heavily exaggerated," Ukraine's General Staff said. "The only 100% verified result achieved by Russia since the beginning of 2025 is its own losses over 291,000 soldiers killed and wounded." In social media post on the same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had suffered the heaviest losses in Donetsk Oblast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Particularly in the Pokrovsk direction, where they concentrated their main efforts but failed to achieve any of their strategic objectives," he added. During 2025, Russian forces failed to take full control of any major Ukrainian city, the General Staff said. Ukraine's General Staff also rebutted Russia's recent claims that they only strike military objects and facilities associated with Ukraine's military-industrial complex. "As for the aggressor state's claims of 'precision strikes only against military targets' thousands of Ukrainian civilians know the real price of such boasts, losing their homes, relatives, and loved ones every day," the General Staff said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Wherever a Russian 'Iskander' missile falls, a so-called 'UAF command post' or 'foreign mercenary base' is declared. The consequence of Russias constant violations of international humanitarian law is human lives." Read also: Hungary continues to veto Ukraines accession to EU, negotiations Russia says the quiet part out loud war in Ukraine to continue, more mass bombings of cities After months of playing lip service to U.S. efforts to end the war in Ukraine, the head of Russia's military on Aug. 30 said Moscow will continue its war. "The Joint Group of Troops will continue... conducting offensive actions," the chief of the General Staff of the Russian army, Valery Gerasimov, said in comments reported by Russia's Defense Ministry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement makes a mockery of U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to end the war, after multiple extensions of a deadline to see if Russian President Vladimir Putin was serious about peace. Gerasimov also said that "targeted massive fire strikes continue," referring to the regular mass missile and drone attacks that Russia launches against Ukrainian cities. He claimed these are "launched only against military objects and facilities of Ukraine's military-industrial complex," though Russian missiles and drones regularly hit residential buildings and civilian targets. In a recent attack on Kyiv on Aug. 28, 25 people were killed, including four children. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said he is ready to meet Putin and hold peace talks with Russia, while the Kremlin has rejected calls from Kyiv and its allies for an unconditional ceasefire and ramped up attacks against Ukrainian cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Civilian ship damaged after hitting unidentified explosive device in Black Sea near Odesa Trump considers sending US private military companies to secure Ukraine peace deal, Telegraph reports U.S. President Donald Trump is negotiating with European allies to send U.S. private military companies to help secure a potential peace deal in Ukraine, the Telegraph reported on Aug. 30, citing undisclosed sources. The potential deal is an attempt to keep a pledge not to send the U.S. military to Ukraine, while also serving as a deterrent against potential future Russian aggression. Since taking office, Trump has pledged to broker a swift peace deal in Ukraine while reducing the scope of U.S. involvement in the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The focus for such U.S. contractors appears to be on helping to build new defenses and securing U.S. business interests in Ukraine, such as those that the much-vaunted mineral deal aims to facilitate. The deal in progress also entails the deployment of European soldiers in a buffer zone near the Russian border. Another 30,000 European soldiers may be deeper in Ukraine as a further deterrent force. European soldiers would also likely take part by coming to western Ukraine to train Ukrainian soldiers. Turkey would participate in the deal as envisioned by providing a naval security force in the Black Sea, critical to Ukrainian exports like grain and sunflower oil, the Telegraph reported. Russia seems unlikely to sign off on any such security guarantee, as it has repeatedly ruled out the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal. Note from the author: Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Kyiv Independents Dare to Ukraine series returns for 2nd season set in Ukrainian village Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. At the international forum "Information War: From Resistance to Resilience," Ukraines military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov warned that the upcoming Russian-Belarusian joint strategic military exercise will trigger a major wave of disinformation and cognitive pressure against Ukraine and European countries. Budanov said that upcoming joint exercises, set to begin in two weeks, will pose challenges for both Ukraine and European countries, particularly through what he described as "cognitive influence" one of the main tools of disinformation and information warfare. "After the events of 2022 in Ukraine, these drills are no longer perceived as mere training exercises but as something more. That is the problem. Right now, there is already a wave of tension, and with the start of the active phase on Sept. 12, we will see an enormous wave of information escalation," Budanov said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Budanov warned that disinformation would flood in from all sides with roughly 90% coming from Russia and the rest from other sources "fueling hysteria." He noted that while the drills are designed to rehearse operations in the western theater of war rather than directly against Ukraine, they carry strong symbolic weight for Europe, especially the Baltic states. "Unfortunately, these countries will come under heavy information pressure once the active phase begins, accompanied by provocations and false narratives, some of which have already started," he added. Read also: Everything you need to know about the upcoming Russia-Belarus Zapad-2025 military drills Budanovs warning comes as intelligence reports shed more light on the scale and nature of Zapad-2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The drills were kept under wraps for months, with both the location and projected troop numbers shifting repeatedly. Initially announced as involving up to 13,000 troops, the exercises were later downscaled and moved deeper into Russian territory in May. Lithuanian intelligence now estimates the drills will involve around 30,000 personnel in total, with 6,0008,000 stationed in Belarus and others in Russias Kaliningrad exclave. Independent analysts believe the reduction reflects Russias battlefield losses in Ukraine and shortages of equipment. The opposition watchdog Belpol has argued that Moscow cannot sustain larger deployments. According to iSANS, only about 2,150 Russian troops were stationed in Belarus in June, limited to two communications bases and an airfield. Additional Russian forces began arriving on Aug. 6, though their exact numbers remain unclear. Read also: Trump is a Russian asset, Portuguese president says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. (Reuters) -Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said early on Monday that a suspect has been arrested in the murder of former parliamentary speaker Andriy Parubiy, a crime that shook the war-torn country. "The suspect has given an initial testimony," Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app. "Urgent investigative actions are currently underway to establish all the circumstances of this murder." Parubiy, 54, was shot dead in the western city of Lviv on Saturday in what Zelenskiy called "a horrific murder" and a "matter of security in a country at war." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parubiy had been parliamentary speaker from April 2016 to August 2019, and was one of the leaders of protests in 2013-14 calling for closer ties with the European Union. "I thank law enforcement for their swift and coordinated work. All the circumstances of this horrific murder must be uncovered," Zelenskiy said. The alleged shooter was detained overnight in the Khmelnytskyi region in western Ukraine, Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. "Many details cannot be shared at this time," Klymenko said. "I will only say that the crime was carefully planned: the victims movements were studied, a route was mapped out, and an escape plan was thought through." (Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Bill Berkrot) Sochi airport in Russias Krasnodar Krai has faced disruption after a drone attack. More than 50 flights have been delayed. Source: The Moscow Times, an independent Amsterdam-based news outlet Quote: "The problems began on the night of 29-30 August, when Krasnodar Krai and neighbouring Adygea came under drone attack. The airport then temporarily stopped receiving and sending flights, leaving thousands of people stranded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The airport press service warned passengers about possible delays and cancellations in the coming two days. No flight restrictions were imposed on the night of 29-31 August. However, adjustments to the schedule due to previous restrictions led to new delays on both domestic and international routes." Details: The Moscow Times added that a Sochi airport representative told RBC (RosBusinessConsulting) that all services are operating normally. He said eight flights were delayed for more than two hours but claimed this was due to "operational reasons at the airlines". Background: On 24 August, it was reported that many Russian airports, including in Moscow and St Petersburg, introduced restrictions on arrivals and departures on the evening of 23 August, with three airlines announcing schedule changes. It was also reported that in the first six months of 2025 the number of long delays of Russian airlines doubled and equalled the total for all of 2023. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukrainian military has liberated the village of Myrne near Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast, according to updated DeepState maps published on Aug. 29. The positions previously allowed Russian troops to control the road leading into the city of Kupiansk, approximately 104 kilometers (65 miles) east of Kharkiv, the regional capital. The liberation was confirmed by Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for the Dnipro Operational-Strategic Group. "As of now, Russians have been pushed out of Myrne. There is no information on wounded or killed Russian soldiers. Our forces are advancing further," Trehubov told Suspilne news outlet on Aug. 30. The development comes as residents of Kupiansk continue to endure dire humanitarian conditions amid Russias ongoing attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Aug. 25, Andriy Besedin, head of the Kupiansk city military-civil administration, said the city has been left without electricity, gas, or running water due to daily strikes with guided bombs, artillery, multiple-launch rocket systems, and FPV drones. Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast (Nizar al-Rifai/The Kyiv Independent) "Unfortunately, today there is no electricity, gas, or water in Kupiansk, and restoration is impossible due to the intensity of the shelling and the destruction caused by (Russian troops) every day," Besedin told Novyny.LIVE. He said around 1,800 civilians remain in the city, compared to a prewar population of about 30,000. Conditions are especially dire on the citys right bank, where some 870 residents are trapped without access to basic services. "They are living in nearly inhumane conditions. We cannot provide any administrative or social services there," Besedin said. Local authorities have managed to maintain critical services only in the Prystinske district, a cluster of nine smaller settlements within the Kupiansk community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian forces continue to launch attacks across Kharkiv Oblast, including against the regional capital of Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city near the Russian border. Read also: Ukraines intel chief warns of Russian disinformation wave ahead of Zapad-2025 military drills Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) A man was found dead at the Kings County Criminal Courthouse on Friday night, according to police. A 46-year-old man was discovered unconscious and unresponsive inside the Brooklyn courthouse area around 10:15 p.m., authorities said. More Local News Emergency Medical Services was called, and the man was pronounced deceased at the scene, officials said. This tragic loss represents the twelfth person to die in City custody or shortly after being released and the third person to pass away at a local courthouse this year alone, a statement from the Legal Aid and Brooklyn Defenders. The NYPDs drive to criminalize poverty has led to the avoidable and unnecessary incarceration and death of a man accused of shoplifting food from a grocery store. Instead of receiving the care he urgently needed, he languished and died in a holding cell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death, and an ongoing investigation is being conducted by the NYPDs Force Investigation Division. The identity of the deceased has not been released. Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. By Ted Hesson and Kristina Cooke WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A U.S. federal judge on Sunday halted the Trump administration from deporting a group of migrant Guatemalan children already boarded onto planes and potentially hundreds more in government shelters after their lawyers made a pre-dawn emergency appeal. The dramatic scene was reminiscent of other last-minute court challenges to Trump-era deportation efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A little after 1 a.m. ET on Sunday, the National Immigration Law Center, a pro-immigrant advocacy group, filed an emergency motion with the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. to halt the removal of 10 unaccompanied migrant children from Guatemala. At a rare hearing over a holiday weekend, District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan said she had been awakened at 2:35 a.m. and alerted to the case. Sooknanan issued a temporary restraining order halting removal of the children, ages 10-17, for 14 days. Sooknanan expanded the order to include any Guatemalan unaccompanied minors in the custody of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The complaint said this group could number hundreds of children. A government lawyer confirmed Sunday evening that the children that it had planned to fly to Guatemala had been taken off the airplanes and were being returned to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump, a Republican, launched an immigration crackdown after returning to the White House in January, including an effort to track down and deport unaccompanied migrant children. His administration struck an agreement with Guatemala that would allow unaccompanied children to be sent back to the country and planned to start deportations this weekend, one current and two former U.S. officials told Reuters. The plans were first reported by CNN on Friday. Migrant children who arrive at U.S. borders without a parent or guardian are classified as unaccompanied and sent to federal government-run shelters until they can be placed with a family member or foster home, a process outlined in federal law. Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo said in July that his government was working with the U.S. to repatriate unaccompanied children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the emergency hearing on Sunday, Sooknanan pressed the Department of Justice for assurances that Guatemalan children had not been deported already. "We're here to try to figure out as quickly as we can what is happening," said Sooknanan, an appointee of Trump's Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden. Justice Department attorney Drew Ensign said no children had been removed but that some had been loaded onto planes. Ensign said he believed one plane may have taken off but later returned under the judge's order. An attorney with the National Immigration Law Center, Efren Olivares, told the judge that some children still appeared to be aboard planes in Harlingen and El Paso, Texas. Ensign said they would be moved back to HHS shelters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ensign said all of the children's parents or guardians in Guatemala had requested their return via the Guatemalan government, although Olivares contested that. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller criticized Sooknanan for blocking the deportations. "The minors have all self-reported that their parents are back home in Guatemala," Miller wrote on X. "But a Democrat judge is refusing to let them reunify with their parents." The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE's parent agency, and HHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Guatemala's foreign ministry declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'CLEAR VIOLATION' Within the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement, which cares for unaccompanied children until they can be placed with U.S. sponsors, signs of the new deportation effort emerged last week. Melissa Johnston, director of the HHS' unaccompanied children program, sent an email to staff prohibiting the U.S. release of Guatemalan children in federal custody except for those sponsored by parents or legal guardians in the country, according to a copy reviewed by Reuters. In their complaint on Sunday, the National Immigration Law Center and Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights said the deportations would be a "clear violation of the unambiguous protections that Congress has provided them as vulnerable children." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint said that in Guatemala, the children "may face abuse, neglect, persecution, or even torture, against their best interests." Among the plaintiffs was a 10-year-old indigenous Guatemalan girl whose mother had died and who had suffered abuse and neglect from other caretakers, the complaint said. The girl was detained at a U.S. government shelter in South Texas, the complaint said. Several of the 10 plaintiffs had expressed fear of returning to Guatemala, the complaint said. The children have been in shelters or foster care in California, Texas, Pennsylvania and New York, it said. (Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington and Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington and Sofia Menchu in Guatemala City; Editing by Don Durfee, Bill Berkrot, Nia Williams, Cynthia Osterman and Diane Craft) Government officials have confirmed the first human case of New World screwworm to be detected in the U.S., sending shockwaves through the American cattle industry, Reuters reported on Monday. A traveler returning from El Salvador earlier this month was found to be infected with the flesh-eating parasite. While officials say the threat to human health remains low, screwworm poses an enormous threat to cattle and the cattle industry, per Reuters. What's happening? New World screwworms are the larvae of the New World screwworm fly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "NWS flies lay eggs in open wounds or orifices of live tissue such as nostrils, eyes or mouth," explained the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in a December 2024 press release. "These eggs hatch into dangerous parasitic larvae, and the maggots burrow or screw into flesh with sharp mouth hooks," the TPWD continued. "Wounds can become larger, and an infestation can often cause serious, deadly damage or death to the infected animal." For years, officials in the U.S. have taken strong measures to prevent the northward spread of the deadly pest. However, aided by rising global temperatures, screwworms have for years been spreading northward through South America and Central America, per the TPWD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In May, U.S. officials halted imports from Mexico of all live cattle, bison, and horses after screwworms were detected in southern Mexico, near the Guatemala border. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has estimated that a screwworm outbreak could cost the Texas livestock industry alone $1.8 billion due to animal deaths, medication, and other expenses, according to Reuters. Across the U.S., economic damages could reach as high as $100 billion, according to the USDA. Despite the threat to industry, officials say that, from a human health standpoint, there is no cause for concern at this time. "The risk to public health in the United States from this introduction is very low," said Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, per Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Reuters reported that at least one state official said they were concerned that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was not taking the risks or importance of communication across states seriously prior to the case being confirmed publicly by Reuters' exclusive on Monday. "We found out via other routes and then had to go to CDC to tell us what was going on," Beth Thompson, South Dakota's state veterinarian, told Reuters. "They weren't forthcoming at all. They turned it back over to the state to confirm anything that had happened or what had been found in this traveler." Why are New World screwworms important? New World screwworms are just one example of how rising global temperatures have aided the spread of harmful invasive species into new regions. As temperatures increase, invasive plants, animals, and insects are able to survive and even thrive in areas where they previously could not. Invasive species often outcompete native species, disrupting delicate ecosystems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the screwworm has shown, invasive species can decimate food supplies, disrupt trade, impact human health, and cause billions of dollars in damage. What's being done about New World screwworms? In mid-August, the USDA unveiled a sweeping plan to prevent New World screwworms from spreading into the United States. The centerpiece of the plan was a $750 million facility in Texas that will breed sterile male screwworm flies. By releasing millions of sterile males into the wild, officials hope to slow reproduction and stop the screwworms from spreading. Once completed, the facility will release 300 million sterile male flies per week, according to the USDA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the 1960s, a similar strategy was effective in eradicating the New World screwworm from the U.S. However, rising global temperatures mean that government officials are working in a completely different environment than their predecessors were 60 years ago. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. By Jasper Ward and Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Trump administration is continuing its talks with trading partners despite a U.S. appeals court ruling that most of President Donald Trump's tariffs are illegal, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Sunday. "Our trading partners, they continue to work very closely with us on negotiations," he said in an interview on Fox News' "Fox & Friends" program. "People are moving forward with their deals, regardless of what this court may say in the interim." Greer did not say which countries the United States was still in talks with, but said he had spoken with one trade minister on Saturday morning. The ruling threatens what has become a pillar of Trump's foreign policy since starting his second term in the White House in January. He has used the levies imposed on imported goods to exert political pressure and renegotiate trade deals even as the tariffs have increased volatility in financial markets. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington's 7-4 decision on Friday said while Congress gave the president significant authority to act in response to a national emergency, lawmakers did not "explicitly include the power to impose tariffs, duties, or the like, or the power to tax." The decision addressed the legality of Trump's so-called reciprocal tariffs set in April as well as tariffs imposed against China, Canada and Mexico in February, but does not impact those issued under other legal authority. Trump on Friday blasted the decision and vowed to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. The appeals court said his tariffs can remain in effect through October 14 to allow for appeals. Trade experts said the Trump administration had been bracing for the ruling and preparing alternative plans to be able to proceed with its tariffs. "If other countries are looking at this and thinking they're going to get tariff relief, they're in for a unpleasant surprise. There are backup options upon backup options, even if the Supreme Court ends up agreeing with the appeals court," said Josh Lipsky, chair of international economics at the Atlantic Council think tank. He said one option would be to turn to Section 338 of a 1930 trade law that allows the president to impose duties of up to 50% against imports from countries that are found to discriminate against U.S. commerce. Trump weighed in again on Saturday in a social media post, saying "A big year ahead for the USA, maybe the BEST EVER, if the Tariffs are finally approved by the Courts!!!" The central government has issued fresh rules for calculating green credits under the tree plantation category, shifting the focus from tree count to ecological outcomes like canopy cover and sustained restoration. The gazette notification, issued by the Ministry of Environment on Saturday, states that industries, cooperatives, and other entities will be eligible for green credit following the completion of a minimum of five years of restoration activities and achieving a minimum canopy density of 40 per cent. The fresh rules replace the earlier methodology issued in February 2024, where one green credit was granted per tree planted, with a minimum density of 1,100 trees per hectare over two years. The new rules state: "On completion of minimum five years of restoration activities in the degraded forest land parcel(s), and after achieving a minimum canopy density of forty per cent (40% canopy density), the applicant shall be eligible to submit a claim report in the format specified by the Administrator for award of Green Credit." The new notification has been issued as part of the Green Credit Rules, which were enacted in 2023. The ambitious government scheme seeks to invite voluntary participation in sectors ranging from plantations to water conservation in exchange for tradable credits. It also added that in cases where payments have already been deposited and recorded under the February 2024 notification, "the calculation of Green Credit and its usage shall be based on the criteria laid down in that notification." The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education has been designated as the administrator of the scheme, with applicants required to pay a verification fee. It also mentions that green Credit will not be non-tradable and non-transferable except for the transfer between the holding company and its subsidiary companies. The rules further state: "Once the Green Credit is exchanged for any of the purposes mentioned above, it shall be deemed to have been extinguished to the extent such Green Credit has been used and to that extent it cannot be used again." (ANI) Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are among the more than 20 world leaders attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, which is now the worlds largest regional grouping by population. The Beijing-backed bloc will convene on Sunday and Monday in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin, bringing together a diverse range of power brokers from across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Founded by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in 2001, the summit has shifted focus over the past two decades from Central Asian concerns to global matters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More significantly, the SCO has become an essential part of Chinas parallel international governance architecture, said Eric Olander, editor-in-chief of the China-Global South Project. As Beijing assumes the mantle of the worlds second-largest superpower, the SCO has created spaces for dialogue and cooperation outside the US-led international system, Olander told Al Jazeera. While the summit in Tianjin is largely symbolic, it is a valuable chance to bring together global leaders and bureaucrats in a forum where they can share common grievances, Olander said. With the gathering set to be overshadowed by United States President Donald Trumps trade war against much of the world including many traditional allies of Washington attendees are likely to have even more common ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guests range from Putin, who is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, to Belaruss authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko and the likes of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Many of the attendees also have longrunning rivalries and border disputes, such as India with Pakistan, India with China, Saudi Arabia with Iran, and Central Asia with both China and Russia. There are complex dynamics at play here, Olander said. Underneath the happy family photo is a lot of looking over shoulders, he said. Defence ministers from countries including China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Russia applaud following a group photo, ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers Meeting in Qingdao, Shandong province, China, in June 2025 [Florence Lo/Reuters] Swing states The SCO has expanded its membership in recent years to include such political heavyweights as India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus as full members, with Afghanistan and Mongolia joining as observers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Official dialogue partners have also grown to 14 countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Qatar, Cambodia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. The summit will also notably feature Southeast Asia, a region that Olander likened to the swing states in the great power competition between the US and China. Five heads of state will attend from the region, including Malaysias Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesias Prabowo Subianto, as well as ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn. Observers will be closely watching the dynamics between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indias Modi, who have not met in seven years, said Claus Soong, an analyst at Germanys Mercator Institute for China Studies who specialises in Chinas global strategy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement India has traditionally been an ally of Washington, but it was hit this week by Trumps 50 percent tariffs as punishment for its ongoing purchase of Russian oil. The White House says Indias trade is helping to keep Russias economy afloat despite international sanctions, and with it, Russias war on Ukraine. But the shared threat of US tariffs has helped improve relations between New Delhi and Beijing, which had plummeted in 2020 over a deadly skirmish between border forces in the Himalayas. The two sides reached a deal on their remote frontier in 2024, but their relationship has remained frosty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Analysts say China sees Trumps trade war as a chance to ease India away from US-led political and military blocs such as the QUAD, a strategic security forum that includes Japan and Australia in addition to India and the US. The key is to look at how China [characterises] its relationship with India after the visit and how the relationship improves between China and India, Soong told Al Jazeera. Even subtle changes in language by Beijing carry important diplomatic signals, he said. The SCO summit will also mark the first meeting between Putin and Xi since the Russian leader met with President Trump in Alaska earlier this month to discuss the Ukraine war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Analysts will be listening for similar changes in language for how the two leaders describe the China-Russia relationship. In 2022, just weeks before Moscow invaded Ukraine, China and Russia signed a no limits partnership, and Xi has played a vital role in propping up Russias economy since then. This is a point of contention for New Delhi, as China has done far more to support Russia economically since the war started, but has not faced similar sanctions from Trump. With so many dynamics at play behind the scenes, Daniel Balazs, a research fellow at the China Programme at Singapores S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the most likely outcome of the SCO will be a joint statement from all attendees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China and Russia are expected to push talking points such as their opposition to unilateralism a coded reference to the US but most of the language will be watered down to make it palatable to all. The symbolism of actually achieving a joint statement is more important than the content of the statement itself, Balazs said. What I would expect is to have a statement which is a very non-controversial one, in order to get everybody on board, he said. Security and stability, comments about improving economic cooperation, and a couple of comments about the importance of multilateralism, Balazs said. Police officers stand guard in front of the Tiananmen Gate, in an area temporarily closed to visitors due to construction, in advance of a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, in Beijing, China, on August 20, 2025 [Florence Lo/Reuters] Police officers stand guard in front of the Tiananmen Gate, in an area temporarily closed to visitors due to construction, in advance of a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, in Beijing, China, on August 20, 2025 [Florence Lo/Reuters] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the summit, guests will have a full day in China before travelling to Beijing for a massive military parade on September 3 marking 80 years since the end of World War II in Asia. That extra day September 2 will be prime time for bilateral meetings, the China-Global South Projects Olander said. Who will meet who on the second of September thats something to pay attention to, he said. More heads of state are due to attend the parade the next day, with additions said to include North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indias Modi is not expected to stay for the parade, although analysts say he may send a representative, such as his foreign minister. The Mercator Institutes Soong said the expansive guest list for the summit and the military parade will give Beijing a boost to its public image, especially among the Global South. This is how China demonstrates its friend circle who can be Chinas friend and who is willing to endorse Chinas narrative, he said. More than three years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, two films premiering in the Venice Days sidebar of the Venice Film Festival explore a different conflict that embroiled the Kremlin decades ago and, in the process, draw chilling parallels to events unfolding today. Memory, a poetic and deeply personal hybrid documentary from filmmaker Vladlena Sandu that opens the Venice Days strand, is an effort to process the trauma inflicted on the director when she was a young girl during the 1990s war in the Russian republic of Chechnya. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Short Summer, by Nastia Korkia, is a tender coming-of-age story that takes place a decade later, during what came to be known as the Second Chechen War. In it, an 8-year-old spends summer vacation with her grandparents as their marriage begins to crumble, leaving her to confront the troubling complexities of the world around her. Though radically different in their approaches, the two films highlight how the same mechanisms of violence and repression that spurred Russia through the Chechen conflicts are being reproduced today. Just as the Kremlin sought to quell dissent against its vicious campaign in the restive republic, so, too, has a deafening silence accompanied its Ukraine folly. The most important [thing] is not to stand up, is not to protest, because if you do, the machine of the state will destroy you, says Korkia. We see thats really what is happening with all the political activists right now [in Russia]. The fighting in Short Summer takes place off-camera, mirroring the directors own childhood in Russia, far from the wars frontlines. Revisiting that period two decades later, Korkia recognized the willing blindness her countrymen displayed toward what was then as in Ukraine now being dubbed a special operation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For most Russians, there was this war which we never called the war that was somewhere far away. And people preferred to turn away from it, the director tells Variety. While there was this terror happening, we lived a normal life. Nevertheless, as Short Summer illustrates, the echo of war infiltrates civilian life, says Korkia. We see in the society that it inevitably faces the consequences. When we turn away from war, it doesnt disappear. In fact, it thrives in this [environment]. Sandu had a more personal stake in the Chechen conflict: Born in Crimea, Ukraine, she moved to Grozny as a child in the late 1980s, just several years before a Russian invasion and aerial bombing campaign devastated the Chechen capital, claiming up to 100,000 civilian lives and displacing half a million more. Memory reckons with both that violence and its aftermath, functioning not only as an attempt by Sandu to process her personal trauma, but as a documentary record of atrocities committed in Chechnya that the Kremlin and many Russians refused to acknowledge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chilling effect of that silence lingers. When the director, who left Grozny with her family in 1998, returned two decades later to make Memory, she was forced to hide the true nature of her work. Sandu submitted a fake script to the Russian and Chechen culture ministries to secure filming permits, appearing instead to be making a patriotic film about her grandfather, a Soviet war hero. Even after receiving the go-ahead to shoot, she and her crew filmed secretly to avoid the police; most of her team never received the full script, for fear that it could put them in danger. The climate for filmmakers looking to interrogate the Russian war effort remains hostile. Korkia, who was raised in Moscow, left Russia in 2021 to participate in the DocNomads MFA program. But after the Feb. 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she says, I didnt see a future in my country. I didnt see a possibility of working on films there. She is currently based between Germany and France. Meanwhile, Sandu was arrested in Moscows Pushkin Square in Feb. 2022 while holding a picket sign calling for peace. Once the authorities discovered she was Ukrainian, she recognized that she would be an easy target in the event of a wider crackdown; two weeks later, she decided to leave the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sandu now lives in Amsterdam, watching from afar as both of my homelands Crimea and the Chechen Republic remain under occupation, she says. That, however, has only fueled her resolve to tell the story of the Chechen war as she lived it. I dont have a choice to be silent, she says. Im one of the witnesses who knows the truth of how it was. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Verizon customers in the Northeast experienced widespread service outages on Saturday afternoon due to a software issue, impacting wireless connectivity across the region. The outages, which peaked Saturday afternoon, mainly affected the Northeast corridor of the United States, though other regions also experienced disruptions. Verizon has acknowledged the problem and is working quickly to resolve it. The company apologized for any inconvenience caused and thanked customers for their patience during the resolution process. Engineers have been working hard to restore service, and some areas have already experienced improvements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are aware of a software issue impacting wireless service for some customers, a Verizon spokesperson said. Our engineers are engaged, and we are working quickly to identify and solve the issue. Verizon recommends that customers visit its Check Network Status page for the latest updates on service restoration in their areas. Please see the updated statement below. We are starting to see service restoration in impacted areas. Our engineers have been working diligently on todays service disruption, and continue to work to ensure remaining customers are fully restored as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience as we have worked through this issue. Verizon Spokesperson Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. There is a mood, rightfully felt by many parents, that third-graders should not have their futures decided by their reading scores. Children that age may not be proficient test-takers. They might not have the mental focus that older youth tend to display. And does it damage an 8- or 9-year-old to hold them back a grade? The Indiana General Assembly has set aside that debate by implementing the Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD-3) assessment to gauge a students reading ability through third grade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Administration of the test seems to be an ongoing legislative agenda. New policies for the 2024-2025 school year included allowing third-grade students to have two summer retest opportunities if they did not pass IREAD in the spring. Students who did not pass also have access to summer school with a science of reading-trained instructor. The state has made it clear to schools that any child not able to pass the test should be held back from entering fourth grade. IREAD-3 results were recently announced. Literacy rates for 87.3% of the states 73,500 third-graders jumped nearly five percentage points, continuing improvement in scores for the fourth straight year. Black students, as well as students in special education and those receiving free or reduced price meals, also saw an increase in scores. Across Madison County, six school districts saw increases. In South Madison Community Schools, East Elementary had a 100% pass rate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anderson Community Schools had an overall 10.5% increase over last year, with Valley Grove Elementary seeing a 22.9% jump. That significant news may be due to ACS placing literacy specialists in each of the seven elementary schools to provide literacy instruction to students in kindergarten through third grade. On the downside, Anderson Preparatory Academys pass rate dropped 17.2% from last year. APA blamed, in part, weak attendance with a reference to unhoused students. The administration must work even harder too draw families into the educational process. A new tutoring partnership with Ivy Tech may help, but parents have to ensure their children are participating in the offer. There is always debate over the appropriateness of testing the reading skills of third-graders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indiana is now more than a decade into IREAD. The assessment gives families and teachers the data they need to address troublesome areas and begin to focus on monitoring progress. IREAD isnt setting a childs future in stone, but it is an attempt to prepare elementary school students for the remaining years of their education and future careers. If school districts, such as Andersons early literacy instruction, can continue and if families emphasize literacy as a big part of parenting, then Indianas future can be on the rise, too. DENISON, Iowa (KCAU) A vigil was held over the weekend for a resident of Denison, Iowa, who died after an alleged altercation with the police. 36-year-old Feglys Antonio Campos-Arriba was shot and killed on August 15th by a police officer with the Denison police department. According to authorities, the incident is still under investigation. The officer involved in the shooting has not been identified yet and is on paid administrative leave. During the vigil, two pastors gathered the residents of Denison to offer a chance for healing and prayer for those affected by the incident. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres no police officer in Denison, Iowa, who gets up every day to try and kill somebody; thats not a thing, said the pastor Mario Flores of the United Pentecostal Church. But were just praying and hopefully everybody learns, and becomes a better system, a better community, and learn and grows. The pastor stated that the family hopes to return Campos-Arribas remains to Cuba for burial, if possible. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. (Reuters) -Europe is drawing up "pretty precise plans" for a multinational troop deployment to Ukraine as part of post-conflict security guarantees that will have the backing of U.S. capabilities, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the Financial Times in an interview published Sunday. President Trump reassured us that there will be (an) American presence as part of the backstop, von der Leyen told the FT, adding that That was very clear and repeatedly affirmed. The deployment is set to include potentially tens of thousands of European-led troops, backed by assistance from the U.S., including control and command systems and intelligence and surveillance assets, the report said, adding that this arrangement was agreed at a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and senior European leaders last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and von der Leyen are expected to gather in Paris on Thursday, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, to continue the high-level discussions on Ukraine, the FT reported, citing three diplomats briefed on the plans. (Reporting by Rhea Rose Abraham in Bengaluru, Editing by Louise Heavens and Ros Russell) Lebanon today faces the existential question of whether it can emerge from decades of war and destruction, or whether it will again be consumed by civil conflict and terrorist domination. Its chance to return to normalcy is because of Israels strikes against Iran and its Middle Eastern terrorist proxies, following Hamass barbaric October 7 attack. Hezbollah had dominated Lebanon for decades. They have effectively ruled from the shadows by brute military force without visibly occupying the most important constitutional public offices. While many Shia citizens support Hezbollah, its real power comes from support supplied by Tehran, without which the terror group might never have come into being. Qasem Soleimani and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Quds Force amalgamated a number of local terrorist groups and guided the 1983 attacks on Americas Beirut embassy. This marked the opening shots of worldwide terrorist war by radical Islamists. Israels post-October 7 attacks, combined with US participation in destroying much of Irans nuclear-weapons program, has forever altered that landscape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, however, unacceptable threats persist. Although Israel decimated Hezbollahs leadership, inflicted substantial casualties on its fighters, and destroyed much of its ballistic-missile arsenal and other weapons, Hezbollah retains significant military capabilities. Israel has scotched the snake, not killed it. The same is true of Hamas in Gaza, and to a much lesser extent of Yemens Houthi rebels and various Shia militias in Iraq. Now, Lebanons struggling government is attempting to finish what Israel started, in yet another of seemingly endless efforts to disarm Hezbollah and make it act like a political party instead of an army-cum-terrorist organisation. In 2006, for example, following Israels retaliatory actions after being attacked from Gaza and Lebanon, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1701. This resolution sought to resolve Lebanons internal agony by disarming Hezbollah, committing it to act only through the political process, forbidding the importation of new weapons except for the legitimate Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), and providing enhanced authority for UN peacekeepers to help restore internal security. This effort was doomed from the start. Iran and Hezbollah had no intention of admitting defeat and participating in normal politics. They counted on Western indifference once peace was restored and Israeli forces were withdrawn from southern Lebanon. And also on indifference in Israel itself, which had resiled from its initial objective of destroying Hezbollah. Iran and Hezbollah proved correct in their assessments, providing one of the sources of encouragement to Tehran and its terrorist allies that ultimately led to October 7. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This history explains why what should be a noncontroversial effort to restore whatever is left of Lebanese civil society is so fraught with danger and contentiousness. In reality, Hezbollah shows no signs of giving up. And, for well or ill, the UNs longstanding Lebanon peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, has such a tarnished reputation for ineffectiveness that its mandate will be ended at the end of 2026. Lebanons government thus faces an arduous task to end Hezbollahs military capabilities and prevent Irans continuing financial and other support. That task is likely impossible without outside help. That means Western countries, having discarded the well-intentioned but ineffective UNIFIL, must now find bilateral ways to help strengthen the LAF and civil Lebanese authorities. Moreover, however painful it may be, Lebanon must continue close cooperation with Israel, both to secure Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and to disarm Hezbollah. So far, Washingtons efforts to support Lebanese government efforts to civilianise Hezbollah have been inept and likely ineffective. The truth, as in 2006, is that once again neither Tehran nor Hezbollah intend to surrender weapons. The recent visit of Ali Larijani, a long-time senior Iranian official, proves the point. There is some good news in Syria, where the post-Assad regime not only rejected a visit by Larijani, but barred him from transiting its airspace to travel to Lebanon. Unfortunately, while a staunch enemy of Tehran, Damascuss new government has not yet shed the reputation for itself being terrorist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seeing Lebanon reborn with a peaceful, democratic government, free from both Iran and Hezbollah, would be a substantial step towards a truly stable, sustained Middle Eastern peace. But if Beirut and its international supporters shrink from disarming Hezbollah, we will simply end up in due course exactly where we were on October 7. That cannot be permitted. John Bolton is a former United States ambassador to the United Nations and former United States national security advisor Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Sudans civil war between the Sudanese armed forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary has produced the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. Estimates suggested tens of thousands of people have died from combat and thousands more have perished from disease and hunger brought on by the war, now well into its third year. There have been many significant military and political developments this month. Here are the key updates: Fighting and military control The SAF is consolidating its control over the capital, Khartoum, which it took from the RSF in March. It also holds the central and eastern regions of Sudan, including its wartime capital of Port Sudan on the Red Sea. The RSF controls most of the sprawling western region of Darfur and much of the Kordofan region to the south. The RSF continues to besiege North Darfurs capital, el-Fasher, where the SAF has its last Darfur garrison. If el-Fasher falls, the RSF will rule over a stretch of land roughly the size of France in western Sudan. The RSF has escalated attacks on el-Fasher and on nearby displacement camps, including the Abu Shouk camp, where 190,000 people from around Darfur have sought shelter. It has also erected massive sand berms around el-Fasher from the north, west and east, effectively creating a kill-box, according to recent satellite imagery obtained by the Yale Humanitarian Research Hub. The RSF is working to expand its control in Kordofan by working with a new ally, the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), headed by Abdelaziz al-Hilu. The two allied in February to counter the SAF on the battlefield. With the help of the SPLM-N, the RSF retains control over most of West and South Kordofan, giving them cross-border access to South Sudan. SAF controls the most strategic city in North Kordofan, el-Obeid, which the RSF is besieging. The SAF needs to hold onto el-Obeid to keep the RSF from threatening central Sudan. A map showing areas under the control of the RSF and SAF in and around the strategic city of el-Obeid in North Kordofan [Interactive/Al Jazeera] Humanitarian crisis The RSF has trapped an estimated 260,000 civilians, including 130,000 children, in el-Fasher, turning the city into an epicentre of child suffering, according to UNICEF. Most are surviving on animal fodder known as ambaz the residue of pressed oil seeds, such as peanuts, sesame, and sunflower which they grind into a paste; however, even this is running low. About one-third of the children in Mellit, a city the RSF controls near el-Fasher, are severely malnourished, according to figures obtained by Relief International and shared with Al Jazeera. That is more than double the World Health Organizations threshold for a malnutrition emergency. A cholera outbreak is compounding the humanitarian crisis across the vast region of Darfur, according to Adam Rojal, internally displaced people spokesperson in Darfur. On August 30, he said the water-borne disease killed nine people that day and infected a total of 9,143 people, with 382 deaths, since the epidemic first started in June 2025. Food convoys from the United Nations and other nongovernmental organisations rarely reach the neglected region of Darfur due to road closures and bureaucratic impediments. Human rights groups and local activists accuse both sides of weaponising food. The World Food Programme told Al Jazeera that it provides electronic cash assistance to vulnerable people in North Darfur, but no food convoys have reached the region for more than a year. A UN food convoy was hit by a drone strike in North Darfur on Friday, the second aid convoy in three months to be targeted. The RSF and SAF traded blame for the attack. There is a similar hunger emergency in South Kordofan due to an RSF siege on the cities of Dilling and Kadugli. Diplomacy and political developments RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Hemedti Dagalo was reportedly sworn in as president of the parallel Peace government on August 31 in South Darfurs capital, Nyala. SAF hit the city with a drone strike on the same day. A secret meeting reportedly took place in Switzerland between SAF Commander-in-Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and a United States adviser in mid-August, ostensibly to discuss a plan to end the war, according to Sudan experts and media outlets. The US has not confirmed the talks. A week after the secret meeting, al-Burhan retired several senior military officers, some of whom reportedly belong to Sudans political Islamist movement, which ruled the country for 30 years with former President Omar al-Bashir at the helm. Experts believe al-Burhan is under external pressure to dilute the influence of prominent figures tied to the al-Bashir government. Amid the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', and allegation of 'vote chori' (vote theft), Congress MP Manish Tewari alleged that there are "many people in this country who donot trust" the Election Commission even today. On the issue of Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar and 'Vote Chori', Congress MP Manish Tewari told ANI, "The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and both Leaders of the Opposition should be there in a committee to select the 3 Election Commissioners, to regain its lost credibility..." He alleged, "The Election Commission has lost the trust of its very substantial shareholders. Unfortunately, many people in this country do not trust the Election Commission today". The senior Congress leader also shed light on the issue of Electronic Voting Machines and questioned the silence of the poll body over the issue. "This did not start with SIR. It started with EVMs and the alleged rigging. In the Haryana elections, the machines were used the whole day. They were locked in the strong room for three days. When they were taken out, the battery was at 99%. Even an iPad at 100% at night becomes 80% in the morning... To date, the Election Commission has not been able to answer that an EVM was switched on at 6 am, mock testing was done, then it ran from 8 to 6 and then was switched off. It was kept in the strong room for three days. How can it have a 99% battery?... So why does the Election Commission not answer this?," he added. He raised suspicions over the SIR being held ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar. "There is no provision for Special Intensive Revision anywhere in the Constitution...The way this review is being done in a hurry, two months before the Bihar elections...it becomes suspicious... The process, under which the top officials of the Election Commission are identified, nominated, and registered, should be changed. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the PM and the HM should be there in it. Both the Leaders of the Opposition should be there... If such a committee selects the 3 Election Commissioners, then this lost credibility will be regained...." he remarked. Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar refuted all the recent "vote theft" claims made by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on the Election Commission of India (ECI). "An affidavit will have to be given or an apology should be made to the country. Teesra koi vikalp nahi (There is no third option.) If the affidavit is not received within seven days, it means that all these allegations are baseless." CEC Gyanesh Kumar told reporters earlier. The 16-day 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar led by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav aims to raise awareness about alleged irregularities in the voter list, which opposition leaders have termed a case of 'vote chori' (vote theft). Covering over 1,300 km across 20 districts, the yatra is scheduled to conclude in Patna on September 1. Bihar Assembly elections are expected later this year, although the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced an official date. (ANI) The Russo-Ukrainian war may last a very long time and the issue of deploying ground troops to Ukraine is not on the agenda for now, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said. Source: Merz in an interview with ZDF, a German public broadcaster, as reported by European Pravda Details: The German chancellor said he is preparing for the possibility that the war in Ukraine may be prolonged. "We are trying to end it as quickly as possible. But definitely not at the price of Ukraines capitulation", he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Merz, the war could be over tomorrow if Ukraine capitulates, gives up and loses its independence. "But then, the day after tomorrow, it would be the turn of the next country. And the day after that, it would be our turn. That is not an option", Merz said. He said that security guarantees for a potential ceasefire are still being discussed, and only once they are in place will "many things" be possible. "No one is talking about ground troops in Ukraine at the moment", the chancellor said. Answering a question about whether he hopes a truce will be reached next year, Merz said: "I do not lose hope that we will be able to achieve this. But I also have no illusions." Background: Earlier, commenting on Russias war against Ukraine, Merz had already said that everyone wants it to end, but not at any price. Recently, Merz also said that diplomatic efforts to end Russias war in Ukraine are still facing significant challenges. Most Germans believe that their chancellor cannot significantly influence the US president on issues related to the war in Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Jeanine Pirro, United States attorney for D.C., says a grand jury's failure to grant a felony indictment for a man who threw a sandwich at a federal officer is a damning sign that the district's residents don't care about tackling crime. Sean Charles Dunn, a former Department of Justice employee, was charged with one count of assault for the hoagie hurl. A video of the incident, in which he allegedly called the officer a "fucking fascist" and shouted "I don't want you in my city," circulated rapidly on social media. But prosecutors failed to convince a Washington grand jury to indict the man. Prosecutors are now charging him with a misdemeanor, Pirro said on "Fox News Sunday." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My office has been instructed to move for the highest crime possible, consistent with the law, the statute, and the evidence. And in that one case, in that particular article, we were on point," Pirro told Fox News' Shannon Bream. "But the grand jurors don't take it so seriously. They're like, 'Ah, you know, whatever.'" President Donald Trump has in recent weeks asserted control over Washington's police department and sent in the National Guard, a potential prelude to similar action in other major cities across the country. And although the administration is touting a decrease in crime around the district, the vast majority of the city's residents oppose Trump's crackdown. "The fact that they're so used to crime, that crime is so normalized in D.C., that they don't even care about whether or not the law is violated is the very essence of what my problem is in D.C.," Pirro, a former Fox News staple, told Bream. "And that is to turn this ship around, as President Trump has directed so that the people in D.C., the minority community who were hurt the worst by crime, who were crying for help, are finally heard." The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) recently cited a driver after video caught them illegally passing a stopped school bus in Ohio. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] OSHP released the video in a social media post on Friday. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident happened on U.S. 52 in Adams County. The video shows a stopped school bus in the road. A car then sped by and almost hit the student. A state trooper from the Georgetown post of the OSHP found the drive and issued a citation. Passing a stopped school bus isnt just illegal, it endangers lives, said OSHP. When the red lights flash and the stop sign arm extends, drivers must stop. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] JOHNSTOWN, Pa. An apartment building owner's noncompliance with a state-mandated sewer system overhaul nearly led to the termination of water service for hundreds of people in Upper Yoder Township. The Upper Yoder Township Authority that manages township sewers voted 5-0 in July to terminate water services at Carriage Hills Apartments, 545 Goucher St., and post the termination on Aug. 11, if building owners had not hired a contractor to begin replacing sewer lines at the property by Aug. 8. But the termination of Carriage Hills' water service has since been avoided because the building's ownership has entered into a contract with a sewer contractor and that work has begun, Upper Yoder Township Authority Solicitor David Raho said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Municipalities across the Johnstown region have been under a years-long consent order from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to replace public and private sewer systems to eliminate stormwater infiltration. The project is designed to eliminate untreated sewage overflows emitted from the Dornick Point Wastewater Treatment Plant into the Conemaugh River. The sewer overhaul is an unfunded DEP mandate, and municipal governments are tasked with enforcing it by issuing fines, or even terminating water service to homeowners and businesses that refuse to comply with remediating private sewer lines in accordance with the mandate. The action to approve water termination at Carriage Hills, which has since been avoided, was a last resort after 18 months and more than $70,000 of unpaid fines against Carriage Hills ownership, Raho said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nonetheless, Upper Yoder Township fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Reitz said he was stunned to learn of the decision on social media. He said the sewer authority and the township's board of supervisors, which appoints the authority members, should have consulted with him prior to the decision. At the supervisors' public meeting Wednesday at the township's municipal building, Reitz admonished the supervisors for not planning to meet Carriage Hills residents' basic needs before the authority took its action. Reitz also plans to address the authority at its next meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 15. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even though the authority determined not to shut the water off, its action could have led to dehydration for hundreds of people, including elderly residents, and caused a disruption to fire service at the apartment complex, which relies on a private fire hydrant, he said. Reitz said he intends to work with township officials so that people who are caught in the middle of landlord issues aren't "wondering what's going to happen," he said in a follow-up interview. He said any time township officials seek action against property owners that would result in "high-life hazard," there must be protocols in place for fire protection and public health. "When you get into situations when drinking water for hundreds of people will be affected, who does that come back to?" he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Do we need to make arrangements with the owner of the property? Do we need to make arrangements with people who are caught in the middle? They are paying their rent; they are doing their job. How do we ensure they are getting their basic fundamental needs met that they have water to survive? "I'm asking officials to work with the local Emergency Management Agency and fire department before these types of actions are made." Aug. 29The Watoto Children's Choir has come all the way from Uganda, Africa, to perform at the Foothills Church in Morton at 7 p.m Wednesday, Sept. 17. The choir will perform songs from their brand new album, "Better Days There Is Hope," according to a news release from Foothills Church. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Watoto Children's Choirs have traveled around the world since 1994, and almost every day of the year the choir is performing somewhere throughout the world, the release stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Foothills Church is located at 277 Seventh St., Morton. "As people see their smiles and are embraced by their hugs, our children have the privilege of telling people, 'No matter what you're going through, Jesus is our hope and there are better days ahead. Look at what God has done in my life,'" the choir stated in a news release. "Other than coming to Africa yourself, what better way to learn about all the good work God is doing through Watoto than by meeting the children and hearing their stories. This one-of-a- kind experience will inspire and encourage you, your friends and your family." "We are excited to share Watoto Children's Choir with our communities in East Lewis County," Pastor Bryan Tienhaara said. "See you there!" Opinion. As the school year resumes across the United States, so too has the tragic recurrence of school shootings. Since August 1, there have been five such incidents nationwide. On Wednesday morning, a devastating attack unfolded at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. Just before 8:30 a.m., during morning Mass, a 23-year-old former student opened fire outside the schools chapel. The shooting lasted only a few minutes but left lasting and tragic consequences: two students were killed, and 18 others were injured including 15 students between the ages of 6 and 15, as well as three elderly parishioners in their 80s. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (White Earth Ojibwe) issued a statement that read: My heart goes out to all those affected by the terrifying act of violence at Annunciation Catholic school this morning. I'm grateful to the law enforcement who responded. Please join me in praying for the victims and the families of the Annunciation community. The gunman, Robin Westman, was a former student of the school whose mother had worked at the parish until her retirement in 2021. The shooter arrived armed with three legally purchased weapons: an AR-15-style rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol. The shooter fired through stained-glass windows and then committed suicide in the schools parking lot. Authorities later discovered that the shooters weapons bore hateful inscriptions, and accompanying writings contained extremist, antisemitic and anti-Catholic rhetoric. The writings praised previous mass shooters and expressed violent ideologies. The shooter used an assault rifle. Americans should not be shocked; heinous crimes are committed with assault rifles almost daily in this country. Assault weapons have been used to kill countless school children. Assault weapons have been used at numerous public events that have left hundreds of innocent people dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gun violence in the United States is constant and devastating. American society has become obsessed with guns, and the violence often bleeds over to innocent segments of society. We are bombarded with stories of another mass shooting across the country. Schools are not safe from gun violence. Shopping malls and movie theaters are not safe from gun violence. Churches and synagogues are not safe from gun violence. When the shootings occur, politicians are quick to say the victims and families of the victims are in their thoughts and prayers. The refrain means nothing because absolutely nothing changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Something needs to change. Americans seem obsessed with assault weapons military-style firearms designed not for hunting, sport, or home defense, but for maximum carnage. These are weapons of war, and they have no place in our schools, our shopping centers, our places of worship, or our tribal communities. Many Americans forget or were never told that there was a time when we tried to do something about this. In 1994, under President Bill Clinton, Congress passed the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, a law that prohibited the manufacture and sale of certain semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines. Though the law had its flaws, it led to a noticeable decline in mass shooting fatalities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2004 report commissioned by the Department of Justice found that the ban had led to a significant reduction in crimes involving assault weapons. In the decade the ban was in place, mass shootings were less deadly. After the ban expired in 2004, the number and lethality of these shootings surged. Today, theyre tragically routine. After Wednesdays Minneapolis mass shooting, authorities disclosed the shooter was transgender. Some national politicians seized on this detail to blame the tragedy on mental illness combined with the shooter being transgender. No factual evidence shows transgender individuals are more violent than cisgender individuals. In fact, they are more likely to be victims of violence at a rate of four times that of cisgenders. These same politicians who were quick to blame the shooting on mental illness in the United States must address the fact that the Trump fiscal Year 2026 budget proposes significant cuts to funding for mental health programs through reorganization and consolidation within the newly created Administration for a Healthy America (AHA). The plan includes a 15% cut to programs formerly under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reinstating a federal assault weapons ban is not about politics. Its about protecting life. Its about creating a future where Indigenous people, and all people, can gather without fear. Where ceremonies, classrooms, and community events dont become crime scenes. Weve done it before and it worked. We can do it again. We must put people over profit. We must put community over chaos. We must have the courage to say: Enough is enough. Our children deserve to grow up in a world where assault weapons belong in museums not in the hands of civilians. Thayek gde nwendemen - We are all related. About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.net." Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.net LONG GROVE, Ill. (WGN) Every year on Labor Day Weekend, Historic Downtown Long Grove transforms into a haven where the lilt of Irish laughter bellows, and the road rises to meet those who make their way through town. Of course, that haven is Long Groves annual Irish festivalIrish Dayswhere dancers from the McNulty School of Irish Dance demonstrate their small but mighty moves. John Kopecky, secretary for the Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Association, told WGN-TV the event started more than 20 years ago after the owner of Paddys on the Square suggested a festive, family-friendly event this time of year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He wanted to draw people together, Kopecky said. We have a wee ones booth and we have all of the kids involved, everything here is very much family oriented. Complete with classic Irish beverages poured from local taps, the center of the festival plays out around the village square fountain, which is dyed green in celebration of the festival. What I love about Long Grove, is when we have festivals, its the backdrop of the town, said David Gayton, vice president of the Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Administration. So when you look over there, its all the beautiful storesyouve got the fountain going right now. Its more than just a festival. You can explore the unique stores and the great restaurants. For those who may wonder, dont let the leprechaun or the Irish Days festival name fool you. The event is open to all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No, you dont have to be Irish at all, Kopecky said. My Irish roots came over in 1751. Its all about your spirit and goodwill. Irish Days performances, events and contests run through Monday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. Labor Day is almost here, signaling the end of summer. But just because it's cooling down doesn't mean the festivities have to die down. In fact, you might be planning an end-of-summer hurrah for Sept. 1. If that's the case and you still need to do some last-minute shopping, here's what's open and closed on Labor Day. Is Costco open on Labor Day? According to Costco's website, warehouses will be closed on Sept. 1. Is Trader Joes open on Labor Day? Trader Joes will have regular hours on Labor Day. Trader Joe's second location in Delaware opened on April 28, 2021, at the Christiana Fashion Center. Is Giant open on Labor Day? Giant Eagle stores, including pharmacies, will be open during regular hours, according to the stores website. Is Target open on Labor Day? Target stores will be open on Labor Day. Store hours vary by location, so check with your local store regarding its specific holiday hours. Is Walmart open on Labor Day? Most Walmart stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Labor Day, a company spokesperson told USA TODAY. Advertisement Advertisement However, store hours can vary by location; it is best to reach out to your local Walmart or check the online store directory before heading to the store. Is Food Lion open on Labor Day? Yes, all Food Lion stores will be open on Sept. 1. Is Wegmans open on Labor Day? Yes, Wegmans stores will be open regular hours on Labor Day, the company told USA TODAY. Shoppers walk into the grand opening of Delaware's first Wegmans at the Barley Mill Plaza in Greenville, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. Is Lidl open on Labor Day? Yes, Lidl stores will be open regular hours on Sept. 1, the company confirmed to USA TODAY. Is Sprouts Farmers Market open on Labor Day? Yes, Sprouts locations will be open regular hours on Labor Day. Are government buildings in Delaware open on Labor Day? Typically no, state and county agencies are not open on Labor Day. This does not apply to public safety agencies. Are banks open on Labor Day? Most banks follow the U.S. Federal Reserve Systems holiday schedule, which observes Labor Day, and means banks will be closed on the holiday. Most ATMs may still be used for transactions. Is the post office open on Labor Day? The U.S. Postal Service closes for 11 federal holidays, including Labor Day. The Postal Service will not deliver regular packages or mail on the holiday, but some services, like those online, are available every day of the year, according to the Postal Service's website. U.S. Postal Service trucks are parked at a post office on Aug. 23, 2024, in Glendale, Calif. Is UPS open on Labor Day? Will packages be delivered? UPS pickup and delivery services will not be available on Labor Day, and UPS Store locations may be closed, according to the company's website. Check with your local store for specific hours of operation. Is FedEx open on Labor Day? Will packages be delivered? Most of FedEx's pickup and delivery services will not be available on Sept. 1, according to the company's website. FedEx Office hours will also be modified, so it is best to check with your local store for their specific hours. Advertisement Advertisement FedEx Custom Critical, however, is available 24/7, according to the company. Are Delaware buses running on Labor Day? Labor Day is a non-service holiday for DART but select bus routes will still be operational. Check online to see which services will be available on Labor Day. Is the Delaware DMV open on Labor Day? The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles is closed on Labor Day, according to its website. The Delaware Department of Transportation's Division of Motor Vehicles building in Dover. Are Delaware libraries open on Labor Day? No, they're closed on select holidays, including Labor Day. Are restaurants open on Labor Day? Many follow normal hours, but it's always good to call ahead to check. Got a story tip or idea? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com. For all things breaking news, follow her on X at @izzihughes_ This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: What's open and closed on Labor Day in Delaware? As Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the SCO summit, Aam Admi Party (AAP) slammed the visit and alleged that "first PM Modi should ask China to return our land". On PM Modi's bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Bharadwaj told ANI, "I want to remind the Prime Minister of his own words that 'blood and water cannot flow together'. When China attacked our soldiers, killed them, captured our land, which is still in their possession, although the central government does not accept this... first, the Prime Minister should ask China to return our land. They are occupying our land, and we are saying that if we are not able to get along with America, then we should get along with you... Is this international diplomacy?..." Earlier today, Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his opening remarks during delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that it is vital for China and India to be friends and for the "Dragon and the Elephant" to unite. Noting that the world is undergoing chaotic churns, Xi said that it is the "right choice" for both China and India - two ancient civilizations, the two most populous countries which are also members of the global South, to be friends and good neighbours who enable each other's success, and to have "the dragon and the elephant dance together." Xi said it was a "great pleasure for him to meet PM Modi again and welcome him to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Tianjin Summit. In his opening remarks at the bilateral meeting with PM Modi, Xi said, "Last year, you and I had a successful meeting in Kazan, and the China-India relationship had resumed and started anew. The two sides have implicitly implemented the important consensus we have agreed, and the bilateral exchanges and cooperation have since made new progress." "The world today is swept by once-in-a-century transformations. The international situation is both fluid and chaotic. China and India are two ancient civilisations in the East, we are the world's two most populous countries, and we are also important members of the Global South. We both shoulder the historical responsibility of improving the well-being of our two peoples, promoting the solidarity and rejuvenation of developing countries, and promoting the progress of human society. It is the right choice for both sides to be friends, who have good neighbourly and amicable ties, partners who enable each other's success, and to have the dragon and the elephant dance together." Xi noted that this year marks the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic ties. "Both sides need to approach and handle our relationship from a strategic height and long-term perspective, so as to realise the sustained, sound, and steady development of our bilateral ties. We must also step up to our historic responsibility to uphold multilateralism, work together to bring about a multipolar world and more democracy in international relations, and to make our true contributions to peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi in his opening remarks at the delegation level talks expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome and recalled that "very productive discussions" last year in Kazan, which he said "gave a positive direction" to relations between the two countries. "After the disengagement at the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability is now in place. Our Special Representatives have also reached an agreement on border management," PM Modi said. He further said that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has resumed and that direct flights are also being resumed between the two countries. "Our cooperation is linked to the interests of 2.8 billion people of our two countries. This will also pave the way for the welfare of all humanity. We are committed to advancing our relations based on mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity," Prime Minister Modi said. Earlier, PM Modi was awarded a warm cultural welcome at his hotel where artistes performed Indian classical music and dance, symbolising goodwill between the two countries. The SCO comprises 10 members. In addition to India, they include Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. There are also several dialogue partners and observers. India has been a member of the SCO since 2017, having been an observer since 2005. (ANI) President Donald Trump is preparing to effectively dare Democrats to shut down the government in a matter of weeks, taking a hard line against any major concessions ahead of negotiations over a must-pass funding bill. The White House plans to reject any Democratic demands that key health provisions in the GOPs domestic policy law be reversed as part of a budget package, aides said. And it will insist on retaining Trumps authority to claw back funding at will seeking to cement an extraordinary expansion of executive power that has already roiled lawmakers in both parties. Were not going to accept any limitations on the presidents authorities or attempts to reverse President Trumps policies, a senior White House official told CNN. The president is not going to be constrained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps opening salvo sets the stage for a high-stakes standoff with congressional Democrats that could push the government into crisis as soon as the end of September. The strategy is aimed at pressuring Democratic leaders, who are balancing efforts to avert a damaging shutdown with demands from their base to mount a stronger fight against Trump. The two parties have yet to formally begin talks ahead of the September 30 funding deadline. Yet Democratic leaders are already telegraphing publicly and privately that they will not accept a status-quo funding deal without major concessions from Trump. Theyve signaled they want the White House to restore some of the billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid and rural hospital funding that was passed as part of the presidents signature domestic policy law in addition to accepting checks on his power to override Congress spending decisions. There is a sense of no surrender, said California Rep. Ro Khanna, describing the position among many congressional Democrats as they return to Washington this week. I think people saw how badly it went when there was a capitulation. We heard the anger of the base. Behind the scenes, top Democrats spent the summer making sure their party including lawmakers, governors and key groups would be aligned on how to use the funding deadline as leverage to extract compromises from Republicans, according to multiple people familiar with the discussions. They are eager to avoid a repeat of March, when Senate Democrats caved on a GOP-written funding measure in a decision that fractured the party. (This time around, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has privately reassured members of his party that he and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will be closely coordinating, according to two of the people familiar with the discussions.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Top Democrats resolve to fight Trump only strengthened after his Thursday notification that hes canceling nearly $5 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid funding marking a dramatic escalation of their partys months-long fight with Trumps budget chief, Russ Vought. Jeffries in a statement called Trump a wannabe king. White House officials have long advocated for clawing back funding, spearheading passage of a $9 billion spending cuts package earlier this summer that aides have since characterized as a test case for future cancellations. In addition to Thursdays so-called pocket rescission targeting foreign aid, Vought has teased plans for sending yet another rescission request to Congress in the coming months. Even some Republicans have criticized the White House over rescissions, with top Senate appropriator Susan Collins of Maine calling Fridays move a clear violation of the law. But the White Houses latest effort to wrest control of federal spending from Capitol Hill has emboldened Democrats, who say that unlike last spring, they wont back down this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to have guardrails, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, told CNN on Friday. This latest move last night demonstrates that they just dont care about following the law. It is about controlling the power of the purse, directing money where they want to, to whom they want to. Asked what would happen if Republicans reject Democrats position on both health care and the spending cancellations, the Connecticut congresswoman stressed its not Democrats responsibility to reach an agreement. When youre in charge, you take the lead. Youre leading, you have the majority, DeLauro said. Jeffries reiterated that position in a podcast with Democratic activists recorded in late August: Were not down with an approach where Republicans simply say, my way or the highway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New York Democrat also added another potential wrinkle to the spending fight, confirming that he would demand Republicans release $1 billion in money for the Washington, DC, government thats been held up by Congress for much of this year, even as Trump has recently deployed the National Guard and federalized the local police to crackdown on what he says is a crime problem in the nations capital. The White Houses red lines White House officials preparing for Congress return have already set red lines against any agreement that they think would curb Trumps power or modify GOP policies already passed into law. The administration is not going to do that to themselves, the senior White House official said, specifying that the prospect of reversing health cuts in Trumps signature law is a nonstarter. So we can either have a serious conversation or Democrats can shut the government down. Over the August recess, the White House kept in touch with Republican leaders about its expectations while gauging where various factions of the conference stand on the potential for a stopgap funding measure. Hardline House conservatives have previously opposed such budget deals, which has prompted lingering concern among White House aides that even a handful of defections could weaken the GOPs hand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But this time, some conservative lawmakers have already indicated openness to such a stopgap and Republicans are counting on the promise of further rescissions to help tamp down any rebellion. House GOP leaders believe they will eventually have enough votes to pass a short-term stopgap through the House, putting the pressure squarely on the Senate. Weve been laying the groundwork for this, one GOP official familiar with the discussions said of keeping the party together. Were trying to get ahead of it and say, This is the Democrat shutdown. In early discussions, the White House has left the door open to a year-end compromise on one issue: the looming expiration of enhanced Obamacare subsidies. Health insurance premiums are expected to shoot up this fall if the aid isnt extended, a prospect thats alarmed Democrats and even some Republicans worried about the political fallout of rising health care bills. Democrats, too, have privately focused on the need to extend the subsidies. The issue came up on a private call among House Democrats last week, with Jeffries describing it as a priority, according to two people who listened into the call. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Trump aides remain skeptical of the subsidies, theyve signaled some willingness to revisit it just not in the initial efforts to keep the government open past September. Its certainly a discussion worth having, the senior White House official said. But taking hostages is not the way to facilitate that. Democrats, though, argue the hostage-taking is already underway with Trump insisting he and his administration can simply ignore Congress funding decisions after the fact. Were not taking hostages. Theyre the ones who need to keep the government open, one Democratic aide said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Judge Hannah Dugan should be granted immunity from prosecution for the things she did inside her courtroom, and what she did in the hallway of the courthouse wasnt a crime. In denying Dugans motion to dismiss the charges against her, District Judge Lynn Adelman found that she was not entitled to general immunity for any judicial act she performed. But Judge Adelman left open the possibility that the court could recognize a more limited version of judicial immunity for some judicial acts. The indictment against Dugan contains two sets of allegations. One set pertains to her conduct while on the bench in her courtroom. The other pertains to her conduct in the hallway of the courthouse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opinion: Prosecution of Judge Hannah Dugan undermines centuries of legal precedent The contradictions of Judge Hannah Dugan's prosecution It is important to consider the five allegations contained in the indictment. Two concern Judge Dugans conduct toward federal law enforcement agents in the hallway outside of her courtroom. Three are related to decisions she made while inside her courtroom. The prosecution in this case is based on two contradictory theories: that ICE agents have the authority to dictate how Judge Dugan runs her court room, and Judge Dugan has the authority to dictate how ICE agents run their investigations everywhere else. The two allegations made against her when she left her courtroom to confront Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are that (1) she falsely told them they needed a judicial warrant to make an arrest and (2) that she told them to leave the hallway where they planned to make an arrest and go to the Chief Judges Office. Before addressing these two allegations, it is important to recognize that Dugan has no legal authority over ICE agents outside of her courtroom. Judges have power over cases inside a courtroom, not people in a hallway outside. Judges do not have authority to compel people to agree with their opinions or take certain actions. Unlike the armed law enforcement officers she argued with, Judge Dugan cant arrest someone in a public space. The ICE agents she confronted had every right to disagree with her on points of law and ignore any directives she gave them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Letters: Judge Hannah Dugan acted within her discretion and should not have been arrested I spent many years working as a public defender in the type of courthouse where Dugan presides. If I was representing a client, in a case, in a courtroom where she was presiding, her legal opinion would matter a great deal, and disregarding her orders could have serious consequences. Outside of the courtroom, however, she could express any number of opinions about the law and they would remain just that, her opinion. You can't arrest a judge for difference of opinion To be clear, you can obstruct or impede an investigation by lying to law enforcement agents. But you cant obstruct or impede an investigation by misstating the law or telling law enforcement agents to go away. Those agents are free to hold a different view of the law and what it entitles them to do and are under no obligation to leave an area where they have every right to be. It doesnt matter that the person in the hallway telling them they are wrong about the law and that they should leave the area is also wearing a black robe. All of this is not to say that it was appropriate for Dugan to do what she did. But the appropriateness of her conduct in the hallway outside of her courtroom is a matter of judicial ethics and not a federal crime. The mere fact that she is a judge, even if she is in her courthouse, outside of her courtroom and still wearing her judges robe, does not confer upon her any authority to dictate what the law is or what law enforcement should do. The ICE agents she confronted chose to walk away and were obviously not swayed by her legal opinion regarding their authority to make an arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other three allegations against Dugan all relate to how she handled a case she was presiding over in her courtroom. Those three allegations are (1) that she handled a case off the record, (2) that she allowed the defendant in that case to leave her courtroom through a door not open to the public and (3) that she gave the defendant permission to appear remotely in the future. All these allegations relate to the exercise of her judicial authority in a specific case, in her courtroom. Judges have the inherent authority to manage cases on their docket in whatever manner suits them. A judge decides when to call a case and how the parties must appear when their case is called. A judge also has the inherent authority to decide what areas of their courtroom a lawyer or litigant can access. And when judges are acting as judges, when they are making rulings and issuing orders, they are entitled to judicial immunity even if they are acting in bad faith. If you disagree with something a judge does when they are exercising their judicial authority, you can file an appeal, but you cant have them arrested. John Gross is a clinical associate professor of law at University of Wisconsin Law School and director of the Public Defender Project. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Judge Hannah Dugan shouldnt be facing charges | Opinion After a former southern Arizona lawmaker sued Tucson and officers from the city's police force after she was stopped for speeding, she missed a court hearing and could be held in contempt. Former state Sen. Justine Wadsack is suing the city and several police officers in an $8 million lawsuit after she was pulled over for speeding in March 2024. Wadsacks suit is centered around a traffic stop, during which police accused her of driving 71 mph on a road with a speed limit of 35 mph. She claims in her lawsuit that the police hit her with a bogus charge, then leaked false statements about it to the media and ruined her political career. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But she missed a recent court hearing, prompting opposing counsel to call for Wadsack to be held in contempt and hit with sanctions. Here's what to know. Former State Sen. Justine Wadsack on the Senate floor at the state Capitol in Phoenix on June 15, 2024. Why did Justine Wadsack miss court? Wadsack was scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 26 for a hearing to address the request of her attorney to withdraw without her consent. But instead of attending the hearing, she posted on X that she was sitting front & center at a Turning Point Action event featuring Charlie Kirk. The attorney for Tucson and the police officers requested that Wadsack be held in contempt of court and that sanctions be imposed. The court said it will schedule a hearing allowing her to explain why she should not be held in contempt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney William Fischback, who stood in for attorney Dennis Wilenchik to represent Wadsack at the hearing, said Wadsack was made aware of the hearing by email on Aug. 4. An attorney with Fischback and Wilenchik's firm, Wilenchik & Bartness, said in an email to The Arizona Republic that Wadsack's absence was a misunderstanding on her part, noting she is going through "a lot in her personal life." What was the hearing about? The hearing was supposed to center on a request by Wilenchik to withdraw without Wadsack's consent. But Aug. 26, the court date marked the third time Wadsack had issues appearing. The in-person hearing was initially scheduled for July 29 to address Wilenchiks withdrawal. The day before that court date, Wilenchik filed a request from Wadsack to reschedule because of a family emergency. U.S. District Judge Jennifer Zipps ordered a new hearing to take place on Aug. 19. Wadsack requested that the hearing be rescheduled to take place after Aug. 22 because she was out of town, prompting the court to reschedule for Aug. 26. Why does Wadsack's attorney want out? Wilenchik cited professional considerations as the reason for withdrawing his representation. He said in an email to The Arizona Republic that he could not comment on the motion to withdraw, but said the action is not a reflection on the case's merits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wadsack said the move was based on a lack of funds to pay Wilenchik, according to the Arizona Daily Star. To help cover the lawsuits costs, she is trying to raise $75,000. She has currently raised $1,445 from a GiveSendGo campaign page she set up earlier in the year. Why is Wadsack suing Tucson police officers? Police stopped Wadsack after an officer found her driving 71 mph in a 35 mph zone. In bodycam footage of the stop first obtained by the Tucson Sentinel, Wadsack said she was "racing to get home" because she had only 4 miles left on her Tesla battery. She informed the officer she was a state lawmaker, and he received guidance from his superiors not to issue a ticket. The lawsuit states Assistant Chief Kevin Hall and Capts. Lauren Pettey and Frank Hand, who serve as Tucson police supervisors, met in the following weeks and "acknowledged" Wadsack should not have been stopped. Pettey later put into her report on the incident a summary of a phone conversation she had with Wadsack in late June 2024, writing that Wadsack "demanded to speak with the Chief of Police and said that she was under 'political persecution.'" Pettey "intended to release her report to the media" with the statement about persecution to damage Wadsack, and that's just what happened, the lawsuit states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilenchik said Wadsack denies she told Pettey she was being persecuted and the phrase hurt Wadsack in the public's eye. "It was released purposefully as part of a scheme to ruin Plaintiff, her reputation, and her re-election bid," the lawsuit states. Wadsack called the prosecution "lawfare" and entirely political in a social media post in September after the primary election, after losing the 2024 Republican primary to Sen. Vince Leach. Her loss came after a major police organization withdrew its endorsement after she called the traffic ticket political persecution. What happened with her original speeding ticket? A Tucson magistrate dismissed Wadsacks speeding case on Jan. 6, after Wadsack completed a defensive driving course and proved she had car insurance to settle the case. The case was dismissed several months after Wadsack pleaded not guilty to criminal speeding and failure to produce insurance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sarah Lapidus covers southern Arizona politics and issues for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at sarah.lapidus@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Why Justine Wadsack could be held in contempt of court Indonesia was engulfed by widespread protests driven by economic discontent and opposition to police brutality, marking the greatest challenge yet to President Prabowo Subiantos government. Demonstrators first took to the streets on Monday to push back against the countrys rising cost of living, and the protests have since ballooned and become violent after a police vehicle killed a 21-year-old motorcycle taxi driver at a rally on Thursday. Taxi drivers, known as the , are ubiquitous, and have a remarkable capacity to organize as the eyes and ears in every single community, a Southeast Asia-focused newsletter wrote. Subianto, who canceled a scheduled visit to China because of the unrest, has seemingly bowed to some of the protesters demands, including cutting lawmakers allowances. Russia's 2025 springsummer campaign has ended with "almost nothing," Ukraine's General Staff said on Aug. 31, dismissing the Kremlin's recent claims of battlefield success as "wishful thinking" and "outright lies." "After three and a half years of full-scale Kremlin aggression, yet another of its 'seasonal' offensives has ended in almost nothing," it said in a post on Facebook. The statement came in response to a statement by the chief of the General Staff of the Russian army, Valery Gerasimov, who said Russian forces hold a strategic advantage on the battlefield, and made clear Russia has no intention of ending the war in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The figures presented by the occupiers regarding captured territories and settlements are heavily exaggerated," the General Staff said. "The only 100% verified result achieved by Russia since the beginning of 2025 is its own losses over 291,000 soldiers killed and wounded." It added that Russia also lost 2,174 armored fighting vehicles, 1,201 tanks, 7,303 artillery systems, and 157 multiple launch rocket systems destroyed or damaged. In a post on social media the same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had suffered the heaviest losses in Donetsk Oblast. "Particularly in the Pokrovsk direction, where they concentrated their main efforts but failed to achieve any of their strategic objectives," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During 2025, Russian forces failed to take full control of any major Ukrainian city, the General Staff said. In his comments the previous day, Gerasimov also said that "targeted massive fire strikes continue," referring to the regular mass missile and drone attacks that Russia launches against Ukrainian cities. He claimed these are "launched only against military objects and facilities of Ukraine's military-industrial complex," though Russian missiles and drones regularly hit residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. In the latest attack on Kyiv on Aug. 28, 25 people were killed, including four children. Three of them were aged 2, 14, and 17. The attack damaged more than 20 locations, including a shopping center in the city center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As for the aggressor (Russia's) state's claims of 'precision strikes only against military targets' thousands of Ukrainian civilians know the real price of such boasts, losing their homes, relatives, and loved ones every day," the General Staff said/ "Wherever a Russian 'Iskander' missile falls, a so-called 'UAF command post' or 'foreign mercenary base' is declared. The consequence of Russias constant violations of international humanitarian law is human lives." Read also: Russia says the quiet part out loud war in Ukraine to continue, more mass bombings of cities Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) The drums were beating in Winged Deer Park Saturday for Woke Fest. Woke Fest was an Indivisible Tri-Cities and TennVa UNITED gathering that highlighted the message Workers Rights = Human Rights. The groups said on Facebook that the event was an afternoon of rhythm, voices and community power to celebrate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. The evening began with a loud drum circle and a musical set by Toby Gibson, followed by guest speakers and additional music to end on a high note. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ETSU wins season-opener against Murray State I think its important right now, especially when a lot of us feel our government isnt serving, whether its at the federal level or all the way down to the local level, Brad Batt, Washington County Democratic Party Vice Chair, said. Its important to join as a community and advocate for our rights together. And also to have a moment of joy together. For those who wanted to stay on their feet, there were several creative stations, including rock painting, chalk and bubbles. Organizers also collected menstrual products for State Line Abortion Access Partners (SLAAP) as part of a community care drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. Woke is on the way out. The scandal of gender-affirming medicine continues to be exposed; multiple sporting bodies have barred trans-identifying males from competing in female categories; the Black Lives Matter movement has been largely discredited due to revelations of fraud; and corporate DEI initiatives are being dismantled quicker than you can say intersectional paradigms of structural oppression. But what comes next? Wokeness was a war on reality. It prioritised individual ways of knowing over objective truth. It demanded conformity through authoritarian means. Such traits, however, are common to most ideologies: we should not suppose that a post-woke world will necessarily be any more appealing. Indeed, early indications would suggest that we are following the usual human habit of leaping out of frying pans and into fires. What would happen, for instance, if the next dominant phase of authoritarianism enjoyed popular public support? If a governments immigration policies were so reckless as to admit numbers at an unmanageable pace from countries where free speech and liberty are considered dispensable follies: might this not create the conditions by which democracy could be its own undoing? Is it not feasible, in other words, that a radical shift in demographics could result in citizens voting for less freedom? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fear is not as histrionic as it sounds. A recent poll by the Henry Jackson Society found that 52 per cent of British Muslims would make it illegal to display an image of the Prophet Mohammed. A further 32 per cent would like to see the implementation of Sharia law, and the same proportion would support establishing Islam as the national religion. An extensive survey conducted for Channel 4 in 2016 found that 39 per cent of British Muslims believed that wives should always be obedient to husbands, 31 per cent agreed that bigamy was acceptable, 47 per cent said that gay people should never be allowed to teach in schools, and 52 per cent thought that homosexuality ought to be criminalised. Such figures remind us that multiculturalism has often proved a barrier to assimilation. Rather than make integration a condition of citizenship, many countries have simply relaxed their own standards and implemented parallel systems. In the UK, this reached its grim nadir with the grooming gangs scandal, in which authorities failed to grapple with the systematic sexual abuse of children out of fears of being accused of racism. And yet it is difficult to imagine anything more racist than holding migrant communities to lower moral and legal standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Freedom of religion, though hard-won and often contested, has become a defining aspect of our constitutional history. But the liberal values that underpin our society might well be upended if two-tier policies persist and multiculturalism wins out over equal citizenship; we could very well find ourselves sleepwalking into a future in which religious conflicts become significant drivers in the political sphere. It is already happening. The Labour Government, eager to win back Muslim voters who were alienated by its supposedly soft stance on Israel, is persisting with its plans to adopt an official definition of Islamophobia. This slippery term is regularly applied to those who exhibit genuine anti-Muslim hatred. But it is also often used against those who simply exercise their right to criticise or ridicule a belief-system that they do not share. Fiyaz Mughal, founder of Muslim support service Tell Mama, has warned that this will be tantamount to a blasphemy law by the back door. The group has launched a campaign to oppose the Governments plan called Keep the Law Equal. For many believers, religious authoritarianism has an obvious appeal. This woke movement did not represent an equivalent threat because it was only ever endorsed by a small minority of the public. The statistics are unequivocal. Polling data reported by the Economist found that support for woke causes began to grow in 2015, peaked in 2021, and has been steadily dropping ever since. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A recent study by the think tank More in Common revealed that those who fulfil the definition of woke comprise between eight and ten per cent of the UK population. These were the faddish luxury beliefs to use a term coined by the American sociologist Rob Henderson of the ruling class, imposed from the top down. We will soon discover whether the vacuum left by woke will be occupied by a new form of intolerance, one driven by religious rather than intersectional convictions. This could be avoided with a steadfast commitment to equality before the law and an end to two-tier protocols that patronise immigrants and native-born citizens alike. Successive governments have failed to uphold our fundamental values. If this trend continues, it may be that the culture war could evolve into something even more destructive. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Advocates have long contended that so-called "smart glasses," which when activated record whatever the wearer sees, pose serious privacy risks. There was a sharp outcry when Google debuted Project Glass more than a decade ago, and now with Meta's Ray-Ban AI glasses, a new generation is finding out the hard way just how creepy these surveillance wearables can be. In a recent viral TikTok video, influencer Aniessa Navarro said that she was in the middle of a Brazilian wax which involves removal of body hair from intimate areas at her regular Manhattan location of the European Wax Center chain when she realized that her esthetician was wearing a pair of Mark Zuckerberg's spy spectacles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Surprised, Navarro asked the esthetician if she was "wearing Meta glasses," and the EWC employee copped to it but promised they were neither charged nor turned on, and claimed they were prescription as well. "After that I kind of shut down, and I could not stop thinking, 'could this girl be filming me right now?'" the influencer recounted. "I literally could not stop thinking about it the whole entire time." Visibly perturbed, Navarro asked her followers for advice on what to do, and many urged her to contact lawyers and EWC headquarters. In a followup, the young woman said that she emailed the waxing chain and was given only a "generic" response and when EWC sent her a customer satisfaction survey, she again expressed her distress at the situation. Once the incident started attracting media attention, the chain had more to say. In a statement to the Washington Post about the upsetting incident, a spokesperson for the company provided a bit more of a response, claiming without evidence that the employee's smart glasses had been powered down while she was performing the procedure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regardless, Navarro said in her second video that she had already spoken to two law firms, which both told her she could well have a case. Still, she appeared to get cold feet because she didn't want to "get anyone fired if she did not do anything wrong," and is more interested in raising awareness and getting those sorts of recording devices banned in such intimate settings. Unfortunately, this is not the first such incident of inappropriate recording using Meta's $350 AI Wayfarers. After an exotic dancer warned last year on Reddit that she'd seen an uptick of "creep men wearing [Ray-Ban] Meta glasses in the club," a female bouncer at a gentleman's club in Atlanta recorded herself last month having a tense exchange with a man who tried to wear them in her establishment. "I wear 'em everywhere!" the off-screen man intones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Not here!" the bouncer responded. When the patron asked why he couldn't, the bouncer noted plainly: "because they've got cameras in them." Ultimately, the unseen club patron complies and leaves his recording glasses at the door but his reticence to do so, and even his entitlement at wearing them to the club in the first place, says a lot about what kind of future we might be in for once those sorts of surveillance devices become cheaper and more commonplace. More on smart glasses: Harvard Startup Says Its Smart Glasses Will Do "Vibe Thinking" for You Amidst bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, the Congress has lashed out at the Centre, seeking to know whether the "new normal" is to be defined by Chinese aggression and bullying and by the "Government's spinelessness?" Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh took to X to post, whether the "new normal" was now to be defined by Chinese aggression and bullying and our Government's spinelessness?" The Congress leader said that the meeting of Prime Minister Modi with Xi Jinping must be evaluated in the context of the June 2020 Chinese aggression in the Galway Valley, which he said "cost 20 of our bravest of brave jawans to sacrifice their lives." "Yet, rather than identify the Chinese aggression, on June 19, 2020, Prime Minister Modi gave an (infamous) clean chit to China. The Army Chief has demanded a full restoration of the status quo on the border with China in Ladakh. Despite failing to achieve that, the Modi Government has pushed forward on reconciliation with China, de facto legitimising their territorial aggression," the Congress leader said. "On July 4, 2025, the Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Rahul Singh, spoke forcefully and candidly on China's jugalbandi with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Rather than respond to this unholy alliance, the Modi Government has quietly accepted it as fait accompli and is now rewarding China with state visits," Ramesh said. The Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in his X post further said that "China has announced a gigantic hydel project on the Yarlung Tsangpo that has very grave implications for our Northeast. The Modi Government has not spoken a word on this issue. Uncontrolled 'dumping' of imports from China continues to devastate our MSMEs. Unlike other countries, we have largely let the Chinese importers have free rein." Further the Indian National Congress took to X list out actions taken by China against India, which included killing 20 soldiers in the Galwan Valley, openly supporting Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and providing live updates to Pakistan. https://x.com/INCIndia/status/1962035393911468043 "In response to these nefarious actions by China, Narendra Modi took strict measures. He shook hands with the Chinese President with a smile," the post in Hindi by the INC read. Earlier in the day, the PM, during his bilateral talks with the Chinese President Xi Jinping, emphasised that the commitment to taking the India-China ties forward was based on "mutual trust, respect and sensitivity." He appreciated the progress made on several fronts of ties and peace on the border post disengagements. He also spoke about the beginning of the Kailash Mansoravar Yatra and touched upon the beginning of direct flight connectivity between the two countries.He said that an agreement has been reached on border management between the two countries. "Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions, which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created," PM Modi said. "An agreement has been reached between our Special Representatives regarding border management. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been resumed. Direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of humanity as a whole. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity," the Prime Minister Modi said. He thanked the Chinese President for the warm welcome and congratulated China for successfully chairing the SCO. "I congratulate you on China's successful chairmanship of the SCO. I thank you for the invitation to visit China and for our meeting today". The Prime Minister Modi arrived on Saturday evening in the city, his first visit to China in more than seven years. (ANI) SANTEE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) Authorities arrested a woman after she reportedly vandalized a U.S. Postal Service building in Santee over the weekend. Nexstar Media Wire video above shows what to do if you witness a crime. Brandy Thomas, 52, of Santee was arrested after she was suspected of defacing the post office located at 9518 Mission Gorge Road with black spray paint, according to the San Diego County Sheriffs Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, sheriffs deputies responded to a report of a woman spray painting the post office building. According to SDSO, the extent of the paint covered about 5 feet by 10 feet near the front doors of the building. Despite conducting a search of the area, deputies were unable to locate the suspect. Man arrested for throwing hammer at Chula Vista police officers Authorities later identified Thomas as a possible suspect. She was found and arrested the following morning, SDSO stated. Thomas was in possession of black spray paint cans and had paint on her hands, legs and clothing at the time of her arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She has been booked into Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility. Anyone with more details about the incident is asked to contact the Santee Sheriffs Station at (619) 956-4000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Nestled between Cave Creek and New River is a piggy paradise, complete with wallows, kiddie pools, insulated "houses" and medical resources. Better Piggies Rescue developed out of Arizonan Danielle Betterman's love for the special creatures, which she says can be very "nerdy" and funny. "Everybody thinks of pigs as dirty, smelly and aggressive," Betterman said. "They're none of those things." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Betterman's love of pigs started small, today the rescue is home to exactly 200 pigs, two cows and two indoor cats (who have befriended the pigs). Betterman said she takes in pigs of all kinds, from farm hogs to pot bellies, each with a unique - and often tragic - rescue story. "I love them all for different reasons," she said. 'I couldn't turn a blind eye' Betterman's journey to owning and operating the rescue started about 15 years ago, when she received a pig as a gift. "He was this little baby," Betterman said. "His name is Beezers and he's the love of my life." Betterman said she wanted to be the "best piggy mama possible," so she began researching and connecting with pig organizations like Ironwood Pig Sanctuary and Circle L Ranch in Prescott. She said she saw a huge need for pet pig rescues, similar to those for dogs and cats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I just couldn't turn a blind eye, so I started helping those organizations with rescues and started fostering," Betterman said. Danielle Betterman runs Better Piggies Rescue in Phoenix. As she worked to help more pigs, she started an Instagram page to highlight her special pets. The page, Better Piggies, was a nod to her last name and quickly garnered a large online following. Following the page's success, Betterman moved from Gilbert to Desert Hills and decided to convert her nearly 2,000 acre property into a pig oasis. How to care for 200 pigs It's not easy to care for 200 pigs, and it is a full-time job for Betterman. In the summer, she starts her days at 4 a.m. feeding the pigs, refilling their pools, cleaning up and distributing medication to the pigs that need it. In the afternoon, Betterman or her volunteers will go back outside to check on the pigs and ensure they're as comfortable as possible in the extreme heat. Betterman said some pigs won't take the initiative to go in the pool, so they will often hose them down to keep them cool. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Betterman is not taking care of the pigs, she does community outreach, answers emails and sets up future events. Her days are similar in the winter, with the exception of frequent events and tours. When the weather cools down, Better Piggies hosts piggy yoga and meditation, volunteer orientations, company events and tours with Scouting America and Girl Scouts of America. Raising awareness All of the outreach and events Betterman coordinates through Better Piggies has a common goal. Pigs wallow in the mud or cool off in the shade at Better Piggies Rescue in Phoenix on Aug. 21, 2025. She aims to clear up common misconceptions people have about pigs. She wants to show the world that pigs of all kinds need loving homes, not just "the mini, tiny pigs that people always post," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One way she does this is through social media. The rescue has expanded on Betterman's original Instagram page, building a prominent social media presence that educates people. "Our goal is knowledge," Betterman said. Betterman also has established a presence in the community, which she said helps the rescue in many ways. "We can rescue more pigs, share our knowledge and get more people to adopt pigs if we're part of the community," she said. When Betterman founded Better Piggies Rescue, she and her team also launched a sponsorship program. For $30 a month, supporters can sponsor a pig and receive monthly updates and photos of their pig, plus the opportunity to visit the sanctuary at any time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Betterman described it as "a sponsorship slash volunteer" program. The rescue's 40 sponsors keep the operation afloat and allow them to provide medical aid and shelter to pigs in need without worry. Each pig has a place in her heart As Betterman talked, some of the pigs approached her in hopes of belly scratches and pets; she introduced each pig as they approached. Each pig has with their own story, she said. Blanco, one of Betterman's pigs, was found in Lake Havasu, where it's illegal to own pet pigs. He was in a box outside for three days. "When he came (to Better Piggies), he was super shy and sunburned," Betterman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the tough circumstances that lead Blanco to Better Piggies, he would later break out of his shell and become best friends with another pig named Cole. The two love each other and sleep together at night, Betterman said. "I know all of their rescue stories because I was a part of them," she said. Betterman lovingly refers to another pig named Jimmy as a "hungry hungry hippo" because he opens his mouth wide during feeding times. One pig named Keene used to hate people, Betterman said. When he first at arrived Better Piggies, he would not allow staff to touch him. "This is why volunteering is so important, because I'm only one person," Betterman said. "We have so many pigs, that having volunteers here to have those interactions with them is really helpful." This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How Arizona woman cares for 200 pigs at Better Piggies Rescue Gloria Elena Hughes, 39, pleaded guilty to beating her 3-year-old son to death in Maryland in 2023 but was found not criminally responsible for the crime. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Only on 9: Dad raises questions after police say 3-year-old killed by mom Hughes, from Morganton, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and first-degree child abuse resulting in the death of a child under 13 during a hearing at Harford County Superior Court on July 7. Despite her guilty plea, court documents revealed she was deemed not criminally responsible for the charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the courts decision, Hughes was transferred to the custody of the Maryland Department of Health. She is currently being held in a state psychiatric facility for an undetermined amount of time, according to the Harford County Clerk of Courts Office. Read more here. VIDEO: Deputies investigating homicide in Burke County VERMILION, Ohio (WJW) A 34-year-old woman died early Sunday morning after she crashed a truck along a Vermilion road. 1 juvenile killed, 2 hurt in Maple Heights shooting The Ohio State Highway Patrol, who is investigating the accident, wrote in a morning news release that Sarah Gehringer of Wakeman, Ohio was behind the wheel of a Dodge Dakota on Darrow Road, just east of Furnace Street around 12:15 Sunday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to OSHP, she was driving too fast exiting a curve and lost control of the truck. Her vehicle went off the left side of the road and hit a utility pole and two trees. The impact caused her to be thrown from the vehicle. Gehringer was pronounced dead at the scene. Man wanted in fatal shooting in gas station parking lot arrested by US Marshals She was not wearing a seatbelt, OSHP said, and drugs and alcohol appeared to be factors in the crash. The incident remains under investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. A woman was killed after a car crashed into a building in Florence, Kentucky. The crash happened around 5:01 p.m. Aug. 30 at 7133 Turfway Road in Florence, Kentucky, according to a release from the Florence Police Department. The release states the driver of a gray Toyota Camry accelerated forward, struck a pedestrian and then came to a rest inside of the business. Police say the pedestrian, identified as 63-year-old Fatuma Ali of Florence, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police did not release information about the driver of the Camry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver stayed at the scene, according to police, and has been cooperating with the investigation, which included the Florence Police Accident Reconstruction Team and the Florence Police Criminal Investigations Unit. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Pedestrian killed when car strikes building in Florence PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Labor Day is designed to focus attention on the American worker, one day (or long weekend) each year to take stock of the men and women who are the backbone of the country and the economy. On this Labor Day weekend, dozens of people outside the Clackamas Town Center protested the increasing presence of an American oligarchy, part of a nationwide Workers Over Billionaires protest organized by the May Day Strong Coalition. Oregon firefighter detained by ICE is missing, lawyer says Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laurie Davis with Indivisible said she was there not as part of that organization but because shes conscious about the idea that our government is now run by billionaires and that we need to focus on workers and workers rights. Davis said theyre concerned about corruption in government and other issues, including the slow-moving erosion of democratic values. What has been quite skillfully done is Project 2025, she said, that the big impact will slowly kick in, and most people arent paying attention to the lost funds now, like SNAP. But if we dont have people, were losing our country. Dozens rallied outside Clackamas Town Center as part of the nationwide Workers Over Billionaires protest, August 30, 2025 (KOIN) Dozens rallied outside Clackamas Town Center as part of the nationwide Workers Over Billionaires protest, August 30, 2025 (KOIN) Dozens rallied outside Clackamas Town Center as part of the nationwide Workers Over Billionaires protest, August 30, 2025 (KOIN) Dozens rallied outside Clackamas Town Center as part of the nationwide Workers Over Billionaires protest, August 30, 2025 (KOIN) The dozens of people who showed up heard a lot of horn-honking support from drivers who passed. But Davis said they get other kinds of signs from people who disagree with them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were trying to make something fun out of something thats really quite serious, she said. And that is the fact that our government is deteriorating into something that doesnt look quite like democracy anymore. She said she wants Congress to take back its power from the president and that Democrats stand up and remember how to raise their voices and stop the deterioration of democracy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Critics will say sanctions hurt ordinary people more than leaders. That is true to some degree. But ignoring Irans nuclear drive and regional aggression would hurt far more. Sometimes in global affairs, timing is everything. Today, as the international community triggers the snapback mechanism at the United Nations, the world is reminded that Iran cannot be allowed to break the rules and face no consequences. The move restores sanctions lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal, and it comes at a pivotal momentjust after Israels victory against Irans aggression. Taken together, these developments could reshape the strategic landscape of the Middle East. Why the snapback now? Iran has pushed far past the limits of the nuclear agreement it once signed. It has enriched uranium close to weapons-grade levels, produced advanced centrifuges, and blocked inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency. These are not technicalities; they are blatant steps toward nuclear capability. For years, Tehran has played for time, assuming the world would look the other way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Israels recent success against Iran and its proxy network changed the equation. By exposing Tehrans vulnerabilities and thwarting its regional plans, Israel demonstrated that Iran is not invincible. The snapback mechanism now takes that momentum and turns it into a global message: aggression and nuclear blackmail come with real costs. What does this mean for Iran? First, the economic pain will deepen. Irans economy is already staggering under US sanctions. The reimposition of UN sanctions closes the door to countries that were hoping to bypass American restrictions. Oil exportsTehrans lifelinewill shrink even further, and international investors will once again retreat. For ordinary Iranians, this means higher prices, more unemployment, and a regime scrambling for cash. President Donald Trump speaks as Vice President Mike Pence, right, and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin look on before the signing of an executive order imposing new sanctions on Iran in the Oval Office at the White House, June 24, 2019. (credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Second, Irans military ambitions will take a hit. The arms embargo, now reinstated, restricts legal access to fighter jets, missile systems, and advanced technology. Tehrans ability to arm Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other militant groups will face new obstacles. While smuggling will continue, the cost and risk of sustaining its proxy network have just increased. Third, theres the diplomatic blow. Iran likes to present itself as a victim of Western bullying, with Russia and China as its shield. But under snapback, there is no shield. Even Moscow and Beijing cannot veto the return of sanctions. For the first time in years, Tehran faces a unified international framework branding it as a violator. Looking at bigger picture The restoration of sanctions is not just punishment; it's a strategy. Snapback links military reality with diplomatic action. On the battlefield, Israel showed that Irans network of militias can be pushed back. At the UN, the world is now showing that Tehrans nuclear brinkmanship has limits. Together, these moves weaken the regimes power to intimidate neighbors and destabilize the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics will say sanctions hurt ordinary people more than leaders. That is true to some degree. But ignoring Irans nuclear drive and regional aggression would hurt far morerisking war, proliferation, and endless instability. Snapback is not a perfect solution, but it is the right one. Iran chose defiance; the world is choosing accountability. And after Israels victory, this moment makes clear that Tehrans strategy of threats and proxies has failed. Snapback doesnt just punish Iranit points the way toward a more stable Middle East. CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) As the summer season comes to a close, many are looking forward to one last day on the lake this holiday weekend before the weather cools off. Its important to do so safely however, and West Virginia unfortunately leads the national in alcohol-related boating accidents. According to a 2025 study based on data from the Bureau of Transportation by Murphy and Prachthauser, 17% of boating accidents in West Virginia involve alcohol, the highest in the study. Kentucky is a very short distance behind at 16.98%. These are the best colleges in West Virginia for 2026: report Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study also ranks West Virginia as 10th in the nation for fatal boating accidents at 21.48%, with number one being Alaska at 61.11%. You can learn more about how to stay safe when boating in West Virginia and the dangers of boating under the influence (BUI) here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. Chinas Xi Jinping hailed a new far-reaching partnership with India as the rival powers put a decades-long dispute behind them. The worlds two most-populous countries agreed to end their long-running border feud, which peaked in 2020 with the death of dozens of soldiers in a brutal hand-to-hand skirmish across the frontier. President Xi told Narendra Modi it was vital for the dragon and the elephant to come together, as the Indian premier made his first visit to China in seven years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The world is going towards transformation. China and India are two of the most civilisational countries. We are the worlds two most populous countries and part of the Global South. It is vital to be friends, a good neighbour, and the dragon and the elephant to come together, the Chinese president said. In response, Mr Modi told his Chinese counterpart: We are committed to progressing our relations based on mutual respect, trust and sensitivities. Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan greet Vladimir Putin at the summit in Tianjin - SERGEI BOBYLYOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images The Indian leader is in China for a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, along with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, and other leaders from Central, South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East, in what will become a show of defiance against a US-led world order. The meeting comes days after Donald Trumps 50 per cent tariffs were imposed on Indian goods because of New Delhis decision to keep purchasing cheap Russian oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Analysts say that Mr Xi and Mr Modis bilateral meeting was a show of defiance against Western pressure largely made possible by Mr Trumps efforts to punish the Indian prime minister for buying Russian oil. Experts also note that Mr Trump appears to have sided with Pakistan in the conflict with India, and Mr Modi has in recent weeks been refusing to pick up the phone to the US president. Before their meeting, nuclear powers China and India had all but ended strategic and economic cooperation over a 50-year border dispute in the Himalayas. In 2020, the row escalated into brutal hand-to-hand fighting, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops. Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping stage a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation - AP Mr Modi said peace and stability has now been introduced in the frontier region, but the Indian premier did not publicly disclose details of any deal to end the military stand-off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity, Mr Modi told Mr Xi. The end of the spat will see direct flights between the two countries restart after a five-year hiatus. China also agreed to lift export restrictions on rare earths, fertilisers and tunnel boring machines this month. We must ... not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship, Xi said, according to Chinese state media. He added that their partnership will be stable and far-reaching if both sides focus their efforts on partnership rather than regional rivalries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington and other Western capitals had spent decades building ties with India in an attempt to position the country as an important counterbalance to Chinese influence in the region. Chinese honour guards take part in a welcome ceremony for Russian president Vladimir Putin - Sputnik/Kremlin Pool/EPA/Shutterstock But the war in Ukraine, plus Mr Trumps attempts to rage trade wars with both countries, has pushed them closer together in recent years. The East-West tension will be the main backdrop to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, being held in the Chinese port city of Tianjin. Dylan Loh, an assistant professor at Singapores Nanyang Technological University, said: China has long sought to present the SCO as a non-Western-led power bloc that promotes a new type of international relations, which, it claims, is more democratic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 20 leaders including Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian president, and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan are attending the blocs largest meeting since its founding in 2001. Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, is making an unusually-lengthy trip to China for the summit, which he will use to bring not only Beijing but other allies onto the same page for his plans to engage Mr Trumps bid to end the war in Ukraine. Putin is expected to hold talks on Monday with Turkish president Mr Erdogan, the only Nato leader invited, and Irans Masoud Pezeshkian about the Ukraine conflict and Tehrans nuclear programme respectively. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, in a post on social media X, wrote that a case had been registered against the accused, identified as Manjit Singh, and further investigation is underway to dismantle the entire network, including its forward and backwards linkages. https://x.com/DGPPunjabPolice/status/1962025334129533100 "In a major breakthrough, Jalandhar Commissionerate Police apprehend Manjit Singh r/o Khambra, Jalandhar, and recover 3.5 Kg Heroin along with Rs 2 lakhs drug money from his possession. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway to identify and dismantle the entire network, including its forward and backward linkages," the post read. "@PunjabPoliceInd remains fully committed to striking at the roots of cross-border drug syndicates and protecting the people of #Punjab from the menace of narco-terrorism," the post further read. On August 26, the Pathankot Counter-Intelligence team averted a target killing by busting an organised crime module involved in multiple heinous crimes, said the Punjab DGP in a statement. The officials have apprehended four people, including two juveniles and seized two pistols and ammunition from their custody. "Preliminary investigations have revealed their links with foreign-based Nishan Singh (r/o Jaurrian), Shamsher Singh @ Shera Mann @ Honey (r/o Mann), and Sajan Masih @ Goru (r/o Veroke, PS Dera Baba Nanak)," the statement read. During the investigation, police officials have unearthed important leads regarding other criminal activities across the state. An FIR has also been registered at the State Special Operation Cell, Amritsar, in the matter. The Barnala Police on Monday apprehended four associates of the Devinder Bambiha Gang in a major crackdown, while they were planning to commit a robbery, police said. The apprehended associates include Satnam Singh, alias Satti; Gurpreet, alias Guri; Sarm Singh, alias Rinku; and Deepak Singh. "During a naka operation, the accused opened fire on the police party, our personnel overpowered the assailants and arrested them along with their vehicle," as per the 'X' post from DGP Punjab Police. (ANI) Border issues should not be the defining factor in China-India ties, Chinese President Xi Jinping told visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, saying the relationship required a "strategic and long-term perspective". Meeting on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin, Xi also told Modi that the two countries could be good neighbours and play a key part in the Global South, according to state news agency Xinhua. This is Modi's first trip to China in seven years and it comes at a pivotal moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Both countries are working to resolve long-standing disputes and find common ground as each feels strains in their relationship with the United States. Beijing is also using the summit as an opportunity to showcase its leadership and build solidarity with the Global South. During the one-hour meeting, Xi called for more communication to increase trust, and played up the prospects for stronger cooperation in economic and global affairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are "partners rather than rivals, which can offer development opportunities for each other rather than threats", Xi said. "China and India are two of the most 'civilisational' countries. We are the world's two most populous countries and part of the Global South ... It is vital to be friends, a good neighbour, and [for] the 'dragon' and the 'elephant' to come together." Relations between the two countries plunged after a deadly border clash in 2020, but Beijing and New Delhi have sought to mend fences in the past year, especially as both face stiff US tariffs. They have agreed to continue border negotiations, swiftly resume direct flights - suspended since early 2020 due to the pandemic - and to reopen border trade at three designated crossings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indian media reports also said that Beijing had lifted restrictions on exports to India of rare earths - key elements in the China-US trade war. The talks between Xi and Modi are not expected to resolve many major disputes, but the presence of the Indian prime minister in the northern port city is a sign of a strategic rethink to deal with geopolitical vulnerabilities. In his opening remarks, Modi said both countries had been moving in "a positive direction" since last year. India and China were both pursuing strategic autonomy, and their relations "should not be seen through the lens of a third country", Modi told Xi, according to the Indian foreign ministry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity," he said. Nevertheless, Modi will not join Xi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Beijing for a military parade on Wednesday. And India's relationship with the US, as well as the close ties between China and Pakistan, could temper any improvements between New Delhi and Beijing. Washington has spent years courting New Delhi as a counterweight to Beijing, but those efforts have been undermined this year by the White House's decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tariffs are meant to punish India for buying Russian oil but Delhi has shown little sign of budging on the purchases, vowing to protect its national interests and reaching out to other trading partners. Modi's stop in China follows talks in Japan, where he and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba signed an economic security initiative for their countries to work together on semiconductors, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, clean energy and pharmaceuticals. Tokyo also pledged US$67 billion in new investment in India over the next decade and to transfer new Shinkansen "E10 series" high-speed train technology. In addition, the leaders renewed a 2008 security declaration aimed at keeping the Indo-Pacific free of regional threats, focusing on the management of technology on emerging fronts such as space and cybersecurity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement India is set to host a Quad summit later this year, but reports indicate that US President Donald Trump will not be attending after all. US-India tensions began to emerge after Trump repeatedly claimed that he had "solved" the brief India-Pakistan military conflict. Delhi denies any third-party mediation. During the meeting on Sunday, Xi said China and India were at critical stages of development and the focus should be on "the greatest common denominator". Xi also recalled a moment seven decades ago when the two countries agreed to the principle of peaceful coexistence, the cornerstone of China's foreign policy. The principle "should be cherished and carried forward", he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The two sides need to work together to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and prevent border issues from defining the overall China-India relationship," Xi said. "It is important that we demonstrate a sense of historical responsibility, uphold multilateralism, and enhance communication and coordination on major international and regional issues." Last week, Bloomberg reported that Xi sent a personal letter to Modi in March to test India's interest in resetting ties with China and to express concern about any prospective US-India agreements that might harm Beijing's interests. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. At a major Chinese security summit attended by world leaders from Russia, India, Iran and other non-NATO aligned countries on Sunday, China put on a face of unity amid simmering regional conflicts and trade disputes. "The world is experiencing changes not seen in a century, with significantly increasing instability and uncertainty," Chinese President and Communist Party leader Xi Jinping said at the summit of the pro-Russia Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). During a gala dinner in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin, Xi said the SCO bears an even greater responsibility for maintaining peace and stability in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He made these remarks in front of numerous heads of state and government, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Xi warmly greeted with a handshake. Upon arriving at the banquet, Xi spoke with Putin, whom he often refers to as an "old friend." The two leaders also stood next to each other in the so-called family photo. The organization is largely dominated by leaders of authoritarian regimes, who are also criticized internationally for human rights violations. A meeting of 'old friends' Once again, the summit provided Putin, who remains isolated in parts of the West due to his war of aggression against Ukraine, with a platform to showcase his strong ties with China and other Asian countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However US President Donald Trump had also recently rolled out the red carpet for Putin at a summit in Alaska. During his four-day stay in China, Putin is focused not on tensions with the West but on building a multipolar world order, as he explained in an interview with China's state news agency Xinhua. Putin will remain in China for several days and is set to attend a military parade on September 3 in the nearby Chinese capital, Beijing, alongside North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The parade marks the 80th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II. China is considered Russia's most important ally in the war against Ukraine, as Beijing has so far refrained from condemning Moscow's actions and has supported Russian demands in its own proposals for resolving the conflict. Additionally, according to accusations from Western countries, China supplies Russia with goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, thereby supporting the Russian arms industry. A thaw after a diplomatic freeze The meeting between Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also being closely watched amid a decades-long border dispute. As a sign of improving relations, Xi called for closer cooperation with India. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "China and India are partners, not rivals," Xi told Modi. He added that both countries represent opportunities for development rather than threats to each other. Modi said his meeting with Xi was "productive." After years of tensions, the world's two most populous countries now appear to be moving closer to each other diplomatically again. The strained relations stem from a decades-long dispute over a region in the Himalayas, which Beijing considers part of southern Tibet and New Delhi views as part of the northern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. In 2020, soldiers from both sides clashed in the region, resulting in the deaths of 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers. Relations between the two nuclear powers subsequently deteriorated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement India and China also fought a brief border war in 1962 and dispute several sections along their ill-defined, 3,500-kilometre border. "We agreed that it is important to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas," Modi wrote on the online platform X following the meeting in Tianjin. Xi and Modi held their first talks after the dispute in Russia last year on the sidelines of a BRICS summit, indicating the first major thaw in relations following the deadly clashes. During a recent meeting in India, the two sides agreed to a 10-point plan to achieve "peace and calm" along their shared border. They also plan to resume tourist visas and direct flights. A new world order? The talks in Tianjin are likely to be closely watched by Washington, which recently slapped 50% tariffs on Indian imports to punish New Delhi for continuing to purchase oil from Moscow despite its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of his departure, Putin vowed to reinvigorate the idea of a multipolar world order during his four-day trip to China, where he is also set to attend a large-scale military parade in Beijing. China remains India's most important trading partner and it is expected that the three leaders might expand cooperation to counter US influence. However, observers believe it is unlikely that New Delhi will turn its back on Washington entirely, as both countries share security interests. Both are members of the Quad partnership, alongside Japan and Australia, which aims to push back China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Modi arrived in China on the heels of a visit to Japan, where Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to double private investment in India to 10 billion yen ($68 million) over the next 10 years. Vladimir Putin has arrived in China to a red-carpet greeting for the behind-closed-doors summit of an anti-Western coalition dubbed the axis of upheaval. On Sunday, the Russian president was pictured shaking hands with Xi Jinping as he hosted a gathering of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO). A top Kremlin aide said the two leaders held detailed discussions, including a debrief on a recent peace summit with Donald Trump, at what was the beginning of an unprecedented four-day overseas visit for Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yuri Ushakov said the Russian president would be the main guest at a military parade on Beijings Tiananmen Square to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Putin is expected to attempt to solidify his alliance with Beijing, which has been vital for sustaining his war machine through the deliveries of components for drone and missile production. He is likely to frame his calls for help as part of a mounting struggle between SCO member states and Western governments. Before arriving in China, Putin criticised what he called discriminatory Western sanctions, which he said Moscow and Beijing jointly opposed. Leaders, including Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, at the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation summit in Tianjin, China - Sergei Bobylyov/Reuters His remarks were significant given that Narendra Modi, Indian prime minister, would be attending the summit in China days after the US imposed a 50 per cent tariff on New Delhi over its refusal to stop buying Russian oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Modi, who Putin is expected to meet on the sidelines of the SCO gathering, had skipped last years summit. The Russian president is also scheduled to meet his Turkish, Serbian, Iranian, and Uzbek counterparts Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Aleksandar Vucic, Masoud Pezeshkian, and Shavkat Mirziyoyev for talks, according to the Kremlin. US officials are likely to be following details of those meetings from afar, after it was reported the White House believed Europe and Ukraine were blocking Mr Trumps efforts to end the war. A Kremlin spokesman on Sunday also blamed the European party of war for hindering the US presidents peace talks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are ready to resolve the problem by political and diplomatic means, Dmitry Peskov said. But so far we do not see reciprocity from Kyiv in this. So we shall continue the special military operation. Meanwhile, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said on Sunday that Europe was working on pretty precise plans for military deployments to Ukraine with full US backing. She told the Financial Times: President Trump reassured us that there will be [an] American presence as part of the backstop. That was very clear and repeatedly affirmed. During a visit to Polands border with Belarus, Ms Von der Leyen also asserted that Mr Trump wants peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said of Putin: He is a predator. We know by experience he can only be kept in check through strong deterrence. We have to keep the sense of urgency because we know that Putin has and will not change. The Shanghai summit will be the SCOs largest meeting of world leaders since 2001, when it was formed as a security bloc by Beijing and Moscow as a counterbalance against Western governments and Nato. It comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, as well as 16 other countries affiliated as observers or dialogue partners. Its members are known to share intelligence and conduct counter-terror training drills together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Official posters promoting the SCO lined the streets of Tianjin, displaying words such as mutual benefit and equality written in Chinese and Russian. Experts say that the two nations are using the summit to curry favour among allies that Western governments often attempt to influence. Dylan Loh, an assistant professor at Singapores Nanyang Technological University, told the AFP news agency: China has long sought to present the SCO as a non-Western-led power bloc that promotes a new type of international relations, which, it claims, is more democratic. Bridge between Russia and the West Mr Erdogan will be the only leader of a Nato nation present at the talks on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ankara has attempted to position itself as a bridge between Russia and the West, and has hosted three rounds of peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow as part of Mr Trumps renewed push to end the war. Xi met Mr Erdogan on Sunday to discuss the situations in Gaza and Ukraine, the Turkish government said. The Chinese leader is, however, unlikely to forfeit the limelight to Putin as he attempts to position Beijing as the leading nation in a post-US-led world order. Putin said that China and Russia plan to lead reforms at the International Monetary Foundation and the World Bank. We seek progress for the benefit of all humanity. I am confident that Russia and China will continue to work together towards this noble goal, aligning our efforts to ensure the prosperity of our great nations, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moscow may be jostling for the leadership role, but Putin has lost a degree of dominance because of his reliance on China to keep his war machine ticking over. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The leader of Yemens Houthis, Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, has denounced Israel and signalled defiance, hailing assassinated government leaders as the martyrs of all Yemen, the day after the group confirmed the death of its prime minister and other cabinet ministers. The Israeli enemy, with its crimes and savagery, does not spare even children, women and defenceless civilians, he said during his first speech on Sunday since the Israeli strikes, according to Houthi media. The crime of targeting ministers and civilian officials is added to the criminal record of the Israeli enemy in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prime minister of the Houthis government in the capital, Sanaa, Ahmed Ghaleb al-Rahawi, was killed in a Thursday Israeli strike on Sanaa along with several other ministers, the Houthis said in a statement on Saturday. Al-Rahawi, who served as prime minister in areas of the divided country that the group controls, was targeted along with other members of the Houthi-led government during a workshop, the statement said. Al-Houthi added that the record of the Israeli enemy is one of horrific terror as it kills people in Palestinian territory, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Iran. He called Israel a criminal foe that demonstrates its savagery, criminality and aggression through practices that know no rules, no commitments, no charters and no considerations. The Houthi commander said the group will keep acting against Israel in opposition to the war on Gaza in solidarity with Palestinians suffering, adding that our people will not be weakened by the aggression they are facing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel has repeatedly targeted Houthi positions in recent months as the Yemeni group has launched attacks on Israel and on Western vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Quoting unnamed sources, Israeli media reported on Friday that the Israeli army attacked the entire Houthi cabinet, including the prime minister and 12 other ministers, on Thursday. The attack came four days after Israeli strikes on the Yemeni capital on August 24 killed 10 people and wounded more than 90, according to health officials. Houthi raids on UN offices In an apparent security crackdown amid Israels attacks across Sanaa, the Houthis on Sunday raided offices of the United Nations food and childrens agencies in Yemens capital, detaining at least one UN employee, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ammar Ammar, a spokesperson for the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF), told the Associated Press that there was an ongoing situation related to their offices in Sanaa, without providing further details. The UN official said contacts with several other World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF staffers were lost and that they were likely also detained. Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the WFP, told the Associated Press that security forces also raided the agencies offices in the Houthi-controlled capital on Sunday morning. WFP reiterates that the arbitrary detention of humanitarian staff is unacceptable, Etefa said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg said he strongly condemned the detentions of UN personnel and said these arrests violate the fundamental obligation to respect and protect their safety, dignity, and ability to carry out their essential work in Yemen. At least 11 UN personnel were detained. These arrests come in addition to 23 UN personnel currently in detention, some detained since 2021 and 2023, and one colleague who died in detention earlier this year, he said. Despite sustained engagement and assurances sought over the last year, the arbitrary detention of UN staff, NGO workers, and civil society has continued. These actions severely hinder broader efforts to deliver assistance and advance peace in Yemen, he added and reiterated his demand to release the arrested people. The Houthis raids are the latest in a long-running Houthi crackdown against the UN and other international organisations working in rebel-held areas in Yemen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They have detained dozens of UN staffers, as well as people associated with aid groups, civil society and the now-closed US Embassy in Sanaa. In February, the UN also suspended its operations in the Houthi stronghold of Saada in northern Yemen after the Houthis detained eight UN staffers in January. Extremely rich New Yorkers are having what The New York Times is calling a freakout over the New York City mayoral race. The Hamptons is basically in group therapy about the mayoral race, Robert Zimmerman, a political fundraiser, told the Times. At the root of this panic is Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist who won the Democratic primary mayoral primary in June. He is running to freeze rents, crack down on bad landlords, raise the minimum wage, and tax the rich. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think we should have billionaires, he said in June. (New York City has more billionaires than any other city.) What theyre discussing is not just Mamdani and his policies, but [former Gov. Andrew] Cuomo and [Mayor Eric] Adams and whether anyone can beat him, Zimmerman said. Everyones talking about it all the time, writer Molly Jong-Fast, who has a house in the Hamptons and votes in New York City which is not uncommon among New Yorks elite told the Times. Mamdani beat Cuomo 56 percent to 44 percent in the primary in June, despite being hugely outspent. It sent a signal to the establishment that they may not have the ultimate power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elites have threatened to leave New York City and its taxes if Mamdani is elected, but history and data shows they will stay. As Mamdani and his 50,000 volunteers campaign across the five boroughs, Cuomo and Adams, who are both running as independents, are turning to the Hamptons, where Mamdani has not held any events. While theyre wining and dining billionaire types, Zohran is bringing thousands of New Yorkers together, political consultant Rebecca Katz told the Times. Her firm, Fight, produces ads for Mamdani. One person who is in the so-called Anyone But Mamdani set is billionaire grocery store tycoon John Catsimatidis. Mamdani has proposed creating city-owned grocery stores that would keep prices low by not making a profit. Catsimatidis told Fox Business in June that if Mamdani wins, he will close his grocery store chain, Gristedes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the city of New York is going socialist, I will definitely close, or sell, or move or franchise the Gristedes locations, he said. Democratic donor Patricia Duff, who married real estate billionaire Richard Cohen in June, told the Times, Mamdani has a great smile and is wonderfully articulate. His social media is entertaining, and his promises sound fine until you look at the fine print and theyre not realistic. Its fantasy land. Even overpriced lobster salad cant seem to make people out here feel better, said Zimmerman, the fundraiser. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A 21-year-old woman was killed and five others were injured, including an 11-year-old girl, in a car crash Saturday in New Jersey, state police said. Genna Spina, a Danville resident, was ejected from her vehicle in the four-car wreck on Interstate 78 in Hillside around 2 a.m., NJ.com reported. State police said the chain-reaction disaster began when Brandon Babb, 29, tried to change lanes while traveling westbound on the highway, striking a Toyota SUV driven by 37-year-old Vanessa Jonas, according to RLS Media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The impact caused Babbs Honda SUV to lose control and spin out in the middle of the highway, facing the wrong direction, cops said. Dayle Danchak, 24, was driving a Ford with Spina in the passenger seat and struck the broken-down Honda, according to investigators. Danchak and Spinas Ford flipped over and landed in the express lanes, where it was then struck by a Chevrolet driven by 39-year-old Derek Feltenberger, RLS reported. Two passengers in the Chevrolet, the 11-year-old girl and 59-year-old Sondra Williams, suffered minor injuries. Danchak was seriously injured, while Jonas and Feltenberger suffered moderate injuries, authorities said. Babb, whose attempted lane change triggered the incident, was not injured. The crash, which slowed traffic on Interstate 78 for several hours Saturday, remains under investigation. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Police arrived on South Avenue around 8 p.m. Saturday after a two-vehicle collision, leaving one passenger in the hospital, according to Youngstown Police. The incident took place near the 1600 block of South Avenue, near the bridge by the I-680 South on-ramp in Youngstown. According to police, both drivers went through the red light. The identity of the passenger has not yet been released, and police could not tell us their condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First News will update this story as more information becomes available. Wilson Corbisello contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he still sees no sign that Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to engage in ceasefire talks. In his evening video address on Sunday, Zelensky recalled that Washington had said two weeks ago that Moscow should be ready by now for a leadership-level meeting today. Instead, he said, "the only thing Russia is doing is investing further in war." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commenting on Putin's current visit to China, Zelensky accused him of once again trying "to wriggle out" of negotiating an end to the conflict. "That is his number one sport," Zelensky said. The need for a quick end to the war is being emphasized worldwide, he noted. "The only one who wants this war is Russia." Despite Washington's expectations of direct negotiations, Moscow has so far shown no readiness to engage. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently reiterated that Putin refuses to speak with Zelensky, questioning his legitimacy as president. Zelensky continues to lead Ukraine under martial law, which allows him to remain in office beyond his expired term, in line with the constitution. Putin, by contrast, has remained in power continuously since 2012, aided by constitutional amendments that extended his term limits. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday celebrated Onam at her residence in the national capital and stated that the Delhi stands with the families of Kerala in their "happiness" and "sorrow". Speaking to the reporters on the occasion, CM Rekha said that Onam is not only celebrated in Kerala but across the country. She extended her wishes to the 10 lakh Malayali people residing in New Delhi and mentioned that everyone should join hands to work together for the development of the region. "Today, Onam is not only being celebrated in Kerala but in the whole country, the whole world. I am happy that this sacred festival of Onam started from Jan Seva Sadan. I extend my best wishes to nearly 10 lakh Malayali families residing in Delhi. Delhi will celebrate this festival in the coming 10 days. May every household be filled with happiness, enthusiasm and joy. Delhi is with the families of Kerala in their happiness and sorrow. We shall join the journey of the development of Delhi as a family," CM Rekha Gupta said. This year, Onam is being celebrated from August 26 to September 5, over a period of 10 days . Onam is celebrated in Chingam month, which marks the beginning of the Malayalam calendar, and is a harvest celebration. During the Onam festival, people usually wear kasavu saris and mundu (dhoti). It is a time when family members and friends come together and exchange gifts. The festival also marks the Malayalam New Year and celebrates the homecoming of 'Mahabali'. Kerala welcomed the Malayalam New Year on August 17, with people flocking to temples to offer prayers and celebrating the beginning of Chingam, the first month of the Malayalam calendar. (ANI) KYIV, Ukraine (AP) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Ukrainian officials arrested a suspect in the shooting death of former parliament speaker and prominent pro-Western politician Andriy Parubiy. Zelenskyy said in a statement on X that a person was taken into custody after shooting Parubiy in the city of Lviv on Saturday. No details about the suspect or a motive for the killing were released. The necessary investigative actions are ongoing. I have instructed that the available information be presented to the public, Zelenskyy said. Parubiy, 54, was a lawmaker from the Lviv region who participated in Ukraines Orange Revolution in 2004 and led self-defense volunteer units during the Maidan protests of 2014, which forced pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych from office. He was parliament speaker from 2016 to 2019. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pointed out that it is two weeks since US President Donald Trump gave Russia two weeks to show willingness for real peace talks. Source: Zelenskyy in his evening address Quote: "Two weeks ago in Washington, it was stated that by this time the Russians should be ready for real negotiations a meeting at the leaders level. Ukraine is definitely ready for this. But the only thing Russia is doing is investing further in war. All their signals point to that." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Zelenskyy noted that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, who is currently on a four-day visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, "will once again try to wriggle out [of the meeting] that is his number one sport". Quote: "Everyone in the world has declared that there must be a ceasefire. Everyone has insisted that the war must end. That has been the position of everyone, including China. I have discussed this with the Prime Minister of India. Also with other leaders who are now at the summit Turkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan. Almost everyone else in the world also supports ending the war. Today, there was an important statement from the Pope I am grateful for that. The only one who wants this war is Russia. We expect that no one will tolerate the dragging out of this war. We count on a strong stance from the United States, Europe, and the G20 countries." Background: On 18 August, at a meeting in the US with European leaders, Trump said it would be known "in a week or two" whether a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine could be reached. On 21 August, Trump said he would be able to assess the possibility of achieving peace in Ukraine "within two weeks". On 25 August, Trump said there would be "very big consequences" for Russia and he would "step in very strongly" if a ceasefire agreement is not concluded within the next two weeks. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! According to the police, Aftab strangulated Shraddha to death between 9 and 10 pm on May 18. After the murder, he decided to cut the dead body into pieces and dispose of it. For this, he first bought a saw and then bought a fridge to keep the pieces of the dead body. On May 19, he cut the body into 35 pieces and stuffed them in the fridge A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution, urging the Election Commission of India (ECI) to establish rules for the registration and regulation of political parties. The petition highlights the pressing need to enhance transparency, uphold secularism, strengthen democratic values, and ensure political justice in the operations of political organisations throughout the country. Filed by advocate and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay, the plea also calls upon the Union Government to implement effective measures aimed at curbing corruption, casteism, linguism, regionalism, communalism, and the growing criminalisation of politics. The petition stems from a series of Income Tax raids that allegedly exposed large-scale financial misconduct by certain political outfits. According to the petition, the cause of action began on July 13, 2025, when the Income Tax Department raided the offices of two registered political parties and reportedly uncovered 500 crore in black money. These parties were allegedly created solely to launder unaccounted cash through hawala networks, returning donations via cheque after deducting a commission. A subsequent raid on August 12, 2025, revealed another fraudulent entity, which had allegedly converted 7,271 crore of black money into white. The plea asserts that nearly 90 per cent of registered political parties do not participate in elections and instead function as vehicles for money laundering. It claims that many of these entities appoint individuals with criminal backgrounds, such as kidnappers, smugglers, and land mafias, as office bearers in exchange for money, with some even receiving police protection. Such practices, the petition argues, pose a grave threat to democracy and damage India's international reputation. It further alleges that party officials misuse black money to acquire luxury vehicles and flaunt their political status through VIP-style privileges. In support of its case, the petition highlights the lack of a comprehensive legal framework to regulate political parties. It references recommendations made by the Law Commission of India under Justice Jeevan Reddy and the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution led by Justice MN Venkatachaliah. A draft bill titled The Political Parties (Registration and Regulation of Affairs) Bill, 2011, was prepared by an expert committee chaired by Justice Venkatachaliah. Still, successive governments have failed to act on it. The petition emphasises two core issues: the need for inner-party democracy, which would ensure fair elections of office bearers and candidate selection; and transparency in funding, including regulation of donations, prohibition of contributions from banned organisations, and penalties for non-compliance. It states that while entities such as companies, cooperatives, charitable trusts, and religious organisations are subject to legal oversight, political parties--despite their constitutional importance--remain largely unregulated. Political parties, the plea notes, wield significant constitutional powers under the Tenth Schedule, including the authority to disqualify legislators, influence legislative voting, and shape public policy. They also benefit from indirect state financing through tax exemptions, free airtime on public broadcasters, subsidised accommodation, and access to electoral rolls. Yet, there is no binding law to ensure their accountability. Given that political parties perform a public duty and exercise constitutional authority, the petition contends they must be held accountable to the people. It urges the Supreme Court to direct the ECI to formulate rules governing the registration and functioning of political parties. The matter is expected to be heard by the Supreme Court in the coming weeks. (ANI) Nageswaran noted that the adverse impact on employment would be largely restricted to export-oriented sectors with significant exposure to the US market. In terms of penalties, Rathi was docked 80 percent of his match fee. Rana lost 50 percent of his own for their conduct. The two exchanged words, and then Rana pulled out of his stance when Rathi was readying to deliver. As loved ones mourn the heartbreaking loss, Microsoft has yet to release an official statement regarding Pratik Pandeys passing. Remembered as a dedicated professional and a joyful person with a warm, radiant smile, Pandey was also a father to a young son. According to Bloomberg, he is survived by several family members in India. The Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) is expected to release the admit cards for the recruitment exam of Senior Teachers in the state's Secondary Education Department soon at sso.rajasthan.gov.in. Scroll down to check more details. The Patiala House Courts of Delhi discharged the main accused in a high-profile murder case, holding that there was no prima facie material to proceed against them. The Additional Sessions Judge, Kiran Gupta, noted that apart from disclosure statements of co-accused, no independent evidence, such as call records, location details, or recoveries, was produced to substantiate the prosecution's claim that the accused were part of the conspiracy. The case arose from an incident in which the complainant, while returning from Patiala House Court, was allegedly accosted by unknown assailants who fired at his car in broad daylight. During the incident, the driver, Shafiq, sustained injuries. An FIR was subsequently registered at Police Station Kishangarh under Sections 307, 120-B, 201, 174-A/34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and Sections 25, 27, 54, and 59 of the Arms Act. During the investigation, several accused persons were arrested, and allegations of criminal conspiracy were raised against multiple individuals, including the discharged accused. The prosecution relied primarily on disclosure statements of co-accused and CCTV footage collected from the spot. The discharge applications were argued on behalf of the accused persons, Harender Maan and BimleshMaan, by Advocate Rhythm Aggarwal, alongwithAdvocate Neeraj Tiwari. The defense argued that the prosecution's case was based purely on conjecture and retaliatory allegations, lacking any credible evidence. Adv. Rhythm Aggarwal contended that the primary allegation against the accused was possession of a revolver purportedly belonging to their late unclewas wholly unsubstantiated, with no proof or licensing records produced by the complainant to establish the existence of such a weapon. Advocate Rhythm Aggarwal, appearing for the accused, also addressed the prosecution's allegation regarding the recovery of a mobile phone. She submitted that the entire claim was baseless, as at no point during the investigation was any mobile handset, SIM card, or related electronic evidence recovered from the possession or control of the accused persons. The defence emphasised that the prosecution failed to produce even a single piece of corroborative material connecting the accused with any mobile device allegedly linked to the incident. In the absence of such recovery or technical evidence, the allegation of tampering or using a mobile phone stands wholly unsubstantiated and cannot be relied upon to implicate the accused. Adv Rhythm Aggarwal has further argued that the prosecution's reliance on disclosure statements of a co-accused was to be legally untenable. It was submitted that such statements, without independent corroboration or recovery, are inadmissible under Sections 25 and 26 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, and cannot form the basis of framing charges. (ANI) 'Shanghai Spirit' key to addressing global challenges: Kazakh editor-in-chief 16:13, August 31, 2025 By Sheng Chuyi, Chu Mengqi ( People's Daily Online The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has become a platform for addressing international issues, a leading Central Asian journalist said. "The SCO helps its members jointly address major global challenges such as terrorism, economic fragmentation, and climate change. Its strength lies in promoting consensus and win-win cooperation rather than confrontation," said Serik Korzhumbayev, editor-in-chief of Delovoy Kazakhstan, during a recent interview with Peoples Daily Online. The two-day SCO Summit 2025, which takes place from Aug.31 to Sep.1, brings together leaders from more than 20 countries and heads of 10 international organizations to discuss regional cooperation and security. He emphasized the continued relevance of the "Shanghai Spirit," noting that its core values mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations, and pursuit of common development provide a hopeful alternative to global division. "In times of rising global tensions, these principles are more important than ever. Promoting the 'Shanghai Spirit' means strengthening solidarity and building a more balanced and fair international order," he said. Official data show that trade between China and SCO member countries reached 3.65 trillion yuan ($510 billion) in 2024, more than 36 times the level recorded when the SCO was founded in 2001. Korzhumbayev spoke highly of China's pragmatic actions within the SCO, citing its efforts to boost economic and trade connectivity, support infrastructure projects, promote digital cooperation, and enhance regional security mechanisms. "China has demonstrated real leadership within the SCO through practical initiatives that create new opportunities for growth and stability," he said. Looking ahead, Korzhumbayev expressed optimism about Kazakhstan-China cooperation. He pointed to green energy, digital transformation, logistics, and food security as key areas for deeper engagement. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, the two countries have launched 52 projects worth more than $21.2 billion, and are continuously expanding into areas such as green development, digital technology, and science and technology. "The Belt and Road Initiative has already delivered tangible benefits, and its future expansion will bring even greater opportunities for prosperity and sustainable development," he noted. He also mentioned visiting the Luban Workshop, a Chinese vocational education program that operates in Kazakhstan, as a clear example of deepening educational cooperation. Korzhumbayev shared his impressions of Tianjin, where he also attended the SCO Mayors' Forum in July. He called Tianjin a beautiful city and a strong example of successful regional integration. "Its high-speed rail link to Beijing takes just half an hour, and the city showcases both economic growth and cultural development," he said. "Most impressive was our tour of Tianjin Port, one of the most advanced trade hubs in the world," he added. "The port applies cutting-edge technology and fifth-generation standards for cargo handling. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, this port has made import and export operations more efficient, promoting trade, investment, and joint projects between our countries." According to Korzhumbayev, the SCO summit will inject new momentum into bilateral and regional cooperation. "This platform will strengthen coordination on regional security, encourage joint projects in trade and energy, and enable our two countries to shape common positions on major international issues. Together, we can build a true community with a shared future for humanity," Korzhumbayev concluded. (Zhang Jiatong, an intern, also contributed to this article.) (Web editor: Hongyu, Liu Ning) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday visited the cloudburst-hit Ramban district to assess the damage. He stated that restoration work in landslide-affected areas is expected to take between 20 to 25 days and alternative routes are available for double-sided traffic. Chief Minister Abdullah visited Marog village in Ramban district, one of several areas hit hard by recent cloudbursts and flash floods. "The situation is being assessed. There has been incessant heavy rainfall in the past few days. Highway has suffered damage at several locations. We have spoken with the concerned company, NHAI, and the District Administration, and it has been found that we have an alternative. However, in locations where roads have suffered damage due to landslides, restoration will take 20-25 days. But we have an alternate as of now. It has been prepared for double-sided traffic. Areas around Udhampur have suffered massive damage. If that is restored, we will be able to release traffic from here..." Abdullah said. Further, he said "The MLA spoke with me yesterday on phone. I immediately spoke with my officers, and we announced a relief for them. DC and SP reached the spot. Arrangements were made by the Red Cross too. We will do whatever more is needed." Earlier today, the Indian Army, along with Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF, UTDRF and other rescue teams, on Sunday launched operations after a cloudburst hit Rajgarh Tehsil in Ramban district, where flash floods affected multiple locations and four bodies have been recovered so far, officials said. At least four people were killed and one was reported missing after a cloudburst hit the Rajgarh area of Ramban district in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, officials said. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed condolences to the bereaved families who lost their lives in a cloudburst and landslide following heavy rainfall in Ramban and Reasi districts. The LG spoke with the officials to assess the situation and stated that all possible assistance was being provided to the victims. In a social media post on X, the Office of the Lt. Governor of J-K wrote, "Anguished by the cloudburst & rain-triggered landslides in Reasi & Ramban. Condolences to the bereaved families. Spoke to Senior Officials and took stock of the situation. Rescue and relief operations are underway. All possible assistance is being provided to the affected." On Saturday, Deputy Commissioner Ramban, Mohammad Alyas Khan, along with Senior Superintendent of Police Arun Gupta, rushed to the site. The team was accompanied by personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Quick Response Team (QRT). DC Khan personally oversaw the ongoing rescue and relief operations, with the district administration maintaining a high level of alertness. (ANI) Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh on Sunday lauded the 125th episode of Prime Minister's 'Mann ki Baat' programme and said that there is a new learning in every episode. The BJP leader said that key issues that PM Modi focused on were on sports, Vishwakarma Day, Engineers' Day, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and the talents of the country's citizens. "We listened to the 'Mann Ki Baat' program with local citizens... He spoke on several topics, including sports, Vishwakarma Day, Engineers' Day, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and the talents of the country's citizens. We all learn a lot from his program," Parvesh Sahib Singh told reporters. In his radio programme 'Mann ki Baat', expressed anuguish over the ongoing natural disasters in the country, mentioning that these incidents have "saddened" every Indian. Addressing the 125th edition of his monthly radio address, PM Modi noted that in the present monsoon season, natural disasters are testing the country and has left homes torn apart, fields submerged, and entire families destroyed. PM Modi stated that the relief work were boosted with the help of thermal technology and sniffer dogs and the relief material was delivered through helicopters. "Wherever there was a crisis, our NDRF-SDRF personnel and other security forces worked day and night to save people. The soldiers also took the help of technology. Efforts were made to speed up relief work with the help of thermal cameras, live detectors, sniffer dogs and drone surveillance. During this, relief material was delivered by helicopters and the injured were airlifted. Armed Forces came forward to help in times of disaster. Local people, social workers, doctors, administration - everyone made every possible effort in this hour of crisis. I heartily thank every such citizen who prioritized humanity in these difficult times," he said. "In this monsoon season, natural disasters are testing the country. In the last few weeks we have witnessed massive havoc caused by floods and landslides. Homes torn apart, fields submerged, entire families destroyed. The relentless surge of water swept away bridges-roads got washed away, and people's lives were in danger. These incidents have brought grief to every Indian. The pain of the families who lost their loved ones is shared by all of us," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister hailed the contributions of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel and other security forces, who have been working day and night in the relief efforts following floods and landslides. (ANI) He alleged that the Congress government has placed party members under house arrest and suppressed a peaceful demonstration. "The BJP workers in Telangana have decided to protest over this, but the Congress government has placed every BJP worker under house arrest, preventing a peaceful demonstration. The work that the Congress government is doing in Telangana today, in the coming days, all the citizens of India will unite and teach a lesson to the Congress party... They have not fulfilled any of their promises..." the Union Minister told ANI. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also condemned the alleged derogatory remarks, stating that such personal attacks are "unacceptable". On Saturday, Bihar BJP leaders staged a silent demonstration (maun dharna) at a Mahagathbandhan event in Darbhanga. Earlier on Friday, the man accused of hurling abuses at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother during a political rally in Bihar was arrested, Darbhanga Senior Superintendent of Police told ANI. The arrest followed the circulation of a purported video on the internet showing the accused directing abusive slurs at PM Modi during an INDIA bloc event. The incident had sparked a political row in the poll-bound state of Bihar. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress workers clashed in Bihar's Patna on Friday over the alleged derogatory remarks against Prime Minister and his late mother. Stones were pelted at the site as the BJP staged a protest against the Congress in front of the Congress office in Patna. Bihar Minister and BJP leader Nitin Nabin stated that the public will give a "befitting reply" to Congress. (ANI) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to maintain "good relations" with all countries including China and expressed hope that the situation will improve between the two countries in the future. On PM Modi's bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, CM Vishnu Deo Sai told reporters, "Due to the Prime Minister, India's respect and honour in the world has increased. He wants to maintain good relations with all countries, including China, so certainly the environment will be good in the future." Meanwhile, PM Modi on Sunday emphasised the commitment to taking the India-China ties forward, based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity, during his bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He appreciated the progress made on several fronts of ties and peace on the border post disengagements. He also spoke about the beginning of the Kailash Mansoravar Yatra and touched upon the beginning of direct flight connectivity between the two countries. He said that an agreement has been reached on border management between the two countries."Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created," PM Modi said. "An agreement has been reached between our Special Representatives regarding border management. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been resumed. Direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity," the Prime Minister Modi said. He thanked the Chinese President for the warm welcome and congratulated China for successfully chairing the SCO. "I congratulate you on China's successful chairmanship of the SCO. I thank you for the invitation to visit China and for our meeting today". The Prime Minister Modi arrived on Saturday evening in the city, his first visit to China in more than seven years. Recently, India and China have taken multiple steps to smooth their bilateral relationship, including the resumption of trade through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, Shipki La Pass in Himachal Pradesh, and Nathu La Pass in Sikkim. (ANI) BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj congratulated PM Narendra Modi for inspiring youth through his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' programme which is aired on the last Sunday of every month. Addressing reporters in the national captial, Swaraj said, "Mann Ki Baat is such a program through which Prime Minister Modi ignites the flame of hope in the hearts of the people of the country... I once again congratulate Prime Minister Modi for inspiring the youth on the last Sunday of every month through Mann Ki Baat." Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai also praised this programme by saying, "It is our good fortune that we got to hear the 125th episode of the PM's 'Mann Ki Baat' today... A large number of people have gathered here... Everyone waits for the last Sunday of every month." He added that through this programme, PM Modi highlights the innovations undertaken by people in the country, which inspires everyone. Moreover, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva also urged people to listen to PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat programme with their families. He said, "The Prime Minister's Mann Ki Baat is the voice of the people because it is the talk of information, and we receive such special information from him... Every Indian should listen to the Prime Minister's Mann Ki Baat program with their family because the information provided in it is very good." Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha in Khowai, Odisha CM Mohan Charan Manjhi in Bhubaneswar, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati and Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, State BJP President Dilip Jaiswal in Patna listened to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 125th Edition of Mann Ki Baat. Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma, Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar, and BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj also heard PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat in Delhi. Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda and BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde heard Modi's Mann Ki Baat in Mumbai. Meanwhile, PM Modi, in the 125th episode of Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, announced the launch of a new digital platform 'Pratibha Setu' aimed at supporting aspirants of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations who narrowly missed making it to the final merit list. PM Modi described the UPSC exam as one of the most challenging competitive tests in the country and referred to the inspiring journeys of several aspirants. The Prime Minister, in his address, said, "My dear countrymen, you must have heard the name of UPSC. This institution conducts the Civil Services exam, one of the toughest exams in the country. All of us have heard many inspiring stories from the toppers of the Civil Services. These youngsters study under difficult circumstances and through their hard work, get a place in this service, but friends, there is another truth about the UPSC exam." The Prime Minister also expressed anguish over the ongoing natural disasters in the country, mentioning that these incidents have "saddened" every Indian. PM Modi noted that in the present monsoon season, natural disasters are testing the country and have left homes torn apart, fields submerged, and entire families destroyed. "In this monsoon season, natural disasters are testing the country. In the last few weeks we have witnessed massive havoc caused by floods and landslides. Homes torn apart, fields submerged, entire families destroyed. The relentless surge of water swept away bridges-roads got washed away, and people's lives were in danger. These incidents have brought grief to every Indian. The pain of the families who lost their loved ones is shared by all of us," PM Modi said. (ANI) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a bilateral meeting ahead of the SCO summit held on Sunday, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari alerted that that China is not very "reliable" Tiwari told ANI, "India and China are neighbouring nations. China has always betrayed us. China is not very reliable. They cannot be fully trusted. Our best wishes are with Modi ji...With the recent history, he needs to be alert...It is good that the flights are being resumed but we need to be mindful of two more things. The trade between the two countries is tilted in one direction, in China's favour...This inequality should be removed and both should be equal..." The Congress leader said that PM Modi shpuld speak for the "interests" of India. "The patrolling of our jawans is still halted. Dialogues are still underway. In Arunachal and border areas, China is establishing new villages. Therefore, Modi ji should not take any steps hastily. He should speak for the interests of India..." Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) slammed the visit and alleged that "first PM Modi should ask China to return our land". On PM Modi's bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Bharadwaj told ANI, "I want to remind the Prime Minister of his own words that 'blood and water cannot flow together'. When China attacked our soldiers, killed them, captured our land, which is still in their possession, although the central government does not accept this... first, the Prime Minister should ask China to return our land. They are occupying our land, and we are saying that if we are not able to get along with America, then we should get along with you... Is this international diplomacy?..." Earlier, PM Modi was awarded a warm cultural welcome at his hotel where artistes performed Indian classical music and dance, symbolising goodwill between the two countries. The SCO comprises 10 members. In addition to India, they include Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. There are also several dialogue partners and observers. India has been a member of the SCO since 2017, having been an observer since 2005. (ANI) Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda offered prayers at the Chandralok Ganeshotsav Mandal in Mumbai on Sunday. Nadda expressed happiness over the occasion, mentioning that it was his "good fortune" to visit Mumbai during the Ganesh Utsav. He said that Bal Gangadhar Tilak inspired people to bring Lord Ganpati to homes which also proved to be an inspirational moment during the freedom struggle. "I have had the good fortune to come to Mumbai on the occasion of Ganesh Utsav, and today I also have the good fortune to listen to 'Mann Ki Baat'. Lord Ganesha bestows wisdom upon us and removes obstacles... Bal Gangadhar Tilak inspired bringing Lord Ganesha from homes to public places for worship, which proved to be an inspirational movement during the freedom struggle," Nadda told reporters.. The Union Minister stated that he prayed for the well-being of the nation and achieved the goal of becoming 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Viksit Bharat' under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi. "Today, I have wished that under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, as we strive to move towards an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', 'Viksit Bharat'..., in which Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, removes all obstacles and gives us people full strength so that we can accomplish this task," he said. Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations have begun across the country from August 27. Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayak Chavithi, is a festival that marks the worship of Lord Ganesha as the god of new beginnings and remover of obstacles. This auspicious ten-day festival starts with 'Chaturthi' and ends on 'Anantha Chaturdashi'.This auspicious ten-day festival starts with 'Chaturthi' and ends on 'Anantha Chaturdashi'. The festive period is also known as 'Vinayak Chaturthi' or 'Vinayak Chavithi'. The festival celebrates Ganesha as the 'God of New Beginnings' and the 'Remover of Obstacles' as well as the god of wisdom and intelligence. Celebrated across the country, the festival sees lakhs of devotees gathering in temples and mandals to seek blessings from Lord Ganesh. For the festivities, people bring Lord Ganesh idols to their homes, observe fasts, prepare mouth-watering delicacies, and visit pandals during the festival. (ANI) A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against Trinamool Congress legislator Mahua Moitra in Chhattisgarh's Raipur in connection with her alleged derogatory remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, police said on Sunday. Moitra has reportedly said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah's "head should be cut off" for failing to check the infiltration of illegal Bangladeshis into India. Soon after her remarks, an FIR was registered at the Mana Camp police station under Sections 196 and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The FIR was filed at the Mana police station on August 30 based on a complaint filed by a local resident, Gopal Samanto Political leaders slammed Moitra's reported remark and alleged that efforts are going on to "completely change" the demography of Bengal. Congress leader TS Singh Deo condemned the reported remark against Amit Shah, and told ANI on Saturday, "I have not read the statement. But Mahua Moitra ji has made some objectionable statements in reference to the Home Minister. This is not right." A day earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitin Nabin told ANI, "I believe that the use of such words by a woman can help people understand how violent the people sitting in the government today have become and efforts are being made there to change the demography of Bengal and our Home Minister completely is constantly fighting for it, he is fixing those things, so restlessness is visible but she does not know that the Home Minister has everyone's blessings. No one will be able to harm him." Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to take punitive action against TMC MP Mahua Moitra and demanded an apology from the West Bengal Chief Minister. In a post on X, Vishnu Deo Sai shared, "The remark made by the Trinamool Congress MP against the Honourable Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji is not only objectionable but also a serious criminal act. Such audacity to make such remarks would not be possible without the backing of the Trinamool Congress high command and Chief Minister Smt. Mamata Banerjee. Smt. Mamata Banerjee Ji should clarify whether she agrees with Mahua Moitra Ji's statement or not. If she does not agree, then she should take punitive action against her party leader and apologise to the entire country for this act." TMC MP Mahua Moitra had recently reportedly said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah's "head should be cut off" for failing to check the infiltration of illegal Bangladeshis into India. Moitra was earlier expelled from the Lok Sabha in December 2023 after the House accepted the recommendations of the Ethics Committee's probe report on cash-for-query charges against her. (ANI) BRS Working President KT Rama Rao on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Congress government, accusing it of misleading the people on the issue of Backward Class (BC) reservations. Speaking during the debate on the Panchayati Raj Amendment Bill in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, KTR said, "If Chief Minister Revanth Reddy truly has a commitment towards Backward Classes, he should sit on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi until the BC Bill is passed. This is not about seeking appointments, but about showing dedication." Drawing a parallel with the Telangana agitation, KTR remarked, "Just as KCR went to Delhi and declared he would not return without achieving Telangana, Revanth Reddy must also go to Delhi and remain there until the BC Bill is secured. That is the kind of commitment the government should show." Highlighting the contributions of BRS towards BC welfare, KTR recalled, "KCR was the first leader in India to demand a separate OBC Welfare Ministry in 2004. Soon after founding the party, he introduced a comprehensive BC policy. In the Telangana Assembly, we passed resolutions demanding a caste census and OBC reservations in legislatures and forwarded them to the Centre. Whenever we had the opportunity, we ensured justice to BCs and weaker sections." Taking aim at the Congress, he said, "How can people trust a party that changes its stand on BC reservations five times? This is nothing but insincere posturing. If Congress and BJP are really serious, let them bring a constitutional amendment in Parliament -- only that can permanently ensure BC reservations." Reaffirming BRS's position, KTR added, "On the demand for 42 per cent BC reservations, we are fully supportive of the government. But laws must be crafted without loopholes; otherwise, judicial review will strike them down. Declarations are not enough -- dedication is what matters." (ANI) BJP Mahila Morcha leaders and workers on Sunday staged a protest in Jammu against the derogatory remarks allegedly made by a Congress worker against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother during the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar's Darbhanga. The BJP Mahila Morcha workers protested near the state Congress office. One of the protesters said, "The Congress worker has not only insulted the Prime Minister and his late mother, but also the mothers and sisters of the entire country. They have hurt the sentiments of the women and insulted Indian traditions. This shows their (Congress's) ideology and the level of politics they have stooped to." "Our appeal is that Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the Prime Minister, his late mother and the people of the country," she added. Meanwhile, Darbhanga Police have arrested the man accused of hurling abuses. "A case has been registered, and an accused arrested. His name is being verified. The person is identifying himself as Raja...Action will be taken against those found involved," Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Chaudhary said. A video of the incident showing the man allegedly making abusive remarks against the Prime Minister had gone viral on social media. Reacting to the row, Congress leader Pawan Khera accused the BJP of manufacturing the controversy. "BJP toolkit out. When they get rattled by the truth, they first plant their own agents to raise objectionable slogans; then they make an issue out of it to distract attention from the issues. And finally, Modi himself will come and give a teary-eyed speech during elections to get sympathy. Your lies have stopped working," he said in a post on X. On Saturday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, while leading the opposition's Voter Adhikar Yatra, stopped his car to interact with Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) workers who were showing black flags. The Rai Barelli MP tried to calm the protesters by offering candies. The row has also sparked clashes in Bihar. On Friday, BJP workers staged a protest outside the Congress office in Patna over the Darbhanga remarks, leading to a confrontation. Bihar minister and BJP leader Nitin Nabin said, "Every son of Bihar will give a befitting reply to Congress for insulting a mother. We will take revenge for this." (ANI) Mark Hamill and his wife Marilou York's marriage secret is acceptance. Mark Hamill and Marilou York The dental hygienist - who tied the knot with the Star Wars actor in 1978 - also says not worrying about things that are not important is also vital for a strong relationship. Marilou told People: "Don't sweat the little stuff. "And also, go in knowing you're not going to change anyone. So you have to accept their quirks and their behaviour." Interrupting, Mark said: "What quirks? Agreeing, he said "acceptance" and "communication" are two vital components to a happy and long marriage. The couple - who have sons Nathan, 46, and Griffin, 42, as well as 33-year-old daughter Chelsea - met in the mid-1970s at a dentist's office, where he was a patient and she was a dental hygienist. And the pair have been smitten with each other ever since. Mark said: I just think that when you find the right one, the odds are against you. "But if you do get lucky, you just have to hang on and be grateful that you were able to find that one." Mark and Marilou have executive-produced a new documentary called Big Rock Burning, in which they look back on their community of 47 years - the Big Rock neighbourhood in Malibu. In January, Mark, Marilou, and their dog Trixie were forced to flee their home - where they got married and their children were raised - and stay with their daughter Chelsea in Hollywood due to the Los Angeles wildfires. However, Mark and Marilou's home "amazingly" survived the wildfires, and they are beyond grateful. She said: "We got married there, we raised our kids there. It's a very, very special property. I'm so thankful and grateful that our house survived, but I just didn't realise the ramifications of it. Currently, the couple cannot return to their house because Mark said it is toxic with chemicals". Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday defended the state government's decision to invite renowned Kannada writer and Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate this year's Mysuru Dasara, saying the event is a festival for all and not linked to any one religion. Addressing the media, CM Siddaramaiah said, "Dussehra is a non-religious festival. Everyone celebrates the Dasara Naada festival. Therefore, it is appropriate for it to be inaugurated by writer and activist Banu Mushtaq. I was given authority in a high-level committee regarding the selection of the Mysore Dasara inaugurator. It was decided that I should invite Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Dussehra. Poet Nisar Ahmed has inaugurated Dasara in the past too. Naada festival is a festival for everyone. It is a festival for Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Jains." He further termed the people opposing Banu Mushtaq's choice as the inaugurator of Dussehra as "religious fanatics". "When the Maharaja was not in power, even Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan celebrated Dussehra. Mirza Ismail, who was the Diwan, celebrated Dussehra. This is a non-religious festival. There are very few writers in Karnataka who have won the Booker Prize. Only religious fanatics talk about Banu Mushtaq being chosen as the inaugurator of Dussehra. They do not know history; it is good to know history," he added. Earlier, Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president BY Vijayendra on August 28 hit out at Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar over his "Chamundi Hills is not only for Hindus" remarks and claimed that it was an insult to Hindu traditions and beliefs. Vijayendra questioned the Siddaramaiah government for inviting renowned Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq to open the Mysuru Dasara and not Deepa Bhasthi, who is the first Indian translator to win an International Booker Prize for translating Mushtaq's 'Heart Lamp'. "The problem is not with the BJP but with the mindset of the ruling Congress party. Recently, I have seen DK Shivakumar's statement on Chamundi Hills. The statements of Congress leaders are an insult to Hindu traditions and beliefs, whether it is DK Shivakumar's statements or the invitation to Banu Mushtaq. Why did Siddaramaiah not think of inviting both Banu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhasthi?" the Karnataka BJP president said. The controversy arose when Shivakumar responded to criticism from Yaduveer Wadiyar, a member of the Mysuru royal family, regarding the state government's decision to invite writer Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the 2025 Mysuru Dasara festival in the Goddess Chamundeshwari temple. In a post on X, Shivakumar urged critics not to communalise the iconic festival, emphasising its inclusive nature. In his statement, Shivakumar said, "Our region's festival - Dasara, our region's deity - Chamundeshwari. Chamundeshwari Mother is the presiding deity of our region. Those who worship her, believe in her, and honour her are found in all castes and religions. Her darshan is the right of everyone. Mother is the asset of all devotees, of all the children of the region, not limited to anyone. No one can say no to worshipping the Mother." He further accused the BJP of creating controversy, stating, "Creating controversy is the BJP's principle! Everyone from all religions and communities has access to Chamundi Hill. They pray to the Goddess. Our Durga Devi removes everyone's sorrows." Shivakumar highlighted the universal appeal of the festival, noting that people from across the country and abroad participate in Dasara, and the royal family has historically supported its inclusive nature. The Deputy CM concluded by urging against politicising religion, adding, "One should not do politics in the name of religion; even that Mother would not approve of it!" (ANI) In just ten months, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led government has identified 13.32 lakh of the state's poorest families under the Zero Poverty Campaign, setting a new benchmark in poverty eradication, an official statement from the UP Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. Of those, more than 3.72 lakh families are already receiving multidimensional benefits, underscoring the government's commitment to uplifting the underprivileged, according to a release. CM Yogi first announced the campaign in his Independence Day address on August 15, 2024, and officially launched it on October 2, 2024. The mission aims to ensure that no family is left deprived of basic needs or social security, with a target to identify at least 25 ultra-poor families in every Gram Panchayat. Each family is being linked to housing, employment, healthcare, education, and livelihood opportunities to secure long-term transformation under the drive. As of August 2025, Azamgarh leads with 42,082 families identified, followed by Jaunpur (39,374), Sitapur (36,571), Hardoi (30,050), and Prayagraj (28,935). Special drives with panchayats and voluntary organisations are accelerating outreach in these districts. The Chief Minister has emphasised that the campaign extends beyond financial aid; it aims to eliminate poverty entirely by 2027. The identified families are being integrated with flagship schemes, including PM Awas Yojana, Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, Ujjwala Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, and MGNREGA, alongside support for education and women's empowerment through self-help groups, a release said. With data-driven tracking, close monitoring, and grassroots transparency, the Zero Poverty Campaign is fast emerging as a transformative mission to make Uttar Pradesh poverty-free, with active participation from society at large. A day earlier, the Chief Minister also visited Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya to inspect the preservation work being carried out under the National Mission for Manuscripts. CM Yogi closely monitored the progress of preserving rare manuscripts and instructed that the pace of work be accelerated. The Chief Minister reviewed the preservation works being carried out by the National Mission for Manuscripts at the university's extension building with the support of the Government of India. He also enquired about the progress of the historic Saraswati Bhavan Library and other construction works. (ANI) Amid heavy rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir, the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Katra has issued a precautionary order to vacate all commercial hotels and dharmashalas on the stretch from Asia Chowk to Darshani Deodi. According to the order, the commercial establishments located on the hill from Asia Chowk to Balini Bridge and from Balini Bridge to Darshani Deodl have become vulnerable and may face incidents of landslides in the future. Speaking to ANI, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Katra Piyush Dhotra said that the order is "preventive and precautionary. It is aimed at ensuring the safety and security of pilgrims, he said. "This is a preventive and precautionary order given the weather and the incessant rains - no need to panic. For the last three to four days, a few areas in the Katra subdivision have remained vulnerable. There are landslides, and roads have sunk in some places. Landslides have occurred in Karmal (earlier), and now the same has happened near Balini (check post)," Dhotra informed. The SDM argued that the intent to issue such an order was to prevent any loss of life due to landslides or other natural calamities. "We assessed the areas that remain vulnerable, and we figured that the stretch from Asia Hotel to Darshani Deodi is witnessing landslides. On the one hand, we are working to clear roads and restore connectivity. Second, we intend to prevent any loss of life. This stretch has a concentration of commercial establishments, which makes them vulnerable," Dhotra said. "To prevent any mishap, we have issued an order requesting that these places be vacated. In case there is damage, there is no loss of life," he added. "In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, I, Piyush Dhotra, JKAS, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Katra, hereby order the vacation of all commercial establishments located on the stretch from Asia Chowk to Balini Bridge and from Balini Bridge to Darshani Deodl with immediate effect, till these establishments obtain Safety Certificate from the Executive Engineer, PWD (R&B), Katra," the order read. On August 26, at least five people were killed and 10 others injured as heavy rains led to a landslide near the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. Rescue teams rushed to the spot soon after the incident. The bodies and the injured were shifted to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Katra. Vaishno Devi Yatra remains suspended following landslides triggered by incessant rainfall. (ANI) Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel led a tree plantation drive under the "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" initiative in Ahmedabad's Ghatlodia ward on Sunday, the Chief Minister's office said in a press release. Trees play a vital role in maintaining environmental balance and purifying the atmosphere. Inspired by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the campaign encourages citizens to plant a tree in the name of their mother. In this spirit, the plantation program was organised at Ayushman Van by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, the statement said. On this occasion, Mayor Pratibha Jain, Deputy Mayor Jatin Patel, Standing Committee Chairman Devang Dani, MLA Babubhai Patel, and Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani, along with other officials and dignitaries, were present. Earlier, the Gujarat state government celebrated the state-level 76th Van Mahotsav on August 30 at Galteshwar Mahadev Temple in Sarnal village, Kheda district, under the leadership of CM Bhupendra Patel, to further promote Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign. CM Patel, while inaugurating the 76th statewide Van Mahotsav, stated that under the guidance of PM Modi, Gujarat has created an ecosystem for comprehensive environmental protection and conservation. In this context, he mentioned that Gujarat has achieved development while maintaining ecological balance through initiatives such as Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) to tackle climate change, renewable and solar rooftop energy for green growth, water conservation projects like Catch the Rain and Amrit Sarovar, as well as massive tree plantation drives under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam. As part of the 76th Van Mahotsav, the Chief Minister dedicated the newly developed Galteshwar Van spread over 7 hectares in Galteshwar, Kheda district, as the 24th cultural forest of the state. He also launched the website of the Gujarat State Wetland Authority, initiated village forest development, distributed checks to gram panchayats and taluka panchayats for the income generated from strip plantations, and handed over checks to beneficiaries of various Forest Department schemes, the statement said. CM Bhupendra Patel remarked, "If we show care and respect for nature, it will, in turn, sustain and protect us." He added that people of our culture see divinity everywhere, "Shiv in every being and Ranchhod in every plant." He highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently prioritised environmental balance and conservation, transforming the traditional Van Mahotsav into Jan Mahotsav. (ANI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately release Rs 60,000 crore in pending funds for the state, citing the grave flood situation that has devastated large parts of the state. In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Mann described the disaster as the "most severe natural calamity in decades", which has already affected nearly 1,000 villages and lakhs of people. The Chief Minister said that heavy rainfall and water released from dams have worsened the situation in Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Pathankot, Ferozepur, Fazilka, and Hoshiarpur districts. He warned that the crisis could deepen further in the coming days. According to his assessment, around three lakh acres of agricultural land, mostly under paddy cultivation, have been submerged. The loss of crops before harvest, combined with livestock deaths, has left rural families, who depend on farming and dairy, reeling under immense distress. Mann also highlighted the financial strain Punjab has been facing due to past revenue losses. He pointed out that since the implementation of GST and the shift from VAT, Punjab has suffered a loss of Rs 49,727 crore in revenues without adequate compensation from the Union government. Additionally, a shortfall of over Rs 8,000 crore has been recorded in the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Market Development Fund (MDF). The Chief Minister further noted that projects worth Rs 828 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana were recently cancelled, impacting rural connectivity. Calling the situation "extremely delicate", Mann pressed upon the Centre to release the pending Rs 60,000 crore immediately so that Punjab can manage the flood crisis effectively. The Chief Minister also raised concerns over the current guidelines of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), stating that the compensation norms are "grossly inadequate". He pointed out that under existing rules, farmers receive only Rs 17,000 per hectare (Rs 6,800 per acre) for crop losses exceeding 33 per cent. Terming it a "cruel joke" on farmers, Mann said that the Punjab government is already adding an additional Rs 8,200 per acre, raising the total to Rs 15,000 per acre. However, he argued that this amount is still insufficient, as crops were on the verge of harvest when the floods struck. He appealed to the Prime Minister to revise the SDRF compensation norms and increase the relief amount to at least Rs 50,000 per acre, reflecting the ground realities. Mann assured that the Punjab government would continue to contribute its mandatory 25 per cent share under SDRF provisions. (ANI) Devki Devi, a resident of Ratanpura village in Muzaffarpur, expressed her happiness after being mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat. She said the recognition has boosted her confidence and encouraged her to continue her work for the community. "I am delighted to have been appreciated by PM Modi. This has further encouraged me not to be scared and do this. I am respected in the village." Recalling how she started, she shared that the inspiration came from her association with a Self Help Group (SHG). "I got this idea from a Self Help Group (SHG)... I realised that just staying within the four walls of my house is not a solution to the issues here. I got the solar pump installed here," Devki Devi said while speaking to ANI. Notably, during his radio programme 'Mann ki Baat', the PM has emphasised the growing importance of solar power in India's farm sector. He also narrated the story of a woman from Bihar who changed "the fate of her village with a solar pump". He talked about Devki of Bihar, whose "spirit never dampened", and her success in transforming her Ratanpura village of Muzaffarpur with solar pumps. "Friends, Devki ji of Bihar has changed the fate of her village with a solar pump. Devki ji, who lives in Ratanpura village of Muzaffarpur, is now affectionately known as "Solar Didi" by the people. Devki ji... her life was not easy. She got married at a young age... a small farm... the responsibility of four children and no clear picture of the future. But her spirit never dampened," PM Modi said. In Bihar's Muzaffarpur, solar power is transforming the lives of farmers, particularly women, by providing a reliable and affordable source of irrigation. Devki, a resident of Ratanpura village, is one such example. With the help of a solar pump, she has increased the irrigated land in her village from a few acres to over 40 acres. This initiative has not only improved crop yields but also empowered women in the community. PM Modi said that she joined a self-help group, where she obtained information about the solar pump. "She started efforts for a solar pump and was successful in it, too. After that, Solar Didi's solar pump changed the village's landscape. Whereas earlier, only a few acres of land could be irrigated, now water is reaching more than 40 acres of land through Solar Didi's solar pump. Other farmers in this village have also joined Solar Didi's campaign. Their crops have started turning green, and incomes have started rising," PM Modi said. "Friends, earlier, Devki ji's life was confined within the four walls. But today she is doing her work with full self-confidence, earning money as a Solar Didi, and the most interesting thing is that she receives payment from the farmers of the area through UPI. She is now accorded great respect in the entire village. Her hard work and foresight have shown that solar energy is not just a means of electricity, but it is also a new power that brings new light to every village," he added. Solar pumps enable farmers to irrigate their fields regularly, resulting in improved crop growth and higher yields. Solar pumps reduce the cost of irrigation, as farmers no longer need to rely on expensive diesel or electricity. They also promote sustainable agriculture, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and mitigating the impact of climate change. (ANI) Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule on Sunday urged the BJP-led Mahayuti government to convene a special Assembly session to resolve the Maratha quota issue. Sule appealed to the state government to uphold its slogan of 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas.' "I have been demanding that there should be a dialogue in a democracy. The (state) government has received such a huge mandate. I humbly request that the Chief Minister and the two Deputy Chief Ministers of Maharashtra convene an assembly session and take a decision immediately. 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vishwas' is their own line, right?" Sule told reporters. Earlier in the day, Mumbai Police allowed Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil to continue his protest at Azad Maidan for another day. Patil, on a hunger strike for three days, has vowed not to drink water until his demand for a 10 per cent reservation for Marathas under the OBC category is accepted. The agitation has mounted pressure on the Mahayuti government, which has formed a 10-member ministerial committee led by Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil to hold talks with stakeholders. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the state government is working on a "war footing" to resolve the issue. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has extended support to the protest. Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar suggested a constitutional amendment to lift the 50 per cent cap on reservation, a view echoed by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. Dy CM Ajit Pawar, however, took a dig at Sharad Pawar, pointing out that leaders raising such suggestions had themselves been in the government for a long time. "Those who are speaking now have themselves been in government for a long time, so please don't force us to get into all those things. All of them are respected and experienced leaders," Pawar told reporters in Pune earlier. Sanjay Raut targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying he should personally meet Manoj Jarange Patil. "The entire issue of reservations falls under the purview of the Home Ministry. He should leave his ego and take responsibility," Raut told reporters in Mumbai. Raut further stated that it was the responsibility of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to end the protest and speak directly with Jarange Patil at Azad Maidan. Jarange Patil has been pressing to include all Marathas under the Kunbi category, a sub-caste classified under the OBC category, which will help the community avail of the benefits of reservation in government jobs and education. Earlier, while addressing supporters on Friday, Patil accused the Mahayuti government of failing to address the community's demands. "If the government enters our territory, the Marathas will enter theirs. If you cause us trouble, we will cause you trouble when we come there," he warned. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde defended the government's efforts and accused the opposition of politicising the agitation. (ANI) The Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday reached out to flood-affected families in several villages of Punjab's Ferozepur to supply essential relief material, including drinking water, a release said. This collaboration with local volunteers highlights the spirit of solidarity and community support in Ferozepur. Together, they bring hope and much-needed relief to the affected villages, ensuring no one is left behind in this crisis, the release added. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately release Rs 60,000 crore in pending funds for the state, citing the grave flood situation that has devastated large parts of the state. In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Mann described the disaster as the "most severe natural calamity in decades", which has already affected nearly 1,000 villages and lakhs of people. The Chief Minister said that heavy rainfall and water released from dams have worsened the situation in Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Pathankot, Ferozepur, Fazilka, and Hoshiarpur districts. He warned that the crisis could deepen further in the coming days. According to his assessment, around three lakh acres of agricultural land, mostly under paddy cultivation, have been submerged. The loss of crops before harvest, combined with livestock deaths, has left rural families, who depend on farming and dairy, reeling under immense distress. Mann also highlighted the financial strain Punjab has been facing due to past revenue losses. He pointed out that since the implementation of GST and the shift from VAT, Punjab has suffered a loss of Rs 49,727 crore in revenues without adequate compensation from the Union government. Additionally, a shortfall of over Rs 8,000 crore has been recorded in the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Market Development Fund (MDF). The Chief Minister further noted that projects worth Rs 828 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana were recently cancelled, impacting rural connectivity. Calling the situation "extremely delicate", Mann pressed upon the Centre to release the pending Rs 60,000 crore immediately so that Punjab can manage the flood crisis effectively. The Chief Minister also raised concerns over the current guidelines of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), stating that the compensation norms are "grossly inadequate". (ANI) Jalandhar Commissionerate Police has apprehended a drug smuggler and recovered 3.5 kg of heroin along with Rs two lakhs of drug money from his possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Sunday. The arrested drug smuggler has been identified as Manjit Singh, a resident of Jalandhar Enclave near Khambra, Jalandhar. The arrested accused is a habitual drug trafficker with three cases under the NDPS Act registered against him in Punjab and New Delhi. DGP Gaurav Yadav said that a case has been registered. Further investigation is underway to establish forward and backward linkages in this case to dismantle the entire network, he said. Sharing operation details, Commissioner of Police (CP) Jalandhar Dhanpreet Kaur said that during a special check, police teams from the Special Cell led by Inspector Jaspal Singh had stopped Manjit Singh on suspicion. During his frisking, police teams have recovered the heroin consignment and drug money from his black-coloured kit, she said. The CP said that preliminary investigations have revealed that the accused was going to deliver the consignment to someone when police teams apprehended him. A probe is on to identify the source of the consignment and to identify the person who was supposed to get the consignment, she added. In this regard, a case has been registered under sections 21C and 27A of the NDPS Act at Police Station Sadar Commissionerate Jalandhar on Saturday. (ANI) The Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended one person with a huge consignment of heroin in Ferozepur. A few more apprehensions and recoveries are expected in the coming days, the BSF said in a release on Sunday. According to the release, the BSF troops, based on concrete information from the BSF intelligence wing, strategically planned and placed a Naka on the suspected route. As the team observed a suspicious bike coming and indicated for it to stop, the rider tried to escape from the spot. Acting promptly, the BSF troops successfully apprehended the person, who turned out to be a narco-smuggler. On carrying out a search of a big plastic bag in his possession, 14 small packets of suspected heroin with a gross weight of approximately 7 kg were found. The apprehended smuggler is a resident of Tindiwala village in Ferozepur. A few more apprehensions and recoveries are expected in the coming days, based on his revelations during the investigation. This significant apprehension of a narco-smuggler with a huge amount of heroin demonstrates the exceptional competence of the BSF intelligence wing and the unflinching dedication of the troops in securing the nation's border and combating the cross-border smuggling activities. In a post on X, the BSF shared, "Acting on precise input of the BSF Intelligence Wing, alert troops laid a Naka on a suspected route in Ferozepur. A suspicious biker, who attempted to flee upon interception, was swiftly apprehended by the BSF team. On a thorough search, 14 packets of heroin weighing approximately 7 kgs were recovered from his possession. The narco-smuggler has been handed over to the Police for further investigation. His revelations are likely to lead to more recoveries and arrests in the coming days." Earlier, Jalandhar Commissionerate Police apprehended a drug smuggler and recovered 3.5 kg of heroin along with Rs two lakhs of drug money from his possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Sunday. The arrested drug smuggler has been identified as Manjit Singh, a resident of Jalandhar Enclave near Khambra, Jalandhar. The arrested accused is a habitual drug trafficker with three cases under the NDPS Act registered against him in Punjab and New Delhi. DGP Gaurav Yadav said that a case has been registered. Further investigation is underway to establish forward and backwards linkages in this case to dismantle the entire network, he said. Sharing operation details, Commissioner of Police (CP) Jalandhar Dhanpreet Kaur said that during a special check, police teams from the Special Cell led by Inspector Jaspal Singh had stopped Manjit Singh on suspicion. During his frisking, police teams have recovered the heroin consignment and drug money from his black-coloured kit, she said. (ANI) Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has revealed her children copy their father Prince Harrys accent when pronouncing certain words despite growing up in California. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has revealed her children copy their father Prince Harrys accent when pronouncing certain words despite growing up in California The 44-year-old former actress, who lives in Montecito with Harry, 40, and their children Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, shared the detail during the second season of her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, which premiered on 26 August. Speaking on the programme, Meghan said: Some of the words that they still say with a British accent. So theyll say, Ze-bra, and what else do they say? They have these little moments where it comes out. They have very American accents, but they say words that are just like him, and I think its adorable. Zebra is a good one. The comment echoed remarks she made earlier this year on The Drew Barrymore Show. When Drew asked what traits in her children reminded her of Harry, Meghan replied: Oh, some of the words that they still say with a British accent. So theyll say, Ze-bra I think its adorable. On her Netflix series, Meghan also spoke about differences in her own pronunciation compared to Harry. She said: My husband always laughs when I say herbs hes like, Herbs. Hes like, Youre so American Erbs, erbs. Meghan and Harry stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California, eventually settling in the Santa Barbara enclave of Montecito. Lilibet was born there in 2021. In an interview with People magazine, Meghan said of the community: Once you know us, I think you want us to have the same normalcy as parents and for our children as they do, despite however unique our situation. She described how family life includes going out together in their local area. Meghan added: We go to a lot of dinners, and not just in peoples homes or private rooms; we just go into the restaurant. I really love that we can just have fun. The eight-episode second season of With Love, Meghan features appearances from Chrissy Teigen, Tan France, Jay Shetty, Radhi Devlukia, Jose Andres, Clare Smyth, David Chan and Samin Nosrat, alongside Meghans friends Jamie Kern Lima, Heather Dorak and Daniel Martin. Earlier this month, Harry and Meghan announced their creative partnership with Netflix had been extended in a multi-year first-look deal for film and television. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Sunday inaugurated the Academy's new 800-seater auditorium, "Kartavyashila", constructed at a cost of Rs 50 crore. The Minister described it as "a crucible of ideas, debates, and inspiration" designed to foster collective learning and esprit de corps among entrants from all services. Speaking at the 100th Foundation Course for the new Officer Trainees of the 2025 batch Civil Servants at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Jitendra Singh reminded the probationers that they were "the architects of 2047 India" and that their role as custodians of the Constitution would be central to building a developed and citizen-centric nation. The Minister said that these young civil servants entering the service today are entrusted with shaping India's trajectory as the country approaches its centenary of independence in 2047. Congratulating the 2025 batch for their success in the Civil Services Examination, he said the Foundation Course was more than academic training: "This course marks your transition from academic learning to the structured realm of public service, preparing you to shoulder the immense responsibility of governance." The Minister highlighted the diversity of the cohort, which includes officer trainees from 19 civil services, including the All India Services, Central Services and the Royal Bhutan Civil Service, calling it a reflection of the inclusive nature of India's administration. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Academy's new 800-seater auditorium, Kartavyashila, constructed at a cost of Rs 50 crore. He described it as "a crucible of ideas, debates, and inspiration" designed to foster collective learning and esprit de corps among entrants from all services. He also drew attention to the Academy's new One District One Product (ODOP) Display Hall & Facilitation Centre, which aims to showcase local enterprises and link them to national markets. The initiative, he said, would help officer trainees appreciate the importance of grassroots livelihood opportunities in inclusive development. Touching on training innovations, the Minister referred to the Himalayan Study Tour, attachments with Central Armed Police Forces, village immersions, and the Aarambh 7.0 programme at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, where trainees will interact with the Prime Minister and other dignitaries. These experiences, he noted, would instil resilience, empathy and teamwork alongside professional competence. He reaffirmed the government's reforms in civil service capacity-building, citing Mission Karmayogi, which is designed to equip officers with continuous learning tools in a rapidly evolving governance environment. "As responsibilities shift, you must remain adaptable and uphold humility, integrity, and moral courage," he said. The Minister also oversaw the sealing of the 2024 batch's vision statements in a time capsule at the Academy, a practice initiated on the Prime Minister's suggestion. These will be opened in 2047, when trainees return to reflect on their journeys and contributions to the nation. Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Jitendra Singh said young officers would need to balance constitutional duty, political realities, and citizen expectations with dignity. He urged them to embrace their role in building Viksit Bharat 2047, telling them, "You didn't choose the timing of your birth, but you have been entrusted with this responsibility. Treat it as a providential privilege." (ANI) A recent groundbreaking study led by Professor Anupam Bhardwaj from the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) utilised 40 oxygen-rich Mira variable stars located in 18 stellar clusters of our galaxy, the Ministry of Education said in a release on Sunday. According to the release, the research team monitored these Mira stars over an extended period, establishing their mean luminosities and pulsation periods. The European Space Agency's Gaia mission played a key role by providing precise geometric distances to these star clusters, which are located between 13,000 and 55,000 light-years from Earth. This allowed for an absolute calibration of the stellar luminosities of the Mira variables, providing a new level of precision. The resulting "absolute" period-luminosity relationship for these Mira variables provides an independent calibration of the supernovae used in the cosmic distance ladder, without using Cepheid variables. This achievement enabled the team to determine the Hubble constant with a remarkable 3.7 per cent precision. The study has recently been published in the prestigious Astrophysical Journal. "We used Miras in our galaxy as anchors for the first time to determine the most precise cosmic expansion rate based on these cool stars," said Prof. Bhardwaj, the study's lead author. "Like Cepheid variables, the Mira variables in our own galaxy allowed us to establish a three-anchor baseline calibration of the extragalactic distance ladder, with additional Mira variables from two external galaxies. This work highlights that metal-abundance affects Mira luminosity three times less than Cepheids, making Miras a promising alternative tool for Hubble constant determination." Nobel Laureate Adam Riess, of the Space Telescope Science Institute and Johns Hopkins University, is a co-author in this work. According to him, this new work offers a powerful resolution to the ongoing debate: "The consistency between Cepheid and Mira anchored Hubble constant values further suggests the Hubble tension is unlikely due to the measurement errors, and points to a more fundamental cause including the possibility of new physics." Dr. Marina Rejkuba, another co-author and staff astronomer at the European Southern Observatory, echoed the significance of the study; "This study combines the fields of stellar astrophysics and cosmology. I would expect it to have a long-term impact as it ensures our understanding of the potential of Mira variable stars as a new, well-calibrated anchor for the Hubble constant determination." While the calibration of Miras at the first step of the distance ladder now matches the precision of Cepheids, the overall uncertainty in the Mira-based Hubble constant measurement remains impacted by the limited number of galaxies with known Miras (only two supernovae host galaxies with known Miras). However, a large number of Miras are expected to be discovered in supernova host galaxies with the Rubin Observatory, opening up a new way to precisely map the age and the size of the Universe. Mira, also known as Omicron Ceti, is a star that remarkably changes its brightness over time, in a regular pattern. With the variability first measured by astronomers in the 17th century, Mira was the first known example of a "variable star"--a star that doesn't shine with a constant brightness. The name, Mira, means "the wonderful" in Latin, and it lived up to that name by becoming the prototype for an entire class of stars known as Mira variables. Mira variables are a type of giant star that go through regular cycles of expanding and contracting. These cycles cause their brightness to vary in a predictable way, typically over periods ranging from 100 to 1,000 days. These stars are relatively cool, with surface temperatures around 3,000 Kelvin (about half the temperature of the Sun's surface), and they are in the late stages of their life. One of the most important things about Mira variables is that there is a strong relationship between how bright they are and how long their pulsation cycles last. This relationship allows astronomers to use them as "standard candles." A standard candle is an object in space whose true brightness is known. By comparing how bright the object appears from Earth to how bright it actually is, scientists can calculate how far away it is. This is a key method used to measure distances in the universe, forming part of what astronomers call the "extragalactic distance ladder." As we look farther and farther into space, astronomers use different types of standard candles to step up the ladder, eventually reaching distances where the expansion of the universe--known as the Hubble flow--can be measured, a release said. The rate at which the universe is expanding today is called the Hubble constant. This value is extremely important in cosmology because it helps us determine the size and age of the universe. However, there's currently a major puzzle in the scientific community known as the "Hubble tension." When astronomers measure the Hubble constant using nearby stars like Cepheid variables and exploding stars called Type Ia supernovae, they get a higher value than when they calculate it based on observations of the early universe, using cosmic microwave background data and other indirect methods. The Hubble constant has been a focal point of debate in recent years, with different measurement methods yielding discrepant values, leading to what is known as the "Hubble tension." This discrepancy suggests that the universe may be expanding faster in the present day than we would expect based on our standard models of cosmology. Scientists are actively trying to understand why this difference exists. It might point to unknown physics, or it could mean our current models need to be updated. Either way, discoveries like those involving Mira and other variable stars continue to play a key role in helping us unravel the mysteries of the cosmos. (ANI) Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making India Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant), Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reiterated the need for people to buy swadeshi (indigenous) products, which would help propel India to become the third-largest economy soon, and eventually the 'world number one' economy. "Whatever we use in our daily lives, we should buy only those made in our country. This will also strengthen our economy. It will also provide employment to our people. This will become a support for our economically weaker sections," Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday. "Very soon, we will become the third and then the world's number one economy. We are growing rapidly even today. Our economy is not a dead economy, it is a long live economy. We have proved all the estimates wrong," he added. The Union Agriculture minister also hailed India's quarterly GDP growth being pegged at 7.8 per cent, saying that the growth rate could progress faster if people adopt swadeshi. Similarly, the minister also mentioned that India's agriculture growth rate has been at 3.7 per cent. "Our growth rate this quarter has been 7.8 per cent. Our agriculture growth rate is 3.7 per cent. India is progressing rapidly and when we buy products made in our country, we will progress even faster. I appeal to everyone to buy only products made in our country," Chouhan told reporters. Earlier on Sunday, while addressing the nation during his monthly Mann ki Baat programme, PM Modi urged citizens to celebrate festivals with Swadeshi products, promoting the mantra "Vocal for Local," the path of Atmanirbhar Bharat, and the goal of a developed India. "You should never forget about Swadeshi during these festivals. Gifts should be those made in India, attire should be that woven in India, decor should be that made from materials made in India, Luminary items from India-made frills - and many more; everything in every need of life should be Swadeshi. Say with pride 'this is Swadeshi', say with pride 'this is Swadeshi', say with pride 'this is Swadeshi'. We have to move forward with this feeling. One mantra - 'Vocal for Local'; One path - 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'; One goal - 'Developed India'," PM Modi said during the programme. Real GDP has been estimated to grow by 7.8 per cent in Q1 of FY 2025-26 over the growth rate of 6.5 per cent during Q1 of FY 2024-25. Nominal GDP has witnessed a growth rate of 8.8 per cent in Q1 of FY 2025-26. (ANI) A new United Nations survey has found that over 90 per cent of Afghans support girls' access to education, even as the Taliban continues to enforce a ban on female secondary and higher education, Khaama Press reported. According to the Khaama Press, citing the report released on Friday, the findings are based on responses from 2,000 people across Afghanistan and reflect a strong national consensus in favour of girls' education despite official restrictions. UN Women's lead on humanitarian efforts, Sofia Calltorp, said Afghan families remain steadfast in their desire for their daughters to continue learning, despite the ongoing crackdown. She also emphasised the critical need for increased support for women's mental health and healthcare services, as ongoing exclusion and trauma continue to take a heavy toll, Khaama Press reported. As per Khaama Press, the UN also raised alarm over the Taliban's ban on women working with aid organisations, stating it has severely disrupted humanitarian operations. According to the survey, 97 per cent of Afghan women described the employment restrictions as devastating. Four years after the Taliban's return to power, Afghan women and girls continue to face sweeping limitations on their rights. Most recently, reports have emerged of orders to remove women's photos from national ID cards, further deepening concerns over erasure and repression, as reported by Khaama Press. Earlier, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that Afghanistan faces a severe health crisis as 22 million people need aid, funding gaps have shut clinics, and mass refugee returns threaten to overwhelm fragile systems. The WHO has warned that Afghanistan faces a worsening humanitarian crisis, with more than 22 million of the country's 46 million people in urgent need of assistance. In its latest report released Thursday, WHO said over 16 million Afghans have been targeted for life-saving aid this year, yet only 24 per cent of the required funding has been secured. The shortfall has left millions without access to critical support. (ANI) Copenhagen [Denmark], August 31 (ANI/WAM): The EU has urged the United States to reconsider its decision to deny visas to Palestinian officials seeking to attend next month's UN General Assembly. "In the light of the existing agreements between the UN and its host state, we all urge for this decision to be reconsidered," Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said on Saturday following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Copenhagen. Kallas urged Washington to reverse its extraordinary step, citing international law. (ANI/WAM) On Friday, Abu Obeida issued a statement warning Israel against moving to seize Gaza City, while also threatening the safety of Israeli hostages held in the enclave. As details are still being verified, it remains unclear whether Abu Obeida was indeed eliminated in the strike. The IDF said the operation was carried out with precision munitions and aerial surveillance, aiming to minimise civilian casualties. The military added that the strike followed specific intelligence received by the Shin Bet and Military Intelligence shortly before the attack. (ANI/TPS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit here on Sunday, as part of his two-day official visit to the country. PM Modi, who is currently in the second leg of his two-nation visit, arrived at Binhai International Airport in Tianjin on Saturday to participate in the 25th SCO Heads of State Council summit, taking place from August 31 to September 1. He arrived in China after his two-day visit to Japan. Following his arrival on Saturday, the Prime Minister received a warm welcome, with artists staging a dance performance. He is also scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin during the course of the summit. The SCO summit is crucial for India, as it comes after the US' 50 per cent tariffs took effect. Of these, a 25 per cent tariff was imposed on New Delhi for buying Russian crude oil. Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with the host, Chinese President Xi Jinping, will also be attending the summit. The SCO comprises 10 members. In addition to India, they include Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. There are also several dialogue partners and observers. India has been a member of the SCO since 2017, having been an observer since 2005. During its membership period, India has held the chair of the SCO Council of Heads of Government in 2020 and of the SCO Council of Heads of State from 2022 to 2023. This will be PM Modi's first visit to China following the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020. Recently, India and China have taken multiple steps to smooth their bilateral relationship, including the resumption of trade through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, Shipki La Pass in Himachal Pradesh, and Nathu La Pass in Sikkim. During Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit on August 18 and August 19, both sides agreed to resume direct flight connectivity between the Chinese mainland and India at the earliest and finalise an updated Air Services Agreement. They also agreed on the facilitation of visas for tourists, businesses, media and other visitors in both directions. Both sides agreed to uphold multilateralism, enhance communication on major international and regional issues, maintain a rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, and promote a multipolar world that safeguards the interests of developing countries. (ANI) Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Tianjin, North China, by plane on Sunday to attend the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, Global Times reported, citing CCTV News. This marks yet another visit by Putin to China, following his state visit in May 2024, as per Global Times. Russia is one of the six founding member states of the SCO. China and Russia have consistently maintained close contact within the framework of the SCO. After concluding his trip in Tianjin, Putin will head to Beijing to attend a gathering marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. According to the Russian side, Putin is accompanied by a "large and significant" delegation to China, which includes three deputy prime ministers, more than 10 ministers, and representatives from major enterprises. Putin's visit to China for related activities further demonstrates the high level of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era, as per Global Times. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 has on its agenda issues such as addressing security challenges more effectively and enhancing financial mechanisms as the countries seek to strengthen unity, shore up multilateralism and better speak for the Global South nations, China Daily reported, citing observers. The SCO Summit, scheduled to take place on Sunday and Monday in Tianjin, will feature the participation of more than 20 foreign leaders and 10 heads of international organisations. According to China Daily, the Chinese President will chair the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO and the "SCO Plus" Meeting, delivering keynote speeches. The 2025 Summit is the fifth time China has hosted an SCO summit, and it will be the largest gathering since the organisation's founding. Citing an article by the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in People's Daily on Saturday, he said that the SCO "has held 110 important events" since China took over the rotating presidency in July last year. (ANI) The report noted that Turkiye is a dialogue partner of the SCO. As major developing countries and members of the Global South, China and Turkiye share broad consensus on pursuing national development and revitalization, upholding established international norms and other key issues, as per Global Times. China has become Turkiye's second-largest trading partner and the fastest-growing source of international tourists to Turkey, Global Times quoted CCTV report. With the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit set to open in Tianjin on Sunday, more foreign leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh have arrived in China for the event, according to Global Times. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 has on its agenda issues such as addressing security challenges more effectively and enhancing financial mechanisms as the countries seek to strengthen unity, shore up multilateralism and better speak for the Global South nations, China Daily reported, citing observers. The SCO Summit, scheduled to take place on Sunday and Monday in Tianjin, will feature the participation of more than 20 foreign leaders and 10 heads of international organisations. According to China Daily, the Chinese President will chair the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO and the "SCO Plus" Meeting, delivering keynote speeches. The 2025 Summit is the fifth time China has hosted an SCO summit, and it will be the largest gathering since the organisation's founding. Citing an article by the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in People's Daily on Saturday, he said that the SCO "has held 110 important events" since China took over the rotating presidency in July last year. (ANI) US President Donald Trump during a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 17 sought his support for the Nobel Peace Prize nomination, on the grounds of ending India-Pakistan hostilities -- to which PM Modi refused and brushed off Trump's claim, maintaining New Delhi's position that the ceasefire was agreed upon between India and Pakistsn, according to a report in New York Times. According to the report, PM Modi's refusal to engage with Donald Trump's pursuit of the Nobel Peace Prize has played a key role in souring the relationship between the two nations. Trump, during the phone call with PM Modi, reportedly said how proud he was of ending the military escalation. He mentioned that Pakistan was going to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize, an honour for which he had been openly campaigning. PM Modi told Trump that the US' involvement had nothing to do with the recent cease-fire. It had been settled directly between India and Pakistan, the report said. Weeks after the calls, the US announced 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India and levied an additional 25 per cent penalty for New Delhi's purchase of discounted oil from Russia, bringing the total to a staggering 50 per cent. According to The New York Times, the report, written by Mujib Mashal, Tyler Pager, and Anupreeta Das, is based on interviews with more than a dozen people from Washington and New Delhi who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The two leaders have not spoken to each other since the June 17 phone call. The US President is also likely to skip the Quad Summit in India scheduled for the latter part of the year. According to the report, during the same call, which lasted 35 minutes, PM Modi also declined an invitation from Trump to visit Washington before returning to New Delhi after the G7 Summit in Canada. The refusal came amid the concern that Trump might "try to force" a handshake between Indian PM and Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir. A senior India official said that Trump cared very little about the complexity of India-Pakistan relations. Later on, there was talk of trying to set up another call to finalise a partial trade deal. But with trust between the two leaders eroding, the Indians were wary of putting Modi on the phone with Trump. Indian officials were apprehensive that Trump would post whatever he wanted on Truth Social, regardless of what agreements were made on the call, The New York Times reported, citing a senior Indian official. Trump, frustrated by the tariff negotiations, reached out to PM Modi several times, according to two people briefed on the discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly. PM Modi did not respond to those requests, they said. However, the White House spokesperson has denied that Trump had reached out, as per the report. (ANI) Alan Fletcher believes rejecting a lengthier stint as his original character on Neighbours was "fate" as he ended up having a lengthy career in the beloved role of Dr Karl Kennedy. Alan Fletcher's Neighbours career could have been very different Before he was the handsome doctor on the iconic Australian soap opera, the 68-year-old actor had a brief run s Greg Cooper, who worked with Kylie Minogue's mechanic character, Charlene. He recalled on Saturday Night with Hayley Palmer: "I actually did three weeks playing a character called Greg Cooper. "He was a mechanic who was brought on to be the supervising mechanic for Kylie Minogue's character, Charlene. "So yeah, I had my first little three-week stint then." Alan decided to do theatre instead of take up a one-year contract on Neighbours. He continued: "They asked me to stay for a year and offered me a year contract the following year and I turned them down to do theatre. "You know, the fate's met. "As a result of turning that down, I then went on to do another really high-quality drama for three years called Embassy. "And then of course, along comes Dr Karl." Karl made his debut as Karl in 1994, and is the third longest serving actor in an Australian television serial, after Home and Away actors Ray Meagher and Lynne McGranger. Neighbours is set to end later this year, after Amazon gave it the boot once more after folding its revival of the show - which originally aired on Seven Network before moving to various broadcasters - in 2022. Alan insists he didn't anticipate the programme returning for the long haul. He told Hayley in the interview which airs in full on September 6 on Freeview channel 271: "It finishes at the end of this year. "Amazon - I think it was always probably a short-term strategy in mind, I don't know. "I'm not sure what the plans were but ultimately, you know, it would be unusual for them to keep it on forever. "What happened with Amazon coming on and their injection of expertise of being an American production company and combined with the talent of our crew, they built Neighbours from the ground up. "It was a spectacularly good product and I'm very proud of it to finish and see it as a template for the future." Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday emphasised the commitment to taking the India-China ties forward, based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity, during his bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He appreciated the progress made on several fronts of ties and peace on the border post disengagements. He also spoke about the beginning of the Kailash Mansoravar Yatra and touched upon the beginning of direct flight connectivity between the two countries. He said that an agreement has been reached on border management between the two countries. "Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created," PM Modi said. "An agreement has been reached between our Special Representatives regarding border management. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been resumed. Direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity," the Prime Minister Modi said. He thanked the Chinese President for the warm welcome and congratulated China for successfully chairing the SCO. "I congratulate you on China's successful chairmanship of the SCO. I thank you for the invitation to visit China and for our meeting today". https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1962012857748570565 The Prime Minisiter Modi arrived on Saturday evening in the city, his first visit to China in more than seven years. Recently, India and China have taken multiple steps to smooth their bilateral relationship, including the resumption of trade through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, Shipki La Pass in Himachal Pradesh, and Nathu La Pass in Sikkim. During Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit on August 18 and August 19, both sides agreed to resume direct flight connectivity between the Chinese mainland and India at the earliest and finalise an updated Air Services Agreement. They also agreed on the facilitation of visas for tourists, businesses, media and other visitors in both directions. In July, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing and said that the resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is widely appreciated in India. Known for its religious value, cultural significance, physical beauty and exciting natural environment, Kailash Manasarovar Yatra is undertaken by several people every year. It holds religious importance for Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists. The Government of India organises the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra every year between June and September, through the two official routes of Lipulekh Pass (since 1981) in Uttarakhand and Nathu La Pass (since 2015) in Sikkim.The Yatra had not taken place since 2020 following the COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent non-renewal of Yatra arrangements by the Chinese Side. Indian side had taken up the issue of resumption of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra with the Chinese side in its diplomatic engagements. Meanwhuile this evening, the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will kick off at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre in Tianjin. After a welcoming ceremony and a photo session, the leaders will attend a reception and a concert. The SCO comprises 10 members. In addition to India, they include Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. There are also several dialogue partners and observers. India has been a member of the SCO since 2017, having been an observer since 2005.During the course of the summit, PM Modi is also scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. The SCO summit is crucial for India, as it comes after the US' 50 per cent tariffs took effect. Of these, a 25 per cent tariff was imposed on New Delhi for buying Russian crude oil. (ANI) The European Union remains divided when it comes to Gaza, Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas said after the informal meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers in Copenhagen, as per EuroNews. Kallas said the division is negatively affecting the global credibility of the EU, and expressed disappointment about not being able to reach unity among ministers. "If you ask personally how that feels, that I'm the face that is to blame, that we don't have a decision, then it's hard. It's very hard," Kallas said, as quoted by EuroNews. "It's clear that member states disagree on how to get the Israeli government to change course. The options are clear and remain on the table. We have presented the options paper. But the problem is that not all EU member states are on board," Kallas added. Kallas said that member states still have no agreement on plan to suspend free trade with Israel as part of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Some countries expressed their opposition, including Germany and Hungary, while Denmark, currently holding the rotating presidency, signalled it would support the suspension. "If the majority is growing, then the division is not getting bigger, but it's actually getting smaller because the majority's growing. So it depends on how you look at it. But it is true that we still don't have an agreement on those measures," Kallas replied to a reporter's question. The Danish Foreign Minister, Lars Lkke Rasmussen, suggested that the EU could take certain steps in order to bypass the veto of some member states, as per EuroNews. "We have to work and think more innovatively about what could be the next best solutions. For instance, we want to put a ban on imports from the occupied territories. That's probably not doable. But then we could put a heavy tariff on imports, and we could do that by a qualified majority," the Danish Foreign Minister said. Rasmussen also rejected Israeli claims that limiting free trade with Israel would strengthen Hamas. "I think it is important that we challenge the false narratives. And I mean, we have absolutely no intention to strengthen Hamas, but the opposite," he said. Kallas said the EU was successfully putting pressure on Israel to provide humanitarian assistance in Gaza, resulting in more trucks entering the zone and more border crossings that have opened, as per EuroNews. Also at the meeting, the bloc adopted a document calling on the US to reverse the travel ban on the Palestinian delegation heading for the United Nations' General Assembly. (ANI) Ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin has reaffirmed cooperation between Russia and China In an interview with Xinhua published on Saturday, Putin expressed his eagerness to hold a discussion with Chinese President Xi Jinping on "all aspects" of Russia's bilateral agenda. "I look forward to in-depth discussions with President Xi Jinping on all aspects of our bilateral agenda, including political and security cooperation, as well as economic, cultural and humanitarian ties. And, as always, we will exchange views on pressing regional and international issues," Putin told the Chinese state news agency. Noting the "unprecedented" growth in Russia-China relations, Putin said that the bilateral trade with Moscow's leading partner has grown by about USD 100 billion since 2021. "In terms of trade volume, China is by far Russia's leading partner, while last year Russia ranked fifth among China's foreign trade partners," Putin told Xinhua news agency, adding that transactions between Russia and China are almost completely carried out in rubles and yuan. Putin also reaffirmed that China remains its leading importer of oil and gas, adding that the two sides continue their joint efforts to reduce bilateral trade barriers. "Russia firmly retains its position as a leading exporter of oil and gas to China. Since the Power of Siberia pipeline began its operation in 2019, cumulative deliveries of natural gas have already exceeded 100 billion cubic metres. In 2027, we plan to launch another major gas route, the so-called Far Eastern Route," he specified. "We continue our joint efforts to reduce bilateral trade barriers. In recent years, the export of pork and beef to China has been launched," Putin noted, adding that "Russia is one of the world's principal markets for Chinese car exports." The SCO Summit comes amidst US tariffs imposed on many of its member countries, incluiding India on who a staggering total of 50 per cent was imposed. Putin said that SCO contributes to "shaping a multipolar world order" as it promotes equal cooperation without targeting any third parties and mutual respect for the uniqueness of each nation. Putin hoped that the summit would strengthen its members' ability to address contemporary challenges and threats while projecting a consolidated solidarity. "The SCO's appeal lies in its simple but powerful principles: a firm commitment to its founding philosophy, openness to equal cooperation, not targeting third parties, and respect for the national characteristics and uniqueness of each nation. Drawing on these values, the SCO contributes to shaping a fairer, multipolar world order, grounded in international law, with the central coordinating role of the United Nations," Putin said as quoted by Xinhua news agency. "The summit will inject powerful new momentum into the SCO, strengthen its capacity to respond to contemporary challenges and threats, and consolidate solidarity across the shared Eurasian space. All this will help shape a fairer multipolar world order," Putin added. The Russian President has arrived in China to participate in the 25th SCO Heads of State Council summit, which will take place from August 31 to September 1. During the summit, he is expected to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines. PM Modi's visit to China is his first in seven years and come at a time when US has imposed 50 percent tariffs on India as punitive action for India's purchase of Russian oil. The summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will kick off at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre in Tianjin this evening. After a welcoming ceremony and a photo session, the leaders will attend a reception and a concert. The SCO comprises 10 members. In addition to India, they include Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. There are also several dialogue partners and observers. India has been a member of the SCO since 2017, having been an observer since 2005. During the course of the summit, PM Modi is also scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. (ANI) China's President Xi Jinping on Sunday emphasised the importance of India-China friendship during his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin, China. Xi stated that it's the "right choice" for both nations to be friends, highlighting their shared historical and cultural ties. He also mentioned that the partnership between the "dragon and elephant" enables each other's success. Xi emphasised that India and China, as two ancient civilisations and the world's most populous countries, have a shared responsibility to promote well-being, solidarity, and progress. "China and India are two ancient civilisations in the East. We are the world's two most populous countries and also important members of the Global South. We both share the historical responsibility of improving the well-being of our two peoples, promoting solidarity and rejuvenation in developing countries, and advancing the progress of human society. It is the right choice for both countries to be friends who have good neighbourly and amicable ties, partners who enable each other's success, and to have the dragon and the elephant come together," Xi Jinping said. Meanwhile, PM Modi committed to taking the India-China ties forward, based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity, during his bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He appreciated the progress made on several fronts of ties and peace on the border post disengagements. He also spoke about the beginning of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and touched upon the beginning of direct flight connectivity between the two countries. He said that an agreement has been reached on border management between the two countries. "Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created," PM Modi said. "An agreement has been reached between our Special Representatives regarding border management. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been resumed. Direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity," the Prime Minister Modi said. He thanked the Chinese President for the warm welcome and congratulated China for successfully chairing the SCO. "I congratulate you on China's successful chairmanship of the SCO. I thank you for the invitation to visit China and for our meeting today". The Prime Minister Modi arrived on Saturday evening in the city, his first visit to China in more than seven years. Recently, India and China have taken multiple steps to smooth their bilateral relationship, including the resumption of trade through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, Shipki La Pass in Himachal Pradesh, and Nathu La Pass in Sikkim. During Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit on August 18 and August 19, both sides agreed to resume direct flight connectivity between the Chinese mainland and India at the earliest and finalise an updated Air Services Agreement. They also agreed on the facilitation of visas for tourists, businesses, media and other visitors in both directions. The summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will kick off at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre in Tianjin this evening. After a welcoming ceremony and a photo session, the leaders will attend a reception and a concert. The SCO comprises 10 members. In addition to India, they include Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. There are also several dialogue partners and observers. India has been a member of the SCO since 2017, having been an observer since 2005. During the course of the summit, PM Modi is also scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. The SCO summit is crucial for India, as it comes after the US' 50 per cent tariffs took effect. Of these, a 25 per cent tariff was imposed on New Delhi for buying Russian crude oil. (ANI) On the occasion of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) strongly urged the federal government to take immediate and concrete measures to end the practice, warning that it constitutes a crime against humanity under international law. Taking to the social media platform X, HRCP demanded that all victims of enforced disappearance be promptly recovered and safely presented before the courts of law. The Commission stressed that anyone accused of crimes must be dealt with in accordance with due process and their right to a fair trial. Highlighting the urgent need for legislative reform, HRCP called on the state to criminalise enforced disappearances through specific legislation, terming it a "matter of priority." It also pressed the government to ratify and implement the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. The Commission emphasised that true accountability must be ensured by holding all individuals and institutions involved in enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and custodial torture fully responsible for their actions. It further urged the government to appoint a new chairperson and restructure the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances so that it can more effectively address the concerns of victims' families. In addition, HRCP called for the establishment of a transparent system of reparations to support victims and their families, particularly women who have lost primary breadwinners to enforced disappearances. Such a mechanism, it stressed, is essential to uphold the rights to liberty and due process. The Commission also appealed to the state to extend an invitation to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, allowing it to conduct an official visit to Pakistan and share its findings with the world. The Commission's statement comes amid growing concern over the persistence of enforced disappearances across Pakistan, particularly in conflict-hit regions, with families of missing persons continuing to demand justice and accountability. (ANI) On the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances, Shafi Burfat, Chairman of Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM), delivered an appeal to the United Nations and global human rights organisations, urging them to hold Pakistan accountable for systematic atrocities against the Sindhi people. Burfat said enforced disappearances are not isolated incidents but a deliberate state policy by Pakistan's military establishment to silence Sindhi political activists, intellectuals, and freedom advocates. He condemned the abductions, torture, and extrajudicial killings, noting that many victims are either returned as mutilated bodies or remain missing indefinitely. According to him, this practice amounts to a crime against humanity that continues unchecked due to international silence. Highlighting Sindh's plight, Burfat stated that the province remains colonised within Pakistan's artificial state structure, suffering political oppression, economic exploitation, and cultural domination. He accused the Pakistani army and intelligence agencies of functioning as a "corrupt mafia," enforcing Punjabi colonial domination, while promoting extremism and terrorism in the region. He honoured Sindhi activists such as Bashir Khan Qureshi, Muzafar Bhutto, and Serae Qurban Khawhar, who were tortured and killed for demanding Sindhudesh's freedom. Their only crime, he said, was raising their voice for democracy, secular values, and dignity against what he called Pakistan's "theocratic fascism and colonial exploitation." Burfat stressed that enforced disappearances are not merely a Sindh issue but part of a global struggle for human rights, linking Sindh's cause with oppressed nations from Balochistan, Kurdistan, and beyond. He urged the international community to recognise that the enforced disappearances in Sindh are not isolated incidents but a systematic crime against humanity. He called for strong international pressure to secure the immediate and unconditional release of all missing persons and demanded that Pakistan's military establishment be held accountable for its role in these atrocities. Above all, he emphasised that the only just and lasting solution lies in supporting Sindh's right to self-determination. "The freedom of the disappeared cannot be separated from the freedom of the nations they represent," Burfat declared, warning that enforced disappearances will persist as long as historic nations remain captive under colonial and authoritarian states. Concluding his address, he appealed to the UN, democratic governments, and civil society to stand with the Sindhi people in their fight for freedom, dignity, and justice. (ANI) Sindh's Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon stated that up to 1.6 million people across 1,657 villages could be affected in the province due to the floods, Geo News reported. Addressing the media on Saturday, Memon said the provincial government had mobilised its machinery and was taking preventive measures to manage the potential crisis. He added that ministers are on-site, and district authorities are actively involved. His warning comes as extensive areas in Punjab have been submerged, where at least 30 people have lost their lives and over 1.5 million have been affected. The flooding is caused by rising Sutlej, Chenab, and Ravi rivers due to heavy rainfall. Authorities are relocating residents to safer locations, with roughly 481,000 people already evacuated from affected areas, Geo News reported. In Sindh, the government has designated 551 locations for relief camps, and 192 rescue boats are prepared for deployment, Memon said. Around 273,000 families in 167 union councils could be impacted if water levels continue to rise. He added that the floodwaters might reach Sindh between September 2 and 3. Memon shared the current status of barrage discharges: Guddu is releasing 351,000 cusecs of water, Sukkur 289,000 cusecs, and Kotri 251,000 cusecs. The barrages have capacities of 1.2 million, 900,000, and 600,000 cusecs, respectively. At present, the situation is stable, and conditions are expected to remain under control if heavy rainfall does not occur, Geo News reported. The minister stressed that urban centres are not under immediate threat and urged people not to speculate. He noted that emergency measures such as requesting army assistance are unnecessary, as the provincial government is capable of managing the situation independently. Residents in katcha (riverine) areas are being informed about the risks, Memon added, as they are generally aware of water behavior. "When water levels rise, people voluntarily move to pucca (settled) areas or stay with relatives," he said. He also mentioned that 300 camps have been set up for livestock, and 15 districts along riverbanks are being closely monitored. "Pakistan is among the countries most affected by climate change. Construction should never take place within riverbeds," Memon said, adding that information on water inflows and outflows at barrages will be shared every three hours. (ANI) Monsoon fury continues in Pakistan's Punjab province as heavy rainfall and flooding claimed lives of 33 people, affected 2,200 villages, and forced the evacuation of more than 700,000 residents, ARY News reported. Irfan Ali Kathia, Director General of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab, said the province is facing one of the most severe floods in its history, with all three rivers running dangerously high. He added that water levels in the Sutlej River near Kasur are beginning to subside, offering some relief to nearby communities. Kathia noted that a flow of 135,000 cusecs is expected to reach Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar, and Vehari by tomorrow, prompting further precautionary evacuations, ARY News reported. Villagers in affected districts such as Bahawalnagar and Bahawalpur are continuing to move to safer areas as floodwaters advance. At Treemoon Barrage, water discharge has climbed sharply to 361,633 cusecs, representing a sudden increase of 100,000 cusecs in a short span of time. The DG said local and provincial authorities are breaching embankments strategically to control the flooding and reduce its impact on vulnerable communities, ARY News reported. The PDMA reported that approximately 2 million people across Punjab have been affected. Relief teams are operating in the worst-hit districts, and thousands of livestock have also been shifted to secure locations. Kathia emphasized that the ninth spell of monsoon rains has exacerbated the situation, causing widespread damage and heightening the flood risk across the province. Meanwhile, In Sindh more than 1.6 million people across 1,657 villages could be affected in the province due to the floods, Sindh's Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon stated. Addressing the media on Saturday, Memon said the provincial government had mobilised its machinery and was taking preventive measures to manage the potential crisis. He added that ministers are on-site, and district authorities are actively involved. His warning comes as extensive areas in Punjab have been submerged, where at least 30 people have lost their lives and over 1.5 million have been affected. The flooding is caused by rising Sutlej, Chenab, and Ravi rivers due to heavy rainfall. Authorities are relocating residents to safer locations, with roughly 481,000 people already evacuated from affected areas, Geo News reported. (ANI) The two underlined the importance of multilateralism and cooperation as answers to the challenges of today's world, Xinhua reported on Saturday. According to Xinhua, Xi Jinping told Guterres that China is willing to deepen cooperation with the UN, support the organisation in playing a role in international affairs, and jointly shoulder work towards promoting development and prosperity, Xi told Guterres. Underlining that 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the UN's founding, Xi said that history has shown that multilateralism, solidarity, and cooperation are the right answers to global challenges, as reported by Xinhua. It further reported that Xi called for restoring the United Nations' authority and vitality so that it can serve as the primary platform for all countries to coordinate actions and jointly address challenges. During the meeting, senior Chinese officials, including Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Chen Min'er, were present. Meanwhile, this evening, the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will kick off at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre in Tianjin. After a welcoming ceremony and a photo session, the leaders will attend a reception and a concert. On Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with the Prime Minister of Egypt, Mostafa Madbouly, and the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manet, as reported by Xinhua. A bilateral meeting also took place between India and China on Sunday. During his bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Modi emphasised his commitment to taking the India-China ties forward, based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity. China's President Xi Jinping emphasised the importance of India-China friendship during his bilateral meeting with PM Modi. Xi stated that it's the "right choice" for both nations to be friends, highlighting their shared historical and cultural ties. He also mentioned that the partnership between the "dragon and elephant" enables each other's success. The SCO comprises 10 members. In addition to India, they include Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It also has several dialogue partners and observers. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to the BRICS Summit that India will host in 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs said. President Xi thanked Prime Minister Modi for the invitation and offered China's support to India's BRICS Presidency. India is preparing to take over the leadership of BRICS from the current president, Brazil. PM Modi also expressed support for China's Presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Summit in Tianjin, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement today. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Summit of the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin today. The two leaders had previously met in Russia's Kazan in 2024 on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. In July this year, Prime Minister Modi, in his intervention at the BRICS grouping's summit in Rio De Janeiro, said that India will attempt to give a "new form" to the BRICS next year. PM Modi said BRICS will mean Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability, and just as during the G-20 chairmanship, India had given priority to the issues of the Global South in the agenda, similarly, during India's chairmanship of BRICS, it will take the forum forward in the spirit of people-centricity and humanity first. The 17th BRICS Summit held under the theme: "Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance". Xi Jinping had participated in the summit virtually. Commitments were adopted across strategic areas, including global governance, finance, health, AI, climate change, peace and security. In addition to the main declaration, BRICS leaders endorsed three supplementary frameworks- The BRICS Leaders' Framework Declaration on Climate Finance, The BRICS Leaders' Declaration on Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence and the BRICS Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases. The Leaders' Framework Declaration on Climate Finance is a first-of-its-kind collective BRICS commitment under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. The declaration proposed mobilising USD 300 billion annually by 2035 for climate-related investments, with an explicit emphasis on ensuring that such finance is "accessible, timely and concessional." The Rio-de-Janerio summit announced the establishment of a BRICS Climate Research Platform to harmonise data, share best practices, and advance joint modelling. The BRICS Leaders' Statement on the Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence emphasised that AI must serve as a tool to advance inclusive development, reduce digital inequalities, and empower the Global South through multilateral, UN-led frameworks. The BRICS grouping is formed by eleven countries: Brasil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran. It serves as a political and diplomatic coordination forum for countries from the Global South, facilitating coordination in a wide range of areas. Meanwhile, during his bilateral meeting with Chinese President in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO summit, Prime Minister Modi underlined the importance of peace and tranquility on the border areas for continued development of bilateral relations. The two leaders noted with satisfaction the successful disengagement last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquility along the border areas since then, the MEA said in a statement. They expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples. They recognized the important decisions taken by the two Special Representatives in their Talks earlier this month, and agreed to further support their efforts. Both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan in October 2024. They reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners and not rivals, and that their differences should not turn into disputes. A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion peoples on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multipolar world and a multi-polar Asia befitting the trends of the 21st century. Prime Minister Modi underlined the importance of peace and tranquility on the border areas for continued development of bilateral relations. The two leaders noted with satisfaction the successful disengagement last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquility along the border areas since then. They expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples. They recognized the important decisions taken by the two Special Representatives in their Talks earlier this month, and agreed to further support their efforts, the MEA said in a statement. The two leaders noted the need to strengthen people-to-people ties through direct flights and visa facilitation, building on the resumption of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and tourist visa. On economic and trade relations, they recognized the role of their two economies to stabilize world trade. They underlined the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to expand bilateral trade and investment ties and reduce trade deficit. The Prime Minister noted that India and China both pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens. The two leaders deemed it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges, like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms. Prime Minister also had a meeting with Cai Qi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China. Prime Minister Modi shared with Cai his vision for bilateral relations and sought his support to realize the vision of the two leaders, the MEA said. Cai reiterated the Chinese side's desire to expand bilateral exchanges and further improve relations in line with the consensus reached between the two leaders. (ANI) Netflix has released a new romantic comedy fantasy titled 'Genie, Make a Wish' that features Suzy and Kim Woo-bin, and it is set for release worldwide on Oct. 3, a day prior to the Chuseok holiday. The story revolves around Jinn (Kim Woo-bin), a genie awakened after a thousand years, only for him to cross paths with Ka-young (Suzy), a human defined as a psychopath and someone who has no emotions. Their meeting gives rise to a perilous wager based on three wishes, giving rise to a tale of tension and dark comedy. The teaser poster provides a tense glimpse at their bizarre relationship. In the video, Jinn threatens the life of his new master, and Ka-young responds by threatening him with a pointed hairpin at his throat. a demonic genie vs. a psychopathic master? whichever team you're on, you're surely in for a ride. mark your calendars: genie, make a wish comes out on netflix on october 3.#GenieMakeAWish #BaeSuzy #KimWooBin pic.twitter.com/NFOwOgHC6E Netflix Philippines (@Netflix_PH) August 28, 2025 Their piercing gazes speak a thousand words about a romance balanced on the precipice of destruction. The commercial, presented by Sayyid (played by Ko Kyu-pil), explains more of their interaction. Jinn at one point says, "Hurry, wish quickly, wish now!" Ka-young answers coldly thus: "My first wish? Kill yourself." From Netflix, Jinn has to corrupt Ka-young by her desires in order for him to achieve his purpose, while Ka-young fights off the attempt with cold detachment. This contradiction of extremes leads up to the main issue at hand: will their relationship lead to destruction or become an unlikely bond? The narrative also gives us glimpses of Ka-young in her fragile side. She is seen crying in one scene and laughing hysterically in another, and it hints at moments of feeling underneath her tough exterior. Scenes of Jinn and Ka-young flying through Seoul give the narrative a grand, otherworldly feel. Observers comment that the drama has a strange mix of genres. Though promoted as a rom-com, the show goes dark for more sinister content involving desire, manipulation, and emotional epiphany. "The tension between Suzy and Kim Woo-bin's characters feels closer to a psychological thriller," a commentator noted. The supporting cast also consists of Ahn Eun-jin, Noh Sang-hyun, Ko Kyu-pil, and Lee Joo-young, rounding out the supporting cast. One of the points of much expectation for viewers is Suzy and Kim Woo-bin's on-screen reunion. Both leads have demonstrated their chops for their previous works, and their chemistry is expected to drive the narrative. Genie, Make a Wish will be streamed globally by Netflix beginning Oct. 3. Jaishankar said India values the progress of India-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In a post on X, he said, "Congratulations to FM Dato' Seri Mohamad Hasan, the Government and people of Malaysia on the occasion of their 68th Independence Day. Value the steady progress of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1962029050802876619 Earlier on July 14, Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita, during his Malaysia visit, emphasised the need for early completion of the review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) and underlined development partnerships in digital, maritime, health and innovation, as per a statement from the MEA. Minister Pabitra Margherita led the delegation at the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AIFMM), 15th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting (EAS FMM) and 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum on July 10-11, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In his remarks at the AIFMM on July 10, MoS Margherita extended India's continued support to Malaysia's chairmanship of ASEAN and reiterated India's support for ASEAN unity and centrality. Further, MoS Margherita appreciated progress in the implementation of the 10 Point proposal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced at the 21st ASEAN-India Summit in Lao PDR in 2024 to further strengthen the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and shared the initiatives taken this year under the India -ASEAN Year of Tourism. "He emphasised the need for early completion of the review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) and underlined development partnerships in digital, maritime, health and innovation," Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. At the 15th EAS FMM on July 11, 2025, MoS Margherita underlined India's contribution towards strengthening the Leaders-led EAS platform as the EAS mechanism completes 20 years and exchanged views on the current regional and international developments. (ANI) In his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the positive momentum between the two nations, as noted by the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin on Sunday. Both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan in October 2024. They reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners and not rivals, and that their differences should not turn into disputes, as per the MEA statement. https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1962067993955070248 A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China, and their 2.8 billion people, based on mutual respect, mutual interest, and mutual sensitivity, are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multipolar world and a multi-polar Asia befitting the trends of the 21st century. Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas for the continued development of bilateral relations. The two leaders noted with satisfaction the successful disengagement last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the border areas since then, as stated in the document. They expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples. They recognised the important decisions taken by the two Special Representatives in their Talks earlier this month, and agreed to support their efforts further. Meanwhile, as per a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, PM Modi said that his meeting with President Xi Jinping in Kazan charted the course for the development of India-China relations. India-China relations have returned to a positive track, the border remains peaceful and stable, and direct flights are about to resume. These achievements will not only benefit the people of both countries but also the world. (ANI) Confiscated weapons included M4 and M16 rifles, pistols, and a shotgun, along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Four pipe bombs and a live explosive device were neutralised. Police said the raids took place in the areas of Hebron, Beit Ummar, Yatta, Beit Jala and near Ariel. Earlier, The Israel Defence Forces ordered the demolition of the home of the Palestinian terrorist responsible for a deadly shooting attack in December 2024. Thabet Mohammed Masalmeh, who lived in the Gush Etzion region south of Jerusalem, fired on a bus, killing 12-year-old Yehoshua Aharon Tuvia Simha and injuring three others near the community of Beitar Illit. (ANI/TPS) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday extended greetings to Trinidad and Tobago Foreign Minister Sean Sobers on the occasion of their Independence Day. Jaishankar also shared an old photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. In a post on X, he said, "Independence day greetings to FM Sean Sobers, the Government and the people of Trinidad and Tobago. Our historic bonds drive forward our contemporary cooperation." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1962033615229047085 Earlier on July 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Trinidad and Tobago announced the decision to issue Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards up to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora of Trinidad and Tobago, as noted in the joint statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. The joint statement on PM Modi's official visit to Trinidad and Tobago underlined how May 30, 2025 marks the 180th arrival anniversary of the first Indian immigrants to Trinidad and Tobago. Both PM Modi and PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar recognized the importance of Nelson Island as a location for Cultural Tourism and the need for Digitisation of Indian Arrival and other Records at the National Archives. "Prime Minister Modi also announced a decision of the Government of India to issue Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards up to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora of Trinidad and Tobago," MEA noted. Significantly, PM Modi also welcomed Trinidad and Tobago's decision to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Global Biofuel Alliance, reflecting their shared commitment to climate action, resilience building, and sustainable development. As per the MEA, the leaders agreed to explore further collaboration in early warning systems developed by India for disaster risk reduction. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago also appreciated India's offer of grant to provide a rooftop photovoltaic (PV) system for the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs. Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar appreciated Prime Minister Modi's visionary 'Mission LiFE' initiative, which promotes a lifestyle of mindful consumption and sustainable living. She acknowledged its relevance in mobilizing global citizens towards climate-conscious behavior. (ANI) Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a successful bilateral meeting in Tianjin, China on the sidelines of SCO Summit according to Wu Lei, Chief Editor at China-based outlet CGTN. Wu said that Chinese President Xi Jinping had also highlighted that India and China are set to expand their bilateral ties. "It's China's fifth time to host this Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin. And all are set, and we are really looking forward to the outcome of the SCO Summit. Chinese President Xi Jinping just held a very successful bilateral meeting with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they have reaffirmed that the two countries will move on to better bilateral relations especially this year marks the 75th year of bilateral relations," the CGTN Chief Editor said He highlighted Xi's statement in which the Chinese President emphasised that India and China are partners not rivals. "Chinese President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed that two countries are partners, not rivals. They will expand their collaboration from security to economic ties and people-to-people exchanges," he said. Wu added the affirmation given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in highlighting that border issues should not affect the relations between both countries. "Indian Prime Minister Modi also reaffirmed that the two countries should move on to boost their bilateral ties and border issues shouldn't be affecting the bilateral relations and the direct flights between the two countries are expected to resume and the hope to expand the collaboration from security to economic and people to people exchanges and as member states of the SCO as well as the BRICS collaboration. They are expected to share more responsibility as a global South partners," the Chinese journalist said. Wu further said that both the leaders are expected to meet other world leaders and it is important as the world is becoming multipolar. "They are expected to meet with global leaders and to strengthen the collaboration to uphold the multilateralism and especially when the world is facing a lot of challenges facing unilateralism, protectionism. So collaboration upholds solidarity as the key to tackle these problems," he said. Wu said that this is the fifth time that China is holding the SCO Summit and this time, over 3,000 journalists are participating here, showing the importance SCO holds. "This is the fifth time for China to hold the SCO summit and they going to deliver a Tianjin declaration highlighting the latest results, fruitful outcome of the SCO over the years. China has been rotating the presidency of SCO over the last year. Over 100 activities have been held from agricultural to training to cultural exchanges, even media collaboration. This time, over 3,000 journalists are expected to cover the SCO. You can imagine that the SCO really attracts a lot of global attention," he said. Wu highlighted several activities that are set to take place. "And these global leaders also expected to release a statement highlighting the world anti-fascist wars, 80th anniversary of the Chinese people's war against Japanese aggression and world anti-fascist war, as well as the founding of the United Nations. So it's a very important moment for the whole world to stand together to continue the collaboration and uphold the multilateralism," he said. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday evening attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit Official reception in Tianjin, China, where he was warmly welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Arriving at the venue of the Official Reception PM Modi was seen shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan. He then joined other world leaders for a family photo, capturing a moment of unity and cooperation among nations. Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders at the group photograph. The official program of the SCO summit will start on the morning of September 1. Earlier in the day, PM Modi held several bilateral meetings, including one with Xi Jinping, where both leaders recognised the role of India and China's economies in stabilising global trade, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Sunday. According to the MEA, both leaders also focused on strengthening "people-to-people" ties through direct flights, visa facilitation, and the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra. "The two leaders noted the need to strengthen people-to-people ties through direct flights and visa facilitation, building on the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and tourist visa. On economic and trade relations, they recognised the role of their two economies in stabilising world trade. They underlined the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to expand bilateral trade and investment ties and reduce trade deficit," MEA said in the statement. Both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan in October 2024. They reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners, not rivals, and that their differences should not escalate into disputes. Further, PM Modi invited Xi Jinping to the BRICS Summit that India will host in 2026, the external affairs ministry said. President Xi thanked PM Modi for the invitation and offered China's support to India's BRICS Presidency. India is preparing to take over the leadership of BRICS from Brazil, the current president. PM Modi also held a bilateral meeting with the acting President and military chief of Myanmar, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tianjin. PM Modi noted that India attaches importance to its ties with Myanmar as part of its 'Neighbourhood First', 'Act East', and Indo-Pacific policies. The two leaders reviewed bilateral ties and discussed the way forward on several aspects of bilateral cooperation, including development partnerships, defence and security, border management, and border trade issues, the MEA stated. PM Modi also expressed the hope that the forthcoming elections in Myanmar will be held in a fair and inclusive manner involving all stakeholders. He underlined that India supports a Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned peace process, for which peaceful dialogue and consultation are the only ways forward, as per MEA. Upon his arrival in Tianjin on Saturday, PM Modi was greeted with a red carpet reception at the Binhai International Airport, where he was received by senior officials from both India and China. The Indian diaspora in China warmly welcomed PM Modi, chanting "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "Vande Mataram" as he arrived at his hotel. The SCO summit is crucial for India, as it comes after the US's 50 per cent tariffs took effect. Of these, a 25 per cent tariff was imposed on New Delhi for buying Russian crude oil. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Japan has opened a new chapter in India-Japan collaboration in advanced technology sectors, with a particular focus on semiconductors. Speaking to ANI, Kazuya Nakajo, Executive Vice President of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), underlined the opportunities for partnership between the two nations. "Prime Minister Modi visited one of the leading companies of Japan in the semiconductor field, Tokyo Electron, a manufacturer of wafers and such. This is the mother of a semiconductor company," Nakajo said, highlighting Japan's strengths. He noted that Japan is taking a lead in manufacturing semiconductor machinery and also the material side, and emphasised that the country has committed to manufacturing in India. Nakajo said the timing of the visit was significant. "This was the first thing after 2018. So it's been a seven-year gap. There was COVID and such in between. But this is a very good time for Japanese businessmen to create confidence toward India," he said. During his visit, Prime Minister Modi has emphasised building a stronger technology base at home. "PM announced that they put more concentration in new technology, advanced manufacturing, and semiconductor will take the key role on that," Nakajo said. Regarding India's challenges in building a semiconductor ecosystem, Nakajo highlighted the country's heavy dependence on imports. "There was a big concern that India has been dependent heavily on electronic manufacturing from foreign nations. Actually, one-third of Indian semiconductor imports were taken by China. So Prime Minister Modi has created a new policy to create a more resilient supply chain and a self-reliant nation in the manufacturing sector, advanced manufacturing sector," he explained. He also noted the growth in semiconductor-related investments. "From 2017 to 2020, in these four years, there were 22 investments made in semiconductors to India, and from 2021 to 2024, it has increased to 58. So this growth is because the market prospect of India is very big, and the other thing is India showed their standpoint as a friendly nation to Japan," he said. Nakajo said Japan's global role in semiconductors could extend to India as well. "Fifty per cent of semiconductor materials and one-third of the global machinery were supplied by Japan. So Japan is a key country to create that kind of supply chain and semiconductor industry itself. We've been contributing to the U.S., we've been contributing to China, we've been contributing to Taiwan and Korea. So we can do more for India to create a semiconductor industry," he stated. He also referred to recent agreements signed between the two countries. "This time, a lot more diversified business sectors can be seen. For example, there are some in semiconductors, there are some in AIs, there are some in academic collaboration in quantum, and there are some in the space field. So I can see more kinds of mature collaboration, more high-tech collaboration, more academic collaboration between these two nations," he said. "This is reflecting the world's new trend to create strong supply chains in these advanced technology areas, which should be the engine for further economic development for both countries, especially for India." Nakajo acknowledged that Japan was relatively late in tapping India's talent pool. "Europe has been trying to attract new Indian talent in the last two decades. America has been there for three or four decades. Japan has just started. But we try to create more kind of a livable society for Indian nations and try to create a more good living environment for them," he said, adding that "many Japanese companies are starting to consider creating a global creation center in India," he said. According to him, such initiatives will strengthen mutual exchange. "These are kind of both mutual exchange shall be expected in the next few years," he concluded. PM Modi concluded his two-day visit to Japan on Saturday, describing it as "productive" and highlighting the positive outcomes achieved during his engagements. He expressed gratitude to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba for the warmth extended to him during the visit. In a post on X, he said, "This visit to Japan will be remembered for the productive outcomes which will benefit the people of our nations. I thank PM Ishiba, the Japanese people and the Government for their warmth." (ANI) Marking the International Day against Nuclear Tests, the East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) issued a strong condemnation of China's decades-long nuclear testing program in Lop Nur, calling it a deliberate act of "nuclear genocide" against the people of East Turkistan. In a statement posted on X, ETGE said it "solemnly honours the memory of the hundreds of thousands" who perished as a result of nuclear testing carried out by China between 1964 and 1996. The group claimed that over the course of 47 nuclear tests, equivalent to more than 1,600 Hiroshima bombs, China's program killed an estimated 750,000 people and left more than a million suffering from cancers, birth defects, and radiation-related illnesses. "By using East Turkistan as its nuclear testing ground, China inflicted mass death and lasting destruction on our nation. This was not only a grave violation of human rights but a deliberate act of nuclear genocide, carried out as part of Beijing's broader campaign of colonisation and extermination against the people of East Turkistan," the government-in-exile stated. The group alleged that nuclear testing has not stopped, pointing to evidence suggesting that Beijing continues underground tests in the region, "further endangering our people, poisoning our land, and expanding its arsenal of mass destruction." ETGE also highlighted China's growing nuclear capabilities, noting that Beijing currently possesses over 600 nuclear warheads and is constructing hundreds of new missile silos across East Turkistan's deserts. The exiled government warned that this escalation, combined with what it describes as China's "ongoing campaign of colonisation, genocide, and occupation", poses a threat not only to East Turkistan but to global peace and security. ETGE urged decisive action from the international community to halt what it called China's "ongoing genocide, including nuclear genocide," and to support the East Turkistani struggle for sovereignty and independence. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday attended the official reception for Heads of State and Heads of Government at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, where he met with several world leaders and dignitaries. PM Modi was received at the venue by Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan. On arrival, the Prime Minister exchanged greetings with the Chinese President before joining other leaders for the customary family photo session. Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other heads of state were also present for the group photograph. During the reception, PM Modi interacted with leaders of several nations. He first met Nepali Prime Minister KP Oli, describing the long-standing cultural and historical ties between India and Nepal. PM Modi wrote on X, "Delighted to meet Nepal PM Mr. KP Oli in Tianjin. India's relations with Nepal are deep-rooted and very special." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1962123318028575180 He then held a conversation with Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu. He noted the developmental partnership between the two nations. "Interacted with President Muizzu of Maldives on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin. India's developmental cooperation with Maldives is greatly beneficial for our people, PM Modi wrote on X, posting a picture with Muizzu https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1962123585692283113 PM Modi also interacted with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. Recalling his earlier visit to Egypt, the Prime Minister wrote, "Met PM Mostafa Madbouly of Egypt at the SCO Summit. Fondly recalled my Egypt visit a few years ago. India-Egypt friendship is scaling newer heights of progress!" https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1962124276351533130 At the reception, PM Modi met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Reflecting optimism about bilateral ties, PM Modi said, "Glad to have met President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus. We both are very optimistic about the beneficial opportunities ahead as far as our nations are concerned." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1962125699332084143 He later greeted Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, highlighting the growing ties between the two nations. Sharing the moment, PM Modi posted, "Always a pleasure to interact with Mr. Emomali Rahmon, the President of Tajikistan. India's trade and cultural linkages are increasing and this is a wonderful sign." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1962126005050740824 Further, PM met President Tokayev of Kazakhstan and mentioned that both "nations are working closely in many key sectors, including energy, security, healthcare and pharma." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1962131479712145471 Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan hosted a banquet in Tianjin for international guests attending the SCO Summit, Xinhua reported. The gathering provided an opportunity for leaders to strengthen bilateral ties in an informal setting ahead of the formal sessions. The official programme of the SCO Summit will commence on the morning of September 1.(ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, following the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Sunday. During a special briefing in Tianjin, Misri confirmed that the Prime Minister will first address the SCO plenary session before meeting President Putin. "Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will be addressing the plenary session of the Summit, where he will outline India's approach to fostering regional cooperation under the SCO umbrella. After this engagement, he is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, following which he will depart for India," Misri said. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO leaders' summit. This was their first meeting after the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in 2024. PM Modi later joined the official reception of the summit, hosted by President Xi at the Tianjin Meijiang International Convention and Exhibition Center. He was greeted warmly by Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, before joining other world leaders for a group photograph symbolising regional unity. Russian President Vladimir Putin also attended the official reception along with senior members of his delegation, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, Deputy Chief of Staff Maxim Oreshkin, Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov and Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to Russian news agency TASS. Further, PM Modi invited Xi Jinping to the BRICS Summit that India will host in 2026, the external affairs ministry said. President Xi thanked PM Modi for the invitation and offered China's support to India's BRICS Presidency. Russia is also a part of BRICS nations. India is preparing to take over the leadership of BRICS from Brazil, the current president.PM Modi also held a bilateral meeting with the acting President and military chief of Myanmar, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tianjin. PM Modi noted that India attaches importance to its ties with Myanmar as part of its 'Neighbourhood First', 'Act East', and Indo-Pacific policies. The two leaders reviewed bilateral ties and discussed the way forward on several aspects of bilateral cooperation, including development partnerships, defence and security, border management, and border trade issues, the MEA stated. (ANI) Nyala, Sudan (PANA) Despite the rejection and condemnation by the international community of the declaration by Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of a rival administration in parts of the East African country it controls, it has gone ahead to install a parallel government Former Indian diplomat KP Fabian on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is the "right thing" to strengthen ties with China but warned that closer relations with China and Russia cannot replace India's deteriorating ties with the United States. Speaking to ANI, Fabian said, "There is an impression in certain cottages in India that we can now build up our relations with China and Russia in a manner that will take care of our deteriorating relations with the United States, which now I consider wrong because we need good relations with the United States. It's in our interest, it's in their interest, but if the relations go bad, both countries will suffer, and India will suffer more." The comments come after the US imposed a 50 per cent tariff on India, including an additional 25 per cent on oil purchases from Russia. The former envoy also mentioned that while relations with Washington remain crucial, exploring alternatives with China and Japan is equally significant. "We are doing the right thing by exploring the alternative markets and strengthening ties with Japan. This is very good that PM and Xi Jinping are meeting," he added. On India-China ties, Fabian stressed the importance of improving economic relations. "Bilateral relations are important because it's in India's interest and China's interest to improve their economic relations, as we know India has trade deficit with China. Indian economy is depending on China, not only for rare earth minerals and for ingredients for pharmaceuticals. It is India's interest to improve economic relations with China," he said. After the bilateral meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping, the Ministry of External Affairs mentioned that both the leaders recognised the role of India and China's economies in stabilising world trade. The statement comes as the world is grappling with US President Donald Trump's tariffs, which the US Appeals Court has itself ruled as "illegal". On April 2, President Donald Trump announced tariffs targeting around 60 countries or trade blocs with significant trade deficits with the United States, marking the largest US tariff hike in almost 100 years. He called the occasion "Liberation Day". The bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Xi Jinping comes ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. According to MEA, both leaders also focused on strengthening "people-to-people" ties through direct flights, visa facilitation and resumption of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra. During the bilateral meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Sunday. "The two leaders noted the need to strengthen people-to-people ties through direct flights and visa facilitation, building on the resumption of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and tourist visas. On economic and trade relations, they recognised the role of their two economies in stabilising world trade. They underlined the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to expand bilateral trade and investment ties and reduce trade deficit," MEA said in the statement. (ANI) Tel Aviv [Israel], August 31 (ANI/TPS): The government approved today (Sunday) the extension of the benefit of free travel on public transportation for an additional two months until the end of October for evacuees from the localities affected by Operation "Rising Lion." The extension will cover the upcoming three-week Jewish holiday period, which starts on September 22. The benefit, which was supposed to end at the end of August and was extended for an additional two months, will also apply to residents of the localities who are still defined as evacuees by the Reconstruction Administration as part of the "Iron Swords" war - i.e. people who live near Gaza and the border with Lebanon who were evacuated from their homes for their own safety. Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, Brigadier General (res.) Miri Regev: "Since the outbreak of the Iron Swords war, we have been by the side of the evacuees at every stage and in every need. Our hearts go out to the families who lost their homes and were forced to move from their place. We are doing everything possible to make it easier for them and give them the feeling that they are not alone. The extension of the free public transportation benefit is intended to allow evacuees to continue to lead a routine life, to get to work, to school and to service centres at no cost and without restrictions. As the Ministry of Transportation, this is our contribution to families who are going through difficult times. I see this extension as an act of social solidarity and national commitment." (ANI/TPS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of cross-border terrorism with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their bilateral meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Sunday. "The issue of cross-border terrorism was raised by the Prime Minister...he asked for China's support on this particular issue. As I said, the Chinese have extended their support in various ways in addressing this issue," Misri told reporters at a special Ministry of External Affairs briefing. "The issue of cross-border terrorism was raised by the Prime Minister, and he outlined his understanding very crisply and very specifically. He outlined the fact that this is a scourge that both China and India have been victims of, and India is still combating this menace, and he asked for China's support on this particular issue. As I said, the Chinese have extended their support in various ways on addressing this issue," he added. Further, Misri also noted that, "Among other issues, the two leaders also exchanged views on ways to increase and balance bilateral trade, strengthen people-to-people ties, cooperate on trans-border rivers, and jointly combat terrorism." Misri confirmed that PM Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, following the SCO summit. "Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will be addressing the plenary session of the Summit, where he will outline India's approach to fostering regional cooperation under the SCO umbrella. After this engagement, he is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, following which he will depart for India," Misri said. Earlier in the day, PM Modi met Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO leaders' summit. This was their first meeting after the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in 2024. Later, PM Modi attended the official reception of the summit, hosted by President Xi at the Tianjin Meijiang International Convention and Exhibition Centre. He was greeted warmly by Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, before joining other world leaders for a group photograph symbolising regional unity. Russian President Vladimir Putin also attended the official reception, along with senior members of his delegation, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, Deputy Chief of Staff Maxim Oreshkin, Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov, and Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the Russian news agency TASS. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi met a series of world leaders on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit reception in Tianjin on Sunday, where discussions focused on strengthening bilateral ties across defence, trade, energy, and culture. At the official reception hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan, PM Modi exchanged greetings with the host and joined other leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, for the customary family photograph. During the evening, the Prime Minister interacted with leaders from Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Eurasia, highlighting India's commitment to expand cooperation in diverse sectors. He held a "very productive conversation" with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, underlining India's keenness to deepen cooperation in defence, trade and green energy. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "Very productive conversation with PM Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam. India is very keen to further deepen ties with Vietnam in defence, trade, green energy and more." Meeting with the President of the Lao PDR, Thongloun Sisoulith, PM Modi stressed the value of cultural and trade ties, noting that "closer friendship between our nations is greatly beneficial." "Happy to have met President of Lao PDR, Mr. Thongloun Sisoulith on the sidelines of the Tianjin SCO Summit. Closer friendship between our nations is greatly beneficial, especially ties in trade as well as culture," PM Modi wrote. The Prime Minister also exchanged views with Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedow, saying they "discussed diverse issues" of bilateral and regional importance. With Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, PM Modi described the talks as a "very good interaction" and emphasised that India-Armenia ties are "warm and growing, rooted in friendship and mutual cooperation." Further, PM wrote, "Very good interaction with Prime Minister of Armenia, Mr. Nikol Pashinyan. India and Armenia share warm and growing ties, rooted in friendship and mutual cooperation." PM Modi also held a meeting with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, where he noted the "dynamic partnership" expanding across culture, economy and people-to-people ties. In his conversation with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, the Prime Minister described the discussions as "very productive," adding that both nations share a "robust partnership" and will continue working to strengthen developmental cooperation. "A very productive conversation with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Tianjin. Our nations share a robust partnership and we will keep working together to add more vigour to our developmental cooperation, PM Modi wrote in another post on X. Earlier, he also met Nepali Prime Minister KP Oli, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and several other leaders. Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan hosted a banquet for international guests at the Tianjin Meijiang International Convention and Exhibition Center, attending the SCO Summit. The gathering provided an opportunity for leaders to strengthen bilateral ties in an informal setting ahead of the formal sessions, Xihnua reported. The meetings came a day before PM Modi is scheduled to address the SCO Summit plenary session and hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The official programme of the SCO Summit will commence on the morning of September 1.(ANI) Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said on Sunday that the two Asian neighbours should work together to ensure peace in their border regions and not let the border issue define the overall China-India relations, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. https://x.com/China_Amb_India/status/1962102184025428206?t=kBPLdTmASb3_0bkap8maLQ&s=08 The Chinese envoy shared a post on X and wrote, "Chinese President Xi Jinping told Indian Prime Minister Modi that China and India are cooperation partners, not rivals, and that the two countries are each other's development opportunities rather than threats." "As long as the two countries stick to this overarching direction, China-India relations can sustain steady and long-term growth. China and India should become neighbours on good terms and partners helping each other succeed. A "cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant" should be the right choice for the two countries," the post added. Further, the Chinese envoy highlighted the 75th anniversary of both countries and stated, "This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of China-India diplomatic relations; the two countries need to view and handle bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective." Xu Feihong affirmed that, "the two countries should strengthen strategic communication to deepen mutual trust, expand exchanges and win-win cooperation, heed each other's concerns to seek harmonious coexistence, and enhance multilateral collaboration to safeguard common interests." "The two Asian neighbors should work together to ensure peace and tranquility in their border regions, and should not let the border issue define the overall China-India relations," the post added. Earlier in the day, PM Modi met Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO leaders' summit. This was their first meeting after the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in 2024. Later, PM Modi attended the official reception of the summit, hosted by President Xi at the Tianjin Meijiang International Convention and Exhibition Centre. He was greeted warmly by Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, before joining other world leaders for a group photograph symbolising regional unity. Russian President Vladimir Putin also attended the official reception, along with senior members of his delegation, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, Deputy Chief of Staff Maxim Oreshkin, Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov, and Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the Russian news agency TASS. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, on the sidelines of the Summit of the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin on Sunday. According to a release from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan in October 2024. They reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners and not rivals, and that their differences should not turn into disputes. A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion people on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multipolar world and a multi-polar Asia befitting the trends of the 21st century. The Prime Minister underlined the importance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas for the continued development of bilateral relations. The two leaders noted with satisfaction the successful disengagement last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the border areas since then. They expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples. They recognised the important decisions taken by the two Special Representatives in their Talks earlier this month, and agreed to further support their efforts. The two leaders noted the need to strengthen people-to-people ties through direct flights and visa facilitation, building on the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and tourist visa. On economic and trade relations, they recognised the role of their two economies in stabilising world trade. They underlined the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to expand bilateral trade and investment ties and reduce the trade deficit. Prime Minister noted that India and China both pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens. The two leaders deemed it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges, like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms. Prime Minister expressed support for China's Presidency of the SCO and the Summit in Tianjin. He also invited President Xi to the BRICS Summit that India will be hosting in 2026. President Xi thanked the Prime Minister for the invitation and offered China's support to India's BRICS Presidency. Prime Minister also had a meeting with Mr. Cai Qi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China. The Prime Minister shared his vision for bilateral relations with Cai and sought his support to realise the vision of the two leaders. Cai reiterated the Chinese side's desire to expand bilateral exchanges and further improve relations in line with the consensus reached between the two leaders. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (local time) held talks with Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Tianjin, calling Myanmar a vital pillar of India's Act East and Neighbourhood First policies and highlighting opportunities to boost trade, connectivity, energy, rare earth mining and security. "Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and I held talks in Tianjin. Myanmar is a vital pillar of India's Act East and Neighbourhood First Policies. We both agreed that there is immense scope to boost ties in areas like trade, connectivity, energy, rare earth mining and security," PM Modi said in a post on X. https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1962144442795823593 According to an official statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Modi met the Myanmar leader on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tianjin. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi met today with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission of Myanmar, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin. Prime Minister noted that India attaches importance to its ties with Myanmar as part of its Neighborhood First, Act East and Indo-Pacific policies. The two leaders reviewed bilateral ties and discussed the way forward on several aspects of bilateral cooperation, including development partnership, defence and security, border management and border trade issues," the statement said. The PMO statement added that PM Modi stressed that progress on ongoing connectivity projects would foster greater interaction between the people of the two countries, while promoting regional cooperation and integration as envisioned in India's Act East policy. "Prime Minister expressed the hope that the forthcoming elections in Myanmar will be held in a fair and inclusive manner involving all stakeholders. He underlined that India supports a Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned peace process, for which peaceful dialogue and consultation is the only way forward. Prime Minister reiterated India's readiness to support the developmental needs of Myanmar," the statement said. Speaking about the meeting, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "...Prime Minister welcomed the announcement of elections in Myanmar and stated that dialogue was the only way forward to foster peace and stability in Myanmar..." He added, "The Prime Minister had a bilateral meeting with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission of Myanmar... The Prime Minister noted that India attaches great importance to its relations with Myanmar under its Neighbourhood First and Act East policies. He underlined the importance of the development partnership between the two countries and sought Senior General Min Aung Hlaing's support for the ongoing connectivity projects between India and Myanmar. There was also a discussion on the security and border issues. Prime Minister welcomed the announcement of elections in Myanmar and stated that dialogue was the only way forward to foster peace and stability in Myanmar..."(ANI) Days after a federal appeals court in the US ruled that most of the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration are not in accordance with the laws, US President Donald Trump on Sunday (local time) again lambasted the ruling, warning that without them, the United States would be "completely destroyed" and its military power "instantly obliterated". In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticised a "Radical Left group of judges" for their 7 to 4 decision on the matter and extended thanks to one Democratic, Obama-appointed judge who, he said, "voted to save our Country" with courage and respect for the nation. "Without Tariffs, and all of the TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS we have already taken in, our Country would be completely destroyed, and our military power would be instantly obliterated. In a 7 to 4 Opinion, a Radical Left group of judges didn't care, but one Democrat, Obama appointed, actually voted to save our Country. I would like to thank him for his Courage! He loves and respects the U.S.A," Trump wrote in his post. The remark by the US President came after a federal appeals court on Friday (local time) invalidated several of his administration's tariffs, ruling that he exceeded his authority by using emergency powers to impose the import duties, as reported by CNN. According to CNN, in an unsigned opinion affirming a lower court's decision, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit concluded that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not permit the kind of tariffs that Trump enacted earlier this year. The court emphasised that Trump's use of the law represented an unprecedented overreach of executive authority, noting that the power to levy taxes and tariffs is a fundamental responsibility granted by the Constitution to Congress. Trump had earlier slammed the decision, noting that all tariffs imposed on the countries would remain in effect, calling a recent ruling by a "highly Partisan Appeals Court" incorrect. "ALL TARIFFS ARE STILL IN EFFECT! Today a Highly Partisan Appeals Court incorrectly said that our Tariffs should be removed, but they know the United States of America will win in the end. If these Tariffs ever went away, it would be a total disaster for the Country. It would make us financially weak, and we have to be strong," Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Friday. The court further noted that the tariffs will stay in effect for the time being, as it has postponed the enforcement of its ruling until October. This delay allows the Trump administration an opportunity to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. (ANI) Two children were killed and more than a dozen others were injured following a shooting at a Minneapolis church. The incident took place at the Annunciation Catholic Church, and authorities identified the suspect as 23-year-old Robin Westman, who had no prior criminal history. The shooter reportedly used three guns, which were all bought legally, to carry out his crime. Minneapolis Church Shooting So far, officials have not yet determined a motive for the tragic incident, but police are now looking into video footage that the gunman allegedly posted online. The church shooting comes during a difficult time for Minnesota and the Greater Minneapolis area. Before the shooting, three people were killed in three different shootings within 13 hours. There was also a gunman in June who targeted the homes of two state politicians in the Minneapolis suburbs. The latter attack resulted in the deaths of Democratic House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, according to BBC. Gov. Tim Walz attended the funeral for the Hortmans weeks before and is now at the scene of another tragic incident. He admits that similar situations have become "all too common" in Minnesota. He added that he will try to work out what they can do to prevent them from happening. On top of the two children killed, 17 others were injured, but they are all expected to recover and survive. Police Chief Brian O'Hara added that after the shooting, they found the suspect dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The police chief noted that 14 of the injured victims were children aged six to 15, and that the remaining three were adult parishioners who were in their 80s. The suspect's driver's license showed that Westman was a female born on June 17, 2002, and applied for a name change in 2020, ABC News reported. A Tragic Incident The tragic shooting at the Minneapolis church started shortly before 8:30 a.m. when Westman approached the side of the building. He then fired through the windows toward the children and other worshippers inside. The police chief said that the suspect fired dozens of rounds into the building, calling the shooting a "deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping." Shortly after the first shots were fired, the "heroic staff moved students under the pews," the Annunciation Parish and School said. The students and staff were later evacuated after it was determined that it was safe to do so. A 10-year-old boy who survived the attack, Weston Halsne, was sitting a few feet away from the stained glass windows when the shooter opened fire into the church. He said that his friend, Victor, protected him by lying on top but got hit, as per CBS News. In a decisive counteroffensive, Kenyan-led forces in Haiti have recaptured a key telecommunications hub from the powerful Viv Ansanm gang, thwarting a dangerous plot to sever the countrys communications and paralyze its international airport. The operation, carried out under the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission, saw specialized Kenyan units alongside Haitis National Police storm the Telcos Station in a pre-dawn raid on 25 August. The gang had seized the facility a week earlier and threatened to destroy it, a move that could have blacked out Haitis air traffic control systems and national telecom networks. MSS spokesperson Jack Ombaka confirmed heavy losses for the gang, multiple arrests, and the seizure of weapons and explosive materials. The notorious gang leader Izo2, who had been seen in videos wearing a stolen police vest and brandishing a grenade, was linked to the attack. This latest operation is sending a strong and unambiguous message, said PNH Director General Vladimir Paraison and MSS Force Commander Godfrey Otunge, warning that those who continue to bear arms will face decisive action, while more targeted operations are already planned. Kenyas commitment to the MSS mission remains strong despite looming questions about the operations future. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Singoei emphasized that Nairobis goal is restoring peace, welcoming international collaboration but rejecting moves to dilute Kenyas leadership. The successful raid signals growing momentum in efforts to reclaim Haitis security from criminal control, even as funding and political challenges persist. Millions of children across Africa are facing a life-threatening nutrition crisis as international aid cuts and armed conflict severely disrupt food supplies, several humanitarian organizations have warned. Humanitarian organizations, including Save the Children and UNICEF, are sounding urgent alarms about the growing number of malnourished children in Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and besieged El Fasher in Sudan. Save the Children warns that essential supplies of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) a nutrient-rich paste used to treat severe acute malnutrition are rapidly running out. In Nigeria alone, 3.5 million children under five are at risk. In Kenyas Turkana region, medical staff are already struggling to find enough food to sustain children. This comes amid the largest funding cuts to humanitarian aid in decades. The United States and other key donors have slashed billions from foreign aid budgets, forcing agencies into what the UN calls a triage of human survival. In El Fasher, Sudan, 130,000 children remain trapped after 500 days under siege by the Rapid Support Forces. UNICEF reports that 6,000 children with severe malnutrition lack treatment, while cholera outbreaks and attacks on hospitals are compounding the crisis. Humanitarian leaders stress the consequences are catastrophic and worsening. Children must be protected at all times, and they must have access to life-saving aid, said UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, calling for urgent restoration of funding and access. Following the huge growth in global renewable energy capacity over the last decade, companies and governments have been steadily increasing investment in battery storage to help improve the stability of their green energy supply. As countries worldwide develop their renewable energy industries, aiming to shift from a reliance on fossil fuels to alternative clean energy sources, such as wind and solar power, one of the main challenges has been to ensure a stable supply of energy to the grid. Solar power can only be produced during the day, while wind turbines only generate power when the wind is blowing. That means that most countries have continued to rely on fossil fuels during low or no production hours. However, this is gradually changing thanks to the deployment of utility-scale battery storage. Battery storage can be used to store wind and solar power to deliver to the grid during the hours when no electricity is being produced. They mainly consist of lithium-ion batteries. In the U.K., which has the largest installed capacity of offshore wind in the world, the power source continues to be unstable without the use of batteries, which is a massive restriction to achieving a green transition. Battery storage allows producers to better match supply and demand, thereby reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The U.K. government estimates technologies like battery storage systems could save the country up to $48 billion by 2050, ultimately reducing peoples energy bills. The multinational energy and gas utility National Grid says, Intelligent battery software uses algorithms to coordinate energy production and computerised control systems are used to decide when to store energy or to release it to the grid. Energy is released from the battery storage system during times of peak demand, keeping costs down and electricity flowing. In 2024, global energy storage increased by approximately 200 GWh, bringing the worlds total battery storage capacity to 375 GWh, according to a May Rystad Energy report. China took the lead, installing 100 GWh of new capacity, followed by the United States, which added 35 GWh. Germany, Australia, and the U.K. represented the other main additions. By 2040, the global battery storage capacity is expected to rise ninefold to over 4 TW, according to Rystad. This massive capacity expansion has been supported by a fall in electricity storage prices, with battery projects decreasing significantly as the technology has improved and more commercial-scale projects are deployed. The global average cost of battery energy storage declined to under $300 per kWh last year, making it far more accessible than in the past. Rystad highlighted that if it were to fall to $250 per kWh, the cost of storing electricity could be as low as $60 per MWh, which could help operators to increase their profit margins. A recent study suggested that, in Germany, the cost of developing and operating utility-scale solar with integrated battery storage has become cheaper than the equivalent cost for gas-fired power plants. Innovations in battery technology and lower costs have allowed for the development of round-the-clock solar power, with the worlds first 24-hour solar PV project announced for Abu Dhabi at the beginning of the year. The state-owned renewable energy company Masdar is designating $6 billion in funds to develop 5 GW of solar and 19 GWh of battery capacity, which it expects to come online in 2027. If successful, this could encourage other companies to make similar investments, which would further drive down reliance on fossil fuels to fill the renewable energy supply gap. In addition, technological advancements have also led to longer-life batteries, with manufacturers guaranteeing 10,000 charge-discharge cycles and over 80 percent battery health during that lifespan at present. Several new markets are investing in battery storage, which is accelerating the industrys expansion. China and the U.S. continue to dominate the battery storage market in 2025, but several gigawatt-hour projects have been approved or are under development in Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Australia, Netherlands, Chile, Canada, and the U.K. New additions are expected to increase by 35 percent this year, with annual additions totalling as much as 247 GWh, according to BloombergNEF estimates. The industry is expected to see acompound annual growth rate of 14.7 percent through 2035, to achieve an annual addition of around 972 GWh that year. According to BloombergNEF, utility-scale battery power is expanding more rapidly than previously predicted in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, meaning it could overtake the residential sector to become the largest in the region from 2026. This has been supported by favourable policies and financial incentives across the region. The worlds utility-scale battery storage capacity is growing at an unprecedented rate, as companies worldwide invest in making their renewable energy delivery more stable. Lower costs and technological advancements have encouraged more widespread uptake of battery storage, a trend that is set to continue for decades to come. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The timing of the potential test, along with high-level Russian military and nuclear official visits, suggests the missile is nearing operational deployment, driven by Russia's desire for prestige and defense against US missile shields. The Burevestnik, a complex system designed to carry a nuclear warhead and evade missile defenses, has a history of development failures, including a deadly explosion in 2019. Significant activity on Russia's Novaya Zemlya archipelago indicates an impending test of the nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, known as Skyfall by NATO. It's been a busy few weeks up on the windswept Russian archipelago of Novaya Zemlya: people, earthmoving trucks, shipping containers, temporary housing, heavy-lift aircraft, helicopters, cargo ships. The activity shows up in satellite imagery, aircraft hazard notifications, ship transponder trackers, and open-source intelligence reporting at a time when long Arctic days and good weather mean favorable conditions for building projects at the Pankovo test range and nearby air base. The betting money for close watchers of Russian weapons development is on another test of a trouble-plagued, nuclear-powered cruise missile called the Burevestnik. "The operational sites for this system are almost complete. This is going to be an operational system pretty soon here," said Decker Eveleth, a researcher at the suburban Washington-based Center for Naval Analyses, who examined satellite imagery of the sites in July and August. "This may have been the final check before operational testing and evaluation." "They're clearly pretty far long," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if the test has already happened," said Pavel Podvig, a Geneva-based arms control researcher and expert on Russia's nuclear forces. The missile, dubbed Skyfall by NATO, has been under development for more than a decade now. It's one of several new systems Russian designers have focused on as the Kremlin pours money into weapons development as part of a not fully recognized arms race -- mainly against the United States. Others include the Sarmat international continental ballistic missile, a nuclear-powered, nuclear-tipped torpedo called Poseidon, and a hypersonic missile called Avangard. Russian President Vladimir Putin talked up many of the weapons elaborate public ceremonies in 2018 and 2019. Two of the new weapons, the Kinzhal and Tsirkon missiles, have been used in Ukraine. The Sarmat has also been tested, though last year it suffered a major mishap. The Burevestnik has drawn particular attention from arms control and intelligence experts, partly because of the technology but also its past failures. The missile is powered essentially by a small nuclear reactor built into the engine, theoretically enabling it to stay aloft for days. It "would carry a nuclear warhead; circle the globe at low altitude, avoid missile defenses, and dodge terrain; and drop the warhead at a difficult-to-predict location," according to a 2019 report by the Washington-based Nuclear Threat Initiative. U.S. intelligence reports say the missile has been tested at least a dozen times, including in 2017 and 2019. Death At Nyonoksa Among the places Russia has tested the Burevestnik is the White Sea, west of the city of Arkhangelsk, near the port of Severodvinsk. In August 2019, while trying to raise a Burevestnik from the seabed near the town of Nyonoksa, an explosion occurred that spewed radiation over a wide area, including Severodvinsk. The blast also killed at least five Russian nuclear specialists from the state-owned nuclear company Rosatom, which is believed to have spearheaded the Burevestnik's development. The explosion, US officials later concluded, "was the result of a nuclear reaction that occurred during the recovery of a Russian nuclear-powered cruise missile." Two years earlier, another missile, also believed to be a Burevestnik, crashed somewhere in the Barents Sea, west of Novaya Zemlya, according to US intelligence officials. "They've been developing this system for well over a decade. And it hasn't really gone very well for a long time," Eveleth said. "People diedand they didn't give up. They kept going for it. They kept going for it for 15 years. And they are really dedicated to it." Constant Phoenix, Nuke Sniffing The activity at Pankovo in late July was highlighted in part by Eveleth and Jeffrey Lewis of Middlebury's Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California. Burevestnik testing was moved out of the White Sea following the Nyonoksa accident and resumed in 2021 on Novaya Zemlya, which is more remote. In early August, Russian authorities also released a NOTAM, according to the Barents Observer newspaper, which first reported the advisory. NOTAMs are internally recognized advisories for aircraft -- a warning for pilots and ship captains, in this case, to avoid a wide area west of Novaya Zemlya. Meanwhile, an unusually large number of fighter jets, cargo jets, and helicopters appeared parked at the Rogachevo air base on the southwestern coast of Novaya Zemlya. The aircraft appeared to include an A-50, an airborne radar and warning system experts say is rarely seen so far north; and Il-76 SKIPs, jets designed to gather electronic signals and missile telemetry data. Open-source aircraft trackers also noted a US Air Force WC-135 jet in the airspace north of the Kola Peninsula and west of Novaya Zemlya. Known as Constant Phoenix, the jet is designed to gather samples of airborne particles to detect specific radioactive isotopes released from nuclear weapons tests. The most recent satellite imagery, Eveleth said, suggests Russian workers have now packed up equipment on Novaya Zemlya, indicating, he said, that a test had been conducted. 'Why Is This Such a Big Deal?' The timing for a test was also auspicious from the point of view of Russian messaging, Lewis said in a podcast released August 20, coming around the time that Putin met US President Donald Trump for a summit in Alaska. Another bit of evidence came on August 22 when Putin traveled to the central city of Sarov. Formerly a closed city known as Arzamas-16, Sarov has for decades been the heart of the Soviet and Russian nuclear programs: "the equivalent of Los Alamos," Podvig said, referring to the home of the US atomic weapons program. Among the dignitaries greeting Putin on the tarmac at Sarov was the chairman of Russia's General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, as well as Sergei Kiriyenko, who headed Rosatom until 2016, when he took a top post in the Kremlin. "The combination of all these things -- the test activity, the apparent preparation for deployment, and this visit -- again this would be a good occasion for Putin, for the Sarov [engineers] to demonstrate that this is what we've done, we've fulfilled the assignment," Podvig said. "Why is this such a big deal for them?" Eveleth said. "First, the sophistication and prestige of the Russian nuclear arsenal is very important" to Putin and his government. "Second, they're worried about [US] missile defenses, they want to hedge against an effective missile shield and this system is technically capable of evading certain systems," he said. 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Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: In this image taken from video released by the USDA, Gray wolves halt an attack on a cow at an undisclosed location along the Oregon/California border after a drone emits noises at them as part of efforts by the USDA to monitor predators at night and repel them from livestock by non-lethal means. Credit: USDA via AP For millennia humans have tried to scare wolves away from their livestock. Most of them didn't have drones. But a team of biologists working near the California-Oregon border do, and they're using them to blast AC/DC's "Thunderstruck," movie clips and live human voices at the apex predators to shoo them away from cattle in an ongoing experiment. "I am not putting up with this anymore!" actor Scarlett Johansson yells in one clip, from the 2019 film " Marriage Story." "With what? I can't talk to people?" co-star Adam Driver shouts back. Gray wolves were hunted nearly to extinction throughout the U.S. West by the first half of the 20th century. Since their reintroduction in Idaho and at Yellowstone National Park in the mid-1990s, they've proliferated to the point that a population in the Northern Rockies has been removed from the endangered species list. There are now hundreds of wolves in Washington and Oregon, dozens more in northern California, and thousands roaming near the Great Lakes. The recovering population has meant increasing conflict with ranchersand increasingly creative efforts by the latter to protect livestock. They've turned to electrified fencing, wolf alarms, guard dogs, horseback patrols, trapping and relocating, and now drones. In some areas where nonlethal efforts have failed, officials routinely approve killing wolves, including last week in Washington state. This Dec., 2017, remote camera photo provided by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife shows the breeding female of the Walla Walla Pack in northern Oregon's Umatilla County. Credit: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife via AP, File Gray wolves killed some 800 domesticated animals across 10 states in 2022, a previous Associated Press review of data from state and federal agencies found. Scientists with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service developed the techniques for hazing wolves by drone while monitoring them using thermal imaging cameras at night, when the predators are most active. A preliminary study released in 2022 demonstrated that adding human voices through a loudspeaker rigged onto a drone can freak them out. The team documented successful interruptions of wolf hunts. When Dustin Ranglack, the USDA's lead researcher on the project, saw one for the first time, he smiled from ear to ear. "If we could reduce those negative impacts of wolves, that is going to be more likely to lead to a situation where we have coexistence," Ranglack said. The preloaded clips include recordings of music, gunshots, fireworks and voices. A drone pilot starts by playing three clips chosen at random, such as the "Marriage Story" scene or "Thunderstruck," with its screams and hair-raising electric guitar licks. In this image taken from video released by the USDA, a wolf runs from a drone with a speaker attached in Oregon, 2022. Credit: USDA via AP If those don't work, the operator can improvise by yelling through a microphone or playing a different clip that's not among the randomized presets. One favorite is the heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch 's cover of "Blue on Black," which might blast the lyric "You turned and you ran" as the wolves flee. USDA drone pilots have continued cattle protection patrols this summer while researching wolf responses at ranches with high conflict levels along the Oregon-California border. Patrols extended south to the Sierra Valley in August for the first time, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. It's unclear whether the wolves might become accustomed to the drones. Herders and wolf hunters in Europe have long deterred them with long lines hung with flapping cloth, but the wolves can eventually learn that the flags are not a threat. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Environmental advocates are optimistic about drones, though, because they allow for scaring wolves in different ways, in different places. "Wolves are frightened of novel things," said Amaroq Weiss, a wolf advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. "I know that in the human imagination, people think of wolves as big, scary critters that are scared of nothing." This Aug. 27, 2019 trail camera photo provided by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife shows a wolf pack that had at least four pups taken during the 2019 annual wolf count/survey at Umpqua National Forest, Oregon. Credit: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife via AP, File There are also drawbacks to the technology. A drone with night vision and a loudspeaker costs around $20,000, requires professional training and doesn't work well in wooded areas, making it impractical for many ranchers. Ranchers in Northern California who have hosted USDA drone patrols agree that they have reduced livestock deaths so far. "I'm very appreciative of what they did. But I don't think it's a long-term solution," said Mary Rickert, the owner of a cattle ranch north of Mount Shasta. "What I'm afraid of is that after some period of time, that all of a sudden they go, 'Wow, this isn't going to hurt me. It just makes a lot of noise.'" Ranchers are compensated if they can prove that a wolf killed their livestock. But there are uncompensated costs of having stressed-out cows, such as lower birth rates and tougher meat. Rickert said if the drones don't work over the long term, she might have to close the business, which she's been involved in since at least the 1980s. She wants permission to shoot wolves if they're attacking her animals or if they come onto her property after a certain number of attacks. In this Dec. 4, 2014 photo released by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, a wolf from the Snake River Pack passes by a remote camera in eastern Wallowa County, Ore. Credit: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife via AP, File If the technology proves effective and costs come down, someday ranchers might merely have to ask the wolves to go away. Oregon-based Paul Wolfyes, Wolfis the USDA's southwest district supervisor and the main Five Finger Death Punch fan among the drone pilots. He recalled an early encounter during which a wolf at first merely seemed curious at the sight of a drone, until the pilot talked to it through the speaker. "He said, 'Hey wolfget out of here,'" Wolf said. "The wolf immediately lets go of the cattle and runs away." 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Quasi-planktonic movement and dive profile for southern right whales. Credit: Global Ecology and Conservation (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03788 Satellite tracking of New Zealand southern right whales, or tohora, has revealed a key feeding location about 500kms south of Australia that needs to be protected, University of Auckland scientists say. Scientists tracked 25 tohora from the subantarctic Maungahuka/Auckland Islands as the whales traveled through the Southern Ocean in a study published in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation. "It turned out that one destination was by far the most popular," says Dr. Leena Riekkola, a Rutherford Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Biological Sciences, who was the lead author of the research paper. "Ninety percent of the whales traveled to a zone south of Australia, rich in prey, where different waters converge." Protecting the zone would help to extend that rarest thing: a conservation success story. After dwindling to as few as 400 individuals early last century because of whaling, southern right whales now number around 15,000 globally. "This work highlights why this region should be a marine protected area under the High Seas Treaty," says Dr. Emma Carroll, the senior author of the study. "Other animals like seabirds, sharks, and seals all rely on it, too." The High Seas Treatyformally known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreementwill let nations propose areas where fishing and other activities are limited. It will come into force once more nations have signed up. "Once ratified, this treaty could provide a way of protecting these critical feeding areas for whales, but also seabirds, seals, fish and sharks," says Riekkola. The area south of Australia stretches over 2,000 km in an east-west direction and about 1,000 km north-south and key feeding areas are near the Subtropical Front, which is a boundary between warm, salty subtropical waters and cooler Antarctic waters. The zone is a destination for the whales from October to January, while they winter at the Maungahuka/Auckland Islands. Fifteen Australian whales tracked in the study had more diverse foraging grounds, leading scientists to ponder whether they will be better at adapting to the inevitable shifts in prey locations because of climate change. More information: Leena Riekkola et al, Large-scale differences, mesoscale similarities: Neighbouring marine predator populations provide insights into Southern Ocean productivity, Global Ecology and Conservation (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03788 Journal information: Global Ecology and Conservation By Chen Aizhu and Vladimir Soldatkin SINGAPORE/MOSCOW (Reuters) -China is seeking to buy more Russian gas through an existing pipeline as talks between the two countries have failed to make progress on building a second link, thwarting Moscow's quest for new outlets, two industry sources told Reuters. Energy is expected to be high on the agenda when Russian and Chinese leaders Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping meet in China next week. A breakthrough on the $13.6-billion Power of Siberia 2 pipeline project to supply 50 billion cubic metres of gas to China's northwest during the visit is unlikely, however, the sources said. Instead, they say China is considering increasing its purchases of gas via the existing Power of Siberia 1 pipeline from the current 38 bcm. The sources could not be named because they were not authorised to speak publicly on the issue. Russia is keen to expand oil and gas exports to Asia after losing European markets because of Western sanctions in response to its invasion of Ukraine. For more than 50 years, Russia has supplied gas to Europe from West Siberia, which used to provide 180 bcm a year, or up to 40% of Europe's gas needs, generating up to $90 billion a year for Moscow. Russia began deliveries to China in 2019 from East Siberia via the Power of Siberia 1 pipeline. The West and East Siberian producing areas are not yet interconnected and Moscow hopes to reroute gas from West Siberia to China by building the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline. Gazprom originally designed the pipeline to try to make China and the EU compete for gas from those fields. The project became even more important for Moscow after the EU halted most of Russian gas imports in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Moscow and Beijing, however, have failed to agree on pricing for the gas and funding for the pipeline despite more than a decade of talks. Gazprom did not respond to requests for comment. GAZPROM COULD EARN $1.5 BILLION PER YEAR China's growing domestic gas output and production of renewables have cut its appetite for energy, although geopolitical risks such as sanctions make inland imports from Russia more attractive, said Tatiana Mitrova from Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation are in talks to boost supplies via the Power of Siberia 1 pipeline by 6 bcm per year from 2031, a Beijing-based industry source said. CNPC did not respond to a request for comment. The new supply could generate $1.5 billion a year for Gazprom, based on a price of gas of $250 per 1,000 cubic metres, according to Reuters calculations. China's state-owned infrastructure monopoly PipeChina has launched a study to expand its domestic network in preparation for receiving more gas via the Power of Siberia 1 pipeline, a second Beijing-based industry source involved in the studies said. Construction could begin in the second half of 2026, the executive added. PipeChina did not respond to an emailed request for comment. Russia and China are discussing raising flows via the Power of Siberia 1 to 45 bcm, said Sergey Sanakoev, the head of the Asia-Pacific Research Centre in Moscow, who has been involved in Russia-China talks on energy. Gazprom has said the pipeline can pump more than its nameplate capacity of 38 bcm. "It doesn't mean that Power of Siberia 2 will be abandoned," Sanakoev said. Russia is also due to start supplying China with gas via a pipeline from the Pacific island of Sakhalin in 2027. The plans call for supply of 10 bcm per year. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, Olesya Astakhova and Oksana Kobzeva in Moscow, Chen Aizhu in Singapore; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Barbara Lewis) Xi, Modi hold fruitful meeting: senior official Xinhua) 17:28, August 31, 2025 Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. Modi is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) TIANJIN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a fruitful meeting and reached new important consensus on the development of bilateral relations, a senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official said Sunday. Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Modi, who is in Tianjin to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2025. China is willing to work with India to enhance friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage and resolve differences, and promote the further improvement and development of China-India relations, Cai said. Modi said he and Xi have reached new important consensus on the long-term development of India-China relations, which provides a solid foundation for deepening cooperation. India welcomes the resumption of the inter-party exchange and cooperation mechanism, he noted. The 75th anniversary of the establishment of India-China diplomatic relations marks another milestone in bilateral relations, and India stands ready to work with China to contribute to the advancement of bilateral ties as well as global peace and development, said Modi. Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. Modi is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liu Ning) BRUSSELS (AP) European defense ministers pledged Friday to ramp up support for Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia, a day after a Russian air assault on Kyiv killed 23 people and badly damaged a European diplomatic compound. Outrage over the attack propelled Europe's leaders to condemn Russia even before Friday's meeting and call for tougher measures on Moscow like seizing frozen assets, further sanctions and increasing support for Ukraines military and membership in the European Union. Everybody understands that, considering how (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is mocking the peace efforts, the only thing that works is pressure, said Kaja Kallas, foreign policy chief for the European Union. They also discussed European troops' deployment in Ukraine to guarantee security and monitor a peace that seems distant as American efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia appear stalled. Kyivs European allies are looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement, and a coalition of 30 countries, including European nations, Japan and Australia, has signed up to support the initiative. Kallas said that in terms of security guarantees for Ukraine, the U.S. is demanding that Europe carry the lions share of the burden. Military chiefs are figuring out how that security force might work. The role that the U.S. might play is unclear. Trump has ruled out sending U.S. troops to help defend Ukraine against Russia. On Thursday, two missiles landed about 50 meters from an EU diplomatic mission in Kyiv, shattering the office's windows and doors but causing no injuries there. The EU summoned Russia's envoy in Brussels, Karen Malayan, and told her that damages to the mission are serious and constitute a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, said Anitta Hipper, an EU foreign policy spokersperson. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on airstrikes against Ukraine on Friday afternoon at the request of Ukraine and five European council members Britain, France, Slovenia, Denmark and Greece. Two of Ukraines top envoys were set to meet Friday with the Trump administration regarding mediation. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Thursday's attack on Kyiv. She said that Trump was not happy about this news, but he was also not surprised. Leavitt noted that Ukraine has also launched effective assaults on Russias oil industry in recent weeks. Perhaps both sides of this war are not ready to end it themselves, Leavitt said. The president wants it to end, but the leaders of these two countries must want it to end as well. In Copenhagen, Kallas said defense ministers from across the 27-nation bloc discussed increasing sanctions on Russia, ramping up defense supplies to Ukraines army and European contribution to postwar security guarantees, which could include EU training missions into Ukraine once a ceasefire is in place. At a news conference following the meeting, Kallas said that the ministers had discussed ways to work around Hungarys refusal to back Ukraine. She said the EU has 6.6 billion euros blocked by Hungary's veto that could potentially be sent to Ukraine via NATOs new Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List approved by Trump. On Thursday, the United States approved a $825 million arms sale to Ukraine that will include extended-range missiles and related equipment to boost its defensive capabilities. Lithuanias Defense Minister Dovil? Sakalien? said the attack on Kyiv on Thursday shows that hope now for peace is naive and that all Putin is doing is really stalling, actually cheaply buying time to kill more people and to imitate sort of willingness to maybe stop his own murderous actions. She said Europe must deal with Russia more forcefully, like seizing frozen Russian assets. That is actually one power that we are not using enough yet, she said. Over 200 billion of Russian assets would be extremely helpful in both pumping this money in Ukrainian defense industry and buying American weapons. Simon Harris, Irelands defense minister, said more must be done to force Russia to end the war. Its imperative that those of us in the European Union now consider further sanctions, what more measures can be taken to increase the pressure on Russia to end this brutal and aggressive war on Ukraine and the huge impact that thats having on civilians, he said. European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen began a tour of EU nations bordering Russia or Belarus on Friday, including visits to arms factories and border installations. She met Friday with Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina and toured a drone manufacturer. Guwahati: Commending Assam government for deciding to name the under-construction DighalipukhuriNoonmati flyover in the city after legendary Kamrup ruler Prithu Maharaj, a forum of nationalist citizens appeals to State chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for erecting a life-size statue of the iconic ruler of Kamrup (ancient Assam), also known as Visvasundaradeva, along with the longest flyover in northeast India. The Patriotic People's Front Assam (PPFA), in a statement, also lauded CM Sarma's views that the move was a part of the State government's sacred duty to preserve Assam's cultural heritage and to inspire younger generations by honouring historical figures who defended the region against aggression by Islamic invaders. Sarma, after hoisting the Tricolour on the occasion of 79th Independence Day at Khanapara, announced that the four-lane elevated corridor (measuring around 5 kilometre) connecting Dighalipukhuri (Ambari) area with Noonmati locality will be named after the medieval Kamarupa king, who defeated the Turkish-Afghan invader Mohamad -I- Bakhtiyar Khilji and annihilated his army in 1206 CE. By then, the Muslim aggressor killed over 10,000 Buddhist monks and destroyed well-known centres of learning Nalanda and Vikramshila in central India. Khilji even tried to invade Tibet bypassing the Kamrup kingdom, but could not overpower the Tibetan forces and returned back through the Kamrup territory, when mighty warrior Prithu dismantled his armed forces, somewhere in present day North Guwahati. While on retreat the notorious invader was assassinated by his own general Ali Mardan. "Prithu Maharaj should be honoured as he stood firmly against the invaders to safeguard the Hindu cultural legacy of Kamrup, where Sanskrit was recognised as Raj Bhasa, and prevented an early foreign aggression in this part of Bharat. The legendary Kamrup ruler earned strategic support from various tribal communities like Bodo, Koch- Rajbongshi, Keot, to overpower the Muslim forces," stated the PPFA, adding the victory over Khilji by the Kamrup Nripati is now remembered in Assam as Mahavijay Diwas (27 March), however the historians in the rest of India are yet to recognise the valour and nationalism of Prithu, which should be restored with due honour and admiration. Kathmandu, Nepal, August 31, 2025: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has raised the issue of Lipulek during the bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday. In the meeting held on the eve of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 on Saturday in Tianjin of China, Prime Minister Oli asserted that the territory belongs to Nepal, and the Government of Nepal registered its strong objection to the recent understanding reached between India and China on border trade through Lipulek. The Embassy of Nepal in Beijing has stated through a press statement that the Prime Minister Oli also made clear that the area lies within Nepalese territory, and the Government of Nepal has lodged a strong objection to the agreement. As the China and India reached an agreement to reopen the historic Lipulek Pass during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India on August 18 and 19, the issue of Lipulek has come into a front at again. The two countries had also agreed to open the Pass for trade during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to China in 2015. However, the agreement had not come into implementation after armies of the two countries had clashed in Laddakh in 2020. The Nepal government has already sent a diplomatic note to the government of India and China protesting the agreement made without Nepals notice. Angry mob throws rocks, sets fire to Cozumel military base on allegations of sexual abuse Cozumel, Q.R. State officials say an investigation has been started into allegations of sexual abuse against a minor girl. The allegations became public Saturday night when a girl of around 9 was allegedly sexually abused by a member of the military. According to available information, the girl was selling pork rinds in a public area near the military base at the time of the incident. She was taken to hospital where the investigation is continuing. After news broke of the event, dozens of angry residents gathered outside the military base. The front facade was covered in graffiti. Glass windows were left shattered and at least two fires were set. Police in riot gear manned the front military entrance to the base. A line of approximately a dozen police outfitted with shields and helmets kept the angry mob at bay. Rioters set fire to a window after breaking the glass early Sunday morning. In a brief statement Sunday, authorities reported the FGE of Quintana Roo (Attorney Generals Office) reports the initiation of an investigation to clarify the events related to an alleged sexual abuse of a minor, which occurred in the municipality of Cozumel. At least a dozen police in riot gear manned the front entrance after windows were broken. Likewise, this Social Representative is conducting the corresponding inquiries into the disturbances reported this morning at the Military Garrison facilities stationed on the island. The State Attorney Generals Office reiterates its commitment to zero impunity and to acting in strict adherence to the law to ensure justice. One rioter arrived with a plastic bottle of gasoline that he threw at the front entrance before igniting it. Brigadier General Armando Toscano Yanez, Commander of the Cozumel Military Garrison, called for rioters to remain calm Sunday morning, saying that the allegations of sexual assault of a young girl by a soldier will be investigated. Mundo Maya announces free Playa Mangle access ahead of planned Tulum demonstration Tulum, Q.R. UPDATED: Pedestrian access to Playa Mangle in the national park will be allowed free of charge. On Saturday, the day before a mass protest was scheduled, Grupo Mundo Maya who manages the park, made the announcement. According to the Jaguar Park management company, the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), made the decision. According to the announcement, it was agreed to optimize direct pedestrian access to Playa Mangle and by extension, to the surrounding beaches bordering Jaguar Park, by allowing access through the parks south entrance. The purpose of this agreement is to facilitate responsible and controlled access to the most emblematic natural areas of the Mexican Caribbean, while ensuring environmental conservation and respect for Mexicos cultural heritage, the statement said. The company published the statement the day before dozens of Tulum resident protested outside the park. On Sunday, protestors held a planned street demonstration at 10:00 a.m., arriving with banners demanding authorities put an end to charges for beach access. A section of the federal highway was blocked Sunday morning by angry residents demanding free access to Jaguar Park and the beaches located within it. The protest was in response to the failure of Grupo Mundo Maya (formally GAFSACOMM), to comply with agreements to allow free access to municipality residents. Protesters carried banners and tarps Sunday saying Out with GAFSACOMM, Military, businessmen and politicians profiting from what belongs to the people, No more dispossession disguised as progress! and Free access to the beaches now! Protesters warn that tourism, the foundation of the local economy, is being killed by projects and fees that make access to natural spaces a privilege. They said tourists continually comment about the high prices of the park, while locals suffer from a decline in visitors. One protestor explained they were upset because those of us who live in Tulum are tired of companies taking over what is our heritage, like the archaeological sites and the beaches. So, this is a peaceful demonstration to demand what is ours as citizens, which is access to the beaches and the economic benefits we used to enjoy in Tulum. Some protested the ongoing problem with a lack of beach access in the Tulum Hotel Zone. The demonstration, which grew to nearly 200 people, took place despite the Saturday announcement of free access to Playa Mangle. On Sunday, the Secretary of Public Security (SSC) of Tulum, confirmed the Mundo Maya announcement of free Playa Mangle access. Following instructions from Mayor Diego Castanon Trejo, this morning the Secretary of Public Safety and Citizen Protection, Edgar Aguilar Rico, held a meeting with Oscar Flores, supervisor of Jaguar Park. The SSC head of Tulum, Edgar Aguilar Rico, confirmed free foot access to Playa Mangle. During this meeting, the content of the newsletter disseminated on social media regarding the commitments of the working groups between the Mundo Maya Group, the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) was confirmed. The commitment to optimize direct pedestrian access to the mangrove beach and surrounding beaches adjacent to Jaguar Park through the southern access. It should be noted that pedestrian access will be through the southern access of the aforementioned Jaguar Park. With this measure, the connection between the community and its natural heritage is strengthened, reaffirming the right to the responsible use of our beaches and protected areas. Together, the transformation advances, the Secretaria de Seguridad Publica y Proteccion Ciudadana de Tulum reported. UPDATE September 1: Tulum protestors held their demonstration against the Parque del Jaguar management company more than 12 hours Sunday. Federal 307 highway traffic was blocked in both directions during the protest against managing company Mundo Maya. Edgar Aguilar Rico The highway was finally freed of demonstrators after a Monday afternoon meeting was agreed between both sides. Representatives of the protesters will meet with Tulum City Council Monday afternoon. According to Tulum SSC Secretariat Edgar Aguilar Rico, After more than twelve hours of blockades by residents and business owners in the municipality of Tulum, the protesters agreed to open Federal Highway 307 in both directions. Tulum protestors demonstrated more than 12 hours Sunday. Throughout the day, municipal authorities made several attempts to establish a dialogue. Finally, it was agreed that on Monday, September 1, at 3:30 p.m., representatives of the protesters would be received in the council chamber of the Honorable Tulum City Council. Both sides have agreed to a Monday 3:30 p.m. meeting. It should be noted that, although the matter falls under federal jurisdiction, on the instructions of the mayor, the Secretary of Public Security and Citizen Protection, Edgar Aguilar Rico, remained on site throughout the entire process, promoting dialogue and ensuring the safety of all participants. We are grateful to those who, despite all odds, remained calm and maintained order. Climate Science Glossary Term Lookup Enter a term in the search box to find its definition. Settings Use the controls in the far right panel to increase or decrease the number of terms automatically displayed (or to completely turn that feature off). by Carol A Westbrook This is the story of a young man who, to protect the health of his family and neighbors, dared to take on the town, county, state, and federal government, the US Dept. of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and even the Sierra Club. And he won. It was 1985. Recently divorced, Rick (that was his name), had custody of his two young children for the three summer months. When the marital home was sold, he promised the children a new home that was better than the previous one; they were delighted when he bought a new beach home on top of a tall sand dune, on the shores of Lake Michigan, near the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, which would eventually become the Indiana Dunes National Park. Both operated under the auspices of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Ricks house was located in the town of Beverly Shores, Indiana. Beverly Shores began as a resort community planned in1927 by real estate developer Frederick Bartlett of Chicago, but the Great Depression hampered development. The lack of municipal water and sewer systems also contributed to the Towns slow development. Ricks new home, as did all the other homes in Town, relied on a well for its potable water supply, and on a septic system to purify waste water before discharging it deep into the ground. National building codes specified how these two facilities were to be constructed and maintained, in what type of soil they could be located, and how far apart septics needed to be sited from wells in order to prevent cross-contamination. The well water was pure and free from contamination so long as the codes were meticulously followed, in particular that septics were sited in dry soil and discharged a safe distance from the wells. Initially, the Town of Beverly Shores was a collection of inexpensive, small, wooden cottages that housed people with independent income such as artists. In the nineteen-fifties and sixties, building began to include larger and more architecturally interesting homes, no doubt stimulated by the stunning surroundings and spectacular views over the lake. About half were sold as vacation homes, and the rest to permanent residents, of which Ricks home was one. The majority of home buyers came from nearby Chicago; even today, about half of the 600 residents live in Town on a full-time basis and the remainder use their Beverly Shores house as a vacation home. From the get-go, Beverly Shores was a center of controversy. It was located in one of the most beautiful and unique ecosystems of the US. In addition to the pristine sandy beaches and towering dunes, it hosts rare plants such as the striking Blue Lobelia and the Eastern Fringed Prairie Orchid. The co-existence of plants native to both the northern and southern US is unique for any location in the U.S. Over 270 species of migratory birds can be viewed in the spring as they make their way up from the south. Nature lovers considered the Indiana Dunes to be a treasure that must be preserved. Ironically, the dunes were initially considered to be valueless land, as they were not arable, and buildings located on the shifting sands could be unstable. This worthless land was acquired cheaply by large factories, such as he mills of US steel, or warehouses and harbors. By the 1950s it was clear that this unique ecosystem would soon disappear unless action was taken to preserve the remaining dunes. In the 1950s, the Save the Dunes Council was founded with an eye toward halting development and returning this ecosystem to its natural state. The Council played a critical role in helping to establish the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, which later became the Indiana Dunes National Park. To obtain land, the National Park purchased the parcels it desired through eminent domain. The most common arrangement was the lease-back, in which the purchased property was leased back to the previous owner at a low rent for 18 years or until 2010 whichever came first. At the end of the contract the home would be demolished and the natural setting restored. These arrangements were financially very favorable to the seller, but the owner of the property had no choice, and could not refuse to sell if the federal government exerted their power of eminent domain. The residents of the Town were split in their support of the National Lakeshore; many wanted to remain intact as a Town while others wanted to take the deal. The Save the Dunes Council would have liked the entire town be to incorporated into the National Lakeshore, while many did not want to leave, especially those of the newer homes. The Red Lantern Inn and restaurant was on a premier lake shore location and was purchased as a leaseback by the National Lakeshore; their lease was due to end in 1986, at the time of this story. This lucrative business was in the process of negotiating for an extension of the lease, which was likely to be approved, because it was a big draw for Lakeshore visitors, helping to maintain a high visitor count, which was vital to the success of the National Lakeshore. The Red Lantern was a local landmark, and the Town residents wanted it to remain open whether they were pro-park or anti-park. A resort and restaurant had operated on this site since the 1930s, and in 1968 it was purchased by the Larson brothers. The location was stunning; you could sit and eat a meal watching either the sunrise or the sunset. The Larsons employed local highschoolers for the summer; the local chapter of the Sierra Club met there, as did the Save The Dunes Council. Banquet rooms were rented for weddings, birthdays and other festivities. Most importantly, there was plenty of parking in a lot across Lake Front Drive (which was immediately across the street from Ricks dune.) Nobody wanted the closed, least of all Dale Enquist, the head of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Although he had plans for a lakefront facility for park visitors in this location, that would be in the far distant future. For now, keeping it open would help to maintain good relations between the Town and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. In July of 1985, Ricks two young kids came out for the first weekend of their summer, and spent the next 2 delightful days on the beach playing in the water, building sandcastles and meeting their neighbors. On Monday, the National Lake Shore had posted signs on the beach across from Ricks house: no swimming, water polluted. The family had to walk about a quarter mile to the next beach, which did not have a high bacterial count. The contaminating bacteria were primarily coliforms. Coliforms reside in the human intestine, and their presence in the water meant likely contamination by human waste, toilets, or septic effluent. Exposure to fecal contamination can lead to a variety of serious illnesses, including salmonella, dysentery, diarrhea, infectious e. coli, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Keeping coliform counts low in drinking and swimming water is one of the most important principles of public health. Fortunately, come Friday the signs had been removed and the beach was open for the weekend crowds. But sure enough, the no swimmingwater polluted signs went up again on Monday. This pattern repeated again, frustrating Rick and his neighbors, many of whom felt cynically that taking the signs down on Friday allowed the National Lakeshore to keep their visitor count high. Although everyone complained about the lake pollution which had been going on for the last 3 years concurrent with record high lake levels, no one felt obliged to do anything about it. So Rick got together a number of nearby residents who were most affected by the closures. It was a good opportunity to meet his new neighbors and perhaps resolve the pollution problem. Although small lakes and pools can become contaminated if there are many swimmers, this is unlikely in a lake as big as Lake Michigan with its many currents. The group agreed that the coliform contamination must be coming from a septic system that was flooded due to the high water table resulting from the high lake level. But which septics? Flooded homeowners septic systems could contribute, especially as the water table was very high that year and some residential systems might be flooded. Again, the number would be insignificant compared to the vast size of the lake. The most likely possibility was The Red Lanterns septic system, particularly as the coliform contamination centered at its nearby beaches. Perhaps it had a septic system that was not functioning properly because it was saturated or under water due to the high lake level. A septic system is a passive method for purifying waste water, which removes bacteria and contaminants by allowing the water to slowly percolate through the soil, during which time the contaminants decompose due to the action of soil bacteria. The water then returns to the aquifer (the ground water) in a highly purified state. An effective septic requires a significant stretch of dry soil through which the waste water must travel before reaching he aquifer. When the ground water level is high the purification process is incomplete, and contaminated water will reach the aquifer; the septic is said to be saturated. That was the presumed problem with the Red Lanterns septic system, which allowed coliform bacteria to spill out into the lake, especially as it treated a high volume of sewage resulting from its large number of customers. As proof that the Red Lanterns septic was the source of the lake pollution, members of this group recalled an incident with a neighbor, a dentist, who wanted to test this theory. To do this, he went into the Red Lanterns rest room and flushed a quantity of concentrated methylene blue into the toilet. Methylene blue is the dye dentists use to detect caries and fractures in teeth. Needless to say, shortly after flushing the dye it appeared in the lake adjacent to the restaurant. He repeated the experiment 3 times, and the conclusion did not change. As this information was disseminated throughout the town, it became clear that the Red Lantern was the source of the high coliform count in Broadway Beach, adjacent to the restaurant, and in the adjoining town beach, because the Lanterns septic system was under water. Although everybody hoped the Red Lantern would remain in business, nobody wished this at the expense of the Towns health. Rick, in particular, wanted to stop this pollution before one of his kids caught something dreadful. In the early summer, Rick himself had had a fever and cough which lasted several days, shortly after swimming in the lake. The general consensus was that if the Red Lanterns septic was under water, it would have to be relocated to a dry area. Furthermore, this would require following the newer national plumbing codes which, for a commercial septic, would require a large leaching field. The obvious location for this field would be the lot that the Red Lantern was currently renting from a private owner for its parking lot. This field was across Broadway from Ricks house, and across Lake Front Drive from the Red Lantern; the Lantern was diagonally across from Ricks lot. The sewage would have to reach this field by a pipe which would cross the street underground; the Town would have to grant a variance to allow the pipe to cross the road, which would likely be granted. Using the current parking lot for the new septic field seemed an ideal solution, and Dale Enquist, the Superintendent of the Park, favored this solution, as it could be implemented quickly and would solve the problem of contaminated beach water once and for all. However, the plumbing codes require that the leaching field not have any structures or roads on it, and so it could no longer be used as the parking lot for the Red Lantern. If this design of the septic system were used, it is likely that the State Board of Health would not certify the septic system as safe unless the parking lot were elsewhere. But a nearby parking lot was critical for the business success of the restaurant. Furthermore, a number of residents, including Rick, had wells that were 100 feet or less from the proposed leaching field, and were at risk of contamination of their wells, given the large volume of sewage that would be pumped daily into the field. Ricks next step was to take this problem to the Beverly Shores Town Council, the governing body of the town. As he explained in a letter to the council, he was a licensed professional engineer, and well qualified to evaluate this problem and propose alternative solutions. In a letter dated May 3,1986, he listed four ways to deal with the Red Lanterns sewage problem that would avoid frequent closing of the town beaches and contaminating the water supply. Eliminate the contamination by closing the Red Lantern Reduce the amount of sewage to levels that can be safely handled by a non-pressure manifolded system, by serving fewer customers. In other words, sharply reduce the seating capacity of the Lantern and eliminate the large banquet crowds. Pipe the effluent to uninhabited areas to the west or southwest of the Lantern, [instead of the parking lot.] The National Park lands might be appropriate since the Lantern is a federal leaseholder and apparently Park Superintendant Enquist wants to approve their lease extension. Use a system of closed pumped holding tanks. Mr. Enquist, as superintendant of the National Lakeshore, favored using the parking lot as a leaching field. (He was apparently unaware that the National Codes did not allow this). He stated that the system meets state requirements for separation of commercial septic systems from adjacent residential property and wells [100 ft] and we do not feel that your well or any other wells in the area will be contaminated. On the contrary, Rick and his colleagues felt that this separation was inadequate, and preferred that the National Lakeshore offer a plot of land to be used as a leaching field that was further removed from the restaurant and from other residents wells. At this point it was clear that that the Towns (and the National lakeshores) interests in keeping the Red Lantern open were at odds with the interests of Rick and a half dozen citizens of the Town who did not wish to contaminate their water supply. Rick continued his letter-writing campaign, appealing to all individuals and institutions that might have an interest in this problem, or that might be able to help. Rick contacted the Sierra Club and the Save the Dunes Councilwho continued to hold their monthly meetings at the Red Lantern; neither organization wanted to get involved, in spite of the fact that both were committed to preserving the natural state of the Indiana Dunes, and the Lantern was flagrantly polluting the lake. Rick wrote to the county board of health, who admitted they had no jurisdiction over the National Lakeshore, which was an arm of the Department of the Interior. He wrote to Valdas V. Adamkus, regional administrator for the EPA. The EPA operates as an agency within the executive branch, responsible for enforcing environmental laws and setting national pollution-control standards. Adamkus claimed that he had no jurisdiction over the National Lakeshore, which was an agency of the Department of the Interior. (Interestingly Mr. Adamkus, an immigrant from Lithuania, and a naturalized citizen of the US, was later elected president of Lithuania). So far, Rick was unable to find anyone to take his side; he realized that the only group who had authority to intervene over a federal agency was Congress. Finally, in a Hail Mary attempt, Rick wrote to Indianas two senators, Richard Lugar and Dan Quayle, Please do what you can to stop the renewal of the (Red Lanterns) lease. As members of Congress, the senators had the power to persuade the Department of the Interior to intervene. Throughout the next few months Rick kept the senators apprised of the situation as it developed. The summer dragged on and the coliform contamination continued unabated. The newsletter of the Association of Beverly Shores Residents, reported the coliform counts. For example, on August 5, the beach at Central Avenue, 34; Broadway Beach, 394; Red Lantern East, 1510; Red Lantern West, 1100; State Park Road 6. (Counts more than 400 are considered hazardous for swimming.) The reports clearly showed a peak of hazardous coliform counts centering at the beaches surrounding the Red Lantern. By this time, most of the residents of the Town were aware of the problem. The majority of residents, along with the Park Superintendent, Dale Enquist, favored moving the septic system to the Red Lanterns parking lot; a vocal minority of about a dozen residents, including Rick, disapproved of this solution, which was likely to poison their wells with incompletely-treated septic effluent. This stalemate was resolved when the Red Lantern petitioned for an extension of its leaseback to January 2000, instead of its current December 1986. The extension was justified in that this date is more in line with all the other leasebacks in the National Lakeshore area. The Larson brothers, the owners of the restaurant, were anxious to continue the lucrative business for as long as possible. As a condition of this renewal, Mr. Enquist required that the Lantern install a commercial septic system that would handle the amount of septic effluent produced by the restaurant, approximately, 7,000 gallons per day. He also required that the Larsons keep up the property and bring it to current standardsthat meant a new roof, new carpeting, an additional emergency exit, and so on. Adding these new provisions to the leaseback requirements was a clever move on behalf of Mr. Enquist, as it gave the appearance that he was in favor of supporting the Red Lantern, while he knew the upkeep requirements would make it too expensive for the restaurant to continue, and they would likely have to close. Rick always suspected that the Senators pressured Mr. Enquist to find a way to close the Red Lantern. As Senator Lugar wrote to Rick, Responding to the concerns of individual Hoosiers in dealing with the federal government remains an important part of my work as a U.S. Senator. Congress had power over the Dept. of the Interior, and the two senators from Indiana chose to wield it. The Indiana Dept. of Public Health reviewed the Larsons plans for the septic and found it acceptable. Yet to implement these plans as well as the required building renovation would require an investment of $200,000, or over a half million in todays dollars. Those costs would be a wasted investment Ken Larson told the Michigan City Post Dispatch on Oct 4, 1986, because when the current lease agreement expires in 1999 it wont be renewed. The National Park Service plans to knock down all the buildings on the Lake by 1999, he said, Why stick around? And indeed they didnt stick around, though Kenny, one of the two Larson brothers, pursuing his dream of running a restaurant, opened Hammers Food & Drink in nearby Michigan City. Hammers was a popular restaurant, though it never had the cachet that the Red Lantern did. It stayed open until its losses due to Covid forced it to close on March 30, 2024. The Red Lantern Inn closed its doors for the final time on Saturday, October 4, 1986.The closure of the Red Lantern cleaned up the lake pollution and prevented contamination of nearby wells. Furthermore, it gave Mr. Enquist the opportunity to build the Lake View facility, a welcoming entrance to the now-pristine sand beaches of what is now the 61st national park, the Indiana Dunes National Park, established in 2019. Rick managed to turn the tides by enlisting the aid of the Senators to challenge the federal government, and the result was a win-win for everyone. As you may already know, Rick Rikoski is my husband, though I did not know him at the time of this story. He was so inspired by this experience that he continued to play a role in the political life of Beverly Shores, serving on the Town Council for 24 years. During that time, he led a number of initiatives that included bringing in municipal water to the towns residents, engaging the Army Corps of Engineers to prevent beach erosion with limestone block revetments, facilitating a compromise between the deer hunters and the deer protectors that would lower the deer population and save the ecosystem, and facilitating the dark skies initiative by turning off many of the overhead street lights in town. These initiatives improved the quality of life for the residents of Beverly Shores, a small town that now resides peacefully within the boundaries of the Indiana Dunes National Park. Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now. This is One Thing, a column with tips on how to live. Its fair to describe me as an itchy, splotchy person. I get it from both sides of my family. A classic tale from my childhood could be titled, In Which I Climbed a Tree, Got Bitten by a Totally Average Spider, and the Bite Swelled to the Size of My Shoulder. I lived among North American mosquitoes for the first 35 years of my life, which would sometimes cause bites about the size of the pad of my pinkie finger. They mightve stuck around for a week or so, but they were manageable. All I had to do was try not to scratch, slap some calamine lotion on if it got really uncomfortable, and carry on with my life. Then I moved to Belgrade, Serbia. In the same way that New Yorkers often take summer trips to the Jersey Shore, Belgraders head to Greece. I dont know whether my immune system is still adjusting after three years to a different set of mosquito species, or if theres something inherently more virulent about the local culicidae. I do know that, a few summers ago, while lying on one of the beaches at the height of midday sunshine, I caught a mosquito taking a sip out of my shoulder, and, over the course of an hour, the resulting bump approached the dimensions of a nickel. It began to develop scales, which was new for me. At the apoteka, I tried to communicate with the pharmacist. No cell service meant no translation app. She (quite understandably) didnt speak English, I (less understandably) didnt speak Greek, and none of my bits of other languages were proving useful. I resorted to scrolling through various pronunciations of the thing I needed, hoping that one would be recognizable. Cah-luh-mine? Cala-mee-nay? When that failed, I pointed at the bite and mimed a scratching motion. She mimed back that I shouldnt scratch. I gave her a shrug-grimace combo. She pointed at a little glass tube, wrapped in a Korres label, with English text under the Greek declaring its usefulness for insect bites. It cost three euros. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I bought it, rubbed the metal rollerball all over that inflamed sucker, and felt instant relief. The potion worked, better than anything Id ever tried. My bites cleared up in two or three days. I returned to Belgrade thinking how lucky I was that this magical herb juice existed, was inexpensive, packaged in a way that was likely to keep the contents fresh, and would probably last me a yearif not more. And then it rolled off the bathroom counter and shattered. I searched every drugstore chain and luxury self-care shop in the city. I scoured delivery apps and store websites. There were plenty of Korres products, but no Melissa Herbal After Bite Stick. Even if I had located a replacement in Serbia at the time, the cost would have likely been three times the price it had been in Greece. (A phenomenon becoming all too familiar for U.S. residents as tariffs increase importation costs.) Advertisement Then an idea struck me. Whats on the active ingredient list? Beauty and skincare aficionados have long been tracking down the active ingredients in their products to find exactly what theyre looking for and often, to get similar products for less. What I needed seemed to be a mixture of Melissa officinalis (also known as lemon balm), sage, thyme, mallow, and horse chestnut tinctures. The specific bite treatment I was missing was made by a natural skincare brand based out of a country that is both within driving distance and has a long history of cultural exchangethe odds were high that my local health food store would have similar ingredients. Advertisement In the end, the local health food store carries a tincture of the component that seems to work best for me: lemon balm. So, if youre in need of some mosquito-bite relief, read through the labels at your local pharmacy to pick up a lemon balm concoction of your own. And take a look at the active ingredients elsewhere in your medicine cabinet. This strategy might be useful when its time to replace an expensive moisturizer or a glass serum bottle that sadly meets its end by rolling off the counter. Those ingredients are the ones doing the heavy lifting. Sure, I have to live without the fancy rollerball. The rollerball is a nonessential nicety. And, where the Korres product smells modern, my tincture has a certain medicinal whiff. But it gets the job done. If anyones coming from Greece to Belgrade, though could you do me a 15 millilitersized favor? Top sophomore trotters contested two divisions of the Simcoe Stakes to head the Maple Leaf Trot/Canadian Pacing Derby night undercard, which also featured a pair of $90,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Leg 4 splits for sophomore pacing males, on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Louis-Philippe Roy planted Emoticon Legacy on the point and carved a comfortable mile as the 1-5 chalk to take the Grade 3 $158,125 Simcoe open division in a stakes record 1:50.3. Roy fired Emoticon Legacy out of post six to reach the fore approaching a :27.2 first quarter while Maryland (Dexter Dunn), off as the 9-5 second choice, pushed from the pylon post to race fourth. No challenges on the leader and a slowed tempo to a :57 half then forced Maryland to mount a first-over bid after Emoticon Hanover, at which point Roy promptly hit the accelerator through the far turn. Emoticon Legacy peeled clear enough of the pack that Maryland had room to briefly tuck into the pocket and prepare for a stretch battle passing three-quarters in 1:24. But Maryland lost stride turning for home, leaving Emoticon Legacy on a wide lead as Roy geared him down before crossing the finish to win by 7-1/4 lengths. P L Spencer (Bob McClure) rallied for second with Fadeaway Hanover (James MacDonald) settling for third. You dont want to go too fast for no reason, but I was feeling a little bad, felt like he couldve gone [1:]49 easily tonight, said Roy after the race. For a trotting stallion, [1:]49s kind of the catching number instead of [1:]50, but hes going to have a chance again. He was so, so good tonight. It was just a training mile for him. Emoticon Legacys 1:50.3 mile nonetheless lowered the stakes record in the Simcoe, chopping a second off the 1:51.3 mark established last year by 2024 Hambletonian runner-up Highland Kismet. He was also one-fifth off tying his own Canadian record that he set when winning the Goodtimes earlier this year. Luc Blais trains Emoticon Legacy, a homebred Walner colt out of the champion mare Emoticon Hanover, for owner Determination of Montreal, Que. The colt won his fifth race from seven starts this season and his ninth race from 14 starts in his career, good for $871,270 in earnings. He paid $2.70 to win. With the victory, Blais reached a milestone with career earnings surpassing $30 million. R Dutchess, off a pocket ride, mounted a formidable challenge against 8-5 second-choice Lasting Dream to take the Grade 3 $159,725 Simcoe Stakes division for fillies in 1:52.4. Tim Tetrick sent R Dutchess forward out of post five and brushed by early leader Sprite Seelster (Tyler Borth) to take the top after a :27 first quarter. Once she cleared to the lead, Lasting Dream (Roy) popped out of third and zipped along the rim to seize command and place R Dutchess into the pocket on the move to a :56.1 half. More challengers loomed through the far turn with Highlandstarburst (Yannick Gingras) hoisting the mast outside, and she ranged within a length of the Lasting Dream on the march to three-quarters in 1:25.3. But Highlandstarburst bobbled off stride rounding the bottom corner, giving R Dutchess space to tip outside and gather momentum for a homestretch sprint. R Dutchess grinded past Lasting Dream nearing the final eighth of a mile and drove away to win by two lengths. Sprite Seelster finished third. I took a little bit of a shot, but I was following one of the best horses in the race, Tetrick said of his potentially locked trip in the race. I had really been racing her hard, so I thought the worst-case scenario was that shed find room late, and she got lucky and did. Susie Kerwood assumed training duties on R Dutchess from John Butenschoen for the fillys Canadian campaign, which points next to the Elegantimage eliminations on Friday, Sept. 12. R Dutchess, leased by M And L of Delaware/Armitage Farm, won her fourth race from eight starts this season and improved to seven-for-20 overall with earnings of $515,626. Shes been good, Tetrick said. She just had one little hiccup on Hambo elimination night; we thought shed be a contender in the Oaks. Shes been good every start; shes been one-two every time. Shes a really nice filly. Shes starting to get to show it. R Dutchess paid $3.20 to win. Fifth And Five and Allstar Maniac were the respective winners of the two Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold divisions. In the first Gold event, Fifth And Five won his sixth straight race, posting a 1:50.3 victory that was one length better than Backup Plan (Roy). Jody Jamieson drove the son of Bettors Delight-Filou Fly Fast to victory. Control Rocks (Borth) led the six-horse field to the :26.1 quarter, the :55.1 half and the 1:22.4 three-quarters with Fifth And Five lurking in the pocket. Shortly after the top of the stretch, Jamieson angled Fifth And Five out, and the colt and sprinted to victory. Set Shot (Bob McClure) was third. I thought I was going to have the inside there for a second, and [Borth] shut it off, Jamieson said. But, when I got him back out to the outside, God, he just dug in. He's just a good horse. He's a damn good horse. Third in his Gold test on May 24 at Mohawk, Fifth And Five shifted to the Grassroots side of the OSS program and won at Mohawk both on June 21 and July 15 in a career-best 1:49.2 in the latter before adding another Grassroots triumph on Aug. 2 at Hiawatha Horse Park. Saturday's victory was his first Gold win of the year and second lifetime. He's got so much confidence right now Its a real nice feather in our cap to come back up to the Gold and do right by this horse after a bit of a rough start early, Jamieson told Woodbine broadcaster John Rallis. Hes just such a nice little guy, and I'm so happy for everybody. Fifth And Five improved to 7-1-1 in 11 starts in 2025 and is now 9-3-2 in 20 lifetime outings. The $45,000 payday upped his seasonal bankroll to $130,402 and his lifetime earnings to $303,577. Fifth And Five is owned by Carl Jamieson of Puslinch, Ont., who trains him, 1140545 Ontario Ltd. of Guelph, Ont. and Trevor Edwards of Kirkton, Ont. The colt was bred by Darryl Kaplan of Toronto, Ont., along with Roy Spoxton and Harbhajan Singh Dhillon of Brampton, Ont. Fifth And Five paid $3.50 to win. In the second Gold event, MacDonald drove 1-9 favourite Allstar Maniac to a half-length win over Crack Shot (Doug McNair) in 1:49.4. MacDonald had Allstar Maniac three-wide on the first turn to get to the engine at the quarter in :26.3 in the field of seven, and the gelding led the way through fractions of :55.1 and 1:23.3, with Crack Shot on his heels most of the way. Crack Shot gained down the lane, but Allstar Maniac dug in to complete the victory. Finishing third was Sterling Choice (Billy Davis Jr.). I was three-wide early, but I knew what Doug was doing, MacDonald told Rallis. He was trying to get in the two-hole, so I was out there, but I wasn't pushing [Allstar Maniac] too hard, just kind of floating along So, I got stung, but it wasn't as bad, maybe, as it looked. And then I was able to rate him the rest of the way. I got a pretty good breather in the middle half, and then when he hits the top of the stretch, he just flies. "It was a tricky race, but it's always a cat-and-mouse race when there's money on the line, especially with a great driver like Doug and another great horse. The win was the second career Gold victory for Allstar Maniac, who set a 1:49 Canadian, track, and OSS record for a sophomore male pacer on a five-eighths mile track while winning the Aug. 4 Gold at Grand River Raceway. He's just a ball of speed. It's good to get the job done with him, MacDonald said. Winning trainer Nick Gallucci said Allstar Maniac is just a great racehorse. And like James said, at the head of the lane, he's just ready for all comers. It was nice to see tonight. The gelded son of All Bets Off-Shes A Maniac, owned by Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont. and bred by Allstar Farms of Millbank, Ont., improved to 4-0-2 in seven starts in 2025 and 6-1-4 in 14 career outings. Allstar Maniac has seasonal earnings of $126,320 and a lifetime bankroll of $265,784. Allstar Maniac paid $2.30 for the win. To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park. (Woodbine & Ontario Racing) Pinewood Hanover stumped the betting public at Kawartha Downs on Saturday, Aug. 30 as he went wire-to-wire with authority as the longest shot on the board at 16-1 in the $6,000 Preferred Handicap Trot. The gelding was fastest off the car in the five-horse field for Dagfin Henriksen, and he rebuffed second-choice Eden Onthehill (Nick Boyd), who was forced to retreat to the three-hole at the quarter in :27.2. Pinewood Hanover faced his next challenge as Ricky Resolve (Reg Gassien) marched up first-over approaching the half in :56.2, and the challenger was planted to the leaders outside to three-quarters in 1:25.1. Pinewood Hanover sped up around the last turn and created a gap between him and the rest, straightening for home a three-length leader. Henriksen kept him to task, and Pinewood Hanover reached the line a 1-3/4-length winner in 1:54.4. Ricky Resolve held second in a tough effort, followed by The Fixer (Ryan Guy). The winner paid $34.40. Pinewood Hanover, a six-year-old Explosive Matter-Pineys Schooner gelding, notched his 18th lifetime victory and increased his bankroll to $224,808 in his 96th start. Henriksen trains him for Quantum Farms Corp of Mahtomedi, Minn. To view Saturdays harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Kawartha Downs. (Standardbred Canada; photo of Pinewood Hanover from a previous win) This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Sea change: the floaters convert the power of waves into an electrical current. Floating blue paddles dance on the waves that lap a dock in the Port of Los Angeles, silently converting the power of the sea into usable electricity. This innovative installation may hold one of the keys to accelerating a transition away from fossil fuels that scientists say is necessary if the world is to avoid the worst effects of climate change. "The project is very simple and easy," Inna Braverman, co-founder of Israeli start-up Eco Wave Power, told AFP. Looking a little like piano keys, the floaters rise and fall with each wave. They are connected to hydraulic pistons that push a biodegradable fluid through pipes to a container filled with accumulators, which resemble large red scuba tanks. When the pressure is released, it spins a turbine that generates electrical current. If this pilot project convinces the California authorities, Braverman hopes to cover the entire 13-kilometer (eight-mile) breakwater protecting the port with hundreds of floaters that together would produce enough electricity to power 60,000 US homes. Supporters of the technology say wave energy is an endlessly renewable and always reliable source of power. Unlike solar power, which produces nothing at night, or wind power, which depends on the weather, the sea is always in motion. And there is a lot of it. Inna Braverman, co-founder of Israeli start-up Eco Wave Power, hopes to roll out the system to dozens more sites. Tough tech The waves off the American West Coast could theoretically power 130 million homesor supply around a third of the electricity used every year in the United States, according to the US Department of Energy. However wave energy remains the poor relation of other, better-known renewables, and has not been successfully commercialized at a large-enough scale. The history of the sector is full of company shipwrecks and projects sunk by the brutality of the high seas. Developing devices robust enough to withstand the fury of the waves, while transmitting electricity via underwater cables to the shore, has proven to be an impossible task so far. "Ninety-nine percent of competitors chose to install in the middle of the ocean, where it's super expensive, where it's breaking down all the time, so they can't really make projects work," Braverman said. With her retractable dock-mounted device, the entrepreneur believes she has found the answer. "When the waves are too high for the system to handle, the floaters just rise to the upward position until the storm passes, so you have no damage." The design appeals to Krish Thiagarajan Sharman, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. "The Achilles heel of wave energy is in the costs of maintenance and inspection," he told AFP. "So having a device close to shore, where you can walk on a breakwater and then inspect the device, makes a lot of sense." Sharman, who is not affiliated with the project and whose laboratory is testing various wave energy equipment, said projects tend to be suited to smaller-scale demands, like powering remote islands. "This eight-mile breakwater, that's not a common thing. It's a rare opportunity, a rare location where such a long wavefront is available for producing power," he said. Supporters of the technology say wave energy is an endlessly renewable and always reliable source of power. AI power demand Braverman's Eco Wave Power is already thinking ahead, having identified dozens more sites in the United States that could be suitable for similar projects. The project predates Donald Trump's administration, but even before the political environment in Washington turned against renewables, the company was already looking beyond the US. In Israel, up to 100 homes in the port of Jaffa have been powered by waves since December. By 2026, 1,000 homes in Porto, Portugal should be online, with installations also planned in Taiwan and India. Braverman dreams of 20-megawatt projects, a critical capacity needed to offer electricity at rates that can compete with wind power. And, she said, the installations will not harm the local wildlife. "There's zero environmental impact. We connect to existent man-made structures, which already disturb the environment." Promises like this resonate in California, where the Energy Commission highlighted in a recent report the potential of wave energy to help the state achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. "The amount of energy that we're consuming is only increasing with the age of AI and data centers," said Jenny Krusoe, founder of AltaSea, an organization that helped fund the project. "So the faster we can move this technology and have it down the coastline, the better for California." 2025 AFP Aerial view of the modest infrastructure at Edgbaston Reserve. Source: Bush Heritage Australia A number of rare Australian species found nowhere else in the world now enjoy special protection at a dedicated reserve that was once a cattle station but is now the domain of ecologists and environmentalists looking to ensure the survival of some of our most unique species in a place which has mysteriously maintained their existence over the centuries. Considered an ecological site of "global importance", Edgbaston Reserve in Central Queensland now has government backed status to ensure its highly unique life doesn't disappear. Freshwater and wetlands ecologist Dean Gilligan spends about four to five months of the year at the site, where he and others work improve the future for 23 endemic animals as well as working to undo the mistakes of the past. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In particular the "terrible" mistake made by the Australian Army in the 1940s when it introduced a fish species called Gambusia, or Mosquitofish, as a mosquito or malaria control strategy. "It was a terrible idea, mostly because almost every native fish eats mosquito larvae anyway, so adding the extra fish to the ecosystem was a cane toad scenario," he said. "They've turned out to be a significant environmental pest and they're also one of the most invasive species ... they're really hard to keep out of waterways." Dr Dean Gilligan collecting samples at the site. Source: Bush Heritage Australia Among other things, they threaten the Red-finned blue-eye fish species which was on the brink of extinction when it was discovered on the property in 1990. But scientists have since carefully re-cultivated the species. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We've done that by translocating them into Gambusia-free springs to create extra populations. We've established captive breeding populations, both on the reserve and in Brisbane, and we've also commenced Gambusia eradications from springs that Red-finned blue-eye [fish] could be reintroduced to if the Gambusia were eliminated," Dean explained. It's been a little over a year since the area was granted Special Wildlife Reserve status the highest level of protection in the country after not-for-profit organisation Bush Heritage Australia purchased the land back in 2008 after raising millions of dollars from its supporters. "The impetus for the purchase of the reserve in the first place was that individual species of fish," Dean told Yahoo. Populations of the red-finned blue-eye fish has been re-cultivated. Source: Bush Heritage Australia Mystery remains over unique springs home to so many rare species The reserve is also home to another nationally threatened fish, the Edgbaston Goby, as well as 11 types of snail, a small crustacean, a flatworm, a spider and a species of dragonfly that reside exclusively in the spring-fed pools of the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But why exactly it has proved so conducive to a unique set of endemic life is still somewhat of a mystery one that Dean says we may never get to the bottom of. "It is a bit of a conundrum," he said. "We don't really understand whether all the springs in the Great Artesian Basin used to be as rich as what Edgbaston is and through the degradations that they suffered through the 1900s as a result of over extraction from the aquifer, things just went extinct before people even know they existed [but] for some reason Edgbaston held on to its biodiversity. "That's one scenario, and unless we have a time machine we'll never know," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alternatively the site might just have some factor that means species colonised and radiated more prolifically there than anywhere else. How the springs have supported such life 'is a bit of a conundrum'. Source: Bush Heritage Australia Group's fight to halt biodiversity loss According to the Biodiversity Council, Australia is a "mega-biodiverse" region thanks to millions of years of geographical isolation. But the flip side of that equation is our worryingly poor record on biodiversity loss. Critics say Australia is failing to protect its native species from extinction with federal and state governments getting an 'F' grade in the latest report card from the World Wildlife Fund. Since the first report card was launched in 2022, Australia has listed an extra 163 new species as threatened with extinction and 2,245 different plants, animals and ecological communities are now in danger of being lost forever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Satellite photos reveal 'disturbing' change to iconic Aussie landscape The not for profit group Bush Heritage Australia believes the purchase of special parcels of land to become exclusive conservation zones is one major way to halt the trend, and has its eye on a number of new sites. "The two major reasons for biodiversity decline to date have been land clearing. A lot of it happened very early on with European colonisation and settlement, where selectors and squatters opened up the land for agriculture, but it's still happening today," Dean said. "The land clearing rates in Queensland and New South Wales are still very, very high. "On top of land clearing, the second most important reason for species loss is invasive species, and so when you purchase the land, you've still got to implement those weed and pest animal control programs," he added. If you would like to volunteer at one of the group's conservations sites, you can find out more information here. This story is meant particularly for the people who know exactly what happened that afternoon 20 years ago, and why. Those with information are encouraged to make the call that may unravel the mystery of May 14, 2003. A 58-year-old woman was killed early Saturday when the SUV she was riding smashed into a utility pole, Tucson police say. The crash happened just before 2 a.m. in the 2800 block of North Campbell Avenue, near East Glenn Street. Georgia Ann Chavez, a passenger in the 2004 Nissan Armada, was killed in the wreck. The driver, an unidentified 44-year-old man, was taken to the hospital, police said Sunday in a news release. Evidence at the scene indicates the Nissan was speeding north on Campbell when the SUV crossed into the southbound lanes, left the road and struck the pole, the release said. An evaluation for impairment by police could not be completed on the driver at the hospital "due to his medical condition," police said. The crash still is being investigated. Aug. 18, 2025 A rangy man stepped to the microphone at Sahuaritas town hall and started raging about gingers red-haired people. We got to choke every ginger in town, said the man, Mark Brown. We cant have gingers running around Sahuarita. We cant have gingers, and we cant have people with a camera. Partway through the mans comments, Mayor Tom Murphy realized it was satire, a tongue-in-cheek take on the recent arrest of a red-haired man with a camera by Sahuaritas police chief, Murphy told me later. The next comments by a man who uses a vulgar pseudonym were equally violent but not funny. He demanded that the town council take action against Chief John Noland. He said he was livestreaming to an audience of around 200 people and warned the council that a psychopath watching might look up their addresses and attack you. Figure your chief issue out please, or well do it for you the internet thugs will do it. The threat was the latest episode in an ongoing conflict between a Sahuarita pastor, supporters of his who run YouTube channels challenging police, and the Sahuarita Police Department. It started more than two years ago, in 2023, when the pastor was handcuffed at his home or even earlier, depending on how you count. Murphy shrugged off the threatening language when I spoke with him as the yoke that we wear as public officials. Stepping back through this story, you can see how fine a line it sometimes is between the bullied and bullies, and how they trade places, like kids on a see-saw, a victim one minute, a perpetrator the next. Aug. 7, 2025 What prompted the outburst at the town council meeting was an incident 11 days earlier, inside the Sahuarita Police Department. James Springer, who goes online by the pseudonym James Freeman, tried to walk into a room in the police department where a deposition was scheduled in a lawsuit against the town police. Springer, accompanied by companions taking video of the confrontation, as always, said he was helping the plaintiff, Pastor Stephen Aiken, by setting up camera equipment for him to record the deposition of Aikens wife, Deborah. Aiken, pastor of Southern Arizona Community Church, and his wife had sued the town of Sahuarita over the police forcing their way into the Aikens home and detaining him. The towns attorney, James Jellison, blocked Springers path and said he could not go in without making prior arrangements. A hallway standoff ensued. No video of the entire incident is available now the Green Valley News reported that a video of the full incident by one of the witnesses was taken down, leaving only edited versions online. What the videos posted by Springers allies show is that Jellison repeatedly tells him he cant go into the deposition, and Springer repeatedly insists on it. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, police chief Noland strides to Springer, grabs him by the back of the neck and takes him to the floor, handcuffing him there. Springers allies called it a choke-slam. Why are you doing this? Im in a public area! Guys, stop! Springer said. At the time, he was accused of assault, but Marana police were called in to investigate, recommended no arrests, and passed on their findings to the Pima County Attorneys Office, which declined to file charges. April 27, 2025 Most people go out of their way to avoid that sort of conflict with police. Springer and his colleagues seek it. They go out in small groups, armed with an array of cameras, regularly confronting police, mocking them and trying to provoke them. Then they put the videos on their YouTube channels to the delight of their audiences. Springer, as James Freeman, has 598,000 followers on YouTube. Brown, whose channel is called Tuc. Police Suck, has 14,000 followers. Springer has done videos around the country, but most of his recent work has been in Tucson and Southern Arizona. One of the tricks he often deploys is using police language and tactics against them, he told me in an email. I often do and say very similar things to them, that they say to the public, Springer wrote. Ive found that sometimes this script flip as I call it is very disarming. When I steal their lines their brains seem to short out sometimes and they dont know what to do or say. In one video, posted by Tuc. Police Suck April 27, Springer and friends showed up at a police action at a bus stop outside Marios Pizza, on First Avenue just south of East Fort Lowell Road. In the video, a second Tucson police vehicle pulls up, and an officer gets out and tells them to stay behind his car. He also warns them to stay out of the road or hell arrest them. Bro, theres no f-ing road, you piece of s-, Freeman said in response. He went on, telling the officer: Hey, Im doing my job. Shut the f- up, boy. And when the officer warned him again against going in the road, Freeman made the challenge explicit, asking, You wanna fight? In his email, Springer wrote: All I have is my words and my tone, because the truth is that I NEVER have the power, because I am not actually willing to use force and violence against them even if I KNOW that I am 100% right, but they are often willing to use force and violence against me, even when they are 100% wrong. April 9, 2024 The lawsuit filed by Pastor Steve Aiken and his wife Deborah, a year after his detention, tells a story of Sahuarita police who wouldnt take no for an answer and hurt the person they were trying to help. As officers approached the house, the home was dark and the whole neighborhood was quiet, the lawsuit says. But a 911 call had come in, reporting angry voices in the house and a crashing sound. So officers went to the Aikens house. When Steve Aiken came down and talked to officers, he told them that they had been upset earlier in the night because of a hospitalized grandchild, but they were asleep in bed now and the police should leave. The officers insisted on talking with Deborah Aiken and seeing her, separate from her husband. It took a half hour, but she came down to the door eventually, though she wouldnt open it or come outside. She said she was OK. Officers insisted, though, on talking to her separately, and said that if she didnt open the door, they would have to breach it themselves. She didnt. After 38 minutes on the Aikens property, and while Sergeant (Oscar) Fruge still had visual and verbal contact with both Aikens, officers broke down the Aikens door with a breaching tool. When the door flew open, it struck Deborah Aiken, the very person whose welfare officers were supposedly trying to protect. Officers physically pulled Deborah from her home, though she was suspected of no crime, even pulling her hands from the door frame she tried to grab onto, the lawsuit says. Steven Aiken was handcuffed for 22 minutes but never charged with a crime. April 19, 2023 This day, more than two years ago, wasnt the first time Sahuarita police had heard of Pastor Aiken. He testified during deposition for the lawsuit that his daughter has accused him easily 100 times of abusing his wife, Deborah. There was a year or two in the beginning, and Im talking like five, six years ago, where it was more that I kept her prisoner, I think, Aiken said. But more recently, he testified, 90% of her complaints were accusing him of domestic violence. In fact, when he first heard police outside his house, he testified, My first thought literally was did my daughter send an assassin to kill me, because somebody is lurking around my house, and I cant figure out whos lurking around my house. Later, he became convinced that his daughter had called 911 that night, not a neighbor. But he acknowledged there had been raised voices. And when the police went in the house, what they found raised suspicions. I noticed broken glass all over the floor, including the main bedroom, Officer Eric Heath wrote in his report. I also observed that the couch was apart, the rug was out of place, a broom and dustpan in the living room area, and several weapons (guns and knives) throughout the residence, But Deborah Aiken told officers she had not been feeling well and as a result went to bed early without cleaning up the broken glass. She said her husband drops glasses sometimes because he no longer has feeling in one hand, the report says. Aug. 30, 2025 So, which is it? Has the pastor been the aggressor? Springer and his buddies? Or has it been an issue of police overkill this whole time? In the aftermath of the arrest of James Springer on Aug. 7, the audio-visual operator at Southern Arizona Community Church quit and called the Pima County Sheriffs Department. She told a deputy Aug. 13 that Aiken had been acting a little strange, the sheriffs department report says. She stated he had been coming to work with a bullet proof vest, the report says. He had weapons in his church he carried, and he also invited his parishioners to carry weapons. She stated he had the regular service, but after the regular service, he then started to have side services, in which he would start showing video clips, that she stated he edited, on the screens, showing the issue between him and SPD. She stated it was unfortunate that he was editing the videos, and not showing the parishioners the full true video, and she believed the individual was somewhat acting like a cult. When asked about the accusation, a spokesperson for Aiken said in an email, The Pastor does not entertain tabloid-like inquiries that aim to smear him. Additionally, questions that pry into church matters are out of bounds and he will not comment. But his church services are posted online, shedding some light on how the drama is playing out inside its walls. In a recent bible study, Aiken said his fears that the churchs outreach would be hurt by turned out to be wrong. Instead, Springers arrest brought attention to his case. Were reaching more people without an AV (audio-visual) team than we were than we had one, he said. Thats God! Poonam Masih, TwoCircles.net Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh): What could I do? There was immense pressure on me to do ghar wapsi (homecoming or return to Hinduism). If I had not, they would not have let me contest the election, let alone win it, says Kaner Kashyap, Congress candidate from Errakot Gram Panchayat (village council), who, after converting to Christianity, has been attending church for many years. Support TwoCircles During the gram panchayat or local body elections, held in February, posters of a man in a court suit were put up in different wards of Errakot, urging people to vote for the spectacles symbol. It featured a photo of Kaner Kashyap. He resides in Errakot and officially reverted to Hinduism in 2023. Asked why did he do so, he explained, I have been contesting elections for the past 25 years, and every time I lost by just five to seven votes. I finally won in 2020. I was a Congress candidate, and all the ward panchs (members) were from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP, a Hindutva supermacist political outfit). There are 20 wards in my panchayat. He further said, Between 2022 and 2023, the pressure from ward members and the public to revert to Hinduism intensified. Of the 20 wards, Christians are in majority in three while the remaining 17 are dominated by Hindus. They did not allow meetings in the panchayat building. People were discouraged from coming to me for any official work. They even started demanding that I be removed from the position of sarpanch (head of the village council). Eventually, I had to do ghar wapsi. But neither I nor my family is happy with this decision. Launched by Right-wing organisations with an aim to bring people back to Hindu faith and culture, Ghar Wapsi campaign has been ongoing in Chhattisgarh for a long time. As part of the ritual, peoples feet are washed, symbolising their formal return to Hinduism. Prabal Pratap Judev, a BJP leader and member of the royal family of Jashpur, has been leading these efforts for years, following in the footsteps of his father, Dilip Singh Judev, a minister during the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP government in the Centre. He and his family have long-standing ties with the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the BJP. According to Prabal, Christian missionaries convert Adivasis (Indigenous or tribal communities) by offering inducements: and therefore, it is important to educate people about Hinduism. At present, the RSS and its affiliate, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), are actively conducting Ghar Wapsi events across different parts of Chhattisgarh, often involving local participation. When asked how long he had been attending church, Kaner replied, My family and I went to church for 15 years. He said, We were going through some difficulties at home. I was also unwell. I tried various treatments and religious rituals, but nothing worked. After going to church, my health improved, and things started getting better at home. That is when our whole family began going to church. During those 15 years, he said, no one ever objected. But from late 2022 onwards, pressure began to mount, especially from BJP-affiliated villagers. They said if I did not return to Hinduism, I would be removed from my post. At last, I was made to revert by having water sprinkled on me. But I am not happy about it, he said. Boti Ram Kashyap, a Muria Adivasi from Errakot, had a similar experience. He lives with his wife and young daughter. I had been ill for years. My wife too. Some villagers suggested we go to church. After we started going, our health gradually improved, he claimed. I went to church for about five years. But in 2023, people, including members of my own family, began opposing it. They threatened us, he alleged. Boti has five brothers. Only he and the eldest used to go to church, the rest followed traditional customs. I was repeatedly threatened. They would not let me collect ration. They threatened to throw us out of the house. So in 2024, I underwent Ghar Wapsi. But my elder brother did not face any pressure and still goes to church, he said. When asked whether he wants to return to church, he said, Yes. Ever since I stopped going, I have been falling sick again. I want to embrace Christianity, but I am too afraid. Boti said it was one Aytu Korram, a member of his ward who is allegedly affiliated to the BJP, who had organised his Ghar Wapsi. He allegedly played an active role in organising reversions in Errakot. When this reporter visited the village, Aytu sitting under a tree with a few people. When asked about Ghar Wapsi campaign he leads, he got upset and reacted with anger. He finally agreed to talk after he was pacified by a local journalist who convinced him in local Gondi language. It (the reversion campaign) started in 2020. BJP members are involved. We do this to preserve our culture. A priest conducts the entire ritual. When a family expresses the desire to revert, we prepare for it. People from outside the village are also invited, along with organisation members. The ritual is performed at the village temple, with water sprinkled on the converts, he explained. No Peace Even After Death Often through alleged coercion, exclusion and fear, the Ghar Wapsi is not limited to Adivasis who have recently converted. It also targets people who were born into Christianity. Under the VHPs Ghar Shuddhikaran or home purification programmes in Bastar, even second-generation Christians are allegedly being reverted to Hinduism. Initially, the pressure is subtle social isolation, denied access to public spaces and sometimes threats to livelihoods. It allegedly intensifies later after a death, when families are allegedly told that burial according to Christian rites will not be allowed unless they revert to Hinduism. One such case is Kamtu Mandavi, a resident of Chhindbahar, 15 km from Jagdalpur. He claimed that he was born into a Christian family and represents the second generation of Christians in his household. My father converted before I was born. Both my parents attended church regularly. But in recent years, Christians in Bastar are not being allowed to bury their dead, he alleged. In 2024, when my father died, some people came to our house and opposed the burial. My family was pressured to revert. We had no choice as our extended family still followed tribal traditions, he said. Over the past few years, Christians across different districts of Chhattisgarh have allegedly faced growing challenges in burying their dead. Earlier this year, the body of Pastor Subhash Baghel was only allowed to be buried after a Supreme Court order. According to locals, such moments become ideal opportunities for Hindu groups to allegedly exert pressure for Ghar Wapsi campaign. When about the allegation of denial of burial as per a particular faith, Rajaram Todem, former BJP MLA from Bastar and executive chairman of the Chhattisgarh Sarv Adivasi Samaj, said, Due to the increasing tensions over burial rites, many people are choosing to return to Hinduism. They are told that if they do not follow traditional customs, they will face problems again in the future. He added some people revert to their Hindutva root voluntarily in such situations. We are trying to preserve our culture and traditions. Without them, what is the meaning of Adivasi life? he asked. Todem said the Ghar Wapsi movement in Chhattisgarh began in the Sarguja region and was led by the VHP. In Bastar, the campaign is jointly run by the VHP and the Chhattisgarh Sarv Adivasi Samaj. Local villagers, he claimed, are central to the process. The campaign is even discussed during village gram sabhas (village council meetings). Once people agree, he said, priests carry out the formal rituals. In January this year, when the pastor died in Chhindwara, locals, allegedly BJP members, reportedly refused to allow his burial in the village. They allegedly demanded that the family must return to Hinduism if they wanted to bury him locally. A few individuals are allegedly appointed in villages to enforce this and prevent Christian burials. Ravi Brahmachari, a VHP leader working in Bastar for the past 40 years, said the organisation now has youth representatives in nearly every village. Everyone is connected via WhatsApp groups. Whenever an incident occurs, a message goes out and people gather immediately, especially in cases related to burial, he said. Ratnesh Benjamin, state vice president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, alleged the Christian community has long been targeted by Hindutva groups. Poor Adivasis are being coerced into Ghar Wapsi through threats and intimidation. Those who can resist do not convert. But the poor, who lack means to fight back, are forced to, he alleged. When asked for an official data on how many Ghar Wapsi cases have occurred, Rajaram Todem dodged the question and offered no answer. (With support from Thameer Kashyap) HA NOI Mega industrial hubs are taking shape in Viet Nam following a historic administrative overhaul, at the heart of which are landmark mergers including Bac Giang with Bac Ninh in the north and Binh Duong and Ba Ria Vung Tau with HCM City in the south. Beyond its administrative significance, the merger creates a development space that is broader, more sustainable and more comprehensive, and forms cohesive industrial powerhouses which are expected to propel Viet Nam to sustained double-digit growth in the new era. A southern metropolis Following its merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria Vung Tau, HCM City is Viet Nams biggest megacity, with a population of around 14 million people and a quarter of the nations GDP. The city is a combination of the countrys financial hub and a manufacturing powerhouse and one of Southeast Asias most robust marine and energy infrastructure systems. More than just a geographical merger, the unification of the three localities is a convergence of a shared vision and ambition to lay the foundation for a megacity poised to become a powerhouse of finance, production, logistics and innovation on the regional and global stage, Party General Secretary To Lam said. Economists at the University of Economics in HCM City pointed out that before the merger, the three localities had fragmented industrial structures with HCM City focusing on light industry, high-tech manufacturing and logistics, Binh Duong specialising in processing and supporting industries while Ba Ria Vung Tau in heavy industry, petrochemicals and seaport advantages. Now, the new HCM City has emerged as the countrys largest integrated industrial zone, comprising 61 industrial parks, export processing zones and clusters, producing over 30 per cent of Viet Nams total manufacturing output and cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) surpassing US$90 billion, nearly half of the countrys total. With advantages of Binh Duongs industrial base and Ba Ria Vung Taus port infrastructure system, the new HCM City will serve as Viet Nams gateway to ASEAN and global supply chains, according to Salvatore Banco, head for HCM City and South China at law firm DAndrea & Partners. "HCM Citys GRDP is now comparable to major ASEAN cities, and its post-merger potential strengthens its appeal to high-quality foreign capital," he said. Just one month after the merger, FDI inflow surged 45.7 per cent year-on-year, reaching $6.2 billion as of July, statistics from the municipal Department of Finance indicated. Notably, more than $1 billion flowed into high-tech industries. The sharp increase in FDI inflow underlined strong investor confidence in HCM Citys business climate despite rising competition for FDI across Asia, department director Nguyen Cong Vinh said. "However, challenges remain, including high logistics costs, limited land available for industrial development, low automation levels and productivity, and slow digital transformation and green production," Vinh said. The new HCM City can only cement its role as the southern industrial growth engine if there is a clear functional division among its three component areas with the former city as a hub for R&D, innovation and commercialisation, Binh Duong as a smart manufacturing belt for semiconductors, precision engineering and automation and Ba Ria-Vung Tau as the logistics and heavy industry centre. Vice Chairman of the HCM City Peoples Committee Nguyen Loc Ha said high-tech, innovative and next-generation industries would be the growth driver for the southern city in the new era. HCMC aims to shift toward smart manufacturing, green industry and the circular economy, upgrading value chains while building an innovation ecosystem connected and aligned with regional development, he said. Northern electronics hub In the north, the new Bac Ninh Province, covering over 4,700 square kilometres and with a population of more than 3.6 million, is emerging as one of Viet Nams most dynamic growth poles. Its combined economic output reached VN440 trillion ($16.9 billion) in 2024, placing the new province fifth nationwide in terms of GRDP, trailing only HCM City, Ha Noi, Hai Phong and ong Nai. Bac Ninh holds a uniquely strategic position as the northeastern gateway to Ha Noi, connecting the growth triangle of Ha Noi, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh, lying along two of the countrys most robust economic corridors with good connectivity with surrounding provinces through a network of highways, national roads, railways, and inland waterways that open out to the sea. Robust infrastructure development also gives the province an advantage, including ring roads No 4 and 5, the Lao CaiHai Phong railway (which passes through the capital) and the planned Ha NoiQuang Ninh high-speed rail. Especially, Gia Binh Airport will be upgraded into an international gateway and is set to become the largest airport in northern Viet Nam. Bac Ninh and Bac Giang once formed the unified province of Ha Bac from 1962 to 1966, before being separated in 1997. From there, former Bac Ninh emerged as Viet Nams electronics hub and a magnet for FDI with 16 industrial parks and a cumulative FDI surpassing $32 billion as of early 2025. Bac Giang rose as a new star of supporting industries with 16 industrial parks, attracting major high-tech projects such as Foxconn Shunsin and Luxshare ICT. Its GRDP growth reached 14.02 per cent in the first quarter of this year, the highest rate nationwide. Their renewed union creates a mega industrial region with the convergence of scale, technology, workforce and regional connectivity and is poised to deliver more balanced and sustainable growth, consolidating a region already at the forefront of global electronics and high-tech manufacturing. The merger of Bac Giang into Bac Ninh marks the beginning of a new journey one of continuity, innovation and breakthrough development within a broader, more sustainable and inclusive development space, Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee Vuong Quoc Tuan said. The province had pledged strong political will and accountability in becoming a centrally governed city by 2030, Tuan added. In the first eight months of 2025, the new province registered an economic growth rate of 10 per cent, ranking fifth nationwide, and drew in some $16 billion in new investments, placing the province among Viet Nams top FDI destinations. The province targets an average GRDP growth rate of 11-12 per cent per year from now to 2030, per capita GRDP at $9,500-9,700 and a total trade revenue of $1.12 trillion. To achieve the goals, Tuan said that Bac Ninh would focus on planning, infrastructure and urban development. "The province is also stepping up efforts to attract private investment, improve policies to promote high-tech, green and digital industries to establish itself as Viet Nams leading electronics hub," he said. Science, technology, innovation and digital transformation are positioned as new growth drivers." According to Kalungi Clausen, co-founder of Civitas and House of Tech, the mergers signal the dawn of a new era in regional development strategy. "Integrated provinces enable master plans that transcend outdated administrative boundaries and lay the foundation for interconnected urban centres, industrial parks and regional transport networks," Clausen said. VNS HA NOI Google has joined hands with the Vietnam National Innovation Centre (NIC) and the Da Nang Semiconductor & AI Centre (DSAC) to conclude a four-day AI Solutions Lab in a Nang, marking a new step in fostering Viet Nams artificial intelligence ecosystem. The programme, held at Software Park 2, was part of the 'Build for the AI Future' initiative, aimed at driving Viet Nams digital transformation through strengthening AI capabilities. Forty-six startups across key sectors such as healthcare, logistics and education received mentorship and engineering consultation from Google experts, learning to build, secure and scale AI solutions with Googles cutting-edge technologies. The Lab culminated with a showcase of 12 startups presenting innovative AI-driven solutions addressing pressing social, economic and environmental challenges. These included DocBase.ai, which automates high-volume insurance claim processing; Cremi AI, which enables indie musicians to create professional-quality music videos at a fraction of the cost; PathologyAILab, which uses edge AI for real-time cervical cancer screening in low-resource settings; and Life AI, which aims to make drug discovery ten times faster and cheaper. Startups also received support beyond technical training, with workshops on product presentation skills, enabling them to pitch effectively to potential investors and partners. DSAC complemented Googles efforts by offering practical support such as rent-free office space for eligible teams, helping them commercialise and expand their products immediately after the programme. Ho Quang Buu, Deputy Chairman of the a Nang Peoples Committee, stressed the significance of the event, saying that Googles choice of a Nang affirmed the citys growing role in high technology and artificial intelligence. He added that the AI Solutions Lab would become an important launching pad for Vietnamese startups to break through and transform a Nang into a regional technology and innovation hub. Marc Woo, Managing Director of Google Vietnam, highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships in advancing the countrys digital transformation. He said the Lab showcased the remarkable creativity of Vietnamese entrepreneurs in developing generative AI solutions to address local challenges, reinforcing Viet Nams position as an emerging AI leader in the region. The event followed the Google for Startups AI Bootcamp in HCM City, where 72 startups with 165 representatives received training on Googles AI tools and cloud benefits. VNS HA NOI Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee o Van Chien on August 31 received a visiting delegation from the VietnamKorea Business and Investment Association (VKBIA), who are in Ha Noi to attend the upcoming parade marking the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day. Chien acknowledged the associations contributions in recent years, noting its growing reputation as a credible organisation and an important bridge fostering economic, trade and investment cooperation between Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea (RoK). He stressed that the VKBIA has contributed significantly to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership and friendship between the two nations. The VFF leader called on the association to continue promoting its role as a bridge, leveraging its knowledge of markets and networks to expand collaboration in investment, trade and science and technology, particularly in key areas such as green industry, renewable energy, smart cities and high technology. He affirmed that the VFF would continue to accompany and support the VKBIA so that its activities bring practical benefits, contributing more to national development and defence. VKBIA President Tran Hai Linh reported that after six years of operation, the association had worked closely with major groups such as Samsung, LG and GS Energy, assisting in billion-dollar projects in high technology, green industry and renewable energy. The VKBIA has also actively facilitated linkages between Vietnamese and RoK localities, helping establish twinned ties, promote investment and boost tourism cooperation. In education, it has partnered with universities and training organisations to launch scholarships and high-quality human resource programmes in priority sectors such as green technology, semiconductors and artificial intelligence. Beyond business, the VKBIA has regularly organised initiatives in support of Viet Nams sea and island sovereignty, as well as assistance to local communities affected by disasters, reflecting the social responsibility of Vietnamese entrepreneurs and intellectuals in the RoK. Linh added that in the time to come, the association would redouble its efforts to strengthen cooperation with Viet Nams northwestern provinces, therefore enhancing its role as a bridge for people-to-people diplomacy, trade, labour and channeling RoKs development investment into the country. VNS HA NOI As Viet Nam is celebrating the 80th anniversary of August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2), international partners, ambassadors and heads of international organisations praised its extraordinary transformation over the past eight decades, crediting that success to visionary leadership and sustained reforms. Pauline Tamesis, United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam, expressed her joy and pride in joining the Vietnamese people to celebrate this milestone, noting its alignment with the UNs own 80th anniversary of pivotal moments. Eighty years ago, we the peoples pledged that peace was possible if humanity stood united, Tamesis said, referencing the signing of the UN Charter on June 26, 1945 - a declaration of hope and a foundation for global cooperation for a better world. Just two months later, Viet Nam declared independence. These milestones are strong testament to peace, reconciliation, and international cooperation. In todays world marked by geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts, climate change, economic instability, and growing inequality, global solidarity to address urgent challenges is under strain. Viet Nams steadfast pursuit of extensive global integration makes an essential contribution to global unity. Its firm commitment to peace, cooperation, and sustainable development is more necessary than ever within the UN, she said. The UN highly evaluates Viet Nams constructive, principled, and forward-looking approach to global engagement, particularly in UN peacekeeping missions, fostering dialogue and multilateral cooperation, and voicing principled stances at forums such as the UN Security Council, ASEAN, APEC, and other international mechanisms, the official added. She took the occasion to congratulate Viet Nams commitment and enduring contributions to peace, security, human rights, and development, which are the core pillars for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, addressing climate change, and upholding the UN Charter. Palestinian Ambassador Saadi Salama, head of the diplomatic corps in Ha Noi, also congratulated Viet Nam, describing its independence journey as a tragic yet heroic epic. From the war against French colonialists, culminating in the 1954 ien Bien Phu Victory, to the resistance war against the US colonialist that ended with national reunification in 1975, Viet Nams independence became a global symbol of oppressed peoples struggle for freedom, proving that a determined nations will can triumph over even the mightiest adversaries, he said. Having endured devastating wars to secure its independence, Viet Nam understands better than most the value of freedom and the pain of loss, Salama said. That is why it always offers empathy and steadfast support to the Palestinian peoples pursuit of self-determination. Viet Nams decision to host the Palestine Liberation Organisations representative office in Ha Noi in 1976, and recognise the State of Palestine in 1988, was not only a political decision but also a clear affirmation of solidarity between two nations sharing a desire to escape from oppression. Viet Nam has written a story of pride: a nation that turned suffering into strength and overcame hardships to build a developing, globally integrated country, he asserted. Viet Nam will continue to develop strongly Extending warm and heartfelt congratulations to the Vietnamese Party, State and people, Lao Ambassador Khamphao Ernthavanh highlighted the remarkable socio-economic achievements that Viet Nam has secured over the past eight decades, along with its steadily rising position and role on the international stage. She noted that, under the wise leadership of the Communist Party, the Vietnamese people had demonstrated resilience in overcoming immense hardships and challenges, achieving comprehensive progress across all fields. From a nation devastated by war, Viet Nam had gained national independence, reunified the country, and successfully carried out wide-ranging reforms, attaining significant strides in economic and social development. Today, Viet Nam stands as the fourth-largest economy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), maintaining stable growth, improving living standards, sharply reducing poverty, and building increasingly modern infrastructure, social stability, and sustainable development. On the international stage, Viet Nams role and position have grown stronger. The country has actively and responsibly engaged in numerous regional and global organisations and forums, notably ASEAN, UN, and other multilateral cooperation mechanisms. Its constructive contributions towards peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world have been widely recognised by the international community. The Lao diplomat expressed her confidence that under the sound leadership of the Party and Government, and on the foundations of the achievements gained over the past 80 years, Viet Nam will continue to advance robustly, steadily on the path of modernisation and international integration, realising its goal of becoming a high-income developed nation by 2045, and contributing ever more positively to the shared prosperity of the region and the world. Viet Nam's extraordinary development Along with its impressive economic growth over recent decades, Viet Nams foreign affairs have also been noteworthy, said Australian Ambassador to Viet Nam Gillian Bird. She highlighted that Viet Nam has now established diplomatic relations with 194 countries and built comprehensive strategic partnerships with more than 30 nations. Even more significantly, Viet Nam has increasingly asserted its active role on the international stage through strong participation in multilateral organisations such as the UN and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The development of Viet Nam over the past 80 years is truly extraordinary, she said, adding that it is a clear testament to the resilience, innovation, and solidarity of the Vietnamese people as the country has risen from hardships to become a modern, dynamic, and promising nation. The ambassador also noted that Viet Nam has forged a wide network of regional trade relations through multiple free trade agreements, including agreements with Australia. She stressed that Viet Nam is now a country with an outward-looking vision, proactively integrating more deeply with the world. Sharing the same view, New Zealand Ambassador Caroline Beresford observed that national reform is never easy often difficult but absolutely essential. She praised Viet Nams leadership in driving reform, pointing to one of the countrys most notable achievements: lifting tens of millions of people out of poverty since 1990. Viet Nams current growth momentum and its aspirations for future economic development are truly remarkable. The New Zealand diplomat stressed her deep admiration for that growth and the reforms the Vietnamese Government is undertaking, noting that she has closely followed the major reform programmes Viet Nam began implementing last year. What impresses her most is not only the ambitious goals but also the scale and speed with which Viet Nam is pursuing its reform strategy. She said every government should regularly review its administrative apparatus to ensure it is well-organised and effectively supports national development. Viet Nam is doing an excellent job in this regard. Looking ahead, Beresford expressed her confidence in Viet Nams future, affirming that New Zealand will remain a reliable partner along the way. Deep admiration for Vietnamese peoples resilience, dynamism Congratulating Viet Nam on its 80th National Day, Israeli Ambassador to Viet Nam Yaron Mayer described the occasion as an important milestone marking the nations proud journey of independence, development, and international integration. Israel deeply admires the resilience and dynamism of the Vietnamese people, and is firmly confident that Viet Nam will continue to rise and achieve even greater success on the global arena, Mayer said. He highly valued Viet Nams development, stressing that it stands as a compelling example of the success of emerging Asian economies. From a challenging past, Viet Nam has made extraordinary progress, particularly since the launch of the oi moi (Renewal) process in 1986. Over the past four decades, the country has recorded remarkable achievements in economic growth, social welfare, and international cooperation. In diplomacy, Viet Nam has continued to affirm itself as a proactive and responsible member both regionally and globally. The ambassador said he is deeply impressed by the spirit of innovation and determination of the Vietnamese people qualities that form a solid foundation for long-term sustainable development. VNS BEIJING _ Frequent reciprocal visits by high-level leaders of Viet Nam and China have played a vital role in promoting cooperation and consolidating political trust between the two countries, according to Liu Ying, a researcher at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies under the Renmin University of China. In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)s resident correspondent in Beijing on Viet NamChina relations and the prospects for further developing the traditional friendship between the two nations, she said Viet Nam and China enjoy the traditional friendship of both comrades and brothers. The Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) have forged close ties built on the profound friendship between President Ho Chi Minh and Chairman Mao Zedong. With their geographical proximity and the stable, healthy growth of bilateral relations, Liu stressed that the Viet NamChina friendship serves as an important foundation supporting development and economic growth in both nations. She noted that China has been Viet Nams largest trading partner for more than fifteen years, while Viet Nam is now Chinas biggest trading partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Over the past five years, ASEAN has become Chinas leading trading partner. Both sides encourage enterprises to strengthen practical cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, science, and technology. The Chinese scholar emphasised that Viet NamChina relations are not only maintained in line with the principle of the four goods good neighbours, good friends, good comrades, and good partners but have also advanced to "six major orientations", comprising stronger political trust, more substantial cooperation in defence-security, deeper and more practical cooperation, more solid social foundation, closer multilateral coordination, and better management and settlement of differences. In recent years, cooperation across politics, Party channel, economy, social and cultural fields, and defence has continued to grow stronger. This progress has been driven by frequent exchanges and visits between the two countries senior leaders, which provide momentum for advancing the bilateral ties in all fields, she noted. In recent years, leaders of the two Parties and States have conducted regular visits, thereby playing a positive role in promoting comprehensive cooperation, Liu stated, adding that these visits not only strengthen political trust but also provide strategic guidance for cooperation in economy, science and technology, education, and infrastructure. She cited Party General Secretary To Lams visit to China in August 2024, during which both sides agreed to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and accelerate the building of a Viet NamChina community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. This high-level engagement is crucial for ensuring stability and predictability in bilateral cooperation despite a complex international environment, while also laying a solid foundation for the long-term development of the bilateral relations. Reflecting on Viet Nams achievements, Liu highlighted that over the past eighty years, the country has reaped remarkable progress, particularly in economic reform and external opening. The Communist Party of Viet Nam has played a pivotal role in policy direction and institutional reform, ensuring the nations development path. Looking ahead, Viet Nam will need to sustain growth momentum while tackling challenges on the way towards high-quality and sustainable development. In this process, Viet NamChina relations, bolstered by high-level exchanges and strengthened bilateral cooperation, will continue to open up broad prospects and cooperation between the two countries and set to deepen across all areas in the time to come, she added. VNS BEIJING Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhs attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 as a guest of the host country and his working trip to China from August 31 to September 1 carry important significance, conveying Viet Nams strong message of cooperation, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondent in Beijing. This marks the first time a key Vietnamese leader has attended a SCO summit, Binh said, saying that the SCO Summit 2025 in Tianjin is a major international event, drawing the attendance of over twenty leaders of countries and heads of several international organisations. Set against complex global and regional landscapes with emerging challenges, in addition to cooperation in security and counterterrorism, the summit will also explore partnership in economy, connectivity, culture, education, and tourism. PM Chinhs attendance affirms Viet Nams foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation, proactive, active, extensive, intensive and effective international integration. At the same time, it reflects Viet Nams rising international stature and reputation, as the country has been invited to attend high-level multilateral forums and mechanisms of which it is not a member, such as the Group of Seven (G7), the Group of 20 (G20), the BRICS group of emerging economies, and now the SCO, Binh said. He described the PMs attendance and remarks at the expanded SCO summit as an opportunity for Viet Nam to showcase its socio-economic achievements on a multilateral stage. It also demonstrates Viet Nams determination to maintain its growth targets, ensure rapid and sustainable development, and share perspectives on issues of common concern. By doing so, Viet Nam contributes to advancing multilateralism, supporting the core principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for sustainable development, and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation, he added. According to the diplomat, PM Chinhs busy agenda and bilateral meetings on the summits sidelines will broaden exchanges and cooperation, creating opportunities to spread Viet Nams images and reaffirm its role and stature today. These activities will also help deepen economic, trade, and investment ties with Asian and European partners, while conveying Viet Nams message of determination and efforts to achieve its growth targets and strategic orientations in the new era. Binh noted that PM Chinh's trip comes at a time when bilateral relations are enjoying particularly strong and comprehensive momentum, guided by the six major orientations framework. It also coincides with the seventy-fifth anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, alongside a series of events marking the Viet NamChina Year of Humanistic Exchange 2025. The ambassador said this marks the Vietnamese leaders second visit to China so far this year, with the central objective of concretising common perceptions reached between high-ranking leaders of both Parties and countries on consolidating and elevating traditional neighbourly friendship, deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, and advancing the building of a Viet NamChina community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. These will be pursued through maintaining close high-level exchanges, strengthening political trust, and enhancing coordination across multilateral mechanisms, thereby reinforcing a solid foundation for cooperation across all fields, contributing to the relationship that is stable, sustainable, and forward-looking. According to the ambassador, during the trip, Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping is expected to meet with PM Chinh. The PM will also hold a series of meetings with senior Chinese leaders, ministers, and leading business groups and corporations. The meetings are set to focus on major directions and measures to implement important common perceptions reached by the top leaders of the two Parties and countries, while improving the effectiveness of intergovernmental committees for cooperation, and stepping up bilateral ties and practical joint work in such key areas as economy-trade, science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, education, tourism, health, and infrastructure connectivity. Both sides are also expected to push forward with existing agreements to deliver tangible benefits for the people of both nations. In addition, PM Chinh will meet with the Vietnamese community and students in China, demonstrating the Partys and the States support for overseas Vietnamese while encouraging stronger people-to-people exchanges, particularly among the younger generation, thus further cementing mutual understanding and closer bonds between the two peoples and reinforcing the social foundations of the bilateral relations. The ambassador expressed his confidence that, with a spirit of determination and proactive diplomacy, the PM's visit will be a resounding success and stand as a new highlight in the current flourishing stage of Viet Nam-China relations. VNS BEIJING The past and upcoming visits by high-ranking Vietnamese and Chinese leaders demonstrate strong support for each others major events while reaffirming the close-knit ties and shared red memories between the two Parties and nations, Chinese Ambassador to Viet Nam He Wei told the press. The interview came as Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 in China from August 31 to September 1, at the invitation of the host country. This will be the largest summit since the SCOs establishment 24 years ago. Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong will also pay a working trip to China from September 2-4 to attend a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the world people's victory over fascism. Meanwhile, Zhao Leji, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress of China (NPC), will lead a high-ranking Party and State delegation on an official visit to Viet Nam from August 31 to September 2. Chairman Zhao will attend a grand ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of August Revolution and Viet Nams National Day on September 2, and co-chair the first session of the cooperation committee between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the NPC. According to the ambassador, the SCO now groups ten member states, fourteen dialogue partners, and two observer countries, increasingly affirming its role and influence in the region and the world. It has introduced a model of cooperation aimed at safeguarding peace, promoting prosperity, improving peoples livelihoods, sharing achievements, and looking towards the future. As Viet Nam makes steady progress in pursuing its two centennial goals of Party building and national development, PM Chinhs attendance at the SCO Summit 2025 demonstrates the countrys determination to advance deeper international integration. He described the September 3 ceremony in China as a platform for nations to honour the humankind's fight for justice and peace. During those difficult years, President Ho Chi Minh operated many times in China, supporting the Chinese people's resistance cause, while the Chinese people also persistently backed Viet Nams revolution, forging a bond of comrades and brothers that remains a cherished red memory for both nations. Amidst global uncertainties, President Cuongs attendance at the celebration in China reflects Viet Nams resolve, along with other peace-loving nations, to pursue the path of peace and development while reaffirming a shared commitment to safeguarding regional peace and stability, the diplomat said. Earlier, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping paid a historic visit to Viet Nam in April 2025. These high-level contacts transcend the bilateral ties, sending a clear message of the shared determination of the two countries to continue building and advancing together on the path of socialism and making active contributions to peace and stability in the region and the world, he said. He went on to share about the visit to Viet Nam by Zhao Leji, saying that the trip is made at the invitation of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee and National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man. Leading a high-level Party and Government delegation, Chairman Zhao will attend the 80th anniversary of Viet Nams August Revolution and National Day, and co-chair the first session of the cooperation committee between the two legislative bodies alongside Chairman Man. According to the Chinese diplomat, the trip is an opportunity for the Chinese Party and Government to extend their warm congratulations to their Vietnamese counterparts on the 80th National Day, reflecting Chinas respect for the bilateral ties and the building of a Viet NamChina community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. The visit also demonstrates Chinas strong support and close friendship with Viet Nam, affirming mutual support and shared commitment to the path of socialism, implementing common perceptions between senior leaders of the two Parties and nations, and advancing the building of the Viet NamChina community. He noted that promoting the building of a ChinaViet Nam community with a shared future in an intensive and substantive manner is a central task in the current bilateral relationship. To realise this goal, the two sides need to strengthen cooperation mechanisms between the two Parties, Governments, and legislatures, as well as in other fields. In recent years, the two Parties have regularly held high-level exchanges, theoretical seminars, and cadre training; the two Governments have maintained the operation of their steering committee for bilateral cooperation; and Vietnamese and Chinese enterprises and people have also engaged in frequent cooperation mechanisms. The ambassador stressed that during Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinpings state visit to Viet Nam in April 2025, the two sides announced the upgrading of the 3+3 strategic dialogue mechanism in diplomacy, defence, and public security to the ministerial level. This is the first ministerial-level mechanism of its kind in the world, reflecting the determination of the two socialist countries led by the Communist Parties to safeguard regime and national security while contributing to regional and global peace and stability. Chairman Zhao co-chairing of the cooperation committees first session will mark a new stage of cooperation between the two legislative bodies, He stressed, adding that this event not only marks a new step forwards in institutionalised cooperation between the two countries, but also contributes to promoting the building of a socialist rule-of-law state in each country, while expanding space for the stable and sustainable development of the Viet NamChina friendship. Regarding the development of the Viet NamChina Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership in recent years and key cooperation directions in the future, the ambassador recalled that in December 2023, Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping paid a historic visit to Viet Nam. During the visit, the two countries top leaders agreed to jointly build a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance on the basis of deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership. This is considered a new milestone in the relationship between the two Parties and the two States, creating momentum for the cause of building socialism in each country, while actively contributing to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world. As close neighbours with a relationship like one of lips and teeth, the building of a community with a shared future between Viet Nam and China carries both historical depth and contemporary relevance. First, it is a tribute to the joint struggle of the two Parties and peoples for national independence, forming the traditional bond of being both comrades and brothers. Second, it affirms the shared ideals that both sides pursue. Viet Nam and China share a red gene, consistently placing the people at the centre and adhering to the socialist path suited to their national situation. Along this path, the two nations have continuously exchanged theoretical insights, drawn lessons from practice, and contributed to the global socialist movement. Third, it reflects the shared aspiration for the future. Each side views the others development as an opportunity for itself, promoting cooperation in production and supply chains, expanding into emerging industries, and advancing modernisation, laying the foundation for bilateral cooperation to reach new heights. Decades of practice have shown that when Viet NamChina relations develop fruitfully, each countrys national construction cause enjoy favourable conditions, and their people gain tangible advantages. Today, China is accelerating its uniquely Chinese path to modernisation under the 14th Five-Year Plan, while Viet Nam is preparing for the 14th National Party Congress, charting a new stage of development. In this context, the Viet NamChina friendship is increasingly becoming a driving force for economic growth and a solid support for both countries on their own paths. Looking ahead, the ambassador said bilateral cooperation will focus on several key areas, including politics. Upholding the leadership role of the Communist Party and the socialist regime remains the defining feature and solid foundation of the relationship. The two sides will continue enhancing exchanges in national governance and resolutely support each other in Party building and national development. Regarding practical cooperation, he said that in recent years, as the China-Viet Nam ties have grown stronger, bilateral cooperation has become more substantive, effective, and of higher quality. Thanks to their distinctive development models, both economies have maintained rapid growth, improving peoples livelihoods and demonstrating advantages over many other developing economies. The two countries enjoy favourable conditions to strengthen connectivity in production and supply chains, raise the quality of trade and investment, and expand collaboration in hi-tech fields. Viet Nam has increasingly attracted Chinese enterprises, while their tightly integrated supply chains are driving the growth of related industries with higher added value - an uncommon model of cooperation. Since the latter half of 2024, under the leadership of Party General Secretary To Lam, the CPV Central Committee has demonstrated its strong political mettle and determination, leading the entire people in accelerating renovation, integration, and development. The CPV has focused on four pillars - innovation, international integration, law making and enforcement, and private sector development, while resolutely streamlining the organisational apparatus and re-organing provincial-level administrative units, and achieving unprecedented outcomes. There is a solid ground to believe that under the leadership of General Secretary To Lam and the CPV Central Committee, the Party and people of Viet Nam will successfully organise the 14th National Party Congress, bringing the country into a new era of development and making greater, more effective contributions to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world, the ambassador concluded. VNS JAKARTA Viet Nams remarkable economic growth has become a source of inspiration for other member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said Lamijo, a Southeast Asia researcher at Indonesias National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)s resident reporter in Jakarta ahead of the 80th anniversary of Viet Nams National Day (September 2), Lamijo, who used to live in and visit Viet Nam many times, said Viet Nams success has evoked confidence that with strategic vision, political stability and a strong commitment to reform, ASEAN nations can narrow development gaps and rise more competitively on the global stage. Impressed by Viet Nams socio-economic progress, particularly since its oi moi (renewal) began nearly four decades ago, he said Viet Nams gross domestic product grew nearly 60-fold to more than US$476 billion in 2024, with an average annual growth rate of around six per cent. Last year, the Vietnamese economy grew by 7.09 per cent, placing it among the worlds fastest-growing economies. Poverty has plummeted to below three per cent, driven by a per capita income rise to roughly $4,500 in 2023-2024. Infrastructure investment has been a key driver of this success, enabling seamless movement of goods, services, and people. Most recently, plans for cross-border railway and expressway corridors linking China and Southeast Asia hold strategic importance at global, regional and national levels, he said. On the social front, Lamijo highlighted Viet Nams important role within ASEAN, reflected through various cooperation initiatives, including the use of digital technologies to bolster social programmes and disaster response. He pointed to Viet Nams exemplary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the country combined technology with social coordination to minimise the crisiss impact and fuel a rapid recovery. It is no surprise that Viet Nam emerged as a standout in ASEAN and beyond, he noted. Viet Nams global presence is equally impressive, Lamijo said. Its active roles in ASEAN, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the United Nations (UN) Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) reflect its growing stature. He also noted Viet Nams notable contributions as a non-permanent member of the UNSC and its leadership during its terms as ASEAN Chair and Chair of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), with many countries viewing it as a nation of strategic importance. He further praised Viet Nams ability to maintain a neutral stance while demonstrating clear decisiveness through its flexible and pragmatic diplomacy. With this dynamic approach, both adaptable and firm, Viet Nam has managed to safeguard its sovereignty, effectively navigate global shifts, and protect national and ASEAN interests. As Indonesia and Viet Nam are celebrating the 80th anniversary of their National Days, Lamijo saw a moment for reflection and reinvention. The milestones offer a chance for both nations to redefine their roles in a shifting regional order, he said. The upcoming 80th anniversaries also spotlight opportunities for the two nations, as comprehensive strategic partners and active collaborators within ASEAN, to pursue new successes in economic, trade, maritime ties, green transition and digital transformation, food and energy security, he concluded. VNS The great friendship and special solidarity between Laos and Viet Nam will be further consolidated, bringing tangible benefits to both peoples, according to Lao Ambassador to Viet Nam Khamphao Ernthavanh. She spoke to Viet Nam News about bilateral ties and expectations for future cooperation. How do you assess Viet Nams journey and achievements since gaining independence in terms of socio-economic development and the country's growing international standing? The country has traversed nearly 80 years of history filled with hardship but also glory. First and foremost, Viet Nams path of development is closely linked with its resolute struggles to safeguard independence and national reunification. The victory of 1975 ushered in a new era one of independence, unity and territorial integrity laying the foundation for the nations reconstruction and development. On the socio-economic front, Viet Nam has made significant progress. From being a poor, aid-dependent country, it has become one of the regions most dynamic economies, maintaining high growth rates for decades. Poverty has been sharply reduced, living standards have improved markedly, and the country has made impressive advances in infrastructure, urbanisation, technology and education. Another striking achievement is Viet Nams ability to maintain political and social stability amidst a volatile world a vital advantage that has enabled it to attract international investment, expand trade, and pursue sustainable, quality growth. In terms of diplomacy and global standing, Viet Nam has firmly established itself as a proactive and responsible member of the international community. From once being under embargo, Viet Nam now maintains diplomatic relations with most countries, has forged strategic and comprehensive partnerships with major powers, and plays an active role in key multilateral forums. Notably, Viet Nam has successfully served multiple times as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, demonstrating its capacity to contribute to peace, cooperation and global development. At the same time, Viet Nam has preserved and promoted its cultural identity. Numerous cultural and natural heritages have been recognised by UNESCO, underscoring both the richness of its traditions and its active international cultural and educational exchanges. All these achievements have shaped the image of an independent, self-reliant, dynamic and integrated Viet Nam a source of inspiration for many developing countries. In particular, I am deeply impressed by the Vietnamese peoples spirit of unity, aspiration for progress and the wise leadership of the Party and the State crucial factors that have enabled the nation to overcome immense challenges and reach todays success. Could you share your perspective on the major milestones in Viet NamLaos ties since the struggle for independence? The Viet NamLaos relationship is truly special, loyal and rare in the history of international relations. Our two nations are bound not only by close geographical proximity but also by shared hardship and sacrifice during the struggle for national independence, as well as in the ongoing cause of nation-building and development. From its inception in 1930, the Indochinese Communist Party stood closely with the revolutionary movement in Laos. In 1950, Laos established the Neo Lao Issara, closely allied with the Vietnamese revolution. During the wars against French colonialism and later against American imperialism, the peoples of both nations fought shoulder to shoulder along the legendary Truong Son (Ho Chi Minh) Trail, forging the Viet NamLaosCambodia combat alliance that contributed to the historic victory of 1975 and the complete liberation of both nations. In 1977, Viet Nam and Laos signed the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, providing a solid legal foundation for bilateral relations and affirming the enduring, comprehensive partnership. Since then, relations have continued to grow across politics, defencesecurity, economy, culture, education and people-to-people exchanges. There has also been cooperation in renewal and international integration. Since Viet Nams oi moi (Renewal) in 1986 and Laos New Economic Mechanism, both sides have actively supported and shared experiences, expanding economic, trade and investment cooperation. Viet Nam has become one of Laos leading investors, while the two countries coordinate closely in multilateral forums, particularly ASEAN, the UN, and Mekong sub-regional mechanisms. More recently, in 2017, the two nations celebrated the Viet NamLaos Year of Friendship and Solidarity, marking 55 years of diplomatic relations and 40 years since the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. In 2022, they commemorated the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties and 45 years of the Treaty, reaffirming their special relationship as a priceless asset for future generations. Today, cooperation is deepening in key areas such as infrastructure, energy, trade, education, cultural exchange and border cooperation. What are your expectations for the future of Viet Nam and for bilateral cooperation? I am confident that in this new stage, Viet Nam will continue to achieve great and sustainable successes in its development journey. Eighty years after independence, Viet Nam has demonstrated its national unity, resilience and creativity. Looking ahead, several prospects stand out. First, Viet Nam is intensifying institutional reform, strengthening governance, and building a socialist-oriented market economy. I believe innovation policies, administrative reforms, digital transformation, and the pursuit of a green and circular economy will enable Viet Nam to sustain high and inclusive growth. Secondly, Viet Nam is prioritising the peoples well-being through advances in education, healthcare, culture, and sciencetechnology. Efforts in sustainable poverty reduction, narrowing regional disparities, and investing in high-quality personnel will underpin long-term development. Thirdly, Viet Nam will remain steadfast in its independent, self-reliant, multilateral and diversified foreign policy, further enhancing its international role and contributing to peace, stability and sustainable development worldwide. As for the future of Viet NamLaos ties, cooperation will expand further. Politics and diplomacy will strengthen political trust, maintain regular high-level exchanges, and enhance close coordination at regional and international forums. Viet Nam will remain among Laos largest investors, focusing on key projects in infrastructure, energy, high-tech agriculture, border trade and logistics, while enhancing transport connectivity to boost trade and tourism. Meanwhile, education and human resources are traditional areas of cooperation that will continue to grow, with Viet Nam training Lao students and officials, alongside greater exchanges among youth and intellectuals. We aim to expand cultural, sports, and tourism exchanges to strengthen the bonds between the two peoples, especially younger generations. Last but not least, the nations will jointly build a peaceful, friendly, stable and developed border, linked with environmental protection, security and improved livelihoods for border communities. I firmly believe that under the sound leadership of the Party, the decisive governance of the State, and the unity of the people, Viet Nam will continue to achieve even greater success. At the same time, the special Viet NamLaos relationship will be further nurtured, making a positive contribution to regional peace, cooperation and development. Do you have a message for the Vietnamese people on the 80th National Day? Over the past 80 years, the Vietnamese nation has travelled a heroic journey from winning independence and safeguarding the homeland to building and developing the country. Today, Viet Nam has risen strongly to become one of the most dynamic economies in the region, with a growing role and standing on the global stage. This is a source of pride not only for the Vietnamese people but also for close friends and partners like us. I hold deep respect and admiration for Viet Nams remarkable achievements, as well as the resilience, wisdom and unity of its people in building and protecting their country. On this momentous occasion, I am confident that the Party, State and people of Viet Nam will continue to advance firmly along the path of renewal and international integration, steering the country towards prosperity, happiness, equity, democracy and civilisation. I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the people of Viet Nam, wishing the country ever-greater prosperity, and its people lasting peace, happiness and success. VNS Viet Nam's historical journey from 1945 to the present day is a miracle of the will, ingenuity, and unity of an entire people and its exceptional leadership, with President Ho Chi Minh as its founder and subsequent generations who have remained faithful to his legacy. Achieving independence, achieving national liberation and reunification, and rebuilding the war-ravaged country represents a transcendental human feat. Viet Nam's impressive socioeconomic achievements and its extraordinary capacity to unite the entire nation to achieve increasingly challenging objectives are highly recognised. The results of the renewal process, which have transformed the country's economic structure in just four decades and generated greater progress and well-being for its people, are admirable. In 1995, at the end of his second visit to Viet Nam, Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro congratulated the Vietnamese people "for their lack of dogma, their audacity, and their courage." These virtues have marked the path of these past eight decades. By preserving national sovereignty and dedicating itself to building a nation at peace, Viet Nam has left a powerful message to all humanity. Cuba is proud to have in Viet Nam a sister nation, a faithful friend, and a close companion with whom we share a historic relationship forged in the struggles against colonialism, imperialism, and for socialist construction. The work and thought of Uncle Ho and the epic of this people live on in new generations of Cubans. Fidel and Cuba's willingness to give even its blood for Viet Nam still resonates in every corner of this nation. The moving displays of love that have emerged in the current campaign of support for Cuba, sponsored by the Viet Nam Red Cross and the Fatherland Front, would not be possible without our exemplary shared history. A wise Vietnamese proverb has risen in moral stature to the rank of a principle of international solidarity: "When drinking water, do not forget the source." In 2025, the Viet NamCuba Year of Friendship, in which we commemorate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, we have seen progress toward a new stage of comprehensive, effective, substantive, and sustainable collaboration. In addition to excellent inter-party relations, systematic political, social, and cultural exchanges, and ties between localities, new economic, trade, investment, and cooperation projects in the agri-food, biotechnology, and energy sectors have been added. Harvesting high-yield Vietnamese rice on Cuban lands with new management models and producing innovative Cuban biopharmaceutical products in Viet Nam offer an auspicious future. Eight decades after President Ho Chi Minh's immortal voice proclaimed independence in Ba inh Square, the Party, State, Government, and people of Viet Nam receive our fraternal embrace and the full conviction that in the era of nation's rise, Viet Nam will once again triumph.VNS Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT (Global Times) The turbulence within the global trading system continues unabated. Since Friday, the US has suspended the duty-free treatment for imported parcels valued at $800 or less. This arrangement - originally designed to facilitate and benefit cross-border e-commerce and US consumers - has been abruptly terminated, marking a significant escalation in US tariff policy. Postal services from over 20 countries have already suspended parcel shipments bound for the US. PostEurop warns that the tariff enforcement and cooperation mechanisms are "a lack of clarity." A senior executive at the US-based global logistics firm ePost Global also unequivocally said that "customers are going to be very shocked." The Universal Postal Union, a United Nations specialized agency, has written to the US Secretary of State to convey member countries' concerns regarding operational disruption. The fact that the duty-exemption for low-value parcels has existed since 1938 speaks volumes about the immense benefits it has conferred on American consumers and countless small businesses as a trade facilitation measure. Over the long term, a vast array of affordable consumer goods entered the US market through this policy, fulfilling the needs of ordinary households and small-to-medium enterprises. Statistics show that the number of low-value parcels in the US jumped nearly 10-fold from 139 million in fiscal 2015 to 1.36 billion in 2024 - which reflects the genuine and substantial demand from US consumers and the many small businesses that rely on cross-border direct shipping. The Washington Post said that this measure shifted more of the burden onto ordinary families and small businesses, rather than actually targeting unfair competition. Today, not only American consumers will lost access to high-quality, diverse goods, but for small vendors in the US. The stark reality has become: "either raise prices, or lose orders." According to a paper published by scholars at the National Bureau of Economic Research, 73 percent of cross-border direct mail consumption in the poorest regions of the US falls under "small exemptions." The complete removal of the "small exemption" would impose a cost pressure of between $11 billion and $13 billion on American consumers. At the same time, some US small and medium-sized enterprises that rely on imports of intermediate goods in small parcels for assembly, which are already operating on thin profit margins with weak risk resilience, are now directly facing rising costs. These severely affected groups are by no means an insignificant part of America's economy and society. Data from the Office of the US Trade Representative show that small businesses are an important backbone of the US economy, creating two-thirds of all new jobs in recent decades. By taking such measures, the US is essentially locking its most dynamic market sectors into a tariff cage, engaging in self-inflicted harm under the banner of "national interest." Time and again, facts have proven that the essence of international trade is mutual benefit, and exchanges and reciprocity create shared prosperity. The recent suspension of parcel deliveries to the US by multiple countries is a clear reflection of how unilateralism and protectionism end up harming both sides. The global trade landscape has taken shape through years of adjustment, forming a tightly knit network of cooperation. The two-way flow of goods, the allocation of production factors, and the mutually beneficial results of trade together strengthen this web and sustain the stability of global supply and production chains. The vast number of small parcels flowing into the US is itself a product of economic globalization. Neither excessively high tariffs nor other "small yard and high fence" protectionist policies can erase the demand that already exists between trade partners; they will only damage global supply chains while also harming the US itself. Washington's tariff measures run counter to economic laws and undermine established rules, and are now facing growing backlash. Recently, France has called for the assessment of retaliatory measures against US digital companies; India has also adopted restrictive measures to express opposition to US tariff policies. According to media reports, the Brazilian government has begun considering retaliatory trade measures against the US. The more the US abuses tariffs, the more backlash and resistance it will face globally. As The Guardian put it, rather than "a tool of economic coercion," the US instead wields tariffs as "a political weapon." And the tariffs are "reshaping old alliances" as the Global South "plots its own path." What the world needs are bridges of cooperation, not "small yard and high fence." A stable international trade environment is the precondition for global growth and development, and the foundation of America's own prosperity. The suspension of parcel deliveries to the US by multiple countries, along with the recent wave of international responses to US tariff policies, is a vivid lesson in practice. If Washington truly wishes to "make America great again," it should work with other countries to safeguard the international trading system and global opportunities for development. HA NOI First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, accompanied by his spouse Lis Cuesta Peraza, arrived in Ha Noi on Sunday morning for a state visit to Viet Nam at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse. During the three-day visit, they will also attend a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of August Revolution and Viet Nam's National Day on September 2 in Ha Noi. The Cuban delegation was welcomed at Noi Bai International Airport in Ha Noi by Politburo member, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council and President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyen Xuan Thang; Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committee's Office ang Khanh Toan; Vice Chairman of the Presidential Office Can inh Tai, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs ang Hoang Giang; Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Le Quang Long and a large number of people. The traditional solidarity, special friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Cuba have served as a beacon for international relations and become a torch lighting the path of their collaboration and development, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs ang Hoang Giang told the press before the visit. The relationship, founded by Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh and Cuban national hero Jose Marti and leader Fidel Castro, has stood the test of time. Over the past 65 years, it has developed across the three pillars of politics diplomacy, economy trade investment, and people-to-people exchange, he said, adding that political trust has been enhanced through frequent exchanges of high-level delegations, with the state visit to Cuba in September 2024 by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, seen as a historic milestone that opened up a new chapter in the special relationship. The partnership extends well beyond commercial interests. Viet Nam recently launched a nationwide campaign to raise funds for the Cuban people on the occasion of the Viet NamCuba Friendship Year and the 65th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. Giang affirmed that the visit once again underscores the enduring solidarity between Viet Nam and Cuba as a guiding beacon for collaboration in the interests of both nations, while contributing to joint efforts for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. VNA/VNS TIANJIN Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and a delegation of Viet Nam arrived at Tianjin Binhai International Airport at midnight Sunday (local time), beginning their working trip to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 and have activities in China. PM Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation were welcomed at the airport by Chinese Minister of Transport Liu Wei; Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tianjin Municipal People's Congress Yu Yunlin; Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh; officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community in China. Attending the SCO Summit 2025 as a guest of the host country, PM Chinh is scheduled to deliver an important speech at the expanded session of the summit to share Viet Nam's achievements and orientations for socio-economic development, and express the country's viewpoints and wishes to promote cooperation for the goal of rapid and sustainable development. Within the framework of the SCO Summit 2025, the PM will have bilateral meetings with leaders of countries, international organisations, and large business groups to promote specific areas of cooperation, especially mobilising resources to serve the country's development goals. In bilateral activities with China, in the year marking the 75th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the "Viet NamChina Humanitarian Exchange Year 2025", PM Chinh will meet with senior Chinese leaders to maintain high-level strategic exchanges, enhance political trust, concretise and effectively implement high-level common perceptions, especially agreements during mutual visits between the two Party General Secretaries. The PM is also expected to meet with leaders, ministries, sectors and enterprises of China to promote substantive cooperation between Viet Nam and China, especially in strategic cooperation areas such as strategic infrastructure, trade, investment, science and technology, education and training, green transition, digital transformation, security, culture, and tourism. VNA/VNS HA NOI Zhao Leji, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) of China, and a high-ranking delegation of the Chinese Party and State, arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Ha Noi at noon on Sunday, starting an official visit to Viet Nam. During the three-day visit, which is made at the invitation of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee and National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man, Zhao will also attend a ceremony celebrating the 80th anniversary of August Revolution and National Day of Viet Nam on September 2, and co-chair the first meeting of the cooperation committee between the Vietnamese NA and the Chinese NPC. The Chinese delegation was welcomed at the airport by NA Vice Chairman Tran Quang Phuong, Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committees Office ang Khanh Toan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Anh Tuan, and Vice Chairman of the NA Committees for National Defence, Security and Affairs Affairs on Tuan Phong. In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)s resident correspondents in Beijing ahead of the trip, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh said Zhaos visit underscores the two countries mutual respect and strong political will to deepen their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The top Chinese legislators official visit and co-chairmanship of the first meeting of the cooperation committee between the Vietnamese NA and the Chinese NPC will not only strengthen legislative cooperation but also reinforce achievements across diplomatic channels of the Party, State, Government, parliament, and people. This provides a solid political foundation for stronger, more stable, and effective collaboration in all aspects, including politics diplomacy, defence security, trade, investment, science technology, and people-to-people exchanges. Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Viet Nam He Wei said the trip is an opportunity for the Chinese Party and Government to extend their warm congratulations to their Vietnamese counterparts on the 80th National Day, reflecting Chinas respect for the bilateral ties and the building of a Viet NamChina community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. The visit also demonstrates Chinas strong support and close friendship with Viet Nam, affirming mutual support and shared commitment to the path of socialism, implementing common perceptions between senior leaders of the two Parties and nations, and advancing the building of the Viet NamChina community. VNA/VNS TIANJIN Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with representatives of the Vietnamese community in China on August 31 morning on the occasion of his working trip to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin city. Also attending the event were Deputy Prime Minister Ho uc Phoc, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh, leaders of ministries, departments, sectors, and central agencies, and about two hundred seventy overseas Vietnamese and students from Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai, Shandong, Guangxi, and Hebei, along with officials and staff of the embassy, who represented the community of more than one hundred thousand Vietnamese people in China. Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh reported that the Vietnamese community in China is a united, close-knit, dynamic, creative community with strong patriotism and national spirit, always looking towards the home country. The Ambassador always strives to contribute to promoting the relationship between the two countries to make it deeper, more substantial, more effective and to well implement the policy of caring for the Vietnamese community abroad, he said. Speaking at the meeting, PM Chinh sent warm regards, respectful greetings, and best wishes from Party General Secretary To Lam, and Party and State leaders to the Vietnamese community in China on the occasion of the eightieth anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day (September 2). Reviewing the great achievements in the country's socio-economic development in recent times, the PM said that the country is carrying out a revolution in "rearranging the country", focusing on developing science and technology and innovation, and promoting international integration. He affirmed that in the country's overall achievements over the past eighty years, there have been very important contributions from the overseas Vietnamese community in general, and the overseas Vietnamese community in China in particular, as a bridge of friendship and people-to-people exchange with the host country, contributing to the Viet Nam-China relationship in the current period. The government leader affirmed that the Party and the State always pay due attention to the overseas Vietnamese community, always listen to their thoughts and aspirations, resolve all difficulties and problems, facilitate their lives, and demonstrate the noble and sacred "national love and compatriotism". Responding to the proposals and recommendations of overseas Vietnamese at the meeting, PM Chinh hoped that the community would always unite and integrate well, and that Vietnamese businesses operating in China would comply with local laws, promote national pride, and make positive contributions to the friendship and cooperation between the two countries. He also hoped that Vietnamese students studying in China would actively learn Chinese knowledge and experience to contribute to the home country's construction and development. In meetings with leaders of the host country, the PM always asked the Chinese side to pay attention to and create favourable conditions for the overseas Vietnamese community, he noted. The PM hoped that the Vietnamese community in China will always be proud of being Vietnamese, proud of having a culture imbued with national identity, and proud of the community's dedication and contributions to the Viet Nam-China friendship, as both comrades and brothers "forever green, forever sustainable". VNS HA NOI Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man held talks with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) of China Zhao Leji right after hosting an official welcome ceremony for the latter in Ha Noi on August 31. Chairman Man welcomed Chairman Zhao, who is paying an official visit to Viet Nam where he will also attend a ceremony to celebrate the 80th anniversary of August Revolution and National Day on September 2, and co-chair the first session of the Cooperation Committee between the Vietnamese NA and the Chinese NPC. The visit is of important significance as it takes place during the Year of Viet NamChina Humanistic Exchanges and the 75th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, thereby contributing to further deepening ties between the two Parties, nations, and their legislative bodies, he said. Congratulating China on its major achievements in recent years, Man expressed his confidence that the CPC, with Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping as its core, will lead the Chinese people in accomplishing the Second Centenary Goal of building a modern socialist power that is prosperous, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. Viet Nam always treasures and gives top priority to developing relations with China, the NA Chairman said. Chairman Zhao, for his part, extended congratulations to the Vietnamese Party, State, and people on their great, historic achievements over the past 80 years, stressing that as friendly neighbours, the two countries stood shoulder to shoulder in the struggles for independence and national liberation and have continued to learn from each other in the process of building socialism, forging a bond of brotherly friendship. Both sides praised the positive progress in Viet NamChina relations in recent years, with inter-parliamentary cooperation playing an important role. Welcoming the first session of the Cooperation Committee between the Vietnamese NA and the NPC, the two leaders agreed to effectively realise high-level common perceptions, strengthen political trust, maintain regular high-level and multi-level exchanges, and enhance cooperation between their legislatures in a more substantive and practical manner. They also pledged to coordinate in building supportive legal frameworks and policies to facilitate exchanges and cooperation between their governments, businesses, and people. Chairman Man proposed that parliamentary cooperation should become a key pillar of the bilateral relations, commensurate with the new level of mutual trust between the two sides. He called for the effective implementation of the cooperation agreement between the two legislatures, including holding meetings of the cooperation committee on a rotating basis every two years, increasing the exchange of delegations at all levels, including those by NA deputies and local Peoples Council deputies' delegations, and supporting each other at global and regional inter-parliamentary forums. He also suggested enhancing exchanges and sharing expertise on legislative activities to improve Party leadership methods, build a socialist rule-of-law state, and refine development policies and mechanisms in key areas. Chairman Man proposed the Chinese NPC pay attention to and support the two countries in carrying out cooperation in key areas such as railways, trade facilitation, local investment collaboration, and stronger supervision of the implementation of signed cooperation agreements. He also urged NPC deputies to play an active role in promoting people-to-people exchanges, thereby consolidating the solid social foundation for the bilateral relations. For his part, Chairman Zhao welcomed and endorsed the cooperation proposals by Chairman Man, affirming that China stands ready to work with Viet Nam to concretise the common perceptions reached by the two Party General Secretaries and advance bilateral relations in line with the six major orientations. Accordingly, China is willing to enhance political trust and maintain high-level exchanges; promote exchanges and experience sharing on Party building and state governance; improve the quality and effectiveness of practical cooperation, including connecting the Belt and Road Initiative with the Two Corridors, One Belt framework and cooperating in the construction of three standard-gauge railway lines linking the two countries; foster people-to-people and locality-to-locality exchanges to strengthen the social foundation; and step up coordination at multilateral inter-parliamentary mechanisms. The two sides also exchanged views on maritime issues, agreeing to implement high-level common perceptions, properly handle matters at sea, and maintain a peaceful and stable environment. After the talks, the two top legislators co-chaired the first meeting of the Cooperation Committee between the Vietnamese NA and the Chinese NPC. Both sides highly valued the significance of this inaugural meeting, held under the newly established bilateral inter-parliamentary cooperation mechanism, which vividly demonstrates the close, effective, and politically trustworthy ties between the two legislative bodies. The two leaders shared the view that the meeting serves as an important mechanism for both sides to exchange experience and discuss parliamentary cooperation orientations aimed at facilitating and promoting the bilateral relations. They held in-depth discussions on legislative and supervisory work concerning major issues of common interest such as national security, and on fostering cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, science, and technology. VNS HA NOI General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam hosted a reception in Ha Noi on August 31 for Zhao Leji, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) of China. Zhao is paying an official visit to Viet Nam where he will also attend a ceremony celebrating the 80th anniversary of August Revolution and Viet Nams National Day (September 2) and co-chair the first session of the Cooperation Committee between the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) and the Chinese NPC. Party General Secretary Lam conveyed his warm regards and best wishes to General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping and other senior Chinese leaders. He said the Vietnamese Party, State, and people always remember with gratitude the great and heartfelt support from the Chinese Party and fraternal people. Despite profound global changes, both countries have maintained stability and development, with relations between the two Parties and countries achieving outstanding progress under the six major orientations. In particular, relations between the two legislatures have become increasingly substantive and profound. The two countries must remain united and steadfast in advancing socialism together, the Party chief said, reiterating that Viet Nam always considers the strengthening of bilateral relations an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation, and its four nos defence policy. Chairman Zhao, for his part, extended the greetings and best wishes from Party General Secretary and President Xi and other senior Chinese leaders to the host leader. He congratulated Viet Nam on the 80th anniversary of August Revolution and National Day, and its remarkable achievements over the past eight decades under the CPVs leadership, which have elevated Viet Nams international position and prestige, and improved the life of its people. China attaches great importance to the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and the ChinaViet Nam Community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, considering it a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, he said. The top legislator also expressed Chinas support for Viet Nams successful organisation of the upcoming 14th National Party Congress, as well as the country's ongoing oi moi (renewal) process, and its push for industrialisation, modernisation, and socialism. To further elevate and deepen bilateral relations in the coming time, Party General Secretary Lam called on the two Parties and countries to continue strengthening political trust and enhancing strategic coordination, while building a sincere and reliable political relationship between their top leaders. The Party leader proposed improving the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms across Party, Government, parliament, and Front channels, as well as in key and regular areas such as public security, defence, and foreign affairs. He also urged deepening ties between the two legislatures, stepping up exchanges of experience in legislation and supervision, and advancing the building of a socialist rule-of-law state under the Party's leadership. Party General Secretary Lam expressed his hope that the legislative bodies of both countries will play a stronger role in fostering higher-level connectivity between the two economies, giving top priority to railway cooperation, and promoting balanced, sustainable trade while further opening markets to each other. He also suggested expanding collaboration in science and technology, particularly in strategic fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, nuclear energy, 5G, and 6G. At the same time, he stressed the importance of intensifying people-to-people exchanges to strengthen the social foundation of the bilateral relations. On the East Sea issue, Party General Secretary Lam proposed both sides continue to manage and better resolve differences, place themselves in each others position, respect each others legitimate interests, and work together to maintain a peaceful and stable environment so that the two socialist countries can focus on advancing a new era of national development. Chairman Zhao welcomed and agreed with the views of Party General Secretary Lam, affirming that China is ready to work with Viet Nam to implement the outcomes of the state visit to Viet Nam by Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping, strengthen political trust, advance practical cooperation, enhance strategic connectivity between the two economies, and expand cooperation in culture, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. He also underlined Chinas willingness to work with Viet Nam to properly manage and resolve differences, jointly maintain peace and stability at sea, and create a favourable environment for each countrys development. The top Chinese legislator stressed that during this visit, the two sides will jointly organise the first meeting of the Cooperation Committee between the Chinese NPC and the Vietnamese NA, marking a new milestone in legislative cooperation and making practical contributions to promoting stable, healthy, and sustainable development of the bilateral ties in the new era. VNS VIENTIANE Despite regional and global uncertainties, the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Viet Nam have grown ever stronger, bringing practical benefits to the people of both countries, said Bounthong Chitmany, Politburo member, Permanent member of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committees Secretariat and Vice President of Laos. Bounthong made the remarks at a meeting in Vientiane on August 30 to mark the 80th National Day of Viet Nam (September 2, 1945 2025). The event was co-organised by the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party Central Committee, the Government, the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee, and the Laos-Viet Nam Friendship Association Central Committee. The official said bilateral cooperation across politics, defence-security, economy, culture, education, and health has become increasingly effective. Viet Nam remains one of the largest investors in Laos with total registered capital of US$5.8 billion, while two-way trade is expected to hit $5 billion this year, he noted. He recalled that the establishment of the Indochinese Communist Party by President Ho Chi Minh laid the foundation for the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) and the LPRP. From that revolutionary cause, the Vietnamese people launched the August Revolution in 1945, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, now the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. This historic victory not only ushered in an era of independence and freedom for Viet Nam but also created favourable conditions for the Lao people to declare independence on October 12, 1945. Entering the period of national development, Viet Nam reaffirmed its resolve with the oi moi (renewal) process in 1986. Over nearly four decades, under the leadership of the CPV, the country has maintained political stability, achieved major socio-economic growth, improved living standards, and enhanced its international standing. According to Bounthong, these achievements are not only the pride of the Vietnamese people, but also a strong source of motivation to encourage the Lao people in the cause of national defense and development. Every victory of Laos has been closely linked to the faithful support of Viet Nam, from standing shoulder to shoulder during the liberation struggle to assisting Laos today with initiatives such as access to Vietnamese seaports to boost connectivity and economic growth. He affirmed the determination of the Lao Party, Government, and people to join hands with Viet Nam in safeguarding and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation so that future generations may continue to inherit and build on it, worthy of the sacrifices of generations of leaders and revolutionaries. Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam stressed that the August Revolution and the National Day on September 2 marked a turning point that transformed the Vietnamese people from colonial subjects into masters of their nation, affirming Viet Nams prestige in the international arena. After 80 years, and nearly 40 years of oi Mmi, Viet Nam has achieved major successes in economic development, foreign affairs, and global integration while ensuring political stability and better living conditions for its people. The ambassador underlined that every victory of Viet Nam has also been inseparable from the wholehearted support of the Lao Party, State, and people. The special Viet NamLaos relationship is a priceless common asset nurtured through generations and will continue to be preserved and promoted, he said. Tam also voiced his confidence that the Lao people will continue to secure new achievements in building a peaceful and prosperous nation. VNS WASHINGTON Viet Nam has officially taken over the rotating chairmanship of the ASEAN Committee in Washington D.C (ACW) from Thailand, with the handover ceremony taking place on August 29 (local time). Over the final four months of the year, Viet Nam will preside over a number of collective activities designed to strengthen cooperation and mutual understanding between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the US. Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung praised Thailand for successfully hosting several key activities during its tenure, notably the commemoration of ASEAN Day on August 8. He affirmed that Viet Nam will work to maintain the momentum of the ACWs activities in the coming months and foster more substantive engagement with partners. The ambassador noted that Viet Nam has already prepared several specific initiatives and will share further details in due course. Among the upcoming highlights, September will see National Day celebrations of Singapore, Malaysia and Viet Nam, alongside a series of activities at the United Nations General Assembly and the welcoming of two new ambassadors from Laos and Indonesia. In October, the ACW is expected to mark Timor-Lestes admission to ASEAN and co-host, with the Malaysian Embassy, a programme on artificial intelligence. November will feature a meeting with Secretary of the US Department of Transportation and Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, while December will bring joint cultural promotion activities showcasing all ASEAN member states in Washington. Dung concluded by expressing his hope for the continued cooperation of fellow ASEAN members throughout Viet Nams ACW chairmanship. The handover ceremony was rounded off with the symbolic transfer of the ACW gavel and the ASEAN flag, followed by a networking session with representatives of ASEAN embassies and local partners. VNS BEIJING President Luong Cuongs attendance at a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the worlds victory over fascism and working visit to China from September 2-4 convey Viet Nams strategic message of peace and development to global and regional friends, said Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh. Talking with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)s resident reporters in Beijing, Binh said the visit, made at the invitation of Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, carries important significance. It not only reviews a historic milestone but also reaffirms the fundamental values that have shaped the modern international order: peace, independence, sovereignty, equal cooperation, and mutual development. Viet Nam, having endured long and arduous struggles for national independence, understands more than most the value of freedom and peace, and deeply shares the losses and appreciates the great sacrifices made by nations in their fight against fascism, oppression, and exploitation, he said. The Vietnamese Presidents presence at the event underscores the countrys foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation, along with its proactive, active, comprehensive, extensive and effective global integration. It highlights the countrys active and responsible contributions to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world. Coupled with domestic celebrations of the 80th anniversary of August Revolution and Viet Nams National Day on September 2, the visit amplifies Viet Nams aspiration, will, and resolve to raise its sense of responsibility for safeguarding global and regional peace, for an environment of cooperation, development, and prosperity for humanity in the new era, Binh said. President Cuong's working trip to China coincides with another official visit to Viet Nam by Zhao Leji, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPC). Zhao will attend the 80th anniversary of August Revolution and Viet Nams National Day on September 2, and co-chair the first session of the Cooperation Committee between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the NPC. These reciprocal trips are a testament to the strong mutual support and the continuously reinforced political trust between the two Parties, States, and their people, the diplomat noted. As part of his agenda, the Vietnamese President is scheduled to hold meetings with leaders of other countries and international organisations attending the anniversary. This will be an important opportunity for Viet Nam to strengthen friendship and practical, multifaceted cooperation with key global and regional partners, while spreading the countrys images and its socio-economic achievements over the past 80 years. By doing so, Viet Nam conveys a positive and reliable message about its people and progress. With such significance, the Presidents attendance at the 80th anniversary of the victory over fascism in China not only demonstrates Viet Nams special regard for its traditional neighbourly ties and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China, but also reaffirms the countrys consistent commitment to upholding the universal values of peace, advancing mutually beneficial cooperation, and contributing to the common prosperity of nations and people worldwide. At the same time, it reflects Viet Nams determination, willpower, and strength in pursuing the goals of rapid and sustainable growth in the new era of national rise. In the diplomats view, President Cuongs first working visit to China in his capacity as head of state holds significance for Viet Nam-China relations. It demonstrates both countries commitment to further advancing their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and building a Viet Nam-China Community with a shared future that carries strategic importance. It comes just four months after the successful state visit to Viet Nam by Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping in April this year, and follows the official Viet Nam visit by Chairman Zhao from August 31 to September 2 to attend the 80th anniversary of August Revolution and National Day, and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhs working trip to China to attend the expanded Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit from August 31 to September 1, marking the first time in the history of bilateral ties that three high-level visits have taken place almost simultaneously. This unprecedented exchange represents a new high point in top-level interactions, carrying great significance in the year celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the Year of Viet NamChina Humanistic Exchange 2025. During his stay, the Vietnamese leader is scheduled to hold talks and meetings with key Chinese leaders. The two sides are expected to outline major directions to effectively realise the common perceptions reached by the top leaders of the two Parties and countries. Discussions will focus on measures to further bolster political trust, manage and properly handle existing differences in bilateral ties, and lay the groundwork for more effective cooperation across all channels, levels, and fields. On the occasion, they will also share views on each countrys situation, global and regional issues of shared concern. The two sides will deliberate ways to deepen cooperation and achieve more substantive outcomes, toward creating new breakthroughs in socio-economic collaboration by leveraging each others strengths for mutual benefit and delivering tangible gains for both nations and their people. Their discussions will explore more people-to-people exchanges, and enhance cooperation in culture, tourism, and education. This includes joint efforts in quality human resource training and the effective Red Journey youth exchange aimed at raising young generations understanding of the bilateral relations and fostering the spirit of traditional friendship described as both comrades and brothers. In conclusion, the diplomat said President Cuongs visit is poised to add fresh momentum to the positive trajectory of Viet NamChina relations, including the building of a Viet NamChina community with a shared future that carries strategic significance under the six major orientations, thereby contributing to peace, stability, and enabling both countries to meet their development goals while also making contributions to regional development. VNS TIANJIN Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 31 met with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping as part of his working trip to Tianjin to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025. PM Chinh conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes from Party General Secretary To Lam, President Luong Cuong, and other high-ranking Vietnamese leaders to Party General Secretary and President Xi and Chinese leaders. He thanked China for sending a high-ranking delegation and a military contingent to Viet Nam for attendance at the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification, and the 80th anniversary of National Day. He congratulated China on its continued achievements under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, with Xi as its core, highlighting Chinas role as a leading driver of global economic growth and as a source of solutions and initiatives to pressing global challenges. Welcoming the theme of this years expanded SCO Summit, the PM affirmed that Viet Nam stays ready to work with China and other countries to uphold multilateralism, promote sustainable development, and contribute to addressing major global and regional issues. Party General Secretary and President Xi welcomed PM Chinh leading a Vietnamese delegation to the SCO Summit, stressing that his presence reflects Viet Nams strong commitment to advancing bilateral ties and its active support for conferences hosted by China. He extended cordial greetings to Party General Secretary To Lam and other Vietnamese leaders, while offering warm congratulations to the Vietnamese Party, State, and people on the 80th anniversary of August Revolution and National Day. The Vietnamese PM reviewed six key positive outcomes in the bilateral relations in recent years, including strengthened strategic trust and exchanges; more substantive national defence-security cooperation; stronger strategic connectivity between the two economies, particularly in railway and aviation; strong growth in economic, trade, and investment ties; closer industrial and supply chain linkages; and a more solid social foundation. Viet Nam always considers the development of ties with China an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority in its foreign policy, he said, adding that Viet Nam is ready to work with China to effectively realise the common perceptions reached between the two Party General Secretaries, translating strategic orientations into concrete outcomes that bring tangible benefits to the people of both countries. Both sides vowed to further advance ties between the two Parties and nations under the six major orientations, strengthen strategic exchanges, expand comprehensive cooperation, deepen economic connectivity, particularly railway projects, and boost collaboration in science-technology and innovation. PM Chinh suggested maintaining the exchanges and contacts in flexible forms between the two Party General Secretaries, while making defence and security cooperation more substantive, including through specific military trade projects. He called for the early convening of the first meeting of the Viet NamChina joint railway cooperation committee, prioritising Viet Nam in Asia-Pacific railway industry development, and expediting work on concessional loan agreements, feasibility studies and railway workforce training, therefore helping Viet Nam develop a railway industry complex. With respect to trade, the Vietnamese leader urged China to expand its import of Vietnamese high-quality agricultural products, accelerate the signing of quarantine protocols for Vietnamese pomelo, exploited seafood and meat products, approve additional durian planting areas, expand smart border gate models, and advance negotiations on the two sides cross-border economic cooperation zone. He also proposed closer and more comprehensive energy cooperation, including clean energy and power trading, with increased capacity and output of Chinese electricity exports to Viet Nam, early signing of a memorandum of understanding on Viet NamChina power connectivity and electricity exchanges at 500kV level. Calling for practical joint work in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, PM Chinh sought China's support in technology transfer, institution and infrastructure building, and human resource training in artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, quantum technology and low-orbit satellites. He welcomed scholarships from Tsinghua University for Vietnamese doctoral students in AI. The Vietnamese PM also suggested stronger cultural and people-to-people exchanges, including the Year of Viet NamChina Humanistic Exchange, youth programmes such as the red journey, visa exemptions, and expanded commercial flights. For his part, Party General Secretary and President Xi commended PM Chinhs suggestions and contributions to the bilateral ties, affirming Chinas support for Viet Nam in successfully organising the 14th National Party Congress. He called for enhanced all-level and high-level strategic exchanges, effective outcomes in cooperation, and the successful organisation of the 17th meeting of the Viet NamChina Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation and the 3+3 strategic dialogue between the two countries foreign, defence and public security ministries in 2025. The top Chinese leader underlined the promotion of infrastructure connectivity, especially railways, and agreed to early convene the meeting of the joint railway committee and accelerate steady progress on the Laos CaiHa NoiHai Phong railway feasibility study. He stressed the need to actively explore cooperation in mobilising and securing funding, providing railway workforce training, and accelerate the development of smart border gates and the cross-border economic cooperation zone. Party General Secretary and President Xi expressed his wish to see well-organised activities marking the 75th founding anniversary of China-Viet Nam diplomatic ties and red journey study and exchange programme in China for Vietnamese young people. The two sides also had candid discussions on maritime issues and agreed to seriously implement common perceptions of the top leaders of the two countries on the better control and settlement of differences, and the building and maintenance of an environment of peace, cooperation and development in the region. VNS Foreign visitors take photos at the Furong Town scenic spot in Yongshun county, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province, Nov. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) Foreign tourists visiting China are increasingly venturing beyond major cities to discover the country's hidden gems, where they explore ancient buildings, marvel at the aurora borealis, or indulge in shopping sprees. Data from online travel service provider Qunar shows that during the summer season, international visitors booked flights to 144 Chinese cities, 16 more than the same period last year. Most of the newly added destinations are lower-tier cities known for their natural beauty and pleasant climate, including Zhangye in Gansu Province, Anqing in Anhui Province, Enshi in Hubei Province, and Aksu in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. All 20 cities with the fastest growth in flight bookings by foreign tourists are third-tier cities or below. Travelers flock to Yiwu in Zhejiang Provincedubbed the "world's supermarket"for shopping sprees, explore ancient buildings in Datong, Shanxi Province, and enjoy the aurora borealis in Mohe, Heilongjiang Province. Global enthusiasm for "China Travel" has also fueled a shopping boom, with the practical tip to "bring an empty suitcase to China" gaining traction on overseas social media platforms. Summer flight bookings to Yiwu by international tourists surged 2.6-fold year on year. In particular, flight bookings by Vietnamese and Indonesian travelers increased more than threefold compared with the same period last year. According to Zhang Zhongyin, a researcher at Qunar's big data research institute, this trend is partly driven by China's 240-hour transit visa-free policy, which allows inbound tourists more time to explore destinations beyond major cities. The growing number of airports in lower-tier cities has also made these areas more accessible for foreign tourists. As supporting facilities improvesuch as multilingual services at tourist attractionsChina is increasingly becoming a destination where international visitors always find something new. The institute's analysis further shows that tourists from distant countries such as the United States, Russia, Canada, and Australia face flight times of more than eight hours to reach China. Given the long journey, they prefer extended stays and multiple destinations. Taking high-speed trains to explore lower-tier cities beyond metropolises like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou has become a popular choice for many inbound travelers. HA NOI Politburo member and permanent member of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee's Secretariat Tran Cam Tu received a high-level delegation from the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) in Ha Noi on August 31. The delegation, led by Chairman Chung Eui-yong and Co-Chairman Mushahid Hussain Sayed of the ICAPP Standing Committee, is on a working trip to Viet Nam to attend a ceremony celebrating the country's 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2. At the meeting, Tu said that the historic achievements Viet Nam has made over its 80-year revolutionary path have partially attributed to the valuable solidarity and support of political parties and international friends, including ICAPP. He took this occasion to express the gratitude of the Party, State and people of Viet Nam to the ICAPP leadership. The ICAPP leaders, for their part, praised the CPVs growing role and international reputation. They noted that under the CPV's leadership, the Southeast Asian country has become an inspiring example of independence, resilience, solidarity, renewal, integration and development. They further appreciated the active participation and effective contributions of the CPV as a member of the ICAPP Standing Committee, expressing their wish to deepen ties and voicing confidence that the Vietnamese Party would continue to play a significant role in advancing ICAPPs vision and development goals for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Asia. Tu affirmed Viet Nams consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, and diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, with an emphasis on promoting multilateralism and international solidarity for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world. He and the two ICAPP leaders agreed to strengthen close cooperation, step up the CPVs engagement within ICAPP, and work with ICAPP Standing Committee members to further elevate the organisations international position and role in the current context. VNS ONG NAI Nearly 14,000 engineers and construction workers continued work through Viet Nams National Day holiday this week at Long Thanh International Airport, as the Government pushes to speed up the project that has faced years of delays. The state-run Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), which is overseeing the US$13.5 billion development, said more than 6,000 workers are deployed at the passenger terminal considered the heart of the airport where construction runs 24 hours a day. The underground structure and four reinforced-concrete levels are largely complete, while installations such as baggage systems and passenger walkways are now being delivered. Other packages, including internal roads, utilities, fuel infrastructure, reservoirs, cargo facilities and power supply, have also mobilised more than 3,200 workers and 3,000 machines, ACV said. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered that the airports first phase be completed by December 19, 2025, a year earlier than the deadline approved by the National Assembly. He has urged contractors to show high determination and to ensure quality and environmental standards alongside speed. The 5,000-hectare site, located about 40km east of HCM City, has been plagued by delays since being approved in 2015, mainly due to slow site clearance, resettlement challenges, financing issues and the pandemic. Designed to ease heavy congestion at HCM City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Long Thanh airport is expected to serve up to 25 million passengers a year in its first phase, eventually expanding to 100 million passengers and five million tonnes of cargo annually, making it one of Southeast Asias largest airports. VNS HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach Newswire - 28 August 2025 - Gao Minghui, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Protus Group, was recently honored with an invitation to attend the 80th Anniversary of Vietnam's National Day, hosted by the Embassy of Vietnam in Singapore. The ceremony was held with great solemnity, bringing together a distinguished gathering of leaders from politics, business, and various other fields. The celebration served not only as a moment to reflect on Vietnam's remarkable 80-year journey of nation-building and progress, but also as an opportunity to share the nation's vision and aspirations for continued growth and a stronger presence on the global stageEstablished in 2013 and headquartered in Singapore, Protus Group has been a pioneer in building efficient and sustainable international supply chain solutions, with global transaction volumes surpassing USD 20 billion. In 2024, Protus Group entered a strategic joint venture with Sunwah Group (Hong Kong), marking a new chapter in the exploration and development of modern international supply chain models.Vietnam, a strategic link in Protus Group's global network, has been part of the company's footprint since 2021. To date, Protus has partnered with dozens of enterprises across sectors such as petrochemicals, paper packaging, agricultural processing, medical consumables, non-ferrous metals, and consumer goods. With financial support exceeding USD 30 million, Protus not only provides funding solutions but also helps Vietnamese businesses overcome key bottlenecks, from raw material procurement and credit term support to cross-border settlement and market expansion.Throughout its journey with local partners, Protus has supported business growth and helped upgrade entire industries by fostering market leaders. One example is a major agricultural processor in Kon Tum, which, with Protus's support, overcame challenges like limited raw material access and long payment cycles. As a result, the company achieved a fivefold revenue increase in one year, a strong testament to local industry transformation.At the event, Mr. Gao stated, "We can provide tailored supply chain solutions for Vietnamese enterprises to support industry upgrading and regional economic development. Moreover, we hope to work hand in hand with Vietnam to build and share, jointly embracing greater opportunities in the future."Protus's invitation to the 80th Anniversary of Vietnam's National Day recognized its achievements and reaffirmed its commitment to a long-term partnership with Vietnam. Looking ahead, Protus will continue taking concrete actions to boost Vietnamese enterprises and contribute to regional prosperity. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Fraudsters tricking victims into handing over cards and money, say police This article is old - Published: Sunday, Aug 31st, 2025 Police have issued a warning after reports of criminals posing as bank staff and arranging to collect victims bank cards. The scam, known as courier fraud, typically begins with a cold call. Victims are told there is a problem with their account and are persuaded to hand over their bank card, PIN or cash to someone sent to their door. North Wales Police ask: Has someone called you from your bank and arranged to come and collect your bank card? This is an example of courier fraud. Hang up immediately and contact the police. Officers stressed that legitimate banks will never ask customers to withdraw money to secure an account or send a courier to collect cards. If you receive such a call and are unsure, police advise dialling 159 a direct service that connects people safely to their bank. Courier fraud is a common scam used by organised crime groups across the UK. Criminals often target elderly and vulnerable people, sometimes claiming to be police officers or fraud investigators. In some cases, victims are told to call their bank back but the scammer stays on the line, tricking them into thinking they are speaking to genuine staff. North Wales Police urged residents to share the warning with friends and relatives. Please take a few minutes to make sure that your family and friends are aware that this is a common scam so that they arent caught out, their Cyber unit said. Top pic: They may not look like this old archive pic! Volunteers praised after spate of rescue incidents in North East Wales This article is old - Published: Sunday, Aug 31st, 2025 North East Wales Search and Rescue (NEWSAR) has described a busy few days after being called to several incidents across the region. The volunteer team, which covers Wrexham, Flintshire, Denbighshire and parts of Conwy and Powys, said it had dealt with a series of callouts between 15 and 24 August. On Friday 15 August, the group responded to two incidents simultaneously one just outside Oswestry and another involving a medical episode on Moel Famau. Three days later, on 18 August, the team was contacted by North Wales Police to provide assistance with an extraction at Alyn Waters. NEWSAR said its members were placed on standby but later stood down when their support was no longer required. On Friday 22 August, the team was requested by police to assist with a search for a missing woman near Melin y Wig, Corwen. Searches were carried out on foot and by vehicle until the early hours before being paused at 1:30am. By 8am, the great news came through that the lady had been found safe and well, the team said. Sunday 24 August brought two further incidents. In the first, police asked the team to help a child with a leg injury on Moel Famau. Thanks to a nearby team member, first aid was given quickly, NEWSAR said. Once further team members were on scene, the casualty was given pain relief, splinted, and transported safely off the hill in one of the team Landrovers. We wish them a speedy recovery. Shortly afterwards, as the team returned to base, it was called again to assist the Welsh Ambulance Service with the extraction of a fallen motorcyclist near Llangedwyn. A NEWSAR spokesperson said: A huge thank you to our volunteers who continue to give their time day and night. Our team of volunteers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days, responding to those in need throughout Flintshire, Denbighshire, Wrexham and parts of Conwy and Powys. You can donate to support the charity via www.newsar.org.uk/donate. Top pic: Archive. Xi says China fully supports Kyrgyzstan in taking SCO rotating chair Xinhua) 17:35, August 31, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. Japarov is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025, as well as commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) TIANJIN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- China will fully support Kyrgyzstan in assuming the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), President Xi Jinping said when meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in the port city of Tianjin on Sunday. Japarov is in China to attend the SCO Summit 2025, as well as commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. China backs Kyrgyzstan in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs, and will work with the country to uphold the UN-centered international system and contribute further to world peace and development, Xi said. Underscoring the need to deepen practical cooperation, Xi called on the two countries to expand cooperation in emerging areas including clean energy and artificial intelligence (AI). Kyrgyzstan is willing to learn from China's experience and deepen cooperation in connectivity, clean energy, AI and sci-tech innovation, so as to bring more benefits to the people, Japarov said. Kyrgyzstan stands ready to strengthen coordination with China to advance the development of the SCO, Japarov added. The two sides signed bilateral documents covering connectivity, human resources, civil aviation, and subnational cooperation. Senior Chinese officials including Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Chen Min'er attended the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. Japarov is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025, as well as commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liu Ning) Where to find them Where to find them The postcards are free to the public and will be available at the Hatch Chile Festival on Saturday, Aug. 30, and Sunday, Aug. 31, and ABQ Rail Yards Market on Sunday, Aug. 31, Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta on Sept. 24-28, the Great New Mexico Chile Taste-Off on Oct. 4, and New Mexico State University Ag Day on Nov. 8. The association is also working to make the postcards available at newmexicochile.org/postcards. Fernando Padillas card depicts cycles of life and Pueblo culture. Jade Leyva likened her chile maiden to traditional corn maidens. Juan Wijngaard said his postcard was inspired by old matchbox covers. Vicente Telles, right, and his postcard, above. Michael Toya, right, and the postcard he designed for the New Mexico Certified Chile Postcard Project. As the smell of chile starts to fill the air, a new project by the New Mexico Chile Association aims to commemorate and spread the joy of the harvest season. New Mexico Certified Chile Postcard Project worked with five New Mexico artists to produce a set of postcards that will be available free to the public at events throughout the fall. We wanted to promote New Mexico chile both in New Mexico, but beyond New Mexico. And we had this idea: Well, what if we can enlist the help of chile lovers in New Mexico? said Joe Wellborn, New Mexico Chile Association board member. We all know it. We love it. How can we get New Mexicans to be ambassadors for our chile? So we came up with this postcard idea. The five postcards showcase chile-centric artworks by Juan Wijngaard, Jade Leyva, Fernando Padilla, Vicente Telles and Michael Toya. Wellborn said the organization wanted to collaborate with artists with different backgrounds and styles from around the state. Leyva took inspiration for her piece from where she grew up. Im from Mexico, so chiles have always been present in my life and in my diet, she said. She also pulled from personal experiences. I paint a lot of women, like women that I sort of grew up seeing in my country, Mexico. So I feel like I always try to depict, like, a lot of women and femininity, Leyva said. Its not a religious image, but it was sort of meant to represent the sacredness as a chile maiden. Leyva likened her chile maidens to traditional corn maidens. Padilla (San Felipe Pueblo and Navajo) calls himself an Urban Indian because he grew up in the city but would return to the village for feasts and ceremonies. He said he enjoys seeing how New Mexico has been influenced by Native American culture. I like that they didnt exclude us from being a part of what New Mexico has become, Padilla said. I think a lot of people, when they think of New Mexico, they may think of Pueblo culture. Ad He used this influence to help craft his postcard. I knew that my Pueblo heritage and culture would be the focal point, Padilla said. I used stylized designs that represent Pueblo drawings, paintings of fabric and pottery and baskets and murals and things like that. Padilla said his piece depicts cycles of life. In Pueblo culture, we understand that theres a creator or supreme being that designed everything and so theres this divine design I mean, its just the lifestyle, being thankful and appreciating and trying to be good stewards, Padilla said. Were not always that great in that, but we understand we are given a stewardship over the Earth and to take care of it and replenish it and try not to waste it and overuse it and abuse it, he said. Wijngaard let his postcard be inspired by a line of work he created in the past. I had been doing a series inspired by old matchbox covers, Wijngaard said. So my brain was still in that mode when I was approached to come up with an idea for the chile postcard. Wellborn said the goal of the associations postcard project is to showcase how important chile is to New Mexico as part of the states economy and culture. All the artists acknowledged the importance of the symbol of the chile for New Mexico. Chile is a part of the culture, and is very, very woven into the tapestry of the culture here, Leyva said. Five New Mexico artists interpret chile for commemorative postcard series Fernando Padillas card depicts cycles of life and Pueblo culture. Vicente Telles, right, and his postcard, above. Juan Wijngaard said his postcard was inspired by old matchbox covers. Michael Toya, right, and the postcard he designed for the New Mexico Certified Chile Postcard Project. Jade Leyva likened her chile maiden to traditional corn maidens. Michael Toya postcard Courtesy of the New Mexico Chile Association Jade Leyva postcard Courtesy of the New Mexico Chile Association Fernando Padilla postcard Courtesy of the New Mexico Chile Association Juan Wijngaard postcard Courtesy of the New Mexico Chile Association Adil Syed Source: Metropolitan Detention Center The son of a man serving a life sentence in the high-profile killings of three Muslim men is facing criminal charges in a separate case. Adil Syed, 26, is charged with two counts of criminal sexual penetration in the alleged May 25 rape of a 15-year-old girl at an Albuquerque park. His father, Muhammad Syed, was sentenced to life in prison last November for fatally shooting three Muslim men over a two-week span in 2022. Adil Syed was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Friday. It is unclear if he has an attorney. Syed most recently faced a battery charge in April for a family fight, but the case was dismissed. In 2021, Adil Syed told police he had fired a gun at a man in self-defense outside a Walmart near Zuni and San Mateo SE. He never faced charges in that incident. On May 27, a woman came to a police station in Southwest Albuquerque to report her granddaughter had been raped days earlier, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. The grandmother said the girl, identified as A.A., had been having panic attacks and nightmares and had contracted a lifelong illness as a result of the attack. Police said A.A. told them she met her attacker on Snapchat, and on May 25, he picked up her and her two cousins. The girl said the man drove them to a park and locked the doors after her cousins got out. The girl told police the man raped her as she cried and tried to push him away, only stopping when her cousins came back, according to the complaint. She said the man took them back to her aunts apartment, where her cousin briefly fought with him. Police said A.A. told them she had become suicidal since the rape. Ad The complaint states detectives traced the suspects Snapchat to Adil Syed and confirmed he matched the description of A.A.s attacker. One cousin told police that the girl lied about the rape and it was consensual, but the girls other cousin said otherwise, according to the complaint. The cousin added that he fought the rapist because he was overprotective of A.A. Police said on July 2 detectives got a search warrant for Adil Syeds DNA to compare to any found in A.A.s rape kit. Syed told police he would not provide DNA until he spoke with an attorney but never called them back. Albuquerque police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said on Friday officers arrested Syed at his familys home in Southwest Albuquerque. Alabama is often called the most religious state in the country, with 77% of folks here identifying as people of faith. In the series How We Worship, were traveling across the state to visit churches, mosques, synagogues, and other spaces where Alabamians gather in faith. You cant miss the cowboy hats, boots and shiny belt buckles among the few hundred people gathered to worship and pray on this summer Sunday in Alabama. Why the Western attire? Because its a cowboy church. We have no prejudices, said Martha Hughes, a member of the Cowboy Church of Colbert County. You come as long as youre dressed decent, no formal attire. We have folks that wear shorts year-round. They wear their cowboy hats during church. A lot of people dont like that, but thats a thing of cowboy church, the friendliness of it. 28 1 / 28 Cowboy Church of Colbert County Part of the point of the cowboy church experience is to provide an alternative to the constraints of a traditional service to circumvent the formalities and get straight to worship. Despite the name, you dont have to be a cowboy or cowgirl to attend this nondenominational contemporary Christian church. Just throw on a T-shirt and jeans and youll fit right in. The service has little to nothing to do with cowboys or the west. The music is like any other modern worship service. The congregation gathers in a building that started as a Western wear store in Leighton, a small rural town just outside of Florence. In 2008, Truman Sutton leased his store to the American Fellowship of Cowboy Churches. Two years later, he found himself leading the congregation as pastor. Ive never seen a church that everybody in town knows about it, Sutton told AL.com. Its really been good. Weve baptized almost 600 since weve been here. On this Sunday morning in June, Sutton baptized five people of multiple generations, including a couple who just got married the day before, and his own sister. I think a lot of people are accustomed to going in, sit down, and cant move, and sing certain songs and go home, said Hughes. Cowboy church, you never know what to expect here. Its not a set program as such. After service, we spoke with the pastor about what draws people to cowboy church. Heres what Sutton told us: Can you share a significant memory from your time at the church? Two different times really brought us together. My son died, and then another 16-year-old boy that went to church here died. They died close together. We grew over a hundred members because of each death. A preacher told me the day that we had my sons funeral, he had never felt the holy spirit like he did that day. I officiated my own sons funeral because I knew he would want me to. Why do people choose cowboy church? I hope its not for the cowboy part of it. I hope its to serve God. Thats what we encourage because theres so many people here thats not Cowboys. They dont even pretend to be a cowboy but they love it because its open for anybody. We dont have any restrictions on who comes or anything or what your past is. We just look at the future. What are some common misconceptions about your faith? Well, there was a guy that came here a while back and he said. I came for one reason today. I heard yall sit on hay bales and have dogs come to church. Misconception. How does your church influence your daily life? Ive never seen a church where as many people know who you are when you go out in our community. People I dont know anything about come up and say, arent you pastor of Cowboy Church? That church is doing so much for this community. Our sheriff, were good friends, said, Man, this church has been so good to this community. And the community has been good to us. Its really been good. A Talladega man died in a head-on collision Saturday evening near Talladega, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. An ALEA statement released Sunday said that Demetrius L. Pope, 51, was driving a 2019 Toyota Camry that collided head-on with a 2012 Dodge Caravan driven by Felicia A.R. Gober, 39, of Munford. Pope was pronounced dead at the scene and Gober was airlifted to UAB Hospital for treatment. The collision took place in Talladega County at about 9:25 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30. The scene was on Ala. 21 near Mile Marker 225, approximately three miles south of the Talladega city limits. Troopers are investigating the incident, ALEA said. Joshua Brown on the campaign trail ahead of being elected the first Black mayor of Bay Minette, Ala., during the Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, municipal elections in Alabama. supplied photo by Joshua Brown Joshua Brown, the only Black child at his preschool growing up in the Baldwin County seat of Bay Minette, has only fond memories of his teachers and a sense of belonging. I did not know at the time I was any different from the rest of the kids, Brown, a lifelong Bay Minette resident said on Thursday, two days after he made history: Hes the first Black man or woman to be elected mayor of Bay Minette. I understand the impact of me being the first Black person elected to the mayors seat, said Brown who, at age 32, claims to be the youngest person ever elected to the citys top political post as well. However, Jimmy Faulkner Sr. -- who was elected mayor in 1941 at age 25 -- likely holds that designation. Its major, he said. Its still a little unreal. Its historic. But I push and yearn for the community not to stop here. We have a lot of work to do for the betterment of all people in Bay Minette. Brown upset three-term incumbent Mayor Bob Wills during Tuesdays municipal election to win the mayors seat. He will be sworn into office on Nov. 3, and will become the citys 18th mayor since the city first elected the position in 1907. The victory was bolstered by a surge of Black voter turnout. Brown received 871 votes to 750 for Wills, for a 54% to 46% win. The difference in the election came in an astonishing 282-10 advantage Brown had over Wills at the Boykin Center precinct, where a large number of Black voters cast their ballots. Browns win occurred in a city that, while its seen a growth in Black residents in recent years, is still a majority white the 2019-2023 American Community Survey results by the U.S. Census show Bay Minette at 52% white, 41% Black. It really was a surprise, Wills said. Their turnout was unbelievable. It was clear that a lot of people who never voted before showed up. I have to give them credit. Bay Minette Mayor Bob Wills speaks to the local media on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, after it was announced that Atlanta-based Novelis is building a $2.5 billion aluminum plant at the South Alabama MegaSite north of Bay Minette, Ala. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). The overall voter turnout in Bay Minette was 28%, which was slightly more than other cities with competitive mayoral races including Mobile. My turnout wasnt bad, Wills said. I had a decent turnout, but its a shame. Im very disappointed. Wills, 77, a local attorney, had been a longtime public servant before he was elected mayor in 2012. He previously served 18 years on the Baldwin County School Board. Brown attributes his win to a grassroots campaign strategy and voter education efforts. We did a lot of phone calls, texting and hosted events for people to come out and hear what I had to say, Brown said. Ive been volunteering in this community since I was 15 to 16 years old as a young counselor, musician and worker who puts on events and trying to fundraise. Ive been in Bay Minette my whole life. Brown said his priorities include economic development, a key issue for Bay Minette in a county that outside its northern areas is considered among the fastest-growing in Alabama. The Novelis site in Bay Minette, Ala., as photographed in June 2025. Gulf Coast Studios The city is expected to be transformed with the opening of a Novelis aluminum manufacturing plant sometime late next year. The $4.1 billion plant is north of the city and consumes much of the 3,000 acre South Alabama MegaSite property. Its expected to bring in approximately 1,000 new jobs with an average annual salary of around $65,000. Brown, a sales director at Local IT, LLC, in Foley, said he wants to leverage his marketing background and push an aggressive business growth mindset by luring new small businesses to the city. What are the missing industries here in Bay Minette that we need to go out there and hunt for and bring in? Brown said. He also is advocating for partnerships between the city and the Baldwin County School System to support youth activities. We need to find ways to engage them and highlight our youth in all available initiatives whether its culture and arts and academia and that we are able to invest more in those areas and partner more effectively with our school system to do so, he said. The statistics show that Bay Minette faces its own issues compared to the rest of Baldwin County. The citys nearly 30% poverty rate is almost double the poverty rate for the entire county, which is under 16%. The citys median household income is $39,737, or about half of that when compared to the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley metropolitan area, where its at $75,019. The city, which has around 8,200 residents, is the longtime home to county government and its courthouses. It is also home to a small regional hospital, North Baldwin Infirmary. Coastal Alabama Community College also calls Bay Minette its home. Brown realizes there will be plenty of work and challenges that await. For now, hes enjoying the moment of crafting his first political success story. Joshua Brown serving food at a campaign event on Aug. 19, 2025, at Street's Restaurant in Bay Minette, Ala. Brown defeated three-term incumbent Mayor Bob Wills to become the first Black mayor of Bay Minette during the Aug. 26, 2025, municipal election. supplied photo by Joshua Brown This isnt just about, lets get me in as the first Black and youngest mayor of Bay Minette, Brown said. To me, its about, lets get working together for your families. He said his victory represents a coming together of Bay Minette, in that residents were able to share their ideas and their successes and their pains and find commonality across economic status and social classes, and the color of your skin. We said that we are all in the same boat, have similar issues and that we want change, Brown said. We have more in common than we have differences, so lets work together. This story was updated at 9:09 a.m. on Aug. 31, 2025, to include information that Jimmy Faulkner Sr. was elected Bay Minette mayor in 1941 at age 25. A Lauderdale County man died in an ATV crash before sunrise Saturday morning, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency reports. According to information provided by ALEA, Florence resident Cory L. Stevenson, 34, was operating a 2015 Polaris Sportsman 570 when the vehicle left the roadway, went into a ditch and overturned. Stevenson, who was thrown from the ATV, was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident occurred at about 4:45 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30. The location was on Lauderdale County 24 near Hike Drive, about five miles north of Florence. Troopers are investigating the incident, according to ALEA. The Troy University Police Department is investigating a Saturday night incident that left a student with a gunshot wound to her foot. Campus police said in a social media post that while a safety alert was issued to students, the campus was not locked down and police do not believe there is an ongoing safety threat. The gunshot incident took place about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, near the Trojan Fitness Center. A single shot was fired. A female student was transported for medical care for an injury that was not believed to be life-threatening. Police have urged anyone with relevant information to call them at 334-670-3215. Photos of Pauline and Buford Pusser appeared in a three-part series in The Tennessean in 1969. Screengrab A press conference on Friday may have forever shattered the image of a lawman thought incorruptible, whose ruthless war on violent Tennessee moonshiners was believed to have cost him his wife, and nearly his life, in 1967. Investigators say that legend, enshrined by the 1973 drive-in movie classic Walking Tall, hid a secret of deadly domestic violence and the shocking lengths to which the sheriff went to save himself from prison for his wifes murder. What happened in the early morning hours of Aug. 12, 1967 on a dark stretch of country road near the Mississippi-Tennessee state line? McNairy County, Tenn. Sheriff Buford Pusser, who died in a 1974 car wreck at age 36, long said he went out that day to answer a call of a disturbance. His wife, Pauline, a 33-year-old-mother of three, insisted on going with him and they listened to an eight-track cassette, he said. We were discussing a vacation we were planning to take to Florida the next day, Buford Pusser told the Tennessean in 1969. After they passed New Hope Methodist Church, he claimed a car pulled up alongside his Plymouth and someone inside fired a .30 caliber carbine rifle into his vehicle. I knew Pauline was hit, Pusser told the newspaper. I cradled Paulines head in my lap and prayed over and over again, Oh God, dont let her die. He told the reporter he never returned fire from the shotgun or handgun by his side and instead drove several miles, waiting until he thought he escaped the ambushers to pull over. He then claimed the car again pulled up to his and someone fired at him at point blank range. I felt my face getting torn off my head, Pusser said. My chin was hanging on my chest. I dont see how I lived. Somehow, he said, he radioed for help. Pauline was dead. Buford was taken to a Memphis hospital, where he spent the next 18 days. The story was national news, spawned country songs and led to multiple movies, the first and most famous of which starred Joe Don Baker. Sheriff Pusser, who had already survived multiple shootings and stabbings and killed a woman linked to the Dixie Mafia, was seen as a hero and his wife a devoted martyr to his war on crime. Hollywood really turned it on its head. They have these two jumping out of bed, getting into the car together and thats not the case, District Attorney General Mark Davidson told AL.com. Thats extremely unusual to have your wife in the car at 2 oclock in the morning, not to mention dangerous. Hes going to a disturbance, or so he says. On Friday, the image forged by the movies inspired by the long-unsolved murder came crashing down after 58 years. Tennessee officials said a cold case investigation found evidence sufficient to present an indictment to a grand jury against Buford Pusser for the murder of his wife, if he was still alive. Dr. Michael Revelle, an emergency medicine physical and medical examiner, found that cranial trauma suffered by Pauline didnt match crime scene photographs of the cars interior. Blood on the hood outside the car contradicted Buford Pussers statements, he found. An ambush or domestic violence? The case was reopened by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in 2022. TBI had taken another look at the files and decided to kickstart their investigation so there was a news report and they asked for information, Davidson said. Thats when TBI agents received a tip about a murder weapon. That weapon is believed to have been a .30 caliber carbine rifle. But, Davidson said, physical evidence shows it was likely used by Buford to shoot Pauline outside of the vehicle. The gun was recovered and tested. Though they cannot say conclusively it was the murder weapon, Davidson said it was consistent with the weapon that killed Pauline. This appears to be a domestic violence homicide rather than this notion that they were ambushed in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, in 1967 with no streetlights, Davidson said. This undated photo provided by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, shows the location in Guys, Tenn., where then McNair County Sheriff Buford Pusser said his wife was killed on Aug. 12, 1967. (TBI via AP) AP And (the killers) failed in their attempt, despite all of these shots being fired, to kill Buford Pusser but instead killed his wife -- with no identifiable suspects. The sheriff, they believe, placed Paulines body inside the car and staged his own injury, Davidson said. Our theory is he put a pistol inside his cheek and pulled the trigger and created a flesh wound, Davidson said. The left side of Pussers face was mostly numb from some previous injury, Davidson said. It was not the debilitating wound many seemed to believe it was ... It healed up pretty well. Davidson said photos of the injuries are in the case file, which in a rare move will soon be made public. That is due to the decades of intense public interest in Buford Pusser, particularly in west Tennessee. People say, He got his face blowed off. Nobody believes he did that to himself. Thats not accurate, Davidson said. Most people would think really long and hard about putting a gun anywhere near our mouths and pulling a trigger, but hes a former wrestler, violent guy, prior injuries to his face, he added. In that kind of extreme situation, where youve murdered your wife, youve got to get to work covering it up. And, frankly, it worked. Buford Pusser denied killing his wife or injuring himself. I loved my wife. Id have been pretty damned stupid to blow my own jaw off, he said in 1969. As the renewed investigation progressed, Pauline Pussers body was exhumed in Feb. 2024 from the Adamsville, Tenn. Cemetery where she is buried beside her husband. They found an antemortem, or predeath, healing nasal fracture. It was a fracture of her nose. It was in the process of healing, Davidson said. Those are most commonly associated with domestic violence, Davidson said. The term the (medical examiner) used was interpersonal violence. What justice can be accomplished? The exhumation was hard to accept for Madison Garrison Bush, whose mother, Dwana, was the only child Buford and Pauline had together. I had to choose to redress her, choose a new casket and vault for, and re-bury or re-inter her, she wrote in the McNairy County News on the anniversary of the murder. She wrote that Buford Pusser reminds us that courage is often about standing firm when others back down and love is worth fighting for. Former McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser points to a section along a lonely blacktop road where his wife Pauline died in 1967. Bettmann Archive Pauline Pusser also had two children from a previous relationship. Dwana, who died in 2018, was all about her father, Davidson said. Bush released a statement after the press conference: I personally never knew Buford or Pauline and cannot speak to their relationship or what happened on the morning of August 12, 1967. What I do know, is my family has endured traumatic loss that few people can comprehend. A dead man, who cannot defend himself, is being accused of an unspeakable crime. I dont understand what justice can be accomplished by pursuing this theory of my grandmothers death. Our family has been through enough pain and loss because of my grandfathers law enforcement career and we arent looking to reopen closed wounds. Paulines younger brother, Griffon Mullins, said in a recorded message played at the press conference that his sister never spoke of troubles with her husband. DEVELOPING: TBI Director David Rausch will join other local leaders in West Tennessee to discuss new developments in the Pauline Pusser case in an 11:00 CT news conference. LIVESTREAM HERE: https://t.co/bZPSvQppNG pic.twitter.com/NBGGPajBad Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (@TBInvestigation) August 29, 2025 I knew deep down there were problems in her marriage . Perfectly honest with you, Im not totally shocked. Others in the county of approximately 26,000 people, which still holds events in Bufords honor, are not so sure. Thats not the Buford I knew, David Dickey, who was a pallbearer at Bufords funeral, told WKRN. I loved Buford and his family, so whatever the facts are theyll pan out on their own but I dont believe it. The legend grew Buford Pusser was one of the Tennessees youngest sheriffs and reportedly considered a possible candidate for governor. As Walking Tall became a $40 million hit -- roughly $290 million today -- he travelled the U.S. and Europe to promote the film. He was said to have spent time with Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton. Jimmy Buffett sang of surviving an encounter with Pusser and several Drive-By Truckers songs were inspired by him. Two Walking Tall sequels were made, along with a 1978 TV movie starring Brian Dennehy and a short-lived 1981 NBC series. A 2004 Walking Tall remake starred Dwayne The Rock Johnson. If Buford Pusser murdered his wife, it means he spent the final years of his life profiting from the lie he crafted to hide the crime and fostered a false legend that outlived him. Davidson theorizes Pusser felt he had to go along with the movie. Once you set that all up, I dont know that you have but much choice to run with it, Davidson said. I suppose he could have said, Thanks, but no thanks. Im grieving. Buford died in a car crash almost exactly seven years after his wifes murder. His 1974 Corvette ran off the road hours after he was reportedly in Memphis for talks to star in the sequel to Walking Tall. News reports said it was to be titled Buford. Buford Pusser in 1974. (Photo by Dick Darrell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) (Photo by Dick Darrell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) It was a meteoric rise that carried a high price for the former U.S. Marine. He had reportedly been shot eight times, stabbed seven and killed two people while sheriff in a county said to be overrun with criminals chased from Phenix City in the 1950s. One of the people he killed was Louise Hathcock, shot during a 1966 arrest attempt at a bar notorious for swindling and robbing tourists driving to Florida. Pusser often blamed Hathcocks boyfriend, Carl Towhead White, for Paulines murder. Once called one of the top hoods in the Southeast by the FBI, White was murdered in Corinth, Miss. in 1969. Davidson said he has been asked if there are plans to look into the killing of Hathcock. Murdering your wife, and staging the crime scene, that would raise red flags to me about other occurrences, things he claimed. Were not going to try and go back in time and undo all that, Davidson added. Some say the investigation might have been a waste of resources, he said. If Pauline was your sister or your mother youd want the record corrected, Davidson said. Paulines family has been mourning her death for nearly 60 years. You would fall in love with her because she was a people person. And of course, my family would always go to Pauline if they had an issue or they needed some advice and she was always there for them, her brother said. She was just a sweet person. I loved her with all my heart. Its kind of like the Civil War The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation plans to make the entire 1,000 page investigative file available to the public at the University of Tennessee at Martin once redacted and then share it on an online, searchable database. Until then, members of the public can review it in person or purchase a copy, said university Chancellor Yancy Freeman Sr. The response to the findings of the investigation are mixed, Davidson said. Its kind of like the Civil War. Theres not really any middle ground, Davidson said. A water tower in Pussers town of Adamsville, Tenn. shows a silhouette of him carrying the big stick his fictionalized version carried. A museum there that bears his name was closed Saturday due to a family emergency, its Facebook page posted a few days before the TBI announcement. City officials will carefully review the implications of these findings and determine the appropriate course of action with respect to the Buford Pusser Museum and other related matters, a city statement read. While the legacy of Buford Pusser has been a part of our identity, Adamsville is defined by much more. Davidson said during the investigation he often heard from those who believed Pusser murdered Pauline and wanted (him) to tell the truth. In McNairy County especially, everyone knew thats what happened. Nobody ever believed the Walking Tall story. They knew he was a bad guy." As the Tennessean in 1969 described Pusser as a real life Marshal Rooster Cogburn, the sheriff was asked if enjoyed his newfound measure of fame despite Paulines death. I believe strongly in God. I think it was His will that I lived. I just wish it had been possible for Pauline to have lived, too, he said. When I think of what I lost -- Paulines death -- it just wasnt worth it. The Associated Press contributed to this report. After Sean Dunn hit a cop with a sandwich, Donald Trump's Justice Department said he would face a felony charge. A grand jury refused. Getty Images This is an opinion column. Get Kyle Whitmires newsletter, Alabamafication. Sign up here for free . Something curious is happening in America lately. A resistance movement seems to be forming. Not in the streets, but in the courthouses. How do we defend ourselves from a tyrant? And who will do the hard work if it comes to that? My gun-loving friends will tell you thats what the 2nd Amendment is for. There have been a lot of weapons sold in this country on what Ill call the Red Dawn fantasy the notion that the Great-great-grandsons of Liberty will defend us with their deer rifles. Dont count on it. The government always keeps the best weapons for itself. Neither will my old favorite, the First Amendment, protect us. President Donald Trump this week told us how thats going to work. They cant arrest you for burning a flag as an act of free speech. But there are laws about setting fires in public places that he plans to put to use. Freedom of religion is only as good as whos in the pulpit, the press as courageous as its owners. And peaceful assembly? The peaceful part goes out the window the minute the rubber bullets fly. The Constitution was supposed to be a system of checks and balances, but Congress has neglected its duty of oversight, and the Supreme Court has told the president that anything goes. He has immunity. No, the last line of defense against authoritarianism might be the 6th Amendment the one that entrusts American citizens to have final say. Its OK if you had to look it up. I had to make sure I had the right one, too. Jury trials. Its that one. The right to a trial by jury. Donald Trump threatened to lock up his political enemies, beginning on the campaign trail in 2016, and the second time around, it looks like he might go through with it. Just ask his former staffer-turned critic, John Bolton, who had his house raided this week on suspicion he might have some classified documents there. You know, the same law Trump was accused of breaking until he got elected again. If Trump wants, he can have you arrested. His appointees will go along with it. They were vetted for their loyalty. But that doesnt mean Americans have to go along with it, and in several instances already, they havent. And forget trial by jury. Some folks arent letting the Trump Administrations arrests get that far. Consider the case of Sean Dunn. If that name doesnt ring a bell, you might know him as the DC sandwich chucker. On Aug. 10, the Justice Department employee had just left a Subway sandwich shop, dinner in hand, when he encountered a squad of ICE agents on a city street. After hurling insults and the agents, Dunn let loose his footlong, hitting one of the officers with his sandwich before fleeing. He didnt run fast enough. FBI Director Kash Patel posted video of the incident the next day and boasted that Dunn had been caught and charged with felony assault. Now it seems theres a chance Dunn might go free. On Wednesday, a federal grand jury refused to indict him. This isnt the first time such a thing has happened. In June, federal prosecutors attempted to charge 38 Los Angeles protestors with federal crimes there. Grand juries returned indictments against only seven. According to the Los Angeles Times, Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli lost his cool, berating junior prosecutors over a speakerphone and telling them to press harder, as directed by Attorney General Pam Bondi. But those stubborn Americans in the grand jury room wouldnt have it. In Washington, D.C. last month, prosecutors accused Sidney Reid of assaulting ICE agents who were detaining two men they called gang members. Three times, they have attempted to indict Reid, and now three times, grand jurors have refused. The resistance is coming from inside the jury room. Mind you, indicting a defendant is supposed to be the easy part. Theres no defense lawyers in the room. No beyond a reasonable doubt instruction from a judge. If federal prosecutors cant get indictments in the legal equivalent of a scrimmage, what happens when its game day in court? Thats up to the juries, it seems. The founders, who refused to make presidents into kings, also had the sense to know that police, prosecutors and even judges couldnt be trusted completely, either. They gave ultimate power over life and liberty to regular ol citizens, working together in groups of 12. And when things get really wild, nullification gives them power over the law itself. They dont call it jury duty for nothing. So when that summons arrives in the mail, take it seriously. Dont roll your eyes. Dont throw it in the trash. Your country might need you. Kyle Whitmire is the Washington watchdog columnist for AL.com and winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize. Subscribe to his newsletter, Alabamafication. This is a guest opinion column Twelve years ago, I heard the words no one ever wants to hear: you have cancer. More specifically, stage 3 breast cancer. I had watched my mother go through her own cancer battle in the 1970s, when screenings and treatment options werent anything like they are today. She underwent surgery, which gave us some extra time. But ultimately, colon cancer took her from us at age 62. My own breast cancer battle had a more encouraging ending. My doctors caught it during a routine screening mammogram, which is why I am so passionate about advocating for early detection. I went through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation and have been in remission ever since. I am grateful for the care I received at home in Birmingham and owe my life to medical advances made at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. We should never allow lifesaving cancer research to be at risk. But earlier this year, a proposed federal budget that came out of Washington included a nearly 40% cut in funding for the National Institutes of Health. This would take us back to funding levels from the early 2000s. I know how much cancer treatment has changed in the last 20 years because Ive seen it with my own eyes. Friends who get diagnosed with cancer today sometimes dont need to go through the wretched chemo I endured. They can instead take a pill and beat cancer while maintaining their quality of life. Its only through federally-funded research that we have come this far. In 2024, Alabama received more than $380 million in funding from the NIH, creating more than 4,400 jobs and bolstering nearly $1 billion in economic activity. My husband, state Sen. J.T. Jabo Waggoner, considers it his foremost political achievement to have passed legislation that significantly expanded UABs campus. He has been instrumental in launching UABs new biomedical research lab, which is still under construction. We need continued federal funding to enable our researchers to keep producing medical breakthroughs from those labs right here in Birmingham. As my cancer treatment was nearing its end, we got a harsh reality check: my daughter was also diagnosed with cancer. For her, it was in her colon, a reminder of the same type of cancer that took my mother so many years earlier. But two generations later, our family is evidence of how far weve come. They caught her cancer early during a screening colonoscopy. She went through treatment and is doing well today. Her brothers also go for their screenings now, given our family history. That brings me to my other message about early detection. Federal programs that increase access to screenings are also under threat. My family knows how important these health checks are. We are living proof that early detection saves lives. If the dramatic cuts included in the proposed budget are enacted, it would lead to more preventable suffering and death from cancer, reversing course on the downward trend in cancer death rates. I know if my mother had cancer today, she wouldve lived a much longer life. Cancer research needs to go on because its the only way well eradicate this horrible disease. In Alabama alone, more than 30,000 people will hear the words you have cancer this year. Our U.S. Sen. Katie Britt understands the importance to Alabamians and I appreciate her steadfast support. I am asking all our federal lawmakers to follow her lead and increase funding for cancer research and early detection. Our people and our economy depend on it. I believe God is with our elected officials, with the researchers working so diligently every day at UAB and with all of us when we stand up for this worthy cause. Marilyn M. Waggoner graduated from Ensley High School. She attended Auburn University, UAB, and Interior Design School. She worked at Alabama Power in Birmingham and later retired from Vestavia Hills High School. She has been involved in clubs and charities in her community but has spent most of her time as CEO of her home. In 1999 she supervised the building of their dream home on Smith Lake in Alabama where they hope to move in the near future. She is married to Senator Jabo Waggoner. They are the proud parents of 4 grown children, 7 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Owners of a popular Hispanic grocery store facing possible shutdown by the city of Pelham continue to talk to city leaders in an attempt to keep the doors open. The city of Pelham has set a Sept. 8 public hearing to revoke the business license for the supermarket that has been in Pelham for 20 years. An attorney for Mi Pueblo Supermarket released a statement on behalf of the store thanking the public for their support and describing ongoing action to avoid closure. Mi Pueblo is working constructively and in full cooperation with local officials to address any outstanding issues and is confident they can be resolved in a positive and constructive way, attorney Hannah Roberts said. The company views this as an opportunity to build a long-term, positive relationship that supports local officials in the important work of administering city affairsa responsibility that benefits the entire community. While both the city and the store confirmed the hearing, few details are known about why the business is in jeopardy. City officials have only confirmed a non-compliance issue, and said it does not involve public safety. Meanwhile, the business remains open and operating as normal. Justin Smith, Pelhams assistant manager, stressed that the city rules are being enforced fairly, equitably, and uniformly for the benefit of all businesses, citizens, and residents of Pelham. Smith said the city communicated with the stores owners both before and after the notice was issued. News of the stores questionable future generated support and questions from customers on social media. Mi Pueblo means my town, in English. Mi Pueblo has been deeply moved by the recent outpouring of support and expressed concern from the community and is grateful for the trust shown during this time, Roberts said. The company remains dedicated to serving the diverse needs of customers from all walks of life and all backgrounds, and to continuing its role as a welcoming and reliable part of the community. The store also has a location in Homewood. Mi Pueblo describes itself as the largest multicultural store in Alabama with products from Mexico, Central and South America. Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and U.S. President Donald Trump (right) on the airfield at Elmendorf-Richardson Air Force Base. Credit: Dmitry Azarov/Kommersant Photo/Sipa USA(Sipa via AP Images) Sipa USA via AP This is an opinion column America was once a beacon on the hill, shining freedom and democratic values around the globe. America stood for right, against wrong, and was highly regarded. No longer. Now, Americas president snuggles up to evil, dictatorial Vladimir Putin. The imagery of Trump giving evil Putin an attaboy and favorable photo op in Alaska is both horrific and repulsive. America has never done anything like that in history. For emphasis, Donald Trumps public support for Putins wickedness does NOT make America great. It makes America weaker. It is often said that The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. Trumps America does worse than nothing by actually helping evil Putin achieve his vile and deadly goals. No question, Putin is evil Vladimir Putin has ruled Russia with an iron fist since 1999, either as Russias president or prime minister. Putins orders have caused the killing or injuries of one million+ men, women and children, military and civilian, during Russias invasions of Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in both 2014 and 2022. Adding to an already horrific record, Putin has ordered the kidnapping of tens of thousands (some estimates are much higher) of innocent Ukrainian children, forcefully separating them from their mothers and fathers and deporting them to foreign lands. In my judgment, Putins evil conduct has, over the past century, been surpassed only by Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Mao Zedong. Thats bad company. Real bad. America once strongly supported Ukraine For years, America rallied behind Ukraine. We did so for many reasons. Ukraine was invaded and was the victim. While Ukraine might not be the posterchild of good, Putins Russia was clearly the posterchild of bad. The ancient The enemy of my enemy is my friend military axiom applied. There was the growing risk that, if not stopped in Ukraine, Russia would next invade Europes NATO democracies, thereby triggering American military involvement. Plus, Russia (then the Soviet Union) sided against America in both Korea and Vietnam, costing America over 100,000 lives. So theres a revenge motivation, too. Russia is a criminal enterprise that suppresses individual rights and freedoms Americans cherish. A Ukraine victory is definitely doable. In my view, Ukraine wins and ousts Russia so long as Europe and America help with adequate military supplies. Americas reversal Unfortunately, Trump reversed American policy and cut Americas help for Ukraine, gave much needed moral support to Russian forces, humiliated Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and called for Ukraines surrender of territory to Russia. Why does Trump snuggle up to evil Putin? Why is Trumps stance so out there that Irelands leading news media outlet since 1859, The Irish Times, ran a headline speculating that: The idea that the Kremlin has kompromat on Trump seems increasingly plausible. If the White House capitulates to Putin on Ukraine, it will grossly and perhaps fatally betray the principles on which NATO was founded. Similarly, Trumps pro-Putin stance prompted Portugal President de Sousa to complain that Trump, The supreme leader of the worlds greatest superpower is, objectively, a Soviet, or Russian, asset. He functions as an asset. From where I sit, both comments accurately reflect the heartburn and dismay Americas European allies suffer from because of Trumps throwing his and Americas support behind Putins evil conduct. I offer two theories. First, Trump demands absolute loyalty to him personally (not to America). If you dont kiss Trumps ring, you suffer Trumps ire. In 2019, Zelenskyy refused Trumps demand that Ukraine investigate Hunter Biden and help Trumps 2020 reelection campaign. Shortly after Ukraine (rightfully) refused to inject itself into Americas internal politics, Trump retaliated by suspending $400 million in Ukraine aid. Second, is Jeffrey Epsteins insight. Way back in 2019, Michael Wolff, Epsteins biographer, relates in his Siege book that Epstein stated: In 2004, Epstein bid $36 million for Florida realty. Epstein asked his good friend, Donald Trump, for property improvement advice. Trump then stabbed Epstein in the back by bidding $40 million for the same property. Epstein, who was well acquainted and in fact deeply involved with Trumps scattered finances, understood that he didnt have $40 million to pay for this house. Epstein believed (Trumps) $40 million (purchase price came from) a Russian oligarch by the name of Rybolovlev. Less than two years later, this same house that Trump had bought for $40 million was sold for $95 millionand it was in fact sold to Mr. Rybolovlev. Epstein believed: This is all a red flag of (Trump and Rybolovlev) money laundering. Shortly after Epsteins revelations became public, the Trump Administration arrested Epstein. The rest is history. Aderholt publicly corrects Trump Alabama Congressman Robert Aderholt is one of Washingtons few Republicans with the guts to stand up to Trump when Trump errs, stating: I am one of those Republicans that have been supportive of trying to (make) sure that Putin does not continue his mission of trying to take over Europe. And were seeing whats happening to Ukraine, and to push back on him, he is one of those people that will not listen to anything but force. I know a lot of people have a lot of mixed concerns about our involvement there, but if he goes into a NATO country, we have no option but then to get involved and send our men and women over there. So, its better that we push back now and help Ukraine and try to find a resolution of this, then wake up one morning and we find out hes going into one of the NATO countries, and were going to be involved in sending our men and women overseas to fight a war. Thank you, Robert Aderholt, for eloquently explaining why Trumps support for Putin and his evil conduct is so wrong and so bad! Takeaways A Russian victory in Ukraine undermines American deterrence policies, conveys American weakness, and encourages both Russian military aggression in Poland, the Baltics and the Balkans, and a Communist Chinese invasion of Taiwan. In turn, these larger conflicts risk involving American troops and nuclear weapons. Hence, Trumps efforts to coerce Ukraines surrender in the name of peace are not only unlikely to bring peace, they may very well prompt even larger wars. All of this helps explain why Ronald Reagans peace through strength foreign policy was so prescient in the 1980s (causing the breakup of the Soviet Union) and so accurate today. Mo Brooks served on the House Armed Services Committee for 12 years and the Foreign Affairs Committee for 6 years. (This is a guest opinion rebuttal to Mo Brooks Aug. 23, 2025 opinion column on AL.com) It should come as no surprise that former House Member Mo Brooks, from Alabamas 5th Congressional District, felt compelled to weigh in on the federal presence in DC that the Trump Administration is advancing under the guise of crime reduction. Spoiler alert: Mos all in. Despite his self-described law-and-order fire, few people are less qualified to lecture us about law and order than Brooks. (His former boss Donald Trump is another, but well get to that.) On January 6, 2021, at the Stop the Steal rally at the Ellipse in Washington, DC, Mo said: Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass! He continued: Our ancestors sacrificed their blood, their sweat, their tears, their fortunes, and sometimes their lives to give usan America that is the greatest nation in world history. So I have a question for you: are you willing to do the same? Are you willing to do what it takes to fight for America? Then Brooks, in a bulletproof vest, closed his speech with: The fight begins today! The rest, of course, is history. We all watched the results unfold on TV. Afterwards, Brooks downplayed his rhetoric, claiming: uhhhhwhat I meant was for us to electorally fight the Democrats in the 22 and 24 electionsnothing to see here. Sure, Jan. Brooks further showed contempt for the rule of law by ignoring subpoenas issued by the January 6th Committee, established with full House approval after the insurrection. Thirty five Republicans crossed party lines to approve it, yet Brooks dismissed the process as a witch hunt, refusing to cooperate. That law-and-order fire in your belly really burned bright, didnt it, Mo? So youll forgive us for not taking Mo Brooks commitment to the rule of law very seriously. Comparing DC and Alabama Crime According to the Criminal Justice Information Service (CJIS), for 2024, Washington, DC ranks 36th in violent crime rate. This is lower than cities such as Memphis, TN; Little Rock, AR; Cleveland, OH; Kansas City, MO; and Birmingham, AL. Brooks, however, combines the crime rates of the top four Alabama cities to make DCs crime rate appear worse by comparison. He totals crimes for Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, and Montgomery, uses their combined populations, and presents an artificially lowered crime rate. In doing so, he ignores Birminghams much higher rate. At best, this is ignorance; at worst, bad faith. He also questions DCs crime reporting, suggesting police commanders were fired for attempting to reduce charges. In reality, one commander faced discipline. Accusations about downgrading certain crimes exist, but homicidesharder to hidehave been falling, indicating violent crime is declining overall. Despite Trump and Brooks claims, DCs crime reporting appears legitimate. Brooks devotes roughly 30% of his piece to individual crimes in DC, some from 2021 and others from 2025. While serious, most cases were investigated, suspects apprehended, and in several instances, prosecuted. Credit where its due: Metro Police did their jobs. Brooks writes: Each of DCs 6,500 violent crime victims in 2024 deserves public recognition. But I cant cover them all. You get the point. Crime is bad in Americas capital. By the same logic, we dont list all 26,628 violent crime victims in Houston, 15,338 in Memphis, 13,296 in Phoenix, or combined totals of 17,696 in San Antonio and Dallas. The question remains: if crime is the rationale for federal troops, why DC and not these highercrime cities? Brooks, Trump, and Felon Voting The last third of Brooks piece is perhaps the most concerning. He criticizes Democrats for opposing Trumps militarized approach, and argues convicted felons shouldnt participate in society. Why? If someone has served their time in the Alabama (or any other) Prison System, why should they be denied the right to vote? This logic is unclear. Brooks allegiance to Trump compounds the issue. Despite Trump turning on him in the 2022 Senate raceshifting support to Katie BrittBrooks continues to seek favor. This demonstrates the conflict in his values: he opposes felon voting but accepts Trump, who faces numerous convictions and allegations, as a legitimate leader. His claims that Democrats prefer criminals are equally flawed. Most programs working with released felons in Alabama find the majority are white and more likely to lean Republican. Brooks assumption that restoring voting rights benefits Democrats is demonstrably false. Conclusion It is disappointing that a former congressman spends so much energy defending the Trump administrations questionable decisions. Mo Brooks positions on law enforcement, federal intervention, and voting rights place him on the wrong side of history. His legacy, in this context, is unlikely to be viewed favorably. Dan Sanders is a member of the leadership team of the North Alabama 5th District Chapter of Indivisible, a national social movement organization consisting of more than a million members, fueled by a partnership between thousands of local grassroot groups and a national staC. They advocate for democracy at all levels of government, and reject authoritarianism. He was employed with the City of Huntsvilles TraCic Engineering Department for over 20 years. He is currently retired, and lives in Huntsville. This is an opinion cartoon. Get jammin with JD Crowes weekly newsletter, Crowe Jam. Sign up here for free. The transphobia farce is strong with this one ... looking at you, Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth. Alabama - one of the worst states for gun violence per capita in the country - is loaded with red state gun-totin politicians who blame mass shootings on everyone and everything but the one thing all mass shootings have in common - easy access to guns. Yep. These poor misunderstood guns are the real victims. Alabamas lieutenant governor was quick to pull the transphobic trigger in response to the Minnesota school shooting on Wednesday. Ainsworth offers only thoughts and prayers to school shooting victims, then preys on transgender people - a marginalized community that makes up less than one percent of the entire population. In a social media post, Ainsworth cited nine mass shootings where he said the culprit was transgender. Never mind that the overwhelming number of mass shootings - 4,400 over the past decade - are carried out by angry, straight white men. Or, in Ainsworths words: Rednecks with AR-15s. Related: Will Ainsworth blaming transgender people for mass shootings a political stunt, Alabama advocacy group says Excerpts from Mike Casons AL.com report: Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth posted on social media that Wednesdays deadly shooting in Minneapolis is an example that public acceptance of transgender people has caused a rise in mass murders. The liberal media refuses to recognize the growing link between transgenders and mass shootings, but facts are facts, Ainsworth wrote. The sooner everyone accepts that God made men, and God made women, and one can never become the other, the quicker we can lessen these events from happening. Ainsworths post listed nine mass shootings he said were carried out by transgender people. But Rednecks with AR-15s are the Problem, his post concluded. The latest on the list happened Wednesday. Two children were shot to death while they were praying and 17 others were injured by gunfire at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. The Alabama Transgender Rights Coalition issued a statement Thursday morning in response to Ainsworths tweet. Alabama is one of the worst states for gun violence in the nation. This is a systemic problem that takes real work to solve, and Ainsworth seems more interested in continuing to scapegoat one of the most marginalized communities in the United States. Two children have died and seventeen have been injured. The bodies havent even been buried and a politician in one of the states highest offices is already using this tragedy for their own political stunt. The coalitions statement linked to a news report from Reuters that cited several organizations that keep records on mass shootings. They showed most mass shootings are carried out by white men who do not identify as transgender, known as cisgender. The organizations cited include the Gun Violence Archive, which has recorded 4,400 mass shootings in the last decade, defined as incidents when four or more people are killed or injured by gunfire, not counting the shooter. Of those, the number of known suspects in mass shootings which are trans is under 10 for the last decade, Executive Director Mark Bryant told Reuters. The ratio was one shooter who is transgender out of every 880 shootings, or 0.11%. In 2022, Reuters reported on studies that showed about 0.5% of adults in the United States identified as transgender. For those ages 13-17, 1.3% identified as transgender. Read all of Casons story here. This story generated a variety of comments on the AL.com Facebook page. I like this take posted by reader Kent Perry: Comments like that from Will Ainsworth have caused more killings than the acceptance of transgender people ever could. WWJD? Love them no matter what! If there was more Christian love shown, and less bigotry and demonization, maybe things would improve. You dont have to agree with someone to show them love and kindness. America - whats left of it - is the only nation in the world with a mass shooting problem. Every country but ours has figured it out and done something about it. Our children are paying the price. Check out more cartoons and stuff by JD Crowe JD Crowe is the cartoonist for Alabama Media Group andAL.com. He won the RFK Human Rights Award for Editorial Cartoons in 2020. In 2018, he was awarded the Rex Babin Memorial Award for local and state cartoons by the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. Follow JD on Facebook, Twitter@Crowejam and Instagram @JDCrowepix. Give him a holler @jdcrowe@al.com. Qualcomms new flagship chip is on the way. The leaks are painting a clear picture of its impressive performance, even if the name aims to be more confusing than ever. After weeks of reports pointing to the next high-end processor being called the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, a new rumor suggests the company might be going in a completely different direction regarding its name by calling it Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Plus, a tipster has hinted at the impressive results of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 on Antutu. Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 actual name could be Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 For a while, the tech world assumed the new chip would be named the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2. This would be a logical successor to the current Snapdragon 8 Elite. But according to a recent report by Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the most powerful flagship model, with the codename SM8850, might instead be called the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. If that sounds confusing, its because it is. Qualcomm has been making its naming conventions harder to follow in its mid-range lineup. Now, they would bring this same complexity to its top-tier series. Its noteworthy that the company would also be working on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 as a less powerful, sub-flagship chip. Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chip may surpass 4 million barrier score in AnTuTu While the name is still up in the air, the performance appears to be set. The same source revealed that the new chipwhether called Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 or Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5can score an incredible 4 million+ on AnTuTus benchmark. This would make it one of the most powerful mobile processors ever created. To put that into perspective, most current high-end flagship chips score in the 2.5 to 3 million range. So, Qualcomm could be aiming for a big performance leap with its direct rivals. The standard version of the chip will reportedly feature a powerful CPU core configuration. It will have 2x Prime cores clocked at 4.61GHz and six high-performance cores at 3.63GHz. The new chip will also come with a powerful Adreno 840 GPU for stunning mobile gaming graphics and advanced AI tasks. Interestingly, Qualcomm is continuing its partnership with Samsung for a special version of the chip. The company will release an even more powerful for Galaxy variant of the processor, exclusive to the upcoming Galaxy S26 series. This particular model will have its Prime cores clocked even higher, at 4.74GHz, giving Samsung a temporary performance advantage. The report adds that after a period of exclusivity, this upgraded version will eventually be available to other smartphone makers. Well find out for sure on the first day of the Snapdragon Summit 2025. Qualcomm will unleash the event on September 23. Until then, it seems the name of Qualcomms next flagship will remain its best-kept secret. Northern Superchargers claimed a maiden Hundred title after Annabel Sutherlands fine all-round display was backed up by Nicola Careys crucial unbeaten 35 in a seven-wicket victory over Southern Brave. Brave had made history in the 100-ball tournament with eight wins out of eight in the group phase, but they were restricted to 115 for six after being put into bat on a sticky Lords surface in front of a record womens crowd of 22,542 spectators. Freya Kemp top scored for Brave with 26 but was one of two scalps for Sutherland, who picked up two for 23 and the Australian batter later hit the winning blow with a superb six down the ground with 12 balls to spare. This was a repeat of the 2023 final and after a circumspect start, Brave opener Maia Bouchier flicked off her pads for the first maximum of the final and it was followed by another six from Danni Wyatt-Hodge. Kate Cross responded with Bouchiers scalp after she charged down the wicket and Laura Wolvaardt with 207 runs in the tournament was then bowled for a golden-duck by the England veteran. A wide followed on Cross hat-trick ball, but Sutherland soon sent Wyatt-Hodge back for 25 to reduce Brave to 43 for three. Annabel Sutherland shone with bat and ball (Joe Giddens/PA) New Zealand batter Sophie Devine found a much-needed ally in Kemp but Devine was caught at extra cover by Phoebe Litchfield after a 43-run stand for the fourth wicket. Kemp, whose last England appearance was back in January, struck three fours down the ground in quick succession in an attempt to up the ante before she was Sutherlands second scalp and walked off for 26 off 16 balls. A horror run-out for Brave captain Georgia Adams reduced her side to 94 for six, but Mady Villiers added some much-needed impetus with three late boundaries to set Superchargers 116 for victory. English teenager Davina Perrin had managed almost that many herself in Saturdays Eliminator victory over London Spirit and whet the appetite with a paddle sweep for four. When Perrin then chopped Lauren Bell away before she ramped the next ball over Rhianna Southby, another standout innings appeared on the cards, but Devine accounted for the Superchargers sensation for 17. It brought Litchfield to the crease and she only needed 22 runs to finish as the leading run scorer of the tournament, which occurred after only 11 balls. Litchfield took a shine to Villiers, sweeping twice for four before she launched a huge six over mid-off. The next boundary for the Australian was followed by a brief delay for rain, but the sun quickly emerged and with Superchargers well ahead on Duckworth-Lewis Method on 55 for two off 38 balls, Brave needed inspiration. Off-spinner Tyron provided it with the crucial wicket of Litchfield, who top-edged to Bell and departed for 26. With 57 runs required and 56 balls left, Superchargers remained in the ascendancy and Carey wrestled back further momentum with a flurry of boundaries alongside Sutherland. OH NO! Lauren Bell hits the stumps, but the bails stay on, meaning Annabel Sutherland is NOT OUT! #TheHundredFinal pic.twitter.com/lzecZFH9bg The Hundred (@thehundred) August 31, 2025 Brave captain Adams used a strategic timeout after 75 balls and turned to leading wicket-taker Bell, but luck deserted them. With the final delivery of Bells spell, she beat Sutherland and flicked the off-stump enough to make the lights on the stumps flash, but the bails were not dislodged. Another Carey boundary edged Superchargers closer to a maiden Hundred title before Sutherland clinched the title with a drive for six off off Adams to finish on 28 not out. Brandon Johnson has denounced the out-of-control Trump teams plan to deploy large numbers of federal officers into Chicago. Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images The mayor of Chicago has signed an executive order outlining how the city will attempt to resist Donald Trumps immigration crackdown. Brandon Johnson pushed back on Saturday against what he called the out-of-control Trump administrations plan to deploy large numbers of federal officers into the countrys third-largest city, which could take place within days. The Chicago police department will be barred from helping federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement or any related patrols, traffic stops and checkpoints during the surge, according to the executive order Johnson signed. The mayor directed all city departments to guard the constitutional rights of Chicago residents amidst the possibility of imminent militarized immigration or national guard deployment by the federal government. When asked during a news conference about federal agents who are presumably taking orders, Johnson replied: Yeah, and I dont take orders from the federal government. Related: JB Pritzker calls for all to stand up to Trumps immigration crackdown in Chicago Johnson also blocked Chicago police from wearing face coverings to hide their identities, as most federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officers have adopted since the Trump administration took charge this year. Last week, the White House requested that a US military base on the outskirts of Chicago be made available to assist with immigration operations, as the Trump administration plans a broader takeover of Democratic-run sanctuary cities. Chicago is home to a large immigrant population, and both the city and the state of Illinois have some of the countrys strongest rules against cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts. That has often put the city and state at odds with Trumps mass deportation agenda. On Thursday, Tom Homan, the administrations border czar, said Chicago, along with a number of other cities, would soon be targeted in a planned immigration crackdown. Operations are ramping up across the country. But you can see a ramp-up across the operations in Chicago, absolutely, Homan said. In an interview with Fox News, Homan was asked whether he wanted to give a message to Johnson. Homan responded: Get out of the way, because were going to do it. Johnson had harsh words for Trump during his news conference, accusing the president of behaving outside the bounds of the constitution and seeking a federal presence in blue cities as retribution against his political rivals. He is reckless and out of control, Johnson said. Hes the biggest threat to our democracy that weve experienced in the history of our country. In response, the White House insisted the potential flood of federal agents was about cracking down on crime. NBC News reported that Ice, the border patrol and other agencies will send numerous agents and equipment to Chicago as soon as next week, in an attempt to increase arrests of undocumented immigrants. The planned move comes weeks after the president deployed armed soldiers and military vehicles to patrol the streets of Washington DC, claiming, despite all available evidence, that the use of the national guard was necessary to control crime. Related: Illinois Democrats condemn Trumps plans to send national guard to Chicago as unconstitutional The Trump administration has been working on plans to send the national guard to Chicago, something Johnson and JB Pritzker, the governor of Illinois, have said would be an abuse of power. On Friday, Pritzker said such a move would amount to an invasion. He told CBS News that, should Trump send in the national guard, voters should understand that he has other aims, other than fighting crime. Pritzker said those aims may be to stop the elections in 2026 or, frankly, take control of those elections. Johnsons office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. If these Democrats focused on fixing crime in their own cities instead of doing publicity stunts to criticize the president, their communities would be much safer, said White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson. Cracking down on crime should not be a partisan issue, but Democrats suffering from TDS are trying to make it one. They should listen to fellow Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser who recently celebrated the Trump Administrations success in driving down violent crime in Washington DC. Reuters and Associated Press contributed reporting People and damaged buildings in the Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza City on Sunday. Photograph: Jehad Alshrafi/AP Israeli airstrikes and gunfire killed at least 30 people in and around Gaza City, local health authorities said, as a 20-boat humanitarian aid flotilla carrying activists including Greta Thunberg set sail from Barcelona for the stricken territory. Authorities said the toll from Israeli tank and gunfire included 13 people who died trying to get food near a distribution site in the Gaza Strip, two in a house in Gaza City and 15, including five children, in a strike on a residential building on Saturday. Residents of Sheikh Radwan, one of Gaza Citys largest neighbourhoods, told reporters the area had been under Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes throughout Saturday, overnight and on Sunday morning, forcing many families to flee. Witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire on crowds in the Netzarim corridor, an Israeli military zone bisecting Gaza. We were trying to get food but were met with the occupations bullets, said Ragheb Abu Lebda, from Nuseirat. Its a death trap. Rezik Salah, a father-of-two from Sheikh Radwan, told Reuters that Israeli troops were now crawling into the heart of the city from the east, north and south, while bombing those areas from the air and ground to scare people to leave. The actors Susan Sarandon, Liam Cunningham and Eduard Fernandez were among campaigners from more than 40 countries onboard the Sumud (Resilience or Perseverance in Arabic) flotilla when it sailed on Sunday afternoon. Organisers said what they called the biggest humanitarian flotilla to Gaza so far, also carrying several European political figures including the former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, aimed to break the illegal siege of Gaza and open a humanitarian corridor to end the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. Dozens of other boats from Greece, Italy, Tunisia and other Mediterranean ports are due to join in the crossing next week. Israel has already blocked two attempts by activists to deliver aid by ship to the coastal territory, intercepting vessels offshore in June and July. Thousands of supporters flocked to the pier in the Catalan capital, some wearing kaffiyehs and chanting Free Palestine and Boycott Israel. The boats setting sail ranged from run-down old yachts to commercial vessels. The story here is how people are being deliberately deprived of the very basic means to survive, Thunberg said. Cunningham called the flotilla an indication of the worlds failure to uphold international law and humanitarian law and a shameful, shameful period in the history of our world. Israels defence minister, Israel Katz, confirmed on Sunday that Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson for the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, had been killed in a joint operation with the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service in Gaza. There was no immediate comment from Hamas. However, the group did confirm the death of Mohammed Sinwar, its presumed leader in Gaza, more than three months after Israel said it had identified his body in a tunnel in central Gaza. The Barcelona flotillas departure came two days after the Israeli military ended temporary pauses in the area that had allowed for some aid deliveries. Gaza City was a dangerous combat zone, the military said in justification for its decision. In Jerusalem, Israeli officials said Benjamin Netanyahus security cabinet would meet on Sunday evening to discuss the next stages of the planned offensive to seize Gaza City, although a full-scale offensive is not expected to start for weeks. Israel has said it aims to evacuate the civilian population before moving more ground forces in. Mirjana Spoljaric of the Red Cross said such a move would provoke a massive population displacement that no other part of the Gaza Strip would be able to absorb. About half of Gazas more than 2 million residents are sheltering in Gaza City, local sources estimate, although thousands are believed to have left or to be trying to leave, to seek refuge in more central and southern areas of the territory. Large crowds in Tel Aviv demonstrated against the war on Saturday night and the families of hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza protested outside the homes of Israeli cabinet ministers on Sunday morning. The war began with a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023 in which about 1,200 people mostly civilians were killed and 251 taken hostage. Forty-seven hostages are still being held in Gaza, about 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Israels retaliatory offensive has killed at least 63,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Gaza, considered reliable by the UN. It has left much of Gaza in ruins and plunged it into a humanitarian crisis. The UN this month declared a state of famine in the territory, saying 500,000 people faced catastrophic conditions. The Israeli army said on Sunday it had carried out a strike on a site run by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The existence of the site and the activity within it constitute a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon, it said. Will Jacks starred in a second consecutive Hundred final to help Oval Invincibles make it three titles in a row with a comprehensive 26-run success over Trent Rockets at Lords. Jacks top-scored with 37 in a low-scoring showpiece against Southern Brave in 2024, but this time demonstrated his full repertoire of shots in a bludgeoning innings of 72 off 41 balls. Rockets progressed into the final after Saturdays Eliminator with Northern Superchargers was abandoned only five balls into their chase due to heavy rain at Kia Oval. 3 YEARS IN A ROW! Oval Invincibles are 2025 champions! #TheHundredFinal pic.twitter.com/UlHzSpeIQ8 The Hundred (@thehundred) August 31, 2025 A stronger net-run-rate sent Rockets through, but no more good fortune followed as they lost Lockie Ferguson to injury in the warm-up, George Linde suffered a dislocated finger and Jacks was given a life on 28 by a Marcus Stoinis no-ball. After Jacks smashed Invincibles to 168 for five with seven fours and two maximums, Nathan Sowter claimed three wickets in six balls including Joe Root for a subdued 10 to end the final as a contest before the halfway point of Rockets innings, with the runners-up eventually closing on 142 for eight. Luck immediately deserted Rockets at Lords after they benefited from wet weather in the capital on Saturday night, with Sam Cook ruled out with a broken thumb and fellow seamer Ferguson injured in the warm-up. Dillon Pennington was drafted in and while he accounted for Tawanda Muyeye (15) with his first ball of the tournament, in-form Jacks had already signalled his intentions. Two boundaries during David Willeys first three deliveries set out Jacks stall, but a crucial moment occurred when he was caught by Linde for 28 off Stoinis. Oval Invincibles players celebrate (John Walton/PA) Stoinis joy was short-lived as his full toss was deemed a waist-high no-ball and it allowed England batter Jacks to motor towards another significant score this summer. Jacks fifty off 32 balls was brought up with a huge slog-sweep for six off Rehan Ahmed and Jordan Cox followed it up with his own maximum. Leg-spinner Ahmed had the last laugh when Cox edged behind for 40, but only after he played his part in a match-winning 87-run partnership for the second wicket. Willey suffered more punishment from Jacks with back-to-back boundaries before Stoinis, who finished with expensive figures of two for 40, finally got his man. Jacks picked out substitute fielder Calvin Harrison on after Linde hurt his finger in a caught-and-bowled opportunity at deep midwicket after a well-made 72. Joe Root is caught on the boundary! #TheHundredFinal pic.twitter.com/9vzOpwVEyr The Hundred (@thehundred) August 31, 2025 With 15 deliveries left, Donovan Ferreira and Sam Curran sent lusty blows into the stands to help the group winners post a formidable total of 168 for five the joint highest in a Hundred final. Rockets needed a rapid start in reply, but Root struggled to get on strike. Tom Banton was able to free his arms against Jason Behrendorff, but Australian leg-spinner Sowter stepped up in Rashid Khans absence and soon tightened Invincibles stranglehold. Firstly, Root was out for 10 off 13 balls when his attempt to loft a drive over the boundary rope found the safe hands of Jacks and Sowter had a second wicket two deliveries later when Ahmed was bowled for a duck. Sowter then had Banton caught by Cox for 23 to leave Rockets on 37 for three during a decisive six-ball spell. Invincibles were virtually guaranteed a third consecutive title by this point and despite Stoinis going down swinging with an impressive five sixes in a knock of 64, Rockets finished on 142 for eight. Police fire pepper spray inside a shopping centre and an officer was punched in the face as violence broke out during anti-asylum protests in Canary Wharf. See latest: Canary Wharf anti-migrant protesters accuse Met of 'heavy-handed' policing after shopping centre chaos Masked men became aggressive as a group of 50 to 100 of them marched on a nearby shopping centre in east London at around 4.30pm on Sunday afternoon. The Metropolitan Police had issued a Section 60AA order to prevent people concealing their identity with masks after facilitating peaceful protests on the Isle of Dogs. Demonstrators carrying Union flags and placards earlier assembled outside the Britannia International Hotel in Marsh Wall. Videos on social media show young children among the protesters, with some wearing England flags and they were joined by The Pink Ladies group. A force spokesman said the youngsters safety is paramount while we deal with any criminality. Around 100 counter-protesters held banners bearing the words stand up to racism and stop the far right. Journalist Jack Hadfield was caught in the crossfire when police deployed synthetic pepper spray (PAVA) to disperse a crowd during the protest. He told The Standard: A member of the central protests was arrested, I dont know what for, and the police ran and grabbed this guy. Anti-migrant protestors clash with police in the Canary Wharf shopping centre (George Cracknell Wright) At that point, all the other guys moved towards police aggravated by the arrest taking place and there was lots of shoving back and forth. Mr Hadfield described how tensions escalated quickly, prompting one officer to use the Pava spray. About a minute later one of the officers got out the Pava and sprayed it into the crowd in front of him. Police hold back anti-migrant protestors (George Cracknell Wright) I got only a tiny bit of it because I wasnt that close and I was wearing glasses, but a few drops got into my eye and was rather painful. It was unexpected and intense. According to Mr Hadfield, around 15 people were affected by the Pava spray, including a boy around the age of 11 who looked very rough. He looked really quite bad, Mr Hadfield said. There were a number of people helping him out and trying to get it out of his face. A police officer dabs her eyes after she was caught in pepper spray (George Cracknell Wright) The 28-year-old said it was the first protest he had been to where he had seen PAVA used by police. The police do seem to be increasing the force with which they are shutting down protests generally, Mr Hadfield added. The Met said officers had used Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, after they had witnessed an assault by a protester on a member of the public in the shopping centre. The force added: The suspect was immediately arrested by officers who used Pava spray. We are aware other protesters and members of the public, including a child, may have been temporarily affected by the use of Pava given the density of the crowds in the area. People protest outside the Britannia International Hotel (Lucy North/PA Wire) Ongoing demos over the use of hotels are taking place around the country after the Government won a Court of Appeal challenge against an injunction which would have seen asylum seekers moved out of the Bell Hotel, Epping. Five arrests were made on Saturday after masked men tried to storm the Crowne Plaza in Stockley Road, West Drayton. The Pink Ladies of Canary Wharf and other local community members have set off marching all the way around the Isle of Dogs, heading towards the Britannia Hotel asylum centre. Patriotic music is blasting over the speakers pic.twitter.com/CutNyFIUHB Jack Hadfield (@JackHadders) August 31, 2025 The Met added on Sunday: Protesters, including some masked, moved into the Canary Wharf shopping centre where a small group became aggressive towards police. Further officers deployed to assist. Four arrests were made including for common assault by a protester on a member of the public, possession of class A and B drugs, assault on police, public order offences and failure to disperse. People take part in a Stand Up To Racism counter protest in Canary Wharf (Lucy North/PA Wire) One of our officers was punched in the face - luckily they have not suffered significant injury. The protesters have since dispersed, Scotland Yard added. Commander Adam Slonecki, in charge of policing London this weekend, said: This afternoon we have unfortunately seen more disorder, following the five arrests made yesterday in the West Drayton area. Anti migrant protestors in the Canary Wharf shopping centre (George Cracknell Wright) We had plenty of officers on the ground who moved in swiftly to deal with the criminality that occurred inside and outside the shopping centre. We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour. Todays protest saw many community members attend, including women and children, and we worked to ensure the safety of those there to peacefully represent their views. Those who arrive at protests masked and intent on causing trouble will continue to be dealt with robustly at future protests. We remain in the area to deter any further disorder and provide reassurance to local residents and businesses. Voters in each party have become more likely to support gerrymandering if it counters redistricting efforts that favor their political opponents, new polls show. New YouGov surveys from this month show that many Americans say partisan gerrymandering the practice of redrawing congressional districts to favor one party is unfair. However, these polls also show that support for tit-for-tat gerrymandering the practice of one state redistricting in order to counter gerrymandering in another state has grown throughout August. This comes as California engages in a tit-for-tat redistricting battle with Texas. This month, Texas lawmakers approved a new congressional map that is expected to ensure Republicans win five new districts. Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed the new map into law on Friday. President Donald Trump supported the effort, claiming earlier this month that Republicans are entitled to five more seats. Before lawmakers approved the map, about 40 percent of Democrats said they would support their state redrawing its districts to favor their party if Texas changes its districts to favor Republicans, according to a YouGov survey taken in early August. After Texas lawmakers approved the map, about 53 percent of Democrats said they would support counter-redistricting, a YouGov survey from late August showed. The YouGov polls showed a similar trend among Republicans after California Governor Gavin Newsom and other Democratic state leaders proposed a new congressional map to counter Texass efforts. California voters will decide in November whether they want to approve the new map, which could add up to five Democratic seats in Congress. California Governor Gavin Newsom wants voters to decide whether to redistrict the state to counter Texass new congressional map (Getty) About 33 percent of Republicans said they would support their state redistricting to favor their party if California redraws its map to favor Democrats, according to an early-August YouGov poll. After Newsom put the map on the ballot, about 40 percent of Republicans said they would support counter-redistricting in their state, a late-August YouGov poll showed. Over the course of this month, overall support has also grown for counter-redistricting. In early August, YouGov asked voters: If a state redraws their districts for the U.S. House of Representatives to favor one party, do you think it is fair or unfair for other states to redraw their districts to favor the other party? Initially, about 51 percent of Americans said it was unfair, while about 23 percent said it was fair. But when YouGov asked again in late August, after Abbott signed the new map into law and Newsom launched his counter-redistricting effort, opinions were more evenly split. About 37 percent of Americans said counter-redistricting was fair, while 39 percent said it was unfair. This growing support for counter-redistricting isnt surprising, according to Alexander Rossell Hayes, a senior data scientist at YouGov. You can have these views, and they seem opposed, but theyre not totally inconsistent, Hayes told The Hill. He added: It kind of makes sense, in a way, for someone to say, I think gerrymandering should be banned at the national level. If its not going to be banned at the national level, and other states are doing it, weve got to do it too. Logan Carters family said: He had an infectious personality and a beautiful smile - www.cheshire.police.uk A 12-year-old boy died after falling from a playground apparatus in a park, police have said. Logan Carter was involved in an incident at the Wharton recreation ground in Winsford, Cheshire, on Friday. He was treated by paramedics but died at the scene. In a statement issued by Logans family through Cheshire Constabulary, they paid tribute to their blue-eyed boy. They said: Logan was a much-loved son, brother, grandson, great-grandson, cousin and friend to many. He had an infectious personality and a beautiful smile. Everyone wanted to be where Logan was. He was a little boy who was so full of life and wanted to make everyone laugh. The family added: He made every day worth living. Logan was everyones therapy person, their calm and he will be missed more than we can ever put into words. We are taking comfort from the words of support we have received whilst we take time to come to terms with the untimely loss of our blue-eyed boy. His father, Rob Carter, posted an emotional tribute to his son, alongside a touching picture of him clasping his hand. He wrote on Facebook: When I (woke) up on Friday my little mate, I didnt think that would be the last time (I would) get to see you ... my heart has been ripped in two. I will never forget you my mate. He later added: All I can say to people is hold your kids and tell them every day how much you love them, because you never know when they will be gone. On Sunday, police cordon tape was wrapped around a roundabout at the park, while floral tributes and balloons were placed at a nearby tree. Dozens of floral tributes and a Liverpool shirt with the name Bear have been left at the scene. A GoFundMe page set up in his memory has raised more than 8,000. Tragic news His school, Winsford Academy, said in a tribute: We are deeply saddened by the recent tragic news involving one of our students. Our thoughts are with the family and all those affected at this incredibly difficult time. As a school community, we will be offering support to students, staff, and families. Det Sgt John Rhodes of Cheshire Constabulary said: This was a deeply tragic incident involving a very young victim and our thoughts remain with the family and friends of the boy who sadly died at the scene. As part of our investigation into this incident, we are asking anyone who may have been in or around the Wharton recreation ground area just off Ledward Street in Winsford at around the time of the incident and saw anything that may aid us in our enquiries, to please get in touch. At this stage, I would also like to ask the public not to feed into any speculation, particularly on social media, as this remains an ongoing investigation. The family is being assisted by specialist officers, Cheshire Constabulary said. Anyone with information on the incident should contact the force on 101 quoting IML-2165641. Lando Norris suffered a dramatic late engine failure at the Dutch Grand Prix as McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri took a major step towards the title. Pole-sitter Piastri was cruising towards a lights-to-flag victory at Zandvoort, holding off championship rival Norris before the British driver reported smoke from his cockpit seven laps from the end and swiftly came to a halt. A dejected Norris sat with his head between his knees on the bank at the side of the track as his title hopes suffered a massive blow, with Piastri opening up a 34-point lead with nine rounds of the championship remaining. It was also another miserable afternoon for Lewis Hamilton, who began the weekend by saying he wanted to enjoy racing for Ferrari after suggesting they should ditch him when he started and finished 12th in Hungary before the summer break. He was running seventh when, in light rain, he crashed into the barriers and suffered his first retirement for the Scuderia. Worse was to come for Ferrari as Charles Leclerc collided with Mercedes Kimi Antonelli on lap 53, himself ending up in the barriers at turn three as the Italian team suffered a double elimination. Max Verstappen delighted the home support by finishing second and Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar secured a first career podium ahead of George Russell in fourth. Verstappen was the only one of the top 10 to start on soft tyres and it offered him significantly more grip in the opening corners. Piastri managed the threat from Norris and Verstappen (Bradley Collyer/PA) Norris held the home favourite off at the first bend but Verstappen charged around the outside at turn two and kept the advantage despite a wild slide on the run into the banked turn three as Piastri pulled away at the front. Norris had lost sight of his title rival but soon reeled in Verstappen, steaming round the outside of turn one to regain second on lap nine. Nice job, lets go get Oscar, said race engineer Will Joseph on the radio. Threatened rain was beginning to get harder but Piastri was comfortably managing his lead until Hamiltons crash on lap 23. The seven-time world champion had a huge amount of understeer around the steep turn three and slid on the painted banking into the barriers, bringing out the safety car. Im so sorry guys, a dejected Hamilton said. All of the top five pitted, with Leclerc who had stopped a lap earlier losing fifth to Russell. Norris had a slow stop as he had a run-in with his front jack man, sending him stumbling back towards the garage. McLaren confirmed the pit member was OK. At the restart, Verstappen challenged Norris again but the British driver held firm as Piastri again kept his lead with minimal fuss. Leclerc and Russell came together on lap 33 as the Ferrari man completed an audacious move on the inside of turn 12, with contact between the pair, before defending fiercely to keep fifth place at turn one. The race was trickling towards an inevitable conclusion but Antonelli ran deep at turn three and into Leclerc, dumping the Ferrari driver into the wall. The 18-year-old received a 10-second penalty. Another safety car was brought out but Norris could once again make no impression on Piastri. But, just as it appeared McLaren were set for a record-equalling fifth successive one-two, Norris suffered his heart-breaking failure. There were heads in hands on the McLaren pit wall and Norris now has a huge mountain to climb if he is to win his maiden title. A police officer has been punched in the face after masked demonstrators became aggressive following an anti-asylum protest, the Metropolitan Police said. Protesters on both sides of the divide over the UKs migration policies gathered outside a hotel in Canary Wharf, east London, on Sunday afternoon. They included about 20 anti-migration demonstrators, some of whom wore masks and carried Union flags, and several children. Counter-protesters chanted outside the hotel (Lucy North/PA) Across the road, around 100 counter-protesters held banners bearing the words stand up to racism and stop the far right. The group chanted say it loud and say it clear, refugees are welcome here while people across the road shouted back no, theyre not. Later, police said a group, including some wearing masks, moved into a Canary Wharf shopping centre where a small number of masked protesters then became aggressive towards members of the public and police. The force said four arrests were made including for common assault by a protester on a member of the public, possession of class A and B drugs, assault on police, public order offences and failure to disperse. Several children were among the protesters on Sunday (Lucy North/PA) One officer was punched in the face but did not suffer significant injury, police said. A Section 60AA order, giving officers the power to order the removal of face coverings for the the Isle of Dogs area south of the A1261, has been put in place as well as a dispersal order. Both orders last until midnight, police said on Sunday evening. Commander Adam Slonecki, in charge of policing London this weekend, said: We had plenty of officers on the ground who moved in swiftly to deal with the criminality that occurred inside and outside the shopping centre. We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour. Those gathered in Canary Wharf carried banners, placards and Union flags (Lucy North/PA) Todays protest saw many community members attend, including women and children, and we worked to ensure the safety of those there to peacefully represent their views. Those who arrive at protests masked and intent on causing trouble will continue to be dealt with robustly at future protests. We remain in the area to deter any further disorder and provide reassurance to local residents and businesses. Migration protests have been held across the country over the weekend after the Government won a court challenge on Friday, meaning asylum seekers can continue to be housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex. A police officer has been punched in the face in Canary Wharf and anti-migrant protesters have gathered outside the Epping Forest District Council building as tensions continue to rise over the use of asylum hotels. Metropolitan Police said that one of their force was lucky not to suffer significant injury while facilitating the initially peaceful anti-asylum protest on the Isle of Dogs on Sunday afternoon. Later, a group of protesters, including some masked, move into the Canary Wharf shopping centre where a small group became aggressive towards the police. Four arrests were made following the protest , which saw people gather outside the Britannia International Hotel, which was subject to controversy last month after the Government decided to use it as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. The protest initially took place outside the Bell Hotel but relocated to the council buildings (AFP via Getty Images) Meanwhile, around 200 protesters have marched on Eppings council offices, where a woman climbed the steps and unfurled a Union flag, before being detained by officers after refusing to leave. Pictures show angry demonstrators arguing with police and attempting to block a van, Three people have been arrested, two men and a woman, and remain in police custody. Essex Police said the woman was arrested on suspicion of breaching a Section 14 order, which set out specific areas where the protest could take place. They added that her arrest was categorically not for flying the Union flag as some people had suggested. A protester is detained by police after hanging a Union flag from the civic offices (Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire) The protesters had initially gathered outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, which has become an epicentre for anti-migrant debates after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl last month. He has denied the charges. Anti-immigration protesters stood behind metal barriers across the road from the Bell Hotel, holding Union flags and waving at passing cars that sounded their horns. Police officers watched on, with more waiting in vans in surrounding roads. Essex Police warned that any protest must end by 8pm and must not block the road. Section 60AA and dispersal orders also prevented people concealing from their identity with masks and allowed officers to direct protesters where to leave. The Britannia International Hotel has seen a number of protests since July (Yui Mok/PA Wire) Tensions were further stoked after the government won a court challenge which means asylum seekers can continue to be housed at the Bell Hotel on Friday. This follows a ruling last week which saw the local council granted an interim injunction which would have stopped 138 asylum seekers from being housed there after the authority claimed that Somani Hotels had breached planning rules by using the Bell as accommodation for asylum seekers. Epping Forest District Council is set to decide on Monday whether to take its battle over the Bell Hotel to the Supreme Court. Counter-protesters rallied in Canary Wharf (Lucy North/PA Wire) The UK has seen numerous protests as the government is facing mounting pressure to respond to a surge in small boats crossing the English Channel and end the use of hotels to temporarily house asylum seekers.. Protests have taken place in Newcastle, Falkirk, Aberdeen, Gloucester, London and Essex so far this weekend, with five arrests made in west London relating to disorder after two anti-asylum groups marched to the Crowne Plaza hotel in West Drayton. The Met Police said that a group of masked men attempted to enter the hotel via the rear entrance, while a breakaway protest group moved towards the nearby Novotel on Cherry Lane and towards the Holiday Inn. Officers had already been in place at the scene, with two suffering minor injuries. Protesters have clashed across the UK this weekend (Getty Images) Commander Adam Slonecki, in charge of policing London this weekend, said on Sunday - following the Canary Wharf arrests: This afternoon we have unfortunately seen more disorder, following the five arrests made yesterday in the West Drayton area. We had plenty of officers on the ground who moved in swiftly to deal with the criminality that occurred inside and outside the shopping centre. We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour. Todays protest saw many community members attend, including women and children, and we worked to ensure the safety of those there to peacefully represent their views. Those who arrive at protests masked and intent on causing trouble will continue to be dealt with robustly at future protests. The Bell Hotel is where anti-migrant debates sparked earlier this summer (PA Wire) We remain in the area to deter any further disorder and provide reassurance to local residents and businesses. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has accused Reform UK of stoking tensions over asylum hotels as protests continue. She said whipping up anger serves the political interests of Nigel Farages party, to which deputy Reform UK leader Richard Tice responded it is ridiculous to suggest the party supports anything other than lawful, peaceful protests. Vladimir Putin received the red carpet treatment as he arrived in China for a regional security summit hoping to counter Western influence over global affairs. The Russian leader arrived in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Sunday for a rare four-day visit to Moscows largest trading partner and was met with a warm welcome by top-ranking city officials. Not long after arrival, Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping held a sideline meeting in which they discussed recent contacts between Moscow and Washington, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told Russian media without elaborating further. They have met for a two-day meeting in which 20 leaders across Central Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East will gather for a powerful show of Global South solidarity. It is believed to be the largest gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) since the group was established in 2001 among six Eurasian nations. China remains Russias largest trading partner (Copyright 2025 Photo host agency RIA Novosti) The security-focused bloc has now expanded to 10 permanent members and 16 dialogue and observer countries in recent years, growing its remit from security and counter-terrorism to economic and military cooperation. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said that ties between China and Russia are at their best in history and have become the "most stable, mature and strategically significant among major countries". Narendra Modi has also joined the summit, marking the Indian prime ministers first visit to China in seven years. Analysts have suggested the two global leaders are seeking to align against pressure from the West, days after US president Donald Trump imposed a punitive total of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, partly in response to New Delhis purchase of Russian oil. Both Modi and Xi have agreed that India and China are development partners, not rivals, as they discussed ways to improve trade ties amid global tariff uncertainty. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hand before their meeting (AP) Xi is expected to use the summit to showcase what a post-American-led international order could look like, offering a high-profile diplomatic boost for Russia as the country smarts from sanctions imposed over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia is on the brink of recession, caused by trade curbs and the cost of the war. A day before his visit, Putin blasted Western sanctions in a written interview with China's official Xinhua news agency, saying Moscow and Beijing jointly opposed discriminatory sanctions in global trade. Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that the war-torn country is planning deep strikes a reference to using long-range missiles either to strike Russia or occupied Ukraine, days after Moscow unleashed a devastating airstrike on Kyiv which killed 23 and hit the British Council building. We will continue our active operations in exactly the way needed for Ukraines defence. The forces and resources are prepared. New deep strikes have also been planned, Mr Zelensky said on X (Twitter) after meeting Ukraines top general, Oleksandr Syrskyi, without giving further details of the plans. The Queen has long campaigned against sexual and domestic violence (Richard Sellers/PA) (PA Wire) The Queen was reportedly the victim of an attempted sexual assault as a schoolgirl, and succeeded in fending off her attacker with the heel of her shoe, a new book has claimed. Queen Camilla disclosed the story to Boris Johnson during his time as mayor of London, the book titled Power And The Palace claimed. According to an extract, the author, former Times royal correspondent Valentine Low, spoke to Mr Johnsons former communications director Guto Harri who recalled Mr Johnson telling him about the meeting that took place at Clarence House in around 2008. In the extract, published in the Sunday Times, Mr Harri said of the pair: They obviously got on like a house on fire. Camilla reportedly disclosed the story to former prime minister Boris Johnson during his time as mayor of London (Reuters) He (Mr Johnson) was making guttural noises about how much he admired and liked her. But the serious conversation they had was about her being the victim of an attempted sexual assault when she was a schoolgirl. She was on a train going to Paddington she was about 16, 17 and some guy was moving his hand further and further Mr Harri said that after Mr Johnson asked what she did next, Camilla had replied: I did what my mother taught me to. I took off my shoe and whacked him in the nuts with the heel. She was self-possessed enough when they arrived at Paddington to jump off the train, find a guy in uniform and say, That man just attacked me, and he was arrested. The Queen has long campaigned against domestic violence and sexual abuse and has dedicated her royal charity work to supporting victims of sexual assault. A number of years ago she championed the idea of washbags for people who have attacked, an idea that has recently been revived. In an ITV documentary last year, she vowed to keep trying to end domestic violence, until she is able to no more, and was followed over the course of a year for the programme looking at her work in the field. A vial of Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine, at the Long Island Jewish medical center in New York City on 22 June 2022. Photograph: Justin Lane/EPA While unrest and new vaccine restrictions have kept US health agencies in headlines, theres one vaccine program in particular that Robert F Kennedy Jr, secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), recently vowed to fix, which experts say could further upend the vaccine industry and prevent people experiencing rare side effects from vaccines from getting financial help. While some changes to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), which compensates people who suffer very rare side effects from vaccination, must come from Congress, Kennedy could take several actions to reshape or affect the programs operations. Kennedy seems to be pursuing two opposite theories on changing VICP, said Anna Kirkland, a professor at the University of Michigan and author of Vaccine Court. Make it easier and compensate more, versus blow it all up. And then maybe theres a third way of, foment skepticism, undercut recommendations, she said. The moves represent the latest battle in the war on vaccines that hes been waging for decades, Art Caplan, head of the division of medical ethics at New York Universitys Grossman School of Medicine said. Kennedy, an anti-vaccine activist for about two decades, has reported more than $2.4m in income for referring vaccine-related cases to a law firm, for instance. Making major changes to the program may open up vaccine makers to more litigation, making it difficult for them to keep existing vaccines on the market or to produce new ones. In 1980, there were 18 companies in the US producing vaccines; a decade later, there were four. Congress passed a law in 1986 leading to the establishment of the VICP to prevent further instability in the vaccine market. By making changes to the program, Kennedy can scare the manufacturers, and the market is pretty fragile, said Caplan. Dorit Reiss, professor of law at University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, said that VICP was adopted because manufacturers were leaving the market over litigation and that this would mean manufacturers will pull out of the market and well have less vaccine accessible. There arent many vaccine makers left in the US. Most vaccines are not very lucrative either for the manufacturers or the doctors who administer them. Most routine vaccines are covered under the VICP. Caplan said any vaccines could be vulnerable and these actions have major consequences for uptake even if vaccines remain on the market. The biggest problem is still undermining trust in mainstream science, Caplan said. Changing or even eliminating the program would also likely make it more difficult for patients to have their cases addressed. Yet a bill that would abolish the VICP entirely, introduced by the representative Paul Gosar, a Republican from Arizona, is gaining traction in anti-vaccine circles. Reiss noted that undoing VICP might mean theres no vaccines available. A website about Gosars bill features a quote from Kennedy: If we want safe and effective vaccines, we need to end the liability shield. HHS did not respond to the Guardians questions on whether Kennedy knows about this use of his quotation, or what his plan to fix the compensation program involves. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select Secure Messaging. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post If you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at theguardian.com/tips lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. There are several actions Kennedy can take to make vaccine availability much more difficult, Caplan said. Kennedy has mentioned two concrete plans: adding discovery to existing compensation claims, and removing the backlog of claims. The program rules already allow discovery at the discretion of the adjudicators, called special masters. Adding special masters could help speed up claim processing, but the number of special masters was set by Congress, not HHS. In addition, the special masters answer to the US Department of Justice (DoJ), not HHS though they represent the secretary in claims. The first thing [Kennedy] said he was doing was working with Pam Bondi at DoJ, Kirkland said. Bondi could certainly direct her own employees to stop contesting a lot of things, and just let as much as possible go through, because they represent the secretary against the petitioners. So they could certainly change the softer ways that they operate, try to be easier, try to be faster. In that case, Kennedy could ask the special masters to concede effectively approving automatically any claims about, for instance, diagnoses of autism or allergies after vaccination, Reiss said. One way to argue that a vaccine caused severe side effects under VICP is to present in a causation hearing a preponderance of evidence demonstrating its more than 50% likely a metric known as 50% and a feather that the vaccine is the cause of a side effect. But there doesnt have to be existing literature that shows this connection. If you have a credible expert with a convincing theory, thats enough under VICP, Reiss said. Reiss noted that the program was intentionally and consciously designed to make it easy to compensate. It increases vaccine trust when we have a quick, generous compensation program when we can tell people: Look, if the worst happens, if youre the one in the million where things actually go wrong, you can be quickly and generously compensated, whereas if you instead get a vaccine-preventable disease, you dont have any compensation. I think that can help trust. Its also the right thing to do, she said. The other way to settle a claim is the table of injuries, which lists the vaccines included in ACIP [the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices], potential injuries and time periods. If the injury occurs within that time, then causation is presumed, Reiss said. Kennedy could change the table, adding more or different side effects. This would require publishing public notice and accepting comments. If a new injury is added to the table, cases are allowed to be submitted for the past eight years, rather than the usual three years. The table is the one thats the most straightforwardly under his control, Kirkland said. The last time a government agency tried to change the table, it failed. Thats got to mean something, she added. Related: Bernie Sanders demands that RFK Jr step down as health secretary If the ACIP no longer recommends a routine vaccine, it may be removed from the table. Claims would then need to go through the regular court system. There is a higher bar in the regular courts, where claimants have to show fault, demonstrating a defective product or negligence, for instance. The rules of evidence are stricter. Claimants also have to hire a lawyer and pay the lawyer costs and the experts. With the private US healthcare market, if you dont win your case, youre going to then get stuck with gigantic medical bills, Caplan said. In a country like the US, where the burden is on the individual to pay their medical bills, VICP is a safety net for people having medical events after vaccination, he said. Many of the claims now handled under VICP are for relatively low amounts of money that law firms especially the rare firms with the expertise to take on large pharmaceutical companies might not find worthwhile in representing. There are aspects of VICP that need reform, Reiss said. The program needs more special masters, the caps on payments need to be updated from original levels set in the 1980s, and the statute of limitations should be expanded beyond three years especially because it is difficult to diagnose side effects in young children in that amount of time, she said. The statute of limitations, special masters and caps need to be changed, and there have been efforts to do that, she said. They just, I think, didnt get enough attention, and thats probably not what hes focusing on. Ireland coach Scott Bemand insisted his team are ready for tougher tests after reaching the World Cup quarter-finals with a 43-27 victory over Spain at Franklins Gardens. Hard-fought bonus-point wins against Japan and a determined Las Leonas have secured a spot in the knockout phase, but first tournament heavyweights New Zealand must be faced in Brighton. To get a bonus-point win at the start of the day I would have bit your hand off for that, Bemand said. Getting into a World Cup quarter-final was something we wanted to achieve and we wanted to achieve it at the first possible chance, so two games in. The group are buzzing and weve just been told its the most points Ireland have ever scored at a World Cup and its only game two. The longer you go in this competition, the media, the fan base everything magnifies. Its exactly where we want to be. All roads lead to Brighton now and we want to go and challenge a World Cup contender. Part of our growth is that we want to fire more shots, we want to take games against the World Cup contenders deeper. This win against Spain will be a massive game for us just in terms of continuing momentum. Im sure anybody that plays us will take us seriously. Thats a good place for us to be and were just going to keep getting a bit better and a bit better. Irelands Grace Moore, right, celebrates her first try with fellow scorer Amee-Leigh Costigan (Joe Giddens/PA) Spain excelled at times and, like Japan a week before them, took charge early in the third quarter to cause Ireland real trouble only for the favourites to find the skill and resilience needed to close out victory. It wont always be perfect, unfortunately, and there are going to be some edge-of-the-seat moments but thats the beauty of womens rugby, Bemand said. But what we are doing now, were scoring tries and were creating in a variety of ways, so were creating different problems for people to solve. Weve never professed to be the finished article, but scoring seven tries shows that weve got some firepower and some tools that we can call upon. Its now about calling upon them consistently and more in the right spaces, which will let us go longer and deeper into these games. An ultra-orthodox Jewish man is carried by Israeli security forces during a protest against Israeli army conscription in Kfar Yona on August 19 - JOHN WESSELS/AFP Yoaz Hendel is a man on a mission; a mission to fundamentally change the face of modern Israel and rework the balance between church and state. If he gets his way in the next general election and the polls suggest he might the 50-year-old former Navy commando, history professor and government minister says he will do everything in his power to drag the country back to the Zionist principles on which it was founded. Chief among those is shared rights and responsibilities for all citizens. It is not sustainable or just that the ultra-orthodox Haredi population are able to duck military service while so many secular and other religious Israelis are serving and dying, he says. If his newly formed Miluimnikim or Reservists party wins enough seats in the new parliament and a handful could be enough he will insist that all state benefits, including the right to vote, be removed from those who refuse to do their national service. If you are a pacifist leftist, or you are coming from a rich Right-wing family, or you are ultra orthodox or secular, or you are an Israeli Arab, and you chose not to serve the State of Israel, you will not gain the full rights, not even one shekel, including education, he tells The Telegraph. If you choose not to serve, because this is your point of view, its okay, but you will not gain the power to make decisions on how Im risking my life or the lives of my children by voting or by becoming a minister in the cabinet. Yoaz Hendel is a 50-year-old former Navy commando, history professor and government minister. He hopes to win the next general election - Eyal Warshavsky for The Telegraph The issue of national service, and the effective exemption still enjoyed by the Haredi, has become an explosive fissure in Israeli politics as the war in Gaza and other fronts rages. If you are an ordinary citizen who refuses to serve, you face not just public disdain and limited career opportunities, but restrictions on international travel and even jail. The Haredi, on the other hand, have traditionally been exempt from service and are allowed, at the taxpayers expense, to spend their days studying the Torah. The high court recently ruled their exemption was not legal and call-up orders were issued to some 80,000 Haredi men between 18 and 24, but so far fewer than 3,000 have enlisted, and the military has not enforced it. Even now the IDF is struggling, says Mr Hendel. There are more than 450 soldiers killed since this war started and others many others have served more than 400 days. It is not right that some are staying at home when so many others are being asked to fight. While Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, has repeatedly kicked the can down the road in a bid to maintain his coalition, Mr Hendel and his Reservists aim to bring the issue to a head at the next election, which must be held by October next year and is likely to be held earlier. The two orthodox parties representing the Haredi have already withdrawn their support for Mr Netanyahus ruling coalition, furious that he has not passed a long-promised law to maintain their legal exemption, but have stopped short of bringing down his government. Mr Hendel intends to break the deadlock: We will be uncompromising in this demand. Everyone must serve or lose their benefit. We will only give support to other [parties] that support this. Ultra-orthodox Jews, who have been traditionally exempt, have been protesting against compulsory army service since it was introduced last year - JOHN WESSELS/AFP His Reservists movement, which polls suggest could win nine seats or more in the next parliament, is being advised by the Aron Shaviv, a political strategist. Mr Shaviv ran Mr Netanyahus 2015 campaign and advised David Cameron, the former British prime minister, in the 2015 UK general election, where he won a surprise majority of 10 seats. Echoing the Reservists line, Mr Shaviv says the issue of conscription is not only undermining the current war effort but threatens Israels future as a participatory democracy. The Haredi already represent some 13 per cent of the total Israeli population, and that is expected to rise to over 30 per cent by 2065 on current projections. It is not sustainable. Israel needs a new settlement for church and state, says Mr Hendel. The issue unites both secular and religious Israelis beyond the Haredi community. The orthodox religious Zionists, who, unlike the Haredi, believe in actively securing a greater Israel rather than waiting for God to deliver it, are enthusiastic participants in the military. Many of their settlements in the occupied West Bank supply a disproportionate number of troops to the military, especially front-line infantry and special forces units. Last year call-up orders to the military were issued to some 80,000 Haradi men between 18 and 24 - Amir Cohen/Reuters Although not orthodox, Mr Hendel was raised in a religious Zionist family and is certainly no lefty. Mr Shaviv describes the Reservists party as much to the right of the current government in terms of security the political spectrum on which all politics in Israel now hinges. Mr Hendel himself characterises the Israel-Palestine conflict as a clash of civilisations and says he sees no prospect of a sustained peace for at least a generation. Like most Israelis, he regards the idea of trying to win hearts and minds through investment and engagement as naive a John Lennon song and the opposite of what the country needs to be doing. He says this was the mistake Mr Netanyahus government made in Gaza previously, only to see it explode in his face with the Oct 7 massacre. I would prefer to see the reality differently. But unfortunately, we woke up in the middle of a holiday, our holidays, on October 7, and we found ourselves again in the Dark Ages, with people coming to slaughter us and our kids, said Mr Hendel. My goal as someone who is intending to take part in the leadership of Israel is to make sure that were safe enough and to make sure that its never happening again. You cannot force the Palestinians tomorrow morning to become Swedish. Changing that will take generations. Yes, you need to help them. But how? By putting hard [military] facts on the ground, not unrealistic dreams. We can play John Lennons song Imagine again and again on megaphones in Gaza. And I truly love this song, but its not going to change their minds. So this is what we have. Mr Shaviv is clear that all politics is ultimately local, and there is little doubt this sentiment is where politics is in Israel currently. Dahlia Scheindlin, the Israeli pollster and analyst, recently wrote in Foreign Affairs magazine that a growing political consensus has emerged in Israel around the view that military might is the exclusive basis for Israels survival. She noted a recent poll showing that 82 per cent of Israeli Jews would support the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. And a Peace Index survey conducted in July, which found 72 per cent of Jewish Israelis said they thought the death toll in Gaza was justified. By that point, it had reached more than 60,000. So delicate is the balance of seats in the Israeli parliament that Mr Shaviv believes Mr Hendel and his Reservists can become king maker with a relatively small number of seats. But Ms Scheindlin is not so sure. Competition on the centre-Right is fierce and she says that single issue parties have tended not to do well in Israel historically. Hendel is a smart guy but there is a lot of competition in that space right now, she said. Yoaz Hendel speaks with our Global Health Editor Paul Nuki in Tel Aviv - Eyal Warshavsky for The Telegraph Nevertheless, Mr Hendel has a back story and charisma thats made for modern politics. Politically and personally, he could have walked from the pages of Leon Uriss epic romantic novel Exodus, which tells the story of the founding of Israel. Hes not just a former history don and author, but won a repudiation for integrity and delivery when he served previously in government, first in 2012 and again in 2020-21. But perhaps most important to Israeli voters today is his military credentials. Trained as a special forces commando in the Navy, he picked up his carbine on Oct 7 and headed south to Gaza to help engage Hamas despite being well beyond conscription age. He still leads the Omer Unit, a commando unit of more than 300 former special forces soldiers which he first established in 2015 to help meet the IDFs manpower shortage. All are over 45 but remain active, not only in Gaza but in Lebanon and other fronts. We are serving by example, he says. I know mothers who cannot sleep at night and they need pills in order to go to sleep because they have three sons in Gaza. And then there are others near me, ultra orthodox, who opt out. Its not that they dont care but they dont understand. They dont understand the price. They dont pay the price. In order to resolve that, the only thing that I know is to use power, political power, to force the system to change. This is our Zionist mission to make a fairer, stronger Israel, he says. British-based Doughlicious founder Kathryn Bricken is a Florida native and mother of three. The woman who brought US-style cookie dough to the UK has battled breast cancer, had two surgeries on her hand after tearing joints from producing 500 cookie dough balls a day and, after several years of toil to create the perfect recipe, started her multi-million pound business as a 50-year-old. I had a career, raised children and then I had time to focus on what was important to me, says Kathryn Bricken, founder of UK-based Doughlicious. Dont ever think you are too old to do something you are passionate about. If you can write a business plan and people believe in it then go for it. Read More: I turned my mum's 1980s homemade Dryrobe into a 22m British success Starting out in her Fulham kitchen, Miami-born Bricken now leads a team of 50 at Doughlicious, which has sold over 5 million packs globally since 2018 and produces more than 1 million cookie dough and gelato bites each week. The company anticipates doubling its revenue this year after accruing 7m in 2024. Bricken moved to the UK in 2008 after growing up in Florida, where she was a cashier in a supermarket chain, before working on Washingtons Capitol Hill and then moving to North Carolina. She laughs when she says she still doesnt have a British accent 17 years on. In 2014, she started experimenting with ready-to-bake cookie dough then still an outlier as a UK food category when her British friends asked her to make some indulgent chocolate chip cookies. Brits were into hard biscuits, hobnobs and shortbreads. There was nothing soft, she says. Kathryn Bricken bootstrapped the business from her Fulham kitchen in 2017 with zero employees. Bricken, whose mother was an amazing baker and chef, took up the challenge but on the premise of a healthier taste, one with oat flour, raw cane coconut sugars, maple syrups or blueberries. Today, Doughlicious also claims to have 6% lower sugar than other brands. Two years later, Bricken entered the Speciality & Fine Food Show and created immediate interest from Whole Foods and Planet Organic. At the time, Bricken was still hand-producing from her kitchen. Continuous holding of the bowl meant she also wore out her thumb joint and was forced into two surgeries. In 2019, she decided to make an innovative ice cream sandwich, but encountered a stream of issues with temperature control or being too crunchy. The same year an early diagnosis also helped her overcome breast cancer. She focused on Doughlicious while undergoing radiotherapy and turned to cookie dough after purchasing a machine to layer the ice cream and dough. Read More: 'Future is the USA' for Pasta Evangelists, the 40m British made success story It was sloppy and difficult and would never scale due to the complexity of the machinery, recalls Bricken. I decided to wrap cookie dough around the gelato and it took two years of trials and testing. Landing upon the perfect recipe, she launched with gelato bites and won a Mintel global innovation award which propelled the business. Her solo graft and growth is underpinned by Doughlicious facility moves. After originally working with a contract manufacturer for four months before product became inconsistent, she opened a small production room in Walthamstow and bought a packaging machine. She took on a factory manager and a few months later she moved into a new facility in Willesden Junction complete with multiple freezers. Bricken and Co are now at a 22,000 sq ft facility in Acton following a 500,000 investment from her and husband Dan. Doughlicious produces over 1 million cookie dough and gelato bites each week. A mergers and acquisitions banker, he had moved to the UK with his wife to open the international office at Wells Fargo. He told me I wouldnt get a grant to bake cookies, smiles Bricken. I applied, was shortlisted and then I think he started taking me seriously. In the last two years he has become more permanent. He is the human calculator and I am the creative side. The couple are celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary this year. Meanwhile, Bricken says she learned about business leadership from motherhood and applies her parenting skills in guiding her Doughlicious staff. Namely that she doesnt yell at employees, having refrained with her own three children. There is no rewind button, Bricken says of the mantras she has passed on to her offspring. Seize the moment, persevere, strive for perfection, go slow to go fast and think about what you are doing. Everything you do counts. Kathryn Bricken leads a 50-strong team across the UK and US. The same could be said of Doughlicious, with Bricken creating a food category on its own with other challenger brands now entering the fray. That successful local grant saw Bricken receive 50,000 which enabled her to purchase a heavyweight oven. Eight years on and Doughlicious is now in an array of UK supermarkets and has collaborated with Microsoft (MSFT) for an Xbox Dark Ages cookie dough and gelato bite, while British Airways carries its ambient cookies on LNER trains and long haul flights to Japan. Its important to build a brand and keep our core [chocolate chip, chocolate truffle, mint, cinnamon churro and cookies and cream], so everybody knows those five flavours and then we can always play with limited editions or new flavours, says Bricken. Read More: 'In our workplace, we look for passionate, slightly unhinged mountain climbers US food and beverage group Rich Products has now invested in the cookie dough producer to shake up the freezer section after a $5m (3.7m) total funding round. Bricken has said the UK will always be the mothership but the US is now a focus for expansion. Bricken recently flew into Miami to see her mother and sampled at different Whole Foods. She talked to customers, engaged with store staff and asked herself a range of questions: Do we have a problem with logistics? Do we have a bigger problem or is it distribution or ingredients? What is it that will help me build the brand? Into her late fifties, Bricken clearly still has the start-up zest. I loved that I started it myself, the entrepreneur says. I get my joy from [occasionally] working on the line. If I could do that every day that would make me happy, but its all the other things I do that make it challenging in a good way as I am giving people what excites them. Read more: Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Androi A Texas teenager was rushed to hospital with severe burns all over his body after a TikTok experiment went horribly wrong. Twelve-year-old Caden Ballard and his older brother saw a video on the social media app which involved putting rubbing alcohol into a bottle and setting it on fire, making flames shoot up the bottle. My brother and I did that, and it was cool, Caden told KXAN, recalling the incident on August 16. However, after the fire appeared to have gone out, his brother told him to dispose of the bottle. My brother grabbed and said, Here, throw it away. So, I grabbed it to throw it in the trash can, [and] my shirt was on fire, the youngster said. Without knowing, the boys had used isopropyl alcohol for their experiment which, when ignited, can have an invisible flame. The resulting flames caused second-to-third-degree burns across 11 percent of Cadens body. A Texas teenager was rushed to hospital with severe burns all over his body after a TikTok experiment went horribly wrong (Ballard family/ GoFundMe) The boys mom was on the other side of the house when the incident happened, and was told about the unfolding crisis by a friend who heard the boys call 911. She recalled the horror of finding Caden on the porch. He was just face, chest, arms, stomach covered in burns. It looked like his skin had been melted away, Christina Ballard told KXAN. They like to listen to the story times on TikTok, you know, the Reddit stories. So I never expected things to go the way they went. She praised the actions of Cadens brother, who had acted quickly pulling off his brothers shirt and telling him to stop, drop and roll, to put out the flames and minimize the damage. I dont know how you were brave enough to reach into the flames and pull the shirt off of your brother. But I thank God every single day that you were brave enough to do that, Ballard said. The boys mother was alerted by a neighbor who heard them call 911. She recalled the horror of finding Caden on the porch (Ballard family/ GoFundMe) Caden was rushed to a burns unit in Dallas, and is being transferred to a childrens burn unit in Galveston. He has already undergone surgery and now faces weeks of intensive care, recovery, and therapy, a GoFundMe page set up on behalf of his family said. Caden is a strong and determined young man, but this journey will be long and painful, the page read. His parents are faithfully by his side, but the emotional weight is compounded by financial strain extended hospital stays, time away from work, travel back and forth to Dallas, and bills piling up at home, it added. The page has already raised almost $1,500. Christina Ballard is now urging parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of recreating online stunts. We got very lucky; unfortunately, its bad, but Caden and I are very lucky that it wasnt a lot worse, she said. President Donald Trump compared Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to children when asked about a potential meeting between the two leaders. In an Oval Office interview on Friday with The Daily Caller, Trump responded to questions about his talks with Putin and Zelensky this month to end the war in Ukraine. When asked what he and Putin disagreed about during their summit in Alaska earlier this month, Trump told the outlet that the two of them got along and suggested the war may continue a little longer. I dont know. We got along, he said. You saw it, weve had a good relationship over the years, very good, actually. Thats why I really thought we would have this done. I would have loved to have had it done. Maybe they have to fight a little longer. You know, just keep fighting stupidly, keep fighting. Trump then compared Zelensky and Putin to children fighting on a playground, noting he isnt sure a bilateral meeting between the two leaders will happen. The president previously said he was arranging for Putin and Zelensky to meet, and that he would join them for a trilateral summit afterward. A [trilateral] would happen. A [bilateral], I dont know about, but a [trilateral] will happen, Trump told The Daily Caller. But, you know, sometimes people arent ready for it. I say, I use the analogy. Ive used it a couple of times. You have a child, and theres another child in the lot, in the playground, and they hate each other, and they start swinging, swinging and swinging, and you want them to stop, and they keep going. Trump admitted that he meeting with Putin in Alaska didnt have the desired outcome. (Reuters) He continued: After a little while, theyre very happy to stop. Do you understand that? Its almost that way. Sometimes they have to fight for a little bit before you can get them to stop. But this has been going on for a long time. A lot of people are dead. When Trump met with Putin on August 12, the pair walked away without any signs of a deal to end the war. The Russian president also reportedly demanded that Ukraine cede the eastern Donbas region, which has been partially occupied by Russia for more than a decade. Afterward, Zelensky and several European leaders including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with Trump in the White House to discuss a deal and potential security guarantees for Ukraine. Top White House officials now believe that some European leaders may be prolonging the war by publicly supporting Trumps push for peace while privately urging Zelensky to wait for a better deal, Axios reports. An unnamed senior European official who was involved in the recent talks told the outlet they were surprised to hear about the criticism from White House officials and maintained that European leaders arent playing a game behind Trumps back. The Independent has contacted the White House for comment. Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. There have been more than 950,000 Russian casualties since the war began, including up to 250,000 fatalities, according to a report released in June by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. That means that Russia has suffered as many as five times the number of fatalities in Ukraine (in just over 3 years) as in all Russian and Soviet wars combined since World War II (covering roughly 77 years), the report says. Meanwhile, there have been more than 400,000 Ukrainian casualties, which includes both the wounded and the killed, according to the report. A flotilla carrying activist Greta Thunberg and other activists that left Barcelona for the Gaza Strip Sunday with humanitarian aid on board turned around due to stormy weather, organizers said Monday. There was no word on when they might try again. "Due to unsafe weather conditions, we conducted a sea trial then returned to port to allow the storm to pass," they said. The Global Sumud Flotilla intends to try to break the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory and bring humanitarian aid, food, water and medicine to Gaza as Israel steps up its offensive in Gaza City. "The story here is about Palestine," Thunberg said at a press conference in Barcelona. "The story here is how people are being deliberately deprived of the very basic means to survive." Food experts warned earlier this month that Gaza City was in famine and that half a million people across the strip were facing catastrophic levels of hunger. The nearly 23-month war has killed more than 63,000 people, with at least 332 Palestinians dying of malnutrition, including 124 children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Activists, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg were to depart Barcelona for Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), a self-described The maritime convoy, comprising approximately 20 boats and delegations from 44 countries, will be joined by additional ships from ports in Italy, Greece, and Tunisia as it navigates its route from the western Mediterranean to the Gaza Strip, organizers said. Thunberg and "Game of Thrones" actor Liam Cunningham are some of the most recognizable figures on the expedition, as well as activists, politicians like former mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, and journalists. "It has been very clear that Israel has been continuously violating international law by either attacking, unlawfully intercepting the boats in international waters, and continuously preventing the humanitarian aid from coming in", said Thunberg in an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday. It is not the first time Thunberg and Cunninham will attempt to reach Gaza waters this year. She was deported in June when the ship she was traveling on with 11 other people, the Madleen, was stopped by the Israeli military. The flotilla, which will be joined by others launching from various locations on September 4, includes activists, seafarers, doctors, and artists from over 40 countries. / Credit: Mario Wurzburger / Getty Images Cunningham, who will join the flotilla, played a video showing a girl singing while planning her own funeral. The girl, Fatima, died four days ago, he said. "What sort of world have we slid into where children are making their own funeral arrangements?" Cunningham told reporters. In late July, the Israeli military stopped another aid ship, detained 21 international activists and reporters, and seized its cargo, including baby formula, food and medicine, according to Freedom Flotilla Coalition. An Israeli official said Saturday that the country will soon halt or slow humanitarian aid into parts of northern Gaza, as it expands its military offensive against Hamas, a day after the city was declared a combat zone. The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when an attack by Hamas terrorists inside Israel claimed the lives of 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took 251 people hostage. Editor's Note: This article has been corrected. A representative for Susan Sarandon tells CBS News that while the actress is supportive of the cause, she was not on the flotilla, as was previously reported by The Associated Press. "Portrait of a person who's not there": Documenting the bedrooms of school shooting victims Passage: In memoriam Dr. Sanjay Gupta on the mysteries of chronic pain Courtesy of Doud's Market Doud's Market in 1988. Key Points Douds Market, established in 1884, is Americas oldest family-owned grocery store and continues to be a central part of life on Mackinac Island. Fourth-generation owner Andrew Doud revitalized the business by adding fresh meat, produce, and bakery offerings, while also modernizing services like online ordering. The store blends history with convenience, offering prepared foods, local favorites, and an old-fashioned vibe that reflects the islands car-free character. Douds Market on Mackinac Island, Michigan, holds the distinction of being Americas oldest family-owned grocery store. Located on an island just under four square miles with a year-round population of approximately 598, Mackinac has been car-free since July 6, 1898. (That summer, concerned residents petitioned local officials to ban what they called dangerous horseless carriages, which were frightening the horses and the ban has remained in place ever since, shaping the islands distinct character and lifestyle. The markets story begins in 1884, when brothers James and Patrick Doud opened their business under the name Doud Bros. Today, the store is known simply as Douds Market and is run by Andrew Doud, the fourth-generation owner. Now located on Main Street, Douds is the only grocery store in Mackinac Islands downtown, serving as a beloved hub for locals and tourists. Growing up, Andrew lived in the Detroit area during the off-season with his mother, and later attended Michigan State University. But summers were always on Mackinac with his father, Stephen, who ran Douds Market and lived on the island year-round. Courtesy of Doud's Market Andrew's grandfather Francis Doud is unloading ice from a horse-drawn carriage in the late 1930s. I remember when my dad was the butcher, and he would show me how to cut meat. Of course, I didnt pay attention, but I always thought it was so much fun to work with my dad in the meat department, he tells Food & Wine. Obviously, its where my dads office was, and so it was always a part of my life. Although he grew up around the family store, Andrews interests initially leaned toward the islands restaurant scene. He waited tables, bartended, and worked as the general manager at two restaurants on Mackinac: French Outpost and Gate House. Rebuilding an institution When Stephen passed away in 2002, Andrews brother took over the business, while Andrew pursued opportunities elsewhere. However, just four years later, the store fell into bankruptcy and was sold to an outside investor. Sensing both a personal and community calling, Andrew stepped back in. In 2006, he was back to run the Gate House restaurant at the Grand Hotel, but a year later, he found himself immersed in carrying on the family legacy. Related: On a Budget? This Tool Can Help Plan Your Grocery Lists He made what he describes as a risky move, saying he took a chance leasing it in 2007 and paid full price for it in 2008. It wasnt easy winning back the trust of locals after the stores decline. The people were very frustrated with the previous five years and didnt know what to expect under my ownership, Andrew says. But he quickly began making changes. People were cautiously optimistic. Douds has a long history of resilience. The original building, located at the top of the Starline Dock, was destroyed in a fire in 1943. The store then moved to its current location, where it has remained ever since. Courtesy of Doud's Market Late 1940s, Doud's Market in its current location, after a fire in 1943 destroyed the original building. When Andrew took ownership in 2007, one of his first steps was to close the market for the entire winter season to allow for renovations. Over the years, he had noticed that the store had gradually shifted into a more convenience-oriented establishment. He was determined to reverse that trend. The need for good, fresh food was there, but for several years, Douds wasnt a full-service grocery store. Andrew wanted to get back to basics and focus solely on selling food.We basically didnt sell produce or fresh-cut meat. And, so, when I took it over, my goal was to really prioritize being a grocery store, not a convenience store, he said. So Andrew brought back fresh meat, produce, and a grab-and-go deli section as well as bakery items. Balancing modernization with tradition Throughout its 140-year history, Douds Market has continually adapted to new consumer expectations while holding tightly to its old-school roots. Under Andrews leadership, the store embraced technological updates to enhance convenience without compromising its historic feel. As we proceeded, we tied in things like self-checkouts, which are obviously a very modern twist to it, Andrew says. The store even offers a delivery service for summer migrants through an online delivery form a logistical feat on an island where cars are banned. The groceries get delivered through horse-drawn transportation. Andrews wife, Nicole Doud, tells Food & Wine, You can place your order ahead of time, Douds Market will put your order together, and then [Mackinac Island Service Company] will have the order picked up by horse-drawn carriages and deliver to [your] destination. Michael Siluk / UCG / Universal Images Group via Getty Images Doud's Market is located on Main Street in Mackinac Islands downtown. Yet modernization never came at the expense of character. Inside the building, built in 1885, Douds Market maintains its nostalgic atmosphere, complete with 19th-century family photos adorning the walls. You can even find archival photos hanging over the fresh produce section in the 4,500-square-foot store, allowing shoppers to admire the history while picking fruits and vegetables. The old look is very important to us, Andrew says. It was very important for me to have family flair to it, and stories of not just my family, but the story of Mackinac, and trying to add that to it. A modern pantry for a unique island Today, Douds is every bit the modern grocery store, though with a mom-and-pop feel, offering a wide range of food and household essentials. Shoppers will find fresh produce, fresh-cut meats, and prepared items like whitefish dip, chicken pot pie, subs, and salads. Nicole says, The cherry chicken salad and cherry chicken salad wrap are signatures we always have, calling them customer favorites. The store also features a variety of baked goods, along with a comprehensive selection of wine, beer, and spirits. The peak season for Mackinac Island and consequently Douds is July 1 through the third weekend in August. But the store remains open on holidays and during winter as well. [The] winter season is much quieter, but busy in the sense of working on repairs and projects, and organizing before the upcoming busy season, Nicole says. Courtesy of Doud's Market Doud's popular grab-and-go foods include cherry chicken salad, whitefish dip, and chicken pot pie. Despite the modern offerings, Andrew says running a grocery store on a small island presents unique financial challenges. Our purchasing power and price points arent what you would see at a big box store. Its just not apples to apples, he explains. One of Douds most popular items is its freshly made pizza, which comes with toppings ranging from Italian sausage and mushrooms to banana peppers. Weve kind of made pizza here even before my ownership, Andrew says. But weve tried to fine-tune it. And there are other places that sell it. But our niche is grab-and-go, and pizza fits in very well with that youre not going to sit down and wait 20 minutes. Related: Here's What It's Really Like Inside the Oldest Bar in the United States That grab-and-go model reflects a key part of Douds mission: to serve as a reliable, quick, and economical option for the local community and visitors alike. If you want to grab some things at our grocery store and go for a bike ride around the island and enjoy the outside elements of Mackinac, were a great option for that. Read the original article on Food & Wine Courtesy of Alyce Rotunda Baby Matilda; Alyce and Kevin Rotunda with their four children NEED TO KNOW A baby was given a very fitting nickname after she was born in the parking lot of a McDonald's in Michigan on Aug. 11 The baby's mother, Alyce Rotunda, details the dramatic birth to PEOPLE As for the baby's nickname, Alyce says, "Its stuck with a few people, and everyone gets a kick out of it" A baby, who was born amid the glow of the golden arches in a McDonald's parking lot, has been given a fitting nickname. Little Matilda or "McTilly," as her parents have decided to affectionately call her made her arrival on Aug. 11 after a dramatic series of events, which mom Alyce Rotunda details to PEOPLE. It all began on Aug. 8, when Alyce, believing that she was in labor, went to the hospital in Kalamazoo with her husband, Kevin Rotunda II. She had been having contractions, but the hospital staff later sent her home, assuring her it was a false alarm. However, the following day, which happened to be Alyce's birthday, she was feeling "absolutely miserable" as she experienced "intense irregular contractions," along with nausea and a migraine. She began to time the contractions, and as they increased to six minutes apart by 2 a.m. on Aug. 11, she and Kevin knew it was time to head to the hospital again. Courtesy of Alyce Rotunda Baby Matilda The pair called Alyce's mom to come and watch their three older children Genesis, 7, Kevin III, 4, and Boone, 2 and then hit the road in their van. During the drive to the hospital, Alyce's contractions grew in pain and intensity, prompting her worried husband to hit the gas pedal. "He later told me at one point he was going 100 mph on a stretch of highway where there was nothing around, as he didnt want to get stuck being by nothing if the baby decided to come then," she recalls. Due to Alyce's pregnancy being classified as high-risk because she has type 1 diabetes, the closest hospital she could receive care at was 45 minutes away, making the situation even more stressful. "It was during that time that it became very obvious we were not going to make it to the hospital in time and the baby was coming," Alyce tells PEOPLE. Courtesy of Alyce Rotunda Kevin Rotunda II and his three older children with baby Matilda Kevin called 911 and explained the emergency situation. He told the dispatcher they were going to pull into a Speedway gas station in the next town and to send paramedics there. But as the couple got closer to the Speedway, they saw that it was still open and "completely lit up," making it far from ideal for an impromptu parking lot delivery. The couple ended up stopping at a McDonald's further down the road. Alyce got out of the van, as Kevin rushed to her side to help, and within minutes, Matilda made her arrival. Courtesy of Alyce Rotunda Baby Matilda "I reached down to feel what was happening and her head was fully out. I just remember yelling, 'Kevin catch her right now!' Alyce recalls. "I didnt know, but at that exact moment, Kevin was already standing behind me, bending down ready to grab her. I didnt even have to push she honestly just fell out into Kevins arms." Matilda was born at 2:57 a.m. "We had a huge sigh of relief when she came out and immediately started crying. She was breathing and alert, so I was at peace," Alyce tells PEOPLE. About five minutes later, an ambulance arrived at the McDonald's, and Alyce and her newborn were taken to the hospital to be checked out. "Neither Matilda or I had any complications from the whole experience, which is just the biggest blessing considering how things have played out for me in the past," Alyce says. "This was my first birth that wasnt induced, so we had no concept of just how quickly a natural labor would take for me." Courtesy of Alyce Rotunda The Rotunda family "We are just so thankful and blessed that everything played out the way it did," she continues. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The couple's family members later came to the hospital to meet their newest member, and it was Alyce's brother-in-law who suggested the nickname McTilly. "Its stuck with a few people, and everyone gets a kick out of it," Alyce tells PEOPLE, adding: "Matilda is doing great." Read the original article on People MINNEAPOLIS Doctors discovered a bullet fragment in the neck of a 10-year-old boy who went viral for recounting how his friend jumped on top of him to shield him during a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church that killed two children and injured others. Weston Halsne, a fifth-grade student at Annunciation Catholic School, was attending Mass on Wednesday when the shooting occurred. He recounted running under a pew and covering his head while shots came through the stained-glass windows, and said his friend Victor was shot while shielding him. I think I got, like, gunpowder on my neck, he said after the shooting. Weston Halsne, 10, survived the school shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. (NBC News) But doctors later discovered it was not just gunpowder that hit the 10-year-olds neck, but a bullet fragment as well. Westons father, Grant Halsne, told NBC News that the fragment came close to but didnt hit the boys carotid artery, which a doctor described as a miracle. If it [the bullet fragment] went any further, he wouldve died, Grant Halsne said. The Halsne family is waiting to confirm when the surgery to remove the fragment will be scheduled, but hope it will be sometime early this week. The fragment is in a very sensitive area, but the surgery is low risk and Weston is expected to make a full recovery, his father said. Grant Halsne said the shooting has left his son scared and not wanting to be alone. Hes scared of loud noises, the father said. On Wednesday, just before 8:30 a.m., a 23-year-old shooter fired a rifle through the side windows of Annunciation Catholic Schools church, aiming at children sitting in the pews, authorities said. Weston remembered thinking, What is that? when he heard the first gunshot. When he heard it again, he ran under the pew. The student had practiced what to do during an active shooter situation, but never at the church, he said. I was like two seats away from the stained glass windows, Weston said. So, they were like, the shots were like right next to me. Grant Halsne said he still hasn't processed that his son was shot during Mass. "To me, it still doesn't register," he said. "It doesn't feel real." On Sunday, Minneapolis police revised the number of people injured in the shooting from 18 to 21, adding three injured children to the count. It was not immediately clear whether Weston was included in that new total. The suspect was found dead at the rear of the church with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to search warrants. She was found dressed in black tactical gear and officials found approximately 120 shell casings from three different guns that she used, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian OHara. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Sumiko Moots reported from Minneapolis and Mirna Alsharif from New York City. Sayed Abu Tahoun kneels, clutching the limp body of his daughter, Dalia, killed by Israeli tank fire outside their home in Gaza City. His scream echoes through the hospitals crowded corridors. He stares into her lifeless eyes, then wails again, before pulling her close in a desperate embrace on the floor of Al-Shifa Hospital. This scene and others were captured in videos by journalists in Gaza and verified by NBC News on Saturday 24 hours after Israel said it had begun the initial stages of its assault on Gaza City. Israel has vowed to take control of the largest city in the famine-gripped enclave, home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Israels defense minister, Israel Katz, said Sunday that Israel had killed Hamas spokesperson Abu Obeida in Gaza a claim Hamas has not confirmed vowing that "many more of his partners in crime" would meet the same fate. On Aug. 22, Katz said the IDF would open the gates of hell on Gaza City until Hamas accepted Israels conditions for ending the conflict, including surrendering all hostages and laying down its arms. By Saturday, Israels latest assault had rained down on a city already buckling under famine, disease and displacement. Palestinians carry an injured child at the site of an Israeli strike that hit several buildings in the Al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City on Saturday. (Omar Al-Qattaa / AFP - Getty Images) In footage from western Gaza City, a boy covered in gray dust lay dead from another strike, blood leaking from a crater in his skull. At a bakery hit in a separate Israeli bombardment, another video showed rescuers carrying away child after child from the carnage. Israeli strikes killed at least 70 people across the strip on Saturday, 47 of them in Gaza City alone, Dr. Khalil Al-Daqran, spokesman for Gazas Health Ministry, told NBC News. The Israeli military said it had struck a key Hamas terrorist in Saturdays strikes on Gaza City and that numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians. When pressed for additional details on the strike, the Israeli Defense Forces did not answer questions from NBC News. The assault on Gaza City, declared a dangerous combat zone by Israel, is expected to displace hundreds of thousands and has drawn global condemnation amid warnings that it could deepen the humanitarian catastrophe in the famine-stricken enclave. UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, said Friday that around 1 million people could be forcibly displaced again. The International Red Cross warned Saturday that evacuating the city under bombardment would be impossible. Israel has told civilians to leave for the south of the Palestinian enclave. Seeking refuge, Palestinians face airstrikes as well as increasing deprivation, following a declaration of famine in northern Gaza earlier in August, including Gaza City, by the worlds leading authority on hunger. Under these conditions, disease is also a threat. A virus causing high fever, joint pain and diarrhea is spreading rapidly in Gaza, Dr. Muhammad Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, told NBC News on Thursday. He said immunodeficiency resulting from malnutrition, as well as overcrowding and a lack of clean water and cleaning materials, were causing the virus to spread. After Israel carried out heavy strikes in the area on Friday, residents, many of whom have been displaced several times during the war, started to flee. As tanks advanced in several areas, Gaza Citys streets were crowded with newly displaced families by the afternoon. Suleiman al-Hissi, 55, hauled what little he owned as his eight children clustered around him. Enough! he cried. Stop this war! Where is the mercy? Where is the humanity? Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks to the media Saturday as a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid and activists prepares to leave for Gaza. (Lluis Gene / AFP - Getty Images) On Sunday, an aid flotilla carrying activists including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg set sail from Barcelona, aiming to breach Israels naval blockade and deliver humanitarian supplies. At an earlier newspress conference, Thunberg accused Israel of genocide, mass-slaughter, and said Palestinians were being deliberately deprived of the very basic means to survive. Israel denies committing genocide. It has already intercepted two flotillas this summer, one carrying Thunberg, detaining the passengers in Israel before expelling them. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said Friday that the IDF had recovered the remains of two hostages from the Gaza Strip in a military operation this week. It announced the retrieval of Ilan Weiss body along with the remains of another hostage, whose identity is now known to be that of Idan Shtivi but had not been disclosed at the time. Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Kelli Foster Few chefs are more universally renowned and beloved than Jacques Pepin. While the French chef has worked in top restaurants, cooked alongside Julia Child on TV, and won many awards, hes not too fancy for a brilliant hack. Case in point: Pepins mind-blowingly simple way of making French toast. It only requires two ingredients bread and ice cream. (Yes, really!) The technique, posted in a video by American Masters on PBS in 2022, is absolutely ingenious. Were not sure why its currently trending on social media, but were happy to discover the tip even if its years later. Pepin calls it ice cream French toast because the only two ingredients are bread and melted ice cream. Instead of dipping bread in a mixture of eggs and milk, Pepin melts some French vanilla ice cream on a plate by putting it in the microwave for 15 seconds. Then, he soaks a slice of bread in the melted ice cream until its fully saturated and ready to cook. The key is making sure the bread absorbs as much of the melted ice cream as possible. From there, he cooks the French toast the way you normally would with some butter in a frying pan over low heat for a couple of minutes on each side. I made my French toast here with the vanilla ice cream, Pepin says in the video. But of course, the beauty of it, you can do it with strawberry ice cream, chocolate ice cream. It would be a bit different for a French toast. After a few minutes, Pepin flips the French toast. Then he tops it with a little bit of maple syrup and some banana slices, and serves it right on the plate with the remaining melted ice cream. The recipe has been spotted all over Instagram, and creators have taken it a step further by melting an entire carton of ice cream and dipping a slice of bread into it instead of using a plate. That is ingenious! No need to beat eggs; just dip into thawed ice cream! wrote one commenter. This is such a great idea! said another. Now all thats left for you to do is to decide which flavor of ice cream French toast you want to try first! Sign up for The Kitchn's Daily newsletter to receive our best recipes, posts, and shopping tips in your inbox. Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) immunizations chief Dr. Demetre Daskalakis said Sunday that hes concerned with the direction the agency is going and worried about public health going forward. Daskalakis, who served as director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, submitted his resignation from the CDC on Wednesday in protest following the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) removing CDC Director Susan Monarez from her position. In his resignation letter, Daskalakis denounced HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s leadership of both the HHS and the CDC. From my vantage point as a doctor who's taken the Hippocratic Oath, I only see harm coming. I may be wrong, but based on what I'm seeing, based on what I've heard with the new members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, or ACIP, they're really moving in an ideological direction where they want to see the undoing of vaccination," Daskalakis told ABC News' "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz. MORE: White House names acting director of CDC as Monarez still protests her ouster Daskalakis disagreed with changes to recommendations on who should get the new COVID-19 vaccine this fall, with the new dosage has been approved only for people aged 65 and up and children and adults with underlying health conditions that put them at high risk, creating confusion and uncertainty for people who want the latest vaccination who dont meet these parameters. ABC News - PHOTO: Former Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Dr. Demetre Daskalakis appears on ABC News' "This Week" on Aug. 31, 2025. Daskalakis said there is now no separation of political ideology and science with Kennedy leading HHS. I didn't think that we were going to be able to present science in a way free of ideology, that the firewall between science and ideology has completely broken down. And not having a scientific leader at CDC meant that we wouldn't be able to have the necessary diplomacy and connection with HHS to be able to really execute on good public health, Daskalakis said in explaining why he resigned. Former acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser, now president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, told Raddatz hes heavily concerned amid the major shakeup at the CDC. ABC News - PHOTO: Former acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser appears on ABC News' "This Week" on Aug. 31, 2025. The difference is going to be profound. The CDC is an absolutely critical piece of the protection for Americans from any public health threat. Now, with the director being removed, senior leadership leaving, I have great fears for what will happen to this country the next time we face a public health emergency, whether it's a massive earthquake, a new infectious agent or, unfortunately, the next pandemic, Besser said. MORE: House Speaker Mike Johnson weighs in on CDC turmoil, Epstein files and more on 'Good Morning America' Besser also has concerns on how Kennedy's opposition to vaccine mandates is going to impact public health. When I think about mandates, I think about children going to school. I think about young parents who are sending their children to school and want to know that their children are safe, and the way children are safe from vaccine-preventable diseases is by getting vaccinated themselves. But no vaccine is 100%. And so you count on the other children in that classroom being vaccinated. I think with this secretary, we are on a path to it being largely parental choice, and that is going to put at risk those people for whom the vaccine didn't work and children who may have medical conditions where they can't get vaccinated. That is a major step backwards for public health, Besser said. HONG KONG India is increasingly important to the United States as a key Asian security partner and a counterweight to China. But President Donald Trumps tariffs may be pushing it closer to Beijing instead. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in China this weekend for the first time in seven years to attend a security forum with other world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Sunday Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Tianjin, where China is hosting a summit of the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia, in October. (Shen Hong / Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images file) Xi told Modi that the worlds two most populous countries should be partners rather than rivals and that the dragon and elephant should come together. Modi told Xi that they were committed to progressing our relations based on mutual respect, trust and sensitivities. Their meeting comes days after the Trump administration doubled tariffs on Indian imports to 50% as punishment for buying Russian oil. The stinging levy, one of the highest on any U.S. trading partner in the world, has raised concerns that it could push India closer to China despite years of tensions. Until about three, four months ago, relations between China and India were not bad, they were very bad. They were not talking to each other, said Kishore Mahbubani, a Singaporean diplomat and former president of the United Nations Security Council. I have to give credit where its due: President Donald Trumps decision to impose a 50% tariff on India is one of the biggest shocks that India has ever got in recent times, Mahbubani said Wednesday at an event in Hong Kong organized by the University of Hong Kongs Centre on Contemporary China and the World. India, along with China, is a top purchaser of Russian crude oil, which Trump says is helping to fund Moscows war on Ukraine. New Delhi says such criticism is unjustified and unreasonable, and that the U.S. previously encouraged it to buy the oil to keep global prices from soaring as Western countries suspended their purchases. A match factory in Kovilpatti, India, in June. (Abhishek Chinnappa / Getty Images) While India and China share a common grievance over Trumps tariffs, which in Chinas case have reached as high as 145%, analysts say their relationship still faces major challenges and that Modis China visit is mainly a symbolic display of resilience. Xi wants Modi and India to show that they are working with him and with China to the extent that they are not following the Trump or U.S. lead in containing China, said Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at the SOAS University of London. Earlier this month, the Chinese ambassador to New Delhi delivered a rare public defense of India against the tariff increase, calling the U.S. a bully. It was a major step up from the deep freeze that began in 2020 with a border clash in Indias Himalayan region of Ladakh that killed at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers and plunged relations so low that the two countries suspended direct flights. An Indian army convoy on the Srinagar-Ladakh highway in Indian-controlled Kashmir in 2020. (AP) Only seven months ago, India was entering Trumps second presidential term in a relatively strong position, with Modi among the first world leaders to visit his dear friend at the White House. But tensions soon arose, with Trump complaining that Apple was producing iPhones in India instead of the U.S. India also rejected Trumps claim that he brokered a ceasefire in its four-day conflict with neighboring Pakistan. New Delhi was further incensed weeks later when Trump hosted Pakistans powerful army chief at the White House in an unprecedented meeting. The Indians saw this as a slap in the face for them, Mahbubani said. So there is now, even as we are speaking, a tremendous amount of re-evaluation going on in Delhi about where Indias place in the world is. At the same time, China and India have been moving cautiously to restore their relationship, reaching a deal to resolve their 2020 border standoff and announcing the resumption of direct flights. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, left, with Modi in New Delhi on Aug. 19. (Indian Prime Minister's Office / via AP) But not everybody is convinced about China extending a friendly hand, and the two countries still have major differences. One of the biggest is Chinas ties with Pakistan, Indias archrival and a fellow nuclear power. During their conflict in May, Pakistan said it had used Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets to shoot down Indian military aircraft. There was a huge step up in the kind of assistance that the Chinese were providing Pakistan, not merely in terms of selling them equipment and platforms, but on intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, Gautam Bambawale, a former Indian ambassador to Beijing, said in an interview. So we will go by actions on those things. Bambawale said it could take months, if not years for the relationship to return to where it was before 2020, let alone reach new heights. Though India and China are strong trading partners, that has not been enough to smooth over other diplomatic issues. Earlier this month, after a meeting in New Delhi between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Indian counterpart, S. Jaishankar, Beijing released a readout suggesting Jaishankar had acknowledged that Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy, is a part of China. When asked if Jaishankar made that statement, an Indian government official who was familiar with the discussions between the diplomats but not authorized to speak to the media, told NBC News that there was no change in Indias position on Taiwan. We stressed that like the rest of the world, India has a relationship with Taiwan that focuses on economic, technology and cultural ties, the official said. The clarification, which was also reported by Indian news organizations, prompted Beijing to double down, saying it was a surprise and inconsistent with the facts. It would seem that some people in India have tried to undermine Chinas sovereignty on the Taiwan question and impede the improvement of China-India relations, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said. A rare earth mineral mine in Ganxian county in central Chinas Jiangxi province in 2010. (Chinatopix / via AP file) The two countries also have other border disputes as well as a manufacturing rivalry that may only worsen as companies try to shift production from China. China, which is worried about technology transfer, has imposed curbs on the export of rare earth materials to India and recalled some of its nationals working in specialized roles. The meeting between Modi and Xi will not remove the structural issues between India and China, Tsang said. But the big issue for Xi outside of China now is U.S. pressure, and making sure India does not appear to be on the U.S. side is therefore significant. On this occasion, optics does matter, he added. Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Indias Narendra Modi the right choice is for their countries to be friends as the two met in China for first time in seven years a new milestone in a nascent rapprochement between the worlds most populous nations accelerated by shared frictions with the United States. Xi and Modis highly-anticipated meeting Sunday, on the sidelines of a regional summit in the eastern port city of Tianjin, comes as both nations face stiff US tariffs under President Donald Trumps global trade war, as well as Western scrutiny over their relationships with Russia as the war in Ukraine grinds on. The world today is swept by once-in-a-century transformations, Xi told Modi in opening remarks, as both leaders sat face-to-face flanked by their officials. The international situation is both fluid and chaotic, he added. It is the right choice for both sides to be friends who have good neighborly and amicable ties, partners who enable each others success, and to have the dragon and the elephant dance together, Xi said, referring to traditional symbols of the two nations. As long as they adhere to the overall direction of being partners rather than rivals China-India relations can maintain stability and move forward over the long run, he said. Modi said India was committed to taking their countries relations forward on the basis of mutual trust and respect, and referenced their bettering of ties, including an easing of tensions along their disputed Himalayan border where the two fought a deadly skirmish in 2020. The interests of 2.8 billion people in both our countries are tied to our cooperation, he added. The positive signals are sure to be closely watched in Washington, where tensions with New Delhi threaten to derail what had been years of efforts from US diplomats to deepen ties with the country as a key counterweight to a rising and increasingly assertive China a set of circumstances that makes the latest meeting all the more important and timely to Xi. Trump earlier this month levied significant economic penalties on India, initially placing its imports into the US under 25% tariffs and then slapping an additional 25% duties on the country as punishment for importing Russian oil and gas, which Washington sees as helping to fund Putins war in Ukraine. Both China and India are major purchasers of Russian oil, though China has yet to be targeted with such measures. Modi said he spoke with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky Saturday and exchanged views on the ongoing conflict. India has previously said it does not take sides in the war. In his daily address on Sunday, Zelensky said that everyone in the world has said that the fighting must be ceased, including Turkey, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, who he noted were in China for the summit. Almost everyone else in the world is also in favor of ending the war, he continued. Indias oil purchases could be a point of discussion on Monday, when Modi is expected to hold bilateral talks with Putin, part of his wider diplomacy as he joins a two-day summit of the Beijing-and Moscow-backed regional security grouping known as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). In addition to China, Russia, and India, the group includes Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as partner and observer countries. Chinese officials ahead of the event said leaders from more than 20 countries from across Asia and Middle East would join the summit. Xi hosted attending leaders for a welcome banquet on Sunday evening, where he appeared to put his warm and relaxed rapport with Putin on show. Footage released by Russia state news agency RIA showed the two leaders gesturing animatedly and smiling as they chatted at the event, showing a different side of the typically restrained Chinese leader. The pair then walked shoulder to shoulder together after posing for a photo alongside other gathered leaders, with Xi gesturing for Putin to walk with him, footage released by the Kremlin showed. The SCO is the two leaders first opportunity to meet in person since Putins summit with Trump in Alaska earlier this month part of the US presidents push to end the war in Ukraine. Xi and Putin discussed the latest contacts between the US and Russia during a detailed conversation, Russian state media reported Sunday, citing Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov. Putins war looms over the SCO gathering and the flurry of diplomacy around it, with the Russian president, who landed in Tianjin earlier Sunday, joining the gathering as Western leaders ramp up pressure on him and his partners to end the now more than three-and-half-year invasion. A warming relationship? Beijing is widely seen as eager for the newfound tensions between Trump and Modi to reduce what have been burgeoning security ties between the US and India. Chinese officials have watched with unease the elevation of the Quad security dialogue between India, the US and its allies Australia and Japan, widely seen as a bid to counter China. In his remarks to Modi on Sunday, Xi sought to stress commonalities framing the two countries as at critical stages of development and rejuvenation, and calling for them to focus on development as their greatest common denominator, supporting and advancing each other, according to a readout from Chinas Foreign Ministry. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, on August 31, 2025. - India's Press Information Bureau/Reuters He also referenced their shared stated aim to make the international order more multipolar a term used by countries, including those within the SCO, to call for international power to be more broadly shared as opposed to dominated by the US and its allies, as they see it. There has been a gradual normalization of ties between India and China after Modi and Xi met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia last October, which came as the two sides reached an agreement on military disengagement along their disputed border. In recent months, the countries agreed to restart direct flights cancelled since the Covid-19 pandemic. Beijing also recently agreed to reopen two pilgrimage sites in western Tibet to Indians for the first time in five years, and both started re-issuing tourist visas for each others citizens. Earlier this month, following a visit from Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi to New Delhi, the two announced ten points of consensus on the issue to further reduce tensions. Xi and Modi on Sunday also discussed whats happening on the international plain and the challenges it creates, India Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters on the SCO sidelines, when asked about whether Trumps tariffs were raised. They tried to, in a sense, see how to leverage that for building greater understanding between themselves, and how to take forward the economic and commercial relationship between India and China in the midst of these evolving challenges, Misri said. Observers say, however, that even as the two leaders seek stability in their relationship, both in terms of trade and security, it will be hard for Xi and Modi to overcome a longstanding lack of personal trust. Underlying tensions between India and China spiked in 2020 following a deadly conflict along their disputed Himalayan border, in which 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in hand-to-hand combat. India's Prime Minister Modi is welcomed by the Indian community upon his arrival for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit at the hotel in Tianjin, China, on August 30, 2025. - India's Press Information Bureau/Reuters The two nations maintain a heavy military presence along their 2,100-mile (3,379-kilometer) de facto border, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC) a boundary that remains undefined and has been a persistent source of friction since their bloody 1962 war. But both leaders on Sunday appeared keen to signal the welcome of a warmer chapter. An Indian readout released following the meeting said they reaffirmed that their differences should not turn into disputes and their stable relationship and cooperation was necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multipolar world. This story has been updated with developments. CNNs Anna Chernova and Yong Xiong contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com By Stefanno Sulaiman and Gayatri Suroyo JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesian political parties have agreed to cut lawmakers' benefits, President Prabowo Subianto said on Sunday, in a bid to calm anti-government protests that have killed at least five people in the country's worst violence in decades. Protests began on Monday over what demonstrators called excessive pay and housing allowances for parliamentarians, escalating into riots on Friday after a motorcycle rideshare driver was killed during police action at a protest site. Homes of political party members and state buildings were ransacked or set ablaze, shaking investor confidence in the Southeast Asian economy and triggering a steep selloff on its stocks and currency markets on Friday. Looters broke into a house owned by Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati outside the capital Jakarta overnight, state news agency Antara reported on Sunday. She was not in the house at the time and it was not clear if she uses the property often. More protests are planned for Monday, and student groups did not call them off after Prabowo's announcement. Prabowo, speaking at a press conference at the Presidential Palace and flanked by the leaders of various political parties, said he had ordered the military and police to take stern action against rioters and looters. He said some of the unrest bore the signs of terrorism and treason. "Leaders in parliament have conveyed that they will revoke a number of parliament policies, including the size of allowances for members of parliament and a moratorium on overseas work trips," Prabowo said. "To the police and the military, I have ordered them to take action as firm as possible against the destruction of public facilities, looting at homes of individuals and economic centres, according to the laws," he added. CHALLENGE TO PRABOWO The protests represent the most significant challenge yet to Prabowo's government, which has faced little political opposition since taking office nearly a year ago. Prabowo, who cancelled a high-profile trip to China due to the unrest, also met on Sunday with key members of his cabinet at the Presidential Palace to discuss the situation. Many ministers and political leaders arriving at the palace used civilian number plates instead of special ones given to officials, a witness said, in an apparent security measure as unrest simmered in some places. The military was deployed to guard the palace on top of the usual secret service detail. Many key ministers' homes and government installations were also being guarded by the military on Sunday. It remains unclear who is behind the rioting and looting that followed the protests, which were initially organised by student associations. Muzammil Ihsan, head of the All Indonesian Students' Executives Body, the country's largest student umbrella group, told Reuters cutting lawmakers' perks was "not enough" and said further demonstrations were being "considered". "The government must resolve deep-rooted problems. The anger on the streets is not without cause," Ihsan said. Tegar Afriansyah, the chairman of a smaller student group, Indonesian Student League for Democracy, which has been protesting since Monday, said the presidential announcement does not address the root of the problem, which is "political oligarchy and an unequal economic structure". He termed Prabowo's instructions to police and military as "clearly repressive and intimidating". Global rights watchdog Amnesty International's Indonesia chapter in a statement termed Prabowo's use of terms such as treason and terrorism as "excessive". TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, said it had suspended its live feature in Indonesia for a few days. The death toll rose to five on Sunday, according to the local disaster management agency in Makassar, South Sulawesi province. It said an online motorcycle taxi driver was beaten to death by a mob accusing him of being an intelligence agent. Three others were killed in an arson attack on the local parliament building on Friday. (Reporting Stefanno Sulaiman Gayatri Suroyo, Ananda Teresia, and Stanley Widianto; Addtional reporting by Abd Rahman Muchtar in Makassar, Indonesia;Writing by Gibran Peshimam;Editing by Michael Perry, Louise Heavens and Helen Popper) A man watches the news on TV, displaying footage of Ahmed al-Rahawi, the prime minister of the Houthi-controlled government, who was killed, along with others, in Thursday's Israeli strikes on the capital, in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman) CAIRO (AP) The Iran-backed Houthis raided offices of the United Nations food, health and children's agencies in Yemens capital Sunday, detaining at least 11 U.N. employees, officials said. The rebels tightened security across Sanaa after Israel killed their prime minister and several Cabinet members. Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, told The Associated Press that security forces raided the agencies offices in the Houthi-controlled capital Sunday morning. Also raided were offices of the World Health Organization and UNICEF, according to a U.N. official and a Houthi official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to brief the media. The U.N. official said armed forces raided the offices and questioned employees in the parking lot. Ammar Ammar, a spokesperson for UNICEF, said a number of the agency's staffers were detained, and UNICEF was seeking additional information from the Houthis. Both Etefa and Ammar said their agencies were conducting a comprehensive head count" of their employees in Sanaa and other Houthi-held areas. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement late Sunday said at least 11 personnel had been detained. He condemned their detentions and the forced entry into the premises of the World Food Program, the seizure of U.N. property and attempts to enter other U.N. premises in Sanaa. Guterres called for the immediate and unconditional release of the personnel detained Sunday as well as those detained in the past. The raids were the latest in a long-running Houthi crackdown against the U.N. and other international organizations working in rebel-held areas in Yemen. They have detained dozens of U.N. staffers, as well as people associated with aid groups, civil society and the now-closed U.S. Embassy in Sanaa. The U.N. suspended its operations in the Houthi stronghold of Saada in northern Yemen after the rebels detained eight U.N. staffers in January. At least 5 ministers confirmed killed in the Israeli strike Sunday's raids followed the killing of the Houthi prime minister and several of his Cabinet members in an Israeli strike Thursday. It was a blow to the Iran-backed rebels who have launched attacks on Israel and ships in the Red Sea in relation to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Among the dead were Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, Foreign Minister Gamal Amer, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Development Mohammed al-Medani, Electricity Minister Ali Seif Hassan, Tourism Minister Ali al-Yafei and Information Minister Hashim Sharafuldin, according to two Houthi officials and the victims' families. Also killed was a powerful deputy interior minister, Abdel-Majed al-Murtada, the Houthi officials said. They were targeted during a routine workshop held by the government to evaluate its activities and performance over the past year, a Houthi statement said Saturday, two days after the strike. The Houthis said a funeral for all those killed is scheduled for Monday in Sabeen Square in central Sanaa. Defense Minister Mohamed Nasser al-Attefi survived the attack while Abdel-Karim al-Houthi, the interior minister and one of the most powerful figures in the rebel group, didnt attend the Thursday meeting, the Houthi officials said. U.N. envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg expressed great concern over Israels recent strikes in the Houthi-controlled areas following Houthi attacks against Israel. Yemen cannot afford to become a battleground for a broader geopolitical conflict, he said in a statement. He called for de-escalation. Thursdays strike came after the Houthis attacked Israel on Aug. 21 with a ballistic missile that its military described as the first cluster bomb the rebels had launched at Israel since 2023. The missile, which the Houthis said was aimed at Ben Gurion Airport, prompted air raid sirens across central Israel and Jerusalem, forcing millions into shelters. The Houthis are likely to escalate their attacks on Israel and ships in the Red Sea, after they vowed in July to target merchant ships belonging to any company that does business with Israeli ports, regardless of nationality. Our military approach of targeting the Israeli enemy, whether with missiles, drones or a naval blockade, is continuous, steady, and escalating, al-Houthi, the groups secretive leader, said in a televised speech Sunday. USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. Starting with 2018's "The Terminal List," former Navy SEAL and author Jack Carr has delivered seven thrillers in seven years that have fueled a powerhouse TV franchise starring Chris Pratt as embattled protagonist James Reece. A series executive producer, screenwriter and adviser, Carr carries a combat load juggling his TV work with his prolific writing. But the host of the Jack Carr Book Club (one of three podcasts) always finds time to praise the authors and books that inspire him, including literary salutes within the spinoff prequel series "Terminal List: Dark Wolf" (now streaming on Prime Video). I like to weave literature into the pages of my novels, which we've adopted to the TV series," Carr tells USA TODAY. "You tip your hat to the authors who made you what you are." Here's what to know about Carr's big book hits and literary love bombs. Author Jack Carr on the set of "Dark Wolf." What is 'Once an Eagle' book in 'Dark Wolf'? During a poignant "Dark Wolf" Episode 1 moment, Reece gifts SEAL Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch) with "Once an Eagle" by Anton Myrer tellingly for the third time. Edwards still hasn't cracked the acclaimed 1968 novel that provides guidance by following two disparate officers one honorable, the other a cunning political animal from World War I through the Vietnam War. "It's a book on leadership with the main lesson being: See to your character and your reputation will take care of itself," Carr says. "That's something I feel is lost in today's world of social media and all these distractions." "Dark Wolf" Episode 3 features Mossad agent Eliza Perash (Rona-Lee Shimon) reading the preface of World War I author Wilfred Owen's book "Poems," which includes the famous line about the tragedy of war: "The poetry is in the pity." Taylor Kitsch and Chris Pratt team up again in "The Terminal List" prequel "Dark Wolf." Army Ranger Max Adams, an executive producer, introduced Carr to the English poet and author who died late in the war. "To think about what Owen could have become if he wasn't taken on the field of battle so young," Carr says. "It's haunting" Carr took his books into the battle zone The son of a librarian, Carr was always a voracious reader of all types of books. Throughout his own book acknowledgments, Carr cites inspiring action legends like Tom Clancy, Nelson DeMille, AJ Quinnell and Stephen Hunter. "These were my professors in the art of storytelling," Carr says. "And these books often had protagonists with backgrounds I wanted to have in my life." Serving with the SEALS in Iraq and Afghanistan for 20 years, the tablet-loathing Carr carried his bulky books with him. "I would bring many books on deployment. I had to have something in my hands," he says. "If I had been born two centuries earlier, I would had huge crates of books moved on my campaigns." Now the author combines his wartime experience and past education into "Terminal List." "I remember what it was like to be a sniper in Ramadi, Iraq at the height of the war," Carr says. "I'm putting these very real feelings into a completely fictional narrative." Chris Pratt and "Terminal List" author Jack Carr on the set of "Dark Wolf." Carr's book world shot off with Chris Pratt rocket Retiring after 20 years of Navy service in 2016, novice novelist Carr was about to have "Terminal List" published with no Hollywood attention. His SEAL comrade Jared Shaw called him in November 2017 and wanted to pass an early copy of the book to his friend, "Guardians of the Galaxy" star Chris Pratt. Pratt read the book in December and called to option the TV rights in January 2018, long before the August release date. "So there was interest, not from Hollywood in general, but from Chris Pratt," says Carr, who appreciates the "gamble" the Hollywood star and Prime Video took to bring an untested author's work to TV. "I had zero audience, no social media, no podcast then. I was a complete unknown. It was a risk." Shaw appears in both "Terminal List" and "Dark Wolf" and is a series executive producer. Carr's second novel, "True Believer," is in the pipeline for production, with Pratt returning as Reece for the third series in the franchise. What is Jack Carr's next book? "Dark Wolf" is an original series based on characters from "The Terminal List." Carr is eager to write a novelization of the series. "I want to bring novelizations back," Carr says. "I have a huge collection of novelizations from the '80s and '90s when they were so popular and essentially part of movie marketing." But the author has been consumed with finishing his next book, "Cry Havoc" (Oct. 7, Simon & Schuster), which moves a generation away from the "Terminal List" world. The new novel follows Tom Reece, James' father, a Navy SEAL embroiled in Vietnam War military operations in 1968. "I had to write every character and every line through the lens of 1968 without the benefit of 50 years of hindsight," Carr says. "That ended up taking a lot more time than I thought." What is the order of Jack Carr's books? "The Terminal List" (2018) "True Believer" (2019) "Savage Son" (2020) "The Devil's Hand" (2021) "In the Blood" (2022) "Only the Dead" (2023) "Red Sky Mourning" (2024) "Cry Havoc" (2025) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jack Carr talks 'Terminal List' books, what's next Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty; Christian Rose/Roger Viollet via Getty Kim Novak, Sydney Sweeney, Sammy Davis Jr. NEED TO KNOW Kim Novak is "concerned" that an upcoming biopic about her romance with Sammy Davis Jr. will only focus on the "sexual" aspect of their relationship Scandalous!, currently in pre-production, is set to star Sydney Sweeney and David Jonsson I dont think the relationship was scandalous, Novak said Kim Novak has some qualms about an upcoming biopic based on her life. Scandalous!, starring Sydney Sweeney and David Jonsson, is currently in preproduction and will follow the real-life story of the 1950s romance between the actress, 92, and Sammy Davis Jr. I dont think the relationship was scandalous, Novak told The Guardian for a new interview published on Saturday, Aug. 30. Hes somebody I really cared about," she continued of the late musician, who died at age 64 in 1990. "We had so much in common, including that need to be accepted for who we are and what we do, rather than how we look. But Im concerned theyre going to make it all sexual reasons." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Don Smith/Radio Times via Getty Sammy Davis Jr. in 1963 Novaks longtime manager, Sue Cameron, previously stressed the importance of getting their story right when speaking to PEOPLE exclusively in November 2024. Kim and I have been aware of at least four unauthorized and unapproved projects in development about the Kim Novak and Sammy Davis affair, she said at the time. She never wanted to get married back then to anyone. It was a romance based on love, respect, the things they shared in common," Cameron added. She continued, Kim and Sammy met at a party and recognized they were both rebels and outsiders. They both had strong ties to their families and spent time with close relatives in both Hollywood and Chicago. In truth, she hoped their relationship could help break down peoples racial bias. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! Novak and Davis' relationship ended due to external pressure including from the head of Columbia Pictures, Harry Cohn, who threatened Davis with a mob hit when news of the romance broke in 1957. Taylor Hill/FilmMagic Kim Novak in 2015 Scandalous!, from Miramax, will be directed by Colman Domingo, marking the actor's directorial debut. Hopefully well make a beautiful, sweet film thats really about the possibility of love, but under many eyes, he told Deadline of the project in November 2024. Trying to have privacy, trying to have love, trying to have a life. And I think its something that Sydney and I both know very well. Were trying to advocate for your humanity again in your life, Domingo added, referring to Sweeney, 27. Scandalous! does not yet have a release date. Read the original article on People News / Agriculture by Simbarashe Sithole Centenary - Tobacco farmers have been called upon to adopt environmentally sustainable farming practices to reduce the adverse effects of tobacco production on Zimbabwe's forests and water bodies.Speaking during a field engagement in Mashonaland Central, senior agronomist Dr Lazarus Gatawa warned that continued use of indigenous trees for curing tobacco is contributing to rapid deforestation."It is reported that more than 200,000 hectares of indigenous forests are being lost every year due to tobacco curing alone," he said.Zimbabwe recently produced a record 350 million kilograms of tobacco, commonly referred to as the golden leaf. However, Dr Gatawa cautioned that this success should not come at the cost of environmental degradation.He urged farmers to "plough back into the environment" by planting fast-growing tree species such as eucalyptus hybrids every season. He also encouraged the establishment of tree seedling nurseries and the use of energy-efficient tobacco curing barns to reduce wood consumption.According to Dr Gatawa, the Forestry Act (Chapter 19:05) and the Environmental Management Act (Chapter 20:27) compel tobacco farmers to take environmental responsibility, particularly by planting trees annually."Tobacco farmers must be fully involved in forest restoration if we are to preserve our natural resources," he said.In addition to reforestation, Dr Gatawa highlighted the importance of responsible chemical usage, urging farmers to prevent spillage and dispose of empty pesticide containers properly."Used chemical containers should not be discarded carelessly. Improper disposal contaminates groundwater, rivers, wells, and dams, posing a serious risk to human, animal, and aquatic life," he said.Stakeholders across the agricultural sector have been encouraged to support green initiatives to ensure Zimbabwe's tobacco industry remains environmentally compliant and sustainable. Kostensuchus atrox life restauration, 3 meters long. Art by Gabriel Diaz Yanten. (CREDIT: Gabriel Diaz Yanten, CC-BY 4.0) Seventy million years ago, southern Patagonia was a warm, seasonally wet landscape where dinosaurs, turtles, frogs, and mammals thrived. Hidden within its floodplains, a powerful predator stalked its prey. Thanks to a remarkably complete fossil unearthed near El Calafate in Argentinas Santa Cruz Province, you now know its name: Kostensuchus atrox. An Exceptional Discovery The fossil, described in PLOS One by Fernando Novas of the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales and colleagues, is one of the best-preserved examples of its kind. Found in the Chorrillo Formation, the skeleton includes an intact skull, jaws, and several body bones. That level of preservation is rare for peirosaurids, the extinct group of reptiles related to todays crocodiles and alligators. Novas called the find remarkable for the completeness of its skeleton, which allows us to understand not only its skull but also the body structure and musculature that supported its predatory lifestyle. Skeletal reconstruction of Kostensuchus atrox gen. et sp. nov. (CREDIT: PLOS One) Physical Traits and Power Kostensuchus atrox stood out with a wide, short snout that made up just over half its skull length. Inside its jaws sat sharp, blade-like ziphodont teeth. Combined with a deep chamber for jaw muscles, the reptile had the tools for an exceptionally strong bite. Its skeleton also suggests a body built for strength. A broad shoulder blade and sturdy upper arm bones reveal an animal with significant muscle mass. This predator likely relied on brute force to overpower prey. At roughly 3.5 meters long, or about 11.5 feet, and weighing around 250 kilograms (550 pounds), it matched the size of a large adult human in length but was far more dangerous. Scientists believe it preyed on medium-sized dinosaurs and other animals sharing its environment. Related Stories Naming a Predator The name Kostensuchus atrox draws from both local and ancient traditions. Kosten is the strong wind of Patagonia in the Tehuelche language, while Souchos refers to the crocodile-headed god of ancient Egypt. Atrox means fierce or harsh in Latin. Together, the name captures the strength and power of a predator shaped by its windswept land. In its ecosystem, K. atrox was one of the top predators, second only to the giant dinosaur Maip macrothorax, which reached up to nine meters in length. Its presence reveals that late Cretaceous Patagonia hosted a complex food web where even powerful hunters had rivals. The Chorrillo Formation has long fascinated paleontologists for its rich fossil record. Alongside dinosaurs, it has yielded fossils of mammals, birds, turtles, frogs, and insects. Adding K. atrox to this mix completes the picture of a vibrant ecosystem teeming with both prey and predators. Map of the fossil locality of Kostensuchus gen. nov. The map shows the locality in southern Patagonia (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina). (CREDIT: PLOS One) Extending the Reach of Peirosaurids The discovery matters for more than its dramatic appearance. Kostensuchus atrox is the first peirosaurid known from the Chorrillo Formation. That makes it the southernmost record of this group, showing these crocodile relatives lived much farther south than previously confirmed. Even more, its existence so late in the Cretaceous suggests peirosaurids endured until the very end of the age of dinosaurs. Because most peirosaurid fossils are fragmentary, scientists have struggled to piece together their evolutionary story. The completeness of K. atrox provides a rare opportunity to compare its features to similar fossils from other parts of Argentina and even Madagascar. These comparisons help reveal how crocodyliforms spread and adapted across continents during the Cretaceous. During the Maastrichtian stage, Patagonias climate was warm and seasonally humid, with rivers and floodplains supporting diverse plant and animal life. Against this backdrop, K. atrox hunted, competed, and thrived. The fossil record suggests a landscape alive with dinosaurs, amphibians, reptiles, and early mammals. 3D model of remains of Kostensuchus atrox n.gen et sp. as found in the concretion in left lateral view. (CREDIT: PLOS One) Finding a predator of this size in that environment confirms that southern Patagonia supported not just large dinosaurs but also formidable crocodyliforms. It paints a fuller picture of survival and competition in the closing chapter of the dinosaur era. Practical Implications of the Research Discoveries like Kostensuchus atrox matter because they connect more than bones. They show how ecosystems evolved, how predators competed, and how groups of animals spread across continents. For paleontologists, this fossil helps refine evolutionary trees of crocodile relatives and clarifies how life adapted to different climates and landscapes before the mass extinction event. For the public, it underscores that Earths history is full of creatures just as remarkable and fearsome as the dinosaurs themselves. Details of rostral anatomy of Kostensuchus atrox gen. et sp. nov. Photographs of right antorbital region in lateral view (A) and left surface of rostrum in anterolateral view (B). (CREDIT: PLOS One) In the future, studies like this can guide research into biodiversity, extinction, and survival, offering lessons for how modern species might respond to changing environments. Note: The article above provided above by The Brighter Side of News. Like these kind of feel good stories? Get The Brighter Side of News newsletter. Gabe Ginsberg/WireImage Marilou and Mark Hamill in April. NEED TO KNOW Mark and Marilou Hamill shared some of their best marriage advice with PEOPLE after nearly 50 years of marriage The couple, who share three children, tied the knot in 1978 at their home in Malibu, Calif. The two spoke with PEOPLE about their beloved community of Big Rock during a recent conversation about the new documentary Big Rock Burning, which chronicles the impact of this year's L.A. wildfires on the Malibu neighborhood Nearly 50 years after tying the knot, Mark and Marilou Hamill know a thing or several about what makes a marriage work. After meeting in the mid '70s at a dental office where Marilou worked as a dental hygienist, the couple wed in December 1978 at their home in Malibu, Calif. Now, almost five decades and three kids later, Marilou tells PEOPLE that from her experience, when it comes to marriage, Don't sweat the little stuff. And also, go in knowing you're not going to change anyone. So you have to accept their quirks and their behavior, Marilou adds before Mark humorously interrupts: What quirks? Ethan Miller/FilmMagic Marilou Hamill and Mark Hamill in 2019. Mark agrees, saying its both about "acceptance" as well as communication. I just think that when you find the right one, the odds are against you, the Star Wars actor adds. But if you do get lucky, you just have to hang on and be grateful that you were able to find that one. The Hamills shared their marriage advice during a recent conversation with PEOPLE about the new documentary Big Rock Burning, which the couple executive produced. The two reflected on their community of 47 years the Big Rock neighborhood in Malibu and the home they had to leave amid the L.A. wildfires earlier this year. PA Images/Getty Mark and Marilou Hamill ca. the mid '70s. We got married there, We raised our kids there. It's a very, very special property, Marilou says. The film, which had an exclusive preview screening hosted by the Malibu Film Society and the City of Malibu on Aug. 29 at Malibu City Hall, tells the stories of those in Big Rock who were left to face the fires alone, per the opening credits of the film, and includes devastating footage of the rubble left where homes once stood. The documentary's focus is largely how Big Rock's residents feel their local government was negligent in their preparation for the natural disaster. And, once the fires made it to their neighborhood, they say there was no emergency response as the area was considered too dangerous. While their home is still standing, the Hamills have yet to return as its toxic with chemicals, Mark explains. I'm so thankful and grateful that our house survived, Marilou says. But I just didn't realize the ramifications of it. Big Rock Burning, which has a producing team that includes Julie Parker Benello, James Costa and executive producer Ricki Lake, will have an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run from Sept. 12-18 at the Laemmle in Santa Monica. Read the original article on People The House and Senate are headed for a tussle over the annual, must-pass defense spending bill as the upper chambers version stands at odds with the budget passed by the House and a proposal from the Trump administration. The Republican-led Senate Appropriations Committee last month approved nearly $853 billion for the Defense Department for fiscal 2026, a bill that allocates $21.7 billion more than President Trump requested earlier this year. The top-line increase, which includes a significant bump in munitions, pay raises for troops and support for Ukraine, puts the chamber on a collision course with the House, which wrote its version of the defense spending bill before the administration released its budget and before the final version of the reconciliation bill passed. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who chairs the Appropriations panels defense subcommittee and crafted the major rewrite of Trumps defense budget, previewed the fight to come when he remarked the administration has underestimated the level of challenge that we have. The Senate bill underscores that we cannot seriously address these challenges while artificially constraining our resources, McConnell said July 31 during a Senate Appropriations markup. We cant build a Golden Dome, or restock our munitions, or bring back American shipbuilding without sustained increased investments in all of our national defense. And we cant treat reconciliation like a cure-all. The legislation boosts aid for Ukraine, Taiwan and NATOs eastern border; ramps up shipbuilding; funds a 3.8 percent troop pay raise; and puts billions of dollars toward rebuilding U.S. missile stockpiles depleted by shipments of weapons for Ukraines fight against Russia and conflicts in the Middle East. The House version largely followed the administrations flat numbers and went with a lower defense spending top line of $831.5 billion, sticking to the broad aspects of the administrations budget request that were available at the time. It does not include aid for Ukraine and has significant antidiversity and anti-abortion language, as well as other items that are nonstarters for Democrats, making it a tough lift in the Senate. The House passed its defense spending bill almost entirely along party lines in a close 221-209 vote on July 18. The Senates version is a much broader rewrite of the administrations budget that has strong bipartisan support. It made it out of the Appropriations Committee in a 26-3 vote. Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations panels have also been critical of the Pentagon for not sending its budget sooner administration officials did not formally unveil a proposed defense budget until late June, well past the early February deadline and splitting it up between regular appropriations and reconciliation. The latter issue, they said, has created unnecessary confusion and may put the militarys most important weapons programs at risk, given that its unclear where the money might come from for certain systems. The reconciliation bill that cleared Congress last month included more than $150 billion for defense priorities. The fact is we did not have the presidents plan for his defense priorities when this bill was written, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), ranking member on the Appropriations subcommittee for defense spending, said. That makes this bill an incomplete product. One of the biggest fights on the horizon will likely be the issue of Ukraine aid. The Senates bill includes $800 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, under which the U.S. provides funds to buy weapons for Kyiv, and $225 million for the Baltic Security Initiative. That fund largely helps support Ukraine in its war against Russia. McConnell, a Russia hawk and part of the old guard of Republicans, has backed support for Ukraine throughout Russias invasion of the country, which began in February 2022. He has also expressed frustration with the administration for repeatedly halting shipments of weapons for Kyiv and not notifying lawmakers who authorized the shipments. Shutting off engagement with Ukraine would undermine our militarys efforts to prepare for the modern battlefield, McConnell said last week. The issue has been bipartisan, with two other members of the Appropriations Committee, Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), introducing a separate bill last week that would provide Ukraine $54.6 billion over two years. Congress last passed a major aid package for Ukraine worth $61 billion in April 2024 under the Biden administration. The House and Senate now must reconcile their versions of the appropriations bill as they head into September. After that, it would be put to a final vote, and if passed, sent to the White House for Trump to sign into law or veto. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A man suspected of killing four people at a Montana bar and evading capture for a week while hundreds of law enforcement officers searched for him in the nearby mountains faces four counts of murder, according to court records. Defendant Michael Paul Brown lived next door to The Owl Bar in Anaconda, Montana, where a bartender and three patrons were shot and killed Aug. 1. Authorities have not commented on a potential motive for the 45-year-old former soldier. His niece has said Brown long struggled with mental illness. Several local residents told CBS News they were aware of his troubles. The charges Brown faces were posted on a court website Saturday after the case previously had been under seal by a state judge. Charging documents were not immediately available. Following the shooting, authorities said Brown stole a truck and then ditched it a few miles outside of town, close to where he was eventually apprehended. He hid in nearby forests, moving locations while helicopters and drones circled overhead and officers and dogs searched on the ground, officials said. But he was eventually flushed into a sparsely populated area near a state highway by the pressure of so many officers searching for him, according to officials. Brown was captured on Aug. 8 inside an unoccupied structure near a state highway. Investigators also are examining whether he had any contact with individuals or property owners who might have helped him while he was on the run. State Department of Justice spokesperson Chase Scheuer said Friday that the probe is ongoing. Brown is scheduled to make an initial district court appearance on Sept. 3. He is being held on $2 million bail and represented by attorney Walter Hennessey, who did not immediately respond to telephone messages on Friday or Saturday. Brown is accused of killing Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59; Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64; David Allen Leach, 70; and Tony Wayne Palm, 74. Anaconda, about 25 miles northwest of Butte, is home to roughly 9,000 people. Hemmed in by mountains, it was founded by a copper magnate in the late 1800s. A smelter stack that is no longer operational looms over the valley. The owner of The Owl Bar has said Brown patronized it over the past several decades, but he was not aware of any conflicts between the suspect and victims. Montana's attorney general said the suspect lived next door to the bar and appeared to be a regular. A conviction for murder, known in Montana as deliberate homicide, is punishable by death in the state. Executions have been on hold since 2015 under a court ruling regarding a drug used in lethal injections. Saturday Sessions: Waylon Wyatt performs "Arkansas Diamond" Saturday Sessions: Waylon Wyatt performs "Old Habits" Saturday Sessions: Waylon Wyatt and Bayker Blankenship perform "Jailbreak" Michael Paul Brown, in this video screen grab, is shown during a virtual court appearance in Montana on August 11. - Anaconda Deer Lodge County Justice Court/AP A man suspected of killing four people at a Montana bar and evading capture for a week while hundreds of law enforcement officers searched for him in the nearby mountains faces four counts of murder, according to court records. Defendant Michael Paul Brown lived next door to The Owl Bar in Anaconda, Montana, where a bartender and three patrons were shot and killed August 1. Authorities have not commented on a potential motive for the 45-year-old former soldier. His niece has said Brown long struggled with mental illness. The charges Brown faces were posted on a court website Saturday after the case previously had been under seal by a state judge. Charging documents were not immediately available. Following the shooting, authorities said Brown stole a truck and then ditched it a few miles outside of town, close to where he was eventually apprehended. He hid in nearby forests, moving locations while helicopters and drones circled overhead and officers and dogs searched on the ground, officials said. But he was eventually flushed into a sparsely populated area near a state highway by the pressure of so many officers searching for him, according to officials. Brown was captured on August 8 inside an unoccupied structure near a state highway. Investigators also are examining whether he had any contact with individuals or property owners who might have helped him while he was on the run. State Department of Justice spokesperson Chase Scheuer said Friday that the probe is ongoing. Brown is scheduled to make an initial district court appearance on September 3. He is being held on $2 million bail and represented by attorney Walter Hennessey, who did not immediately respond to telephone messages on Friday or Saturday. Anaconda, about 25 miles northwest of Butte, is home to roughly 9,000 people. Hemmed in by mountains, it was founded by a copper magnate in the late 1800s. A smelter stack that is no longer operational looms over the valley. The owner of The Owl Bar has said Brown patronized it over the past several decades, but he was not aware of any conflicts between the suspect and victims. A conviction for murder, known in Montana as deliberate homicide, is punishable by death in the state. Executions have been on hold since 2015 under a court ruling regarding a drug used in lethal injections. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Hamas and protestors An alarming new survey found that 60% of Generation Z in the US favor Hamas the internationally designated terrorist group over Israel in the ongoing war in Gaza. The results mark a clear generational shift, with 18- to 24-year-olds the only age group to show love for the vicious terror group, a Harvard-Harris poll released this week found. Among a wide range of questions, the survey asked online respondents in the Israel-Hamas conflict, do you support more Israel or more Hamas? Hamas fighters in Gaza City after the release of Israeli hostages in February. MOHAMMED SABER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock It showed a clear trend, with support for Hamas declining and support for Israel growing with age. The survey found: 65% of 25- to 34-year-olds said they supported Israel more than Hamas. 70% of 35- to 44-year-olds chose the Jewish state over the terror group. 74% of 45- to 55-year-olds favored Israel. 84% of 55- to 64-year-olds picked Israel and rejected Hamas. 89% of people aged 65 years voiced their support for Israel. Across all age groups, a total of 74% of people surveyed favored Israel, while 26% of Americans backed Hamas. The findings were also evident of a partisan divide with 67% of Democrats selecting the Jewish state over the Palestinian terror group, compared to 82% of Republicans. The poll found that 58% of Americans think Israel should only agree to a hostage deal if Hamas leaves Gaza for good. Anti-Israel protests break out in Rome ahead of soccer match. Stefano Ronchini/ipa-agency.net/Shutterstock The terror group recently agreed to a partial cease-fire deal to free more than half of the 50 remaining hostages in Gaza including 10 living captives in exchange for a 60-day truce that was initially proposed by the US, with the backing of Israel in May. But the bodies of two hostages were discovered by Israeli forces in Gaza this week, although it is unclear when the captives had been killed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this month rejected the deal, saying Hamas had to agree to all of the Jewish states demands to end the war, which included the terror group leaving the Gaza Strip once and for all. Protesters in Washington as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met President Trump in July. AFP via Getty Images The online survey of 2,025 registered American voters was conducted between Aug. 20 and 21. JAKARTA (Reuters) -ByteDance's TikTok has suspended its live feature for the "next few days" in Indonesia following protests in the country, its spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday. "In light of the increasing violence in protests in Indonesia, we are taking additional security measures to keep TikTok a safe and civil space. As part of this measure, we are voluntarily suspending the TikTok LIVE feature for the next few days in Indonesia," TikTok said. TikTok added it will continue to remove content that violates its community guidelines. TikTok has more than 100 million accounts based in Indonesia. (Reporting by Stefanno Sulaiman; editing by Barbara Lewis) Israel killed the prime minister of Yemens Houthi rebels, Ahmed al-Rahawi, in a strike earlier this week. - Khaled Abdullah/Reuters Iran-backed Houthi rebels stormed the offices of two United Nations agencies in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Sunday, a day after Israel said it killed the prime minister of the rebel-controlled government. The offices the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations childrens agency (UNICEF) were entered by local security forces on Sunday morning, spokespersons for the agencies told CNN in separate statements. A WFP staff member was detained, as were a number of UNICEF staff members, according to the statements. Hans Grundberg, the United Nations special envoy for Yemen, later confirmed that at least 11 UN personnel were detained, adding that he strongly condemns the detentions, as well as the forced entry into UN premises. Antonio Guterres, the UNs secretary-general, also strongly condemned the Houthis actions, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of those detained by the rebel group. Guterres noted that others working for the UN, as well as people working with NGOs, civil society and diplomatic missions, have been arbitrarily detained in Yemen since 2021. The personnel of the UN and its partners must never be targeted, arrested or detained while carrying out their duties for the UN, he said. The United Nations will continue to work tirelessly to secure the safe and immediate release of all arbitrarily detained individuals. The WFP and UNICEF are urgently seeking additional information from local authorities, their spokespersons told CNN, adding: Our immediate priority is the safety and well-being of our staff. It is unclear whether the raids were related to Israels attacks. The Houthis have previously targeted the UN and other international organizations. The information minister with the UN-backed government, Moammar al-Eryani, strongly condemned the Houthis actions, Yemeni state news agency SABA NEWS reported. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that the strikes that killed Ahmed al-Rahawi, the prime minister of Yemens Houthi rebels, are only the beginning of his countrys campaign against the group. Al-Rahawi was killed alongside other Houthi officials in a strike on Sanaa on Thursday, the head of the Houthis Supreme Political Council confirmed, vowing revenge for the attack. The rebel group regularly launches missiles at Israel, as well as attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, in what it says is revenge for Israels offensive in Gaza. Netanyahu has pledged that the Houthis will pay a very heavy price for their aggression against the State of Israel. We are doing what no one has done before us, and this is only the beginning of the strikes on senior officials in Sanaa - we will get to all of them, the Israeli leader told a government meeting on Sunday. Since 2014, Yemen has been split between a Houthi government which controls Sanaa and much of the north, and a rival but more widely recognized administration in the south. CNNs Eugenia Yosef, Max Saltman and Billy Stockwell contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Aug 30, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Jannik Sinner (ITA) after beating Denis Shapovalov (CAN) (not pictured) on day seven of the 2025 U.S. Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images (Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images) No. 1 player in the world Jannik Sinner of Italy dropped his first set Saturday, but he rallied in familiar dominating fashion to down Canadian Denis Shapovalov 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 at the U.S. Open in New York. Sinner, the defending champion, experienced little trouble in this tournament leading into the match with the 27th-seeded) Shapovalov. But he was put on his heels early on Saturday, falling behind 4-1 in the first set before taking three straight games to even things up at 5-5. Shapovalov answered with a dramatic back-and-forth victory in the sixth before closing out the set. Worryingly for Sinner, Shapovalov dominated on aces 15-2 and nearly bested him on winners, falling 31-30. But the top-seeded Sinner recaptured his usual form by again rallying, this time from down 3-2, to emerge with a 6-4 win in the second set. "It was a very, very tough match today," Sinner said following the match. "I've known Denis for quite a while, so I knew that I would have to play at a high level today. I'm very happy that I managed to win. He started off very well. I just tried to stay there mentally." Sinner again fell behind in the third set, with Shapovalov sprinting out to a 3-0 lead, but Sinner responded with six straight wins to take that set. He finally gained the early advantage in the final set, pressing his 3-0 lead into an eventual 6-3 win. Shapovalov was partly undone by mistakes, enduring 47 unforced errors and nine double faults. The win for Sinner sets up a second-round match with Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik, a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1 winner late Saturday over 14th seed Tommy Paul. Bublik, the 23rd seed, had more aces (22-10) as well as more double faults (12-4) but saved all six of his break points while converting three of eight opportunities. Third-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany fell to Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, the 25th seed, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday night. Auger-Aliassime advanced to the second week of this event for the first time since reaching the semifinals in 2021. "This feels good. This feels good," said Auger-Aliassime, who bested Zverev in winners (50-29). "I've been coming here since 2018. I'm still young, but it's been a few years and I'm working my way. Some of you it might be the first time you're watching me tonight. But this feels really good. "Obviously job's not done. The tournament's still going, but this means a lot to me. A lot of hard work, many years." In other action, No. 15 seed Andrey Rublev of Russia overcame Hong Kong's Coleman Wong 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Rubley had 15 aces and survived Wong's assault of 25. No. 10 seed Lorenzo Musetti beat fellow Italian countryman Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-2, 2-0 with Cobolli retiring with a right arm injury. No. 8 Alex de Minaur of Australia was leading 6-7 (9), 6-3, 6-4, 2-0 in the fourth set when Germany's Daniel Altmaier retired due to a thigh injury. In unranked battles, Spain's Jaume Munar cruised past Belgium's Zizou Bergs 6-1, 6-4, 6-4, and Swiss qualifier Leandro Riedi was up 5-3 in the first set when Kamil Majchrzak of Poland retired due to a rib injury. No. 435 Riedi owns the lowest ranking of any player to reach the Round of 16 at a Grand Slam tournament since Richard Krajicek at Wimbledon in 2002. --Field Level Media Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Princess Diana at a state reception in Brisbane, Australia. NEED TO KNOW Princess Diana died following a car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997 She was in the vehicle with her love interest, Dodi Fayed Dodi and the driver died instantly, while Diana was pronounced dead hours later The world was gripped with sorrow 28 years ago when Princess Dianas life was cut short in a devastating car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997. Just 36 years old, the beloved royal was a devoted mother to Prince William, then 15, and Prince Harry, then 12, and had recently begun a new relationship with Dodi Fayed, the son of Harrods department store owner, Mohamed Al-Fayed. That summer, Diana and Dodi had been enjoying time together in France, seemingly on the cusp of a new chapter. But in the early hours of Aug. 31, their car was being pursued by paparazzi when it collided with a support column inside Paris' Pont de lAlma tunnel. The impact killed Dodi and the driver instantly. Medical workers fought to save Diana, but despite hours of effort, she was pronounced dead at around 4 a.m. Since then, Diana has continued to be remembered by her family and the public. The late royal has also been memorialized in pop culture. Netflix's The Crown depicted Diana's life when she entered the spotlight and how she changed different parts of the world. Heres a look at what unfolded the night of Diana's death and how her legacy continues today. How did Princess Diana die? JEFF J MITCHELL/AFP Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Earl Spencer, Prince William and the Duke of Edinburgh follow the coffin of Princess Diana as it is being carried into Westminster Abbey for a funeral service on Sept. 6, 1997. Princess Diana died from extensive injuries sustained in a car accident in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris. The princess was in Paris with Dodi when the paparazzi followed the car she was traveling in, hoping to get a photo of the couple. The driver of the car, Henri Paul who was later found to be inebriated turned into a tunnel that ran next to the Seine River in an attempt to evade the photographers. But the vehicle quickly spun out of control while being driven at a speed of 121 mph. "There was this huge, violent, terrifying crash followed by the lone sound of a car horn," Jerome Laumonier, who was near the crash site, told PEOPLE. While Dodi and Paul were both pronounced dead at the scene, Diana was immediately taken to Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital. Doctors tried to restart her heart for hours by cardiac massage and electric shocks, but after they were unable to stop the internal bleeding, they decided to stop "by common consent," per Reuters. The princess was then pronounced dead. When did Princess Diana die? Anwar Hussein/WireImage Princess Diana in 1983. Princess Diana died around 4 a.m. on Aug. 31, 1997. The news was confirmed by British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, who commented, "I am greatly shocked by this news. Our first thoughts must be with her children and family at this time of immense loss to them." Following Diana's death, Prince Charles was joined by Princess Diana's sisters Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes on a flight to Paris to bring Diana's body back to London. When the trio arrived at the hospital, Diana's body was alone with her butler, Paul Burrell, and her driver, Colin Tebbutt. A friend previously told PEOPLE of Burrell, "It was his sad duty to supervise her going into the casket and the way she looked." Where did Princess Diana die? Jayne Fincher/Getty Princess Diana in 1988. Princess Diana died in Paris following a vacation with her sons in St. Tropez. Diana and Dodi traveled to the French city via a jet that belonged to Dodi's father and were staying in a $2,000-a-night suite at the Ritz, also owned by the Al-Fayed family. The couple had dinner at the hotel's restaurant that night, with one hotel employee telling PEOPLE, "They looked like two love-struck teenagers." The pair were then notified that nearly 30 photographers were waiting outside the Ritz, and decided to head to Dodi's apartment off the Champs Elysees instead of staying at the hotel. Despite using three decoy cars to get away from the photographers, most stayed put until Diana and Dodi got into a car with Paul and drove away. Who else died in the car accident? Antony Jones/UK Press/Getty ; Aaron Rapoport/CORBIS OUTLINE/Corbis/Getty Princess Diana ; Dodi Al Fayed Both Princess Diana's love interest, Dodi, and the driver, Paul, died instantly. Paul, who was an employee of the Ritz at the time, was later found to be driving with an illegal blood alcohol level. Dodi's bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, was the only survivor of the crash and the only passenger who wore a seat belt, although he suffered serious injuries. How old was Princess Diana when she died? Tim Graham Photo Library Princess Diana in London. Princess Diana was 36 years old when she died. She celebrated her final birthday on July 1, 1997, by attending an event supporting the Tate Gallery's Centenary in London. Diana greeted fans and well-wishers who had shown up outside the event to hand her birthday gifts, such as cards and flowers. What were Princess Diana's last words? Tim Graham Photo Library Princess Diana In 2015, firefighter Xavier Gourmelon revealed Princess Diana's last words in an interview with The Independent. Gourmelon said that Diana momentarily gained consciousness and asked, "My God, what has happened?" Gourmelon was also one of the people who revived Diana after delivering chest compressions. At the time, he believed Diana would be okay. He said, "It was a relief, of course, because as a first responder you want to save lives and that's what I thought I had done." He added that finding out she had died the next day was "very upsetting" and "I know now that there were serious internal injuries, but the whole episode is still very much in my mind. The memory of that night will stay with me forever." The Crown season 6 portrayed the final moments before Diana's death, including a phone call with her sons, Prince Harry and Prince William, who were at Balmoral Castle in Scotland at the time. This fictional phone call mimicked a real moment that Harry and William reflected on in the 2017 documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy. "Harry and I were in a desperate rush to say goodbye, you know, 'See you later.' " William said of the phone call. "If I'd known now obviously what was going to happen, I wouldn't have been so blase about it and everything else." Harry added, "I can't really necessarily remember what I said, but all I do remember is probably regretting for the rest of my life how short the phone call was." How did the public react to Princess Diana's death? Anwar Hussein/Getty Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry looking at a memorial to Princess Diana. The general public was rocked by the loss of the royal, nicknamed the People's Princess. Thousands of people lined the streets outside Buckingham Palace, leaving notes, flowers and mementos in honor of Diana's life. The royal family initially kept a distance between themselves and the public mourners. The family hid away at the Queen's residence at Balmoral, where Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth hoped to give Prince William and Prince Harry a bit of respite before their mother's funeral on Sept. 6, 1997. Why was Prince Charles questioned about Princess Diana's death in 2004? Tim Graham Photo Library Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Years after Princess Diana died, the British Metropolitan Police opened an inquiry into her death and requested to interview and question Prince Charles. An excerpt of a note allegedly written by Diana in 1995 was leaked to the British media by her former butler, which said, "My husband is planning 'an accident' in my car, brake failure and serious head injury." This fueled speculation that Diana believed that Charles might have been planning an accident so that he could marry the nanny of Prince William and Prince Harry at the time. Nothing came of the investigation, and Charles participated fully. What legacy did Princess Diana leave behind? DOMINIC LIPINSKI/POOL/AFP Prince William and Prince Harry unveiling a statue of their mother in 2021. Princess Diana is as relevant now as she has ever been, and that is in part due to the work that her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, have done to ensure that her legacy lives on both through themselves and through their own children. While speaking at the Diana Awards on his mother's birthday in 2022, Prince Harry shared with attendees that he sees his mother's work lives on through them. "I see her legacy in all of you. I see her legacy in a Diana Award community that spans multiple generations," he said. "I see her legacy every time I meet with families, young people, and children from all corners of the world. And, I see my mum's legacy when I look at my own children every day." This echoed what Prince William told Diana Awards honorees in 2019, when they visited his home, Kensington Palace. As Tessy Ojo, the chief executive of the Diana Award charity, told PEOPLE, "He asked me, 'How did you find these young people? These are truly world changers.' And the other thing he said to the group was, 'My mother would be so proud of you.' " Prince William and Prince Harry have also continued to honor their mother by carrying on with her work in their own lives. In May 2021, William worked with the organization Centrepoint, the same organization his mother had been a patron of in her lifetime, on a project aimed at combating homelessness. In January 2022, Harry showed that his mother is never far from him as he traveled to Angola to walk the same landmine walk that his mother traversed in January 1997. Read the original article on People News / Local by Styaff reporter Outspoken politician Job Sikhala has described the bombing of his Chitungwiza residence as a barbaric and cowardly act, after unknown assailants targeted his house in the early hours of yesterday.The attack, which occurred at his St Mary's home, did not result in casualties. Sikhala was in South Africa at the time, preparing for the launch of his autobiography Footprints in the Chains: The Life Story of Job Sikhala. Only his children were present, while his wife was attending a memorial service in the village."It's devastating," Sikhala said in response to the incident. "But why this cowardice from whoever did it? They used a bomb, and this bomb cannot be accessed by ordinary people. This kind of evil is not acceptable in the 21st century."The National Democratic Working Group (NDWG), which Sikhala leads, claimed the attack was politically motivated and represented a serious threat to democracy."Such acts of violence are direct assaults on democracy and highlight the grave risks faced by those who engage in political discourse as opposition leaders," the NDWG said in a statement. It urged law enforcement to investigate the attack thoroughly and bring the perpetrators to justice.The group also appealed to the international community to pay attention to what it described as a deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe. "Respect for democratic spaces and human rights is non-negotiable," the NDWG added.Police are yet to issue an official comment on the attack.Sikhala, a former legislator and lawyer, has long been a fierce critic of the authorities. He rose to prominence as a student leader at the University of Zimbabwe and has been arrested numerous times over his political career.Last year, he was released from prison after spending nearly 600 days in custody. His arrest in June 2022, along with Godfrey Sithole and 14 other activists, followed violent clashes at the funeral of slain Citizens Coalition for Change member Moreblessing Ali. Sikhala was accused of inciting party supporters to avenge her death.Ali had been abducted, murdered, and her dismembered body dumped in a disused well, sparking outrage and unrest. Sikhala repeatedly had bail applications rejected, with the State branding him a habitual offender. His detention drew condemnation at home and abroad, with petitions calling on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to intervene.The latest attack on his home adds to the turbulence surrounding one of Zimbabwe's most outspoken opposition voices. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, 81, was injured in a New Hampshire car accident, his spokesperson said. Giulianis car was hit from behind on Saturday night, according to Michael Ragusa, his spokesperson and head of security. The 81-year-old was taken to a nearby trauma center, where physicians discovered he had a fractured thoracic vertebrae, and multiple cuts and bruises, Ragusa said. He was also injured on his left arm and lower leg. Shortly before the crash, the spokesperson said Giuliani had been helping a woman who was injured in a domestic violence incident. Prior to the incident, he was flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident. Mayor Giuliani immediately rendered assistance and contacted 911, Ragusa said. He remained on scene until responding officers arrived to ensure her safety. Following this, while traveling on the highway, Mayor Giulianis vehicle was struck from behind at high speed, he added. He was transported to a nearby trauma center, where he was diagnosed with a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg. Rudy Giulianis car was hit from behind on a New Hampshire highway, his spokesperson says (AFP/Getty) The Independent has contacted the New Hampshire Highway Patrol for more information. Giulianis business partner and medical provider were contacted and have since arrived at the hospital to oversee his care, according to Ragusa. The ex-mayor is now in good spirits and recovering tremendously, Ragusa added in a post on X. Giulianis son Andrew, who currently leads the White Houses FIFA World Cup 2026 Task Force, urged people to keep his father in their prayers, the New York Post reports. Giulianis fellow Republicans have also wished him well on social media. Far-right activist Laura Loomer posted: Pray for his recovery. Conservative podcaster Benny Johnson shared a similar message on X, writing, Please pray for Americas Mayor. He is expected to stay at a Manchester-area hospital for a few more days to undergo tests, and then wear a brace for the broken vertebrae, according to the Post. Giuliani served as New York City mayor from 1994 through 2001. He later served as President Donald Trumps lawyer during his first term in the White House, and has peddled false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. In January, Giuliani settled with two Georgia election workers who sued him in 2023 for defamation after he falsely claimed the pair had manipulated 2020 election results. A jury awarded the pair $148 million in damages. Alex Yale own two seven-figure brands: Uncle Todd's and Flip-It! Cap. Courtesy of Alex Yale Alex Yale owns two seven-figure brands, one that he launched on Amazon and another that he acquired. He has specific advice for entrepreneurs trying to make it in the e-commerce industry. He recommends sourcing domestically, selling patentable products, and focusing on quality. Building a business is not for the faint of heart. "Being an entrepreneur is great. It's awesome. But the grass is green wherever you water it," consultant-turned-entrepreneur Alex Yale told Business Insider. "It takes a lot of hard work, and it takes a lot of time and energy. You have to have a certain skillset and a certain appetite for risk." He added that success is not guaranteed: "There's a huge graveyard of failed entrepreneurs." Yale has avoided that graveyard so far. After more than a decade of working in corporate America he started his career as a consultant at Deloitte, spent years at Facebook in various roles, and joined Amazon aggregator Thrasio for a couple of years before the startup went sideways Yale quit to work for himself in 2023. He launched a cleaning brand, Uncle Todd's, and started selling products like septic pods and shoe deodorizers on Amazon. Shortly after, he acquired Flip-It! Cap, a company that sells bottle-emptying kits. Both brands do seven figures in annual revenue on Amazon, which BI verified by looking at screenshots of Yale's sales dashboards. His Uncle Todd's products are also in more than 3,000 retail stores, including Walmart, Home Depot, and Piggly Wiggly, and he plans to continue growing the retail side of his business. In Yale's experience, there are major differences between working as an employee and working for yourself. "As an entrepreneur, you take things really to heart. It's your product, your baby, your brand and when something goes wrong, you lose sleep over it. You lose dollars over it," he said. "In the corporate world, your boss might be upset or your performance review might not be stellar, but you're getting the same paycheck." Despite the challenges, Yale said he'd never discourage anyone from giving entrepreneurship a go and shared his top three pieces of advice for succeeding in business specifically the e-commerce space in 2025. After years in the corporate world, Yale quit to build his own company. Courtesy of Alex Yale 1. Source domestically. "Given the Trump administration, try to source domestically. Dealing with international trade is kind of a hot potato right now. It's on again, off again. It's 50% then it's 20% then it's 100%," he said, referring to tariffs. "Starting a brand and a business is hard enough without a daily looking-over-your-shoulders, waiting for the shoe to drop on new tariffs or freight changes." Yale said that Flip-It! Cap, which is currently 100% made in China, has been more affected by the tariffs than Uncle Todd's, which only has a couple of products produced in China. It helped that he anticipated a trade war: "When Trump got elected, before he got inaugurated, I just knew that China was in his crosshairs." To prepare for a potential trade dispute, "I basically front-loaded a whole lot of inventory at the end of last year to buy myself at least time to resupply if these crazy tariffs moved in. So frankly, I never had to place a PO during the extreme 200% tariffs, and they've since abated, but I'm actually moving production for Flip-It! Cap to Providence, Rhode Island in January." 2. Sell patentable products. A major problem for e-commerce entrepreneurs in 2025 is competing with Chinese sellers, Yale explained: "A lot of Amazon e-commerce sellers are basically reselling products they get made in China. And, back in 2019, 2020, 2021, especially around the pandemic with the e-commerce boom, a lot of these factories that were making products for American brands said, 'Hey, why am I letting them make a profit off my product? Why don't I just set up an Amazon account, ship my goods over, sell directly, and I can be much more price competitive?'" Alex Yale is the founder of the cleaning brand Uncle Todd's Courtesy of Alex Yale One way to avoid the competition outright is to sell patented products that nobody can copy. "Try for some IP advantage if you can," said Yale, whose Flip-It! Cap product is patent-protected. "I stay away from any Chinese-sourced products that don't have a patent or any kind of IP protection, because within two months, if you see success on a product that you import from China, they'll be selling it for 20% to 30% less on Amazon and competing with you." 3. Sell a high-quality product ideally, a consumable that solves a problem. At the end of the day, to succeed in e-commerce, you need a good product. "A lot of e-comm entrepreneurs think so much is in the marketing and the advertising and the brand aesthetic that they forget about the core product performance they almost overlook the quality of the product," said Yale. "If your product quality is not there, you might hit it big on TikTok and see a whole bunch of sales, but then when people realize the product doesn't actually work or it doesn't solve a problem or it doesn't have the efficacy they're looking for, you're going to be as dead as quickly as you came alive." Ideally, you want to sell a consumable or a product that people need to buy over and over again like septic pods. That way, you don't have to continually acquire new customers. And make sure it solves a problem, Yale added: "Necessity is the mother of invention that's a real thing. People are looking for things to solve problems." Read the original article on Business Insider After spending two months in Miami, I think I'd really enjoy living there and would like to do so for at least half the year. Leila Najafi I grew up in Los Angeles, but I've been thinking about where I might want to move next. A two-month trip to Miami made me realize I really could picture myself living in the Florida city. I liked how Miami was lively with tons of activities, beaches, friendly locals, and restaurants. As I sat on the beach in Miami with my sunglasses on and the turquoise waters in front of me, I found myself thinking one thing: I could get used to this. Though I'm a Los Angeles native, I've often thought about what it would be like to live somewhere else. Other than a brief stint studying abroad in Barcelona during college, I've never lived outside LA. While trying to figure out my next move (literally), I thought I'd try living in different cities for a few months. Miami was my first stop. I'd visited for short weekend trips, but never for an extended period. As a Californian, I was definitely drawn to its year-round warm weather and beaches. And after spending just two months in the Florida city, I was smitten and pleasantly surprised by how well I could envision myself living there. I stayed in a few of Miami's neighborhoods and found myself easily making friends I enjoyed Miami's warmth and proximity to the water. Leila Najafi Since my visit was in February and I was coming from LA, it was easy for me to adjust to Miami's sunny and warm weather. Most days were about 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. During my trip, I stayed in a few areas of the city South of Fifth, Edgewater, Brickell, North Miami, and Coconut Grove to see which neighborhood I liked best. Most people I know who've relocated to Miami have landed in Edgewater, a residential neighborhood lined with sleek high-rises and bay views. But I found myself drawn to West Avenue, the west side of South Beach. It's steps from Biscayne Bay with tons of fitness studios and bustling cafes. Many people I met in this area seemed to love outdoor activities and low-key nights it was nice connecting with like-minded neighbors. During my first few weeks living here, I was surprised by how quickly I made new friends. Compared with people in Los Angeles, locals I encountered in Miami felt more welcoming and socially open. People would regularly smile at me on the street and strike up a friendly conversation. The city feels like it's always buzzing with things to do Miami Concours 2025 Leila Najafi No two days in Miami felt the same, and there's no shortage of activities and events. Some days I explored a new neighborhood, such as Little Havana or Little Haiti, which are both rich in art and cultural history. On others, I checked out whichever cool event was in town. The city hosts tons, such as F1, Miami Concours, the Miami Open, Miami International Boat Show, and South Beach Wine & Food Festival. I love trying new restaurants, so I also enjoyed the city's vibrant culinary scene. I was able to check out tons of trendy new spots, from Mother Wolf and Claudie to Catch and Uchiko. I visited many restaurants, including newer ones such as Claudie. Leila Najafi Most days, though, I just relaxed by the water on one of the many beautiful beaches. On top of that, Miami's also a great home base for local day trips. I was able to easily get to Palm Beach on a recent visit and have Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Delray Beach next on my list. I left the trip with hopes of living in Miami for at least half the year Views from Soho Beach House Leila Najafi All in all, with its mix of art, culture, and coastal living, Miami has become a place I could truly envision myself living. The city felt lively and offered me the lifestyle I crave, with sunshine, a sense of community, and a steady stream of exciting events happening year-round. During my stay, I found myself spending more time outdoors, easily meeting new people, and really appreciating how I was never too far from a beach. I know my trip was just a small peek at what it could be like to live in Miami. The weather won't always be as perfect as it was when I visited hurricane season is no joke, and humid summer days can hit temperatures in the triple digits But it seems like some of the major drawbacks lots of traffic and high cost of living are things I'm already used to dealing with after years of being in Los Angeles. Though I'm not making a move just yet, I'm already considering living in Miami Beach for half the year. Read the original article on Business Insider Clint Farlinger/Alamy Blue Spring, in Missouri's Ozark National Scenic Riverways area. Missouris Ozark National Scenic Riverways was the first national park area in the U.S. specifically created to protect a river system, so it's no surprise that its waterwaysThe Current and Jacks Fork Riversare something special. Spring-fed, cold, and clear, they attract paddlers, swimmers, and anglers from all over. But Blue Spring, tucked just off the Current River, somehow manages to outshine even the parks most celebrated natural wonders. Not to be confused with the smaller Blue Spring on the Jacks Fork River, this is the one long revered for centuries. Indigenous peoples called it Spring of the Summer Sky, and it's easy to see why. Its surface glow with an intense, almost surreal shade of blue so vivid it seems borrowed from the sky itself. (Some can only describe the color as Caribbean blue" and parallels have been drawn to The Bahamas' Blue Holes.) But the color isn't just for show. Blue Spring is over 310 feet deep, making it one of the deepest springs in the United States. To visualize that, imagine lowering the Statue of Liberty into its depthsLady Libertys torch would still be five feet underwater. The striking hue and clarity are due to that extreme depth and the purity of its spring-fed water, drawing photographers, nature lovers, and more than a few speechless visitors. Blue Spring is accessed via a quiet, 0.25-mile trail (0.5 miles roundtrip), which is lined with wildflowers in spring and vivid foliage in the fall. For a longer trek, hikers can reach it from the Powder Mill Campground, about 3 miles roundtrip. It is important to note: swimming and wading in Blue Spring are strictly prohibited to help preserve its fragile ecosystem. Luckily, there are plenty of other swimming spots within Ozark National Scenic Riverways. A local favorite is Rocky Falls, where a cascading waterfall flows into a natural swimming hole that ranks among the states best. It is a particularly popular place to be in spring and summer. Beyond clearwater rivers and swimming holes, the park has over 300 documented caves, including the Round Spring Cave, which can be explored on ranger-led tours. Nearby is the spring that gives it its name: Round Spring, a nearly perfect turquoise pool shaped like a circle. Blue Spring is located less than 30 minutes from both Ellington and Eminence, Missouri, just off Route 106. Rocky Falls is about 30 minutes south of Blue Spring, while the Round Spring and its cave lie roughly 45 minutes to the northeast. Entrance to Ozark National Scenic Riverways is free year-round, making it an accessible destination for anyone seeking the wild beauty of one of Missouri's most remarkable waterways. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability subject to change. Rwanda tops the list of costly vacations, according to Faye Travel Insurance. (Matthew Starling via Getty Images) When you think of expensive vacation destinations, you might think of glamorous spots like the French Riviera or Amalfi Coast. While you could spend a pretty penny (err, Euro) in those luxury destinations, those who looking to splurge are prioritizing harder-to-reach destinations for ultimate bucket list experiences like gorilla trekking and Arctic plunges. According to new data from Faye Travel Insurance, American travelers are spending more to seek out remote, exclusive destinations that deliver unforgettable experiences. While European getaways still hold mass appeal, its Africa, Antarctica, and the farther corners of South America that are commanding the highest price tags, and drawing in travelers eager to splurge. Topping the list? Rwanda, where the average trip now runs an eye-widening $18,417. The East African nation is a rising star among luxury travelers, thanks in part to its world-renowned gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and a growing portfolio of ultra-luxe lodges like One&Only Gorillas Nest that blend the great outdoors with five-star amenities. The Seychelles also tops the list of most expensive vacation destinations. (Westend61 via Getty Images) Other African countries dominate the top 10: Seychelles ($15,775), Botswana ($15,619), Kenya ($15,251), Namibia ($14,147), Zimbabwe ($13,925), Tanzania ($13,092), and South Africa ($12,725) all make the cut, offering everything from private island escapes and high-end wildlife safaris to winelands and remote desert lodges. Antarctica ranks fifth, with an average trip cost of $14,491. While still a niche destination, demand for the remote White Continent has grown steadily, with expedition cruises becoming increasingly luxe, with fine dining and heli-excursions over icebergs. On Seabourns ultra-luxury ships that venture into Antarctica, guests can do polar plunges and enjoy caviar service. Meanwhile, the Falkland Islands also appear on the list, with average trips costing $14,037, attracting nature enthusiasts and photographers seeking unspoiled landscapes and penguin colonies far off the beaten path. King penguins on the Falkland Island. (Ondrej Prosicky via Getty Images) Whats driving these prices? In short: exclusivity, logistics, and bucket-list appeal. Many of these destinations require long-haul flights, chartered transfers, or permitsand they cater to a style of travel thats all about privacy, access, and immersive experiences. Whether its spotting the Big Five from a private safari vehicle or sipping sundowners in the Namib Desert, travelers in 2025 are choosing depth over breadth, and quality over quantity. And with trip costs in the five-figure range, theyre not just planning vacationstheyre investing in memories. Here are the top 10 destinations where travelers are spending the most on in 2025: Elyse Jankowski/WireImage Wendi McLendon-Covey in 2024 Wendi McLendon-Covey, a series regular onThe Goldbergs and Reno 911! and the current NBC comedy St. Denis Medical, and also seen in movies like Bridesmaids, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, and the criminally underdiscussed jazz-world melodrama Sylvie's Love is and we need to state this loud and clear awesome and hilarious and gorgeous. But some schmuck producer somewhere out there in Hollywood doesn't agree, and hopefully some internet sleuths will figure out who the person is and shame them. McLendon-Covey made a recent appearance on the Office Ladies podcast hosted by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. If you recall, Wendi played Marie, a Winnepegian hotel concierge that hooks up with Steve Carell on The Office's season 5 episode "Business Trip." Though she shot her (very memorable) scenes rather quickly, her time on The Office set was sandwiched between two slaps in the face. Amanda Edwards/Getty Wendi McLendon-Covey at a Beverly Hills event in 2025 "I had just been fired off a movie," McLendon-Covey recalled. "I had auditioned. I had done all these things. They flew me out to Michigan. I was there one night, got in the passenger van to go to set, and the money guy decided I was not pretty enough to do the role. So I was put on a plane crying to go right back to L.A." After gasps, forehead smacking and a "Holy crap!" from Fischer, McLendon-Covey decided to rise above the incident and not mention the name of the film or the "money guy" who fired her. She even framed the story in a positive way. "It was pretty brutal and yet a blessing because that movie went nowhere," she added. "And I would have had to be in Michigan for seven weeks waiting to film for only five days, on intermittent days." She theorized that "sometimes you're in the wrong place, and something horrible has to happen to get you in the right place." And that right place was with Michael Scott. "When I land in L.A.," she explained, "I look at my phone, and my phone's blowing up because I had gotten an offer to do The Office. The next day. So thank god I got fired, right? Because nobody saw that movie, but everybody saw this." Mic drop! NBC The 2008 episode of 'The Office' featuring Wendi McLendon-Covey McLendon-Covey then talked about how much fun it was to work with (and kiss) Steve Carell, but added that there were other troubles happening in her career at the time. "[We began on] a Friday. The weekend goes on. Monday, I come back, and during lunch, I'm in my trailer eating. I get a call that I'm not gonna be on Reno anymore," she said. "So, I am sobbing in my trailer. I was like, ugh. I mean, I was like, 'Well, now I'm gonna get fired from this job because I can't collect myself. It was terrible." Comedy Central A promotional image of Wendi McLendon-Covey from 'Reno 911!' Rough week! Who can't relate? McLendon-Covey, whose career has more than bounced back ever since, concluded, "But the experience was so [much] fun, and Steve Carell is a doll. I love the way the episode turned out." Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. For more of Wendi McLendon-Covey's stories on Office Ladies, which are not all tales of woe, you can check out the link below. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly by Sumon Corraya Hundreds of people attended the ordination of Fr Limon Biswas, a PIME missionary like Fr Antonio Marietti, who was the first to speak about Jesus in 1856 in Jessore, a village in the present-day Diocese of Khulna. Now he himself will leave as a missionary for Papua New Guinea. I hope he will spread the Gospel with dedication and love, said Bishop Boiragi. Jessore (AsiaNews) About 1,300 Catholics gathered on Friday in the parish of Jessore, southern Bangladesh, to attend the priestly ordination of Limon Albert Biswas, a PIME missionary, ordained by Bishop James Romen Boiragi of Khulna. The celebration marks a historic moment for the local Church. When PIME missionaries arrived in what is modern-day Bangladesh in 1855 to begin their apostolic work, Jessore was one of the first communities founded. Father Antonio Marietti began to preach the Gospel soon after his arrival in 1856, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire generations. Today, Jessore parish has approximately 1,400 Catholics, but Father Limon Biswas is the first priest from the community. The only vocation to religious life until now had been that of a nun who joined the Missionaries of Charity. Today we remember with deep respect Fr Antonio Marietti, PIME, who first brought the Good News to our parish, said Dr Theophil Chakraborty, a devout parishioner, speaking to AsiaNews. Because of his tireless efforts, our ancestors embraced Jesus Christ. We used to feel sorrow that no priest had ever come from our parish. Now, with Fr Limons ordination, we are filled with joy. I believe Fr Limon is a gift from the Catholics of Jessore to PIME. There were no Catholics before the arrival of the PIME missionaries in Jessore. Fr Marietti learnt Bengali, taught catechism, and wrote books in the local language to spread the faith. In honour of his legacy, a memento was published for the ordination of Fr Limon, dedicated to Fr Marietti. With Fr Limon's ordination, the number of PIME missionaries originally from Bangladesh now stands at nine. Reflecting on his ordination, the new priest told AsiaNews: I want to be a simple missionary so that people can easily approach me. Through kindness and good works, I will serve others. He said he will soon leave for Papua New Guinea, his missionary destination. The priestly motto he chose along with the institute's five other missionaries from Chad, Cameroon, and India who studied with Limon in Italy at the Monza seminary and were ordained in their home dioceses this summer is taken from a verse from the Gospel of John (15:13): Greater love has no one than this: to lay down ones life for ones friends. Indeed, I want to sacrifice my life for the people, Fr Limon added. Congratulating the new priest, Bishop James Romen Boiragi expressed gratitude to the PIME missionaries. I thank the PIME priests for their contribution to Jessore. They planted the seed, and through Fr Limon, we now see the fruit. I hope he will spread the Gospel with dedication and love. ECCLESIA IN ASIA IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES IN ASIA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY SUNDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. At the Angelus, the pope called for an "immediate ceasefire" and a "serious commitment to dialogue" for peace in Ukraine. He remembered the victims of the shooting in Minnesota and expressed sorrow for the deaths of more than 60 migrants off the coast of Mauritania. In his Gospel commentary, he expressed hope that the Church will always be a school of humility for everyone, a home where all are always welcome. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Pope Leo XIV mentioned again the tragedy of the Ukraine war from the Apostolic Palace at noon today during the Sunday Angelus prayer. Now is the time for those responsible to renounce the logic of weapons and take the path of negotiation and peace, with the support of the international community, he said. Despite numerous diplomatic initiatives, the war continues to sow death and destruction, with strikes that have claimed dozens of lives even in recent days. I strongly reiterate my urgent appeal for an immediate ceasefire and a serious commitment to dialogue, Leo said. The voice of weapons must be silenced, while the voice of fraternity and justice must be raised, he added, reaffirming the Church's rejection of war, and the centrality of human relationships, which can heal every misunderstanding. I renew my closeness to the Ukrainian people and to all the injured families, he said. I ask everyone not to give in to indifference, but to draw close to them through prayer and concrete gestures of charity. [. . .] Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world. With these strong words, underscoring a global emergency, as he had done shortly after the tragedy in a message signed by Cardinal Parolin, the pontiff expressed his closeness to the victims of the tragic shooting during a school Mass in the American State of Minnesota, four days ago, carried out by a 23-year-old former student of the school, as well as to the countless children killed and injured every day around the world. May our Mother Mary, the Queen of Peace, help us to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah: They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks (Is 2:4). At the same time, our wounded [. . .] hearts also ache for the death of over 60 people, plus a hundred missing, caused by the shipwreck of a boat carrying migrants attempting the 1,100 km journey towards the Canary Islands, that capsized off the Atlantic coast of Mauritania. The pope stressed that the number of migrants who try to cross borders risking their lives is a deadly tragedy [that] is repeated every day all over the world. Hence, Let us pray that the Lord will teach us, as individuals and societies, fully to put into practice his words: I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Mt 25:35). From St Peter's, the pontiff also mentioned the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which falls tomorrow, 1 September, established ten years ago by his predecessor, Francis, "in harmony with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. This is more important and urgent than ever, and this years theme is Seeds of Peace and Hope, Leo said. Together with all Christians, we celebrate it throughout this Season of Creation, which lasts until 4 October, the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. In the spirit of the Canticle of Brother Sun, which he composed 800 years ago, we praise God and renew our commitment not to ruin his gift but to care for our common home. Before the Marian prayer, the Holy Father spoke about the Word of the Day (Lk 14,1.7-11) in which Jesus eats at the house of a leading Pharisee, and said: For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of humility in describing perfect freedom (cf. Lk 14:11). Humility is really freedom from ourselves, Pope Leo XIV explained. Whereas those who know that they are precious in Gods eyes, [. . .] have greater things to be worried about; they possess a sublime dignity all their own. In concluding, the pope said, Dear friends, today let us pray that the Church will always be a school of humility for everyone, a home where all are welcome, a place where rivalries are set aside and where Jesus still speaks to us. News / Local by Styaff reporter First National Bank (FNB) has issued a warning over a fraudulent scheme in which criminals are illegally selling South African business accounts to non-residents, particularly in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.In a statement released on Friday, Roshan Jelal, Head of Fraud at FNB Commercial Chief Risk Office, said fraudsters are misrepresenting themselves as FNB officials and using fake or stolen documents to open accounts under false company names.aThe fraud sees criminals falsely presenting themselves as FNB representatives and encouraging non-residents to open South African business accounts,a the bank said.According to FNB, the perpetrators are exploiting complicit or unsuspecting individuals to establish business profiles. They reportedly use stolen or synthetic identities, including forged passports, proof of address, and other related documents, to register companies as South African entities.The warning comes amid a sharp rise in banking fraud cases across South Africa. The National Financial Ombud (NFO) recently revealed that digital banking fraud complaints surged by 73 percent in the past year a rising from 1,436 cases between January and May 2024 to 2,483 cases during the same period in 2025.FNB stressed that it has not sanctioned any such account openings outside its jurisdiction, adding that the fraudulent activity constitutes a serious breach of its policies and brand integrity. aThis activity is unauthorised. The bank does not operate in Zimbabwe and has not sanctioned any such account openings in that region,a the statement said.The bank added that it is strengthening its detection systems to identify and block suspicious account openings and will continue raising awareness through official communication channels.FNB also warned that individuals found to be involved in the scam a whether by selling, facilitating, or using fraudulently opened accounts a face severe repercussions. These include termination of accounts, blacklisting from future banking services, legal action, and possible criminal charges, as well as reporting to relevant regulatory authorities. 31 August 2025 15:52 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more President Ilham Aliyevs latest decree on the establishment of the Digital Public Finance information system signals a decisive step toward modernizing Azerbaijans financial management framework. The initiative aims not only to streamline budgetary processes but also to build a transparent ecosystem where state revenues and expenditures can be monitored in real time. The system is designed to encompass a wide range of financial activities linked to the Ministry of Finance, including budget planning, tax and customs revenues, state duties, dividends from state-owned enterprises, audits, public debt, treasury operations, and financial liabilities. By mandating electronic exchanges of financial documents across ministries, state-owned companies, and public entities, the decree seeks to eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies and reduce vulnerabilities to corruption. Crucially, the move comes at a time when Azerbaijans reliance on hydrocarbon revenues is gradually declining, making fiscal discipline and efficient public spending more essential for sustainable growth. With the digital monitoring of dividends, state orders, and extra-budgetary funds, the decree represents a turning point in strengthening financial accountability in the post-oil era. Economic expert Eldaniz Amirov provided his assessment of the decree in an interview with Azernews. "At a time when oil revenues are declining, strengthening control over budget expenditures is extremely important. The reason is known to everyone. In short, this mechanism, the main burden of which will fall on the Ministry of Finance, if implemented qualitatively, will be the main mechanism affecting the economy with a multiplier effect in the coming years. Because this step aims to establish a control mechanism over embezzlement, inflated tenders, ineffective expenditures and non-transparent financial transactions that have existed for years. Now, budget revenues and expenditures, dividends of state-owned companies, extra-budgetary funds and projects implemented by state order will be monitored digitally. The introduction of electronic contracts, strengthening treasury control and expanding financial expertise will minimize the possibilities of manipulation. Of course, no matter how important this decree is, its fate will be determined by the quality of its implementation. If this system is implemented with professional staff, strong technical infrastructure and continuous control, the financial system of our country can enter a completely new stage. Otherwise, there is a risk that expectations will not be met. In any case, this is the first time we have seen a mechanism that allows for digital monitoring of financial discipline at this level. This is a promising start for the future." 31 August 2025 08:00 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more Since establishing diplomatic ties in 1992, Azerbaijan and China have fostered steadily deepening collaboration across multiple fields, including political, economic, infrastructural, and institutional. Azerbaijans strategic position along both EastWest and NorthSouth corridors has rendered it an essential partner within Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Certainly, since the economy is the leading segment at the forefront of all forms of cooperation, it would be more logical to first examine the trade relations between Azerbaijan and China, the worlds second-largest power. Thus, trade has surged, through which bilateral foreign trade turnover rose from approximately USD 1.3 billion in 2018 to USD 3.2 billion in 2023, representing a 2.4-fold increase. In 2024 alone, trade volume rose another 20.7% to reach USD 3.744 billion. China now accounts for nearly 8% of Azerbaijans foreign trade turnover and is the leading source of imports at nearly 17.7%. Besides, Chinese direct investment in Azerbaijan since 1995 has reached USD 920 million, with Azerbaijani investments in China roughly double that figure. Currently, 375 Chinese-capital companies are registered in Azerbaijan (298 active), engaging in infrastructure, liberated-territory projects, and digital transformation, such as Huawei-supported smart-village and smart-city developments. Moreover, transit and logistics form a vital pillar. Azerbaijans Middle Corridor (the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor) connects China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Georgia, and Turkiye. It has reduced shipping from 10,000 km to around 7,000 km, cutting transit time, and container traffic has surged 2.5-fold between 2020 and 2024, with projections forecasting a three-fold rise and further cuts to transit time by 2030. Beyond economics, cooperation spans science, technology, agriculture, telecommunications, culture, and humanitarian exchange. Strategic multilateral frameworks include the AzerbaijanChina Intergovernmental Trade and Economic Cooperation Commission, AIIB-supported projects, multiple Azerbaijan Trade Houses in Beijing, and alignment of the BRI with Azerbaijans national strategies, the "Revival of the Silk Road" and the 2030 Socio-Economic Development Strategy. Behind all these successful forms of cooperation, it is, of course, worth emphasising the role of the strategy and diplomacy pursued by President Ilham Aliyev in advancing AzerbaijanChina relations. The warm relations established between the heads of state of Azerbaijan and China, along with the meetings held to date, provide grounds to state that both sides, alongside shared values, attach great importance to cooperation across all fields. As for the meetings between the heads of state, one of the most significant took place in Astana. On 3 July 2024, ahead of the SCO Summit in the capital city of Kazakhstan, President Xi and President Aliyev met. They upgraded bilateral relations to a strategic partnership and emphasised deeper cooperation in trade, investment, energy (oil, gas, photovoltaics), and the Trans-Caspian corridor. China reaffirmed support for Azerbaijan's sovereignty, and both sides committed to "high-quality" BRI cooperation. Further to the meetings, President Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva undertook a state visit to China from 22 to 24 April 2025. On 23 April, both leaders held an expanded meeting at the Great Hall of the People with Xi Jinping. President Xi commended Azerbaijans achievements, recalled the previous Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership (signed in Astana), and emphasised cooperation within the UN, SCO, and CICA, alongside mutual support for sovereignty and territorial integrity. The two leaders formally signed a Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reaffirming mutual political trust, support for each others core interests (e.g., Azerbaijan endorsing One-China, China supporting Azerbaijans peace agenda), and deeper integration of BRI with Azerbaijans development plans. Later that day, they witnessed the signing of 20 cooperation documents spanning legal affairs, green development, digital economy, intellectual property, aerospace, visa-free travel for ordinary passport holders, renewable energy, agriculture, customs and transport facilitation, and the development of a secure ChinaEurope Trans-Caspian Express route. Key political commitments included support for the UN-centred international system, UN reform, multilateralism, opposing protectionism and power politics, advocating global governance reform, and increased representation for emerging economies. President Xi also underscored the partnerships significance in safeguarding security, combating terrorism, extremism, and separatism, and expanding cultural and educational exchanges. Azerbaijan in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Azerbaijan is currently a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. It is not a full member but regularly attends summits, including the Astana meeting in 2024, where its strategic partnership with China was reaffirmed, and it was invited by Xi to the current SCO Summit in Tianjin. Its SCO engagement helps integrate Azerbaijan into Eurasian diplomatic and transport frameworks. It should be emphasised that the strengthening of Azerbaijans relations with China, as well as its integration into Eurasian diplomacy and transport networks, has begun to cause concern among certain rival states. Let's take India, which has recently expressed reservations about Azerbaijan (and Turkiye) being dialogue partners at the current Tianjin summit, especially in light of their alignment with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Naturally, India has historically taken an opposing stance, both due to Armenias armament and its sharp envy of the IslamabadBaku fraternal relationship. Today, the growing influence of Azerbaijan as a Eurasian transport hub, particularly on the eastern axis, evidently unsettles Delhi. Nevertheless, Baku always looks forward and consistently asserts its position with firm and effective diplomacy. Then, taking a more optimistic approach, let us highlight the key points and expectations surrounding President Ilham Aliyevs current working visit to China. Although the April 2025 visit has concluded, reflections on its expectations and outcomes remain pertinent. Azerbaijans current working visit to China, undertaken by President Ilham Aliyev alongside First VicePresident Mehriban Aliyeva, carries substantial strategic significance. Expectations prior to the visit could be deepening of the strategic framework through establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership, enhancing BRI alignment, especially in green energy, digital economy, and aerospace. Besides, among the foremost expectations is the acceleration of bilateral trade, aimed at boosting momentum across existing sectors while expanding access to agriculture, renewable energy, and high-technology industries. Beyond trade, the visit prioritises transit cooperation, particularly the advancement of infrastructure along the Middle Corridor connecting China to Europe, a key route for regional logistics and economic integration. Equally important are cultural and people-to-people ties, with the goal of broadening visa-free travel, educational and tourism exchanges, and sub-national cooperation initiatives. The visit also underscores the commitment of both states to global governance, strengthening multilateral collaboration within the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and in areas such as climate action, security, and trade reform. Several concrete results have already emerged from the visit. A comprehensive strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and China has been formally established, accompanied by the signing of 20 cooperation agreements covering a broad spectrum of sectors. Both sides expressed mutual support on key national interests, reaffirming commitment to territorial integrity, the One-China principle, and UN reform initiatives. Logistics gains were highlighted through initiatives aimed at customs facilitation and the development of a secure Trans-Caspian Express route for cargo transit. In addition, channels for trade and investment have expanded, particularly in green development and the digital economy. Despite these accomplishments, several expectations remain for the near future. The agreements reached will require translation into tangible projects, particularly in renewable energy systems, legal frameworks, and digital-economy infrastructure. Trade diversification remains a priority, especially in green and agricultural goods, alongside enhancements in Middle Corridor efficiency and clear timelines for transport development. Broader cultural and institutional exchanges, including academic and youth engagement, are also anticipated to strengthen ties. Finally, continued policy alignment in global forumsincluding UN Security Council reforms, climate governance, and the broader global trade architectureremains a critical objective for both countries. In a nutshell, the visit represents a multi-dimensional effort to deepen AzerbaijanChina relations across economic, logistical, cultural, and diplomatic spheres. While notable progress has already been achieved, the real measure of success will lie in the implementation of these agreements into sustainable, high-impact projects that reinforce both regional connectivity and strategic partnership. 31 August 2025 06:47 (UTC+04:00) Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, held a meeting with Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, on August 31 in Tianjin, China. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping posed for a joint photo. Addressing President Ilham Aliyev as my dear friend, President Xi Jinping thanked the head of state for accepting his invitation to participate in the SCO Plus Summit, as well as in the ceremonial events and military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of Chinas victory over foreign military aggression and fascism. President Xi Jinping emphasized that successful cooperative relations have been established between Azerbaijan and China over the past 30 years, and that these relations are currently developing at the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership. He fondly recalled President Ilham Aliyevs state visit to the Peoples Republic of China and highlighted the significance of the discussions held during that visit. The Chinese President noted the increase in trade turnover between the two countries and the expansion of cooperation in fields such as energy, including renewable energy, and the digital economy. Xi Jinping also stated that Azerbaijan-China cooperation has been strengthened within the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, emphasizing the importance of transporting Chinese goods through Azerbaijan, particularly highlighting the significance of the Trans-Caspian route. The President of the People's Republic of China stated that his country supports the expansion of Azerbaijans ties with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Xi Jinping also noted the importance of direct dialogue in ensuring lasting peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Additionally, he affirmed Chinas support for Azerbaijans sovereign development model and emphasized Chinas commitment to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. The head of state expressed gratitude for the invitation and conveyed congratulations on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Peoples Republic of Chinas victory over foreign military aggression. President Ilham Aliyev, in turn, fondly recalled his state visit to the Peoples Republic of China, noting that the meetings and dialogues held with President Xi Jinping during the visit significantly contributed to the comprehensive development of cooperation between the two countries. He highlighted the importance of the document signed on the comprehensive strategic partnership. The President of Azerbaijan stated that developing relations with the People's Republic of China is one of the priority directions of the countrys foreign policy. The head of state noted that Azerbaijan supports Chinas position on the issues of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and was among the first countries to condemn the elections held in Taiwan. President Ilham Aliyev noted a significant increase in trade relations between the two countries. Referring to the Belt and Road initiative, he described the increase in transportation, particularly of Chinese cargo, through the Middle Corridor passing through Azerbaijans territory as an example of the corridors efficiency and attractiveness. President Ilham Aliyev also stated that negotiations on normalization of relations and a peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia are progressing on a bilateral basis, emphasizing that peace has already been established between the two countries. During the meeting, they noted with satisfaction that the two countries consistently support each other within international organizations. They also highlighted that relations in the tourism sector have developed recently following the entry into force of a visa-free travel agreement. A broad exchange of views was held on the prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and China. 31 August 2025 13:27 (UTC+04:00) The fourth day of the COP29 Second Summer Camp on Climate Change, held in Shamakhi, commenced with organized excursions for participants by the Regional Development Public Union, beginning with a visit to the village of Damirchi, Azernews reports. Participants explored the Archaeological Museum, where they gained detailed insights into the regions ancient history and cultural heritage. Afterwards, they visited an alpaca farm. The days activities concluded with a cultural evening aimed at fostering friendship, mutual understanding, and appreciation of cultural diversity among attendees. During this event, participants from various countries delivered presentations about their nations histories, music, and dances. They also displayed traditional symbols and shared a variety of national sweets, offering a closer glimpse into their cultures. The final day of the camp started with icebreaker activities led by Shafiga Taghizade and Ilkin Aliyarli from the Regional Development Public Union. This was followed by a training session organized by IRENA on the importance of renewable energy in addressing climate change and the principles of a fair, inclusive energy transition. An intellectual quiz featuring logical questions related to environmental issues and climate change was also held. At the closing ceremony, certificates were awarded to the participants. The camp wrapped up with a farewell dinner. The 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) was held in Baku, Azerbaijan on November 11-22. The event gathered world leaders and negotiators from the member states (or Parties) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to further global progress, with business leaders, young people, climate scientists, Indigenous Peoples, and civil society sharing insights and best practices to strengthen global, collective and inclusive climate action. Among the key priorities of COP 29 are securing a new goal on climate finance, ensuring every country has the means to take much stronger climate action, slashing greenhouse gas emissions and building resilient communities. 31 August 2025 20:00 (UTC+04:00) An international video conference titled "Chronicle of Victory: The Victorious Leader of a Triumphant Nation" has taken place in Stockholm, Sweden, to mark the fifth anniversary of Azerbaijans triumph in the Garabagh War, Azernews reports. The event, which hosted around 70 participants, was organized by the International Foundation of Azerbaijanis (Sweden), the Congress of Azerbaijanis in Sweden, Caucasus University (Turkiye), and the Turkic World Culture and Art Publishing House (Turkiye). Speakers included Emil Mirzayev, co-founder of the International Foundation of Azerbaijanis; Professor Hikmat Javadov, the foundations secretary-general; Orkhan Namatov from the Azerbaijani Embassy in Sweden; Konul Eyvazova, director of the Shamakhi Heydar Aliyev Center; among others. The conference served as a key platform for reflecting on the historical significance of Azerbaijans victory and enhancing international cooperation in science, culture, and public diplomacy. Participants highlighted that the victory in Garabagh was achieved through the unity and resolve of the Azerbaijani people, their steadfast faith in their homeland, and the brave, determined efforts of Azerbaijans armed forces, transforming collective spirit into a historic achievement. It was also underscored that President Ilham Aliyev played a crucial role in attaining this victory, establishing himself as a reformist leader. Besides safeguarding the independence gained in the early 1990s, he has charted a new development course for the nation in the 21st century. His leadership is built on the foundation laid by Heydar Aliyev, combining continuity with innovation through bold strategies for economic diversification, military reform, and active diplomacy. The importance of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Europe was also emphasized, noting their active contribution to preserving national identity, strengthening ties with Azerbaijan, and promoting the countrys narratives on the global stage. 31 August 2025 11:00 (UTC+04:00) At the invitation of Fatma Varank, Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change of Turkiye, Azerbaijans Deputy Foreign Minister and COP29 Lead Negotiator Yalchin Rafiyev visited the neighboring country, Azernews reports. During his visit, Yalchin Rafiyev delivered a speech at the opening of a seminar in Ankara, which was part of a project supporting Turkiyes efforts to prepare its First Biennial Transparency Report (BTR1), as well as the Ninth National Communication and Second Biennial Transparency Report (NC9/BTR2) under the Paris Agreement. He highlighted the significant achievements at COP29 and underscored the crucial role played by Azerbaijans Presidency in successfully launching the Biennial Transparency Reporting mechanism under the Paris Agreement. It was noted that 105 countries have already submitted these reports, with Azerbaijan and Turkiye among the first to do so. Rafiyev also emphasized that Azerbaijans commitment to climate transparency extends beyond COP29. The Baku Climate Transparency Platform, introduced as part of the COP Presidencys Action Agenda, will continue to assist nations in preparing their reports and conducting technical reviews in collaboration with international partners. During his visit, Yalchin Rafiyev also held bilateral meetings with Fatma Varank, Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change; Deputy Foreign Ministers Ayse Berris Ekinci and Nuh Ylmaz; and Abdullah Eren, President of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA). Discussions covered climate issues, Turkiyes measures to address climate change, preparations for COP30, shared priorities between the two nations, economic cooperation, joint activities within international organizations, and regional projects. It was expressed with satisfaction that collaborative efforts within the UN and other organizations have been successful, and ideas were exchanged on future steps. Cooperation between TIKA and the Azerbaijan Agency for Development Assistance was also reviewed. 31 August 2025 17:32 (UTC+04:00) The first phase of resettlement in the city of Agdam is set to begin this fall, Azernews reports. This was stated by the Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for Agdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavand districts Emin Huseynov at an event dedicated to the launch of Baku-Aghdam passenger railway services. According to him, restoration work in Aghdam city is being carried out at an accelerated pace: "Large-scale infrastructure works are being carried out in the city. In the coming months, this autumn, the first resettlement to Agdam will begin." Emin Huseynov added that by the end of next year, the historical and cultural part of the city will be fully restored and handed over to the population for use. 31 August 2025 10:00 (UTC+04:00) President Ilham Aliyev will hold extensive meetings with leading Chinese companies, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told media in Tianjin, Azernews reports citing Trend News Agency. "The political spirit of our cooperation is also reflected in our economic and trade relations, in our connectivity initiatives, and in our growing technological partnership. Today, President Ilham Aliyev will hold extensive meetings with leading Chinese companies across a wide range of sectors, including energy, renewable energy, technology, communications, and many others. We are confident that this visit will make a meaningful contribution to the further strengthening of ChinaAzerbaijan economic and trade relations," he said. Hajiyev added that Azerbaijan-China bilateral trade has already demonstrated growth of more than 40 percent this year. "We believe this is not the final limit, and we expect further expansion of our partnership. Today, cooperation between Azerbaijan and China spans a wide range of areas, including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and other emerging sectors," the assistant to the President noted. 31 August 2025 10:10 (UTC+04:00) The opening of the Zangazur Corridor will create additional opportunities for connectivity between Azerbaijan and China, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told media in Tianjin, Azernews reports citing Trend News Agency. "Another important dimension of our cooperation is connectivity. Azerbaijan plays a central role in the development of the Middle Corridor, which runs through our territory and forms part of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative," the assistant to the President said. As Hajiyev pointed out, this year, transportation of Chinese cargo via the Middle Corridor has increased by over 40 percent, strengthening its role as a vital connectivity route across Eurasia. "Looking ahead, we believe that the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process and the opening of the Zangazur Corridor will create additional opportunities for connectivity," he added. 31 August 2025 15:09 (UTC+04:00) The European Union (EU) has designated a new ambassador to Azerbaijan, Azernews reports. This appointment was announced by Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Kallas revealed that Kujundzic Marijana has been named the EU Ambassador to Azerbaijan. Currently, Marijana serves as Croatia's representative in the Political and Security Committee (PSC). Her prior roles include serving as an advisor to the Working Group of Foreign Affairs Counsellors (RELEX) at Croatias Permanent Representation to the EU. Indian scholar: SCO key to trade, economic, cultural ties among members 20:33, August 31, 2025 By Gao Wenxiao, Su Yingxiang ( People's Daily Online The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 is being held in north China's Tianjin from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1. This marks the fifth time China has hosted an SCO summit and is the largest in the organization's history. Leaders from more than 20 countries and heads of 10 international organizations have gathered to review the SCO's successful experiences and chart a blueprint for its future development. The core values of the Shanghai Spirit mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity, and pursuit of common development have become increasingly evident, illuminating the path toward building an SCO community with a shared future. According to Vikash Kumar Singh, an Indian expert at School of Asian Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), the SCO plays a unique role in promoting trade, economic development, cultural exchanges and tourism among its member countries. The Shanghai Spirit is one of the core principles behind the SCO, uniting member countries and providing a platform for cooperation and progress, he said. China is one of the most vital members of the SCO. While cooperating with other SCO member countries via the Belt and Road Initiative, China is advancing construction of the SCO Development Bank, boosting development among other members, he said. China and India have broad opportunities for cooperation, particularly in the fields of economy, science, and technology, toward achieving common development, he added. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liu Ning) News / Local by Staff reporter A 14-year-old girl from Chitungwiza allegedly attempted suicide after being arrested on charges of abortion, following what has since been confirmed as a misdiagnosis by Citimed Chitungwiza Hospital.The ordeal has also seen her father, Mavuto Chiocha (42), convicted by the Chitungwiza magistrates' court for allegedly assaulting Citimed chief executive officer Thomas Goche a a charge he denies, insisting it was a cover-up to silence him from pursuing legal action against the hospital.Court records show that on January 14, 2025, the teenager was diagnosed with a heart problem at Citimed after complaining of chest pains. Three days later, a full blood count revealed she was anemic, but an abdominal scan shockingly indicated she was nine months pregnant.Despite her parents questioning the results a as she showed no physical signs of pregnancy a doctors claimed the absence of stomach fluid masked fetal movement. The family later sought a second opinion at the Family Support Clinic, which recommended another scan. On January 21, the girl had her menstrual period, further discrediting the initial diagnosis.Subsequent examinations by a team of doctors, including a referral to the chief gynecologist, confirmed that she suffered from adenomyosis, a rare gynecological condition a not pregnancy.Events took a darker turn when the girl was arrested on January 17 for alleged abortion, reportedly on Citimed's instructions. She was later re-arrested on January 27 by police, even as fresh medical evidence ruled out any possibility of abortion.Her father claimed that Citimed management and police officers, including Inspector Mutumbu and Chief Superintendent Muguti, intimidated the family to prevent them from challenging the hospital.Chiocha's troubles escalated when he confronted hospital officials over the wrongful diagnosis and arrest of his daughter. Goche later accused him of physically assaulting him, an allegation Chiocha flatly denied."I never assaulted him. As a professional, I would not stoop that low. This is just a cover-up. The Health Services Board is investigating this matter," Chiocha told the court.The hospital CEO's claims were backed by four witnesses, including Inspector Mutumbu and a doctor linked to both Chitungwiza and Citimed hospitals. Based on their testimony, the court convicted Chiocha and sentenced him to 420 hours of community service.Chiocha has since appealed both the conviction and the sentence. Meanwhile, the Health Services Board is reportedly investigating Citimed's conduct in the case.The traumatic episode drove the girl to attempt suicide, highlighting both the human cost of medical misdiagnosis and the troubling intersections of health care, law enforcement and justice in Zimbabwe. 31 August 2025 11:28 (UTC+04:00) President Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, Azernews reports. The letter says as follows: Dear Sadyr Nurgozhoevich, On the occasion of the National Day of the Kyrgyz Republic Independence Day, I am pleased to extend my heartfelt congratulations and convey my best wishes to you and, through you, to your entire people, on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan. Under your leadership, extensive construction works and reforms have been carried out in brotherly Kyrgyzstan, achieving significant successes in socio-economic development. It is gratifying to see the current dynamic development of relations between our countries, which are bound by shared spiritual values and historical-cultural roots. The elevation of Azerbaijan-Kyrgyzstan relations to the level of strategic partnership is a clear manifestation of our peoples steadfast will and our determination to further deepen our cooperation. I am confident that we will continue to successfully pursue our joint efforts to preserve and strengthen the good traditions of friendship and brotherhood, and to further expand our bilateral and multilateral cooperation. On this remarkable day, I wish you good health, happiness, and success in your endeavors, and I extend my wishes for lasting peace and prosperity to the brotherly Kyrgyz Republic. Sincerely, Ilham Aliyev President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku, August 28 2025 31 August 2025 18:30 (UTC+04:00) August 31 is observed as the International Day of African Descent. Established by the United Nations in 2020, this day aims to promote the rich cultural heritage, diverse cultures, and invaluable contributions of African-origin peoples to the world, while also drawing attention to the serious challenges they face, such as discrimination, injustice, and inequality, and advocating for the protection of their fundamental human rights. The observance of August 31 is a significant step toward ensuring the rights and freedoms of not only African-origin peoples but humanity as a whole, according to the statement issued by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), Azernews reports citing Azertag. The statement notes that throughout history, France, within the framework of its colonial policies, has carried out bloody repressions and acts of genocide against African-origin peoples, grossly violating human rights, and continues to pursue such policies. In addition to implementing neocolonial policies in its former African colonies, France subjects African-origin populations in territories under its colonial administration, such as Reunion, Mayotte, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and French Guiana, to ongoing social, economic, and political oppression. Within this policy framework, France restricts the political independence and economic freedom of local populations, undermines their national identities, and seeks to maintain control over their natural resources. In Reunion and Mayotte, the population faces severe social and economic inequalities. Unemployment rates exceed 30 percent, with youth unemployment being particularly acute. Resource shortages in healthcare and education degrade the quality of life. In Guadeloupe and Martinique, high unemployment (over 35 percent), discrimination, and police violence are prevalent social issues. Local populations lack state support to preserve their cultural identities. In French Guiana, unemployment stands at approximately 40 percent. The exploitation of natural resources is entirely under Frances control, leaving local populations deprived of most economic benefits. The Baku Initiative Group has organized international conferences in Baku dedicated to the African-origin peoples suffering from Frances colonial policies in territories such as Reunion, Mayotte, Guadeloupe, and other colonial regions. It has undertaken numerous practical efforts to raise the issues faced by local populations, including African-origin communities, due to colonialism at the United Nations platform. The organization has compelled the French government to address the illegal actions committed in these territories, and the BIG leadership has participated in the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, demonstrating support for its activities. The BIG has extensively documented and brought to the attention of the global community the social and economic inequalities deliberately created by France in these territories, as well as the systematic destruction of national identities, through its reports and publications. These reports comprehensively highlight human rights violations stemming from Frances colonial policies, the persistence of economic and political inequalities, and the loss of national identities due to cultural assimilation. 31 August 2025 18:00 (UTC+04:00) The Baku International Multiculturalism Center (BIMC) and the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity, based in the United Arab Emirates, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate during the forum "The Ties That Bind: A Journey Toward Understanding and Human Fraternity," which took place as part of the Venice Film Festival, Azernews reports. The agreement aims to foster the principles of tolerance, mutual respect, and human fraternity, while enhancing cooperation between both parties and executing joint initiatives on both regional and global levels. According to the memorandum, the two organizations will engage in information and publication exchange, support youth-driven projects, develop intercultural programs, and conduct training sessions to enhance skills. They will also collaborate on international conferences, seminars, and awareness campaigns. The MoU, which is valid for two years, also includes the promotion of research on human fraternity through BIMCs academic network and the establishment of monitoring mechanisms to evaluate outcomes. This partnership is designed to reinforce friendly relations and mutual understanding between peoples, encourage dialogue across cultures and religions, promote tolerance, and strengthen the commitment of young people to values of peace and coexistence. The implementation of this agreement will open new avenues for advancing humanistic values, protecting multicultural principles, and promoting peace and stability, not just between the two organizations, but globally as well. The Higher Committee for Human Fraternity is an international organization dedicated to advancing human unity and collaboration, drawing inspiration from the Document on Human Fraternity. Its main mission is to inspire global cooperation, foster empathy, and tackle social challenges, promoting a world where every individual is valued through shared humanity, coexistence, and fraternity. The Baku International Multiculturalism Center (BIMC), established in 2014, is a significant institution in Azerbaijan dedicated to promoting the values of multiculturalism, tolerance, and intercultural dialogue. The center's mission is to foster mutual understanding and respect between different cultures, ethnic groups, and religions, both within Azerbaijan and globally. By emphasizing the importance of coexistence, BIMC aims to contribute to a peaceful and harmonious society where diversity is seen as a strength rather than a division. BIMC plays a key role in promoting interfaith dialogue and encouraging youth engagement in projects related to cultural exchange. It works on various educational and awareness-building initiatives that focus on tolerance and respect for all cultures. The Higher Committee for Human Fraternity is an international organization that was established in 2019 following the historic signing of the Document on Human Fraternity by Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This document, which calls for peace, tolerance, and mutual understanding among all people, serves as the foundation for the committee's mission to promote human unity, coexistence, and fraternity across cultural, religious, and social boundaries. The committee aims to create a world where individuals of different religions, cultures, and backgrounds can coexist peacefully, and it works towards resolving global challenges like intolerance, discrimination, and conflict. Its primary goal is to foster interfaith dialogue and mutual respect by emphasizing shared humanity. 31 August 2025 19:12 (UTC+04:00) On August 30, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, paid a working visit to brotherly Turkiye at the invitation of the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Turkiye Yasar Guler, Azernews reports citing Azerbaijan Defense Ministry. As part of the visit, the Defense Minister attended the graduation ceremonies of the Military Academy, Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy of the National Defense University of the Republic of Turkiye. The President of the Republic of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, delivered a speech at the ceremonies and congratulated the graduates. The diplomas were presented to the Azerbaijani graduates who successfully completed their studies at the higher military academies by the Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan. The ceremonies concluded with the graduates solemnly marching in front of the grandstand to the accompaniment of a military band. 31 August 2025 20:30 (UTC+04:00) Fuad Najafli, the Presidential Representative of Azerbaijan in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, has held a meeting with a delegation led by Magdalena Grono, the European Unions Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Azernews reports. During the discussion, Fuad Najafli pointed out that Armenia's prolonged occupation had led to Nakhchivan being isolated from mainland Azerbaijan, with land transportation links severed. He noted that the infrastructure, particularly the railway system, in the occupied areas had been destroyed. In light of recent progress in normalizing relations with Armenia, Najafli expressed optimism for the region's future, emphasizing the promising opportunities that could arise. Najafli also highlighted Nakhchivan's wealth of natural resources and its ongoing large-scale projects in sectors such as renewable energy, logistics, and tourism, noting the significant investment potential in these areas. Magdalena Grono, the EU Special Representative, praised the positive outcomes from the Washington talks on normalizing relations with Armenia and the peace process. She recognized Nakhchivans strategic importance as a vital link between Europe and Asia, stressing the significance of large-scale logistics and transportation projects for the regions development. The meeting also involved a discussion about the European Unions role in supporting regional connectivity and the implementation of the transportation corridor. 31 August 2025 14:00 (UTC+04:00) On August 31, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Ni Zhen, Interim President and Chairman of China Energy Engineering Corporation Limited ("Energy China"), in Tianjin, China, Azernews reports. They expressed satisfaction with the effective cooperation between Azerbaijan, including SOCAR, and the company, particularly in alternative and renewable energy projects. In this regard, the collaboration with "Energy China" in the field of green energy, including the construction of solar power plants and offshore wind energy facilities in Azerbaijan, was highlighted. Ni Zhen expressed the companys interest in implementing new projects in Azerbaijan, including wastewater treatment, processing, and reuse, optimization of water resource management operations, as well as the joint construction of photovoltaic power panels in water basins. 31 August 2025 14:20 (UTC+04:00) The meeting involved an exchange of views on cooperation in areas such as modernizing the national governance system and management capabilities through digital technologies, developing the digital economy, ensuring national network security, cybersecurity, and data applications. On August 31, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Zhu Peng, the CEO of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), in Tianjin, China, Azernews reports. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 31 August 2025 14:38 (UTC+04:00) President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Song Hailiang, Chairman of CCCC (China Communications Construction Company), in the Chinese city of Tianjin on August 31, Azernews reports. The meeting discussed prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and the company, with emphasis on the favorable investment climate created in the country. The sides also exchanged views on the development of the Trans-Caspian transport corridor and the participation of CCCC in the second phase of the Baku International Sea Port project. Discussions covered the companys areas of operation, including the improvement of transport infrastructure, construction of metro stations, equipment manufacturing, and the comprehensive development of urban transport. Hailiang noted that the company would present conceptual proposals regarding the cleaning and rehabilitation of lakes on the Absheron Peninsula. The meeting also focused on the large-scale projects implemented to further enhance Azerbaijans transport and transit potential, which has transformed the country into a major transport hub. 31 August 2025 23:53 (UTC+04:00) "I hope they will have the opportunity to meet tomorrow within the framework of the SCO meeting. At the very last, such an opportunity will be there," the Russian diplomat said. A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev could be held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov announced, Azernews reports. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 31 August 2025 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Guterres is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. Xi assured Guterres that China remains a reliable partner and is focused on enhancing cooperation in global peace and development. He highlighted the importance of multilateral collaboration in tackling international challenges, according to Xinhua. Chinese President Xi Jinping met with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Tianjin on Saturday, reinforcing Chinas steadfast commitment to supporting the UN, Azernews reports. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! News / Local by Staff reporter A senior executive at the Mutapa Investment Fund (MIF) has been accused of governance breaches and abuse of office, raising fresh concerns about accountability within Zimbabwe's sovereign wealth fund.According to internal sources, Wilfred Tanyanyiwa, the acting general manager of Defold Mine, a mining subsidiary wholly owned by the MIF, faces allegations of nepotism, procurement irregularities and financial mismanagement.Tanyanyiwa is accused of bypassing established recruitment procedures to favour associates. In one instance, insiders allege he disregarded the outcome of a professional recruitment agent's selection process for a legal officer post and imposed his own preferred candidate instead."He is overriding recruitment processes through nepotism. A case in point is ignoring the outcome of a recruitment agent's selection for a legal officer position," a source familiar with the matter said.Allegations also extend to procurement and financial management. A long-running office rental dispute was reportedly settled through questionable means after the appointment of a new accountant, who authorised payments without proper documentation. The arrangement allegedly benefited a property owner described as a close friend of Tanyanyiwa."These allegations suggest potential conflicts of interest, favoritism, and irregularities in company processes," another source said.When contacted, Defold Mine's human resources manager, Munyaradzi Mashiche, declined to comment directly on the matter."I am not allowed to talk to outsiders. All correspondence has to be through Mr. Tanyanyiwa," he said.Efforts to reach Tanyanyiwa for comment were unsuccessful as his mobile phone went unanswered.The MIF, formerly known as the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Zimbabwe, was established in 2014 to spearhead strategic national investments. In September 2023, it was renamed through Statutory Instrument 156 of 2023, which granted it broad exemptions from public procurement regulations and parliamentary oversight.Today, the fund controls several state-owned enterprises across mining, energy, transport and agriculture a placing it at the centre of Zimbabwe's economic strategy.The latest allegations, however, raise questions about transparency and governance at a time when the fund's vast powers and limited oversight are already subjects of public debate. Has the City of Washington, NC been managed by their elected local government, and their bureaucrats, in a fiscally responsible manner to better serve the people who pay their ever advancing property taxes? 0% Yes, rising property taxes are a necessity to maintain a progressive city.100% No, excessive funding of a poorly managed government can become a shell game of corruption.0% I am afraid to say. Considering what real news is available for all to witness, and in great specificity, should one pursue what is true outside of the channeled realm of the corrupt corporate /legacy media, and: Is Institutionalized Corruption real, and is it a hindrance to sustaining our Constitutional Republic now, and for future generations of American citizens? Yes No Not sure 490 total vote(s) What's your Opinion? State lawmakers convened for a brief session this week in which they were scheduled to consider veto overrides on several bills, but the sessions ended without the overrides being taken up. Instead, lawmakers have now scheduled the override session for late September.Bills on the state House side that were scheduled for consideration included three measures - House Bill 171, Senate Bill 227, and Senate Bill 558 - designed to curb the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion agenda in K-12 education, higher education, and in state and local government.Under SB 558, public colleges and universities would be required to eliminate offices and staff dedicated to DEI initiatives. The bill prohibits promotingsuch as the idea of systemic racism or moral culpability based on race or gender. Institutions would be barred from requiring faculty, staff, or students to affirm any DEI-based beliefs. Additionally, the measure would eliminate processes for reporting incidents described asSimilarly, HB 171 bars state agencies from promoting, supporting, funding, or maintaining DEI programs, including in hiring, staffing, or training. Moreover, the measure prohibits state agencies, local governments, and nonstate entities from using state funds for DEI initiatives, and from applying for federal funds that require DEI compliance.The measure also directs the state auditor to conduct compliance audits, with violations resulting in possible removal from office or employment and a potential class 1 misdemeanor chargeSB 227 aims to remove DEI offices, staff, and divisive concepts from schools, ensuring education focuses on a core curriculum without promoting ideologies deemed inconsistent with equality.The legislation outlines 12 divisive concepts, such as the belief that one race or sex is inherently superior to another, the idea that meritocracy is inherently racist or sexist, and the belief that the United States was founded to oppress certain groups.Gov. Josh Stein's vetoes of SB 558 and SB 227 have been overridden in the state Senate, where Republicans have a veto-proof majority. But in the House, the GOP needs at least one Democrat to side with them to overcome the veto. In the initial House votes approving each measure, no Democrats voted for the DEI bills. No Democrat has publicly pledged to join Republicans in overriding the vetoes.Shortly before the veto overrides were scheduled for Monday, the NC Legislative Black Caucus put out a press release claimingfrom all 41 members to vote to sustain the vetoes on the DEI bills.the release stated.However, Democrats are unlikely to maintain unity on at least one other education-related bill that lawmakers are scheduled to take up when they return to Raleigh on Sept. 22. A veto override vote on House Bill 87 already has the public backing of at least one Democrat - Rep. Shelly Willingham of Edgecombe County - according to a report at WRAL.com. Willingham has already sided with the GOP to override vetoes on six other bills this year. Willingham was one of two House Democrats who supported HB 87 when it initially cleared the House.The measure would enable North Carolina to take part in a federal tax-credit program authorized under the Big Beautiful Bill Act recently enacted by Congress. The program would be associated with contributions made by individuals to designated Scholarship Granting Organizations, which in turn issue stipends to students for private school expenses, including tuition and other allowable costs.A key feature is that donors receive a dollar-for-dollar reduction in their income taxes, effectively making the donation cost-free. Taxpayers could donate up to $1,700 per year. NI is now looking very attractive: Crunch time for Irish crisp brand as it eyes new factory amid global demand A developing taste for the luxury crisp outside Ireland will require a new manufacturing site, says MD Tom Keogh, but exorbitant build costs in the country mean the company may have to look elsewhere While tariffs were initially a concern, they havent affected sales across the Atlantic, say Keogh. Photo: Mark Condren Sean Pollock Sun 31 Aug 2025 at 19:00 Spiralling construction costs could force one of Irelands most recognisable homegrown crisps brands to invest in a new factory outside of the country due to the extremely prohibitive cost of building. Archbishop Eamon Martin also said it is a pity that the Irish government has not made Irish unity an issue for conversation Beliefs: Archbishop Martin says the Church needs to be open to change. Credit: Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Shot of disorder in Ballymena in June. The Archbishop spoke about how violence has increased in both jurisdictions on the island. The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland has said he does not believe that a move towards Irish unification would inevitably lead to violence. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Archbishop Eamon Martin added that he understands the pain to victims of the Troubles caused by the memorialising of political violence. The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland also said he feels it is a pity that the Irish government has not made Irish unity an issue for conversation. Archbishop Martin reiterated his previously declared support for Irish unification, as well as his belief in the importance of dialogue with Protestants and unionists He rejected the notion that conversations about or campaigns for reunification would definitely cause a return to violence. Right across Ireland at the moment, theres an increased level of violence. Violence can easily be hijacked and used for purposes, he said. Shot of disorder in Ballymena in June. The Archbishop spoke about how violence has increased in both jurisdictions on the island. Youve mentioned how extreme groups, even today, are already fomenting violence on the streets over various social issues, and I think that there they can be easily hijacked for old causes. Again, it is true also that, for example, loyalists and indeed, republicans will celebrate and commemorate their, inverted commas, heroes of the past, which can be upsetting to people who were hurt and who had, maybe people who were murdered, who were killed, who were injured during the Troubles. I think youre right in saying that there is indeed a threat of violence, whether or not the issue of the border would give cause for that. Thats why the conversations, the reflection, because we do have, sadly, a history of return to violence on this island, and what we need to do is make sure we do everything in our power to ensure that that is avoided. The Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin paid tribute to Pope Francis (Liam McBurney/PA) News Catch Up - Friday 29th August The Archbishop also said that while he does not believe the Church would implore congregants to vote for a particular outcome on a border poll, it would still have a voice on the issue. I dont think well take a back seat. Because, I mean, if youre talking about, well, first of all, our membership will be voting in a border poll, he said. Itll be very interesting to see how the issues of identity work out in a border poll. Will [it] be simply as straightforward; Catholics will vote yes; Protestants will vote no? I think that we have had in recent elections north of the border the emergence of this middle ground, perhaps not hugely, but it is there where people are saying, Well, what do we want of a shared Island? Beliefs: Archbishop Martin says the Church needs to be open to change. Credit: Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph I cant imagine the Catholic Church saying you must vote one way or the other, but they will probably want to examine the issues and be part of the conversation. He also expressed disappointment in how the government in Dublin has approached the topic of Irish unity. I personally feel that Its a pity that the southern government has not made this more of an issue for conversation. Theres almost this sense well keep pushing it, pushing it out there. A series of burglaries have been reported across Enniskillen and east Belfast. Stock image. A house has been ransacked during a burglary in east Belfast. It happened in the Langtry Court area early on Sunday. Detective Sergeant McVeagh said: "It was reported to police shortly after 1.30am that a residential property had been entered, believed to have occurred between 12.30pm and midnight. "On examination, it has been established that the offenders have gained access to the house by smashing the rear door. Two bedrooms have been ransacked and we are working at this time to establish if anything has been stolen. Separately, detectives are investigating a reported burglary at residential premises at the Gortin Park area of east Belfast between August 22 and 29. DS McVeagh added: Shortly before 8am on Saturday August 30, it was reported that the occupant had returned to their address to find a number of items had been stolen from inside the property. "On examination of the scene, it has been established that entry has been gained by forcing the rear door. In a further separate incident, detectives are investigating a series of burglaries and thefts in Enniskillen on Saturday which are believed to be linked. A PSNI spokesperson said: "The first report, was that an unsuccessful attempt had been made to enter a vehicle in Yoan Road area at approximately 1.15am. A short time later a Blue Toyota Hilux was reported stolen from a house in nearby Carran Close. "Later, police received a report that property had been entered in the Kilmacormick Avenue and also a property in the Hillview Park area sometime overnight between August 29 and 30. A number of items had been stolen from both. A series of burglaries have been reported across Enniskillen and east Belfast. Stock image. Thousands flock to Belfast for Kneecap hometown gig: 'They've given the Irish language a new lease of life' "Further to this, a report of vehicles being interfered with in the Corban Avenue area was received. Two cars were entered in this location and items stolen. "The stolen blue Toyota Hilux has been sighted travelling on the Dromore Road towards Omagh at 3.14am and also travelling towards Newtownbutler from Lisnaskea at 7.25am." Sinn Feins John Finucane said situation is outrageous and totally unacceptable Police have said they are strengthening their footprint in the Oldpark area of north Belfast, following the intimidation of Catholic families by loyalist paramilitaries. The PSNI statement came after reports that the West Belfast UDA had pulled out of a deal to stop attacks on a mixed housing development. Sinn Feins John Finucane said the situation is outrageous and totally unacceptable. It is understood four Catholic families living in the estate have been told to leave immediately. Read more West Belfast UDA orders Catholics out of mixed housing development after tearing up peace deal Mr Finucane said that Sinn Fein will be seeking an urgent meeting with police to discuss the response to this intimidation". Mr Finucane added: Everyone must stand against this criminality. We need to see and hear a united political response to this sectarian intimidation including from unionist representatives. This is not an isolated issue, and it requires all political parties and relevant agencies to stand together, face it down, and provide full support to the victims. Residents have the right to live safely, free from intimidation and violence." Sinn Fein MP John Finucane A police spokesperson said on Sunday night: The Police Service of Northern Ireland is aware of recent media reports in relation to sectarian intimidation in the Annalee Street area of north Belfast. We recognise the concerns such reporting may raise and want to assure the community that officers are actively working to establish the full facts. Intimidation of any kind has no place in society. Every individual has the right to live in peace, free from fear, in their own homes. Where those rights are threatened, police will leave no stone unturned in seeking to identify perpetrators and bring them before the courts. We have strengthened our policing footprint in the area and are making full use of the wide range of tools and tactics available to us to disrupt criminality and keep people safe. Local District Commander Superintendent Allister Hagan, added: I want to be clear intimidation will never be tolerated. The people of North Belfast deserve to live without fear or coercion, and those who attempt to control communities through threats or violence will face the full weight of the law. We will continue to use every power at our disposal to tackle those involved in criminality; however; policing is most effective when it is supported by the community we serve. I would appeal directly to anyone with information, no matter how small, to contact us. By working together, we can ensure that those intent on causing harm are brought to justice. Damage to homes in the Annalee Street and Alloa Street area UDA flags erected outside PSNI Knocknagoney On Sunday, it was revealed that the West Belfast UDA has backed out of an agreement intended to prevent further attacks on a mixed housing development. Earlier, an arrangement had been negotiated between the paramilitary group and a mediator acting on behalf of residents at Annalee and Alloa Streets, located in the Oldpark area of North Belfast. In May, several homes occupied by Catholic families were targeted by masked attackers, resulting in smashed windows and damaged vehicles. After talks with a senior UDA member and a community representative, it was decided that residents would be given time to relocate without the threat of further violence. However, this agreement has now been overturned at the directive of a high-ranking figure within the group. No one has the right to control our housing system Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister has also slammed the situation, stating No one has the right to control our housing system. The North Belfast representative said: I have been working with residents over the last few months but the current situation has made things unbearable for families living there. Ive been in contact with the PSNI and the housing association, and are seeking to meet with them again urgently this week. "I've told them before and will tell them again that if residents are put out of these homes due to sectarian intimidation then we need to seriously consider not offering these houses to people who are deemed "suitable" by local paramilitaries. "No one has the right to control our housing system, it should be fair and mixed housing should be the norm. This sort of behaviour should be condemned by all parties in North Belfast and all should use their responsibility to calm the situation. Id appeal to anyone with information to please come forward to the police. The original UK Governments signed copy of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement showing the signatories of the former prime minister Tony Blair, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, former secretary of state for Northern Ireland Mo Mowlam and former Irish minister for foreign affairs David Andrews (UK Government/PA) Claims that the UK cannot withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) because of commitments made in the Good Friday Agreement are entirely groundless, a think tank has claimed. One of the authors of the paper from the Policy Exchange said public debate about human rights law reform has been distorted by the repeated assertion that withdrawal from the ECHR would breach the historic peace deal. The 1998 Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement largely ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland and led to the establishment of the powersharing Stormont Assembly. It was backed by referendums on both sides of the Irish border. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has ordered a review into whether the UK should quit the ECHR, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has long supported leaving it. In a speech last week to launch his partys plans to tackle illegal migration, Mr Farage said the Good Friday Agreement could be renegotiated to remove references to the convention. His comments were criticised by some politicians in Northern Ireland who argued the ECHR underpins the agreement. But the Policy Exchange said nothing in the UKs commitments to the peace process in Northern Ireland requires it to remain a part of the ECHR. The paper states: When one considers the Belfast Agreement carefully, noting the relationship between the British-Irish Agreement (the treaty) and the Multi-Party Agreement (the political agreement), it is clear that the Belfast Agreement does not forbid the UK (or Ireland) from exercising its right in international law to withdraw from the ECHR. The British-Irish Agreement does not refer to the ECHR at all and none of its terms suggest in any way that the UK or Ireland were undertaking to remain member states of the ECHR in perpetuity. Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage suggested last week the Good Friday Agreement could be renegotiated (Jacob King/PA) It continues: Whatever the merits of UK withdrawal from the ECHR, nothing in the Belfast Agreement rules it out as a viable course of action. In choosing to exercise the UKs right to withdraw from the ECHR, a future government would neither be flouting the UKs international obligations under the Belfast Agreement nor failing to respect the political settlement that grounds the peace process. One of the authors of the paper, Professor Richard Ekins, said: Public debate about human rights law reform has been distorted by the repeated assertion that withdrawal from the ECHR would breach the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. In fact, neither the letter nor the spirit of the Belfast Agreement in any way requires the UK or Ireland to remain within the ECHR. And the agreements reached with the EU after Brexit confirm the point, leaving it open to the UK to choose to leave the ECHR. The paper said that if the UK did leave the ECHR it would be important for the British Government to engage closely with the different parties in Northern Ireland to reassure them that the UKs withdrawal from the ECHR will not unbalance relations between the parity of esteem between the different communities. Former Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has endorsed the paper (Danny Lawson/PA) It also said the Windsor Framework, the agreement over post-Brexit trading, does not rule out UK withdrawal from the ECHR. The document has received the endorsement of former Labour home secretary and foreign secretary Jack Straw. He said: I am not persuaded that the UK needs to withdraw from the ECHR the better to deal with the unacceptable number of unlawful and unfounded asylum seekers. Rather, I believe that we should de-couple our own human rights legislation from the convention (as other European countries have done). But the debate about our future relationship with the ECHR and its parent body, the Council of Europe, should be conducted on its merits. He said the Policy Exchange paper helped to clear the ground for the debate. Mr Straw added: It argues, in thorough and forensic detail, that whatever the merits of UK withdrawal from the ECHR, nothing in the Belfast Agreement rules it out as a viable course of action. A Government spokesperson said: Britain will continue to remain a member of the ECHR. It underpins key international agreements, on trade, security and migration, including the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, and has helped us secure vital new deals with Germany and France to tackle illegal migration. As set out in our Immigration White Paper, we are looking at how we can tighten the application of Article 8 of the ECHR giving courts the clarity they need to stop our immigration rules from being abused. Naomi Smith, chief executive of Best for Britain, a campaign group which lobbies for closer ties with the EU, rejected the think tanks findings. She said: In 30 pages, the Good Friday Agreement cites the ECHR seven times as an essential safeguard. The National Screening Advisory Committees (NSAC) 2025 call for submissions is due to close on Friday September 12. NSAC is the independent committee which makes recommendations to Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill on the introduction of screening programmes or changes to existing programmes. Each year, members of the public and health professionals are encouraged to make submissions which inform the work of the committee and to help shape the screening policy. Ms Carroll MacNeill said: Population health screening programmes are vital for early disease detection and better treatment outcomes, often reducing mortality. The Government is committed to expanding these programmes, and submissions provide essential evidence for NSAC recommendations. I encourage everyone to participate. NSAC chairwoman Suzanne Crowe said the submissions to date are a vital part of ensuring Irelands national screening programmes remain evidence-based and responsive to the needs of the population. The 2025 call for submissions closes at 5pm on September 12. News / Local by Staff reporter The Marondera Municipality has sparked controversy after instructing residents and stand beneficiaries to proceed with construction on Elmswood Farm, even though ownership of the land is the subject of an ongoing High Court case.At the centre of the dispute is war veteran and businessman John Fadzisayi Jani, who insists he is the rightful owner of the 866-hectare property on the outskirts of Marondera. Jani, who was allocated the land under the land reform programme in 2007, says he intends to transform it into a modern smart city backed by investors.Legal experts have criticised the municipality's stance, warning it could amount to contempt of court and prejudice judicial proceedings.In opposing papers filed at the High Court, Marondera Council argues that it, not Jani, has legitimate claim to the land. The municipality insists the farm was compulsorily acquired by the state in 2001 and subsequently handed to the Ministry of Local Government, which in turn transferred it to the local authority."The applicant is not the owner of the property in question, more particularly in that the Government of Zimbabwe acquired a farm in Marondera measuring 866 hectares known as Lot 1 Elmswood Farm under Article 277/200 in the Government Gazette," the council said.Council further argued that Jani's case is flawed because he did not include the Ministries of Lands and Local Government a both of which it claims hold key interests in the property a as respondents.Jani, however, has dismissed the council's defence, describing it as a ploy to cover up fraudulent land dealings. He claims the document used by Marondera Municipality to justify its ownership is a forged offer letter, purportedly signed by former Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere in 2015, long after Kasukuwere had lost authority to issue such documents."No due process was done. The Ministry of Local Government is not responsible for agricultural offer letters and any transfer to urban development must have been done through the Agriculture Ministry," Jani argued in his court application.He added that his 2007 offer letter from the Ministry of Lands has never been lawfully withdrawn by the President, as is required by law. Court papers also allege that the 2015 letter relied upon by the council bears clear signs of forgery.Backing Jani's claims, the Ministry of Lands' permanent secretary, Obert Jiri, wrote to him on January 27, 2025, confirming his lawful ownership of the farm. Jiri further stated there had been no valid transfer of Elmswood Farm to the Ministry of Local Government or to Marondera Municipality in line with the Lands Act.Jani accuses the local authority of blocking his smart city project for personal gain, claiming officials are illegally parcelling out residential stands on the disputed land."The council is frustrating my vision while parcelling out land unlawfully. I have investors lined up who are ready to fund the project, but their actions are derailing progress," he said.The case remains before the High Court, where the outcome will determine whether Marondera Council's stand allocations stand a or whether Jani will proceed with his multi-million-dollar development plan. A parliamentary push to force ministers to reveal the legal advice they have received on whether Israel has breached international law is to be launched. The Liberal Democrats will table a humble address motion on Monday calling for Attorney General Lord Hermers advice to be disclosed. Sir Ed Davey said it was high time the Government comes clean and called for a full arms export embargo. Sir Ed Davey (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The Lib Dem leader said: The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is unconscionable. Hamas has clearly committed war crimes and still holds hostages in brutal captivity, and Palestinians lives have been devastated by the ever-expanding Israeli military campaign. Ministers cannot turn a blind eye to the destruction being levelled on Gaza. They must wake up to the scale of the devastation, do everything in their power to return the hostages from Hamass grasp, and apply the strongest possible pressure on (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu to end his military operations and restore comprehensive aid access to Palestinians. The Lib Dem ploy is unlikely to succeed if it is pushed to a vote, given the size of Labours majority in the Commons. Legal advice to ministers is usually kept confidential, although in rare cases a summary has been published by a government. The Attorney General is the Governments chief legal adviser but, by long-standing convention, the fact he may have advised or not advised, and the content of any advice, is not disclosed outside government. The move comes after the Government announced further humanitarian support for Gaza as Israel signalled it would slow or stop aid into the north of the territory. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Foreign Secretary David Lammy called for Israel to allow a surge in aid as he pledged support for pregnant women and new mothers. He said: The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic, with famine in Gaza City and women and girls bearing the brunt of the suffering. The UK is doing all we can to improve the situation but we remain crystal clear: for aid to have impact, Israel must ensure it is allowed in and delivered safely and securely to civilians in desperate need. Israel has indicated it will scale down its aid supplies in Gaza City and the north of the Gaza Strip as it prepares a fresh offensive against Hamas. The UK is to provide 3 million through the UNs sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA to support midwives in Gaza, where about 130 women a day are giving birth. The Foreign Office is also working with Oxfam GB to distribute menstrual hygiene products that are suitable for women and girls with limited access to clean water. An anti-immigration activist has labelled the PSNI bullies and paramilitaries after he was arrested in an early-morning raid on his home. Steven Baker (44), from east Belfast, was arrested by police in the early hours of Friday morning and has been charged to appear in court at the end of September. Exclusive | Killer drug linked to death of pop star Liam Payne sold by dealers at Belfast rave festival Concerns raised after two young revellers who attended dance festival later passed away Emerge was staged last weekend Angela Davison Sun 31 Aug 2025 at 08:09 The killer drug linked to the death of One Directions Liam Payne was being sold at a Belfast rave attended by two revellers who later died. West Belfast UDA orders Catholics out of mixed housing development after tearing up peace deal Families had been assured theyd get time to find new homes, but hate campaign set to resume Damage to homes in the Annalee Street and Alloa Street area Paula Mackin Sun 31 Aug 2025 at 08:13 The West Belfast UDA has pulled out of a deal to stop attacks on a mixed housing development. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. The 1937 Steinway B and its journey were brought together by Jim Wojtaszek, who didnt own the piano and doesnt really play the piano, but is a musician with long ties to the Glen property. News / Local by Staff reporter A Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) graduate tragically died in a road traffic accident just hours after being capped at the institution's 2025 graduation ceremony.The deceased, Panashe Mwinga, had completed a Bachelor's degree in Visual and Multimedia Communication on Thursday. She was travelling back to Harare with her family when the accident occurred in the Mapinga area, near Gwebi River.Panashe's father, an engineer, was driving the family vehicle. Also in the car were her mother and eight-year-old sister. The crash left both parents in critical condition with serious head injuries, while the child sustained broken legs.CUT Students Representative Council (SRC) Minister for External Affairs, Information and Publicity, Marlvin Saint Madanda, confirmed the tragic development in a statement."It is with profound sorrow and a deep sense of loss that we inform you of the passing of Panashe Mwinga, a gifted young lady who graduated just yesterday with a Bachelor's degree in Visual and Multimedia Communication," said Madanda."Panashe was involved in a fatal road accident on the evening of 28 August 2025 near Mapinga, close to Gwebi River, while travelling with her sibling and both parents. She sustained serious injuries and despite medical efforts, passed away a few hours after being admitted to Parirenyatwa Hospital. Her body has since been transferred to Nyaradzo Funeral Services for funeral arrangements."The SRC described her death as a profound loss to the university community, declaring Monday, September 1, 2025, as "Black Monday" in her honour. Students have been encouraged to wear black as a sign of mourning and solidarity with the bereaved family.Panashe's father had travelled from Matabeleland North to Harare for the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show and later attended his daughter's graduation in Chinhoyi before the family embarked on the ill-fated journey. BillOReilly.com is not available in this country. We apologize for any inconvenience. How Do Recent Deaths Impact Gene Therapy Development? August 31, 2025 | Sunday | Features | By Ayesha Siddiqui Cell and gene therapy (CGT) is among the most closely watched areas in pharma and biotech. As of June 2024, 100 products have been approved globally, with 2,848 candidates in the pipeline ranging from preclinical to preregistration phases, according to Citeline. But recent patient deaths have put the sector under scrutiny, leading to trial pauses and raising questions about the safety of some widely used delivery technologies. Would these shake development efforts or dampen investor and regulatory confidence in the field? Lets find out. image credit- shutterstock Cell and gene therapy, long hailed as one of the most promising frontiers in modern medicine, has offered hope of life-changing treatments for patients with rare and serious diseases. The safety concerns began in March 2025, when Sarepta Therapeutics reported the first patient death linked to its approved Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy, Elevidys. The non-ambulatory boy developed acute liver failure after receiving the treatment. In June 2025, a second non-ambulatory patient died following Elevidys treatment, prompting Sarepta to introduce a series of safety measures, including adding a black box warning to the product label. In May 2025, Rocket Pharmaceuticals disclosed the death of a participant in a small trial of its gene therapy for Danon disease, a rare genetic condition that weakens the heart muscle and typically kills male patients in early adulthood. In July 2025, Sarepta reported a third patient death, this one occurring in a trial for an experimental gene therapy targeting limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. Following these three consecutive fatalities, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked Sarepta to halt all US distribution of Elevidys, including for ambulatory patients, and put several of the companys clinical trials on hold. These developments have sent ripples through the field of cell and gene therapy, a space more often celebrated for historic regulatory approvals. AAV on fire It is worth noting that both these therapies used adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for gene delivery. Once considered the most reliable vehicle in the field, AAV technology has now come under scrutiny, with mounting concerns about immune-related side effects and liver toxicity. The FDA has also revoked Sareptas AAV gene delivery technologys platform-therapy designation, which had previously sped up reviews of subsequent AAV-based therapies. AAV vectors form a key part of gene therapy development. Two well-known therapies that use AAVs are Luxturna and Zolgensma. Luxturna, originally developed by Spark Therapeutics and later acquired by Roche, was approved by the FDA in 2017 to treat a rare inherited vision disorder, delivering a functional gene to affected cells. Zolgensma, developed by AveXis and now marketed by Novartis Gene Therapies, treats spinal muscular atrophy by providing a working copy of a defective gene and became the first FDA-approved gene therapy for SMA in 2019. The technology is widely used because it typically induces little to no immune response. However, recent trial data have raised red flags. Some studies have reported excessive immune reactions in liver cells, leading to serious complications. A series of high-profile deaths has been linked to AAV based therapies, thirteen between 2021 and 2024 according to the Norn Group. The technology is now under fire, prompting several firms to rethink or discontinue their approaches. In April 2025, Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced it would discontinue all internal research related to AAV gene therapies, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of the gene therapy landscape. Pfizer paused trials of its AAV-based Duchenne therapy in 2024 over liver toxicity concerns and scaled back research in this area. In 2023, Takeda announced it was moving away from early-stage R&D work in AAV-based gene therapies. What Experts Say Cell and gene therapies are already grappling with several hurdles, from manufacturing challenges and high costs to potential financial implications. Recent reports of patient deaths in clinical trials have raised questions about whether these concerns could further dampen investor sentiment. While earlier incidents shook confidence, experts stress that the fields fundamentals remain strong and that safety-focused innovation will be key to its progress. Certainly not, said Dr Joyce Cheong, Doctor Wellness Pte Ltd (Singapore), when asked if these incidents could derail the field. She added, Cell and gene therapies are often used for late-stage, no-option patients who are already physically very weak. Dosage is crucial to avoid cytotoxicity. Generally, the less artificially made the therapy, with fewer genetic modifications the better tolerated it will be. Scientists today have introduced many cellular modifications the human body has never encountered, such as antibodies and gene edits. This is why I prefer a more holistic approach, using what the human body already has, such as gamma delta T effector cells, which are effective natural immune cells with minimal genetic modification. You are born with these immune cells. Dr Ivan Horak, Founder and CEO of Tikva Allocell, Singapore, echoes similar sentiments by saying We are confident that researchers, regulators, and investors understand the enormous promise of gene and cell therapies for a wide variety of patients. As the field is still relatively new, it is difficult to extrapolate from gene therapy setbacks to cell therapies. Cell therapies continue to face challenges that have slowed adoption, such as affordability and availability, and chief among these challenges is developing treatments with improved efficacy and safety. Tikva is developing the next generation of off-the-shelf T cell therapies using allogeneic EpsteinBarr Virus (EBV)-specific T cells (ALLO EBVST). The company believes these allogeneic virus-specific T cells (VSTs) can improve affordability, global availability, and cell persistence while reducing the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Preclinical studies show that TAVST01 can safely target tumours, enabling multiple doses or combination therapies, with Tikva prioritising accessibility. While AAV remains a gold standard for gene therapy delivery, researchers are now exploring safer alternative platforms. While these cases are unrelated to CAR T cell therapy, they have reinforced the broader need to anticipate and mitigate treatment-related risks early in development. Current CAR T cell therapy trials primarily use modified alpha beta T cells derived from the patient and reinfused back into the same patient. Because of their mechanism of action, various treatment-related complications including neurological issues, cytokine release syndrome, cytopenia, and infections may lead to mortality not related to cancer relapse, Dr Joyce explained. In contrast, gamma delta T cells function differently and may significantly reduce these risks. Advancements in gamma delta T cells could enhance cancer cell therapy development and boost confidence among investors and regulators when introduced in clinical trials. The global cell and gene therapy market is projected to grow from $ 8.94 billion in 2025 to $ 39.61 billion by 2034, according to Precedence Research. Seen as a key growth engine for the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, the field holds promise for addressing rare and life-threatening diseases with limited treatment options. How it navigates recent safety concerns will play a critical role in shaping investment, regulatory confidence, and the pace of future approvals. Ayesha Siddiqui Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly has said she believes every person in Ireland has a trust problem with the US. The left-wing independent TD also spoke about her weekend visit to the Electric Picnic music festival in Co Laois, saying it had energised her. Ms Connolly is the only candidate who has secured the backing needed to get on the presidential ballot paper for the election to replace Michael D Higgins, which is expected at the end of October. The Galway TD has the backing of Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit-Solidarity and independents, and is hoping to attract the support of Sinn Fein. Ms Connolly said she had been energised by a visit to the Electric Picnic festival. Photo: Niall Carson/PA. During an appearance on the RTE This Week programme, she said she is incredibly proud to be the only candidate standing so far. She added: I have been canvassing now for over five weeks all over the country. I am just back from Electric Picnic, I still have the wristband on my wrist. Advertisement That was an incredible experience, 80,000 people, let me say I was absolutely inspired by the engagement from people who came up to me to talk about the presidency, the election and the role of it. Young people are very much engaged and wishing to talk about the events. It would seem to me from my experience going around the country there is actually a disconnect from the official conversations and commentary and what people are feeling on the ground, on all ages in all parts of Ireland. She added: Electric Picnic was absolutely energising. Have I a trust problem with America? I think every person in the country has a trust problem with America Catherine Connolly Ms Connolly was asked about past comments she had made that Ireland cannot trust the US, England or France. She responded: The comments I made in relation to France and America in relation to not trusting them was very much in the context of the genocide in Gaza, very much in context. Have I a trust problem with America? I think every person in the country has a trust problem with America. We have a president, (Donald) Trump, who is volatile, unpredictable, acting like a bully, bringing in tariffs when it suits him. We keep talking about the consequences of tariffs but we dont talk about the consequences of genocide. We have famine in Gaza. Famine has been created in Gaza, created once again like it was in Ireland in 1845, a man-made famine. I would love to be talking about my policy in relation to that. The Galway TD was also asked whether, as president, she would be prepared to sign off on government legislation which changed Irelands position on neutrality. Advertisement She said: The role of the president is to look at the legislation and to see if it is compliant with the constitution. Obviously no president does that on his or her own, they take advice from the Council of State. You look at the legislation in a very specific manner. You scrutinise that legislation with expert advice, you listen and then you make a decision whether to send it off to the Supreme Court or not, with the differing consequences arising from that. I have been asked would I be able to carry out that role, I would have no problem carrying out that role. Jim Gavin has secured the backing of a number of ministers to be Fianna Fails candidate in the presidential election. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA. Meanwhile, Childrens Minister Norma Foley has become the latest Fianna Fail TD to back Jim Gavin as her partys candidate in the election. She told the programme: We would be blessed beyond measure to have him as a Fianna Fail candidate and ultimately as president. Ms Foley was asked why party leader and Taoiseach Micheal Martin had backed Mr Gavin rather than first allowing all candidates to make their pitch to the parliamentary party. She said: The Taoiseach has been very clear that the ultimate decision in relation to this will be with the Fianna Fail parliamentary party and he will be accepting of the decision of the Fianna Fail parliamentary party. But I do think it is only fair that people do know where the leader of the party stands. Asked if Mr Gavin had joined the party, she said: Not every person who supports Fianna Fails ethos and vision is a card-carrying member of the party, but Jim Gavin is very clear if he is to receive the Fianna Fail nomination he will be running as a Fianna Fail candidate. Advertisement Fianna Fail MEP Billy Kelleher has also declared his intention to seek backing, and former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has refused to rule himself out of the race, despite expressing disappointment that his partys leadership had failed to support him. Former government minister Mary Hanafin ruled herself out of seeking the Fianna Fail presidential nomination on Sunday. Its parliamentary party is expected to make a decision on the presidential election in the early autumn. Ireland Taoiseach endorses Jim Gavin as Fianna Fails presidential candidate Read more Heather Humphreys and Sean Kelly are in a race to secure the Fine Gael nomination, after the withdrawal of Mairead McGuinness in mid-August on medical advice. To be eligible to run, a candidate must be nominated either by 20 members of the Oireachtas or four local authorities. Although figures such as MMA fighter Conor McGregor and Riverdance star Michael Flatley have said they are looking to run as presidential candidates, they would need to have this support to be on the ballot paper. A man charged with having a sawn-off shotgun in Limerick was remanded in custody after he appeared before a special court sitting on Saturday. Gardai brought Liam Lika Casey before Limerick District Court where he was charged in connection with a Garda investigation into gunshots fired at a house last year. Mr Casey, (42), with an address at Hyde Road, Prospect, did not speak during the brief hearing in front of Judge Fiona Brennan. Mr Casey was charged with possessing a twelve-gauge, double-barrelled, sawn-off shotgun, with intent to commit an indictable criminal offence. The charge, contrary to Section 27(B) of the Firearms Act 1964, carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison on conviction. Mr Casey is accused of having the gun at Meagher Avenue, Priors Land, Limerick, located just off Hyde Road, Ballinacurra Weston, on November 8th, 2024. Advertisement Garda Sean OConnor, Roxboro Road Garda station, told the court he arrested and charged Mr Casey on August 29th, last Friday. Garda OConnor gave evidence that Mr Casey made no reply to the charge. Gardai told Judge Brennan they were opposed to Mr Casey being granted bail. Mr Caseys solicitor, Tom Kiely, Kiely McCarthy Solicitors, Limerick, told the court Mr Casey was not seeking bail. Gardai said they were awaiting further directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the case. Mr Kiely said Mr Casey was in receipt of social welfare and he would require free legal aid. The court granted Mr Kielys application for legal aid on behalf of the accused. Mr Casey was embraced by family members before he was remanded in custody. He was remanded to appear before Limerick District Court again on September 2nd for further directions from the DPP. News / Local by Staff reporter A parliamentary public hearing on the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) Amendment Bill (H.B.4, 2025) collapsed in Marondera after only two people showed up, in what observers described as a major setback in efforts to shape a key law for the education sector.The meeting, convened by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education chaired by Nyanga South MP Supa Mandiwanzira, had to be abandoned due to the poor turnout.Mandiwanzira said the apathy was a disservice to Zimbabwe's law-making process, warning that it undermined attempts to craft legislation affecting millions of pupils, teachers and parents."So today, unfortunately, because the turnout was very low, we felt that going ahead with the amount of people that were there would be a disservice to the nation of Zimbabwe, our role as MPs and particularly as members of the committee on Primary and Secondary Education," he said.The MP dismissed suggestions that legislators benefit from poor attendance at public hearings, insisting that such claims were unfounded."I think that it is obviously quite far-fetched to suggest that a low turnout is a method for legislators to get money. How do they get money when there's a low turnout? We don't get paid as legislators for a low turnout, neither do we get paid for a higher turnout," he explained.However, Mandiwanzira conceded that poor publicity had contributed to the low numbers and pledged to strengthen mobilisation ahead of future hearings. He said the committee would enlist the help of local MPs, schools and community radio platforms to raise awareness."We will call upon every Member of Parliament in the area where we are going to have these meetings to use their own infrastructure to mobilise. We will also ask schools to spread the message to parents through students because this is a very important process," he added.The committee is expected to reconvene this week to set a new date to return to both Marondera and Harare for the consultations.The ZIMSEC Amendment Bill is regarded as a significant piece of legislation with far-reaching implications for Zimbabwe's education system, and lawmakers fear that continued public apathy could weaken its legitimacy. Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have pledged to resolve their border differences and bolster co-operation, ahead of the opening of a regional summit in Tianjin. Mr Modi is on his first visit to China since relations between the two countries deteriorated after Chinese and Indian soldiers engaged in deadly border clashes in 2020. He is visiting as part of Indias membership into the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, a regional political, economic and security group founded by China. Mr Modi said in his opening remarks that relations with China have moved in a meaningful direction, adding: There is a peaceful environment at the borders after disengagement. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, arrives in China for the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation summit (Hao Yuan/Xinhua/AP) Mr Xi said he hopes the Tianjin meeting will further elevate and promote the sustained, healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The two sides should not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship, Mr Xi said, adding that economic development for both countries should be their main focus. Advertisement As long as they remain committed to the overarching goal of being partners, not rivals, and providing development opportunities, not threats, China-India relations will flourish and move forward steadily, Mr Xi said. Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who arrived in Tianjin on Sunday, is also due to meet with both leaders in the coming days. It is Narendra Modis first visit to China since relations soured in 2020 (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) Ahead of Mr Modis visit, Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi flew to New Delhi earlier in August, as the two sides announced their rapprochement. Mr Wangs visit coincided with US President Donald Trumps decision to impose 50% tariffs on India for its purchase of Russian oil, but Delhis process of rebuilding ties with China had been in the works for months. China and India this year have increased official visits and discussed easing some restrictions on trade and the movement of people across the border. In June, Beijing allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the opening of a regional summit in Tianjin, in a formal thaw between the two nuclear-armed powers. Mr Modi is on his first visit to China since relations between the two sides deteriorated after Chinese and Indian soldiers engaged in deadly border clashes in 2020. He is visiting as part of Indias membership of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, a regional political, economic and security group founded by China. Ahead of Mr Modis visit, Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi flew to New Delhi earlier in August, as the two sides announced their rapprochement. Narendra Modi met Xi Jinping on Sunday (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) Both governments pledged to restart border talks, and resume issuing visas and direct flights. Mr Wangs visit coincided with US President Donald Trumps decision to impose 50% tariffs on India for its purchase of Russian oil, but Delhis process of rebuilding ties with China had been in the works for months. China and India this year have increased official visits and discussed easing some restrictions on trade and the movement of people across the border. In June, Beijing allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet. Pope Leo has denounced the pandemic of arms, large and small, as he prayed publicly for the victims of the shooting during a Catholic school Mass in the United States. Historys first American Pope spoke in English as he condemned the attack and the logic of weapons fuelling wars around the world, during his Sunday noon blessing from his studio overlooking St Peters Square. Our prayers for the victims of the tragic shooting during a school Mass in the American state of Minnesota, said Leo. We hold in our prayers the countless children killed and injured every day around the world. Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world. Leo denounced the pandemic of arms'(Gregorio Borgia/AP) Two children were killed and 20 people were injured on Wednesday during the shooting at the Church of Annunciation in Minneapolis, as hundreds of students from the nearby Annunciation Catholic School and others gathered for a Mass. The attacker fired 116 rifle rounds through the churchs stained-glass windows, and later died by suicide. Advertisement In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Leo had refrained from any political commentary about guns, sending a telegram of condolence that focused exclusively on the spiritual. He said he was saddened by the terrible tragedy and sent his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected. Leo had opened his appeal on Sunday by demanding an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and a serious commitment to dialogue from the warring sides. Its time that those responsible renounce the logic of weapons and take the path of negotiations and peace, with the support of the international community, he said. The voice of weapons must be silenced, while the voice of fraternity and justice must rise. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Sunday, Chinese and Russian state media reported, for a regional security summit that China hopes can counter Western influence in global affairs. For the rare four-day visit to Russia's neighbour and largest trading partner, Putin arrived to a red carpet welcome, received on the tarmac by top-ranking city officials, a livestream of the event by Russia's TASS showed. Ties between China and Russia are at their "best in history", having become the "most stable, mature and strategically significant among major countries", Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said in its report of the arrival. President Xi Jinping will host about 20 world leaders in Tianjin, also including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the largest gathering since the group was established in 2001 among six Eurasian nations. Advertisement The security-focused bloc has expanded to 10 permanent members and 16 dialogue and observer countries in recent years. Its remit has enlarged from security and counter-terrorism to economic and military cooperation. World Chinese and Indian leaders meet in formal thaw in relations Read more Xi is expected to use the summit to showcase what a post-American-led international order would look like, while providing a high-profile diplomatic boost for Russia, hit by sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine. A day before his visit, Putin blasted Western sanctions in a written interview with China's official Xinhua news agency, saying Moscow and Beijing jointly opposed "discriminatory" sanctions in global trade. Russia's economy is on the brink of recession, weighed by trade curbs and the cost of the war. Leaders from Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia will attend the summit in what China aims to portray as a powerful show of unity among the "Global South", referring to developing and lower-income countries, mostly in the southern hemisphere. Advertisement CultureTV & radioStreaming This was published 3 months ago Every rom-com needs a little tragedy: Miranda Tapsell on Top End Wedding follow-up Top End Bub Thomas Mitchell August 30, 2025 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share 2 View all comments Im in Darwin to interview Miranda Tapsell on the set of Top End Bub, the new TV series being filmed here that follows on from the 2019 box office hit Top End Wedding. Tapsell was born and raised in the Top End, whereas its my first time, so we trade notes on how great Darwin is, which gives a chance to discuss my favourite thing about the city so far: the laksa. However, before I can move the conversation on from Asian cuisine, Tapsell turns the tables and posits a question to me: Thomas, what do people really know about Darwin? I cant tell if I should answer, or if its mostly rhetorical, though I do know Tapsell looks very Darwin, kicked back on a deck chair, relaxed between takes while seeking shade from the midday sun under a loping palm tree. I also know, having spent the last few days in the titular Top End, that its difficult to describe. Miranda Tapsell returns to her roots in Prime Videos Top End Bub. Peter Brew-Bevan Sure, its beautiful, picturesque even, and famously tropical (often raining, always sticky). Plus, there are plenty of crocodiles (Ive seen them with my own eyes) and natural swimming holes (I swam in them with my own limbs). Oh, and of course, it boasts the kind of heat that seems impossible not to discuss, and so I do: Well, its very hot. Advertisement Yes, exactly, says Tapsell, whose other on-screen credits include The Sapphires, Love Child and more recently The Surfer. People know about the heat, and yes, the laksa too, plus the mosquitoes, the long drives, and thats it, its far away from everything else. That all seems to check out. But what they dont know about, she continues. Is the adventure, the mystique, the magic, its a place that lends itself to reinvention, and thats what I wanted to show with Top End Bub. Reinvention is at the heart of Top End Bub, an eight-part series from Amazon Prime that picks up five years after the events of Top End Wedding. Released in 2019, Top End Wedding told the story of high-flying lawyer Lauren (Miranda Tapsell) and her British fiance Ned (The Greats Gwilym Lee), who are desperately in love and desperate to get married. The only problem? Laurens mother, Daffy (Ursula Yovich), goes missing before the big day. Miranda Tapsell and Gwilym Lee in Top End Wedding. The film was a surprise hit, debuting at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, being nominated for Best Film at the 2019 AACTA Awards and taking more than $5 million at the box office. For Lee, who returned to the UK following the release of Top End Wedding, the success made sense, but he didnt expect a sequel on the horizon. In my mind, the movie had lived its life and had this beautiful journey, we took it to Sundance, it captured peoples hearts, and that was that, he says. Sitting on my shelf as a happy memory. Advertisement It may well have remained on the shelf if it werent for the pandemic. The upside to being trapped inside was that Tapsell, like most people, found herself grappling with the big questions. I was at a point in my life where I was really at a crossroads, Id entered my 30s, Id done quite well in my career, and my husband [James] and I were talking about starting a family, she says. So youre forced to think about what that means for your life, your career and your whole identity. These ideas would all go into the scripts for Top End Bub, which Tapsell developed alongside Joshua Tyler, who co-wrote Top End Wedding. The sequel begins with Lauren and Ned returning to Darwin after Laurens sister Ronelle (Shari Sebbens) dies in a car accident. Suddenly, the newlyweds find themselves legal guardians of Laurens daughter, Taya (debutant Gladys-May Kelly), forced to navigate grief, parenthood, upheaval, and, of course, life in Darwin. Family is what you make it. Ned (Gwilym Lee) and Lauren (Miranda Tapsell) become the legal guardians of Laurens niece, Taya (debutant Gladys-May Kelly) in Top End Bub. For a romantic comedy series, it does sound heavy, but every rom-com needs a little tragedy, look at Four Weddings and a Funeral, laughs Tapsell, 37. Advertisement As luck would have it, both Tapsell and Lee had the perfect preparation before production began, each becoming first-time parents. Between making the film and making the TV series, I became a dad to a little boy and funnily enough, Miranda had a daughter at the same time; our kids are maybe a month apart, explains Lee, 41. Nothing prepares you for parenthood, but you learn a lot about sacrifice very quickly. Earlier this year, Tapsell welcomed a second child with husband James Colley, the expanding brood a reminder of the role community plays in a childs life. I need that village right now, and there are so many benefits to it, she explains. The Aboriginal community that I grew up with in Darwin is very tight-knit, a mixture of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, the type of place where you borrow milk and bread from next door, its like a school of fish. For Tapsell, capturing that environment on screen was a crucial part of accurately representing her culture. Aboriginal families are often on the wrong end of lazy stereotypes, and we didnt want to do that, she says. In Top End Bub its not just Ned and Lauren, but aunties and uncles, everyone chipping in together - that is how I grew up, and I wanted to share the pride and joy I have in my community. Advertisement Pride and joy in the community is probably the one thing people really should know about Darwin. Every local I met was quick to share their recommendations, promising that Litchfield National Park, located on the traditional lands of the Limilngan-Wulna people, would take my breath away (true). Or that the laksa from the Mindil Beach markets was better than anything youll find around the country (agreed). And dont forget a sundowner at the Darwin Ski Club, no better place to watch the world go by (theyre not wrong). Sealed with a kiss. Top End Bub sees the characters visit Darwins national landmarks including Litchfield National Park. For a big city with a population of 150,000, Darwin has a distinctly small-town feel, willing to embrace anyone and everyone. As a British actor based in London, and born in Bristol, I would have had no inkling that I was going to become a Darwin local, jokes Lee. We filmed for seven weeks, and I had my own apartment. Id pop down to the shops; the community embraced me, and Ill forever have a soft spot for the area. Advertisement As for Tapsell, with the long-awaited release of Top End Bub finally here, and her delightfully busy home life in full swing, the actress is looking to take a break from being in front of the camera to focus on writing. If acting work comes along and the script resonates with me, then Ill try and make it work, but at the moment I am enjoying writing, she says. It gives me more autonomy, I can do daycare pickups and drop-offs, I can still be a mum and a creator Im excited to see where it might take me. No matter where she ends up, I suspect that given Tapsells connection to Darwin runs so deep, a part of her will always remain kicked back on that deck chair, seeking shade from the midday sun under a loping palm tree. Top End Bub will stream via Prime Video from Friday, September 12, 2025. Thomas Mitchell travelled to Darwin courtesy of Prime Video. Find more of the authors work here. Email him at thomas.mitchell@smh.com.au or follow him on Instagram at @thomasalexandermitchell and on Twitter @_thmitchell. Advertisement NationalNSWUniversity This was published 3 months ago Strange behaviour is being observed in job interviews. Its a sign of the times Christopher Harris August 31, 2025 7:34pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share One of Australias top graduate recruiters, Lendlease, recently started to notice strange behaviour from its job candidates. One step of the application process required applicants to film themselves answering questions within a set time-frame. Judging from the videos, it soon became apparent some were reading scripted or AI-generated responses. Software multinational company Canva encourages candidates to use artificial intelligence software in the application process. Multinational software company Canva has had a similar problem. The rise of AI interviewing tools has changed the landscape entirely, its head of platform, Simon Newton, said in a post on the companys website. Advertisement Candidates are increasingly using AI assistance during technical interviews, sometimes covertly through tools specifically designed to avoid detection. Related Article Jobs Learn to code? Maybe not any more The explosion of AI has turned recruitment into a minefield, in which it is difficult to assess if candidates are actually saying what theyre saying, or have the skills they might appear to be able to demonstrate. At the same time, recent graduates must navigate a digital recruitment process that includes AI software designed to filter them out, amid broader fears that the very entry-level jobs they are applying for will soon be replaced with the same technology. While candidates are using AI in interviews at the company, a Lendlease spokesman said AI had also helped streamline its recruitment process, although he said the firm remained focused on attracting strong undergraduate and graduate talent through its early careers program. Advertisement A first-of-its-kind study from Stanford University released last week identified a trend in corporate America that might feel eerily familiar to some young Australian jobseekers. Analysing payroll software, it found those aged 22 to 25 years in AI-exposed occupations had experienced a 13 per cent relative decline in employment, while less exposed industries and age groups had remained stable. It said there was large-scale evidence consistent with the hypothesis that the AI revolution was beginning to have a significant and disproportionate impact on entry-level workers. Bachelor of commerce student Lara Veidners, who is also vice president of the Sydney University Business Society, said there was a feeling among her peers that finding graduate employment was difficult. But she is not afraid of AI. Lara Veidners and Xavier Sawaqed from the Sydney University Business Society. Steven Siewert I think utilising artificial intelligence to the best of our abilities has become a real sort of power of the undergraduate, demonstrating how we can effectively use it. Thats how you can differentiate yourself between those who might fear it or be anxious, she said. While shes positive about AI, Veidners said it was nevertheless tough to get a graduate job, which she attributes to higher quality graduates. Advertisement The sentiment amongst jobseekers and also fresh graduates is it is far more challenging than we expected it to be, she said. Related Article Explainer AI Why AI chatbots get it wrong and how to handle their hallucinations Its a very rigorous process to go through each and every company and track all those things, but rigorous for the better because, at least in that way, youre hopefully more likely to find a company which is a good fit for you. The rapid change in recruitment practices has been keenly observed by fellow University of Sydney student Xavier Sawaqed, who, after finishing high school, contemplated going straight into the workforce and applied for a few jobs. Ultimately, he decided to study commerce and finance at university and five years later, hes now looking for a graduate job. Straight out of school, my experience was very different, he said. Advertisement The text boxes he used to have to fill out in a job application form are now gone, rendered useless because anyone can spit out a cogent answer using artificial intelligence. This video screening step is kind of new, he said. Dean of UNSW Business School Frederik Anseel says banks want graduates who can hold themselves in a room. Louie Douvis Dean of UNSW Business School professor Frederik Anseel said that while graduates might feel the market was competitive, it is very difficult to know if this is because of AI ... or because of an economic slowing down and the uncertainty around US tariffs thats happening. He said that while the Stanford study showed a decline in jobs deemed to be exposed to AI, there was also growth in areas where workers could utilise it. Advertisement Instagram account Aussie Corporate, which surveys graduates, says a Google information technology software graduate was paid $200,000 this year, while Macquarie paid $186,000 to graduates in its investment banking stream. Neither company would verify this information. Anseel said there was an increased interest in banking graduates with strong communication skills: for example, students who could hold themselves in a room when being challenged. This is not something you can learn from home behind a laptop. You need to do it. We try to give people as much exposure to these sorts of things, he said. Australian Catholic University deputy chancellor academic Julie Cogin, whose university will next year offer a bachelor of computer science and master of data science course co-designed with Amazon Web Services, said artificial intelligence was an opportunity for current university students. There is job displacement... but equally, there has been a lot of job creation and new roles, says Australian Catholic Universitys Julie Cogin. Louis Treirse Advertisement AI is already reshaping our whole marketplace, but theres both positive and negative impacts. Without a doubt, there is job displacement ... but equally, there has been a lot of job creation and new roles, she said. Canva head of talent acquisition Lorraine Dooley said AI had not had an impact on the number of people being hired, but it had changed the hiring process. We expect candidates in backend, machine learning and frontend engineering interviews to use [AI] tools like Copilot, Cursor or Claude, because those tools are part of everyday problem-solving at Canva, she said. Related Article Exclusive Workplace Seeking connection, Gen Z turning its back on remote-first work In interviews, were looking for thoughtful, intentional communicators, people who explain their thinking with clarity, who listen well. Advertisement UNSW head of employability Esmond Esguerra said employers were seeking graduates who could solve problems, communicate and work with others. To cater for that, the university runs programs to expressly teach students communication skills in which nothing is too baseline. Like even pausing when youre trying to make a point, looking people in the eye when you are sending a message, and even the professional way of greeting people or speaking to people is something we consider, he said. It certainly doesnt involve reading from a script. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. South Australian Police believe they have identified the man who held up a poster of alleged police killer Dezi Freeman at an anti-immigration protest in Adelaide on Sunday. South Australia Police want to speak with the man who held a poster of an image of Dezi Freeman at an anti-immigration protest in Adelaide on Sunday. Getty Images South Australia Polices acting commissioner, Linda Williams, said officers could not locate the man at the time of the protest but have since identified him and were attempting to find him. This is a man who is wanted by Victoria Police for the shooting of two police officers whose families would no doubt have seen this image and would be likely distraught by what they have seen as would every right-minded person particularly every right-minded police officer, Williams said. I can only underscore how outrageous that behaviour is on the face of it and thats why seek to locate this man and speak to him about the behaviour. Williams said the man was likely to be charged with offensive behaviour. Advertisement PoliticsFederalALP This was published 3 months ago Opinion We demand a habitable planet: Our 21-year-old senator steps up Peter FitzSimons Columnist and author August 31, 2025 5:00am August 31, 2025 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share 55 View all comments Charlotte Walker was elected third on the ALPs Senate ticket for South Australia on her 21st birthday. She gave her first speech on Monday. I spoke to her between 1.30pm and 1.45pm on Wednesday. Senator Charlotte Walker, delivering her first speech in the Senate. Alex Ellinghausen Fitz: Senator, thank you very much for your time. I must say in terms of strict timing, this is the most strict in terms of tight start and finish times Ive had since I interviewed Bill Gates a decade ago. Is it odd, to be 21 years old, and have such a tightly regulated schedule? CW: [Laughs.] I actually like the organisation of everything, and this is the perfect time because we have question time in half an hour. So this is my one free slot where theres no division, no interruptions. Fitz: Your first speech was nothing if not honest and raw. One thing that jumped out at me was your talk of suffering such bad depression up to the age of 18 that you wondered if you wanted to go on and yet, on the very day of your 21st birthday, you were elected as an Australian senator! Very broadly, how in the space of three years did you go from feeling so low to where you are now? Advertisement CW: Obviously my mental health has recovered significantly, but also from the time that I turned 18, thats when I got involved with the Labor Party, and from there I got a job. I was working for my local state MP, which gave me lots of opportunities. I got involved in Young Labor, went to lots of meetings, tried to do lots of volunteering, which got me a job in the union movement, and then the opportunity came up for preselection to the Senate. But I honestly think the reason that I got here was because people believed in me, had trust in me and gave me the resources and support that I needed. Fitz: When you got that preselection, third on the ticket, what chance out of a hundred did you think you were of actually getting elected? CW: In no place in my mind was I even thinking of what the chances were. That was not even a consideration. What I was committed to, though, was getting out on the campaign trail and making sure I was talking to people about why they needed to vote Labor. Fitz: And when you found out that, against all odds, youd actually won, did you feel intimidated or overwhelmed? Did you see your carefree early 20s disappear before your eyes, into caucus meetings, planes, trains, automobiles and speeches? Did you say, Oh ... f---? CW: [Laughs.] I did not say that. But yeah, I think being overwhelmed is a very natural reaction. As in, Im 21 and Im just working 9 to 5, doing Pilates in my spare time, and now this. And so, certainly, my life has changed quite significantly, but I think Im still going to live well and enjoy my 20s. I think, in this job, one of the most important things is having a balance. So obviously, I am spending time away from home, and Im loving work, but Im still making sure that Im making time for the people and the things that are really important. Advertisement Related Article Political leadership Australias youngest-ever senator goes back to school Fitz: You mentioned in your first speech, what I bring to this parliament is the experience of young people today. The young Australians arent a side issue. Were a future issue. Were Australians now. Do you feel like your key constituency is the youth of today? Do you feel like youre speaking for that younger demographic? CW: Im a senator for South Australia. Ultimately, I am looking to represent all South Australians, but obviously Ive got this clear connection to young people, even if I dont think all young people share my exact views. But certainly, in everything I do, I try and make sure that people know what young people are thinking on that issue. Fitz: And yet, I noted on X a clip of Pauline Hansons offsider broadly saying, What would a 21-year-old dickhead like her know about anything? What is your answer to those critics who say you havent had enough life experience to know which way is up, let alone what is what, and most particularly what the government should do on any particular policy? CW: Weve got a parliament that has such a wide range of people people who have worked in politics, the law, in construction, in health, who have done a whole variety of things and all of those experiences inform and benefit our government. So Im just bringing my perspective and my experience as a young person. For too long, young people have been written off as potential parliamentarians. And I think thats really unfair. I think the perspective that I bring is important. Advertisement Fitz: You said that homeownership, in terms of youth, is increasingly out-of-reach, a dream once seen as an expected milestone of adulthood is now something many of us feel we may never achieve. What do you propose to make homeownership more reachable? New SA senator Charlotte Walker signs the caucus book alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a Labor caucus meeting. Dominic Lorrimer CW: Have a look at what policy the governments got at the moment on housing, with its two parts. Theres the issue of supply, and thats closely intertwined with costs which we have to try to lower, and the issue of having enough to make a deposit. And youll probably be aware that the governments just put forward their 5 per cent deposit scheme, which I think is genuinely exciting to allow first home buyers to put in just a 5 per cent deposit instead of 20 per cent, with the government guaranteeing the rest. I know there are a lot of young people who can afford to service a mortgage but cant manage to save up the deposit, so thats going to be massive. Fitz: You also said: The uncomfortable truth is that we live in a wealthy country, but that wealth is not being evenly shared between generations. That is obviously true, but how do you correct that? What do you say to Jim Chalmers, and in fact do you talk to the treasurer? CW: Yes, weve got a really great caucus and cabinet, and theyre really accessible. Im not going to talk about specific conversations, but theyre really responsive and keen to engage. And its not always a matter of going and saying, Ive got this opinion, Ive got this view. The ministers will come and reach out to you and ask for your perspective. As to intergenerational issues that were seeing at the moment, its just about making sure that were keeping young people in mind when were thinking about housing and jobs and the economy into the future. Advertisement Fitz: Specifically, though, would you be in favour of ... say, an inheritance tax, to help restore some kind of balance? CW: Were certainly not considering anything like that. The policies we took to the election tax cuts, housing, building more homes, the 5 per cent deposit that has just been brought forward to October 1 theyre all around intergenerational equality. There isnt a single policy that is going to solve that issue, but our policies are a step towards, as you say, restoring some kind of balance. Fitz: Do you have a big idea about how generational wealth can be more effectively passed on to younger generations? CW: I dont think that theres a one-idea solution. I think its going to take a range of measures. Fitz: On the subject of climate change, you say to the denialists, in 2050 I wont be in my late 90s, like some who want to abandon net zero. My friends and I will be in our 40s, and we demand an inhabitable planet. Thats got shades of Greta Thunberg, another outspoken young woman. Do you admire her? Advertisement CW: I admire her advocacy, and this goes for all young people who are advocates. You know, when youve got an opinion such as hers in a time where we know weve got people who dont believe in climate change and dont believe that the oceans are warming you cop a lot of hate for getting up and saying what the truth is. So I think her advocacy is brave, and admirable. Related Article Political leadership Australias youngest-ever senator goes back to school Fitz: On the subject of that criticism, you say: Internet trolls wont stop me from demanding that we act. Do the attacks by those sad sacks ever get under your skin? CW: It doesnt. Ive got staff who look after that for me and keep me informed on what people are saying. Obviously, a lot of its not particularly kind, so I elect not to look at a lot of it directly but I have staff who monitor it to keep me informed because if you listen to the negativity and dont escape from it, it can get you down. So Ive got barriers in place to ensure that doesnt happen, and Ive also got a great support network. Fitz: Do you ever find, now that youre a senator, that you have to temper what you say because of the scrutiny youre under, and that it might not only cause backlash to you, but to the party you represent? Advertisement CW: I dont think so. Something that I will admit, though as I grew up in the country, and I also worked in the union movement is that like a lot of Australians, I do swear, so when Im in the chamber and doing media interviews, Im certainly keeping an eye on my language in that regard. Fitz: All right, well, if youre free to say exactly what you think, bar swearing, heres the question: Is Donald Trump barking mad and a danger to shipping? CW: No, look, the relationship between Australia and the United States is really, genuinely important. Weve had a great relationship, and I think what were wanting to ensure is for it to continue ... Fitz: Respectfully, senator, that doesnt answer that question. Do you view Donald Trump as a very dangerous world leader? CW: Hes the democratically elected President of the United States. I dont think its appropriate for me to do a character assessment on world leaders. Hes democratically elected, and we continue to work closely with the United States. Advertisement Fitz: Welcome to politics, senator! And good luck. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here. Advertisement Updated PoliticsQueenslandProtests This was published 3 months ago Protesters clash as thousands take to streets for anti-immigration rally Catherine Strohfeldt August 31, 2025 1:40pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share Anti-immigration protesters carrying placards and Australian flags clashed with counter-protesters during Sundays March for Australia, which attracted thousands of people to Brisbanes CBD and led to one arrest. The march, which comes just a week after the huge March for Palestine, began about midday in Roma Street Parklands before the large crowd flowed into the city centre, through King George Square and down Adelaide and Edward streets towards the Botanic Gardens. On Sunday afternoon, police confirmed an estimated 6000 people attended the rally, including the counter-protesters. Assistant Acting Commissioner Tod Reid said one man was arrested and charged with two counts of assaulting police, while another was detained for breaching the peace. Advertisement Despite dozens of police posted throughout the city, anti-immigration supporters clashed with counter-protesters in Roma Street Parklands about midday. Thousands of protesters supporting the anti-immigration March for Australia arrived at the parklands amphitheatre from 11am waving a range of flags, including the Eureka Stockade and Australian maritime ensigns. Protesters and counter-protesters face-off in Brisbane on Sunday. Catherine Strohfeldt Shortly after midday, hundreds of counter-protesters, many of whom covered their faces or wore masks, arrived along Wickham Terrace waving their own flags transgender rights, Palestine, Aboriginal, LGBTQIA, and Antifa as well as banners such as no Nazis, never again. Police formed a line between the two groups as they hurled expletives and chants at each other. Advertisement The counter-protesters adopted First Nations slogans such as Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land, and addressed the protesters as Nazis. If youre brave, take away your mask, said one March for Australia protester. Counter-protesters make their views clear. Catherine Strohfeldt A counter-protester, wedged between two people holding signs depicting burning Australian flags, stood feet away with hand outstretched begging for the protester to give them an Australian flag. As police pushed the counter-protesters back half an hour into the stand-off, and 30 minutes after the planned march time, the anti-immigration group erupted into cheers before swarming into the CBD towards Parliament House. Advertisement Reid would not divulge how many police were involved in the operation, but said a routine evaluation would be undertaken to assess their response. He said police were aware that counter-protesters would be present, but he reiterated the importance of protest organisers sharing their plans with QPS as early as possible to ensure everyones safety. Police watch over the crush of protesters. Catherine Strohfeldt In the future, when [people are] going to be involved in any protest activity, continue to engage with us early. Let us know what your intentions are ... because that enables good planning ... [and allows us to] keep the people of Queensland safe, he said. At the parklands earlier, Brisbane Times approached a woman holding a sign calling for an end to mass migration and condemning the burning of flags, as had happened earlier this month following pro-Palestinian protests in Melbourne. Advertisement Another protester named Peter, who wasnt particularly concerned about foreign flags, said his main issue was housing supply. Ive got friends here who are all immigrants in fact, everyone I live with is an immigrant, and theyre all great people but the simple fact is that while theres a housing crisis, [the government] needs to put a stop to it [immigration] to get ahead, he said. Thousands assemble at the Roma Street Parklands amphitheatre about midday. Catherine Strohfeldt The march coincided with similar rallies across the country organised by far-right nationalists and promoted by neo-Nazis. Federal MP Bob Katter, who had backed the rallies earlier in the week and coupled his support with a threat to punch a Nine journalist in the mouth was seen among crowds at the Townsville rally. Advertisement A Facebook event created for the rally stated: Australia is changing in ways most of us never agreed to. People are waking up to a country they barely recognise. Endless migration, weak leadership, and political cowardice have brought us here, and its time to put a stop to it. The marches have been widely condemned, with members of Queenslands Indian community urged to stay home for fear of violent attacks. On Sunday morning, ahead of the protests, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie reiterated comments he made on Saturday that the movement had a right to protest, but he asked those assembling to do it in a safe and respectful manner. Were asking that no lines be crossed, and if a line is crossed of religious vilification, attacking a multicultural community, or inciting hate towards any individual or group ... we dont tolerate that, he said. With Alex Condon and Cameron Atfield Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement WorldEuropeRussia-Ukraine war This was published 3 months ago Prominent Ukrainian leader Andriy Parubiy shot dead in Lviv David Crowe August 31, 2025 4:29am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share London: An assassin has gunned down a prominent Ukrainian legislator on a suburban street in Lviv, sparking a search for the killer amid growing concern at Russian moves to intensify the war. Andriy Parubiy. AP Authorities launched a murder investigation for the killer of Andriy Parubiy who died instantly after being shot eight times on Saturday morning (Sunday AEST). Political leaders praised Parubiy, a former speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, as a leader of the national protests against Russian influence in 2014. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the killing a horrendous murder and said all necessary means were being put into the investigation. Advertisement Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko hailed Parubiy for his contribution to the formation of the modern Ukrainian state. This is a profound loss for the country. We must find out the circumstances of the death as soon as possible and punish all those responsible, she said. European leaders backed Ukraine in public statements about spending more on defence and deterring Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the killing in Lviv highlighted the impasse in the recent talks to end the war. Parubiy, who was born in the Lviv region, took part in the Orange Revolution of 2004 and the Euromaidan protests of 2014 against Russian control and in favour of ties with the European Union. He entered parliament in 2007 and was speaker for three years from 2016. He remained a member of parliament with the European Solidarity Party, aligned with former president Petro Poroshenko. Advertisement Related Article Updated Russia-Ukraine war Russias idea of peace: Drone and missile barrage on Kyiv kills at least 21 people Poroshenko, who lost office to Zelensky in 2019, said Parubiy had been instrumental in government in modernising the army so it could go to the front with volunteer battalions in 2014 when Russian forces moved into the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. This crime is not just shots fired at a person. It is a shot at the army. It is a shot at the language. It is a shot at faith. It is a shot at the heart of Ukraine, Poroshenko said. View post on X Russian forces launched a second large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine on Friday night local time (Saturday AEST), and explosions were reported in at least six cities. Authorities said 30 people were injured and one person died in Zaporizhzhia. Advertisement This followed a wave of hundreds of missiles and drones earlier in the week, killing 22 people including four children. The past week has also seen intense fighting in eastern Ukraine, with the Associated Press reporting that Russian forces have broken into another region of the country, citing Ukrainian military official Victor Trehubov. Russian troops entered the villages of Novoheorhiivka and Zaporizke in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, a major Ukrainian industrial centre next to the Donetsk region where fighting has been underway for more than a decade. The Trump administration approved an arms sale worth $US825 million ($1.3 billion) on Thursday to supply extended-range missiles and other equipment to Ukraine. The US also imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India on Wednesday to punish the country for buying Russian oil, amid support in Congress for secondary tariffs against countries that buy from Russia and thereby support its economy. Advertisement Putin has kept up the Russian attacks despite these US measures, while US President Donald Trump is yet to announce any further steps or negotiations to arrange a peace deal after his summit with Putin in Alaska two weeks ago. The European Union sent a pointed message to the US without naming Trump after a ministerial meeting on Saturday in Copenhagen, as member states prepare to impose more sanctions on Russia. The EUs top security and foreign affairs commissioner, former Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas, said the sanctions would be stronger if matched by transatlantic partners. Kallas also said Russia would lose foreign assets worth 210 billion ($375 billion) unless it ended the war and compensated Ukraine for the damage done. Sanctions work, she said at a press conference after meeting foreign ministers from EU member states. Advertisement Options include secondary sanctions on those backing Russias war, as well as import bans and tariffs on Russian products. Kallas also signalled tougher measures against shadow fleets the shipping owners helping Russia export its oil and said she had asked member states for their proposals next week to maximise pressure on Russia. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. News / Local by Staff reporter President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday met a group of Zimbabwean Roman Catholic priests and seminarians studying in the Vatican City, a day after holding a landmark meeting with Pope Leo XIV.The meeting, held at the President's hotel, brought together Father Innocent Chambara and seminarians Newton Maneta and Hopewell Shonhe, who are part of more than 30 Zimbabwean clergy pursuing studies at Vatican-linked institutions.Speaking after the engagement, Father Chambara said the Catholic community welcomed the President's dialogue with the Pope, especially on issues concerning education and healthcare."We discussed several issues with the President, telling him how the Catholic community is happy with his meeting with the Pope. The Catholic community is happy on issues they discussed, particularly on the role of the church in advancing education and health services," said Father Chambara.The priests were joined by Zimbabwe's Ambassador to the Vatican, Dr Sekai Nzenza, and the country's envoy to Italy, Mrs Mietani Chauke.Senior government officials who attended included Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Martin Rushwaya, and Deputy Chief Secretary for Presidential Communications Mr George Charamba.Mnangagwa's engagement with the priests followed his State visit to the Vatican, where he met Pope Leo XIV to strengthen bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and the Holy See. Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaDemocracy This was published 3 months ago Trump promises to impose ID requirements on every voter August 31, 2025 2:44pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share 4 View all comments US President Donald Trump has declared he will issue an executive order to require voter identification from every voter, while he has also appointed a self-styled investigator who made false claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election to a new role at the Department of Homeland Security. Voter I.D. Must Be Part of Every Single Vote. NO EXCEPTIONS! I Will Be Doing An Executive Order To That End!!!, Trump said on Truth Social. Also, No Mail-In Voting, Except For Those That Are Very Ill, And The Far Away Military. President Donald Trump at the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia this weekend. AP Trump has long questioned the US electoral system and continues to falsely claim that his 2020 loss to Democratic President Joe Biden was the result of widespread fraud. The president and his Republican allies also have made baseless claims about widespread voting by non-citizens, which is illegal and rarely occurs. The MIT Election Data + Science Lab says voter ID has been a source of political controversy in the United States for nearly two decades, and rules vary widely from state to state. Advertisement Under the 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA), all first-time voters in federal elections in every state must show some form of ID at the polls if they registered by mail, but not if they registered in person. States are allowed to add identification requirements beyond this HAVA minimum, and a number of states in the south and Mid West require strict photo ID for all voters. Supporters argue that strict ID requirements will deter voter fraud and instil confidence in the integrity of the electoral process, while opponents argue it disenfranchises poor voters. Earlier in August, Trump pledged to issue an executive order to end the use of mail-in ballots and voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. However, federal elections are administered at the state level, and it is unclear whether the president has the constitutional power to enact such a measure. An election worker scans an envelope that holds a voting machine memory card at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Centre in Atlanta last November. nna\EMcPherson The midterm elections on November 3, 2026 will be the first nationwide referendum on Trumps domestic and foreign policies since he returned to power in January. Democrats will be seeking to break the Republicans grip on both the House of Representatives and the Senate to block Trumps domestic agenda. Advertisement Trump has also appointed a self-styled conservative election investigator to an election integrity role at the US Department of Homeland Security last week. Pennsylvania activist Heather Honey, whose faulty findings on voter data were used by Trump to contest the 2020 election, is now serving as the deputy assistant secretary for election integrity in the departments Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans, an organisational chart on its website shows. The role did not exist under former president Joe Biden. Honey runs an investigations and auditing consulting firm called Haystack Investigations, according to her LinkedIn profile. Since 2020, she also has led various election research groups whose flawed analyses of election data have fuelled right-wing attacks on voting procedures, including in battleground states Pennsylvania and Arizona. The claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election were one of the drivers of the insurrection at Capitol Hill on January 6 2021. Getty Images, digitally tinted In 2020, her election research misrepresented incomplete state voter data to falsely claim that Pennsylvania had more votes reported than voters. Trump echoed the falsehood during his speech to supporters on January 6, 2021, saying Pennsylvania had 205,000 more votes than you had voters. Shortly after, his supporters violently attacked the US Capitol to try to prevent Biden from becoming president. Advertisement In 2022, Honeys organisation Verity Vote issued a report claiming that Pennsylvania had sent some 250,000 unverified mail ballots to voters who provided invalid identification or no identification at all. Officials in Pennsylvania said the claim flagrantly misrepresented the way the state classified applications for mail-in and absentee ballots. In 2021, Honey was involved in the Arizona Senates partisan audit of election results in populous Maricopa County. The audit was described by experts as riddled with errors, bias and flawed methodology, yet after six months of searching for evidence of fraud, it still came up with a vote tally that confirmed Bidens win. Related Article Renewables Trump blew up Americas offshore wind industry now hes blowing up ours Former Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer said he received dozens of public records requests related to elections and based on that experience, she was not a serious auditor. He said he was surprised to hear she had been elevated to a position of such authority and responsibility. David Becker, executive director of the nonprofit Centre for Election Innovation and Research, said DHS used to have real credibility in its advisory role on elections, but the agency had fired its real experts and also done away with much of its work tracking foreign influence campaigns targeting voters. Advertisement What Im concerned about is that it seems like DHS is being poised to use the vast power and megaphone of the federal government to spread disinformation rather than combat it, Becker said. Neither Honey nor DHS responded to requests for comment. With Reuters, AP Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Democracy US midterm elections Donald Trump Property advisor Savills Ireland is seeking offers in excess of 30 million for a high-quality residential collection of scale comprising 13 properties situated in prime rental areas across Dublin City. The collection features a total of 91 fully let residential units positioned across popular neighbourhoods including Clontarf, Glasnevin, Drumcondra, Phibsborough, and Stoneybatter. Savills said the properties are conveniently grouped closely together for ease of management and benefit from excellent proximity to major transport links and key employment hubs, providing strong appeal to tenants and investors alike. The collection currently generates a gross passing income of approximately 2.145 million per annum, which equates to an average rent of approximately 1,965 per unit per month. The 91 units include a unique mixture of studio, 1-bed, 2-bed, 3-bed and 4-bed units offering considerable unit diversification. "Strong investor interest is expected in this opportunity due to the very attractive returns on offer underpinned by the extremely high-quality assets and the exceptionally robust fundamentals of the Dublin rental market with strong population and employment growth, minimal vacancy and an acute supply / demand imbalance," said Kevin McMahon of Savills Ireland. "We also expect interest from a number of new investor entrants following the very favourable proposed amendments to the Irish rent regulations which will enable stronger rental growth and overall returns." Savills said all properties within the collection have been subject to extensive refurbishment programmes and finished to the highest quality, in full compliance with planning and fire regulations and local authority housing standards. A price of 30 million for the collection offers investors a day 1 gross yield of 7.15%. CAMEROUN :: Prince Theophile Kwendjeu: A Prominent Actor in Development :: CAMEROON Prince Theophile Kwendjeu is an exceptional Cameroonian figure, a rare gem who shines like a sun on young people. Born in 1966 in Ndoungue, he comes from two royal courts (Bagangte and Bamoun), which gives him a unique stature. Education and Professional Background His academic career is marked by brilliant success, culminating in a Master's degree in Business Management. As an excellent manager, Prince Theophile Kwendjeu successfully completed numerous road infrastructure projects in Cameroon, including the construction of the Foumban-Bankim section and the stadium bypasses in Limbe and Bafoussam. Professional Experience He has held management positions in several large companies, including Wintimes Cameroon, Atlas Telecom (General Manager residing in the CAR for 8 years, then Regional Director for Central and West Africa for 4 years at the same company, Atlas Telecom; an American multinational), and ESER Contracting (a Turkish multinational as National Director for 8 years). Political and Community Engagement He is a staunch supporter of the Head of State and played a major role in the successes of the CPDM during the legislative, municipal, and presidential elections. He is the Founding President and National President of the Movement for the Support of President Paul Biya. Charity Activities Patron and president of several charitable organizations, Prince Theophile Kwendjeu is a multifaceted man whose social works are countless. It has invested in various areas, including: - Education: construction of numerous buildings and classrooms across the country, donations of school supplies, sponsorship of some forty graduating classes of ENIEG students, etc. - Health: construction of two hospitals for the population. - Youth Entrepreneurship: financial support and guidance. - Local Infrastructure Improvement: donations of more than 3,000 solar streetlights and more than 1,800 household lamps to the populations of several localities. Other Activities He is also: - Patron of the National Citizen Caravan - Patron of the "Happy New Year Mr. President Paul Biya" movement - Honorary President of Synajic (National Union of Independent Journalists of Cameroon) - Model Citizen Volunteer Sponsor at LAFTA, a recognized public-interest NGO working for the well-being of elderly refugees and internally displaced persons - A notable inducted into several chiefdoms, including the Chiefdom of Batoufam in the West, the first notable in the Chiefdom of Matem 2 in the Littoral, and the notable for prosperity and development in the Chiefdom of NTUI in Mbam. - The only NDE Elite to have been inducted by the 13 Monarch Chiefs of the NDE villages, Menkam Napgo Nyap Keutobrou (the secular arm of the Kings who organize the smooth running of the people's lives and who share without discrimination). Pour plus d'informations sur l'actualite, abonnez vous sur : notre chaine WhatsApp IT was a lawyer who asked Jesus in the Gospel, Who is my neighbour? He was probably expecting a definition that would determine the limits of his obligations. Did neighbour refer to his immediate community, or did it extend beyond that to the whole village? Should people living nearby in the countryside be considered neighbours also? What about those of a different race or religion? And what about troublemakers and criminals: Should they too be thought of as neighbours? Instead of giving a definition, Jesus told a story about an unfortunate man who had been beaten, robbed and left half dead by the side of the road. Several respectable members of society heard his cry for help but ignored him. But one passerby, a Samaritan heard the mans groans, was moved with compassion and came to his rescue. He bandaged his wounds, brought him to an inn, and even offered to pay his expenses. Having heard the story, the lawyer acknowledged that it was the despised Samaritan who truly was a neighbour to the unfortunate man. Jesus then concluded, Go, and do the same yourself. If Jesus were to tell the story today, perhaps he would tell it differently. He might talk about a family of Ukrainian refugees who have to flee their home in Mariupol. Leaving all their possessions behind, desperately hoping to find security for their children, after months of rejection they eventually arrive in a small village in the west of Ireland. There they are welcomed by the community, given shelter by a local family, and warmly accepted into the local school. Or maybe Jesus would tell another story: About those who set out often defying official regulations, to rescue migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean in flimsy boats about to sink. Or perhaps he would talk about those who dedicate themselves to rescuing vulnerable women who are being trafficked and sexually exploited. Jesus would truly be present to support the people of Gaza. There are so many stories Jesus could tell about todays Good Samaritans who come to the aid of our migrant neighbours. His parting words would remain unchanged, however: Go, and do the same yourself. Some eight hundred years ago, a young Italian called Francis went out one day for a walk. He was widely known and well-liked by the people. When he came to a village called Gubbio, the villagers told him of a wolf living nearby that sometimes killed their lambs and threatened them when they tried to defend them. What did you do? asked Francis. They answered, We tried poisoning it; when it came near, we stoned it, threw spears and shot arrows at it. We did everything we could think of, but we failed. Its too clever for us, and tough as well. Where does the wolf live? asked Francis. Over there, they said, and pointed to the woods on the nearby hillside. Ill go there, said Francis, and talk to my brother the wolf. The people told him he was mad even to think of such a thing. They said the wolf was angry and aggressive and would surely attack him. He was very strong, they said, and could overpower any man. Francis simply repeated, Ill go, and off he went. The people expected never to see him again. Francis approached the wood openly, looking out for tracks as he went. After a while he saw the footprints of a wolf on the soft ground. They were large and deep. He kept going, following the prints until he came to a clearing in front of an opening in the rocks on the hillside. There he sat and waited, quietly humming a tune to himself. After a long time, Francis thought he heard a sound. He looked up and saw that the wolf had emerged from the opening and was looking straight at him. It looked angry and growled threateningly. Francis stayed where he was, then slowly reached into his pocket and took out a piece of food he had brought with him. He held it out towards the wolf. The wolf backed further away and growled louder, baring its teeth. Its frightened, thought Francis, so he broke off a piece of the food and laid it on the ground in front of himself. He then moved back a little and waited. Slowly and hesitantly, the wolf was drawn by the smell of the food. It edged nearer to Francis, eyeing him carefully all the time. Then, in a sudden dash, it grabbed the food and ran back. Francis stayed where he was and waited. The wolf re-appeared. This time Francis held the remaining food out in front of him and kept it there. The wolf, suspecting a trick or trap, crouched and watched him, ready to run. Then, drawn once again, it came forward again and snatched the food from Francis hand without harming him. Francis got up slowly, turned around in front of the wolf, and walked back to the village. The people there were amazed to see him, and even more to notice that he was completely unhurt. What happened? they asked, Did you see the wolf? So, he told them, and then said, Brother Wolf was hungry. That was why he stole your lambs. When you attacked him, he became angry. When you tried to kill him, he defended himself. Give him food and youll make a friend of him.. He asked people to collect the scraps of food left over from the village each day and to bring them to the wood. They did so and the wolf no longer attacked them. The villagers and the wolf of Gubbio became friends, and they grew in respect for the young man, Saint Francis of Assisi. If your enemies are hungry, feed them. (Romans 12.20) Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. News / Local by Staff reporter Zimbabwe is carrying out major rehabilitation and modernisation works at some of its leading airports, with Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls International Airport among the key facilities undergoing extensive upgrades.The Airports Company of Zimbabwe (ACZ) is spearheading the projects as part of a nationwide programme to improve infrastructure, enhance efficiency, and align the country's aviation sector with international standards.At Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, work is underway on the terminal building to improve passenger flow, comfort and security. The runway is also being rehabilitated to ensure safer aircraft operations, while a new storm water drainage system is being installed to protect infrastructure from flooding. In addition, the airport's fire station is being upgraded to strengthen emergency response capacity.During a recent tour of the airport, the ACZ board and executive team also reviewed wildlife protection systems designed to keep animals away from the airfield, a vital measure for aviation safety. The company said the visit underscored its commitment to turning the airport into a modern hub for regional connectivity and economic development."Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport is more than just a gateway to the City of Kings and Queens; it's a vital hub for regional connectivity and economic development. Its ongoing developmental projects reflect our dedication to creating a world-class travel experience," ACZ said in a statement.Meanwhile, Victoria Falls International Airport is also set for a major facelift to cope with rising passenger numbers and shifting aviation demands. The project includes terminal renovations, technology upgrades, and the construction of new facilities such as a dedicated Cargo Village and an uplift catering service.ACZ public relations and communications manager, Tonderai Mangombe, said the upgrades were necessary to restore the airport to its prime and position it as a competitive international hub."We need to commensurate our growth in passenger traffic and airlines with the infrastructure that we have. We are upgrading the checking system, both hardware and software, so that passengers can be assisted quickly and more efficiently," he said.He added that a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with China Jiangsu, the original builders of Victoria Falls and Harare International Airports, to carry out a full-scale refurbishment. The project is expected to be completed by 2026.Among the most significant developments is the construction of a Cargo Village, which will provide dedicated facilities for perishable goods such as vegetables, fish from Binga, and other products destined for export. An uplift catering facility will also be introduced, allowing airlines to source meals locally instead of importing them from their departure points.The investment is supported by strong passenger growth figures. In July alone, Victoria Falls International Airport handled 62 279 travellers, a 29.56 percent increase from June and a 39.69 percent jump compared to the same month last year.Other airports earmarked for expansion include Hwange Airport, which is set for a US$20 million rehabilitation of its taxiway and apron, and Kariba Airport.ACZ said the ongoing works are part of a broader effort to strengthen Zimbabwe's aviation ecosystem, improve service delivery, and unlock the full economic potential of the country's airports. Home News Archaeologists unearth massive wall at site where Jesus healed blind man in Gospel of John A massive wall unearthed in ancient Jerusalem has been identified as part of the original engineering that formed the Pool of Siloam, the site where Jesus is said to have healed a blind man. Researchers described the discovery as a rare physical link to a location cited in the Gospel of John. The 39-foot-tall structure, dating to around 2,800 years ago, was part of a sophisticated hydraulic system that helped channel water to the pool from the Gihon Spring. Archaeologists excavating the site were able to radiocarbon date organic materials embedded in the mortar, including branches and twigs, confirming construction during the First Temple period, The Telegraph reported. Excavation director Itamar Berko of the Israel Antiquities Authority was quoted as saying that the wall offers tangible remnants of a location long known only through scriptural references. He said the discovery was a massive dam wall built during the reigns of kings Joash and Amaziah. Berko added that the scale and preservation of the structure reveal the engineering capabilities of Jerusalems ancient residents. The dam spans over 26 feet in width and more than 68 feet in length. It was designed to capture and direct rainfall runoff into a central basin, serving both as a water reservoir during drought and as a barrier against flash flooding in the Tyropoeon Valley. The flow would have otherwise drained unchecked into the Kidron Valley and down to the Dead Sea. The site corresponds to the Pool of Siloam described in the New Testaments Gospel of John, where Jesus sends a blind man to wash his eyes and regain his vision. The pool was likely sustained by the dam wall, which has now been uncovered. Though long associated with religious tradition, physical remnants of the pools origin had remained elusive until now. Archaeologists said the dating of the structure aligned with periods of erratic weather conditions, including low rainfall punctuated by short, intense storms, offering insight into the environmental challenges faced by the Kingdom of Judah. They explained that the dam might have been a strategic response to such a climate crisis. Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu said the discovery reveals the technological ingenuity of ancient Jerusalems engineers and supports historical accounts of the eras environmental challenges. The exposure of the largest dam ever found in Israel, in the heart of ancient Jerusalem, is tangible evidence of the strength of the Kingdom of Judah and the creativity of its kings in dealing with natural and environmental challenges, he said. Already 2,800 years ago, the residents of Jerusalem found sophisticated ways to apply outstanding engineering ingenuity and devise creative solutions to a severe climate crisis. The findings are set to be formally presented at the 26th City of David Studies Conference early next month under the title The Lost Pool The Enigma of Siloam. The presentation follows earlier official announcements recognizing the sites significance and plans to open it to the public. In December 2022, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion had said in a statement: The Pool of Siloam in the City of David National Park in Jerusalem is a site of historic, national and international significance. After many years of expectation, we will soon begin uncovering this important site and make it accessible to the millions of visitors and tourists who visit Jerusalem every year. On Facebook, the Israel Antiquities Authority wrote about another excavation. Archaeologists uncovered what they believe are some of the oldest known lamp wicks in the world. The organic textile fragments, dating to the Intermediate Bronze Age around 25002000 BCE, were discovered preserved inside clay lamps buried in tombs near the city of Yehud. The lamps were uncovered during construction work overseen by the Israel Lands Authority, and were found alongside pottery, animal bones, metal weapons and jewelry. The wicks were preserved because they were sealed inside the lamps and used during the burial ceremonies. The presence of soot on the tested wicks suggests they were actively used during burial rituals. Excavation directors Gilad Itach, Yossi Elisha and Yaniv Agmon explained that fire held ritual and symbolic significance in burial practices across the ancient Near East, and that the phrase Ner Neshama, or flame of the soul, might have its roots in this tradition. Home News Christians in Turkey face rise in hate crimes, govt crackdowns Christians in Turkey are suffering under a resurgence in religiously motivated hate crimes, according to a human rights report. The Association of Protestant Churches 2024 Human Rights Violation Report noted an increase in the number of hate crimes despite Turkey's official claim of protecting religious freedom. Protestant Christian individuals or institutions experienced hate crimes or associated physical attacks due solely to their faith, noted the report. 2024 saw an increase from the previous year in both written and oral hate speech aimed at provoking hate in public opinion, both written and verbal, that was directed at Protestant Christian individuals or institutions. Among reported incidents was an armed attack on the Salvation Church association building in Cekmekoy on Dec. 31, 2024, with an assailant firing shots from a car and attempting to remove signs from the facility. It was noted that the same individual also reacted against citizens who were celebrating the New Year and said, We will not allow you to brainwash our Muslim youth! Oh infidels, you will be defeated and swept up into hell, the report noted. When a reporter later asked the individual why he had done this, his reply was, Because I felt like it. Assailants fired shots at the Eskisehir Salvation Church building on Jan. 20, 2024, when no one was inside, according to the report. Bullets hit a dentists clinic below the churchs level. Police who attended the scene did not retrieve the bullet casing, nor did they file a report, the persecution report noted. The crime was not recorded, and there was no follow-up investigation by police. Separately, a Christian English teacher for a private evening class lost her job on Dec. 9, 2024, at a school linked to the Malatya Board of Education. Administrators gave her no cause, but a school director warned her, Be careful which associations you attend and the foreigners you make friends with, according to the report. An appeal to the board of education and security authorities was dismissed. She did not open a court case for unfair dismissal because she is concerned about the possible repercussions for her older sister, who is a civil servant, noted the report. In Kusadas, a partially burned New Testament was left outside a church building on March 12. In Kayseri on July 2, unknown assailants attacked the Kayseri Churchs laundromat and food distribution center, which serves refugees. In Bahcelievler on July 28, two people attempted to force open the door of Bahcelievler Grace Church, damaging its sign. On Nov. 28, two people insulted church members outside Izmir Karsyaka Salvation Church, asking, Why dont the local people murder you? A pastor at Suruc Church, working in a bookshop, was accused of trying to change peoples religion and asked if he was a missionary. Muslims also issued threats on social media, with one commenting, May God punish you, this is a Muslim city, how dare you celebrate Christmas here, you cannot brainwash anyone, are you not afraid about having to give an account to God? The report also stated that police tried to bribe two members of Malatya Church into becoming informants, telling them, This is to ensure your safety. Officers offered a large sum of money to one of the Christians, saying, We need someone we can trust on the inside. Police also indicated that the church was under surveillance. In Luleburgaz, the local office of the Salvation Churches Association fell victim to a campaign to close it down. The report noted problems concerning its sign, and then a campaign of signatures attempted to close it down. Finally, a local governor used a court process to close the office on the basis of its religious activities. Because this court case could threaten the survival of all the other Salvation Churches, this representative office was closed and the court case lapsed, the report stated. In Kutahya, landlords refused to rent premises to Kutahya Church after the fellowship was forced to leave its premises. No landlord in town was prepared to rent to a church, stated the report. One realtor asked the churchs representative to leave his office, saying, I am a Muslim. It would not be right for me to find you a location. Your very existence is a threat. The church is still struggling to find a place to meet. Members of the Eastern Black Sea Salvation Church suffered a number of hate speech incidents. Some even faced workplace pressures because of their Christian faith, resulting in them leaving their jobs or churches. Muslims also prevented church members from proselytizing in a cafe, and the child of a church member who is married to a Muslim was told at school, Your father is a Muslim, so you are a Muslim. Other churches encountered obstacles from authorities. Didim Light Church was denied permission to distribute brochures about itself, and officials prevented Antalya Bible Church multiple times from inviting Turks to Easter and Christmas celebrations. They also received threatening telephone calls and messages from many people, noted the report. Social media insults The report recorded increased use of social media to insult Protestant Christians. We encounter speech filled with insults and profanity directed at official church social media accounts, church leaders, Christianity, Christian values and Christians in general; these often originate from the activity of social media groups that cultivate hatred against Christians and have targeted Christian websites and social media accounts, stated the report. An unnamed person on Dec. 29 targeted the pastor of Suruc Church with hate speech on social media after Christmas celebrations, saying, enough is enough, may God give the priest who opened a church in Suruc what he deserves we expect the government authorities to act immediately in this matter. At Karsyaka Salvation Church on the same day, security forces interrupted a worship service to check the identification of church members and guests. Foreign Christians Foreign Christians living in Turkiye also suffered. Authorities levied N-82 codes banning entry to the country or G-87 codes denying residence visas. Between 2019 and 2024, 132 foreign Christians received an entry ban code, causing problems for churches relying on foreign pastors, according to the report. Although local Christians offer spiritual leadership, the foreign church leaders continued to be unrecognized as a profession by local authorities and official bodies. Among churches suffering from such bans were Christian leaders at the Eastern Black Sea Salvation Church. Foreign Christians were deported, refused entry to Turkey or denied residence permits and visas in 2024, according to the report. Many congregations were left in a difficult situation, and there continues to be a great need for religious workers, added the report, listing denied individuals as nationals from the U.S., U.K., South Korea, Germany, other European countries, Latin America and other regions. Most of these people have settled in our country for many years and live here with their families, the report highlighted. These people have no criminal record, investigation or court documents concerning them. This situation has exposed a huge humanitarian problem. Having someone from a family receive an unexpected entry ban shatters family unity and leaves everyone in the family facing a chaotic situation. A constitutional court on June 8 ruled against nine foreign Christians appealing against an N-82 code restricting their residence permission in the country. Further details about the circumstances were not disclosed. The names of these nine Christians were published by the court, which led to their being accused by many media outlets of being missionaries and enemies of the state; many instances of hate speech against them were widely shared, stated the report. In particular, many social media comments called for the death penalty against these Christians or commented that it was a religious duty to kill them. Protestants in Turkey number 214 fellowships of varying sizes, with most located in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. Of this number, 152 have gained legal status as religious foundations, church associations, or representative branches. The remaining 62 fellowships lack legal entity status. Protestant communities also face challenges finding places to worship, noted the report, if they are not deemed traditional in outlook. Rents for churches can also be unusually high. A lack of recognition for fellowships meeting in locations such as rented shops or depots means the churches miss benefits such as free electricity or tax exemptions from authorities. Because members of the Protestant community are mostly new Christians, they do not have religious buildings that are part of their cultural and religious heritage like traditional Christian communities have in Turkey, stated the report. There are very few historical church buildings which are available for use. Religious personnel were banned from the Turkish National Education system, so Protestant communities provide their own training. In 2024, the laws in Turkey continued to block the possibility of training Christian clergy and the opening of schools to provide religious education for the members of church communities in any way, noted the report. Yet the right to train and develop religious leaders is one of the foundational pillars of the freedom of religion and belief. The Protestant community solves this issue by providing apprentice training, giving seminars within Turkey, sending students abroad or utilizing the support of foreign clergy, the report stated. Other issues include difficulties for Christians obtaining a non-Islamic-based education and a lack of cemeteries for Christians. The association recommended proactively training public officials on religious freedom rights and ending policies prohibiting the entry of foreign Protestants to the country. This article was originally published at Christian Daily International Home News Congregation grieves loss of pastor killed in collision with semi-truck Members of a church in Tennessee are mourning the unexpected and tragic loss of their pastor, who died this week after he was struck by a semi-truck while riding his bicycle. Rowland Seth Buck, 61, was fatally injured Tuesday morning in Alcoa, Tennessee, after his bicycle collided with an 18-wheeler at the intersection of East Hunt Road and North Wright Road, WATE reported. He was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he later died. The Alcoa Fire Department and American Medical Response joined officers at the scene after receiving an emergency call about a serious crash involving the pastor and the truck. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not hurt. Buck was the pastor of St. Marks Global Methodist Church in Louisville, where he had served for several years. He also held the role of presiding elder in the Global Methodist Church, according to an obituary from Smith Funeral and Cremation Service. He was married to his wife, Sinda, for 38 years and had two sons, Caleb and Chris. His grandchildren are Sauphia, Sutton and Holland. He is also survived by his brothers, Robert Harold Buck Jr. and Reggie Buck, along with several nieces and nephews. Friends and colleagues described Buck as a man of deep faith and lasting impact, according to local news outlet WATE. Jason Rowe, a fellow pastor and longtime friend, was quoted as saying that the news of his death hurt my heart greatly. He recalled that Buck had baptized his eldest child and that the two men once traveled together to their old seminary, spending several days in just like a brotherhood. Rowe said Buck will be remembered as a great friend, family man, and someone who made a real community impact through the church. He was a true guy. Our community has lost a mighty warrior, a man of faith, a man who deeply loved Jesus. He walked it. He lived it and he wanted people to experience and know the peace of Christ, he added. Rowe said Bucks ability to connect with people left a wide impression. The Alcoa Police Department offered condolences to Bucks family and friends, and said officers would continue their investigation into the cause of the crash. Visitation will be held at 5 p.m. on Sept. 2 at Fairview Church, with a service to follow at 7 p.m. led by the Rev. Brian Rainwater. Interment will be private. Home News This week in Christian history: Francis Asbury leaves for America, St. Aidan dies, September Massacres Throughout the extensive history of the Church, numerous events of lasting significance have occurred. Each week marks anniversaries of impressive milestones, unforgettable tragedies, amazing triumphs, memorable births and notable deaths. Some events, spanning over 2,000 years of history, might be familiar, while others might be unknown to many. The following pages highlight anniversaries of memorable events that occurred this week in Christian history, including the death of Saint Aidan, Francis Asbury leaving for America, and the massacre of nearly 200 priests by French Revolutionaries. News / Local by Staff reporter Zimbabwe's economy registered strong growth in the second quarter of 2025, with gross domestic product (GDP) rising 7,01 percent compared to the previous quarter, according to figures released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat).The quarterly GDP stood at ZiG18,8 billion, up from ZiG17,5 billion in the first quarter. Year-on-year, output expanded by 11,04 percent, more than double the 5,10 percent growth recorded in the first three months of the year. ZimStat said the second quarter results marked the country's strongest quarterly performance since before the Covid-19 pandemic.Mining and quarrying contributed the largest share of output at 14,9 percent, followed closely by manufacturing at 14,6 percent. Agriculture accounted for 12,2 percent, while wholesale and retail trade and financial services contributed 11 percent and 10,3 percent, respectively.Firm global commodity prices and record gold deliveriesaexceeding 11 tonnes in the quarterahelped propel mining. The ramping up of production at Dinson Iron and Steel Company's plant also added to growth. Manufacturing gained from rising capacity utilisation in food processing, cement production and textiles, while agriculture benefitted from favourable rainfall and state-backed input schemes.Economist Gladys Shumbambiri-Mutsopotsi described the figures as proof that policy interventions were beginning to pay off."This 7 percent growth rate is not just a number; it reflects an economy that is finding its rhythm," she said.Banker Raymond Madziva said the rebound was strengthening confidence in financial markets."The positive GDP trend gives confidence to lenders and investors. It also signals that Zimbabwe's risk profile is gradually improving," he said.Analysts, however, warned that sustaining the momentum would require addressing structural weaknesses."The numbers are encouraging, but they should not lull us into complacency," said economist Tinevimbo Shava. "Energy supply, infrastructure gaps and governance in State-owned enterprises must be tackled if this growth is to continue."Walter Mandeya of Trigrams Investments added that the recovery must translate into tangible benefits for citizens."This is a positive development, but it must cascade further to individuals. A much better picture is when this GDP growth rate leads to job creation, stability in prices, or the availability of basic goods," he said.The upbeat report provides a boost to the Government as it prepares the 2026 National Budget, with policymakers expected to focus on expanding renewable energy, strengthening the investment climate and deepening mineral beneficiation. Why Trump's Proclamation About Trying To 'Get To Heaven' Matters: Inside The Debate link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 09:15 09:15 What are Christians to make of President Donald Trump's comments about wanting to get into heaven? The commander-in-chief's recent proclamations reignited a theological debate about faith and works and sparked a litany of questions. "President Donald Trump's recent comments suggesting he could earn his way to Heaven by ending the Ukraine-Russia war prompted a flurry of theological debate on social media regarding good works, salvation and the state of the president's soul," The Christian Post's Jon Brown recently wrote, noting Trump said the following during a "Fox & Friends" interview: "I want to try and get to Heaven if possible. I'm hearing I'm not doing well. I hear I'm really at the bottom of the totem pole." Brown joins "The Inside Story" to break down the discussion and debate that followed. Read more here: https://www.christianpost.com/news/trumps-comments-over-heaven-spark-debate-over-salvation-works.html Home Opinion A tribute to the man behind Dr. James Dobson Its not every day that one gets to see private childhood home movies of someone famous. But I had such a privilege some 30 years ago, when I produced a feature on Dr. James Dobson, who died last week. He founded and led for decades the worldwide ministry of Focus on the Family, which became a virtual media empire, reaching millions of people worldwide. After he left Focus on the Family, he created Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson. I was privileged to be a guest on that program a couple of times. Gary Bauer, co-author with Dobson, continues programming for Family Talk with James Dobson, including broadcasts on our nations Christian roots. But in 1993, I traveled to Colorado Springs to interview him for a Fathers Day TV segment for Coral Ridge Ministries. Im still with the ministry, which was founded by Dr. D. James Kennedy, who died in 2007. And who delivered Dr. Kennedys eulogy? Dr. James Dobson. The two of them joined forces in the 1990s with Evangelical leaders Bill Bright, Larry Burkett, Marlin Maddoux, and others to create the pro-religious freedom legal group now known as the Alliance Defending Freedom. But back to 1993. Despite his amazing accomplishments, Dr. James Dobson gave credit first, of course, to the Lord Jesus Christ, but also to one man: his own father, Rev. James Dobson, Sr. What follows are some of Dr. Dobsons (Jr.) remarks from our interview. His father was a humble evangelist and pastor for the Nazarenes denomination in some Western states. He was known for his diligent prayer life. Dr. Dobson said of him in our interview, He traveled an awful lot. He was gone for a month or six weeks at a time. But when he came home, he was mine. But as the son began to experience his early teens, he began to show signs of mild rebellion. So his father decisively changed his plans to devote time to his teenage son. Dobson told me, He had a four-year slate of revival meetings scheduled. He was probably the prominent evangelist in his denomination at the time. He instantly canceled that slate, all of those meetings. The senior Dobson sold their house, moved the family 700 miles south to Texas, and took a pastorate so that he could be home with James, Jr., for the two years of high school. Notes the famous son with great appreciation: He actually put me ahead of his profession. As I was putting this story together for said television segment on Christian TV, Dr. James Dobson lent me access to his private home movies, with the caveat that these scenes could only be used for that particular segment, which I obeyed. What a privilege to see those old black-and-white films of the Dobsons fishing, hiking, and so on. Years went by, and James Dobson, Jr. had a family of his own. He earned his Ph.D. in psychology and became a professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California and a psychologist at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles. Later, he shifted to the broadcast ministry to reach more people. But Dr. Dobson was getting so busy that his father became concerned. So the father wrote a letter to his son, which said essentially, Be careful, you could lose your children upon the altar of career ambition. Not only did his father help Jim Dobson focus on his own family, but he also helped play a key behind-the-scenes role in his sons ministry. When the elder Dobson was fasting and praying at age 66 for direction for the rest of his life, he felt as if he heard from the Lord: I know your love for My people. I know your love for the Gospel, and Im going to answer your prayer, and youre going to reach millions of people, coast to coast and around the world. Im going to bless your ministry around the world, but it is not going to be through you. It is going to be through your son. The next day, his father had a massive heart attack from which he never recovered. The son never even learned about this insight his father received until he was told about it by his aunt seven years later. And the son recognized that his dad played a pivotal role in the amazingly impactful ministry. Dobson, Jr. said, It really is true that this ministry is a product of my fathers ministry and especially of his prayer life. With the death of Dr. Dobson last week, we lost a great man. He reminded us of our need to focus on the family a message modern America needs now more than ever. As has been said so well: As the family goes, so goes the nation. News / Local by Staff reporter More than 100 young people battling drug and substance abuse have been enrolled in a National Youth Service (NYS) camp in Zvishavane, Midlands Province, for a three-month rehabilitation and skills training programme, government officials confirmed.The initiative is part of the government's revived NYS programme, which targets 10,000 youthsaknown as the Green Bombersafor training in fitness, discipline, and vocational skills. NYS camps, previously disbanded due to underfunding, were originally named after the late Zanu PF MP Border Gezi.Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment and Vocational Training, Kudakwashe Mupamhanga, told Parliament that 133 youths are currently undergoing training in Dadaya. "Out of these, 63 are graduates from the Angel of Hope Foundation, which is supported by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa," he said.Mupamhanga said the programme combines three months of physical training, including running, with three months of skills development such as bricklaying. Graduates are later absorbed into the Youth Build Zimbabwe Programme, which engages them in community development projects, including road maintenance, construction and rehabilitation of clinics and schools, and public borehole installations."When they complete training at the NYS, most of them desist from drugs," Mupamhanga said. "The programme not only keeps youth occupied but also provides a platform for acquiring skills, empowering them, and steering them away from illicit substances."The move comes amid rising drug abuse among Zimbabwean youths, largely driven by unemployment and economic hardship. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has called for tougher penalties against drug abusers and the cartels supplying narcotics.Mupamhanga noted that the ministry is collaborating with the Angel of Hope Foundation to enrol rehabilitation centre graduates into the NYS. He added that the government's anti-drug campaign, "No To Dangerous Drugs And Illicit Substances: See Something, Say Something," seeks to curb both supply and consumption of illegal substances across the country. News / National by Staff reporter A damning forensic audit has revealed the misappropriation of US$38,000 at Clare Fashions, a company wholly owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mutare, exposing serious lapses in financial controls and oversight. At the centre of the scandal are Father James Nyanga, the former managing director, and Albert Mabhiza, the administrative assistant, whose actions the audit describes as a acomplex web of theft and deception.aThe Special Financial Review and Forensic Audit, conducted between January and April 2024, concluded that Mabhiza exhibited aclear criminal intentiona to defraud the company, with Father Nyanga allegedly complicit in the wrongdoing. Despite these serious findings, Father Nyanga has since been reassigned within the diocese, prompting questions about accountability and governance.Clare Fashions generates revenue primarily from selling school uniforms to Roman Catholic-owned schools. The audit report highlights multiple control deficiencies, including delayed issuance of receipts, lack of verification of collected funds, and overlapping duties between the administrative assistant and finance staff. Mabhiza, who failed to cooperate with auditors, was responsible for receipting cash, maintaining the cash book, managing cash boxes, and participating in cash countsafunctions that created opportunities for embezzlement.The audit traced a sequence of irregularities, including lost safe keys, manipulated cash book entries, and unaccounted cash, culminating in a reported loss of US$37,964. aThe progression of events resulted in Clare Fashionas management advising the board, through a letter dated June 11, 2024,a the report stated, emphasizing that the administrative assistantas overlapping functions enabled the misuse of funds and manipulation of records without immediate detection.Financial irregularities were also identified in several diocesan schools, including St Judes in Nyazura, Regina Coeli in Nyanga, Charles Lwanga in Chimanimani, and Mweyamutsvene in Mutare rural. At Charles Lwanga, Father Owold Saunyama, representing the Responsible Authority, was transferred following the discovery of financial discrepancies.Father Philip Kembo, Education Director for the Diocese of Mutare, defended the churchas approach to the findings, explaining that internal audits precede any external involvement, depending on the severity of the issue. aThe diocese will work hand-in-glove with the ministry to initiate legal procedures to recover lost public funds,a he said, adding that the church follows the Constitution and ensures due process for the accused before taking action.Clare Fashions itself issued a statement denying participation in any defamation, asserting that internal reports and audit findings are confidential, and emphasizing that the company has processes for continuous review and redress. The statement also stressed that employeesa disciplinary matters are confidential and separate from the shareholder, the diocese.The audit report further recommended tightening of internal controls, including prompt issuance of receipts, rigorous cash counts with dual oversight from the managing director and finance officer, and encouraging direct bank transfers from schools to reduce cash handling risks. The report stressed the need for sequential monitoring of receipts, immediate declaration of cash collected, and thorough documentation of all counts and treasury activities.While Clare Fashions continues operations, the forensic audit has laid bare vulnerabilities in the companyas financial management, underscoring the urgent need for stronger oversight to prevent similar losses in the future. A glimpse of intangible cultural heritage experience zone at press center of SCO Summit 2025 in Tianjin Xinhua) 21:53, August 31, 2025 An Indonesian journalist (L) learns about mortise and tenon techniques at the press center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. The SCO Summit 2025 is held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 in Tianjin. The press center of the summit featured an intangible cultural heritage experience zone, offering journalists the opportunity to engage with local intangible cultural heritage crafts like Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures, Clay Figure Zhang and lacquer ware making. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) A journalist (R) makes a lacquer fan at the press center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. The SCO Summit 2025 is held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 in Tianjin. The press center of the summit featured an intangible cultural heritage experience zone, offering journalists the opportunity to engage with local intangible cultural heritage crafts like Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures, Clay Figure Zhang and lacquer ware making. (Xinhua/Dai Mingxuan) A staff member introduces Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures to a journalist at the press center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. The SCO Summit 2025 is held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 in Tianjin. The press center of the summit featured an intangible cultural heritage experience zone, offering journalists the opportunity to engage with local intangible cultural heritage crafts like Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures, Clay Figure Zhang and lacquer ware making. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Journalists make knot button brooches at the press center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. The SCO Summit 2025 is held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 in Tianjin. The press center of the summit featured an intangible cultural heritage experience zone, offering journalists the opportunity to engage with local intangible cultural heritage crafts like Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures, Clay Figure Zhang and lacquer ware making. (Xinhua/Dai Mingxuan) Intangible cultural heritage inheritor Xin Quansheng (2nd L) introduces mortise and tenon techniques to journalists at the press center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. The SCO Summit 2025 is held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 in Tianjin. The press center of the summit featured an intangible cultural heritage experience zone, offering journalists the opportunity to engage with local intangible cultural heritage crafts like Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures, Clay Figure Zhang and lacquer ware making. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Journalists make Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures at the press center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. The SCO Summit 2025 is held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 in Tianjin. The press center of the summit featured an intangible cultural heritage experience zone, offering journalists the opportunity to engage with local intangible cultural heritage crafts like Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures, Clay Figure Zhang and lacquer ware making. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Journalists make Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures at the press center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. The SCO Summit 2025 is held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 in Tianjin. The press center of the summit featured an intangible cultural heritage experience zone, offering journalists the opportunity to engage with local intangible cultural heritage crafts like Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures, Clay Figure Zhang and lacquer ware making. (Xinhua/Dai Mingxuan) A staff member (R) introduces the making of knot button brooch to a journalist at the press center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. The SCO Summit 2025 is held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 in Tianjin. The press center of the summit featured an intangible cultural heritage experience zone, offering journalists the opportunity to engage with local intangible cultural heritage crafts like Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures, Clay Figure Zhang and lacquer ware making. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) A staff member introduces "Clay Figure Zhang", a clay sculpture art, to a journalist at the press center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. The SCO Summit 2025 is held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 in Tianjin. The press center of the summit featured an intangible cultural heritage experience zone, offering journalists the opportunity to engage with local intangible cultural heritage crafts like Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures, Clay Figure Zhang and lacquer ware making. (Xinhua/Dai Mingxuan) A staff member introduces Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures to a journalist at the press center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. The SCO Summit 2025 is held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 in Tianjin. The press center of the summit featured an intangible cultural heritage experience zone, offering journalists the opportunity to engage with local intangible cultural heritage crafts like Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures, Clay Figure Zhang and lacquer ware making. (Xinhua/Dai Mingxuan) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liu Ning) News / National by Staff reporter In a separate case, the Harare Magistrates Court has sentenced 32-year-old commuter omnibus driver Ruzvidzo Freedom of Hatcliffe to two years in prison for endangering public safety. Freedom was caught driving a Toyota Hiace against oncoming traffic during rush hour at the busy Second Street (Sam Nujoma) and Upper East Road intersection.Although no injuries were reported, the court deemed his actions a "grave risk" to motorists and pedestrians. In addition to the custodial sentence, Freedom's driver's licence was cancelled, and he has been permanently banned from driving vehicles in classes 2, 4, and 5, which include minibuses, trucks, and heavy vehicles.Road safety campaigners have repeatedly raised concerns over reckless driving in Harare, particularly by public transport operators, prompting authorities to pledge stricter enforcement to reduce accidents and improve safety on the capital's roads. News / National by Staff reporter Six people, including well-known Mutare transport operator Mr. Godfrey Chikosi, lost their lives in a devastating road accident that occurred last night at the Himalaya Turn-Off along the Mutare-Chimanimani Road. The accident, which took place around 11 pm, has left one survivor receiving treatment for severe injuries at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital.Mr. Chikosi was among four victims who died on the spot, while two others succumbed to their injuries later at the hospital. Details about the circumstances leading to the accident are still emerging.Acting Manicaland police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, was not immediately available to comment on the incident. Fellow transporter Mr. Isau Mupfumi confirmed Mr. Chikosi's death and deployed a team to assess the accident scene early this morning.The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the Mutare transport community, with friends and colleagues mourning the sudden loss of a respected figure in the sector. A view of Cedar Point from the Sky Ride. Six Flags, the park's parent company, faces an uncertain future, with attendance down and a new CEO coming. Susan Glaser, Cleveland.com SANDUSKY, Ohio A new roller coaster wont fix whats ailing Six Flags. Neither will a last-minute plan to charge extra for haunted houses at HalloWeekends. The whole company needs to be reimagined, said Dennis Speigel, a consultant who has studied the amusement park industry for decades. Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services in Cincinnati, said he was alarmed by what he saw earlier this month from Six Flags, in the companys second-quarter earnings report: An attendance drop of 9%, season pass sales off 8%, revenue down $100 million and $5 billion in debt. We have not felt the aftershocks from this, said Speigel, who predicts more difficult decisions ahead for the company, which is the parent of Cedar Point, Kings Island and dozens of other amusement and water parks throughout North America. Speigel expects as many as half or more of the companys parks to be put up for sale. And bankruptcy is not out of the question, he said. Hes not alone in his concern. James Hardiman, an analyst with Citi Research, said he too thinks Six Flags will need to shed parks to raise revenue and reduce debt -- although he doesnt think the company is anywhere near bankruptcy. Everything should be on the table as we think about asset sales, said Hardiman, of Shaker Heights, who has followed the industry for decades. He then added a caveat: Cedar Point and a handful of the companys other top parks would likely be excluded from any upcoming liquidation. Related: How has Six Flags changed Cedar Point? We count the ways Already, the asset sale has begun. Earlier this year, even before the companys dismal second-quarter report, Six Flags announced it would sell Six Flags America, a park in suburban Maryland that is closing next month. The company is also seeking to sell land around its Kings Dominion park near Richmond, Virginia, and will shutter Californias Great America near San Francisco in 2027. If I were running the company, there are 10 to 12 parks I would keep, pay off debt and start over, said Speigel, who added: I wouldnt be surprised if you see the company on the precipice of bankruptcy to get that debt off the books. Six Flags spokesman Gary Rhodes said the company remains confident that it can reduce debt through the combination of organic growth in the business and the selective divestiture of noncore assets. The company is evaluating the rest of its portfolio for possible additional sales, he said. It wasnt supposed to be this way. Both Hardiman and Speigel were supportive of the merger, which joined together the two largest regional amusement companies in a union of equals completed in July 2024. In May, less than a year later, company officials painted a rosy picture of the future at an investor day presentation at Hotel Breakers in Sandusky. They thought it was going to be a really strong quarter, with attendance up 5 or 6%, said Hardiman. Instead, attendance dropped 9%. Its about the biggest miss Ive ever seen in the theme park industry versus expectations, said Hardiman. In response, two national law firms in recent weeks have announced they are soliciting clients for a possible securities-fraud class action lawsuit. Rhodes declined to comment on any potential litigation. Leadership change On the same day as the second-quarter earnings report, Six Flags President and CEO Richard Zimmerman announced that he would leave his post at the end of the year. Both Speigel and Hardiman said Zimmerman was likely forced out by the Six Flags board, although a spokesman for the company declined to say. Zimmerman was the long-time CEO of Cedar Fair when the Sandusky-based company merged with Six Flags last year. Meanwhile, the chairman of the board -- Selim Bassoul, who is a former CEO of Six Flags -- has retained his job, despite this month taking on an additional position as chairman of the board of Goodfood, a meal-kit delivery company in Canada. Hardiman said the timing of Zimmermans announced departure was odd, given that it occurred in the middle of the amusement-park season. In addition, he noted that attendance trends had improved in the weeks since the second quarter ended in June. According to the company, attendance was up 4% during the final four weeks of July. Its not going to be a good year no matter what happens, said Hardiman. But we might ultimately get to the end of 2025 and think it wasnt that much of a disaster. I think that is entirely possible. Carissa Baker, who heads the theme park and attraction management program at the University of Central Florida, also said Zimmermans departure was a surprise. Mergers have growing pains, theres no doubt. They were two different companies, management styles, priorities, said Baker. Im not surprised that there are difficulties. Still, she said, Zimmermans exit seems premature. Its disappointing. Whos going to take his place? What went wrong? Zimmerman, in the earnings call, blamed weather for much of the companys troubles. Brian Witherow, chief financial officer at Six Flags, noted that 20% of second-quarter operating days were affected by bad weather. The parks were forced to close for 49 days because of extreme conditions. By comparison, we were only forced to close parks on 12 days due to inclement weather during the 2024, Witherow said. Speigel said weather has long been used as an excuse by amusement park executives to explain poor performance. But in the case of 2025, the weather has been particularly bad nearly everywhere in the U.S. especially in early summer, which is an important period for season pass sales. Speigel said Six Flags overestimated the number of people who would be enticed to buy season passes that allowed them to visit multiple parks, a perk of the newly enlarged company. Hardiman also believes that perhaps Cedar Fair executives underestimated how deeply troubled the legacy Six Flags parks are. On paper, I thought the deal made a lot of sense, said Hardiman. The Cedar Fair philosophy, as Hardiman describes it, is that slow, steady investment yields growth. These are assets that you need to nurture and care for, he said. Six Flags, on the other hand, has always operated more tumultuously with four CEOs in the eight years before the merger, and a bankruptcy filing in 2009. The Cedar Fair assets cant have changed that much in last year or so, said Hardiman. And there now have been three or four management teams to try to turn around the Six Flags assets. Each has struggled. The fear is that theres something irredeemable there or that its going to require a lot more investment and/or time than anybody expected. Already, some cutting has occurred. Earlier this year, Six Flags restructured park leadership, letting go of 27 individual park presidents in favor of a more regional management system. In addition, parks were forced to cut 10% of their year-round workforce, which at Cedar Point equated to about 40 people. In an effort to raise revenue, the company this fall is charging extra for haunted attractions at Cedar Point and other legacy Cedar Fair parks for the first time a move that has angered many long-time season passholders, who said they bought the passes with the assumption that fall activities would be included. Speigel called the cash grab shortsighted. Theyre hoping to capture some of the revenue theyve lost, he said. Theyre not going to come close. Speigel said he thinks the merger was too quickly conceived, announced in November 2023 and finalized in July 2024. I think their due diligence on this merger was just too fast, he said. It was a good idea, but a flawed business plan. They overpromised and underdelivered. Hardiman noted that the companys stock price at $23.84 on Wednesday -- was listed at less than half its value before the merger. Still, he believes it is undervalued and has it rated as a buy. If they can get a few things right, the stock will go up, he said. For now, though, the priority has to be finding a new leader, he said. Who are they going to find who is better equipped to navigate this environment? asked Hardiman. This industry has a lot of examples of management teams and leaders that werent built for the job, who came from other industries. To find someone who has the experience to lead this company Im not sure where that person is going to come from. Hardiman also noted that theres no guarantee that the next leader will improve things, particularly from a consumer perspective. To be very clear, it could be worse, said Hardiman. This is a management team that was trying to balance investments and growth and financial responsibility. The alternative view is that you need to cut your way out of this problem. Hardiman said he hopes thats not what happens. As someone who grew up in the Northeast Ohio region, who has gone to Cedar Point I dont know how many dozen times, I dont want to see that happen to the Cedar Fair parks, which I think are really valuable assets, he said. You would hate to see that undone. Largest Six Flags parks by attendance Knotts Berry Farm, California, 4.2 million Cedar Point, Ohio, 4.1 million Kings Island, Ohio, 3.5 million Six Flags Magic Mountain, California, 3.4 million Canadas Wonderland, Ontario, 3.2 million Six Flags Great America, Illinois, 3 million Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey, 2.5 million Note: 2023 attendance figures are estimates from the Themed Entertainment Association. Six Flags does not release attendance information for individual parks. Related: Farewell, Cedar Fair: Cedar Point, Kings Island parent company is now Six Flags Cedar Fair shareholders want to derail the merger with Six Flags -- but can they? News / National by Staff reporter Editors from Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) have formally challenged their prosecution over charges of undermining President Emmerson Mnangagwa, arguing that the case was initiated without legal authority. AMH editor-in-chief Kholwani Nyathi and Zimbabwe Independent editor Faith Zaba appeared in Harare magistrate court yesterday, represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) advocate Nontokozo Dube-Tachiona.Dube-Tachiona contended that the prosecution had no legal basis to proceed without formal approval from the Attorney-General, as required under Section 34 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Code). This section stipulates that prosecutions involving Chapter III offencesacovering crimes against the State, including terrorism, sedition, and undermining the Presidentamust be authorised by the Attorney-General."Section 34 of the Code is clear. The National Prosecuting Authority can only initiate prosecutions of persons accused of Chapter III crimes with the authority of the AG," Dube-Tachiona said. She further argued that the accused had appeared before the court three times previously and that the prosecution lacked the necessary approval to proceed. In the absence of such authority, she asserted, the editors should be unconditionally released.The State, represented by Lawrence Gangarahwe, requested more time to respond to the defence application, prompting Magistrate Kudzai Mtombeni to postpone the matter to September 8 for determination.Nyathi and Zaba are accused of undermining or insulting the President through Zimbabwe Independent's satirical Muckraker column, When You Become a Mafia State, published between June 27 and July 3, 2025. The article criticised Zimbabwe's leadership during its SADC chairmanship, highlighting allegations of electoral interference in Mozambique, Botswana, and Namibia, and described the country as a "mafia State" governed by officials obsessed with clinging to power. The State claims the article was "false in material particulars" and intended to incite hostility against the President.Zaba was arrested on July 1 and released on US$200 bail on July 4 after spending three nights in detention. Her release had initially been delayed due to a magistrate's inability to type his ruling during a power outage. Her bail conditions require her to surrender her passport, reside at her given address, refrain from interfering with investigations, and report weekly to the Criminal Investigation Department at Harare Central Police Station.The defence has previously argued that the facts presented by the State do not constitute a criminal offence, asserting that the arrests were unlawful and targeted opinion and criticism rather than criminal conduct. They contended that the article's plural use of the word "we" was not directed at the President, yet the State treated it as an insult. The editors also maintain that their remand constitutes harassment of independent journalism, curbing AMH's mandate to inform the public and undermining democratic principles.AMH publishes Zimbabwe Independent, The Standard, NewsDay, and Southern Eye, and operates the online platform Heart & Soul TV. News / National by Staff reporter The City of Harare is set to broaden its campaign against illegal businesses in the capital, following the closure of over 500 establishments in the central business district (CBD). The initiative, part of sweeping measures to enforce municipal by-laws and recover outstanding debts, has now been extended to industrial and commercial areas.Launched on July 28 under the banner of Operation CBD Order Restoration, the operation initially focused on ensuring compliance with fire safety standards, building permits, business licences, and rates payment in the CBD. Acting town clerk Phakamile Mabhena Moyo announced that the next phase, covering heavy and light industrial areas and commercial service centres, would commence on September 1, targeting full compliance by the end of the month."Operation Order Restoration will now be spread to the industrial areas and commercial service centres effective 1st of September 2025," Moyo said. "The city is taking appropriate remedial action to recover its debts, while enforcing compliance with minimum service delivery standards as per President's Call to Action a No Compromise to Service Delivery."Since the launch, municipal officials have conducted unannounced inspections, issuing closure orders to businesses operating without valid licences, fire compliance certificates, building permits, or those with outstanding municipal bills. The operation has led to the issuance of 1,202 new and renewed business licences, 536 fire compliance certificates, and 11 certificates of occupation for buildings previously in violation of model building by-laws. Revenue collection has reportedly increased by 21 percent.Despite the crackdown, residents have expressed scepticism over the city's ongoing 2026 pre-budget consultation meetings. Critics argue that past consultations have failed to influence the city's budgetary decisions, rendering the process largely symbolic. Precious Shumba, director of the Harare Residents Trust, urged residents to participate but stressed the importance of meaningful engagement."They need to take seriously voices raised by the residents and fight financial leakages by putting a proper billing system in place," Shumba said. "Despite all this, we are urging residents to attend these meetings in their numbers and raise their concerns, although I know previous consultations have been meaningless because Harare City Council failed to implement any of the solutions we offered."Reuben Akili, leader of the Combined Harare Residents Association, echoed these concerns, pointing to recurring governance failures and inefficiencies in revenue collection. "We are ready for the budget consultations, but we have one serious issue: even when we raise issues, we continue to see the same challenges," he said. "We have heard from our mayor, Jacob Mafume, that we have lost millions of dollars due to leakages because we don't have a proper billing system."Observers note that the success of the expanded crackdown and the upcoming budget consultations will be closely watched, as they may determine whether the city's governance and service delivery improve or if public distrust will continue to deepen. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, in a special briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs on Prime Minister Modis visit to China, said PM Modi and President Xi Jinping were happy to note the progress in relations since their meeting in Kazan in October last year.He said both leaders shared their perspective on long term growth in bilateral relations and agreed that a stable and amicable relations is in the interest of 2.8 billion people in the two nations.Misri added that common interests outweigh differences between the two nations and noted that India and China need to cooperate if there has to be an Asian century.The leaders discussed border issues and took note of the successful disengagement at the border and peace and tranquility in border areas. PM Modi underlined the need for peace and tranquility in border areas for continued and smooth development in bilateral ties.The two sides also discussed ways to balance bilateral trade. Leaders recognised that Indian and Chinese economies can play a role in stabilising world trade. There was a discussion on increasing policy transparency and predictability in economic relations.During the visit, Prime Minister Modi met Cai Qi, a top leader of the Chinese Communist Party. Misri said the leaders shared their perspectives for longer term growth and development of two countries and agreed that stable and amicable India-China relationship can benefit 2.8 billion people of two countries.President Xi made four suggestions to further upgrade bilateral relations. Misri confirmed that a consensus has been reached on resuming direct flights, with issues related to bilateral air services and scheduling to be addressed in the coming weeks.PM Modi and President Xi also discussed the international economic situation and the challenges, focusing on how to leverage the current global challenges to see how India and China can cooperate economically.Misri added that PM Modi asked for Chinas support in addressing the issue of terrorism and clarified that there is no change in Indias position on Taiwan. Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and pic.twitter.com/HBYS5lhe9d Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025 Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the official reception for Heads of State and Heads of Government at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China on August 31, where he met with several world leaders and dignitaries.PM Modi was received at the venue by Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan. On arrival, the Prime Minister exchanged greetings with the Chinese President before joining other leaders for the customary family photo session. Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other heads of state were present for the group photograph.During the reception, PM Modi interacted with leaders of several nations. He first met Nepali Prime Minister KP Oli, describing the longstanding cultural and historical ties between India and Nepal. PM Modi wrote on X, "Delighted to meet Nepal PM Mr. KP Oli in Tianjin. India's relations with Nepal are deep rooted and very special.In a briefing, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that PM Modi met Xi Jinping in and called for stable ties and balanced trade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing during his visit to China, where both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to building stable and constructive relations between the two neighbours.Briefing the media, Misri said that discussions reflected a shared recognition that cooperation between India and China was vital for shaping the future of Asia.The two leaders reviewed the progress in bilateral relations since their previous meeting in Kazan last year and expressed satisfaction with the positive momentum. Both agreed that a stable and amicable partnership between the world's two most populous countries was in the interest of their 2.8 billion citizens. Highlighting that common interests outweigh differences, the leaders stressed the importance of India and China working together if the vision of an Asian century is to be realised.A key part of the talks focused on the border issue. Prime Minister Modi highlighted the need for peace and tranquillity in border areas to ensure enhanced ties. Both leaders took note of the recent successful disengagement at friction points and said maintaining calm along the frontier was essential for confidence-building.Economic cooperation featured prominently in the dialogue, with discussions on the need to balance bilateral trade and strengthen transparency and predictability in economic relations. Modi and Xi recognised that both economies could play a stabilising role in global trade amid ongoing international uncertainties.During his visit, PM Modi held talks with Cai Qi, a senior leader of the Communist Party of China, as part of efforts to deepen political engagement between the two countries. News / National by Staff reporter Zimbabwe has made significant strides at the India-Africa Business Conclave, which concludes today, with Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga leading a delegation that secured landmark partnerships set to boost the country's industrial and agricultural sectors.A highlight of the conclave was the signing of a full assembly agreement between Willowvale Motor Industries and Indian vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland, a global specialist in trucks and buses. The partnership, which initially began in 2021 but stalled, was renewed in 2024 and is now poised to commence operations by January next year. The agreement is expected to revitalize Zimbabwe's automotive industry, create jobs, and strengthen local manufacturing capabilities, in line with government efforts to promote economic self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on imports."Zimbabwe and India's economic cooperation continues to grow from strength to strength," said VP Chiwenga. "This is a landmark achievement, an example of how strategic partnerships create value chains, jobs and growth. We are seeking partnerships to grow our economy through value chains and beneficiation, leveraging our comparative advantage as an investment destination of choice."The conclave also highlighted significant opportunities in Zimbabwe's sugar industry, with Platinum Crest Agro Ventures expressing interest in a US$170 million integrated sugar production project. The initiative is designed to cover the entire value chain and is expected to transform the sector, increase productivity, and create economic opportunities for local farmers. "This facility is poised to become one of the largest and most advanced sugar factories in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa," said Platinum Crest director Nitin Kadam, noting the project reflects Indian industry's confidence in Zimbabwe's potential.In addition, VP Chiwenga welcomed Naveen Jindal, Chairman of the Jindal Group, for discussions on ongoing energy projects with the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA). Jindal and ZESA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the refurbishment of Hwange Units 1 to 6, a project that could add up to 800MW to the national grid. Mr Jindal emphasised that the collaboration aims to benefit both the country and local communities through corporate social responsibility initiatives.At the conclave, VP Chiwenga addressed a country session advocating for increased investment in Zimbabwe and engaged with potential investors, outlining the nation's strategic vision for industrial growth and economic development. The agreements and discussions secured at the event mark a significant step forward in strengthening Zimbabwe's industrial, agricultural, and energy sectors while fostering deeper India-Africa economic cooperation. Its only natural for a creator to build their fictional worlds around their real ones. It adds an otherwise unachievable level of authenticity, like youre really getting a window into Scorseses New York, John Waters Baltimore or whatever planet Stanley Kubrick grew up on. Thats probably why so many people assume Mayberry, North Carolina is based on Andy Griffiths real hometown of Mount Airy. The universe of The Andy Griffith Show is so full of vivid characters and small-town charm that it couldnt possibly be fake. Could it? According to Griffith, yes. In a 1998 interview with the Archives of American Television, he insisted that the only reason Mayberry was in North Carolina was because he hates made up names, so when Mayberry residents discussed nearby towns, he just threw in the ones he knew from his home state. Other than that, the jurisdiction of Sheriff Andy Taylor had no intentional connection to Mount Airy, and Griffith was pretty grumpy about any suggestion to the contrary. Ive argued about this too long. I dont care. Let them think what they want to think, he said, adding, A barber up there says he cut my hair when I was a child, hell, hell have to be 115 years old. Griffith was almost certainly referring to Russell Hiatt, who styled himself as a real-life Floyd the Barber, even going so far as to rename his Mount Airy establishment Floyds City Barber Shop in 1989. Hiatt gave conflicting statements over the years about his experience cutting Griffiths hair, according to those who insisted they heard them. Some say he made the bold claim of having cut Griffiths hair as a boy, which was impossible, as Hiatt was only two years older than Griffith. Others maintained that he told them he only cut Griffiths hair a few times on his trips home from college, while Griffith himself denies any relationship wholecloth (or wholecape, as it were). After all, the City Barber Shop wasnt even Griffiths regular hairstyling institution, to which some men show more loyalty than their wives. Don't Miss Despite the shakiness of this foundation, Hiatt staked his career on it until his death in 2016 at the age of 92. Whatever he might have told wide-eyed tourists to drum up some business or Griffith might have barked at a journalist, what are the actual facts? Advertisement No one can know for sure at this point, said Jim Clark, an Andy Griffith Show superfan turned historian. He heard the home for the holidays stories from Hiatt and wouldnt pretend to know if Russell also cut hair other places in town such as Palace Barber Shop, which Andy frequented before settling into the City Barber Shop. Ultimately, Clark allowed that Russell did not cut Andys hair on a regular basis, though as to whether Russell actually cut Andys hair once or twice, with a lack of clear documentation one way or the other and of course, why would there be for an 18- to 22-year-olds routine haircuts circa 1944? I go with Russells recollection of seeing Andy in the shop and the assumption that he cut his hair a time or two. In other words, Im not here to call a dead old man a liar. One of the organizers of the convoy protest that snarled downtown Ottawa in 2022 faces a Canada-wide warrant after failing to appear in court earlier last week. James Bauder, a 55-year-old from Calgary, was charged with mischief to obstruct property, disobeying a lawful court order and obstructing/restricting a peace officer in February 2022. Bauder is the founder of Canada Unity, an organization that gathered signatures for a petition that called for governments to end all vaccine mandates, passports and other discriminatory regulations and initiatives and for a cease and desist order to be issued to elected members of parliament. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to posts on his social media account, Bauder fled to the U.S. earlier this summer and filed an asylum application on Aug. 5. He claims he is being politically persecuted and is raising money for his legal fees. His GIveSendGo campaign has raised US$13,040 as of Sunday, Aug. 31. Court documents obtained by the Ottawa Citizen showed that Justice Kevin Phillips issued Bauder a summons to appear in court earlier this month. However, Bauder did not appear in court on Tuesday, Aug. 26 and again on Wednesday, Aug. 27, which prompted Phillips to issue a warrant for his arrest. Lawrence Greenspon, who is on retainer for Bauder, told the judge that the matter should be adjourned until Bauders asylum application could be heard in U.S. federal court, or the charges should be stayed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, the government will assume someone has abandoned their asylum application if they leave the U.S. without first obtaining advance parole. Court documents and social media posts show Bauder has retained Kolken Law to represent him in the U.S. Kolken Law is an immigration law firm based in Buffalo, N.Y. specializing in all areas of immigration and nationality law. Bid to move trial previously denied Bauder previously tried to move his court case out of Ottawa to Brockville or North Bay before he fled to the U.S. In a self-represented court hearing on Feb. 3, 2023, Bauder claimed that he would not get a fair trial in Ottawa because he participated in a high-profile, highly politicized, lawful protest directed at the federal government in Ottawa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also said it would be hard to find jurors who had not been exposed to the media coverage the convoy received. (T)he character and personality types in Ottawa are government workers and the convoy was a protest against government overreach, he said. These government employees are not my peers. Justice Charles Hackland denied Bauders request, saying there hasnt been a lot of media coverage focused on Bauders involvement in the convoy. What there was tended to simply report what he had said from time to time. I seriously doubt that Mr. Bauder is well known to Ottawa residents. The adverse coverage in the media that Mr. Bauder complains of is directed at the Freedom Convoy, not at Mr. Bauder specifically. There is nothing about the media coverage that would make it unlikely that Mr. Bauder would receive a fair trial in this community, Hackland wrote in a decision published in February 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge also called Bauders claims about public service workers baseless. I find that Mr. Bauders concerns about the attitudes of persons employed by the federal government, is baseless in fact and boils down to his concern that most Ottawa residents do not share his political views. There is no right to be tried by persons who share ones political views, the decision read. Hackland said there is a legitimate concern about securing an unbiased jury because a large number of Ottawa residents who work or live in downtown were injured or suffered because of the convoys actions. Protesters blocked neighbourhoods and kept residents awake at night, Hackland wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents were also subjected to large amounts of gasoline fumes and many were subjected to harassment or had their business obstructed, the judge added. However, Hackland said Bauder is not on trial for his politics but for his alleged criminal conduct. He will be tried, and a verdict will be rendered, based on the evidence before the court, the decision concluded. We do not as a society expect our jurors to be a tabula rasa devoid of any political views. Rather, and with the assistance of robust procedural safeguards, we trust jurors to leave their views at the door of the deliberation room and decide the case on the evidence, as per the trial judges instructions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no reason to think that this will not be the case in Mr. Bauders trial. In this case, having the matter tried in Ottawa complies with the local venue rule and serves the interests of justice by ensuring that the community alleged to have been impacted by the criminal conduct sees justice being done. Whats next? Bauders trial is currently scheduled for three weeks later this year. However, he maintains that he will not be going back to Canada. In a social media post on Saturday, he urged supporters to send letters to U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene in his asylum application and (ensure) his protection in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear whether the Crown will request an international extradition warrant for Bauders arrest. Other key figures in the convoy like Tamara Lich and Chris Barber were both found guilty for mischief back in April. The Crown sought prison sentences of seven years for Lich and eight years for Barber. Their sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 7. With files from Blair Crawford Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. There werent many lines of attack that were out of bounds during the 2016 Referendum campaign, but one area that neither side ever deliberately sought to weaponise was the monarchy, and specifically the late Queen. Everyone knew that Prince Charles, now our King, was a Europhile, but Elizabeth II never openly expressed a firm opinion either way. And for good reason. Given the degree of respect and affection in which she was held by the British people, to have voiced a preference would have inevitably swayed public opinion. Its certainly the case that even her most carefully chosen words could have an effect. Arguably, when just four days before the Scottish referendum she remarked to a well-wisher, I hope people will think very carefully about the future, she helped ensure Scotland remained within the Union. She knew her power and she used it wisely, which is why she always erred on the side of discretion. But now a new book, Power And The Palace, by Times journalist Valentine Low, confidently asserts that the Queen was a Remainer, citing a senior minister at the time recalling her say: We shouldnt leave the EU. Its better to stick with the devil you know. By way of strengthening his assertion, he also points out that when The Sun newspaper ran a front-page headline claiming, Queen Backs Brexit, the Palace issued a formal complaint but stopped short of issuing a denial. This, he claims, was most likely to avoid fuelling speculation that she privately favoured remaining within the EU. Calling the EU better the devil you know is not exactly a ringing endorsement. But the truth is we have no real way of knowing, especially since, very sadly, her late Majesty is no longer around to speak for herself. To my mind, the most likely truth is that, like many of us, she was rather conflicted on the matter. 'To my mind, the most likely truth is that, like many of us, she was rather conflicted on the matter,' writes Sarah Vine David Cameron who after all was PM at the time and therefore had regular access to her probably puts it best when he notes that she thought that European cooperation was necessary and important' As a woman whose life and realm were shaped by post-war reconstruction, she would have appreciated the importance of collaboration with Europe. Then again, she was queen of a sovereign nation whose independence was frequently undermined by Brussels. There were advantages and disadvantages and she appreciated both. David Cameron who after all was PM at the time and therefore had regular access to her probably puts it best when he notes that she thought that European cooperation was necessary and important, but the institutions of the EU sometimes can be infuriating. Certainly, the Queens staunch commitment to the Commonwealth would tend to support the idea that she favoured the better together approach. Even so, I cant help feeling that there is something a little distasteful about the Remain campaign of which The Times was always an important part trying to own the late Queen, even at a distance of almost a decade. We know theyve never truly accepted the result of the referendum, and this feels like just another attempt to undermine it. For me personally, its also an unpleasant reminder of the toxicity of the debate and how even the slightest comment, however light-hearted or trivial, could be picked up, wilfully misinterpreted and twisted out of all sense of proportion. Of how both sides, frankly, would stop at nothing to tear the other apart. I know this because I was at the heart of it all. I know the lies that were told, the deals that were broken, the lines that were crossed. Some of it Ive written about; some of it is still far too inflammatory to reveal; some of it is not my story to tell. But believe me: whatever unpleasantness was visible on the surface, what lay beneath was much worse. Her late Majestys studious neutrality was an important part of why things didnt get much uglier. Not just on this issue but on others, too. Always, her strength of character and clarity of vision had a stabilising effect, even in the most tumultuous of times. She was an important part of why Britain remained for so long such a fundamentally civilised country and why, as we approach the third anniversary of her death on September 8, it feels like so much of what she built and stood for is slipping away. In life, she went out of her way to remain neutral on matters of high political drama. In death, its only fair we respect her wishes. Alas Vine & Hitchens: What's the big idea? Get the Mail's new politics podcast, hosted by columnists Sarah Vine and Peter Hitchens - wherever you listen to podcasts now. It enrages me that Robin Westman, the 23-year-old trans school shooter from Minneapolis who killed two children Fletcher Merkel, eight, and Harper Moyski, ten and seriously injured many others, is being referred to as a she. He was male. A troubled, sick young man, like the majority of mass shooters. Let's hear it for beards Ed Balls and our very own Boris Johnson have both been sporting summer stubble and quite honestly, Im rather jealous, says Sarah Vine It's holiday beard time, when ordinarily clean-shaven men throw caution to the wind and allow nature to flourish. Ed Balls and our very own Boris Johnson have both been sporting summer stubble and quite honestly, Im rather jealous. Forget facelifts: theres nothing like a bit of five oclock shadow to disguise the inevitable jowliness that comes with the passage of time. I have huge sympathy for the family of the actor Bruce Willis, who has frontotemporal dementia. Last week, his wife announced that they have moved him into separate accommodation with full-time care. Its soul-destroying seeing someones personality being eroded by this horrible disease. But unlike many others, at least they have the wherewithal to take care of him with dignity and compassion and at limited cost to their own sanity. Far too many in their situation do not. Such a modern Millie Millie Bobby Brown and her husband Jake Bongiovi have just adopted a baby People have expressed consternation that Millie Bobby Brown, star of Stranger Things, appears so sorted at the age of 21. Shes married to her long-time boyfriend Jake, and the couple have just adopted a baby. Theres no crazy Hollywood lifestyle for these two: they live quietly on their ranch with rescue animals, including a donkey called Bernard and a therapy dog named Winnie. Oddly, this doesnt surprise me. My experience of this age group through my daughter, 22, and her friends is that they have their heads almost preternaturally screwed on. Compared to my generation, they seem more self-assured, focused. Above all, they know what they want, a certainty that even now, age 58, still eludes me. Stranger things, indeed. Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay, the new co-leaders of the Scottish Green Party, fill me with existential dread. Not because theyre boiler-banning Bolsheviks though they are but because they are the first leaders of a Scottish political party to have been born in the 1990s. How is that even possible? Shouldnt they still be watching Power Rangers or playing with Tamagotchis? They are also the first party leaders to be younger than me, and so tradition mandates that I now shake my fist and inveigh against these damned whippersnappers. Though nothing I say could condemn them as comprehensively as the internal election that has ushered them in to replace Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater. In the end, just 13 per cent of Scottish Green members could be bothered to take part. Ive seen better turnout at a parish bingo on a wet Wednesday night. As someone who would like to see Green participation in all elections reduced to zero per cent, this was quite encouraging. Arrange for polling day 2026 to coincide with a non-binary farmers market and there wont be a Green MSP left in Holyrood. There are all sorts of theories posited as to why turnout was so low, from uninspiring candidates to party bureaucracy. Mine is this: the Greens have more dormant members because they arent a political party in the same sense as the SNP or Labour. Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay, the new co-leaders of the Scottish Green Party , fill me with existential dread, writes Stephen Daisley People join those parties to contribute to debates and vote on policies, whereas the Greens are really just a radical chic accessory sported by the guilty affluent to signal their ethical superiority and pacify their social conscience. Its why the Greens talk about taxing an ill-defined super-rich rather than having an honest conversation about the structure of income tax and the revenue it generates. Many Green members and voters wont be super-rich, merely well-off, and so by concentrating the fiscal burden on Scotlands supposed megabucks households the Greens make themselves a safe vote for those who have a strong belief in social justice and an even stronger belief that someone else should pay for it. In reality, there arent all that many super-rich households in Scotland. And since we arent blessed with a large cohort of extremely wealthy citizens, the only way we could raise sufficient revenue to undertake the kind of spending commitments the Greens want to see, and make those commitments sustainable, is by increasing income tax across the board. They know this, of course. Greer even alluded to it after his victory. Listing the various social protections offered in Scotland but not England (the Scottish Child Payment, free school meals, no school-meals debt), he said: We need to be honest about the fact that all needs paid for. We do indeed. Spending needs to be funded and that means either tax rises or spending cuts elsewhere. Dare I say, Greers statement is just another way of making a point Theresa May was fond of making: there is no magic money tree. Further evidence that Greer understands this comes in his support for a council tax revaluation. He says: The fact we have a council tax system based on valuations from before I was born is absurd. While I really dont need another reminder of his youthfulness, the point he makes is not unreasonable. For all that we are told to beware populist demagogues like Nigel Farage who try to mislead us with easy answers to complex problems, Greer and Mackay are progressive variations of Faragean politics It is faintly ludicrous that we tax households based on the estimated value of their property 34 years ago. Im sympathetic to former Tory minister Lord Willetts proposal to scrap council tax in favour of a proportional property tax that would leave three-quarters of households paying less per year. But if council tax must remain, revaluation only gets us so far. Greer says: The Scottish Greens are brave enough to say that actually the wealthiest people in this country, in the biggest houses, are going to need to pay more to protect public services. It doesnt take bravery to say the very rich need to be taxed even more. Thats the easiest, safest thing in the world to say. What takes bravery is starting a conversation about how much the state (local and central) does, whether it works as social policy or is fiscally prudent, and what proportion of these services could be provided by the private sector instead. This requires bravery because it involves being candid with the public about its expectations from government and its willingness to stump up to fund them. Fiscal honesty is the only way forward: if you want more services, you personally will have to pay more in taxes; if you want to pay less in taxes, you personally will have to accept less in services. Neither Greer nor Mackay has what it takes to lead such a debate. For all that we are told to beware populist demagogues like Nigel Farage who try to mislead us with easy answers to complex problems, Greer and Mackay are progressive variations of Faragean politics. They play to public anger and resentment towards elites and tell the punters their troubles are the doing of a conspicuous minority who get favourable treatment from the state. Stop the boats. Tax the super-rich. Or, as Greer said over the weekend: The Scottish Greens are coming for that wealth. Snappy slogans and memorable pledges but misleading in their implication that doing that one thing will magic away all the difficulties the country faces, whether thats illegal immigration or poverty. The new Green leadership will struggle on fiscal matters because these largely do not interest them. Greer and Mackay are products of the Harvie era and its relentless focus on statement-making. Greers chief interests appear to be gender and Gaza, neither of which features high on the priority list of most Scots. Mackays time at Holyrood has dwelt on her crusade to ban disposable vapes and her legislation to get little old ladies huckled for praying across the street from abortion clinics. (Grannies with Rosary beads, the real criminal menace plaguing Scotlands streets.) Mackay, who is from Grangemouth, said in 2016: Id much rather have a wind farm than an oil refinery on my doorstep. Then, when Grangemouths closure was announced in 2024, she pronounced herself devastated and rebuked governments for not having done enough to protect the workers. Yet if the latest polls are reliable, the Greens might hold the balance of power in the next parliament. Its not impossible that they could end up back in government. I neednt remind anyone how things went when their predecessors were handed ministerial power. Unfortunately, this is the calibre of politician Holyrood produces and it is Holyroods electoral system that hands fringe parties so much power. The only hope is that the Greens switched-off supporters switch on in enough time to realise that a vote for Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay next May is a vote for a duo who will worsen rather than improve Scotlands political and economic dysfunction. They have no interest in economic growth but plenty of plans on how to spend it. Plenty of rhetoric about the super-rich but no interest in growing their number in Scotland. The Greens dont want to arrest Scotlands decline, they want to accelerate it. With Greer and Mackay in the driving seat, they might just get their wish. It is the 1950s treaty that has frustrated home secretaries for decades. It has stymied the best-laid asylum plans and immigration policies of successive governments. It has been used by foreign criminals to stay in the UK because their kids dont like Albanian food, or their partners find Caribbean weather too hot. Yet, finally, Britains departure from the European Convention on Human Rights is starting to feel inevitable. Reform, which leads in the opinion polls, says it will take us out. The Conservatives set up a review at the start of the summer, which will report in five weeks. They are looking into scrapping not just the Convention that looks like a given but other treaties and laws that are used to thwart deportation orders. The most significant movement, though, is within Labour. MPs in marginal seats have long been agitating for changes to enable deportations. Last week, the leader of the 40-strong Red Wall caucus, Jo White, went public. I strongly believe that the ECHR has had its time, she said. Even more striking is the attitude of the architects of the Blairite human rights settlement, which brought into being an entire (and lucrative) new industry in the late 1990s. Such figures as Jack Straw and David Blunkett, both transformative home secretaries, are calling for change, pointing out that no one foresaw that the incorporation of the ECHR would lead to the absurd interpretations we now see. The swing against the Convention has been triggered by failures in our immigration policy. Channel boats cannot be turned back, criminals cannot be deported, asylum hostels cannot be closed all because of a document whose post-war authors would never have dreamed that it might be interpreted so bizarrely. But let us remember, we have a human rights lawyer in No 10. 'People sometimes claim that Sir Keir Starmer has no fixed convictions, but that is not true,' says Daniel Hannan. 'He has always upheld the supremacy of human rights codes over national parliaments' Last week, the leader of the 40-strong Red Wall caucus, Jo White, went public. I strongly believe that the ECHR has had its time, she said 'The Conservatives are looking into scrapping not just the Convention that looks like a given but other treaties and laws that are used to thwart deportation orders,' writes Daniel Hannan His friends are human rights lawyers. He leans heavily on the counsel of Lord Hermer, his former colleague from Doughty Street Chambers, who spent a large proportion of his career acting for enemies of the British state, including Gerry Adams, Shamima Begum and clients connected to al-Qaeda. People sometimes claim that Sir Keir Starmer has no fixed convictions, but that is not true. One belief has animated him throughout his adult life. Whether as a Trotskyist student, a Centrist dad, a Corbyn yes-man or, now, a hapless PM, he has always upheld the supremacy of human rights codes over national parliaments. Could Starmer bring himself to jettison his core principles? Anything is possible, I suppose. He might tell himself that with judicious tweaks suspending those parts of the ECHR that prevent repatriation orders, for example he can save it from extirpation under a Conservative or Reform administration. It seems more likely, though, that he will be swept away by the tide, making tough-sounding noises about border control while shying away from the radical measures needed until his party turns against him. A replacement Labour PM would, I suspect, make border control his (or more likely her) distinctive new policy. As someone who has spent 20 years arguing that we should leave the ECHR, I say welcome on board. Joy shall be in heaven more over one sinner that repenteth and so forth. Supporters of the ECHR tend to defend it with a bad-faith argument. Which of its rights, they ask disingenuously, do you have a problem with? Free expression? The prohibition of torture? The right to a fair trial? But that is fundamentally to misrepresent the ECHR. It does not give us any new rights. It appoints a different set of people to adjudicate them. As Aldous Huxley put it, liberties are not given they are taken. Britain was an open and liberal society long before the ECHR came into force. We were not in the habit of expelling populations, expropriating people without compensation or subjecting our citizens to torture. We did not need Europe to give us those things. Indeed, I can think of only one occasion in my life when there genuinely was a mass suspension of civil liberties in Britain: March 2020, when we were confined to house arrest without due process and on the basis of flimsy (and, it turned out, largely incorrect) supposition. Where were the human rights lawyers, so loud on their defence of illegal immigrants and foreign criminals, when they were needed? They were, almost without exception, cheering on the lockdown. So let me again ask the question I have been asking for two decades. What benefits unambiguously accrue to this country as a result of our adherence to the European Convention? When I ask ECHR supporters, they tend to talk about setting an example to others. We would, they say, be lining up with Russia and Belarus as a non-member. Well, first of all, so what? Wed also be lining up with New Zealand and Canada. Indeed, Putin managed to build his murderous despotism while Russia was still a member. More to the point, though, it is not an answer. I find it hard to believe that our membership has much impact on the domestic policies of Turkey or Albania. But, even if it does, my question is what benefits accrue to us as a result of membership. I am still waiting for a reply. The current is flowing strongly toward withdrawal, but we need to understand three consequences. First, withdrawal is not the silver bullet that some advocates suppose. We would remain bound by other treaties, such as the Geneva Convention and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as a series of domestic laws. Even if we repealed them all, we would still be stuck with the problem of Left-wing judges, who make no secret of their politics, and who see it as their role to block deportations on any technicality they can find. What mechanism would allow us to remove biased judges without allowing each incoming government to fill the bench with its partisans? So far, though a Conservative review might address it, we have had slogans rather than workable answers to that question. Second, we need to prepare for the kind of Establishment fightback that we saw over Brexit, much of it from the same people and based on the same arguments in particular, that our entire policy should be dictated by one interpretation of the Belfast Agreement, which mentions the European Convention. As we have seen in recent years, it is entirely possible to provide new assurances and arrangements for the people of Northern Ireland without relitigating the entire peace settlement. Third, all this will be happening when there are some genuinely hard cases. Removing illegal immigrants will mean loading families on to flights to poor and benighted countries. We may be certain that broadcasters will focus on the most tear-jerking cases, and public support may wane somewhat in consequence. In short, we need to go into this as we should have done with Brexit, understanding that withdrawal does not, on its own, resolve our problems, that it simply removes constraints and allows us to make different decisions, and that those decisions will ultimately determine the success of our policy. Once again, we need shrewdness and self-belief. We should remember that we are the home of Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights; that we have always been an exporter, not an importer, of liberty; and that it is for us, as voters, not for some foreign tribunal, to ensure that our birthright is protected. Get ready, because the argument is about to begin in earnest. The sight of Narendra Modi glad-handing Chinas President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a gathering of states that account for almost half the worlds population, will set alarm bells ringing across the West. Xi greeted Indias prime minister with the words: It is time for the elephant and dragon to dance together. And if the Indian Elephant does indeed join the Chinese Dragon and its partner in crime the Russian Bear in an alliance against the American-led West, we would be wise to drop any complacency about our global strategic position. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, China has openly backed the Kremlins war effort and it is no surprise that Moscow allies, such as Iran and North Korea, should have joined Vladimir Putin at the SCO, along with the resource-rich Central Asian stans. More disturbingly, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the autocratic leader of Turkey, which is a member of Nato, was there, too. But the presence of Indias democratically-elected if authoritarian prime minister is the most sinister development. We can only hope that Indias decision to attend this convention of despots and pariahs is largely tactical. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with China s President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Modi is obviously miffed with Donald Trump for imposing a swingeing 50 per cent tariff on its exports to the US in a bid to punish India for buying Russian oil and arms Modi is obviously miffed with Donald Trump for imposing a swingeing 50 per cent tariff on its exports to the US in a bid to punish India for buying Russian oil and arms. Indeed, Trumps antagonising of New Delhi looks like sinking Keir Starmers efforts to bring India into a Western alliance composed of the US, Australia, Japan and the EU+UK bloc designed to hedge in the Chinese colossus. Indian national pride in its status as a global leader in its own right is at stake. The US may see itself as the worlds first decolonised nation as we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence next year. But India considers its throwing off of the British yoke in 1947 as setting in train a worldwide avalanche which quickly shattered the rest of the British empire and European empires across Asia and Africa. After his longer-then-expected meeting with President Xi, Modi emphasised that China had treated the Indian delegation with mutual respect, in sharp contrast to the disdainful treatment meted out by Washington. Wounded pride and despots cynical power plays are bringing India, China and Russia together. This is a geopolitical earthquake and the global shock waves are only just beginning to be felt. Mark Almond is director of the Crisis Research Institute, Oxford. Many beauty enthusiasts changed up their skincare routines after the 'MAGA' to 'liberal' makeup trend went viral online - and now, people are rethinking their workouts. As part of a new social media trend, many liberal TikTok users have been re-sharing videos of right-winged politicians performing strength workouts, critiquing their technique, and dubbing them 'Republican workouts.' One video, showing Marjorie Taylor Greene doing an at home workout in 2023 has sparked particular fury, with the outspoken far-right Georgia Republican showing her exercise routine. The 51-year-old started with chin-ups, swinging her body rapidly up and down on the bar in her garage. She then moved to a mat outside where she did push-ups in quick succession, before finishing with squats. As she walked out, Greene pointed to a white board with the workout written on it, showing five pull-ups, 10 pushups, and 15 squats. 'Body, mind, and spirit... Be unstoppable,' she captioned the video. While Greene seemed satisfied with her sweat-sesh, many social media users have slammed the politician for her technique in recent weeks. A video showing Marjorie Taylor Greene doing an at home workout in 2023 has sparked fury online recently Fitness expert Jesse Ramos Jr. slammed Greene for her workout, and even alleged that she was performing the moves incorrectly 'Watching republican workouts has really increased my confidence in my lack of upper body strength,' one user declared. Fitness expert Jesse Ramos Jr. slammed Greene for her workout, and even alleged that she was performing the moves incorrectly. 'Those arent push-ups,' he exclaimed to the Daily Mail. 'Shes got zero core engagement - just dropping and pressing with her arms while her abs and glutes are completely switched off.' 'A push-up is supposed to be a full-body strength move, not an arm pump,' he continued. 'Her caption was "mind-body-soul," but shes clearly missing the soul piece.' He also responded to a video of the United States Secretary of Defense, Peter Hegseth, doing chin-ups, which was similarly mocked by social media users recently. 'A real pull-up is about control, not kipping around,' Ramos pointed out. 'If he cant do clean form yet, start with an assisted pull-up machine or bands - this is just a fast track to shoulder strain. The fitness expert also weighed in on a video of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Hegseth working out together last week. The men participated in what Hegseth dubbed as the 'Pete and Bobby Challenge'. The fitness expert also weighed in on a video of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Hegseth working out together last week The men participated in what Hegseth dubbed as the 'Pete and Bobby Challenge,' which included 50 pull-ups and 100 push-ups in 10 minutes or less The video was shared by both participants, and was also posted to the official YouTube account of the Department of Health and Human Services. The challenge consisted of 50 pull-ups and 100 push-ups, which had to be performed in 10 minutes or less - but it was branded as 'alienating and unsafe' by Ramos. 'We do want America and the world to be healthy and fit, but the truth is, America is fat,' he said bluntly. 'CDC data from August 2021-August 2023 shows 40.3 percent of US adults were obese and 9.4 percent severely obese,' he continued. 'In my experience, most people cant even do one proper push-up, let alone 100. Challenges like this arent inspiring - theyre alienating and unsafe.' Dr. Landon Uetz, a physical therapist, said that while a high intensity interval workout - or HIIT workout - isn't a bad way get fit, it needs to be done carefully. 'The trend of "Republican workouts" refers to high intensity exercise or fitness,' Dr. Uetz explained. Ramos said, 'In my experience, most people cant even do one proper push-up, let alone 100. Challenges like this arent inspiring - theyre alienating and unsafe' 'In terms of the concept of high intensity interval or circuit training, or bodybuilding, it can be a healthy way to build overall physical strength,' he continued. He explained the 50 pull-ups and 100 push-ups under 10 minutes challenge is a form of a high intensity interval training or circuit workout. 'If somebody is in the physical shape to complete this workout, I would then consider it a healthy option for someone who is short on time but looking to challenge their strength and endurance,' he acknowledged. 'Someone who is not consistently physically active may not be appropriate to complete this workout,' he warned. 'If you have not progressed and built up to this type of exercise, it may lead to aches, pains, or injury and I would not recommend trying it out of the blue.' Sonya Dakar has long been a favorite facialist in celebrity circles, with A-listers singing her praises and touting her expensive products as 'clean and effective skincare'. Dakar's star-studded client list includes Megan Fox, Drew Barrymore, Fergie, Sophia Bush, Kate Beckinsale, and influencers such as Alexis Ren, Tinx and The Bachelor contestants. Many people credit the clean beauty pioneer with clearing their acne. Dance Moms alum Maddie Ziegler, 22, spent thousands of dollars on her products and celebrated the celebrity facialist in a Vogue interview. Even young girls were said to be part of Dakar's elite clientele, with rumors circulating that Apple Martin received facials from her mom's favorite at as young as 11. Her Goop founder mother Gwyneth Paltrow described her own treatments as 'hardcore' and compared the process to 'being smacked.' Now, a Los Angeles-based woman named Victoria Nelson has spoken out against Dakar in a lengthy TikTok video with photos showing the damage she claims to have incurred from a peel followed by microneedling sessions on her unhealed skin. The once-beloved celebrity facialist is now facing massive backlash, as people flock to her Yelp to leave one-star reviews after Nelson claimed to have spent thousands of dollars on allegedly damaging and ineffective treatment. In the viral video, which received more than one million views, Nelson accused Dakar of changing her face 'forever,' and called the experience 'literally' scarring. The Daily Mail is looking back at the allegations against Dakar accusing her of pressuring clients to spend thousands of dollars on treatments. Dakar's star-studded client list includes Megan Fox (pictured left), Drew Barrymore, Fergie, Sophia Bush and Kate Beckinsale Nelson, who shared her story on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, explained she first started seeing Dakar in late 2019 when she was 26 and 'insecure about having acne'. They quickly became incredibly close and she described the so-called beauty guru as a mother figure. Everything changed, she said, in April 2021, when Nelson went in for a 'routine facial,' which she had 'done plenty of times'. Towards the end of facial, Nelson claimed Dakar 'insisted' that they 'finish out the appointment with a peel,' which she had done before. 'The solution is a liquid solution and a dropper, and she starts by applying it to my left cheek, then my forehead and then my right cheek, and a small drop actually landed just below my left eyebrow,' Nelson emotionally recalled in the video. Nelson said she felt an 'immediate burning and stinging' and her 'eyes started watering,' leading to tears since she said she wasn't given eye protection. After saying it hurt, Dakar rinsed it off and Nelson was given a fan to cool her face down, according to the video. Nelson 'quickly realized' that her skin had been 'burned,' but Dakar 'was very much insistent that it would be fine' and that 'she would fix it,' promising 'in one month' it would look 'perfect'. Despite the promises, Nelson claimed that people have asked her if she had acid thrown on her face and that, years later, her face has still not healed. Nelson asserted that she ended up doing about 18 facial sessions with Dakar in 2021 and 12 sessions in 2022 to try to improve the scarring, including 'pretty aggressive microneedling,' which she shared 'graphic' photos from. Nelson claimed she ended up spending about $30,000 during the follow-up treatments and $60,000 in total, as well as $30,000 with other professionals to help heal her skin. Nelson claimed she was worried she was going to be 'permanently disfigured' and consulted her dermatologist, who was confused about why Dakar did not refer her to a burn unit or plastic surgeon. Now, years later, Nelson still has the marks on her face and is extremely self-conscious about them. Nelson said she has since 'been advised by a number of professionals that the liquid probably was medical grade, or at least something that an aesthetician shouldn't have access to, and that's what her license is under the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology.' She also said she learned that the microneedling treatments were not covered by that license. Nelson claimed she was worried she was going to be 'permanently disfigured' and consulted her dermatologist, who was confused about why Dakar did not refer her to a burn unit or plastic surgeon Nelson claimed she ended up spending about $30,000 during the follow-up treatments and $60,000 in total, as well as $30,000 with other professionals to help heal her skin Plastic surgeon Dr. Ari Hoschander told Daily Mail: 'The visible blistering, redness, skin breakdown, and severe pain are all signs she suffered a chemical burn.' While Dr. Hoschander has not treated her as a patient, he believes it is possibly second degree or deeper judging by the photos she shared. 'This would have absolutely warranted immediate medical attention by a burn unit and plastic surgeon,' the Long Island-based doctor said. 'Once youre dealing with a burn, youre no longer in the realm of beauty - youve transitioned into medicine. Dr. Hoschander explained, 'typically treatments that penetrate beyond the superficial epidermis are considered invasive and medical in nature' and 'are usually prohibited for estheticians unless under the direct supervision of a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant'. In the comments section of her video, multiple people were surprised that Dakar made Nelson pay for follow-up appointments and that she did microneedling, which is a minimally invasive procedure, but can cause bruising and bleeding and should only be done on healed skin. Multiple upset TikTok commenters shared their own stories, with one woman writing that she went to Dakar at 23 in the early 2000s with a gift certificate 'and she kept adding treatments without communicating pricing and it ended up being $5,000.' In the end, she claimed she was forced to commit to a payment plan. One commenter claimed: 'Sonya Dakar ruined my skin in the early 2000s. It took me YEARS to get my skin to its normal healthy place.' On Yelp, there are comments for the Sonya Dakar Skin Clinic going back years. Many former clients accused Dakar of pressuring them to spend thousands of dollars on skincare products and procedures. While there are plenty of five-star reviews raving about how the beauty pro 'saved' their skin or 'has the most amazing products,' there's also a whole slew of one-star reviews. On August 28, Yelp moderators placed an Unusual Activity Alert on the Sonya Dakar Skin Clinic business page and temporarily disabled the ability to post reviews because activity dramatically increased. Pictured: Dakar with Paula Abdul at the Sonya Dakar Emmy Gifting Lounge in Beverly Hills in 2007 Celebrities have spent thousands on heavy duty facial sessions at the chic Los Angeles clinic In April 2024, one woman wrote accusingly, 'SONYA DAKAR IS A THIEF!!! She scammed me! She stole my money!!!' The Hollywood-based Yelp reviewer alleged that Dakar 'didn't stop bringing me down for my acne scars and my facial hair till I agreed to pay $3,000 for a series of treatments which started at $6,000 and she swore would remove my scars.' The woman continued, 'She tried to force me [to buy] products for almost $1,000 after I told her I have no money. I had to lie that I will be back within an hour with different card to buy those so she can let me go.' Another reviewer in 2023 said she traveled from the Midwest to meet Dakar, but following her facial she claimed she 'was pressured to buy all the products she used on my skin even though I had made it clear that I didn't have time to look at them.' In 2022, a Beverly Hills-based woman claimed she 'had a horrific & traumatizing experience,' and 'was so exhausted from saying "no" to every little thing that she kept trying to up-charge me.' The woman alleged that Dakar 'kept the harsh chemicals on my face for so long I was burning and in absolute agony' and was 'pounding' her face and 'hurting' her nose following a surgery she'd had. 'She would leave the room several times and for long periods while leaving me unattended with harsh chemicals on my face,' the Yelp reviewer claimed, saying she was 'terrified and had no idea what was going on'. This is not the first time Dakar has been in the spotlight. In 2020, Dakar's Beverly Hills skincare company was sued by two former employees for alleged racial, religious and sexual orientation discrimination. The two plaintiffs said Dakar would openly make discriminatory comments against African-American, Latinx and Muslim people and allegedly repeatedly referred to Latinx as 'chihuahuas'. The complaint also alleged that Dakar failed to pay them all wages. According to an August 2024 report, the parties reached a conditional settlement. However, the terms of the settlement were not publicly disclosed. On July 29, 2008, Dakar was arrested after allegedly assaulting and trying to bite an inspector from the California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Barbering and Cosmetology's hand who was doing a routine inspection. Her lawyer entered a plea of not guilty and further details of the case are not publicly available. The Daily Mail has reached out to Nelson and Dakar for comment. Queen Rania of Jordan has shared a stunning portrait to mark her 55th birthday on Sunday, August 31. The glamorous royal looked radiant in the image, which was more casual than some of the more traditional-style portraits she has released in the past. In the new image, the mother-of-four looks chic in a turquoise maxi-dress with a high neckline and billowing sleeves. Her pose is casual - almost candid in style - as she looks over her shoulder at the camera. Meanwhile, the location is outdoors, near a building with arches, potted plants, and mosaic tiling. The royal opted for a simple make-up look, with a fresh base, pink blush, and light berry lip. She wore her long chestnut tresses, with blonde highlights, loose, and they fell past her shoulders in soft waves. Queen Rania kept her accessories simple, opting for a pair of classic silver hoop earrings to complete the understated but chic look. Queen Rania celebrates her 55th birthday on Sunday - and she released this portrait to mark the occasion The official Royal Hashemite Court shared a striking image of Rania with her husband King Abdullah, 63 On Sunday, members of the Jordanian Royal Family, including Crown Prince Hussein, shared tributes to Rania on Instagram. The future king, 31, posted a beautiful photograph of Rania flanked by Hussein and his wife, Princess Rajwa Al Hussein, also 31. Rania and 63-year-old husband King Abdullah II's eldest son married Rajwa in a lavish ceremony on June 1, 2023. The image, captioned 'Happy Birthday to my loving mother. God Bless you', shows the three royals in casual attire with smiles across their faces. In the picture, which has received 125,000 likes, Rania looks typically chic in a dark grey dress with ruching around the waist while her daughter-in-law looks elegant in a white shirt and a pair of tailored khaki trousers. The official Royal Hashemite Court also shared a striking image of Rania and her husband along with a touching birthday message. Rania, who is wearing a more formal and elaborate dress in shades of silver, red and cream in the picture, is holding on to suited Abdullah's arm in an affectionate gesture. The post is captioned: 'Wishing Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah many happy returns on the occasion of her birthday'. Rania's eldest son, Crown Prince Hussein (left), also posted a tribute to his mother on the occasion of her 55th birthday. The image showed Rania flanked by Hussein and daughter-in-law Princess Rajwa Al Hussein (right) Together, the two birthday tributes have received thousands of comments from well-wishers eager to share their support for Rania. As she hits the milestone birthday, while Queen Rania is undeniably glamorous, with a luxurious lifestyle and millions of social media followers, she started life with much more humble beginnings in Kuwait. She was born on August 31, 1970, to Palestinian parents - her doctor father Faisal Sedki Al-Yassin and mother Ilham Yassin. The same year, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where her parents had gone after fleeing Kuwait along with thousands of other Palestinians following the Gulf War. Her family eventually settled in a comfortable home in Tulkarm in the West Bank, close to the border with Israel. Queen Rania was educated first at the New English School in Kuwait City and then at the American University in Cairo, where she graduated with a business degree in 1991. In her early professional career, Rania worked with Citibank, before later taking on a marketing position with Apple. She met her husband at a dinner party in 1993 and the couple were engaged just two months later. They married five months after that first meeting. As she hits the milestone birthday, while Queen Rania is undeniably glamorous, with a luxurious lifestyle and millions of social media followers, she started life with much more humble beginnings in Kuwait Their lavish ceremony took place at the Zahran Palace in Amman, and the day was declared a national holiday. While tradition dictates that a royal bride should wear jewels from her own family at her wedding, Rania's family did not have an impressive range of jewels at their disposal. As such, she wore an embellished headband attached to her wedding veil, which was styled around her intricate up-do, instead of a royal tiara. In tying the knot with Abdullah, Rania did not know she would become the Queen of Jordan. In fact, her husband's uncle, Prince Hassan, had been next in line to the throne for decades. But when on his deathbed in 1999, King Hussein removed Hassan from the line of succession and replaced him with his own son. Rania and Abdullah have four children: Crown Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma and Hashem. Dublin City Council plans to install flower beds around the base of the Molly Malone statue in a bid to prevent tourists from rubbing her breasts. The statue is one of the city's most famous tourist attractions, but the unpopular tradition of giving Molly's chest a rub for good luck has caused a lot of controversy in recent years. The statue of the legendary fishmonger - immortalised in the song Cockles and Mussels - was installed in 1988 and quickly gained fame - but not just for its historical signifcance. Over the years, tourists visiting Dublin have taken to grabbing the statue's breasts during photo ops - resulting in wear and tear that caused a shine on its chest. Despite multiple attempts made by the council to protect the Molly Malone statue from groping - including raising the statue so people can no longer reach its breasts - it has proven difficult to elminiate this peculiar brand of visitor mischief. Now Dublin City Council is 'exploring other avenues of protection for the sculpture' including installing flowers beds around the base, a spokesperson told the Irish Independent. 'All options in relation to the protection of Molly Malone are being considered by Dublin City Council. 'Flower beds are the current option being explored and, after their installation and monitoring as to their effectiveness, further consideration of other actions such as moving or raising the statue may be explored,' they added. Dublin City Council plans to install flower beds around the base of the Molly Malone statue in a bid to prevent tourists from rubbing her breasts in Dublin This is not the first time the council have stepped in to safeguard the bronze statue of the Irish folklore figure. Talks have reportedly included elevating the statue onto a plinth and moving it from the tourist hotspot altogether. In May, the council hired private security 'bodyguards' to guard the statue during peak tourist hours to discourage people from rubbing the sculpture. Campaigners have been arguing that Molly deserves more respect for being such a legendary woman in Irish Culture. The statue, made by late Irish sculptor Jeanne Rynhart, was unveiled on Grafton Street in 1988 before the construction of a tram line prompted a move to nearby Suffolk Street in 2014. Molly Malone, the subject of a famous folk song about a fishmonger's daughter who sells cockles and mussels from a wheelbarrow, has become ingrained in the fabric of Irish folklore. The song describes how 'her ghost wheels her barrow / through streets broad and narrow' after she died of a fever. The council has not discounted the possibility of relocating it once again, and has also mooted the possibility of making it less accessible by installing a taller plinth or railings. The statue, has long been a must-see stop on any Dublin city tour, but the unpopular tradition of giving Molly's chest a rub for good luck has caused a lot of controversy in recent years The statue quickly gained fame, not just for its historical significance, but for the peculiar tourist habit of grabbing her breasts during photo ops. Local busker and campaigner Tilly Cripwell (pictured) has called on Dublin City Council to raise the 1988 statue out of reach so people can no longer grope the metal body part However, those considerations must be balanced against the expense involved and the need to maintain the sculpture as a safe tourist attraction, the council added. 'The low plinth height and space around the statue allows crowds to congregate easily and the Molly Malone statue is a feature of tours given by tour guides,' a Dublin Council spokesperson told the Daily Mail. 'Moving the statue or raising the plinth are costly options and placing railing around this work may increase risk. However all options are under review by Dublin City Council for this statue at this time. 'A pilot week of stewarding will occur in May to begin educating those who are interacting with the statue and requesting they do not touch the statue or step on the plinth, and discussing the reasons for not doing so.' The decision to deploy stewards follows a campaign launched last year by Tilly Cripwell, a student who busks near the statue, who demanded an end to the 'misogynistic tradition' of touching it. While she welcomed plans to restore the sculpture, she branded the idea of using stewards 'short sighted and quite short term', insisting the addition of a raised plinth would be preferable. 'A lot of people clamour around her, kiss her on the cheek, kiss her boobs, its all inappropriate,' Cripwell told The Telegraph last year. 'Its reducing her to this derision and not giving her the status of being a national treasure.' Appearing on Good Morning Britain in March, the campaigner said: 'I would like for her to be raised on a higher statue to symbolically and physically elevate her, and prevent people from clambering all over her.' The statue, by the late Irish sculptor Jeanne Rynhart, was unveiled on Grafton Street in 1988 before the construction of a tram line prompted a move to Suffolk Street, just over half a mile away, in 2014 But the campaign has faced backlash on social media, with people reminding the student that the model is 'a statue, not a real person'. 'Imagine a life so dull and empty that you start a campaign to move a statue because you think it's being touched inappropriately. It's not a real person,' one wrote on X/Twitter. 'Oh please be quiet! It's a statue not a real person!' another said. 'Did she just say she didn't want a statue to be touched "inappropriately" [...] Next they'll say she didn't give consent!' However, others have agreed with the campaign, claiming the groping of the model encourages 'misogynistic' behaviour in men and boys. 'The Molly Malone statue in #Dublin encourages #misogynistic behaviour in boys, men and people in general. Not a good look, especially when we are seeking an equal society #GMB.' People touch statues all over the world, believing it will bring them good luck. One person on X, who agreed with Ms Cripwell's campaign, said the same thing happens to the statue of Juliet in Verona. 'I agree with @tilly_cripwell that this type of behaviour should change. The same is being done in #VeronaBologna to the #Juliet statue. 'Touching a woman's breast is a no-no! In my opinion.' According to Dublin City Council's historian in residence, Catherine Scuffil, respect for the memory of a woman who, researchers now increasingly believe, may have been a real person - from the Liberties area - is paramount. 'Poor Molly doesn't deserve it,' she said of the overly tactile approach of visitors. 'Think for a minute what she represents to us. She's an image of our city. She represents the people of our city, but more importantly, she represents the women of our city. So maybe we shouldn't be treating her quite the way we are at the moment.' 'Molly means a lot to a lot of people,' Scuffil, a relative of the statue's sculptor, told RTE. 'We always use Molly Malone as our anthem, as our slogan, as our story. So she represents all of those things. 'A woman, independent means, her own trade, working in the city, you know, we should respect her a bit more.' The council are currently organising its restoration to repair the sculpture and preserve it for future generations. Royal fans were sombre as they gathered outside Kensington Palace today to mark Princess Diana's death anniversary after a fatal car crash in Paris claimed her life 28 years ago. Well-wishers placed flowers, flags, and banners dedicated to the 'forever missed, forever remembered' Diana Spencer on the golden gates of the West London royal home on Sunday, 31 August. The mother of Prince William and Prince Harry, whose fractured relationship would undoubtedly have caused Diana great sadness had she been alive today, was killed in a car crash alongside Dodi Al Fayed and chaffeur Henri Paul nearly three decades ago. Despite efforts to save her, Diana was pronounced dead at 4am local time after suffering from a stroke at La Pitie Salpetriere Hospital, Paris, on 31 August, 1997. The 'shrine' to her memory outside Kensington Palace included photos of Diana taken over the years, including pictures with her now-estranged sons. One fan also pinned photographs of Prince William and Kate Middleton's three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, who tragically never met their late grandmother. One banner affixed to the gates of Kensington Palace read: 'Diana, the Princess of Wales, her work continues through her loving sons Prince William and Prince Harry.' While the royal brothers are no longer believed to be on speaking terms, after Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle stepped down from their roles as senior members of The Firm, they continue to honour their mother's legacy in their own ways. Royal fans were sombre as they gathered outside Kensington Palace to mark Princess Diana 's death anniversary after a fatal car crash in Paris claimed her life 28 years ago Despite efforts to save her, Diana was pronounced dead at 4 am French time at La Pitie Salpetriere Hospital, Paris on August 31, 1997, after suffering from a stroke The 'shrine' to her memory outside Kensington Palace included photos of Diana taken over the years, including pictures with her now-estranged sons. She is pictured here with Prince William (left) and Prince Harry in 1987 William, 43, is carrying forward her work with youth homelessness charity Centrepoint, while Harry, 40, continues her legacy of working with HIV patients among other humanitarian causes that were close to their mother's heart. Last year, Richard Kay, editor-at-large for the Daily Mail, told the Mail+'s weekly talk show that if Diana was still alive, the 'tussle' between her two sons would not exist. Kay, who was a very good friend of Princess Diana and would speak with her up to six times a day, said Harry and William have been fighting over her 'legacy'. He told Palace Confidential: '[They've] been tussling over Diana's legacy, they've been pulling apart Diana's legacy, [and picking] which part suits them best. I think it's a great tragedy. 'What I knew about Diana was, first and above all, was her love for her sons, that was clear to the whole world, she loved those boys. I think she would've been broken-hearted. 'The big question is, would it have still happened had Diana still been with us? My own view is that it probably wouldn't have because she would've remained the pivotal figure in both their lives and prevented the fallout from happening.' Diana's death anniversary comes a few days after it was announced that Harry is expected in London on September 8 for the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's death where he will also attend the WellChild Awards - a charity event he has avidly supported. At the event, Prince Harry will come face-to-face with his father King Charles for the first time in 20 months as hopes for a royal reconciliation were fortified after aides for held an informal peace summit last month. One banner affixed to the gates of Kensington Palace read: 'Diana, the Princess of Wales , her work continues through her loving sons Prince William and Prince Harry'. The brothers, whose relationship has been fractured for some years now, are not on speaking terms at the moment In the midst of the planned meeting, it is understood Harry's wife Meghan will remain in California with the couple's two children, Archie and Lilibet. The last time the King saw his grandchildren was June 2022 when Harry and Meghan returned for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. A US source told The Mirror there was now a 'determination on both sides to make this happen' while speaking of a possible reconcilliation between father and son. The source added: 'Nobody is pretending the wider family issues have been resolved, but this is about beginning with Charles and Harry. 'For the first time in a long time, theres a genuine sense that reconciliation is within reach. 'Prince Harrys team and the Palace have opened a line of communication, and there is every hope that father and son will see one another when the Duke returns to London in September.' The source said there was a 'feeling the time is right' following 20 months apart and as the King continues his cancer treatment. It is expected the encounter will be a 'simple face-to-face conversation between a father and a son' rather than a 'grand gesture or set-piece meeting'. 'Privacy and dignity' have also been highlighted as priorities. Well-wishers placed flowers, flags and banners dedicated to the late Diana Spencer on the golden gates to the south of the West London royal home today However, a reunion between William and Harry, who were 15 and 12 respectively when Diana died, still seems a distant outcome after it is believed the future King declined to meet his younger brother during his trip next month. A separate source told The Mirror that Prince William felt his brother had 'repeatedly chosen public exposure over private resolution' and expressed a determination not to be 'dragged into the headlines every time there's a new contract to promote'. There was said to be an 'issue of trust' and perceived inability for Harry and Meghan to 'keep things private'. In 2020 when Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals, hopes were high within The Firm that a halfway point could be found. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex claimed their decision to 'step back as "senior" members' was to become more financially independent and to enjoy more privacy from the prying eyes of the media. But what followed was a slew of allegations against the monarchy. In their March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey the pair claimed the had suffered racism and that Meghan had even been left suicidal. In 2022 they went on to accuse the palace of 'unconscious bias' before Harry's memoir Spare in early 2023 made a number of new claims. King Charles is said to have been 'deeply saddened' by the allegations but has left the door open to reconciliation. Other tributes included pictures of Diana with her sons as babies and snaps of the princess carrying out the humanitarian work she was adored for Visitors and royal fans flocked to the gates of Kensington Palace the former residence Charles, Diana and Harry watch as Prince William signs the Entrance Book at Eton College in 1995 It is believed the trigger that caused the rift to first develop between William and Harry was when the then-Duke of Cambridge advised his younger sibling to 'take things slow' with Meghan after they started dating in 2017. Relations soured more after their dramatic exit from the Royal Family - dubbed 'Megxit' - with a source telling People that the brothers' relationship is 'forever changed' and they 'won't get back to the way they were'. 'Harry is looking straight ahead at his future with his family,' they added, referring to the Sussexes' new life in California - where they have resided since 2025 - with their two children. Meanwhile, The Daily Mail's Richard Kay said he believed Princess Diana would have been 'proud' of William and Kate for stepping into their places as Prince and Princess of Wales. 'I think she would've been proud of William and Catherine and what a stylish edition they've made and how they've seamlessly stepped into hers and Charles' shoes with a young family,' he added. But the royal expert also said that Diana would have been 'hugely jealous' of the fact that Prince Harry was able to 'break away' from The Firm. 'You've got to remember, Diana was a radical, she was very unhappy, she was trapped within the royal system, she did try and break away, she couldn't quite before her death,' Kay said. 'I think she would've been fiercely proud of the fact that Harry has chosen a life outside of the royal circle.' A woman has issued a stark warning after claiming her matcha 'obsession' sent her to the hospital. Lynn Shazeen, from South Carolina, recently went viral on TikTok after she shared a video of herself laying in a hospital bed with an IV in her arm. 'RIP to my matcha obsession era,' she wrote in a text overlay, before showing a montage of clips and pictures of her holding matcha or drinking it. 'Lesson learned,' she added in the caption. The video quickly went viral, earning more than 5.3 million views, and left hoards of matcha lovers across the globe terrified. In a follow-up video, Lynn explained that she is anemic so drinking matcha made her iron levels dip dangerously low. 'Because of that, I had to get iron transfusions done to get my iron levels up,' she explained. She shared a snap of her blood tests results, which showed her iron was just 28 (the normal range 35-150) and her iron percent saturation was a mere six percent (the normal range 20-55 percent). A woman has issued a stark warning after claiming her matcha 'obsession' sent her to the hospital (stock image) Lynn, who has a bachelors in science and nursing, also revealed that she wasn't even drinking matcha 'every single day,' but rather, only 'once every other week.' She explained that she started to suffer from dizziness, heart palpitations, itchiness, shortness of breath, and fatigue before discovering that her iron was low. 'This is not to say you cannot drink matcha, girl go for it, so long as you do it the right way,' she stressed. 'What do I mean? Drink matcha two hours before or after meals. 'Matcha inhibits your iron absortion to the blood stream. Matcha can also cause upset stomach so avoid drinking it on an empty stomach.' 'Hope this helps, stay safe out there,' she concluded. Matcha is a vivid green, caffeinated powder made from the ground leaves of the Camellia sinensis tea plant a type of green tea. A 2022 review found that 14 studies suggested that regular consumption improves brain function, reduces stress and can aide weight loss. However, Health.com reported that matcha includes something called tannins, which 'restrict the bodys ability to absorb iron, raising the risk of iron-deficiency anemia.' Lynn Shazeen, from South Carolina, recently went viral on TikTok after she revealed that her iron levels dipped dangerously low from drinking matcha (stock image) 'Matcha itself does not inherently cause iron-deficiency anemia,' Kirbie Daily, MS, RD, told the publication. 'But it may have an impact on your bodys ability to efficiently absorb iron if it is consumed too close to a meal.' She added, 'Drinking matcha with or immediately after meals will have a stronger inhibitory effect on iron absorption than drinking it between meals. 'I recommend giving yourself at least one to two hours in between your meals or iron supplementation, and having your matcha.' A major review of over 150 studies in 2010 published by the Journal of Chinese Medicine found that consumption of more than three cups of regular green tea a day reduced iron absorption. However, it is believed that matcha has an even greater effect, as one cup has nearly seven times as many tannins as a similarly sized green tea. Research suggests teenage girls, pregnant and post-menopausal women are at the highest risk of a matcha-related iron deficiency. 'People need to be aware of the potential risks of this drink,' Dr Jeannine Baumgartner, an expert in nutrition and researcher at King's College London, who has studied matcha, previously told the Daily Mail. 'There is a real danger of a deficiency, particularly for younger women who have higher iron needs.' Disney World has announced that a major change is coming to a beloved landmark that has stood in the theme park for over 50 years... and the internet is divided over the news. There's nothing like scanning your ticket into Magic Kingdom, walking through the gates, and laying your eyes on Cinderella's Castle. The monument, which sits right in the center of the park, has been the backdrop for millions of family photos and is an iconic symbol for the Orlando, Florida, resort. But now, Disney has revealed that the castle will be undergoing a massive makeover, and fans of the Happiest Place on Earth are torn over the change. For decades, the castle was white and blue, but in 2021, it was painted pink and blue for the 50th anniversary celebration, and has remained that color ever since. However, Disney creatives announced at the Destination D23 event this weekend that the castle will be changing again. It will now be repainted and will feature grays, creams, blues, and touches of gold, very similar to its original look. Disney did not share when the change would take place, but it did release a concept image of the castle's transformation. Disney World has announced that a major change is coming to Cinderella's castle - a beloved landmark that has stood in the theme park for over 50 years Disney creatives announced at the Destination D23 event this weekend that the castle will be repainted and will feature grays, creams, blues, and touches of gold. The concept art is seen Naturally, fans rushed to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts on the news, and while some were excited, others were not here for it. 'WE ARE SO BACK!!!' one happy fan wrote. 'While I [don't] love this color scheme, a lot of people will enjoy it and I'm sure it will look beautiful,' added someone else. Another user admitted, 'Ill miss the current color scheme.' 'Idk how I feel about this tbh. It looks great like this, Ive grown kinda fond of the pink,' a fourth tweet read. 'The best (Disney) news I couldve asked for! I hated the pink WDW castle,' said a fifth. 'Thank God, the pink is not it,' celebrated a different person. 'Planning another trip back to see her in all her OG color glory,' penned someone else. For decades, the castle was white and blue, but in 2021, it was painted pink and blue for the 50th anniversary, and has remained that color ever since. It's seen before it became pink It comes after a former Disney World employee spoke to the Daily Mail about what it was really like to work at the Happiest Place on Earth... detailing low salaries, rude guests, and at times, 'horrendous' management. The former Disney staffer, who asked to keep his name hidden for privacy reasons, was employed by the theme park from 2017 until this year. He worked a 'few different roles, mainly in attractions,' before eventually becoming a 'coordinator,' which he described as the 'role just below management.' Some may think that working at the beloved amusement park would be fun and dazzling, but he confessed that while there were certainly some perks - there were also a slew of drawbacks. He explained that employees had to follow strict rules, like not being able to take any photos backstage or wear smart watches, or you'd be fired. 'Safety critical roles, such as [working the] attractions had some strict guidelines,' he shared. 'Disney is overly safe and very efficient at sending the most amount of guests through a ride possible. 'An example of a strict rule, was no smart watches. Any device could be a distraction from vehicle motion and could get you fired if youre caught wearing one.' He said he often dealt with guests who were 'entitled' and was put in some pretty 'rough situations,' but added, 'You encounter tens of thousands of guests daily, maybe a handful of them are bad. The longer you work for the company, is what it is.' He also complained that he was on his feet 'almost all day' and made 'less than $45,000 a year.' The worst part, however, was the 'lack of empathy' from his 'managers,' he said. Millions of Britons who fail to respond to existing treatments for high blood pressure are set to benefit from a miracle new drug. The medicine, hailed as a triumph of science, is the first to tackle the underlying cause of hypertension rather than simply dealing with its symptoms. A final-stage clinical trial shows the daily pill, named baxdrostat, can produce very powerful and unprecedented effects in previously unresponsive patients. Around 14 million people in the UK live with high blood pressure. But in half of these cases, the condition is uncontrolled or resistant to treatment, raising the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and early death. The entirely new class of drug gives hope to people who are unable to reduce their blood pressure to healthy levels despite taking a cocktail of two or three tablets. It could be available on the NHS as early as next year, with manufacturer AstraZeneca preparing to apply for regulatory approval within months. The study, led by Professor Bryan Williams, chairman of medicine at University College London and chief medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, involved 800 patients at 214 clinics worldwide. After 12 weeks, patients taking baxdrostat saw their blood pressure fall by about 9 to 10 mmHg more than those taking a placebo. Millions of Britons who fail to respond to existing treatments for high blood pressure are set to benefit from a miracle new drug. The medicine, hailed as a triumph of science, is the first to tackle the underlying cause of hypertension rather than simply dealing with its symptoms (file image) The medicine, hailed as a triumph of science, is the first to tackle the underlying cause of hypertension rather than simply dealing with its symptoms. A final-stage clinical trial shows the daily pill, named baxdrostat, can produce very powerful and unprecedented effects (file image) Previous studies suggest this scale of reduction may cut the risk of coronary heart disease by 17 per cent, stroke by 27 per cent, heart failure by 28 per cent and death by 13 per cent. About four in ten patients on the treatment reached healthy blood pressure levels, compared with fewer than two in ten on the dummy drug, and there were no unanticipated safety issues. The results were simultaneously presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Madrid and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Prof Williams estimates the drug could help up to half a billion people globally and 10 million in the UK. He said: Ive never seen blood pressure reductions of this magnitude with a drug. High blood pressure is hard to control. 'Despite many treatments and a lot of discussion its still the single most important preventable cause of premature death globally. About four in ten patients on the treatment reached healthy blood pressure levels, compared with fewer than two in ten on the dummy drug, and there were no unanticipated safety issues. Prof Williams said: Ive never seen blood pressure reductions of this magnitude with a drug.' (file image) This drug development is really a triumph of scientific discovery. This is a potential game-changer for patients... because it targets the core mechanism, helping to reduce their future risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and potentially dementia. Blood pressure is strongly influenced by a hormone called aldosterone, which helps the kidneys. Some people produce too much, which causes the body to hold onto salt and water, pushing up blood pressure. Drugs have long been able to block aldosterone from working but baxdrostat directly blocks its production. A baby has become the first person to die after contracting whooping cough in England this year amid rapidly plummeting vaccination rates. The child, whose mother was not vaccinated against the infection, was believed to have been under the age of one and died some time after falling ill between March and June. Official NHS guidance states that whooping cough, or pertussis, 'spreads very easily' and that it is 'important for babies, children and anyone who is pregnant to get vaccinated against it'. The numbers of 'laboratory confirmed cases' of whooping cough dramatically shot up from 856 in 2023 to 14,894 between January and December last year. Some 11 infants who were infected in 2024 sadly lost their lives, sparking concerns over the low vaccination rates. Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) deputy director, confirmed this year's death. 'Our thoughts and condolences are with the family who have so tragically lost their baby', she told The Times. The agency, which is responsible for protecting the public from infectious diseases, has warned that the vaccination rates for primary school pupils were at their lowest levels since 2010. A baby has become the first person this year to die after contracting whooping cough amid rapidly plummeting vaccination rates across the UK (File Image) Despite millions of children preparing to return to primary school classrooms across England this week, only 20 per cent of them are vaccinated against whooping cough. Such a low intake of vaccines in English children has seen the UK fall below the World Health Organisation's 95 per cent threshold for herd immunity. Just 73 per cent of pregnant women are vaccinated against whooping cough, however this is a marked improvement to the 59 per cent recorded in March last year. There have been 502 recorded cases of the infection this year, according to the latest data. Eight of these included babies under three-months-old. Dr Amirthalingam added: 'Vaccination is the best defence against whooping cough and it is vital that pregnant women and young infants receive their vaccines at the right time, ideally between 20 and 32 weeks. 'This passes protection to their baby in the womb so that they are protected from birth.' Parents are urged to take notice if their children begin suffering with 'coughing bouts that last for a few minutes and are worse at night' on official NHS guidance. The health service say the first signs of whooping cough, which gets its name from the gasp for breath between bouts, are similar to a cold - though a high temperature is typically uncommon. There have been 502 recorded cases of the infection this year, according to the latest data - eight of these included babies under three-months-old (File Image) The latest tragedy comes just one month after a child died at Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital after contracting measles. The child is believed to be the second child in England to die in the past five years with the infection. As of next year, the NHS will roll out a plan to safeguard babies against chickenpox by combining it a vaccination with the existing one for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). The uptake in vaccinations of MMR have also dropped to their lowest levels in more than 15 years, with only 83.7 per cent of five-year-olds currently protected. The whooping cough vaccine is routinely given as part of the six-in-one vaccine for babies at eight, 12 and 16 weeks, as well as the four-in-one pre-school booster. Turkeys extensive military modernization has established the country as a key emerging player in Middle Eastern geopolitics, as evident at the 2025 IDEF defense exhibition in Istanbul. Held from July 22 to 27, the event showcased Turkeys rapidly growing military-industrial capabilities and strategic goals, which extend from the Caucasus to the Red Sea. Defense Export Success Drives Strategic Autonomy Turkey now ranks 11th globally in defense exports, generating $7.1 billion in sales during 2024, marking a 29% increase from the previous year. The countrys defense sector employs 95,000 workers across 3,500 companies, with about 80% of Turkish military requirements now met domestically. This shift aligns with President Erdogans strategic goal of achieving full defense autonomy by 2030. The Turkish government has set a clear goal: to be among the worlds top 30 defense exporters by the end of the decade. Five Turkish companies are now listed in Defense News Top 100, including Aselsan at 42nd and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) at 50th. Government investments and self-sufficiency initiatives have enabled Turkey to produce approximately 80% of its defense needs domestically. Military Platforms Driving Regional Influence The centerpiece of Turkeys military modernization remains the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) KAAN fifth-generation fighter jet, which is set to replace some of its F-16 fleet in the future. As an early partner in the program, Indonesia has already committed to purchasing 48 aircraft, and Egypt is considering cooperation to join the program. The ALTAY main battle tank, after years of development challenges, has finally entered serial production with BMC. Turkeys unmanned aerial systems (UAS) capabilities, led by Baykars TB2 and AKINCI platforms, have demonstrated combat effectiveness across multiple theaters, including Ukraine, Syria, Libya, and Nagorno-Karabakh. Baykars international expansion has recently been boosted by the acquisition of Italian aviation company Piaggio and the LBA Joint Venture with Leonardo, dedicated to UAS development. This partnership leverages Baykars industry-leading unmanned platforms with Leonardos advanced electronics and radar systems. The planned 50-50 joint venture envisions drone assembly in Turkey, as well as at Leonardo facilities in Italy, which would facilitate certification for selling in a European market worth $100 billion over the next decade. Regional Tensions Shape Defense Priorities The recent conflict between Israel and Iran prompted President Erdogan to focus on developing stronger deterrent capabilities. Turkey responded by unveiling its STEEL DOME multi-layered air defense system and the TAYFUN BLOCK-4 hypersonic ballistic missile. These advances show Turkeys commitment to achieving military parity or advantage over regional powers. The Steel Dome system, which relies solely on domestically produced assets, demonstrates Turkeys commitment to independent airspace security, developed specifically in response to regional tensions. President Erdogan has stressed the importance of improving deterrence capabilities against perceived regional threats. Turkeys naval power has grown significantly, with shipyards producing advanced frigates, corvettes, and helicopter carriers. This naval strength supports strategic interests in contested Eastern Mediterranean waters, where disputes with Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt involve maritime borders and energy resources. The export of naval platforms has become a key part of Turkeys diplomatic efforts, particularly in Southeast Asia, through major agreements with Indonesia and Malaysia. Turkey is also increasing its influence in Africa, exemplified by its donation of COBRA armored vehicles to Zambia as part of a broader strategic relationship-building effort on the continent. A notable development at IDEF 2025 was the improvement in the relationship with Syria. A large delegation from the Syrian Ministry of Defense attended the exhibition. High-level discussions led to Syrian requests for Turkish assistance in maintaining territorial integrity and rebuilding their military. This growing alliance positions Turkey as a key power broker in post-conflict Syria, potentially reducing Iranian influence and creating new strategic realities on Israels northern border. Ukraine Conflict Provides Technology Testing Ground The war in Ukraine has served as both a showcase and a laboratory for Turkish defense industry capabilities. The combat-proven effectiveness of platforms like the Bayraktar TB2 has cemented its global reputation. Turkey has also adapted several models of Ukraines Unmanned Surface Attack boats, which were successfully used against the Russian navy in the Black Sea. Turkish defense firms are analyzing lessons from conflicts, driving significant investment in autonomous systems, including unmanned ground vehicles, Loyal Wingman drone concepts under Project OKU, and various electronic warfare systems and techniques that have evolved from lessons learned from the conflict. Recognizing the vulnerabilities of manned platforms, Turkey emphasizes the development of autonomous systems within a fully integrated ecosystem of platforms, propulsion, weapons, and avionics optimized for unmanned and autonomous operations. The conflict highlighted the need for UAS survivability, leading companies like ASELSAN to develop advanced electronic warfare pods. This demonstrates Turkeys commitment to updating technology in line with modern battlefield realities. Strategic Implications Turkeys extensive military buildup, including the development of fifth-generation fighters and hypersonic missiles, along with the cultivation of strategic alliances in Syria, northern and eastern Africa, and the Arabian Gulf, reflects a calculated strategy. At the same time, Turkey expands its alliances and security relationships with countries regionally and globally, through naval port calls, donations of military equipment, security and military training, aid, and the establishment of military bases and other measures. Government involvement in strategic military export deals is increasing, especially in key markets such as Europe, the Caucasus, the Arabian Gulf, and East Asia. The country is shifting from a regional NATO partner to a self-reliant, top-tier military power capable of influencing multi-continental events. Through developing its domestic defense industry, forming strategic partnerships, and modernizing its military, Turkey is positioning itself as a major regional power with influence extending far beyond its traditional areas. Talk about killing two birds with one stone: kissing, it turns out, may be the best way to stave off tooth decay. And, say boffins, the more passionate the clinch, the better the outcome. Exchange of saliva during a kiss is thought to lower acidity levels, say researchers writing in the Journal of Medical Research. And 40 seconds seems to hit the sweet spot as far as maximum protection is concerned. Dentists from the University of Santiago, Ecuador, say their study could offer new strategies for preventing the need for fillings. Its all about pH levels - which measure acidity - before and after a smooch. They say: `Our study is the first to evaluate whether intimate human interaction can work by transmitting buffering agents through saliva, thus supporting oral pH recovery. During a French kiss, a substantial volume of saliva is exchanged between partners, and it is plausible that this could introduce buffering agents and bacteria from one individual to another, potentially supporting faster pH normalization. Exchange of saliva during a kiss is thought to lower acidity levels, say researchers writing in the Journal of Medical Research. And 40 seconds seems to hit the sweet spot as far as maximum protection is concerned (file image) Dentists from the University of Santiago, Ecuador, say their study could offer new strategies for preventing the need for fillings. Its all about pH levels - which measure acidity - before and after a smooch (file image) Dentists plan to use 60 couples aged 18 to 30 to test their work. They will drink a variety of drinks, including cola, fruit juice. and non-alcoholic beer, and then kiss for a timed 40 seconds. Their saliva will be tested every five minutes (file image) Acidity levels can rise by around 25 per cent after sugary drinks, according to the researchers, and it takes around 40 minutes for saliva to return the pH to normal levels. Dentists plan to use 60 couples aged 18 to 30 to test their work. They will drink a variety of drinks, including cola, fruit juice. and non-alcoholic beer, and then kiss for a timed 40 seconds. Their saliva will be tested every five minutes to measure how quickly it returns to normal aided by the kiss. The dentists say: `No studies to date have explored whether kissing contributes to the recovery of salivary pH following acidic challenges. This represents a novel and unexplored area of research within oral health and preventive dentistry. It would introduce a novel behavioural approach to oral health maintenance. Accessories designer Kate Spade and her best friend and business partner of 40 years Elyce Arons might have been serious businesswomen they built Kates namesake multi-billion-dollar brand together from nothing but they liked pulling pranks on each other, too. So when Elyce learnt one morning in June 2018 that Kate been found hanged in her apartment, her first thought was that she was pranking her. She had been talking to Kate on the phone only the day before, after all. The entire world believed Kate Spade was gone, but there was a part of me that fleetingly hoped her suicide was her most elaborate, epic prank yet, Elyce writes in the prologue to her memoir. Elyce realised Kates suicide was not a prank only when she visited Kates apartment four days after her death to perform that ritual of best-friendship many women will recognise all too well collecting some of her clothes from Kates wardrobe. When moths flew out of the wardrobe at her, Elyce realised Kate was really gone her best friend would never have let moths get to the clothes, but her apartment had become sauna-like in its heat during those four days, and the moths had profited. Chic: Kate Spade in front of her handbags in 1999 Established: A Kate Spade store in London Despite it beginning with a prologue that recounts the immediate aftermath of Kates death, you shouldnt expect a book that delves voyeuristically into the why of Kates suicide. This is the story of what came before that (when there was no hint of what she would suffer later, Elyce says), a story of the enduring power of female friendship, topped off with a big dollop of Nineties New York glamour. Elyce and Kate met for the first time at the University of Kansas in 1981. They came from very different backgrounds but opposites attract after relieving themselves outside during a party by a lake, Kate developed a rash from poison ivy, and, as a preppy city girl with no idea what the rash was, sought advice from country girl Elyce. Elyce had the same rash and, having grown up on a farm in Kansas, explained that it was from poison ivy and nothing to worry about. They took it in turns each evening to dab each others backsides with cotton balls dipped in calamine lotion. Unsurprisingly, the experience bonded them. Elyce soon broke the Midwestern code of emotional reticence and confided in Kate about the death of her teenage sister to bone cancer. Kate promised not to share this secret and Elyce has since returned the favour she has said in interviews that she reveals nothing in the book that Kate ever told her to keep secret. Post-graduation, the two landed jobs in New York Elyce in marketing for a denim brand and Kate at prestigious fashion magazine Mademoiselle. Kate would go on to spend six years there, eventually becoming a senior fashion editor and head of accessories the role that allowed her to see the gap in the market for her future brand. New York in the late Eighties was of course glamorous for some, but for Kate and Elyce it was more gritty: rats in their apartments, tricky bosses, and being groped while waitressing at The China Club. In early 1993, Elyce and Kate, along with hair accessories entrepreneur Pamela Bell (whom they met by chance when they shared a summer house) and Kates future husband Andy Spade, established the brand that would make them famous and redefine the accessories industry forever. Kate made the first handbag samples out of cardboard and Sellotape in her stifling apartment and they ran around the Garment District in search of factories. What becomes clear is that Kate was a deeply private person she never wanted to be the face of the brand, despite the fact it bore her name. Well, quasi-bore her name. Kates real name, and the one Elyce uses in the book, was Katy. Style Icons: Katie Holmes and Gwyneth Paltrow with their Kate Spade bags And at the time of naming the brand, she was still Katy Brosnahan, not yet married to Andy Spade. They chose the name because they thought its monosyllabic simplicity denoted aspiration yet was somehow endearingly familiar, too not because they foresaw it would rocket not just the brand but Kate herself to fame. As the brands profile grew (in 1998, just five years after its founding, sales totalled $27 million) Kate didnt relish the limelight she, as an individual, had unintentionally acquired. She adored meeting customers (and Princess Diana at the 1995 CFDA Fashion Awards, as Elyce recounts in the book) but the back-to-back international tours she had to take as the face of the brand were relentless. Where did Kate the brand end and Kate the person begin? (Dont expect me to be Kate Spade! Elyce quotes Kate as saying). Its an identity struggle other famous founders of our time Jo Malone, Bobbi Brown have faced. When Elyce and Kate sold a 56 per cent stake in the company to the department store group Neiman Marcus in 1999 (for a cool $33.6 million, but Elyce, even more coolly, never quotes these figures in the book) Kate lost some creative control over the brand that bore her name, and when they sold the entire company in 2006 just 21 months after her daughter was born Kate lost the right to use her name to promote other businesses she might launch in the future. This didnt stop her and Elyce, though together they launched another accessories brand, Frances Valentine, in 2016. Ask most American women and theyll remember their first Kate Spade. Buying a Kate Spade bag in the Nineties and Noughties was a milestone moment. It was more than a bag buying a Kate Spade was a moment of independence, something you bought with your first big pay cheque, or to celebrate an achievement. Kate saw herself in the customers she too had lived pay cheque to pay cheque and come out on the other side. The trouble was, the bags were so jubilant and whimsical in design that people assumed the woman who designed them was unfailingly so too. We Might Just Make It After All is available now from the Mail Bookshop Kate Spade is a mythical figure, a figment of public imagination. The real person, Katy Brosnahan, had demons. Elyce doesnt detail the exact nature of these she says she knew of the depression with which Kate had been dealing in the years preceding her death and that she was receiving help, but that, when Kate heard of a celebrity suicide, she had always said she would never do that. Since Kates death, much public reaction has been based on a similar confusion she had a daughter and had founded a multi-billion-dollar business so why did she do it, and so unexpectedly? Those seeking a tell all answer to this question wont find it here and the book is all the better for it. Depression is inexplicable, and Elyce doesnt try to explain it. Rather, this is a homage to the friendship of a lifetime. For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit samaritans.org House Democratic lawmaker unveiled his shocking plan to hold an explosive news conference with victims of billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna is teaming up with Republican Rep. Thomas Massie to host a press conference this Wednesday with almost a dozen Epstein victims. The lawmakers and victims will demand a full release of all the Department of Justice files surrounding the deceased child sex trafficker. NBC News anchor Kristen Welker asked Khanna during an interview on Sundays Meet the Press if Congress will demand more accountability from the DOJ after returning from recess. I'm very confident it will. I spoke to Congressman Massie, Khanna said. We will have the petition live on September 2. We have all 212 Democrats committed to signing it. He has 12 Republicans. Only six of them have to sign it. Khanna added, What will be explosive is the September 3 press conference that both of us are having with ten Epstein victims, many who have never spoken out before. They're going to be on the steps of the Capitol. They will be telling their story, and they will be saying clearly to the American public that they want the release of the Epstein files for full closure on this matter. Bipartisan calls for more transparency from the DOJ regarding the Epstein case increased in the weeks before Congress went on an August break. Ghislaine Maxwell was recently interviewed by the DOJ regarding her relationship with pedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein Khanna is working with Massie to host a news conference with ten victims of Jeffrey Epstein on Wednesday Massie and Khanna have called for more transparency from the DOJ regarding the Epstein case Speaker Mike Johnson sent the House into an early recess as lawmakers were preparing to vote on a bill that would force the DOJ to release all of the Epstein case files. Regardless, Khanna and Massie believe they have enough bipartisan support to pass the resolution once lawmakers return from recess. On Friday, Johnson stated the House will probably vote on legislation related to the release of more information on Epstein. The speaker, however, did criticize Khanna and Massies current legislation as not even necessary. Its not even necessary, Johnson said. The process is playing out as it should. We have our own resolutions to do all this, but its sort of not necessary at the point because the administration is already doing this theyre turning it over. Last week, the DOJ released a recording of an interview between Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche asking Ghislaine Maxwell about her relationship with the disgraced financier. Johnson stated on Friday the House will probably vote on legislation related to the release of more information on Epstein Maxwell spoke about Epsteins ties to various political figures, wealthy business executives, and actors. However, the imprisoned madam said she never witnessed any inappropriate conduct from Trump. The expansion of free childcare schemes could inadvertently push up the price of already sky-high nursery fees, according to a new report. From this month, families in England will be entitled to 30 hours of government-funded childcare per week for children as young as nine months. However, staffing shortages and insufficient funding mean some parents may be left without spaces or paying over the odds. A report by the University of Bath Institute for Policy Research found that free childcare schemes are failing to keep pace with nursery fees - and could make them even more expensive. Funding for three and four-year olds is lower than the average hourly fee, which has pushed nurseries to charge more for younger children. The average cost of full-time nursery (50 hours a week) for a child under two in England is 12,425 in 2025. The study found that London remains the most expensive region for childcare, followed by the South East and South West, while the North East is cheapest. Rising prices: Nursery fees are expected to rise again following the expansion of free childcare Areas with the lowest government funding have seen nursery fees rise the fastest over the past 18 months, according to the report. These so-called 'childcare deserts' have three or more children compete for a single place, pushing up prices. Lead researcher Dr Joanna Clifton-Sprigg from the University of Bath, said: 'Free childcare is a bold and welcome move but without funding that reflects real costs, it risks falling short. 'Where funding is lower, we're seeing faster price rises for the hours parents pay for - a pattern that could deepen regional inequalities.' Nurseries have warned that staff shortages and rising demand have contributed to higher costs. 'The increase in employer National Insurance contributions in April and an increase in the national minimum wage is also affecting the sector. Co-author of the study Professor Kerry Papps from the University of Bradford, added: 'Unless funding keeps pace with nursery fees, the policy could backfire. In childcare deserts, the extra demand may push up prices for unfunded hours, wiping out savings for families who need them most.' Who is eligible for free childcare? In England, all parents of three and four-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours of free childcare, regardless of their working status. From this month, parents of children aged between nine months and four years old can make use of up to 30 hours' funded childcare. To qualify, the majority of parents must earn more than 9,518 but less than 100,000 per year. Those on certain benefits can get 15 hours of free childcare for two-year-olds. Parents who do not work may still be eligible if their partner works, or they're on maternity or paternity leave. Parents can apply from when their child is 23 weeks old but the funding starts at the beginning of the term- either in September, January or April - after the child reaches nine months. Aa many of you will know, 'There may be trouble ahead' is the opening line to a 1930s' Irving Berlin song (Let's Face The Music And Dance), made famous by, among others, jazz legend Nat King Cole. There may be trouble ahead But while there's moonlight and music And love and romance Let's face the music and dance. It's a line which sprang to mind when I learnt last Tuesday that pensions minister Torsten Bell will help the Chancellor prepare her autumn Budget although with a wee change. 'There WILL be trouble ahead.' Indeed, massive trouble, double trouble for the wealth we have accumulated over our lifetime. Be it our home, pensions, savings, investments or other assets such as a buy-to-let property. It's all about to come under attack. Dear readers, I'm not having a rant. Bell has form. It's time to shelter as much of your wealth as possible in tax-friendly vehicles so Mr Trouble can't get his clutches on it. Time is of the essence. Throughout his working life be it as an economic adviser, head of think-tank the Resolution Foundation and now as a government minister Bell has railed against wealth and how it is taxed. Champagne socialist: Torsten Bell will help the Chancellor prepare her autumn Budget He's a well-off socialist (some would say a champagne socialist), who believes in reducing societal inequality by soaking the relatively well-off in a cascade of frightening taxes. A stance that is more in line with the tax assault approach of 'threeproperties' Angela Rayner than the slightly more pragmatic (but incompetent) Rachel Reeves from Accounts. With Bell now shaping the content of the Budget, I fear more of Berlin's lyrics will ring true. We are facing the music for doing the right thing and building a nest egg to see us through retirement. As for the dancing, we will have to wait until New Year's Eve because we won't feel like dancing post-Budget (more like crying into our pillows). With the Chancellor seeking 50billion of extra revenue to shore up the nation's finances Bell must be licking his lips in anticipation. It's as if all his dreams have come true at once. Bell has never been backward in coming forward when sharing his views on what politicians should do to make the UK a more forgiving place to live. Rather than encouraging people to better themselves, he believes the less well-off (not pensioners, mind you) should be helped by a more friendly welfare system. For example, in April last year, he described the two-child cap on child-related benefits as damaging. Its abolition, he argued, would lift half a million children out of poverty. Don't be surprised if this happens in the Budget. The cost of this spending, Bell believes, should be funded by taxes on the better-off. This pursuit of greater societal equality was fervent when he ruled the roost at the Resolution Foundation. Time after time, he called for an inheritance tax (IHT) clampdown, a 'fairer' system of tax relief on contributions we make into our pensions, a squeezing of the amount of tax-free cash that we can take from our pension when we come to retire, and an Isa overhaul. There's more. He has demanded an end to the state pension triple lock, higher taxes on capital gains and share dividends and National Insurance (NI) on rental income earned by landlords (a tax now under consideration, according to reports in recent days). He also said that family homes should not be exempt from capital gains tax a potentially explosive idea that, like NI on rental income, now seems under consideration. On Friday, I read the mound of reports on wealth taxes which Bell wrote while at the Resolution Foundation. An early 2019 report gives you an indication as to how he views wealth. It was headed 'How wealth taxes can raise billions more without scaring any horses' and written during the Conservative minority government led by Theresa May. He argued for numerous changes some of which have already been embraced by either Conservative governments or the current Labour administration. On inheritance tax, he said that the nil-rate and residence nil-rate bands should be frozen at 325,000 and 175,000. 'Stopping there,' he wrote, 'would be very sensible'. That is exactly what has happened with both nil-rate bands now frozen until April 2030 after Reeves extended the existing freeze by two years. Bell also called for a tightening of the agricultural and business property reliefs which have enabled farmers and business owners to pass on assets without being clobbered by IHT. In 2019, he claimed the reliefs were 'hugely abused'. In last year's Budget, Bell got his way when the Chancellor announced a capping of the reliefs, which kicks in from the start of the new tax year in April. Another win for Bell was Reeves's decision last year to include unused pension pots in the IHT net. Back in 2019, Bell called for such a measure, describing their exclusion as a 'totally unjustifiable' risk to the government's finances. He went on to say: 'This has the ludicrous effect that people will perversely be encouraged to spend all other assets in retirement before touching their pensions.' On the taxation of pensions, Bell has not had as much success, which suggests that an assault on pension tax breaks could well feature in the Budget. Six years ago, he argued for three changes. First, a draconian cut in the tax-free cash that can be taken from your pension. He called for a cap of 40,000 compared to the current rules which typically allow 25 per cent of a pension pot to be tax-free, subject to a cash cap of 268,275. Secondly, he said a flat rate of tax relief on pension contributions should be introduced, replacing the current system where tax relief is based on whether you are a basic, higher rate or additional rate taxpayer. Thirdly, he suggested employers should pay NI on payments they make into workers' pensions. While this latter idea is probably a no-go, given the devastating NI assault already launched on businesses by Labour, a horrible curb in tax-free pension cash looks increasingly likely by the day. And if Bell helps out in future Budgets (or heaven forbid, delivers them as Chancellor), flat rate tax relief could well come into play. Bell's final thought in his 2019 missive was to take a pop at tax-friendly Isas, saying they exempt 'huge amounts of better-off individuals' savings income from tax' when they should be a means 'to encourage lower-income families to save'. We already know the annual Isa allowance for cash savers is likely to take a severe haircut at some stage. But with Bell now dictating Budget policy, I imagine details of the savaging will be announced on Budget Day with a reduced allowance (4,000 if I was a betting man) kicking in from April 6. Given Bell's loathing of tax breaks for well-off savers, I wouldn't be surprised if the tax-free personal savings allowance was limited to basic rate taxpayers. Currently, 40 per cent taxpayers get an allowance of 500, half that available to basic rate taxpayers. Yes, dear readers, there's trouble ahead. Big trouble. Get your finances in order. The 'Bell' tolls for our wealth. As the price of gold soars, that broken chain or trinket sitting in the back of your drawer or jewellery box could be worth a lot more than you think. I am a third-generation pawnbroker and have been in the industry for a quarter of a century. Customers wander into the shop with broken earrings, snapped chains and all sorts of odds, often stuffed into something as unglamorous as a dog-poo bag. They hand it over with a quiet, 'I don't think it's worth much.' A few years ago, they may have been right but today with the price of gold up 32 per cent in a year and 242 per cent in a decade they get a pleasant surprise. Last week, a newly divorced woman came into the shop to sell the gifts her husband had given her over the years. She thought she might get 500 at best. Pleasant surprise: As the price of gold soars, that broken chain or trinket sitting in the back of your drawer or jewellery box could be worth a lot more than you think When I told her that her little bag of scraps was worth closer to 7,200, her look was priceless. She has booked herself a cruise. It's astounding how much gold people unknowingly discard. I've had customers find gold at car boot sales, charity shops even in skips. Of course, you may want to hold on to your gold pieces and the price could rise further. But if you're tempted to cash in on today's high prices, here's how can you find out what your items are worth and get the best deal. First, you can check if your item is real gold using these methods. Test it on a magnet. Real gold is not magnetic, so if the item sticks, it's likely not gold. Be aware, though, some items may contain metal parts, such as clasps, that respond to magnets. Scratch test on ceramic: Run the piece across an unglazed ceramic surface (like the underside of a coffee cup). Real gold leaves a gold streak, fakes will often leave a black mark. Vinegar test: Place a drop of vinegar on the item. If it tarnishes, it's likely fake. Gold will not change. These tests are not definitive but can help determine if an item warrants further examination. Check if your gold is real by running it across an unglazed ceramic surface (like the underside of a coffee cup) Work out what type you have All gold in the UK should have a hallmark as these have been legally required since the 14th century. They identify the purity of gold and are essential because different purities yield different values. Here's a quick guide: 375 (9ct): The most common UK standard, at 37.5 per cent gold. 585 (14ct): Contains 58.5 per cent gold, commonly imported from America and southern Europe. 750 (18ct): 75 per cent gold, used for fine jewellery. 916 (22ct): 91.6 per cent gold, popular in Asian markets. 999 (24ct): Nearly pure gold, typically in bars or coins, known as investment gold. You may find 8ct gold (from Germany) or 15ct, which used to be recognised in the UK. This is not to say those without hallmarks are not gold as there are places where hallmarking is not required. If you think an item is gold, check it. All gold in the UK should have a hallmark which has been a legal requirement since the 14th century What is it worth? First, find out the current value of gold. An app, such as Kitco, can give up-to-the-minute prices or you can search online. Look for what is called the 'spot price', which is for pure 24-carat gold. To work out the value of your gold, you need to need to apply the percentage of your item that is pure gold to the current spot price. Remember, buyers will deduct a margin for costs. How to sell it If you have items such as broken chains, try a reputable pawnbroker or online gold buyer. For diamond and fancy pieces, try high-end jewellers. If you have vintage jewellery, consider platforms such as Etsy. Sometimes gold is worth more than its intrinsic value. For fancier items, it could be worth taking them to an auction house to get a price. The British bidder circling Thames Water has mounted a last-ditch attempt to gatecrash a controversial rescue by its lenders. Castle Water, which already serves business customers in Thames Water's catchment area, claims it has been shut out of the bid process even though it has offered 20 billion to fix leaks and stem sewage spills over the next five years. Thames Water, Britain's biggest water firm with 16 million customers in London and the Thames Valley, is teetering on the brink after racking up huge debts and fines under its previous private equity owner. The Government has hired FTI Consulting to draw up contingency plans for its potential collapse involving a temporary form of nationalisation. Lenders to stricken Thames Water are preparing a fresh cash injection to save it from having to be rescued by the state. The 11th-hour deal would also see creditors writing off some of their debts. On the brink: Lenders to stricken Thames Water are preparing a fresh cash injection to save it from having to be rescued by the state Thames Water, which is sinking under 18 billion of debt, had previously said it preferred a buyout by KKR over rival bidders because the US private equity firm's rescue plan was more credible. It has since pulled out citing political risks. KKR had been chosen ahead of both Scottish-based Castle Water which handles billing and metering for Thames Water's business customers and CKI, the Hong Kong owner of Northumbrian Water, whose bid was attacked by some critics as being 'Chinese-backed'. But Castle Water this weekend sought to revive its bid, claiming it had backing from 'very stable long-term UK investors' who are ready to pump 4 billion immediately into Thames Water to turn it around. 'Our investment proposal and approach is compatible with Thames' creditors, but their preference is to go it alone,' chief executive John Reynolds told The Mail on Sunday. Referring to the industry regulator, he added: 'Castle Water is the right partner if Ofwat requires them to have a partner who can take responsibility for leading the turnaround.' Castle Water is co-owned by Reynolds, a former investment banker, and Conservative Party treasurer Graham Edwards. It bought the non-domestic arm of Thames Water in 2017 and is now the UK's largest 'retailer' of water to hundreds of thousands of firms, charities and public bodies after the non-household sector was opened up to contractors to handle billing, metering and complaints. Its tilt at Thames Water is backed the billionaire Pears family behind the William Pears Group a finance and property firm that is providing funding for the bid. Reynolds said he was 'frustrated' not to be given the same access to Thames Water as KKR. 'We just need to be let inside the fence and not just the data room so we can assess the assets, the contracts and current plans so we can hit the ground running,' he said. 'We have a management team in place able to immediately step in to work alongside Thames Water to improve performance. 'And we don't have any competition issues because we don't own another water supplier,' he added, referring to CKI. The creditors who own most of Thames Water's debts are made up of more than 100 financial groups including US hedge funds Silver Point and Elliott. They are expected to unveil a revised rescue package in the next fortnight. Sources say it will involve them taking a bigger 'haircut' or write-off on their debt than the 3.2 billion previously indicated. A new management team led by corporate troubleshooter Mike McTighe is also expected to be announced. Apart from Ofwat, any deal needs the blessing of credit ratings agencies. They will decide if the funding package allows them to upgrade the utility's debt from 'junk' status, meaning Thames Water would be able to borrow money more cheaply. Thames Water received a boost last week when it was allowed to pay most of a record 123 million fine for sewage spills and shareholders payouts in instalments. It is also increasing average household bills by almost a third to 639, but consumer groups argue people shouldn't have to pay more because the company has been badly run. Thames Water said it continued 'to work closely with stakeholders' to agree a rescue plan to avoid part-nationalisation. The Government said Thames Water remained 'financially stable' but it was 'ready for all eventualities, including applying for a special administration regime if that were to become necessary'. Britain's seaside arcades fear they will be caught in a gambling tax trap that could make them 'unsustainable', it was claimed this weekend. The warning comes as Chancellor Rachel Reeves weighs up whether to hit the betting industry with higher levies to fund scrapping the two-child benefit cap an idea championed by former prime minister Gordon Brown. But the amusement arcade sector, immortalised by Nessa's Slots in the hit TV series Gavin And Stacey fears that it will be included in the same bracket as online gambling giants. Elliot Ball, who took over Clacton-on-Sea Pier in 2009 with his brother Billy, is among those urging Reeves to spare a sector reeling from higher National Insurance and minimum wage costs from further hikes in her upcoming Budget. His top concern is that a gambling tax would 'not be a fair playing field' if coastal arcades and amusement parks are taxed in the same way as bigger operators. Though spending on slot machines is not a 'greatly lucrative' part of the business, he said the 150-year-old Essex pier would be unsustainable without it as it appeals to all ages. He added: 'In times of economic downturn, public crisis or war, the pier has always seen a great amount of footfall. 'We're confident people will come but we need to make sure that it's sustainable for the long term.' Pierless: Stacey and Nessa, right, at Nessa's Slots in Gavin And Stacey Echoing his fears, Joseph Cullis, head of leisure industry lobby group Bacta, warned more taxes risk a 'devastating effect' on coastal towns. 'It's very difficult,' he said. 'Margins in business are getting squeezed. The first thing that's going to happen is people are going to lose their jobs if taxes go up. Then there is going to be a knock-on effect, a rise in unemployment. 'For generations, people have come to the seaside to have fish and chips and visit arcades... This could all be in jeopardy if the Government decides to raise taxes a lot of businesses feed off of us and it could have a negative impact on many coastal towns.' Gambling giants have decried talk of a sector-specific levy. Casino operator Rank Group boss John O'Reilly insisted the sector was a huge contributor to the country's coffers saying: 'The reality is the market would quickly move offshore into the unlicensed market, which is paying no tax at all.' Brown's plans target online firms but they also include a doubling in tax on revenues from in-person slot machines that would raise an extra 900 million. The Treasury declined to comment on Budget tax speculation. A leading steel industry figure has issued a warning about the 'creeping renationalisation' of the sector calling on Ministers to limit state aid and focus on halting unfair foreign competition. Sir Andrew Cook spoke out as it emerged that just two of Britain's furnaces are free from Government control, with most of the sector in public hands for the first time since privatisation 37 years ago. The official receiver has taken over two electric arc furnaces in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, after a judge granted a winding-up order against their owner, tycoon Sanjeev Gupta's Speciality Steel UK. Britain's last blast furnaces, at British Steel's plant in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, were seized from China's Jingye in April. It leaves only furnaces run by Celsa, in Cardiff, and Marcegaglia, in Sheffield, free of state influence or control. The two electric arc furnaces can make only a quarter of the 6 million tons produced last year, which included the last steel from Port Talbot's blast furnaces. A new electric arc furnace at Port Talbot will also be part-funded by the state under a deal agreed by the Tory government. Burning issue: The UK now has only two furnaces free from state control But critics say renationalisation is not the answer to the sector's woes and more should be done to cut sky-high energy bills and curb dumping of cheap foreign steel. Sir Andrew, the owner of steel firm William Cook, said: 'I've no objection to the state equipping the British steel industry to compete, but it stops at that.' He also called the Government 'disingenuous' in failing to 'prioritise protection of the British steel industry from the dumping of cheap imports'. He wants a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made steel, with taxpayers' money spent on British steel for national infrastructure. 'Unless the dumping is stopped, it doesn't matter how efficient you make the UK industry it'll never be able to compete,' he said. 'The Government's got it all wrong.' Cook also repeated his call for Ministers to remove green levies on carbon from steelmaking. Tory business spokesman Andrew Griffith called the problems 'a crisis of Labour's making' due to a failure to bring energy prices down following 'impossible net zero targets'. He said: 'That's why swathes of steel are being nationalised, leaving British taxpayers to foot the bill.' Industry body UK Steel said British steel makers typically pay 66 per megawatt-hour for their electricity, compared with 43 in France and 50 in Germany. The Department for Business and Trade, which has yet to publish its long-awaited steel strategy, said the sector should be run 'commercially' with 'private investment'. In February 2015, the Great British Bake Off ruffled a few feathers when it introduced a new kind of celebrity to its charity special. The Great Comic Relief Bake Off - as it was when still in the hands of the BBC - had just shown Joanna Lumley, Jennifer Saunders, Lulu and Dame Edna battling it out to be crowned Star Baker. But alongside well-known celebs Gok Wan, Jonathan Ross, model and TV star Abbey Clancy, the BBC threw in a wildcard: the YouTube star Zoella. Reaction ranged from bewildered to downright confused: why was a YouTuber best-known for makeup tutorials and showing off shopping hauls considered famous enough to appear on one of Britain's most beloved TV competitions? 'My parents r in the other room watching British bake off and I can just hear them saying 'I don't get youtube' 'what is zoella?,' wrote one user on Twitter. 'Watching The Great Comic Relief Bake Off & I still have no idea what the f*** a Zoella is,' added another, less diplomatic, viewer. But the BBC was ahead of the curve - as was the influencer, full name Zoe Sugg: a beauty blogger who, at her peak, would command the eyes and ears of 11million fans and a self-started media empire the likes of which had never been seen before. She was only 24 when she appeared on Bake Off, and by then was already a one-woman media force and a byword for an entire industry who set the benchmark for countless other content creators and TikTokers to follow. To chart her history is to chart the history of influencers, from the heady highs of early success to when things go wrong in front of an audience of millions. But in recent years the original influencer - who is now 35 - has moved away from make-up tutorials and novelty food taste tests - and her output has dipped. Fans fervently speculate on Reddit and the controversial Tattle Life forum - whose owner was recently exposed - about what she and beau Alfie Deyes are up to now. Zoe Sugg, aka Zoella, is the best known of Britain's 'first wave' of online influencers - but has stepped away from the YouTube videos that first brought her fame Sugg began her career as a vlogger in 2009 with this video, boasting the Ronseal-esque title '60 Things In My Bedroom' She ruffled feathers when she appeared on the Great Comic Relief Bake Off in early 2015 Katie Lloyd, associate researcher in fashion marketing at Cardiff University and an expert in influencer marketing, says this is only natural after a social media career lasting more than a decade. 'Many (influencers) began their careers sharing makeup hauls and daily vlogs from their teenage bedrooms whilst their teenage audience watched along from their bedroom and learnt from them,' she told the Daily Mail. 'But of course, life moves on and so do influencers.' It was in 2009 that Sugg, then working for high street chain New Look and blogging about beauty products, uploaded '60 Things In My Bedroom'. Before long, she was being sent items to review. Sugg began collaborating with Louise Pentland, then going by SprinkleOfGlitter, and the two became almost inseparable as they spearheaded the first wave of UK YouTubers big enough to become household names. Known as the 'Brit Crew', the informal team featured, among others, Zoe's brother Joe Sugg, her beau-to-be Alfie Deyes, Tanya Burr and Caspar Lee - names unfamiliar to anyone born prior to the 1990s. But for younger millennials, relatable video creators like Sugg were the antidote to increasingly irrelevant mainstream media. Their 'authentic' and unvarnished videos earned them a degree of trust - as well as huge influence and power. Fans bought into the girl-next-door vibe and the idea that she could be their friend; it took the idea of 'parasocial relationships' - the one-sided affinity and sense of intimacy fans feel about their favourite stars - to a new level. That only grew with the launch of her second YouTube channel, MoreZoella, that showed everyday exploits with her fellow video-makers on day trips and holidays. Zoella pictured with her brother Joe Sugg, who has since built his own career as a YouTuber and TV personality She and boyfriend Alfie Deyes had been an item since 2012 - regularly appearing in each other's videos as part of the original YouTuber 'Brit Pack' Sugg's controversies began as it emerged that a ghostwriter had been employed to write her debut novel, Girl Online, about a blogger with anxiety By now, Sugg was building a media empire, collaborating with Pentland to launch 'Louella' makeup brushes. Then in April 2013, she hit one million subscribers. Months later, she was named one of the most influential Twitter users by a British newspaper - bringing her out of YouTube and into the mainstream. She moved to Brighton with Alfie Deyes, the pair's vlogging careers going stratospheric. Mental health charity Mind then named her its first 'digital ambassador' after she spoke frankly about her struggles with anxiety. From there, the Zoella machine was unstoppable: makeup brushes, beauty products, appearances on Loose Women and This Morning, a Penguin book deal and a spot on the Band Aid 30 re-recording of Do They Know It's Christmas. Sugg was making 50,000 a month in 2014, according to The Sunday Times. She was in the spotlight - but she would soon discover that its power goes both ways shortly after releasing debut novel Girl Online. The novel starred a Brighton-based teen blogger with anxiety who finds fame online. Sugg insisted it was in no way autobiographical. It sold 78,000 copies in its first week, with booksellers breaking the release date to cash in. 'I'm so pleased to introduce my new book, Girl Online,' she said in a promotional video, explaining that her social media career had led her to 'being able to write my very own novel.' It emerged shortly after that Sugg had not written the book alone. Children's author Siobhan Curham lent an unspecified form of 'editorial assistance', and was sent hate mail by fans who accused her of trying to ride the vlogger's coat-tails. Curham, who said she was not aware she would appear in its acknowledgments, later said she did not work on the book to 'get rich', but because she supported its message and reckoned Sugg would inspire a new generation of readers. 'I think it would be really healthy to have a broader debate about transparency in celebrity publishing,' she wrote. 'But please don't blame Zoe personally for a practice that has been going on for years.' Sugg fled the internet for a short time to let the heat cool off, later describing the experience as 'horrible'. But further controversy was not far behind. Sugg was blasted by a top police officer after being seen to take her hands off the wheel and speak into the camera for a vlog while driving Sugg and friend Louise Pentland - known then as SprinkleOfGlitter - were a regular double act Rumours of a rift have persisted over the years after the pair stopped appearing in each other's videos and social media posts In 2014, Sugg (pictured in blue next to Ed Sheeran) appeared on the re-recording of Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas Just over a week later, a senior Metropolitan Police officer blasted Sugg as 'reckless' for vlogging behind the wheel, taking both hands off the wheel and talking into the camera as her boyfriend films from the passenger seat. The unnamed cop told Now magazine: 'She could have killed someone. How can anyone who has their eyes off the road for that amount of time be in complete control of a vehicle?' A spokesperson for Sugg insisted the vlogger took road safety 'very seriously' - but she was also condemned by charity Brake for not setting a 'good example'. Sugg's Bake Off appearance came shortly after - as did her Madame Tussauds waxwork. She and Deyes snapped up a 1million mansion in 2015 - only to hit out at fans who rang the doorbell and tried to peek through the windows. One Twitter user said: 'Welcome to the famous life. Didn't you see this coming at all?' In 2016, she was forced to defend herself after sharing an image to the picture-swapping platform Snapchat showing her lying in bed in a t-shirt and underwear. It sparked outrage given the age of her young, impressionable audience. She fired back online: 'I hope one day we will live in a world where promoting self love & body confidence won't be sexualised or shamed.' Her earnings were so great at this point that she and Deyes quickly moved into a luxury seven-bed mansion just outside Brighton, in 2017. The home is in Sugg's name and was valued at 1.8million, official records show. Shortly after, homophobic and fat-shaming tweets she had written between 2009 and 2012 resurfaced. Sugg apologised for the messages, in which she called an X Factor contestant a 'fat chav' and suggested a woman should 'keep her legs shut'. Others made fun of gay men spitting, and referred to a woman querying the cost of an expensive dress as a 'tramp'. 'That is not who I am today and Id like to think Im a little older and wiser,' Sugg said in an apology. Her 2017 'advent calendar' failed to pass muster with parents of disappointed children who opened the measly 12 doors to find cookie cutters, a small bag of confetti, a candle, room spray and a pen. The 50 price tag was a last insult. Sugg maintained that she was 'happy' with the product, but had no say in its price, which was eventually slashed to 25 following an outcry. But by this point, fans weren't the only people putting Sugg under the microscope. A study suggested that teenage literacy levels were falling because young adults were reading books like Sugg's instead of more 'challenging' material. The influencer's success online led to the launch of her own branded beauty products (pictured at the Zoella Beauty launch in London in 2014) The vloggers later bought a 1million house in Brighton (pictured: the living room of the house as it appeared on the market) She and Deyes were turned into Madame Tussauds waxworks in 2015. The models are no longer on public display And as vloggers took up more mainstream opportunities, watchdogs began paying closer attention to the murky ways in which they made their cash. In 2018, the Advertising Standards Authority launched its first guidelines for online influencers to ensure they were being transparent with their viewers about where they were getting items from. Like other YouTubers, Sugg was earning money from YouTube adverts as well as sponsored posts and shout-outs, as well as 'affiliate links' for sites such as Amazon that would earn her money if people bought an item via her channel. However, she was not always declaring whether she had been gifted the items featured in her videos, and whether she was receiving any money to promote them, irritating the Competition and Markets Authority. Shortly after the guidelines were issued, the CMA gave her a stern warning to clean up her act so that her fans could, in the words of the regulator, 'decide whether something is really worth spending your hard-earned money on'. Nevertheless, she found herself on the wrong end of the ASA's ire after a July 2019 Instagram post featured a link to buy an ASOS dress - declaring it as an 'affiliate' post but not explicitly an 'ad'. Sugg's and Deyes' Madame Tussauds waxworks were put into storage. By this point, the one-time teen favourite was approaching 30. By then, the 'Zoella' phenomenon had been in a managed decline. Sugg abandoned her main YouTube channel, with its 11million subscribers in 2018. It remains online, a living archive of her early career. The last video posted is a takeaway pizza taste test. Instead, Zoella became a lifestyle brand and Sugg began using her second YouTube channel more, later saying she had wanted to move away from the videos that made her a household name. '(It was) too much needing to stay a certain way... I just didn't feel it was reflective of me as a late twenty-something-year-old,' she said in an interview. But she may have gone too far in trying to mature with an audience of millions - particularly with the Zoella brand, reborn as a lifestyle magazine website that she says was targeted at the over-25s. Her 2018 party planning hardback, Cordially Invited, was lampooned for featuring advice on how to make a sandwich: 'Lay your bread out on your work surface and butter each slice.' Sugg was criticised for sharing an image of herself in a t-shirt and underwear in bed, given the age of her impressionable young audience Zoella's 50 'advent calendar' featured only 12 doors - and was ridiculed (pictured) for its contents, including cookie cutters, confetti and a pen Sugg wrote several fiction books and the hardback party planning guide Cordially Invited, which was panned for its basic advice such as how to make a sandwich (pictured at a launch event in 2018) The pair moved to a seven-bed mansion on the outskirts of Brighton in 2017, snapping up the home for a cool 1.7million She has given viewers an occasional glimpse inside the sprawling home via her secondary YouTube channel - after abandoning the one that gave her fame An exam board dropped her content from a GCSE media studies course after it featured a list of the year's best sex toys. It admitted it had not discussed including the star's website in its study materials with her. Somewhere in the middle of that, Louise Pentland - her one-time on-camera bestie - disappeared from view. Rumours of a rift between the two have persisted for years. While Pentland said in 2019 that she remains in touch with the 'Brit crew' - and the pair still follow each other on Instagram - she and Sugg haven't been seen together in years. The star was then blasted by MPs for taking taxpayer cash to put her 25,000-a-year A To Z Creatives office manager on furlough - shortly before she and Deyes snapped up a 1.9million Brighton loft from which to run her business empire. A spokesperson for Sugg said the decision had been taken to use the scheme because the office was closed. Sugg and Deyes then had their first daughter, Ottilie, in August 2021. The pair were engaged in September 2023 - second daughter Novie followed three months later. Since then, Sugg's output has changed dramatically. Out go make-up tutorials and pizza taste-tests; in come wholesome videos of family days out, conversations about post-partum life and - yes - the occasional clothes haul. These days, Sugg appears to be taking life a little slower, with company accounts showing she has millions in the bank on which to depend. Her Zoe Sugg YouTube channel hasn't seen an upload for weeks. Fans have noticed she has missed 'Vlogust', an annual challenge to post one video every day throughout this month. It has five million subscribers - decent enough, but far from the heady highs of her career peak. Elsewhere, the Zoella website hasn't been updated for two years and her most prolific platform is now Instagram, where she has nine million followers. Her posts are typically liked 118,000 times each, and are seen 3.6million times, according to data from social analytics platform Modash. Even there, her posts are weekly at best - save for the occasional sponsored video promoting Marks and Spencer food. Comments on all of her posts are heavily moderated. Together with Alfie Deyes, Sugg also snapped up this Brighton loft complex for 1.9million in 2020, from which to run her business empire She was criticised in 2020 for furloughing a 25,000-a-year office manager during the pandemic despite sitting on a multi-million pound fortune Sugg fell pregnant and gave birth to first daughter Ottillie in 2021 - three years after she had stopped posting on the main Zoella YouTube channel Sugg later announced she was pregnant with second daughter Novie online. These days, Novie features more than her older sister in Zoe's family-led Instagram content At her peak, she gave interviews to newspapers, and magazines like Vogue and Glamour. But Sugg hasn't spoken to a mainstream media publication in years. One of the last, with Marie Claire, noted that the landscape had been shifting as she got started. 'When I started back in 2008 or 2009, social media influencer wasn't a term that was used, it wasn't a thing. It was just some people writing about makeup and beauty or whatever it was they were passionate about,' she said. 'They just shared it and a community was formed. Nobody really had any idea of the scale, or how big or influential it could get. 'I guess a part of me thinks its quite nice you didnt know because you really went on a journey with it. And would it be the same if you did (now)? I don't know. 'There would have been absolutely no way of anyone anticipating the scale things would get to, how many people would be in this space and the careers that were formed from it.' And the landscape has continued to shift even now. YouTube is full of videos heralding the 'the end of beauty gurus'. Attention spans have dropped as viewers shift from 20 minute vlogs to rapid-fire TikToks - where the top influencers have followings Sugg can only dream of. And recent studies have suggested that people no longer trust influencers to the degree they once did - with everyone and their mother able to hawk items via TikTok Shop with the most meagre of followings. Deyes has said publicly that they intend to share less content with Ottillie before she starts school in September - and the youngster's face has been obscured in photographs on Sugg's Instagram as of late. Lower follower counts - and the flurry of controversies - could suggest that Sugg's fans have turned against her. But Katie Lloyd of Cardiff University believes the truth is simpler than that: it might just be that Sugg, and her fans, have grown up. And for some, the shift towards parenting videos - particularly for those who aren't parents - can feel like 'losing a friend', she explained. Sugg was blasted by advertising watchdogs over this post about an Asos dress, which regulators said did not make clear it was an advertisement A social media expert has suggested that Sugg's audience may be growing up beyond the point of looking to influencers for life advice (pictured with Alfie Deyes at their home) 'Whilst that might sound crazy, the parasocial relationships are a fundamental basis to the success of influencer marketing,' she said, referring to the one-way relationship between fans and celebrities. 'Because of this, their engagement often dips and this is not necessarily out of disinterest from their audience, but because the shared life experience that once bound the creator and their audience has evolved.' She believes Sugg may yet retain much of her audience who, like her, have become parents. But the social media landscape has changed too. 'Indeed we are seeing many influencers are realising that not every aspect of motherhood needs to be shared,' Miss Lloyd continued. 'There's a growing awareness around digital boundaries, child privacy, and the mental toll of constantly performing for an audience. 'This withdrawal, whilst may be disappointing for some fans, is often a healthy and necessary recalibration for the influencers too. 'Ultimately, we are seeing this evolution of influencers challenge their followers to either grow with them or simply let go. 'And for influencers, it underscores a deeper truth that even when platforms change and audiences shift, the most meaningful content comes from living authentically through each phase of their life.' Perhaps, having lived the last 15 years staring down the barrel of an ever-recording camera, Sugg simply has decided to hit pause for the first time. From the packed streets of western Sydney to Perth's rapidly expanding suburbia, a striking new heat map reveals the Aussie hotspots absorbing the nation's migration boom - painting a dramatic picture of a country in transformation. Created using Department of Home Affairs data, Daily Mail's interactive map allows you to search for how many permanent migrants - including skilled workers, family, and humanitarian entrants - have settled in each local government area (LGA). The easy-to-use tool offers one of the clearest snapshots yet of how migration is redrawing the nation's population map. In just one financial year, it shows a stark divide, with the nation's mega-cities clustered along the eastern seaboard serving as primary settlement zones, while vast swathes of the Outback remain virtually untouched. In the 2024-25 financial year, Victoria accepted the highest number of permanent settlers, with the state welcoming 95,550 new residents. The outer south-west City of Wyndham led the charge with the highest number of migrants (8,983), followed by Melbourne (8,330), Casey (7,385) and Greater Dandenong (4,935). How to use the interactive map Hold the CRTL key and scroll to zoom in and see the different LGAs close up. Hover your cursor over the circles to see the number of permanent migrants who have settled in each LGA in the 2024-25 financial year. For densely populated coastal cities, it's easier to look up your LGA by name using the search bar. Click the search icon in the top left corner and type in your LGA. For example, type 'Parramatta' and click the result and you'll see 5,833 new arrivals. Advertisement Your browser does not support iframes. New South Wales recorded the next highest number of permanent migrants at just shy of 94,000, with western Sydney suburbs fielding the bulk of migrants led by the districts of Cumberland (7,375) followed by Blacktown (6,271), Parramatta (5,833) and Canterbury-Bankstown (4,905). Queensland had a migration intake more than half of NSW at 44,000, with Brisbane absorbing the lion's share at just over 16,000 migrants. Logan attracted 3,932 migrants. Western Australia's migrant population grew by 41,000, with less than 1,000 settling in the central business district. Most migrants opted to settle in the more affordable growth corridors of Canning (5,496) and Stirling (5,261). The Northern Territory had the lowest migrant boost at 3,913 - even lower than Tasmania which recorded just over 7,000 new migrants. While the data underscores Australia's continued reliance on migration to fuel population and economic growth, not everyone is convinced this trajectory is sustainable. Sustainable Population Australia spokesman Michael Bayliss said most Australians are opposed to further population growth, warning that the nation already has one of the fastest population growth rates in the developed world. The SPA advocates stabilising the population below 30 million, primarily by drastically reducing net overseas migration. He said the federal government's failure to rein in immigration post-Covid had directly worsened Australia's housing crisis. The City of Brisbane recorded the largest number of migrants at more than 16,000 in 2024-25 Western Sydney suburbs such as Parramatta (pictured) have welcomed the lion's share of migrants in New South Wales 'It will be a long slow road back toward the Australian Dream,' he said. 'That journey cannot begin until population growth is greatly reduced.' According to Mr Bayliss, the link between population growth - driven by high immigration - and the housing crisis was routinely denied in political circles but was accepted as an undeniable fact by the property industry. 'Following the lull during the pandemic, the Albanese government has slammed its foot on the immigration accelerator, leading to record population growth and consequent housing stress,' he said. 'Australia now has among the worst housing affordability and household debt levels in the OECD, rivalled by Canada, which has similarly high immigration-driven population growth.' Mr Bayliss argues that a smaller, better-targeted migration program would not create unmanageable skills shortages or ageing-related challenges but would ease housing pressure, reduce inequality and protect the environment. According to the SPA, this financial year, net overseas migration will swell Australia's population by 350,000, far surpassing all previous records with government data indicating Australia will receive an extra 650,000 migrants this financial year and next, which will drive a 900,000 surge in total population. The SPA has issued six solutions in a new report, including setting a net overseas migration target of no more than 70,000 per year. Meanwhile, high-profile demographer Simon Kuestenmacher believes we should look at the Gold Coast as a model for the future of Australia, stating we needed 'six more Gold Coasts'. In an opinion piece, he said 80 per cent of Australia's recent population growth happened in just five cities - a level of concentration he labelled 'insane'. Commuters wait to board during peak hour at the Parramatta train station (pictured) The Centre for Population said overseas migration will be the main driver of population growth, which is predicted to grow to 31.3 million people by 203435. (Pictured: the Brisbane skyline) A view of Bondi Beach in March 2020. The well-heeled Waverley LGA welcomed 726 new arrivals - far less than the City of Sydney or western suburbs 'After WWII, Australia was home to seven million people,' he said. 'We added 20 million people to the country since, but only created one new sizable city. 'In 70-80 years, Australia is likely to double its population to 55 million people. 'We shouldn't squeeze all these new Australians into the same cities. We urgently need about six new Gold Coasts.' Flinders University human geographer Gerti Szili said new arrivals tend to cluster in metro areas with strong labour markets like Melbourne and Sydney; however, in the face of the nationwide housing crisis, absorbing this growth has become more challenging. 'Our cities can continue to absorb more growth, but only if governments sustain investment in transport, housing, and essential services,' she said. 'Strategic rezonings, like Melbourne's designation of 50 activity centres near train and tram corridors, and Sydney's plans for higher-density housing around under-utilised rail hubs, demonstrate that existing urban areas can accommodate hundreds of thousands of new dwellings without undermining liveability, of course, provided infrastructure keeps pace.' However Ms Szili said cutting migration isn't the answer. 'Migration drives economic dynamism, labour supply and cultural vitality, and evidence shows that managed densification supported by infrastructure investment can actually strengthen both capital cities and regional centres,' she said. 'By contrast, building entirely new cities from scratch is even more resource-intensive. 'It requires massive upfront investment in transport, utilities and social infrastructure, and, critically, we are already constrained by a national skills shortage in the built environment sector, from surveyors, planners and conveyancers to civil engineers and tradespeople. 'Diverting already scarce capacity into speculative new-city projects risks exacerbating delivery bottlenecks in the housing and infrastructure we urgently need now.' Ms Szili said a more sustainable approach is to combine metropolitan infill with strategic regional development. The Centre for Population said overseas migration will be the main driver of population growth, which is predicted to see Australia's population grow from 27.4 million to 31.3 million people by 203435. Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland were the three states with the fastest population growth, and all recorded population growth rates above the national level, driven by net overseas migration In 2024, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported 444,480 permanent and long-term arrivals, the second highest on record. They are the image of domestic contentment. An older couple living out their golden years in West Hollywood. They have two successful daughters one working in law, the other in architecture and three adored grandchildren to dote on. Life is good. Yet when Karen Palmer and Vinnie Scarelli look back on their 37-year relationship, they liken it to a war-time romance forged in adversity and fear. When your life is threatened and bombs are going off around you, Palmer reflects, the bonding is all the more intense. It is almost four decades since those bombs went off around them. They came in the form of violent threats and harassment from the jealous ex-husband who Palmer left for her new love. The risk was so real that she and Scarelli fled more than a thousand miles across the country from California to Colorado - changed their identities and, along with her young daughters, began anew. Now, Palmer has written a book, 'Shes Under Here: A Love Story, A Horror Story, A Reckoning,' chronicling that torrid and terrifying time, the life they built in hiding, and the relationship that preceded it. You could call it a do-it-yourself witness protection scheme, she said, in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail. We knew the law couldnt protect us and we had to take matters into our own hands. Palmer met Gil - a pseudonym she uses to protect the privacy of his relatives - while working part-time at his office supply company in Los Angeles in early 1974. She was 17 and vulnerable, having given birth the previous year after a relationship with a fellow teen. Karen Palmer, who drew up her own witness program for her family. We knew the law couldnt protect us and we had to take matters into our own hands,' she said Palmer's ex-husband 'Gil' she used a pseudonym for him in her book to protect his family Her parents had sent her to a Catholic institution to have the baby, and she was allowed only one hour with her son before he was taken for adoption. It was the last time she saw him, leaving an enormous void. At 36, Gil was 19 years her senior and going through a divorce. I wasnt interested in boys my age because of what happened and was very susceptible when Gil showed me such close attention, Palmer said. He asked her on a date when she told him about her pregnancy. He seemed kind and non-judgmental, in contrast to her conservative mother. Gil, however, ran with a fast crowd of drinkers and drug users. They soon moved in together and their apartment became a magnet for heavy partying. I wasnt much of a party girl myself but it was fascinating and exciting, she said. It all seemed very different from my old life without Gil. Smitten, she ignored early red flags such as Gil boasting that he had once violently killed a man in New York who had raped a woman he knew. He was a serial womanizer and weeks before their wedding in May 1980, she caught him having sex in an alleyway outside a nightclub. In the book, she recalls confronting him. Later, when I asked if he loved her, he said, This is what a man does. But I love only you, she writes. Sometimes I think I married him just to prove that I could. If she had thought that starting a family would tame her husband, she was wrong. His cruel and belittling behavior continued long after the births of Erin in July 1981 and Amy in November 1985. By then, the family had moved to Mill Valley, Northern California, where they lived for a year. He would stay out all night, blaming the drink and drugs. Hed say: Its not the real me who is doing this to you, she said. She forgave him time and again, blinded by love, the hope he would change, and the belief that things could be worse. At least, Palmer thought, he wasnt violent toward her because, with no money of her own, she would have to go to a shelter with their children. Then, Palmer found comfort with Scarelli, one of Gils best friends and a man who had attended their wedding. As his own marriage crumbled, the pair embarked upon an emotional affair that became sexual after a few months. Although risky, it was the happiest Palmer had been in nearly a decade. When Gil, a salesman at the time, found out in 1988, he grabbed a gun hidden in the bathroom and fired a single bullet into the living room wall of their then apartment in Kentfield, Marin County. Another occasion, after overhearing Palmer talking on the phone to Scarelli as he encouraged her to finally leave Gil, her husband lay flat on his back on the floor, humming to himself: What to do? What to do? Terrified, she asked what he was thinking. Snakes and filth, baby, he replied. Snakes and filth. My ears buzzed, my teeth chattered, Palmer writes in the book. You dont want to know, he continued. But Im telling you, youre going to. That was the moment she packed up the children and drove eight hours south to her mothers house in Carlsbad near San Diego. They stayed more than a week, with Gil constantly calling to tell his mother-in-law about her slut of a daughter. Then, he switched tactics, urging Palmer to come back so that Erin could finish second grade before the summer vacation. Eventually, she agreed on the condition that he moved out. When she arrived at their home, he was nowhere to be seen but there was something unsettling about the appearance - and smell - of the apartment. She realized that a childhood photograph of herself was missing from its frame. Gils head had been cut out from a wedding photograph on the wall. Palmer rushed to their wedding album to find his head had similarly been cut out of every image of them together. In a snapshot of her chatting with Scarelli at the reception, his neck had been slashed with scissors. Gil cut his head out of a number of family portraits that Palmer had kept in her photo album In a snapshot of Palmer chatting with Scarelli at her wedding reception, his neck had been slashed with scissors. The vandalism had been done by a vindictive Gil Palmer treasures this childhood photo of herself with her parents. It came from a cousin after Gil got rid of other pictures from her past Panicked, she went to the strong box where she kept her most important possessions official documentation and, most important of all, the envelope containing the only portrait of her son. It was gone. Gil knew how much that photograph meant to me, she said. I used to take it out and stare at it in secret, wondering who and where my son might have been. It was as if he was trying to erase my past. It was then that she identified what the strange smell was. Smoke. She looked in the fireplace and saw ashes. The beloved photos were gone for good. Later, she went to the kitchen where she saw that Gil had placed a single bullet in the exact center of the stove top. The message was clear. She again left with the girls, this time driving to Santa Cruz, where they rented some temporary accommodation. They lived together as a family with Scarelli - but with Gils shadow ever looming. Palmer was once so desperate for him to finalize the divorce that she agreed to meet in a parking lot to discuss arrangements. There, Gil threatened to lock her in the trunk of his car, drive to the desert and bury her. It was terrifying, and I honestly thought he was capable of all those things, she said. Over the coming months, the tires on their cars were slashed and sticks of dynamite were taped to Scarellis windscreen. They made complaints to the police, who said that they could not act without proof. By June 1989, though custody arrangements had not been settled, Gil sometimes saw the children. He accompanied Erin, then seven, on a return flight to Los Angeles from San Diego, where she had been staying with her grandmother. When Palmer met them at LAX holding Amy, then three, she handed the toddler to Gil while she comforted Amy who was tired from the flight. Gil vanished - with the daughter he barely knew - into the airport crowds. Again, the police were reluctant to help. With no custody order, Gil had as much right to see his daughter as his estranged wife did. For nine agonizing days, Gil kept Amy in motels in San Francisco. He cut and dyed her hair so she would not be recognized. Palmer was too terrified to tell the police and agreed to rendezvous with Gil for Amys handover, knowing that he might hurt her daughter if they were involved. His only condition was that Palmer must leave Scarelli. As Gil placed their confused daughter in her arms, she promised she would. As if to warn her about reneging on her word, he pulled up his shirt and showed off his gun tucked in the waistband. Although I was overcome by terror, I knew we had to run away for good, Palmer said. Scarelli was quick to agree, and they quit their jobs in furniture and car restoration, and administration. Boulder was chosen because Scarelli had previously been charmed by the city. It was a 19-hour drive inland from Santa Cruz and Palmer had always told Gil that she would only live on the coast. They struck lucky by finding a temporary place soon after arriving. A real estate agent agreed that they could live in an empty condo in exchange for Scarelli painting the property. Vinnie, Palmer Amy and Erin after the family started a new life together away from Gil Vinnie with Palmer, and little Amy following their enforced move to Boulder When asked why they had left California, they gave a rehearsed answer: messy divorces and wanting fresh starts. People kept themselves to themselves, Palmer said. They were far too focused on their own lives to bother about us. Still, they knew that they would need something more solid than trust when it came to permanent housing, bank accounts, jobs and schooling. They read a survivalists guidebook with a chapter on how to fake identity documents. Using an old typewriter and paper bought from Kinko's, they created false birth certificates. They took tips from the manual and contacted a store in New York which sold them what looked like an authentic state seal. She changed her name from Kerry to Karen and chose a surname not too dissimilar to her maiden name. He became John Vincent Scarelli but told people to call him Vinnie. We knew there would be fewer slip-ups mid signature if we stuck to what we were used to, Palmer said. You wouldnt be able to get away with it now because most birth certificates are holographic.' They applied for social security cards, claiming that theirs had been lost, and could hardly believe it when clerks did their bidding. Again, Palmer said, it would be almost impossible to pull off such a feat today with the internet and tighter security. The children were enrolled in school. Scarelli worked in furniture restoration and Palmer became a freelance graphic artist. They were able to buy their first proper home. Fear lingered, though. Palmer never knew if an unfamiliar car that drew up near the curb might belong to Gil; whether he would be lying in wait for the family behind a wall or a fence. He had broken into her mothers house in Carlsbad in a futile bid to find their address but Palmer had not even confided their location to her nearest and dearest, though she called periodically. Palmer with her three grandsons Palmer has written a memoir about her frightening experience. It is published September 16 As the years went by, Palmer would Google Gils name from time to time and found a criminal conviction for illegal possession of a weapon in New York in 1993. Fifteen years later, in 2008, when Scarelli was in the process of formally adopting Erin and Amy, another report popped up. Gil had died of a suspected heart attack in Santa Maria, California, aged 70. He had been arrested 18 times in four years. I felt relief but I was also shocked at the high level of grief, Palmer said. It seemed like such a waste. Despite everything, she had held out some small hope for an amicable solution where Gil had contact with his daughters. By this point, Id thought he would have found us and, after all the malice and pain, it could be resolved somehow. Palmer, 68, returned to Los Angeles in 2005 and Scarelli, 75, who works in logistics at UCLA, remains by her side. Erin, is a mother-of-three and 44-year-old lawyer, based in Washington DC. Amy, 39, works for an architectural engineering firm in Portland, Oregon. We went through so much together that were forever bonded as survivors, Palmer said. 'Shes Under Here: A Love Story, A Horror Story, A Reckoning,' by Karen Palmer, will be published by Algonquin Books on September 16 and is available for pre-order now. FBI Director Kash Patel's desire for his agents to investigate violent crime is sparking fears that the bureau is creeping beyond its mandate and acting as a local law enforcement arm. Some former officials believe the initiative to support President Donald Trump's crackdown on crime in D.C. is unjustly siphoning resources and personnel away from crucial national security investigations, such as terrorism and cyber crime. And one says it could welcome nefarious activity from criminal groups who see potential gaps as an 'open season.' 'Not everything can be a priority,' former senior Justice Department official Christopher Painter told the Daily Mail. 'You have a set number of resources, so if you take some of those resources away, obviously [it] has an impact on other missions,' he explained. But retired FBI Supervisory Agent John Nantz argues that the FBI can 'walk and chew gum at the same time.' 'I think that's a spurious argument because we're talking about a fraction of the FBI workforce. The FBI is a big agency,' Nantz said. 'This is not impacting national security investigations,' he added, noting that many agents are adding this patrol to their existing work load. Around 100 agents within the FBI are now patrolling Washington D.C. streets every night representing not even 1 percent of the special agent workforce. FBI Director Kash Patel's overhaul of the FBI includes directing more agents to investigate violent crime At least 100 FBI agents have been deployed to the streets of D.C. to assist in President Donald Trump's federal-level crime crackdown. Pictured: FBI agents gather in Southeast Washington, D.C. on August 20, 2025 amid Trump's bump in federal law enforcement presence in the city It's part of Patel's dramatic reshaping of the FBI. He has reassigned hundreds of agents to immigration enforcement and now put dozens onto the streets of D.C. following Trump's takeover of the city's police force. Critics have emerged many anonymously claiming that it's unsustainable and against the FBI mission to assist with street crime. 'FBI agents are not police officers,' former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe said. 'Most of them don't come to the FBI from a background as a police officer.' 'So they don't have the training and the skillset and the experience of doing that work, which can be dangerous both for them and for the people they would be policing,' he added. Asked about the workforce allocation for violent crime, Patel told the Daily Mail: 'The FBI has the finest agents in the world. They live up to the highest standards of integrity and toughness.' He said the FBI 'will go wherever the mission takes us to keep Americans safe.' On Thursday in an X post, he boasted how the FBI and federal partners have made more than 1,200 arrests in D.C. The FBI specifically conducted 35 arrests on Wednesday night, recovered three illegal firearms and conducted 12 drug seizures. 'We're not letting up,' the FBI director wrote. Nantz details how FBI agents work 10-hour days compared to the usual Americans' eight hours. And now, he claims they are working beyond that to assist in Trump's federal takeover. Some agents may start their days with normal investigatory duties and end it patrolling the National Mall. Patel's advisor Erica Knight explained that the bureau is constantly examining nationwide needs and shifting assets to 'address the biggest threats to Americans' while insisting that 'nothing will take away from the FBI's core mission.' 'Why immigration? FBI's role is to target criminal cartel networks,' she went on. 'Why crack down on violent crime? Because Americans are facing deadly threats on their streets and in their neighborhoods.' But Painter says priorities that the FBI is uniquely qualified to address like cyber crime will inevitably take a back seat if agents from those investigations are pulled to patrol the streets. With agents on the streets of D.C., some critics question whether the FBI can keep up with its core mission investigating transnational crimes and cyber and terrorism threats. Pictured: FBI and Secret Service agents join MPD recovering a handgun from a vehicle amid Trump's federal takeover FBI agents patrol 14th St. Northwest outside popular D.C. French fare restaurant Le Diplomate on August 25, 2025 He claims that cyber attacks have only 'gotten even worse' in recent years, and claims criminal groups who see a gap when agents are pulled to the streets might take the opportunity to attack. 'If I'm a nation-state or a criminal group, and I know you don't have the capability to go after me, why wouldn't I redouble my efforts?' he theorized. 'Why wouldn't I say, 'hey, it's open season.' Why wouldn't I be going after critical infrastructure, like some of the ransomware groups are doing in hospitals and things like that?' 'Why wouldn't I, as a nation state, up my activity?' Painter concluded. On a call with 50 field offices earlier this month, top FBI official Jodi Cohen said that agents are expected to spend time investigating violent crime, four officials briefed on the call explained to MSNBC. In an effort to recruit more agents, she said, Patel will allow other federal law enforcement agents to join the bureau after abbreviated training and would ditch the college degree requirement. This is leading to criticism that agents will be permitted into the field who are not qualified. Painter told the Daily Mail that patrolling for street crime is 'not really the duty' that FBI agents train for. 'Not that they're not competent at all, but that's not what their value is,' he added. 'Their value is their analytic capability and their investigatory capability.' White the FBI's core mission includes safeguarding the U.S. from terrorism, espionage or spycraft and cyberattacks, they are also tasked with providing criminal justice services to various law enforcement agencies. The bureau has 55 field offices all across America. All received the directive to put agents on the case investigating violent crime in America. While agents are only being pulled into D.C. for the federal takeover, Trump has signalled that he might want to do the same thing to decrease crime in other cities like Chicago and Baltimore. To support local law enforcement entities, Knight says that the FBI will examine their needs and deliver the resources they can spare 'without taking away from the core mission of the FBI.' The bureau's defenders point out that the FBI has a long history of stepping in when local and state authorities are unable or unwilling to tackle certain threats, from organized crime in the mid-20th century to civil rights violations in the 1960s. The FBI dramatically shifted from traditional crime fighting to counterterrorism as its top priority after the September 11 attacks. Painter claims that these shifts 'made sense' but that 'undoing' that now could create 'a real serious effect on their capabilities to go after these very serious crimes.' Patel is helping lead federal response efforts to Trump's crackdown on violent crime in D.C. This is sparking worry that the blurred lines between federal and local policing could erode public trust and raise new constitutional questions. 'Why do we need a national police force when that's exactly what state and local police around the country do as their day jobs?' Painter questioned. 'They are familiar with it, they're trained for it, they know the local communities.' The FBI itself acknowledges the complex line it walks when working alongside local police. 'Do FBI agents work with state, local, or other law enforcement officers on 'task forces'? Absolutely, and we consider it central to our success today,' the bureau says in its official FAQ listed on its website. But the agency also makes clear that it does not 'supervise or take over' local investigations, even when federal crimes are involved. 'State and local law enforcement agencies are not subordinate to the FBI,' the bureau writes. 'Where's Daddy?' This was, according to family lore, Kate Price's first complete sentence. It would take decades, and a mental health crisis in adult life, before she understood the full, harrowing meaning behind those words. Overcome with inexplicable grief and feelings of acute isolation, Price sought out a therapist at the age of 17. But beneath the sadness lay something older, fuzzier, and harder to name: the constant sense that something truly awful had happened to her. In a quiet consulting room in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she began delving into her past with psychiatrist Dr Bessel van der Kolk, whose pioneering trauma work would later feature Price's case, in his bestselling book The Body Keeps the Score. At first, she talked about her crippling anxiety, her grief over her mother's death and her difficult relationship with her father. But in those early sessions, van der Kolk asked where emotions dwelled in her body, introducing Price to EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - a technique that helps patients work through traumatic memories by engaging the body as well as the mind. It took time but, as the therapy deepened, fragments of horrifying memories began to coalesce. Kate Price in second grade in 1977. She says the sexual abuse began around the age of six Price outside her home in Appalachia with her pet cat in 1975 Price had developed a keen survival instinct growing up in a mill town in Appalachia - a place where everyone knows everyone else, no one asks questions and secrets stay hidden for generations. Her earliest memories, she said, are of hiding from her father in closets, surrounded by winter coats, crouching behind rows of snow boots, wishing she could disappear into Narnia and escape his violent rages. It was not until her late twenties that she began to realize the full truth. According to Price, he not only raped her himself, but trafficked her to as many as 100 men, strangers who violated his little girl over and over between the ages of six and 12, when her parents eventually divorced. The revelations were, she now tells the Daily Mail, 'devastating to me but also simultaneously freeing. It was like this puzzle that I had been trying to figure out and that my body had been holding.' Price confronted her father in 1999 with her accusations, which he emphatically denied. He was never charged with any crime, and many in Appalachia still believe that Price is making it all up. Her father died earlier this year. However, in her new book, This Happened To Me: A Reckoning, Price lays out her claims in searing, heartbreaking detail. As her account goes, she was subjected to furious, drunken beatings at the hands of her father. By the time she started school, the abuse by day was joined by strange, blurry visions of something altogether more sinister at night. 'My father often woke me hours after I had gone to sleep and loaded me into his pickup or took me to our garage behind the house,' Price writes. 'On those nights, I often woke to the smell of rubbing alcohol and the feeling of a cold cotton ball wiping my bicep before I felt my father's rough hands prick my arm with a needle. 'Or he'd wake me up with instructions. "Here, drink this," he'd whisper in the dark, handing me a plastic bottle filled with a gooey liquid that tasted kind of like the cough syrup my mother gave me when I was sick, only stronger.' Price with her sister Sissy in 1972. Their father's tactics drove a wedge between them that was only healed when they were adults He would tell her they were going to a party, that she was a very special girl to be allowed to join all the grown-up men. When she woke the next morning, she would no longer be wearing any underwear. 'My hands would cup the soreness between my legs,' she says. 'I'd have no idea what had happened.' The only safe space in her childhood was the local library, where Price found refuge in books. Later, at her mother's insistence, she applied for and was accepted into college in Cambridge and it was there, hundreds of miles away from Appalachia, that her mind started to yield its horrifying secrets. One of the hardest elements to reconcile was not just the abuse - as horrendous as it was - but how organized and cynical her father had been in his alleged crimes. 'My father had been telling me, growing up, that I was special, that I'm better than my sister the harm was so purposeful and deliberate,' she says. His tactics worked, driving a wedge between Price and her sister Sissy that only began to heal when, as an adult, Sissy confided that her body, too, had been sold to passing truckers. 'No wonder our father isolated us,' Price writes in her book. 'Our separation was the key to not only preventing us from gaining collective power but protecting his ongoing trafficking of both daughters.' It took a further ten years of delving, with the Pulitzer-nominated investigative journalist Janelle Nanos, to deliver what Price calls 'empirical evidence' that the memories of men clad in sweat-stained plaid shirts and the stink of beer, diesel and rubbing alcohol were not simply the product of a fevered imagination. Price, pictured in 1973, said: 'My father had been telling me, growing up, that I was special that I'm better than my sister the harm was so purposeful and deliberate' 'Our mother could not give us a childhood but she could give us a future,' said Price, pictured in 1978 Together, she and Nanos traced old neighbors, former colleagues and police who remembered the citizens band radio chatter used by abusers. Then came the news that Price had long feared. In an on-the-record interview with Nanos, a friend of the family confirmed that the girls' mother knew about the trafficking all along. 'She had overheard your father selling you and Sissy on the CB radio in your garage,' Nanos told Price. 'You were six or seven.' In the beginning, the friend said, Price's mother had kept quiet, but confronted her father after overhearing a second conversation. He batted her away, telling his wife he knew what he was doing. Unconvinced, she took the two girls and left him for a week - but returned after he promised never to do it again. The news was heartbreaking. How could her mother have stood by and let this happen? Looking back, Price, now 55, has been able to forgive her mother. 'She left us to the wolf. That's horrible,' she tells the Daily Mail. '[But] my mother was very much trapped there. She had been sexually abused by her father, and it's statistically more likely that she would have married someone who was abusive. So she went right from the frying pan into the fire and married an even more heinous person. 'She really did the absolute best she could. Our mother could not give us a childhood but she could give us a future. 'She insisted that we both leave our hometown, and she did everything that she could to support that, including taking me to the library. That was literally an act of incredible rebellion on my mother's side. I cannot emphasize that enough. 'The other piece is that she was terrified of losing us girls. We were literally all she had. 'To me,' says Price now, 'the justice comes from living a life well-lived' in Price's new book, This Happened To Me: A Reckoning , she laid out her claims in searing, heart-breaking detail 'She died at 48. She had no life. She raised us and she saw that I was so close to the finish line of graduating - I graduated six months after she died. 'She was just like: "Alright, I raised my girls. I'm confident they're going to be okay. I'm out. This life completely sucked. I'm done." And I don't blame her at all. She had a really horrible life.' Conversely, as an internationally acknowledged authority on and survivor of child sex trafficking, Price knows all too well that the blame is often cast onto the victims. 'We see this within trafficking and child sexual abuse as girls get older - 16 or 17. [It's a case of]: "She knew what she was doing." 'No,' Price insists, 'she was a child. She was not capable of making a choice. 'Perpetrators depend on that - the reality that victims are going to be blamed and dehumanized by the public, and that gives them even more power to keep doing what they're doing. The adultification of victims is utterly horrendous to me.' Price never spoke to her father again after she confronted him about his abuse, but Nanos did, in 2022, and he repeated his angry denials. Is Price frustrated that she didn't see justice served? 'I never intended to press charges against my father,' she says, 'even though the statute of limitations had just changed and I would have been able to. No, I knew I wouldn't stand a chance. I have seen what prosecutors and defense attorneys do to victims. 'My father was very much this beloved man. He started a non-profit for cancer victims. And yet it was all a ruse. I've been humiliated enough in my hometown and denigrated enough by my family - everyone except for my sister and one other extended family member who went on the record and said he believed me. 'I've been denigrated enough. I don't need it. To me, the justice comes from a life well-lived.' Now married with a son, Price is based in New England and returns often to Appalachia. On the surface, she is the picture of success: a poster child for the resilience of the human spirit. But scratch a little and the scars reveal themselves. 'I will be managing PTSD for the rest of my life,' she says. 'My entire life is set up to manage my trauma. Loud noises make me jump. I can't watch scary movies. I need to work in a quiet space. I even need to have a car that has sensors in terms of who's passing me, who's behind me. All of those things just to help me navigate the world.' 'I mostly need to travel by train whenever I can,' she adds. 'That sense of being trapped and being confined in an airplane is really difficult for me. So that stuff never, ever, ever goes away.' This Happened to Me: A Reckoning by Kate Price is published by Gallery Books Albert Fish was a frail, grey-haired man with the polite air of a kindly grandfather - but beneath that veneer lurked one of the most sadistic killers in American history. Known as The Grey Man and The Brooklyn Vampire, Fish preyed on children across New York in the 1920s and 1930s. He not only murdered, but mutilated and cannibalised them, leaving a trail of letters and confessions that shocked even seasoned detectives. He claimed he had killed children 'in every state,' though only a handful of murders were definitively confirmed. His most infamous crime was the abduction and killing of Grace Budd, who was only 10 years old. On June 3, 1928, Fish visited the Budd family home in Manhattan, claiming to seek work for their teenage son. However, that was all a ruse - his devious attention was fixated on their daughter, Grace. Pretending he wanted to take her to a birthday party, he won the trust of her parents, Delia Bridget Flanagan and Albert Francis Budd Sr. and led Grace away. That was the last time they would see her alive. Albert Fish was a frail, grey-haired man with the polite air of a kindly grandfather - but beneath that veneer lurked one of the most sadistic killers in American history Grace Budd, right, and her family. Fish told her family he was taking her to a birthday party before going to kill her Detectives conducted an extensive dig while looking for the remains of Grace Budd Fish described in horrific detail how he murdered Grace and cooked her flesh to be consumed within nine days In the years that followed, her devastated parents searched statewide, hoping to find answers. But six years later, their world was turned upside down when they received a letter written with evil intent. It was from Fish, and he described in horrific detail her murder and cannibalisation. He told them about how he cooked their daughter's flesh and consumed it, to their utter horror. The sick monster wrote: 'On Sunday, June the 3, 1928 I called on you at 406 W 15 St. Brought you pot cheese - strawberries. We had lunch. Grace sat in my lap and kissed me. I made up my mind to eat her.' He added: 'I took her to an empty house in Westchester I had already picked out. 'When we got there, I told her to remain outside. She picked wildflowers. I went upstairs and stripped all my clothes off. I knew if I did not, I would get her blood on them. 'When all was ready, I went to the window and called her. Then I hid in a closet until she was in the room. 'When she saw me all naked, she began to cry and tried to run down the stairs. I grabbed her, and she said she would tell her mamma.' Fish wrote about the torture she put Grace Budd through before killing her and cooking her flesh to eat The letter he wrote was all police needed to trace and arrest him for Grace's horrific murder In his letter, he claimed he took Grace to this cottage and murdered her in cold blood The deranged predator added: 'First, I stripped her naked. How she did kick, bite, and scratch. I choked her to death, then cut her in small pieces so I could take the meat to my rooms, cook, and eat it It took me 9 days to eat her entire body.' Fish set out to torment the family of his victim, but what he had not banked on was the fact that cops could use the letter's stationery to track him down and arrest him at a boarding house in Manhattan. When he was interrogated by the police, he quickly confessed to what he had done. Official records say he admitted to dismembering Grace's body with a handsaw at an abandoned house. He then prepared a meal out of her flesh and included onion, carrots, and bacon. Fish said he had kept Grace's bones in the woods and had scattered them behind a building - cops were able to retrieve her remains in the weeks after his arrest. But Grace's gruesome murder was not the only time he had killed a child. In 1924, eight-year-old Francis McDonnell vanished in Staten Island. Witnesses reported a gaunt, grey-haired man lurking near playgrounds. Francis' body was later discovered in a wooded area, strangled and beaten. He had been choked with his own suspenders. Francis' body was later discovered in a wooded area, strangled and beaten. He had been choked with his own suspenders Billy Gaffney's body was discovered in March 1927, wrapped in a burlap sack and lodged between a wine cask on top of a rubbish dump When Fish was questioned about the crime, he initially attempted to deny any involvement. However, he later admitted to the murder after he was convicted of Grace's murder in 1935. Fish's method of torturing the family of children he had killed did not end with Grace. On February 11 in 1927, four-year-old Billy Gaffney and a playmate disappeared from their Brooklyn apartment block. While the other child was shortly found unharmed, a frantic search was launched for Billy. When asked what happened to Gaffney, the boy chillingly said: 'The boogeyman took him.' While police initially suspected another serial killer, they got a break when a man saw Gaffney's picture and said he remembered the man trying to interact with him. The boy's body was discovered in March 1927, wrapped in a burlap sack and lodged between a wine cask on top of a rubbish dump. According to a report that appeared in the New York Times at the time described his horrific injuries, saying: 'The child apparently had been killed by a blow in the face, and besides the fractured jaw, four teeth in the lower jaw and two in the upper had been knocked out. Fish in conversation with his lawyer, James Demsey, during a court recess in December 1935 'The lower part of the right leg was covered with a bandage as if to cover a small cut or scratch, but no indication of a wound was found on the leg.' Later, Fish said in a confession letter, he described how he stripped the boy naked, tied his hands and feet and gagged him with 'a piece of dirty rag'. The revolting pedophile added: 'I whipped his bare behind till the blood ran from his legs. I cut off his ears - nose - slith his mouth from ear to ear. 'Gouged out his eyes. He was dead then. I stuck the knife in his belly and held my mouth to his body and drank his blood.' He also described how he cut up the boy and made stew out of his 'ears, nose and pieces of his face and belly.' His trial for Grace's murder started on March 11, 1935. Psychiatrists testified at trial that Fish's religious delusions and obsessive sadism drove him. The trial also gave an insight into his childhood. His father, who was in his 70s when Fish was born in 1870, died when he was five. He was placed in an orphanage when his mother admitted she couldn't take care of them. While at the St John's Home for Boys in Brooklyn, he was subjected to intense torture and physical abuse. He later admitted: 'I was there til I was nearly nine, and thats where I got started wrong. We were unmercifully whipped. I saw boys doing many things they should not have done.' By adolescence, he developed extreme masochistic tendencies - he admitted to inserting needles into his groin and abdomen, a practice later confirmed by X-rays taken at Sing Sing that revealed over 20 needles lodged inside him. An X-ray of Fish's abdomen revealed how he stuck several needles into himself Fish claimed he had received visions instructing him to punish children, and he spoke of God as commanding his acts. He would beat himself with spiked paddles, burn his flesh, and write obscene letters describing sexualised torture fantasies. Fish derived sexual gratification from these acts on himself and others. These self-inflicted torments foreshadowed the unimaginable pain he would inflict on children. He claimed he had received visions instructing him to punish children, and he spoke of God as commanding his acts. Fish himself was once married to a woman named Anna Mary Hoffman. The pair had six children, but when she left him for another man, he was forced to raise their kids alone. In 1910, Fish met a 19-year-old man called Thomas Kedden, who was intellectually disabled. Over the course of their relationship, Fish physically and emotionally tortured him. At one point, he tied him up and cut off half his genitals. Writing about the moment, Fish said: 'I shall never forget his scream or the look he gave me.' He also confessed that his intention was to kill Kedden, but he feared he would be caught. Seven years after his relationship with Bedden, Fish's wife left him for another man, forcing him to raise their kids alone. At some points, he even encouraged his children to hit his buttocks with paddles. With all this, his lawyers sought to convince the jury that he was legally insane. Fish's childhood trauma was extensively covered in court. Despite this, the jury still found him guilty Grace is seen on the right. Fish tortured Grace's family by describing in horrific detail how he killed and cannibalised her However, they rejected that theory and on January 16, 1936, Fish was executed in the electric chair at Sing Sing. Witnesses said he showed no fear, even assisting the executioner with the electrodes. At the time of his execution, he was a suspect in several murders, including the killings of Yetta Abramowitz, a 12-year-old who was strangled and beaten on the roof of an apartment building. Cops also feared he was involved in the death of Mary Ellen O'Connor, a 16-year-old whose mutilated body was found near a house that Fish was painting. Fish's crimes remain among the most revolting in American history. He was a murderer, cannibal, and sadist who turned his most twisted fantasies into reality. His letters and confessions, preserved in court records, reveal a man who managed to hide his monstrosity behind the polite exterior of a grey-haired old man. The name of 35-year-old British nurse Lucy Letby is now synonymous with some of the most heinous female killers in the country's history - right up there with Rose West and Myra Hindley. She is currently serving multiple life sentences after being convicted of the murder of seven tiny, helpless babies while they were in her care. However, according to a growing number of medical experts, she might also be the victim of a grave miscarriage of justice. And while at the time of her 2023 conviction, public outrage was at its peak, an international team of scientists now warns that the evidence used to convict her of one of the most shocking crime sprees in history may not have its basis in science at all. Released in August on Britain's ITV, a documentary takes aim at the prosecution's evidence against Letby, claiming key statistical and medical evidence was misconstrued. Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt has fuelled the increasing shift in public opinion, with experts now drawing parallels to the infamous wrongful conviction of Australian mother Kathleen Folbigg. The case, trial and conviction Between 2015 and 2016, a string of unexplained collapses and deaths in the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, where Letby had worked, raised alarms. The nurse, who was on duty during these incidents, eventually became the focal point of a major police investigation. In the wake of Lucy Letby's (pictured) conviction, a growing number of experts have come forward to challenge the way key evidence was interpreted The images of a young, benign-looking Letby being led out of her home in handcuffs initially spurred public shock and confusion - followed swiftly by anger. The case of the alleged baby-killing nurse made headlines around the globe. In court, prosecutors laid out a chilling case. They argued that Letby used her position and knowledge to deliberately harm infants in her care, using methods like injecting air into their bloodstreams or stomachs and poisoning them with insulin. Key evidence included her consistent presence during these medical emergencies, as well as her own handwritten notes, which contained phrases like, 'I am evil I did this.' On August 18, 2023, after an eight-month trial, the jury found Letby guilty of seven counts of murder, and an additional six counts of attempted murder. She was sentenced to multiple life sentences, meaning she will never be released. The following year, on July 2, 2024, she was found guilty of an additional count of attempted murder in a retrial after the jury in her original trial could not reach a verdict on that specific charge. The disputed evidence In the wake of Letby's conviction, however, a growing number of experts have come forward to challenge the way key evidence was interpreted. Professor John O'Quigley, a mathematician and statistician at University College London, is one such expert - and says he is 'certain' Letby didn't commit the crimes. 'I am certain of Lucy's innocence because there has been zero evidence to contradict that belief; a belief that ought [to] be commonly held in any civilised society,' he told Daily Mail. Letby is pictured during her arrest at her home in Chester on July 3, 2018 Experts have drawn comparisons between Lucy Letby and Kathleen Folbigg 'The onus is on the prosecution to provide proof that the assumption of innocence is not tenable. They provided no such proof. So, Lucy is innocent.' The shift chart, statistics and 'the lottery fallacy' The prosecution's case heavily relied on a shift chart, which seemed to show an alarming correlation: Letby was on duty for nearly every death and collapse in the neonatal unit. The problem, says O'Quigley, is that the chart doesn't show this at all. 'The implications of the chart are suggestive of guilt,' he explains. 'In fact, the chart does not show anything of the sort.' In a paper currently under review by the journal Medicine, Science and the Law, O'Quigley outlines the scientific issues with the chart, using the concept of the 'lottery fallacy' - a common phenomenon - to explain how he believes the jury was misled. 'If required to summarise this in a few words, I would say that an exceptionally unusual outcome does NOT imply an exceptionally unusual explanation,' he says. 'Given the collected data by MBRRACE (an NHS group that monitors mothers and babies) for neonatality across the UK in 2014, 2015 and 2016, the spike in deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital was not so unusual. 'The tricky statistical issue to get our heads around is that the spike may be statistically unusual when looking only at the Countess of Chester. However, if we look at all such centres across the UK, then the chances are high that at least one of them will show such a spike. Indeed, in the years prior to 2015, when the accused nurse was present, the rate at the Countess of Chester was lower than a number of other neonatal units.' In addition to this, the documentary claims the prosecution selectively left off data for the shifts where babies died and Letby wasn't working, thus skewing the data - and the jury's opinion. Medical misinterpretation The prosecution reportedly used an academic paper written by renowned neonatologist and a leading expert on air embolisms, Dr Shoo Lee, to explain their medical witness's finding that two of the babies died by fatal air embolism - something it was claimed Letby caused by injecting air directly into the babies' veins. However, Dr Lee tells the Letby documentary that the prosecution misinterpreted his paper, and that the type of skin discoloration seen on the babies was not consistent with an air embolism. Likewise, the prosecution's medical experts claimed that the only way a baby's breathing tube could become dislodged was through foul play. In the documentary, several medical experts point out that, in fact, it is not an uncommon occurrence. Dr Lee was so concerned by the medical misinterpretations in the case that he assembled a panel of 14 international medical experts to review the deaths of the babies Letby was convicted of killing. In a review, published in BMJ, the experts found no medical evidence to suggest murder, finding instead the babies died of 'either natural causes or bad medical care'. Similarities to Folbigg Legal and scientific experts in Australia have pointed out the similarities between Letby's case and that of Kathleen Folbigg, who was convicted in 2003 of murdering her four children between 1989 and 1999. Folbigg served 20 years behind bars - and was reviled as Australia's 'worst child serial killer' - before a team of medical and scientific experts petitioned the court to consider new genetic evidence showing her two daughters had a rare mutation linked to sudden cardiac death, while her sons also had medical issues. She was pardoned in 2023 and had her convictions overturned on appeal months later. She has been offered $2million compensation by the NSW Government - which she described as an 'insulting' attempt to make up for her wrongful imprisonment. Kathleen Folbigg (above before her 2003 conviction) spent two decades behind bars for the deaths of her children before being pardoned in 2023 and her convictions later overturned Comparisons have been drawn between the diary entries that were used to convict Folbigg (pictured) and a note written by Letby that said 'I am evil, I did this' During her first trial, jurors were told Letby's apparent confession should be read literally Evidence presented during Folbigg's Supreme Court trial, which saw her convicted of murder A page from Folbigg's diary: 'With Sarah all I wanted was her to shut up. And one day she did' In Folbigg's case, one of the key pieces of evidence used to convict her of the murders was a series of diary entries in which she seemed to confess her guilt. Later psychological analysis re-evaluated this evidence and found it to be the result of a grieving mother's self-blame - rather than the smoking gun it was thought to be. Likewise, a note submitted as evidence in Letby's trial with the words 'I am evil, I did this' written on it was presented as proof of her guilt. The documentary claims that, viewed in context, it represents something similar: a traumatised woman trying to process her grief at the situation. Professor John Shine, President of the Australian Academy of Science, was one of 90 eminent scientists involved in campaigning for Folbigg's release. 'These matters are incredibly complex,' he said in a statement at the time. 'As our scientific knowledge deepens, so does the complexity, which makes the job of the courts a more complex one, too.' The Academy is calling for a more science-sensitive legal system in every Australian jurisdiction, so that miscarriages of justice are not repeated. 'We want to work more closely with the legal community to ensure evidence placed before courts is presented in the most accurate way possible, using the most appropriate experts and the most up-to-date science,' Professor Shine said. An elderly woman allegedly assaulted by Anthony Koletti, husband of conwoman Melissa Caddick, has told the Daily Mail of the moment that led to his dramatic arrest. Julie Brandon, 73, was allegedly bundled to the ground by the hairstylist after he allegedly shoulder-charged in a Sydney park. She has now told the Daily Mail she still doesn't know why Koletti, 43, allegedly bumped into her so hard it sent her crashing to the ground. But she said the only reason she avoided serious injury was allegedly because 'luckily my bones are good and I fell onto the grass'. Ms Brandon said she didn't even know who Koletti was at the time, and is still bewildered by the alleged daylight assault in the late afternoon of July 30. She and a friend had been walking through Vaucluse's harbourside Christison Park in Sydney's eastern suburbs when she saw Koletti coming towards them. Ms Brandon told the Daily Mail she was just 500m from the home she shares with her husband and had been just standing with her friend when Koletti approached them. 'I thought he would just go around, and then his shoulder [allegedly] went into my left shoulder and I fell to the ground,' she said. 'I don't know if it was deliberate'. Julie Brandon, 73, (pictured) was allegedly bundled to the ground by the hairstylist after he allegedly shoulder-charged in a Sydney park A few minutes later, Koletti allegedly circled back, and Ms Brandon's friend managed to snap this grainy photo on her phone Anthony Koletti with Melissa Caddick, who disappeared in 2020 and her foot was found in a shoe washed up on the NSW South Coast three months later A few minutes later, Koletti allegedly circled back, and Ms Brandon's friend managed to snap a grainy photo on her phone. 'I wouldn't have done anything but my girlfriend said I should, and got photos and my husband said later that I should go to the police,' said Ms Brandon. 'I'm 73 and I've had girlfriends who have fallen over and they have broken bones, so I'm lucky.' The snap of the man - wearing a black Under Armour shirt, cap and sunglasses - was later posted on Facebook by local police as they investigated the alleged assault. Koletti was widely identified as looking like the man pictured, sparking a media scrum outside the Rose Bay hair salon where he now works as a colour specialist, charging up to $156 for a cut and style. He declined to speak, but handed himself in to police soon after, where he was arrested and charged with common assault. Canadian-born Ms Brandon has lived in Australia for 50 years and her son, Joshua Brandon, is a film director and writer known for thrillers and crime dramas including A Thousand Little Cuts, Houdini and Doyle, and Haven. She told the Daily Mail she bears Koletti no ill will and does not want him to lose his job over the alleged shoulder charge. Julie Brandon was in her local park with a female friend when a man she'd never met allegedly shouldered her, causing her to fall to the ground. She later found out he was Anthony Koletti, widower of fraudster Melissa Caddick On the day of his arrest, Koletti was applying foils to a client at Anthony Talbot Salon in Rose Bay, where he works as the 'specialist in colour', charging up to $156 for a cut and style Anthony Koletti has been charged with common assault and is due in court next month in the Downing Centre Court (Koletti is pictured in 2022 during the inquest into his conwoman wife Melissa Caddick) 'I feel sorry for him. If only he'd stopped and asked if I was alright,' she said. 'I suppose he'll say he didn't mean it. I wouldn't want him to lose his job' The hairdresser now lives in a rented unit near a cemetery, 500m from where the alleged assault took place. It is a short drive from the $10million Dover Heights mansion he once shared with conwoman Caddick before she vanished the day after an ASIC raid in 2020. It was later revealed she had stolen millions from friends and investors through a Ponzi scheme to fund her luxury lifestyle. Caddick is now believed dead after a shoe containing her remains washed up on Bournda Beach on the NSW South Coast three months after she disappeared. Anthony Koletti is due to appear at the Downing Centre Court on September 5, where he last attended during the inquest into his wife's death. Lisanne Froon, 22, and Kris Kremers, 21, arrived in Panama airport brimming with excitement. After months of planning, the two Dutch students set out to hike the famed El Pianista' trail, eager for discovery and adventure. The trek, which cuts through a dense cloud forest on the slopes of the Baru volcano, was meant to be the highlight of their trip. But within hours they had vanished, leaving behind one of the most disturbing mysteries of modern travel. Months later, fragments of their remains were found scattered along a remote river bank deep in the jungle. Investigators tried to reconstruct the girls' final days through strange photos found on their camera after they disappeared. But, without clear evidence, speculation flourished, and theories ranging from accidental misadventure to more sinister explanations - such as foul play, kidnapping, or even organ tracking quickly spread. The women embarked on their excursion on the morning of April 1, 2014. According to some accounts, they had brunch with two Dutch men before setting off and brought along a dog from a nearby restaurant, IL Pianista, though details vary. Kris Kremers (L), 21, and Lisanne Froon (R) 22, disappeared after setting out to hike the famed El Pianista' trail in 2014 Investigators tried to reconstruct the girls' final days through strange photos found on their camera after they vanished. This image shows some of the girls' belongings found after they went missing Investigators discovered 133 images taken as late as seven days after their disappearance, including 90 taken in pitch darkness during the pre-dawn hours of April 8, 2014 This map shows where Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon's possessions and remains were found The girls' families arrived in Panama on April 6 as a major search operation got underway - with a $30,000 USD reward for anyone could find the women. Pictured: One of the images found on the camera after the girls vanished The majority show little beyond blackness or foliage illuminated by the flash According to some accounts, they had brunch with two Dutch men before setting off and brought along a dog from a nearby restaurant, IL Pianista, though details vary The hike should have taken roughly three hours to complete but the pair had still not returned by nightfall. Some sources claim the owners of the restaurant raised the alarm when their dog returned home that evening without Kremers and Froon. Further panic ensued among locals when efforts to contact Kremers' father Hans were unsuccessful and they missed an appointment with a local guide the following day. The girls' families arrived in Panama on April 6 as a major search operation got underway - with a $30,000 USD reward for anyone could find the women. Sniffer dogs scoured the rugged landscape for any sign of Froon and Kremers but found no trace. It would be a further two months before authorities were able to find anything relating to their disappearance. On June 14, a blue backpack belonging to Froon was found along the Culebra River near Alto Romero, well off the main El Pianista route by a local woman. Despite Panama's rainy season, the backpack appeared clean and dry, containing $88 in cash, sunglasses, both women's bras, their phones, and Froon's camera. Sniffer dogs scoured the rugged landscape for any sign of Froon and Kremers but found no trace The friends' phones revealed that around six hours into their hike someone tried to ring the emergency services 77 times The hike should have taken roughly three hours to complete but the pair had still not returned by nightfall Locals claimed it had not been there the day before, fueling suspicions. Nearby were Kremers' denim shorts. There are conflicting reports as to whether they were carefully placed on a rock or simply found in disarray remains disputed. The friends' phones revealed that around six hours into their hike someone tried to ring the emergency services 77 times. The first distress call attempt was made by Kremers' iPhone 4 at 16:39. Shortly after that, another attempt was made from Froon's Samsung Galaxy S III at 16:51. None of the calls got through due to lack of reception in the area. On April 4, Froon's phone battery became exhausted after 05:00 and the phone was never used again. Between 5 and 11 April, Kremers' iPhone was turned on multiple times but the correct PIN code was never entered again - hinting that she was not the one handling the phone. The most perplexing clues about what happened in the women's final hours came from from Froon's camera. Investigators discovered 133 images taken as late as seven days after their disappearance, including 90 taken in pitch darkness during the pre-dawn hours of April 8, 2014. On June 14, a blue backpack belonging to Froon was found along the Culebra River near Alto Romero, well off the main El Pianista route. by a local woman Searches along the river later unearthed scattered human remains: a foot in a boot, a piece of a pelvis, and various bone fragments The majority show little beyond blackness or foliage illuminated by the flash, suggesting the friends were deep in the jungle. A few images reveal seemingly deliberate arrangements including red plastic on sticks, tissues, a small mirror on a rock, and one image, timestamped 1.49am, which shows the back of Kremers' head. Previous speculation suggested blood could be seen near her temple, though clearer versions did not confirm an injury. Adding to the mystery is the missing photo #509: it does not appear in the memory card's file structure, raising questions about whether it was deleted intentionally, corrupted, or never existed in the first place. Subsequent searches along the river unearthed scattered human remains: a foot in a boot, a piece of a pelvis, and various bone fragments. DNA matched them to Kremers and Froon. Puzzlingly, while parts of Froon's remains still retained some skin, Kremers' bones appeared 'bleached,' with high phosphorus levels that did not match local soil conditions. A Panamanian forensic anthropologist noted the absence of cuts or marks on the bones, adding another layer of intrigue. The minimal remains meant that a cause of death could not be determined, however, the most likely theories suggest the women either suffered an accident or got lost and died of exposure. But, the unusual photos combined with the bizarre findings sent the conspiracy theory mill into overdrive and sparked suggestions the women had been stalked, kidnapped and murdered while hiking on the trail. The official investigation shifted stance over time. Panamanian authorities initially classified the case as homicide, then abduction. By March 2015, however, it was formally closed with the conclusion that both women died in a hiking accident. After months of planning, the two Dutch students set out to hike the famed El Pianista' trail, eager for discovery and adventure The trek cuts through a dense cloud forest on the slopes of the Baru volcano Dutch forensic teams thought rugged terrain, 30- to 40-meter cliffs, and swift river currents could explain the condition of the remains. But, despite the official explanation, the debate over what really happened continues to this day. Many find aspects of the narrative inconsistent with the physical evidence. These include the sudden appearance of the backpack, the bleached condition of Kremers' bones, the missing photo #509, and 77 failed emergency calls that suggest a prolonged struggle for survival. New and often polarizing theories have surfaced in recent years. Highlighting suspicious details and strange camera images, some investigators believe the women were victims of kidnapping or murder. They note that the late discovery of their remains - months after large-scale searches- could signal third-party involvement, as could possible tampering with the camera or the staging of belongings, Medium reports. Another elaborate theory posits that organ traffickers were informed about the two tourists, leading to abduction on the trail and captivity for several days before the women were killed. Most researchers consider this scenario extremely unlikely, given the lack of supporting proof. Many experts still support he official accident explanation, suggesting the pair simply went off-trail, became disoriented, and succumbed to natural hazards. 'We don't know if anybody was involved - we cannot exclude that,' Jurgen Snoeren, co-author of Lost in The Jungle, previously told The Sun. 'We believe the most likely explanation is that they had an accident - but it's not 100 percent. 'The only way to make a full conclusion is when we find the rest of the bodies. I think there should still be remains there in the jungle from the girls. But it's a hell of a job.' Over the last five years, the public have continued to express an interest in the case. In 2021, Dutch authors Marja West and Jurgen Snoeren published a book offering new perspectives on the mystery after trawling through police files. Their work noted unresolved inconsistencies that keep alternative theories alive. By the 10th anniversary in April 2024, the saga had still not been forgotten. Advances in forensic methods and persistent amateur investigations prompted calls for reevaluation of bones and digital data. In September 2023, a documentary reexamining the women's final days and alleged investigative oversights threw the case back into the spotlight - sparking a fresh debate about how evidence was gathered, cataloged, and analyzed. Throughout these developments, the relatives of Kremers and Froon have stood by the official conclusion of a tragic accident, finding some comfort in closure even as the public's fascination persists. Beachgoers on a wealthy Massachusetts island have been warned to steer clear of the shoreline due to toxic sea foam laced with dangerous 'forever chemicals'. Nantucket environmental officials warned the waters could contain alarmingly high levels of PFAS - a group of thousands of long lasting, human-made chemicals which can cause a slew of health problems. Residents are urged to steer clear of the seafoam lurking on the millionaires' island - and, above all, not to ingest it. 'While we know PFAS are present, and likely at these higher levels, we arent certain of the exact concentration,' Dr. Rebecca DeVries, vice president at Eastern Research Group hired to help analyze the data, told the Nantucket Current. 'Some of those qualifiers from the lab do indicate that the results could be biased high, so I just think thats something to keep in mind,' she added. Last week, islanders who came into contact with the seafoam were urged to rinse off with fresh water as soon as possible, especially since PFAS can cling to the foam at dangerously high levels, far exceeding those in the surrounding water. 'Because of the chemical structure of PFAS, foam can contain higher levels of these chemicals than the water it floats on,' the recent advisory read. 'While there are no standards for PFAS foam, taking precautions to reduce contact is important,' it added. Beachgoers on the wealthy Massachusetts island of Nantucket (pictured) have been warned to steer clear of the shoreline, where toxic seafoam laced with dangerous 'forever chemicals' is putting health at serious risk Nantucket environmental officials have uncovered alarmingly high levels of PFAS - a group of thousands of human-made 'forever chemicals' - contaminating the drinking water in the islands ritzy enclave It comes after locals on the island, where a typical home costs $5 million, were warned about high levels of PFAs in drinking water. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are long-lasting synthetic chemicals that persist in air, soil and water. Commonly found in a wide range of consumer products and industrial applications, PFAS are made up of extremely strong carbon-fluorine bonds that allow them to accumulate in the bodies of both humans and animals. Its exposure in humans has been linked to certain cancers - including kidney and testicular cancer - as well as high cholesterol, liver damage, thyroid disease, and pregnancy complications, according to the CDC. Friday's advisory followed early tests that revealed the contamination to be far more widespread than environmental experts first believed. Although water samples from Nantuckets beaches and ponds showed little to no PFAS, seafoam collected from areas like Madaket Harbor and Sesachacha Pond revealed shockingly high levels. In one case, levels soared to 30,000 parts per trillion - which, if accurate, would be the highest PFAS concentration ever recorded on the island. But the lab that did the testing warned many samples were unreliable due to low volumes, so these numbers might not tell the full story. 'Many of the results, in fact, all of the results from Sesachacha Pond, were qualified by the laboratory as not meeting their quality assurance criteria,' Dr. DeVries told the Nantucket Current. Experts are warning residents to steer clear of the seafoam lurking on the millionaires' island - and, above all, not to ingest it, as PFAS can cling to the foam at dangerously high levels - far exceeding those in the surrounding water Andrew Shapero (pictured), Nantucket's new environmental contamination administrator, has warned residents they should test their private wells since PFAS contamination is 'a statewide and a countrywide problem' 'This was largely because there was not sufficient volume in the sample,' she added. Nantucket has been grappling with concerning levels of PFAS contamination for years, but experts have recently noticed the problem is more widespread than they thought. 'The more we test, the more were going to detect,' Andrew Shapero, Nantucket's new environmental contamination administrator, told the Boston Globe. It was previously understood that tainted areas included Nantucket Memorial Airport and Toms Way, located mid-island. But a recent Department of Environmental Protection investigation revealed private wells are also contaminated. In May, Shapero warned that PFAS levels at one specific location - the intersection of Hummock Pond Road and Burnt Swamp Lane - had exceeded the 'imminent hazard' threshold, according to the Nantucket Current. PFAS levels at the intersection measured 124 nanograms per liter - more than six times the states drinking water limit of 20 nanograms per liter. 'That is an extremely concerning concentration to see in drinking water,' Shapero previously told the board. On Friday, islanders who come into contact with the seafoam (pictured) were urged to rinse off with fresh water as soon as possible Anywhere from 71 million to 95 million Americans rely on groundwater riddled with detectable levels of the substances, which can cause a slew of health problems (stock photo) Then, in July, the town collected surface water samples from 21 sites, including coastal beaches, sheltered harbors, freshwater ponds, and two nearshore 'background' locations, according to the advisory. Foam appeared at only two sites - Sesachacha Pond and Madaket Harbor - where samples sent for PFAS testing revealed high concentrations of the so-called 'forever' chemicals. Though the recent tests may not be entirely reliable, Nantucket plans more thorough sampling in late August 2025 to better understand whats really in the foam washing up across Nantucket's shore. Anywhere from 71 million to 95 million Americans rely on groundwater riddled with detectable levels of the substances, according to the US Geological Survey. But what makes Nantucket's dilemma unique is the island's dependency on groundwater. 'One is that Nantucket is a sole source aquifer, so all of the water on Nantucket comes from the ground that residents live on top of, whether thats private wells or the public water supply,' Shapero told the Boston Globe. 'So Nantucket really has no alternative options,' he added. Before experts realized their detrimental health and environmental impact, PFAS were used in various everyday products. Starting around the 1940s, they were commonly present in non-stick cookware, cleaning supplies, dental floss, candy wrappers and firefighting foam - which easily makes its way into groundwater. While certain types of PFAS are no longer used in the US, other variations of the potentially poisoning man-made chemicals are actually FDA approved for limited use, according to the agency. The head of the Garda unit at the vanguard of the fight against organised crime gangs has warned Kinahan cartel leaders there's no 'safe haven' where they can escape justice. It comes as the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal that gardai and incoming Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly are set to roll out a new intelligence strategy to target the Kinahans and more than 20 other 'transnational' gangs operating here. Senior sources this weekend said Mr Kelly, who takes over the top Garda job from outgoing commissioner Drew Harris on September 1, has made bringing down the Kinahan cartel and other major players in the drugs trade a priority as part of a 'back to basics' approach to policing. In an interview with the MoS, Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland, the head of the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GDOCB), said the Kinahans no longer have the same stranglehold on the drugs trade that they previously enjoyed. But he warned that other major players are emerging and that keeping these gangs from becoming a major threat is a top priority. Supt Boland said: 'The Kinahan crime gang is well-documented for the position that they held in relation to organised crime in Ireland that group has been the primary threat for a number of decades. They do not hold the same control on organised crime in Ireland as they did pre-2016, that's for definite. They still do exist, and as a criminal organisation have not been totally destroyed at this stage. But their level of activity and involvement at the higher end in Ireland has decreased dramatically. Pictured: Christy Kinahan known as 'The Dapper Don' began the Kinahan Cartel as a drug-dealing ring in Dublin in the 1990s Pictured: A group of armed men, dressed in police-style uniforms stormed a hotel hosting a weigh-in organised by Daniel Kinahan Pictured: John Gilligan, he began his criminal career robbing warehouses but soon moved into the drugs business. At one stage he was one of the most feared criminal bosses in the city 'A lot of what they would be involved in would be in other jurisdictions in relation to cocaine trafficking, more so than here. And probably because their main operators here in Ireland have been to a good extent brought to justice.' Gardai in Ireland, and through helping police in other jurisdictions, have enjoyed notable successes in the war against the Kinahan crime group in recent years. In May, alleged senior gang member Sean McGovern was extradited from Dubai to Ireland, in a major blow to the cartel. Gardai estimate 81 members of the gang have now been convicted and jailed, more than 50 lives have been saved, and millions of euro worth of drugs seized. However, bringing cartel leader Daniel Kinahan back to face justice in Ireland remains a top priority. Mr Boland remains optimistic the Kinahans still one of the biggest drug cartels in Europe will eventually be dismantled. And in a warning to the gang leaders, he said: 'I have no concerns about any Irish criminal moving from one country to another to try and avert extradition back to Ireland. It's been well proven it doesn't matter to us what country they go. 'We've seen it in the Middle East which commentators described as a safe haven. We've seen the same from South America. It doesn't concern me in the slightest what country people move to we will engage with those countries and whatever the requirements are, we will pursue that to the end.' But at home, new threats are emerging from the shadows, in particular one gang known as 'The Family' who have overtaken the Kinahans as the biggest drug dealers now operating in the State. The gang has grown from being a Dublin-based gang in 2017 to a major criminal organisation with links to south American drug cartels bringing in tens of millions of euros a year. The source added The Family has managed to stay relatively 'under the radar because they have not got involved in gun crime or shootings. That brings political, media and policing attention. They are as bad and as vicious as the Kinahans, but lessons have been learned that, if you start gangland stuff involving feuds and shootings, it causes public outrage, a media frenzy, a political focus. It is bad for business.' Mr Boland said taking down this group has become 'a national priority', adding: 'We are pursuing them with the same methodology that we did in relation to the likes of the Kinahans. We remain positive we will bring significant prosecutions before the courts.' In an indication of the scale of the drugs market in Ireland, he said gardai have identified 22 'transnational' gangs operating across the country who have links to criminal networks in other jurisdictions. Pictured: Veronica Guerin a fearless crime reporter who was murdered on the Naas Road on the outskirts of Dublin on the orders of one kingpin Pictured: Joh Traynor, he supplied Veronica Guerin with information on Dublin's underworld - leading her towards Gilligan Pictured: Larry Dunne a career criminal who used connections made while serving time in jail in the UK in the 1970s to link up with international gangs began importing drugs into Ireland being led from a court house Mr Boland said many of these criminal organisations 'operate on networks who work with each other at any given time. 'We have in the region of 22 full-time, long-term investigations, and every one of those groups will have an international nexus. So our investigations are linked in with international colleagues. Some of them at the higher end we can see links between some of the groups and associates of the Kinahans or international groups who would work with the Kinahans, so there is still that type of connection.' A key part of the Garda strategy under the incoming Commissioner will be to prevent these gangs from growing and posing the same threat as the Kinahan organisation, who are responsible for the vast majority of 18 deaths some of them completely innocent people as a result of the cartel's murderous feud with the Hutch gang. Senior Garda sources this weekend said Mr Kelly was 'key' to piloting an intelligence tool to 'stop' Irish gangs from becoming major international drug players like the Kinahans. The Organised Crime Threat Assessment (OCTA) tool described by one source as 'a system of determining and mapping out crime gangs in Ireland and their international links' was first piloted in the Eastern region three years ago. Over the last year it has also been rolled out across the Southern region, and senior gardai are hopeful it will be expanded nationally under Mr Kelly's watch. One source said the current Deputy Commissioner with responsibility for the security of the State has 'championed' the new intelligence strategy. And they signalled the war on drugs and organised crime will be a 'top priority' for the new Commissioner. Mr Kelly was appointed as head of the Organised and Serious Crime (OSC) unit in May 2022, taking over from the late John O'Driscoll. He built on his predecessor's work in developing an international coalition including the US, UK, Spain and later the UAE to target the Kinahan cartel. This, in turn, would play a significant role in the arrest of Kinahan's alleged right hand man Sean McGovern. A source told the MoS: 'His [Kelly's] focus was on international cartels, in particular Mexican cartels, because there was a lot of Mexican cartel money flowing through Ireland. Pictured: Martin 'The Viper' Florey, who has survived four assassination attempts Pictured: Martin Cahill, his gang were responsible for robberies and specialised in art heists 'The Americans had a big interest in them because China is sending the fentanyl and the raw materials to the Mexican cartels to flood America. His focus was transnational crime, organised crime, serious crime. 'Justin helped build relations with the Americans [in relation to the Kinahans]. That was a game changer. The treasury sanctions and UAE coming on board were a game changer with the Kinahans.' The biggest success of recent operations against the Kinahan gang has, according to Supt Boland, has been the dramatic drop in gangland murders. So far this year, there has not been a single gangland related killing. Supt Boland said: 'There was one year we had 33 gangland murders so we do hold this very unique position, but I am absolutely a realist. This is going to be a challenge going forward as well for us to try and maintain that. 'Gangland murders will occur and there are younger people out there involved in crime who aren't strategic, who are hot-headed, and we have seen some of the most recent shootings and murders in recent years, there is no real planning put into them. 'They're more disorganised crime, as opposed to organised with just thugs really. Our number one priority is the preservation of life. We have developed expertise in relation to threat to life operations. Thankfully, we are not having to engage in it as much as we did in 2016, 2017, 2018' Supt Boland, who describes himself as 'forever the optimist', said he is looking 'forward with positivity' to working under the new Commissioner, adding: 'He understands our end of the business very well.' Anthony Albanese's nemesis, Max Chandler-Mather, has hit back at the Prime Minister after he poked fun at the ousted Greens MP during the Midwinter Ball. The Prime Minister regularly clashed with the former member for the Brisbane seat of Griffith, with both men infamously trading barbs in a heated clash on the floor of the House of Representatives two years ago. Chandler-Mather, who was narrowly defeated by Labor's Renee Coffey at the May federal election, clearly still plays on Albanese's mind because the PM cracked a gag at his expense at the Midwinter Ball on Wednesday night. The black tie, three-course dinner, where politicians from every party and their plus ones rub shoulders with Australia's corporate bigwigs and journalists in the Great hall of Parliament, is meant to be off-the-record. But the Daily Mail was not in attendance so is not bound by the rules prohibiting the journalists present from reporting what is said and on Thursday, we revealed that Albanese had not been able to resist taking a sly dig at Chandler-Mather. 'This election, we farewelled my favourite Green,' Albanese told the audience, as a picture of Max Chandler-Mather flashed on the screen. 'Not that Green,' the PM said, 'This Green,' he added as a picture of the ABC's now-retired chief election analyst Antony Green appeared. But now Chandler-Mather has returned fire, saying 'how sad for him'. Max Chandler-Mather, who was narrowly defeated by Labor's Renee Coffey at the May federal election, clearly still plays on Albanese's mind because the PM cracked a gag at his expense at the Midwinter Ball on Wednesday night (pictured: the PM and his soon-to-be wife Jodie Haydon) 'If the Prime Minister keeps treating everyday working people like dirt, while wining and dining with CEOs and lobbyists and lining the pockets of big corporations and billionaires with tax handouts and loopholes, I'll be the least of his concerns,' Chandler-Mather told the Daily Mail. 'Personally I've been enjoying life outside parliament, carefully thinking how best to continue to fight on behalf of the millions of everyday people screwed over by this Labor government. 'I'm a bit surprised the Prime Minister remains so fixated on me, because I haven't really thought about him at all.' Chandler-Mather, who used to donate $50,000 of his parliamentary salary to fund free school meals in his electorate, also shared a meme as his official response. The meme is from a scene in the TV series Mad Men, when the main character Don Draper shuts down his colleague's claim that he 'feels sorry' for him with the immortal line: 'I don't think about you at all'. It is not the first time Albanese and Chandler-Mather have traded barbs. Indeed, there has been a long history of enmity between the two men. While in parliament, Chandler-Mather earned the nickname of 'Albo's arch-nemesis' due to his clashes with the PM over housing policy. Chandler-Mather has returned fire, saying 'how sad for him' Chandler-Mather, who used to donate $50,000 of his parliamentary salary to fund free school meals in his electorate, also shared a meme as his official response. The meme is from a scene in the TV series Mad Men, when the main character Don Draper shuts down his colleague's claim that he 'feels sorry' for him with the immortal line: 'I don't think about you at all' In 2023, tensions came to a head during a debate over the $10billion Housing Australia Future Fund. As Albanese was leaving the House of Representatives chamber, he reportedly turned back and directed an angry remark to Chandler-Mather, saying: 'You're a joke, mate.' Last year, Chandler-Mather also questioned why the Prime Minister was able to rake in an extra $115,000 a year in rental income while he lives rent-free at The Lodge and Kirribilli House during a housing crisis. These confrontations led many young Australians to see Chandler-Mather as a strong voice representing young people's concerns about the housing crisis. The pair also traded words shortly after Chandler-Mather was ousted in May, with the Greens firebrand telling Triple J Hack that the PM had often directed 'personal abuse' at him in the House. 'The Prime Minister spent a lot of time in my electorate attacking me, the property industry, the mining industry, all coming after us,' Chandler-Mather said. 'We would get up (in the House) and say "all we want is for the government to do something for the one-third of the country that rents" and I had the Prime Minister come up to me in the Chamber and call me a "joke" and personally abuse me.' In 2023, tensions came to a head during a debate over the $10billion Housing Australia Future Fund As Albanese was leaving the House of Representatives chamber, he reportedly turned back and directed an angry remark to Chandler-Mather, saying: 'You're a joke, mate' But Albanese has said the former MP needed to look at his own behaviour. 'He should have a good look at the way that he asks questions in the parliament,' the Prime Minister told ABC's 7.30 afterwards. 'Maybe what he needs is a mirror and a reflection on why he's no longer in parliament. 'This is a guy who stood before signs at a CFMEU rally in Brisbane describing me as a Nazi. 'I think it's a bit rich for him of all people...who has been rejected by his own electorate after just one term.' Suspected double cop killer Dezi Freeman previously posed as a firefighter to sneak through emergency police roadblocks to evade detection and defy the law. Freeman, 56, remains on the run after he allegedly gunned down Detective Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35, at his rural property in Porepunkah in the Victorian High Country on Tuesday. Ten officers attended his home to serve a warrant for historic sex assault charges involving a minor, when the father of three allegedly opened fire, killing the pair and wounding a third. Freeman allegedly stole the dead men's service pistols and seized a police radio before fleeing into the bush, and has not been seen since. Freeman has now been on the run for four days as 450 heavily-armed police, special operations units and air support scour the surrounding mountains in one of the largest manhunts in Australian history. At the heart of Freeman's ideology is his identity as a self-proclaimed sovereign citizen, an anti-authority movement whose followers insist that government rules, police orders and even the courts have no power over them. For them, the law of the land is irrelevant, taxes are optional, and orders from authority are treated as nothing more than suggestions. Former friends warn Freeman will continue to evade capture because he is a seasoned manipulator who has spent years attempting to outwit the authorities. Dezi Freeman once brazenly posed as a firefighter to sneak through emergency roadblocks Heavily armed police, special operations units and air support scour the mountains Police have set up roadblocks in the area 'This man thinks he's untouchable,' one former friend told Daily Mail Australia. 'He will try every trick in the book and thrives on bending rules and humiliating government agencies.' According to the friend, his most brazen stunt came during the Black Summer bushfires of 2020, when whole communities were evacuated and the Mount Buffalo around Porepunkah was under emergency warning as flames tore through the region. But while thousands were fleeing, Freeman was plotting a way in. A keen photographer, Freeman became as obsessed with taking photos of the devastation as he was with defying the official keep-out orders. When stopped at roadblocks, he is alleged to have gone to extraordinary lengths and used his old firefighter's uniform to evade the roadblocks. Freeman had quit Victoria's volunteer Country Fire Authority in 2014 and should not have kept or worn his uniform in the years afterwards. 'He dressed up as a firefighter, an emergency service worker, during a state of emergency,' his old mate revealed. 'And he got through.' Once inside the restricted zones, Freeman allegedly moved among real emergency crews as fires still raged in the background, snapping photos while others risked their lives. 'He didn't stop boasting about it afterwards, telling anyone who would listen and showing off his photos,' the former friend added. While thousands were fleeing, Freeman (pictured outside court) was plotting a way in to blocked areas Freeman shared this photo with others across social media groups Freeman took a collection of photos including this one Once inside the restricted zones, Freeman allegedly moved among real emergency crews and journalists as fires still raged to take bushfire photographs (this image was not taken by him) The search for Freeman on day four 'He carried on like he'd pulled off some kind of military operation. In his head, it made him a legend.' The friend claims it was during that time that many locals became more wary of him. 'He had no care at all for the firefighters or police who would have had to risk everything to save him if he got trapped,' the friend added. 'That's him, reckless and obsessed with proving he is always one step ahead. 'After that I think a lot of people who thought he was just a harmless know-it-all and a bit of a cooker started to worry what he would do next.' More than two prisoners every month are taking such a potent cocktail of illegal drugs that officers have had to administer life-saving antidotes. Amid an epidemic of drug-taking behind bars, more than a third of inmates have admitted taking illegal substances in prison, with more than a quarter saying their drug use only started or increased while in custody. The Mail has told how drones found laden with drugs and needles had been flown into jails, as organised crime groups target addicts in the prison estate. One taxpayer funded group, the Scottish Drugs Forum, has claimed free needles and vapes should be handed out to prisoners so they can take Class A drugs behind bars in a safer way. Now, the Scottish Prison Service has admitted that officers have had to administer an overdose antidote medication called Naloxone to 53 prisoners. That equates, it says, to more than two every month in the last two years. The Scottish Prison Service hailed the figures, which it released to coincide with International Overdose Awareness Day, as a key tool to 'safeguard individuals' and 'support recovery journeys'. However serious concerns have been raised about the statistics, which lay bare the scale of the drugs crisis in Scotland's prison estate. Last night drugs, alcohol and womens health spokeswoman Annie Wells said: 'Everyone wants to prevent fatalities, but stopping overdoses in prisons isnt a matter for self-congratulation they shouldnt occur in the first place. Common prison drugs include synthetic cannabinoids, benzodiazepines and opioids Drones laden with drugs and needles have been flown into jails by organised criminals Naloxone is an antidote medication which can be injected or administered via a nasal spray 'Prisons should have the strictest measures against the scourge of drugs and addicts should be getting support to stop using, not last-minute interventions.' The Scottish Prison Service first introduced naloxone training for prison staff in 2016, however the initial phase was only aimed at nightshift staff and managers. From June 2023, the scheme was expanded to include training for all operational staff. Scottish Tory Annie Wells says overdoses should not be happening in prison in the first place Prisoners have also been trained in how to administer naloxone. So-called 'Peer Champions' are able to train other inmates across ten prisons to also administer the antidote, which comes in an injection form or a nasal spray. According to the latest Scottish Prisoners Survey, 35 per cent of inmates said they used illegal drugs, up from 29 per cent in 2019. Inmates have told third sector organisations the most common drugs are synthetic cannabinoids, benzodiazepines and opioids, some of which they put into vapes, mix into hot drinks or inject. A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: 'The health and wellbeing of those in our care is a key priority. Our staff work hard to tackle the supply of substances into establishments, safeguard individuals from the harms they cause and support recovery journeys.' A Utah woman gave birth to a baby girl in the bathroom of her RV while attending Burning Man. Kayla Thompson, 37, and her husband Kasey Thompson, 39, were in attendance at the Nevada festival when on Wednesday morning they unexpectedly welcomed their daughter Aurora. Speaking with The New York Times, Kayla told the outlet she awoke in severe pain and first assumed it was the result of something she ate, or even appendicitis. Moments later however, the festival-goer was in active labor and with zero warning gave birth to a three-pound, nine-ounce girl in the cramped bathroom of the camper. According to Kayla she had no idea she was pregnant at the time, adding: 'Even the nurses at the hospital were like, "You don't look like you were pregnant at all".' Kayla, who works in medical billing, added: 'I didn't have any symptoms.' Her husband, Kasey, who lays tiles for a living, recalled the chaos of the moment: 'I was yelling for anyone to come help us,' he said through tears. The couple had just arrived at the arts and culture festival days earlier from Salt Lake City, with help arriving quickly on the scene. Kayla Thompson, 37, and her husband, Kasey Thompson, 39, were attending their first Burning Man festival when, early Wednesday morning, Kayla awoke in severe pain inside their RV camper In a matter of moments, and with zero warning, Kayla gave birth to a 3-pound, 9-ounce baby girl in the cramped bathroom of their camper, seen here at the festival this week Within minutes of Kasey's cries for assistance, a neonatal care nurse, a pediatrician, and an Obstetrician-Gynecologist - all fellow attendees - arrived from neighboring camps. The Obstetrician-Gynecologist helped deliver the placenta while wearing nothing but underwear, according to the outlet. 'This should not be happening this way,' Kasey remembered thinking as he scrambled to gather supplies and leaned on the support of strangers. Maureen O'Reilly, a 61-year-old nurse with a background in neonatal critical care, was one of the first to respond after hearing word of the surprise birth. O'Reilly wrapped garbage bags around her shoes and trudged through the thick desert mud to reach the RV - arriving just as the umbilical cord was being cut. 'I introduced myself as a nurse and immediately placed the baby on my stomach to keep her warm,' O'Reilly recalled. With nothing but her own body heat and an old towel, she worked to care for the tiny newborn. 'The hardest part was knowing, as a nurse, what can go wrong,' she said. 'Having no resources was frightening.' Still, O'Reilly managed to help stabilize the infant, who was crying, breathing steadily, and showing signs of healthy color. Attendees dance during the annual Burning Man Festival in the early morning of September 5, 2023 The Thompson family (pictured) 'are so in love with [Aurora] already,' according to an Instagram post by the baby girl's grandmother All of this was unfolding amid a soaked and chaotic Black Rock Desert, where a seasonal monsoon had already turned the Burning Man festival into a mud-riddled landscape - shutting down entry gates, toppling tents, and stranding thousands. The terrain was too difficult for ambulances to navigate, according to the Los Angeles Times, but about 10 to 15 minutes after the birth, Black Rock Rangers arrived in an SUV with medics. They transported Aurora to a medical tent, but because there was only space for one on the Life Flight helicopter, Kasey had to make a gut-wrenching decision - leave his wife or his new baby girl. 'That was the hardest decision of my life,' he said. Kasey ultimately chose to stay with his wife after a doctor promised the baby would not be left alone. The couple then rode separately in an ambulance to a hospital in Reno, more than three hours away over muddy roads. After finally reuniting with Aurora in the neonatal intensive care unit, Kasey said his daughter 'was safe and sound' and that he 'was so thrilled.' Doctors estimated that Kayla was around 36 weeks pregnant and measured baby Aurora to be 16.5 inches long and weighing 3 pounds, 9.6 ounces. A man holds up a tent structure amid a dust storm near Burning Man festival's Black Rock Desert site last weekend The Burning Man event is an annual, week-long arts and culture festival held in the Black Rock Desert of northern Nevada that ends with the burning of a large effigy known as The Man The family, now staying at a hotel in Reno, was discharged from the hospital on Thursday, though Aurora remains in the NICU gaining strength. 'Their world has just been flipped upside down completely,' Kasey's sister, Lacey Paxman, told the outlet, adding that she and the Thompsons' parents have traveled from Utah to support the couple. A GoFundMe has since been launched by Paxman and notes that the couple left everything behind at Burning Man - including their supplies and clothes - and are now facing the unexpected costs of medical care, lodging, and first-time parenting. 'Since this is their first child and the pregnancy was completely unexpected, my brother and his wife don't have anything prepared - no baby supplies, no nursery, nothing at all,' she wrote. Despite the shock and fear of the experience, Kasey expressed deep gratitude for the strangers who helped deliver their daughter. 'That's what that community is about,' he said. 'They will always have such a special place in my heart.' 'It's an absolute miracle. Had I known [about the pregnancy], that's the absolutely last place on this planet I would have been,' he assured. The Burning Man event is an annual, week-long arts and culture festival held in the Black Rock Desert of northern Nevada that ends with the burning of a large effigy known as The Man. It typically takes place in late August through early September and is known for its radical self-expression, massive art installations, communal living, and off-the-grid experience. A former teacher of Minneapolis shooter Robin Westman reported concerns over her mental health years before she murdered two kids and injured 18 other churchgoers in a senseless attack. The 23-year-old transgender shooter slaughtered eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski as they attended mass at the Annunciation Catholic Church, in Minneapolis, early on Wednesday morning. When an older photograph taken before her transition appeared online after the shooting, art teacher Sarah Reely recognized her as a student who went by Bob in her classroom. In a post to her Facebook page, she revealed that she knew Westman by the nickname 'Bob', adding: 'I knew this was a kid who needed help.' 'She was definitely odd, was really into furries and odd artwork and said some odd things, but wasn't violent towards others to my knowledge', Reely added. According to Reely, Westman exhibited 'evidence of self-harm' on her arms, she added: 'I reported a need for help because I saw the evidence of self-harm on her arms. 'Self harm is either a cry for help, an indication of self hate, or both. But it's always sign something is wrong. Then she transferred her again and she vanished.' Reely clarified that 'being odd isn't a red flag' but it became apparent that 'she did not fit in well, as one might imagine would happen to a queer kid in a conservative environment, so I intentionally made a point to build a relationship with this student.' When an older photograph taken before her transition appeared online after the shooting, art teacher Sarah Reely recognized her as a student who went by Bob in her classroom The 23-year-old transgender shooter slaughtered eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski as they attended mass The post was accompanied by a bizarre sculpture Westman once made Reely, one that she ultimately lost but 'kept a picture of.' 'She loved art,' Reely recalled. According to court papers filed in Dakota County, Minnesota, Westman changed her name from Robert to Robin in 2020 to reflect '[identifying] as a woman'. But in a handwritten manifesto shared by the shooter in a YouTube video before opening fire, Westman appeared to question that decision. 'I only keep [the long hair] because it is pretty much my last shred of being trans. I am tired of being trans, I wish I never brain-washed myself,' the killer wrote in a scrawled cryptic message. 'I cant cut my hair now as it would be an embarrassing defeat, and it might be a concerning change of character that could get me reported. 'It just always gets in my way. I will probably chop it on the day of the attack.' Not long after opening fire, Westman died by suicide. A dispatcher could be heard relaying: 'We have one suspect with a gunshot wound to the head has a rifle and shotgun hes down right now.' The post was accompanied by a bizarre sculpture Westman once made Reely, one that she ultimately lost but 'kept a picture of' The Annunciation Catholic Church where Westman opened fire on Wednesday is seen here According to court papers filed in Dakota County, Minnesota , Westman changed her name from Robert to Robin in 2020 to reflect '[identifying] as a woman' Two children died and 18 churchgoers were injured in the disturbing attack earlier this week Reely criticized the politicization of the tragedy from both left and right wing supporters, arguing that calls for gun control in this case would have been pointless given Westman didn't have a criminal record which should have barred her from carrying. She also noted attacks on the transgender community from the right fail to recognize 'almost all mass shooters have been cisgender men.' Instead, she said Westman's crime highlights 'the snowball effect of multiple system failures at a national level. 'Every murderer was once a kid in someone's classroom who needed help, and that this issue is so much deeper and more complicated than we want to admit.' 'We also need to do something about the lack of mental health support for troubled youth (the year long waitlists, the difficulty connecting with the correct resources, the stigma, schools being able to afford only ONE mental health specialist at schools with hundreds of kids to try and keep track of if they have any at all, and the COST especially without insurance to just get an evaluation are all barriers). 'But we can't even have a conversation about any of this because our country is so damned POLARIZED.' National Socialist Network member Jack Eltis has given some insight into the group when questioned by a reporter at the Sydney rally. 'Yeah, we're racist. We're proud of who we are as white men,' he said. 'We built this nation. Our ancestors built this land for us, and we're proud of that. 'We're proud of our racial identity.' Several members of the NSN, dressed in black, conducted their own march down City Road as the 'March for Australia' protest held at Victoria Park wound down on Sunday evening. When Eltis was directly asked if the group were 'neo-Nazis' he replied 'yes'. The group was flanked by uniformed police officers, who appeared at one point to direct them down a side street where the group changed out of their black clothes into streetwear. NSN's most prominent member, Thomas Sewell, earlier appeared at the Melbourne rally, where he gave a speech to the crowd. Migrants staying in the asylum hotel at the centre of a political storm have praised Sir Keir Starmer after a controversial ruling allowed them to remain there. A temporary injunction which blocked asylum seekers being housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, was dramatically overturned at the Court of Appeal on Friday after a Home Office appeal. The decision sparked widespread anger from locals and politicians throughout Britain, but residents at the hotel have welcomed the move and even thanked those responsible. If the injunction had not been blocked, some 138 migrants living in the hotel would have been kicked out by September 12. Khadar Mohamed, 24, from Somalia, said he was 'delighted' with the news as they had been 'living in fear' from residents who had been protesting outside for the last month. He said: 'I want to say thank you Keir Starmer and his government. I am delighted with the news, wow. That is really amazing.' Khadar, who said he had won his claim for political asylum against the Home Office, added: 'We are good people. We are not criminals. 'The noise and protests are bad. We can't leave the hotel and have been told don't speak to protestors. Khadar Mohamed (pictured), from Somalia, said he was 'delighted' with the news as they had been 'living in fear' from residents who had been protesting outside for the last month A temporary injunction which blocked asylum seekers being housed at the Bell Hotel (above) in Epping, Essex, was dramatically overturned at the Court of Appeal on Friday Mr Mohamed thanked Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) 'and his government' as he hailed the 'amazing' decision to keep the Bell Hotel open 'I'm not a threat. I'm not a problem. I came for a new life. I want to be part of the country.' Another migrant living in the hotel said they were 'very happy with the decision'. But locals in the market town say the judge's ruling has 'shocked' them and will only bring more stress to an area which has been at the forefront of drama. Sam Collingwood, 43, has lived in Epping for 20 years and said the decision was 'terrible for all of us'. He added: 'We don't need this. We're so stressed. It's been a real worry. I don't know where we go from here. How many more will stay there? 'What happens now? It's terrible. Children go back to school next week, what then?' Britain has been gripped by protests this summer after an asylum seeker in the Bell Hotel was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl last month - claims which have been denied by the accused, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu. And despite the Home Office victory to keep the Bell Hotel in operation, Epping's residents and politicians have vowed to continue pressuring the government to tackle the immigration crisis. The decision sparked widespread anger from locals and politicians throughout Britain (Pictured: Protests outside the Bell Hotel on Friday) A protester holds a St George's Cross outside the Court of Appeal following the ruling on Friday Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the move showed Prime Minister Keir Starmer 'puts the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British people who just want to feel safe in their towns and communities.' Meanwhile, Nigel Farage added: 'Illegal migrants have more rights than the people of Essex. Reform UK will put an end to this.' Mr Farage's party, Reform UK, has said that all 12 councils it controls should be exploring legal options to stop asylum seekers being housed in local hotels. As of Saturday, at least 19 councils have vowed to take legal action to kick asylum seekers out of hotels following the ruling. Further anger was sparked when a grinning migrant was caught on camera showing his middle finger to protestors outside an asylum hotel just hours after the Court of Appeal's decision. The young man was seen at the window of the Roundhouse hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset as around 200 demonstrators called for it to be shut down. Sir Keir Starmer has responded to the unrest by promising small boat migrants will be 'detained and sent back'. In a social media post, the Prime Minister said: 'I am clear: we will not reward illegal entry. If you cross the Channel unlawfully, you will be detained and sent back.' A young man (pictured) was seen at the window of the Roundhouse hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset, on Friday, seemingly displaying his middle finger at 200 demonstrators outside The government has previously argued that the need to protect the human rights of asylum seekers by housing them in hotels outweighed the safety concerns of locals. Former Lord Chancellor Charlie Falconer said the government was right to take the Epping case to the Court of Appeal but said people wanted action to close asylum hotels. He rejected suggestions that the UK may have to pull out of the European Convention on Human Rights to be able to efficiently remove people with no right to be in the country. Lord Falconer, who served under former prime minister Sir Tony Blair, told BBC Radio 4: 'We've obviously got to move forward in relation to closing the hotels and also stopping the crossings. 'The Government always has the burden of doing what's possible and the Government is doing the right thing in relation to it, but there's a lot more to do, and if we don't, as a government, do it, then you'll see those opinion polls raised yet further for Reform, because they don't have the burden of having to be practical. 'But the country wants some action in relation to it.' Angry residents living near an Essex migrant hotel say they will stop paying council tax after the High Court ruling allowing the asylum seekers to stay. The Bell Hotel, in Epping, became the epicentre of protests that swept the country last month after a migrant boarder was accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. The continued protests led the local council to obtain a landmark High Court injunction to block the Home Office from placing any more migrants at the hotel. The ruling immediately led to dozens of councils across the country saying they too will launch similar High Court bids to stop the Home Office filling hotels in their areas with migrants. But anti-migrant protesters received a crushing blow on Friday, when three High Court judges overturned the Bell Hotel injunction, meaning the 138 migrants staying there will no longer be removed by September 12th. Friday's ruling led to a wave of protests across the country, including fierce clashes between residents and police in front of the Bell. This weekend, furious residents told the Mail they plan to stop paying their council tax as protest against the Home Office, even if it means receiving jail terms. Sarah White, a mother-of-three, said: 'We are outraged by what happened in court. We feel very vulnerable. Sarah White said she feels 'very vulnerable' following the court ruling which has allowed asylum seekers to remain in The Bell Hotel Police and protesters outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, following the court ruling 'Our children return to school tomorrow. What is the point of paying our council tax if it is being directly used to fund a place which houses alleged sex attackers? 'And it funds a place which is causing huge worry and anxiety to locals. Girls are being followed. It goes against everything which council tax is for. We know the consequences.' Another resident, who did not want to be identified, added: 'The feeling is so strong that the threat of prison does not worry me. I will go to jail for this.' Sarah Corner, 44, who has lived in Epping for 20 years, said: 'We need to take a stand. Enough is enough. 'Our taxes are funding the hotel, the police and all the costs associated with it. That's not what it should be for.' Protests at the Bell began last month after an Ethiopian migrant resident called Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, and another woman. Kebatu, who is standing trial at Colchester Magistrates Court, denies the charges. This weekend, Epping Forest District Council, which obtained the initial High Court injunction, said it will also take the matter to the Supreme Court if it loses at another High Court hearing in October. Protests at the Bell began last month after an Ethiopian migrant was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, and another woman Councillor Ken Williamson, from Epping Forest District Council, outside the High Court In a statement, the council said: 'We are now reviewing our position and ruling nothing out, including the possibility of taking this to the Supreme Court. 'We will continue to fight on every front, using the democratic, diplomatic, legal, and political means available, until the Bell Hotel is closed.' But last night, Tory councillor Holly Whitbread, who represents the ward the Bell Hotel is in, urged residents not stop paying their council tax, as the local authority is on their side. Ms Whitbread said: 'The council tax is for important local services like waste collection and supporting the local community. 'At the end of the day, the council is fighting to get the hotel closed. They [residents] should be directing their frustration at the Government. 'The use of the Bell Hotel is completely untenable, and the council has long opposed the use of the hotel.' However, migrant residents at the Bell have been cheering the High Court ruling. Khadar Mohamed, 24, from Somalia, said: 'I want to say thank you Keir Starmer and his government. I am delighted with the news, wow. That is really amazing.' He said those living at the hotel had been 'living in fear' from protesting locals. The families of two Camp Mystic girls who were killed in the Texas floods have spoken out for the first time since the tragedy. Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner were both swept away over the July 4th weekend at the all-girls Christian camp where 27 campers and counselors died. Their parents have since sat down with NBC News and described their anguish over losing the two girls, while advocating for change. Tim Peck, father of Eloise, told the outlet: 'We can hope that time numbs, but it will never ever go away.' His daughter and Lila had been best friends as well as first-time campers at Camp Mystic when the terrifying floods overwhelmed the area. Lila's mother Caitlin told the outlet: 'They were so excited to be together, which made it easier to say goodbye to them because we dropped them off caravanning together. 'And both of them, you know, were annoyed that we wanted one more hug and one more kiss. 'And then the two of them, you know, linked arms and frolicked off and never looked back.' Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner (pictured) went to Camp Mystic as best friends and first-time campers but never came home following the devastating Texas floods Blake and Caitlin Bonner, left, are seen here alongside Missy and Tim Peck, as they sat down NBC News 'Nothing will bring these girls back. We recognize that,' her husband Blake Bonner added. 'We're trying to honor their legacy and letting this tragedy be a catalyst for change.' The families are part of Heavens 27 Foundation which hopes to pass legislation to protect Texas campers. 'If we don't get it passed in this special session, it will be January 2027 before another regular session is called,' Caitlin told the outlet. 'Which would mean it would be potentially two summers - if you don't start until spring of 2027, you don't get anything passed before that you can establish before that summer, so you're looking at summer of 2028, potentially, before any of these changes are mandated. That's not a risk I would be willing to take again as a parent.' The foundation hopes to pass Heavens 27 Camp Safety Act as law, which focuses on prevention, detection, training and response. They are further looking to remove structures out of flood zones as well as 24-hour emergency detection plans, including monitoring and notification systems as well as evacuation plans. 'There are very simple solutions here that revolve around simple items of prevention. Making sure people don't sleep in flood plains, especially children, and detection,' Blake added. The all-girls camp was in a low-lying area, which is likely why it was hit so hard by the wall of water PICTURED: Destroyed bedding and the girls' belongings at Camp Mystic) 'Nothing will bring these girls back. We recognize that,' Blake Bonner said. 'We're trying to honor their legacy and letting this tragedy be a catalyst for change' On the Fourth of July, water rose 26 feet on the Guadalupe River, washing away homes and vehicles and some of Camp Mystic's buildings Both the Bonner and Peck family know that their actions won't bring their daughters back, but hope that change can prevent disaster for other families in the future 'I know there's been a lot out there in terms of early warning systems that do exist that just weren't funded and then even detection on the premise that if you don't have cell service and you don't have power, if you don't have a plan, how are you going to communicate with a number of 8 and 9 year old girls that outnumber the adults by an order of a magnitude? I mean, it's mindboggling.' The families are urging legislators to take action and support their movement for change. Both the Bonner and Peck family know that their actions won't bring their daughters back, but hope that change can prevent disaster for other families in the future. 'Something I think about a lot is that Lila and Eloise were best friends at school and there are third-grade girls who have to reconcile with the fact that they lost two classmates in a flood, many of them who were evacuated from neighboring camps,' Caitlin said. 'I don't want them to be scared to go to camp. They should know that they can continue those memories and go back. Lila and Eloise would want that.' In a letter obtained by the outlet, Camp Mystic said: 'We join the families in supporting legislation that will make camps and communities along the Guadalupe River safer, especially the creation of detection and warning systems that would have saved lives on July 4.' 'I don't want them to be scared to go to camp. They should know that they can continue those memories and go back. Lila and Eloise would want that,' Caitlin Bonner said The Bonner and Peck families are urging legislators to take action and support their movement for change Texas State Rep. John McQueeney, R-Fort Worth, said that 'there is a massive push to deliver. We will get this done. We are not going to put kids to sleep in a flood plain.' Missy Peck said that the idea that camps could continue on without change to their safety actions was terrifying. 'I wouldn't wish what we've gone through on my worst enemy. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, and it's of the essence that we have to get this done to make sure that every child is safe, every child,' she told the outlet. Last week, families gathered, some wearing buttons memorializing 'Heaven's 27,' demanding that Texas lawmakers pass a bill that would boost camp safety. The bill includes changes such as keeping cabins out of flood plains, instituting new requirements for emergency plans and mandating weather radios. Last week, families gathered, some wearing buttons memorializing 'Heaven's 27,' demanding that Texas lawmakers pass a bill that would boost camp safety Michael McCown, who lost his eight-year-old daughter, said: 'It will hurt my family forever that, for reasons I still do not know, these protections were not in place nor thought out thoroughly for my daughter and the rest of the girls here' Michael McCown, who lost his eight-year-old daughter, said: 'It will hurt my family forever that, for reasons I still do not know, these protections were not in place nor thought out thoroughly for my daughter and the rest of the girls here.' 'Please pass this bill, protect our kids and do not let their deaths be in vain,' he added. On the Fourth of July, water rose 26 feet on the Guadalupe River, washing away homes and vehicles. The head of Camp Mystic had been tracking the weather beforehand, but it's now unclear whether he saw an urgent warning from the National Weather Service that had triggered an emergency alert to phones in the area. Some of the camp's buildings were in what the Federal Emergency Management Agency considered a 100-year flood plain. But in response to an appeal, FEMA in 2013 amended the county's flood map to remove 15 of the camp's buildings from the hazard area. A historic family-owned Volkswagen repair shop in Connecticut is under threat of closure after a court enforced eviction, triggering a massive fundraising effort. Freccia Brothers Garage, a Greenwich fixture since 1922, has been ordered to vacate its longtime home following a bitter family trust dispute. Now facing eviction after over a century in business, the multigenerational shop is racing to raise funds to secure a new location and keep its legacy alive. The five-generation-owned business - operated today by mechanic Frank Freccia III, his daughter Guinevere Freccia, and longtime VW specialist Dave D'Andrea Jr. -stands as a living relic of the evolution from horse-and-buggy carriage repair to vintage Volkswagen expertise. 'The garage started in 1922. My family came over from Italy and literally built the garage building from the ground up,' Guinevere told the Daily Mail. 'They came with nothing. We started by painting horse-drawn carriages, signs and monogramming we were one of the first dealerships. I think we're actually one of the oldest continuously operating dealerships in America,' she added. With its iconic building, the shop has long served as a community landmark - complete with the popular 'Lilly the Car,' a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle turned social media mascot - and a deep devotion to preserving automotive heritage. Freccia Brothers Garage (pictured), a Greenwich, Connecticut fixture since 1922, has been ordered to vacate its longtime home on West Putnam Avenue following a bitter family trust dispute The five-generation-owned business - operated today by mechanic Frank Freccia III, (left) his daughter Guinevere Freccia (right), and longtime VW specialist Dave D'Andrea Jr. - stands as a living relic of the evolution from horse-and-buggy carriage repair to vintage Volkswagen expertise 'We've had people come in from Vermont. We've had people call from Florida. We've had people call from all over. We'll consult on jobs if they're further away,' Guinevere said of the business' lasting impact. But after the passing of Frank Freccia Jr. ('Skip') in 2018, the family's future at the location was thrown into doubt. A legal dispute over the family trust - spearheaded by Theresa Freccia, Skip's widow - led to court proceedings over control of the building. The Connecticut courts ultimately sided with Theresa, affirming her ownership and authorizing eviction. The family's appeals to the shock ruling have since failed, and they have been ordered to vacate the premises. In response, the Freccias launched a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $250,000 to help secure a new location and preserve the legacy of the garage. 'For years, we have been embroiled in a legal family trust dispute over ownership of the building we lost the dispute and the family member who won has decided to immediately evict us,' the family wrote on their GoFundMe page. Within just a few days, over 150 contributors donated nearly $30,000. With its iconic building at 246 West Putnam Avenue, the shop has long served as a community landmark with a deep devotion to preserving automotive heritage. Pictured: Frank Freccia III sits in the back of a Volkswagen 'The garage started in 1922. My family came over from Italy and literally built the garage building from the ground up,' Guinevere told the Daily Mail. Pictured: Freccia Bros Garage in Greenwich, Connecticut But after the passing of Frank Freccia Jr. ('Skip') in 2018, the family's future at the location was thrown into doubt. Pictured: Family members with Frank Freccia III (far right) of the Freccia Bros Garage in Greenwich, Connecticut In response, the Freccias launched a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $250,000 to help secure a new location and preserve the legacy of the garage 'The last thing people want to see is another bank, another fast food restaurant,' Guinevere said, noting that three out of the four trust beneficiaries would like to see the shop continue 'as my grandfather wished.' 'That's what we're fighting for. I couldn't just disappear on my customers. We've been there for happy times in their lives. We've also been there for some of the saddest times in people's lives, and it wouldn't be fair just to disappear.' Over its century-long history, Freccia Bros Garage survived the Great Depression, WWII, and economic downturns - most recently thriving during the COVID-19 pandemic. The shop has also become well known for community initiatives, including artistic holiday displays, toy drives, and fundraisers. The shop has long served as a community landmark - complete with the popular 'Lilly the Car,' a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle turned social media mascot. Pictured: Guinevere Freccia with 'Lilly the Car' Over its century-long history, Freccia Bros Garage has survived the Great Depression, WWII, and economic downturns - most recently thriving during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pictured: The Connecticut shop's mascot, 'Lilly the Car' Frank Freccia III and Guinevere work together on a vintage VW inside the historied Greenwich shop The shop has also become well known for community initiatives, including artistic holiday displays, toy drives, and fundraisers. Pictured: Freccia Bros Garage collects Easter Baskets for Kids in Crisis and the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County in March 2023 'We've done fundraisers for a kid with cancer. We've collected over a thousand toys for Christmas for kids in foster care. We've supported Lucky Dog Refuge. 'And while the shop was in a good position, I just wanted to pay it forward. And I think all of the good we've put out into the world has helped our story spread,' she told the Daily Mail. Now facing displacement from their historic site, the family is relying on the GoFundMe campaign and community support to carry on the business in a new location. Now facing displacement from their historic site, the family is relying on the GoFundMe campaign and community support to carry on the business in a new location As for the fate of the building, Guinevere declined to speculate. 'I can't confirm or deny what Teresa is going to do, but I can say that is not, it is not financially needed and it should be put into the trust,' she said 'Share our GoFundMe, follow us on social media,' Guinevere urged. 'We're not planning on going anywhere.' 'If you've ever walked into our garage you know it wasn't just about cars. It was about community, family, and doing things the right way. We're devastated. But we're not giving up.' As for the fate of the building, Guinevere declined to speculate. 'I can't confirm or deny what Teresa is going to do, but I can say that is not, it is not financially needed and it should be put into the trust,' she said. COSBOA warns blanket work-from-home rules would expose small employers to legal disputes while undermining customer service capabilities. Whats happening: The Senate has rejected proposed Fair Work Act amendments that would have federally mandated work-from-home entitlements, with small business groups arguing the changes would have created impossible compliance burdens for the 97% of Australian businesses with fewer than 200 employees. Why this matters: With 35 major workplace law changes since 2022 already straining small business capacity, the rejected amendments highlight growing tensions between workplace reform ambitions and the operational realities faced by Australias 2.5 million small businesses. Australias small business sector has secured a significant victory with the Senates decision to reject proposed work-from-home amendments to the Fair Work Act, avoiding what industry groups described as a compliance nightmare that would have treated corner shops the same as multinational corporations. The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia welcomed the decision, which prevents the creation of blanket work-from-home obligations that would have disregarded operational realities across diverse industries. COSBOA Chair Matthew Addison said the proposed amendments would have exposed small employers to legal disputes while undermining their capacity to meet customer and client expectations through mandated remote work requirements described only as practical without clear guidance. Senate blocks mandate The rejected amendments would have created federal work-from-home entitlements for employees, building on existing flexible work arrangement provisions that already allow employees to request changes to their working arrangements. Under current laws, employees with at least 12 months service can request flexible working arrangements, including working from home, with employers required to consider requests in good faith and only refuse on reasonable business grounds. The proposed amendments would have strengthened these rights significantly, potentially creating enforceable entitlements rather than just request processes. However, COSBOA argued this approach failed to recognise that small businesses make up more than 97% of all Australian businesses yet lack the same capacity as large corporations to manage complex compliance requirements. A business with five staff is treated the same as a corporation with 10,000. That imbalance must be addressed, Mr Addison said. Operational reality check The proposed changes would have created particular challenges for businesses unable to offer remote work due to the nature of their operations, potentially creating competitive disadvantages and workforce disruption in frontline sectors. Industries including retail, hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare, and trades rely on physical presence for service delivery, making work-from-home arrangements impractical regardless of legislative requirements. COSBOA highlighted broader risks including increased compliance and liability if employers were required to monitor or insure home working environments, creating additional costs and administrative burdens for small businesses already struggling with complex workplace regulations. The organisation also raised concerns that expanded flexible work requests without requiring employees to provide reasons would weaken good faith dialogue and make it harder to balance workplace operational needs with employee preferences. Small business groups argued that mandating remote work without considering industry-specific requirements could undermine customer service standards and operational effectiveness across sectors where physical presence remains essential. Reform fatigue builds The Senates decision comes amid growing concern about the cumulative impact of workplace reform on small business operations, with COSBOA noting 35 major changes to the Fair Work Act since 2022. All but one of these changes apply equally to small businesses, creating what industry groups describe as reform fatigue among employers struggling to keep pace with evolving compliance requirements. Recent changes have included expanded flexible work request processes, right to disconnect provisions, and dispute resolution mechanisms through the Fair Work Commission, each adding layers of complexity to employment relationships. The pace of change has created particular challenges for small businesses that typically lack dedicated human resources departments to manage compliance, forcing business owners to navigate complex legal requirements while running their operations. Mr Addison said small business employers remain concerned about the ongoing nature of workplace reform and its practical impact on their ability to manage staff effectively while meeting customer needs. Flexibility versus compliance Despite opposing the mandated approach, small business groups maintain they support genuine workplace flexibility and already accommodate employee needs where operationally feasible. Small businesses want workplace laws that are fair, balanced and workable in practice. They already go to great lengths to accommodate flexibility where possible, Mr Addison said. However, the distinction between voluntary flexibility and mandated entitlements remains crucial for small businesses operating across diverse industries with varying operational requirements. The rejected amendments would have created a one-size-fits-all approach that failed to recognise differences between office-based roles suitable for remote work and customer-facing positions requiring physical presence. COSBOAs position emphasises that workplace laws must support genuine flexibility while remaining practical and proportionate for small business, avoiding blanket rules that businesses cannot realistically implement. The organisation advocates for reforms that genuinely support cooperation and productivity rather than creating additional regulatory burdens that could stifle business growth and employment opportunities. Mr Addison said the Senates decision avoided an outcome that would have delivered more rigidity and red tape, though broader challenges around workplace law complexity remain for Australias small business sector. The decision reflects ongoing tensions between expanding employee rights and maintaining business flexibility, with small business groups continuing to advocate for proportionate approaches that recognise their operational constraints and limited resources compared to large corporations. For more information, visit www.cosboa.org.au Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Alex Acosta's decision 17 years ago to rubber stamp a sweetheart deal with Jeffrey Epstein which allowed him to avoid a potential life sentence in prison is back in the spotlight. The former US attorney for the Southern District of Florida will now be forced to answer questions about the controversial deal he struck with Epstein in 2008. Acosta, who served as Labor Secretary in Trump's first administration and was a rising star before the scandal cut his career short, will appear before the House Oversight Committee on September 19 as part of a renewed investigation into Epstein's laundry list of crimes. After mounting pressure from Democrats to subpoena Acosta, the 56-year-old has agreed to voluntarily appear before the panel. He will be grilled about a sweetheart deal his office struck with Epstein amid an investigation into reports he was sex trafficking minors. The secret non-prosecution deal allowed Epstein to plead guilty to state charges involving just one minor, and protected him from federal prosecution. Epstein ultimately served just 13 months in Palm Beach County jail in exchange for his plea, but he was free to leave regularly on a work-release program and kept a private security detail. The former US attorney for the Southern District of Florida will now be forced to answer questions about the controversial deal he struck with Epstein in 2008 He will be grilled about a sweetheart deal his office struck with Epstein amid an investigation into reports he was sex trafficking minors If the deal had not been pushed through by Acosta's team, Epstein faced life behind bars under federal charges. The deal would go on to haunt Acosta for the remainder of his career. It was ruled as illegal and in violation of the Crime Victims Rights Act for failing to consult with the victims. It was brought up again at his confirmation hearing in 2017 by several critics who questioned whether Acosta would prioritize powerful interests over victims in his new role. Then in 2019, he was forced to step down as Labor Secretary as details of the plea deal emerged when Epstein was arrested once again, this time on federal sex trafficking charges. Acosta was put under mounting pressure to answer new questions about the deal, and why he hid it from Epstein's victims and their families. At the time, a Justice Department Office of Professional Responsibility investigation determined Acosta 'made the pivotal decision to resolve the federal investigation of Epstein through a state-based plea.' Acosta, who served as Labor Secretary in Trump's first administration and was a rising star before the scandal cut his career short, will appear before the House Oversight Committee on September 19 as part of a renewed investigation into Epstein's laundry list of crimes Epstein's co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein's sick crimes, has long argued the deal Acosta made - which gave immunity to four co-conspirators - should cover her '[He] either developed or approved the terms of the initial offer to the defense that set the beginning point for the subsequent negotiations that led' to the non-prosecution agreement,' the investigation found. It was also determined that Acosta's office skirted around the FBI and the victims of the case by making the plea deal for the state charges. The office said its investigation had turned up no evidence that Acosta was swayed by 'impermissible considerations, such as Epsteins wealth, status, or associations' and in fact had resisted efforts by defense lawyers to return the case to the state for whatever outcome the state wanted. After Acosta's 2019 resignation, he did not return to politics, but the ramifications of the deal are still being felt today. Epstein's co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein's sick crimes, has long argued the deal Acosta made - which gave immunity to four co-conspirators - should cover her. Prosecutors found a loophole in which they were able to target Maxwell in New York, which treats such agreements differently to the vast majority of American states. The Epstein saga returned to the headlines in July after Attorney General Pam Bondi sensationally announced there was no 'client list' after months of peddling theories about the sought-after document. The Epstein saga returned to the headlines in July after Attorney General Pam Bondi sensationally announced there was no 'client list' after months of peddling theories about the sought-after document Back in February, Bondi said the client list was 'on her desk' waiting to be reviewed. At the time, she told journalists the FBI was reviewing 'tens of thousands of videos' of Epstein 'with children, or child porn.' The Wall Street Journal then published shock allegations that Trump had participated in a book for Epstein's birthday which featured a 'lewd' drawing and message. Trump denied the allegations and launched legal proceedings against the publication. The House Oversight Committee in July voted 8-2 to subpoena the Department of Justice for all files related to the Epstein investigation amid the widespread backlash over Bondi's handling of the matter. The committee also subpoenaed the Epstein estate for access to the birthday book and all of the letters written to accompany the book. Former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and several former Justice Department top officials were subpoenaed by name, including Acosta's boss during his time in Florida, Alberto Gonzales. But Democrats were outraged that Acosta himself was left off the initial list. 'How can any genuine investigation into the federal government's sweetheart deal with Epstein (including the extraordinary grant of blanket immunity to all his named and unnamed co-conspirators) omit Alex Acosta?' Epstein victim attorney Jack Scarola told NBC. A back-to-school call to parents to make sure their children get to class and behave there will today be issued by Ministers. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson will mark the start of the new school term by urging mums, dads and carers to play their part in getting their sons and daughters ready to learn in the classroom. She will unveil special help for 800 schools in the areas worst hit by pupils misbehaving. The action comes as the Department for Education (DfE) realised new figures showing seven out of 30 classroom minutes are lost to kids kicking off at school. And new data for the 2023/24 academic year showed nearly four out of five teachers felt that pupils poor behaviour had a negative impact on their health and well-being. Ms Phillipson said: I am calling on parents, schools and families to join us in playing their part to get children in class and ready to learn for the start of the new school term. We have already made progress with five million more days in school this year and are backing parents and supporting schools through our Plan for Change. But she added that when it comes to getting kids in and behaving this includes mums, dads and carers too. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson (pictured) will mark the start of the new school term by urging mums, dads and carers to play their part in getting their sons and daughters ready to learn in the classroom The action comes as the Department for Education (DfE) realised new figures showing seven out of 30 classroom minutes are lost to kids kicking off at school (file image) Ms Phillipson (pictured) said: I am calling on parents, schools and families to join us in playing their part to get children in class and ready to learn for the start of the new school term.' From this autumn, 800 schools are set to receive help from new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs We know what works - strong leadership, consistent attendance and schools standing shoulder to shoulder with families. Thats why were investing in proven expertise so that schools facing the biggest challenges can get the support they need. From this autumn, 800 schools responsible for about 600,000 pupils are set to receive help from new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs. Officials said the help. eventually to be extended to 5,000 schools overall, was designed to share proven strategies from school leaders who had successfully turned attendance and behaviour around. They also pointed out that the Governments schools White Paper would set out further action to tackle bad behaviour in class. However, the DfE also said that the Government was already turning the tide on poor attendance, with five million more days recorded in the classroom and 140,000 fewer pupils persistently absent last year. Officials boasted that that signalled the biggest year-on-year improvement in attendance in a decade, equivalent to 1,000 classes of children learning full time for a year and estimated to protect over 2 billion in pupils future earnings. But last night, the Tories accused Labour of failing on the issue of school discipline. Laura Trott (pictured), the Shadow Education Secretary, said: Behaviour and attendance are two of the biggest challenges facing schools and its about time the Government acted. Labour had the chance to take action in their Schools Bill, but they failed' Pictured: Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson speak with children at Perry Hall Primary school in Orpington, during the first day of the new school year, on September 2, 2024 in London Ms Trott added: If Labour are serious about tackling bad behaviour, they must back teachers to enforce discipline not encouraging schools to sign up to inclusion charters like Sadiq Khan (pictured) in London.' Laura Trott, the Shadow Education Secretary, said: Behaviour and attendance are two of the biggest challenges facing schools and its about time the Government acted. Labour had the chance to take action in their Schools Bill, but they failed. There isnt a single mention of discipline in the entire Bill. Ms Trott added: They have chosen to dismantle the very system that has driven up standards for decades. Labour voted against our proposals to ensure violent incidents are reported to the police. They refuse to back a ban on mobile phones in classrooms despite clear evidence it would improve behaviour. These are practical steps they could enact right now, but they wont. If Labour are serious about tackling bad behaviour, they must back teachers to enforce discipline not encouraging schools to sign up to inclusion charters like Sadiq Khan in London. There must be clear consequences for poor behaviour not just to protect the pupils trying to learn, but to recognise when mainstream education isnt the right setting for those causing disruption. At least 70 charities linked to the war in Gaza have been referred to police by a watchdog over potential criminal activity, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The Charity Commission said criminal investigations could take place into groups 'supporting different sides of the Middle East conflict'. Police are understood to be investigating offences such as fraud, theft, inciting religious hatred or supporting terrorism. The watchdog has opened more than 300 regulatory cases involving charities with an Israeli or Hamas focus in the past 18 months. A Freedom of Information request revealed about a quarter at least 70 were referred for investigation. The watchdog refused to name them, but cited two it had investigated. At least 70 charities linked to the war in Gaza have been referred to police by a watchdog over potential criminal activity, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Pictured: Search and rescue efforts after an Israeli attack on the Rimal neighbourhood in northern Gaza on August 30, 2025 The Charity Commission said criminal investigations could take place into groups 'supporting different sides of the Middle East conflict'. Pictured: An injured Palestinian being taken to hospital after an Israeli attack on the Rimal neighbourhood in northern Gaza on August 30, 2025 The watchdog has opened more than 300 regulatory cases involving charities with an Israeli or Hamas focus in the past 18 months. Pictured: Palestinians try to receive hot meals distributed by charities in Gaza City on August 30, 2025 Charities cannot directly support a soldier of a foreign power. It comes after the bodies of two Israeli hostages were recovered from Gaza earlier this week, during an operation by Israel's military. Israeli troops retrieved the remains of Ilan Weiss and those of an unnamed captive. Mr Weiss, 56, was killed on the morning of October 7, 2023, during Hamas's onslaught while defending Kibbutz Be'eri but his body was held by Hamas for 693 days. His wife, Shiri, 53, and daughter, Noga, 18, were also taken hostage but returned to Israel in November 2023 as part of a week-long truce. The identification process of the second body is being carried out at a forensics institute. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: 'The campaign to return the hostages continues. 'We will not rest or be silent until we return all of our hostages home both the living and the dead.' Israeli troops retrieved the remains of Ilan Weiss (pictured) and those of an unnamed captive earlier this week It came after Israel launched an offensive on the region, forcing thousands of Palestinians to flee. Pictured: Smoke billowing after an Israeli airstrike on Palestinian territory on August 29, 2025 Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured) said: 'The campaign to return the hostages continues' According to official statistics, 48 hostages now remain in Gaza and Israel believes only 22 are alive. It came after Israel launched an offensive on the region, forcing thousands of Palestinians to flee. Israeli military declared Gaza City 'a dangerous combat zone' earlier this week as it prepared to seize the Palestinian territory's largest city after almost two years of war. IDF spokesman Colonel Avichay Adraee wrote on X: 'We have begun preliminary operations and the initial stages of the attack on Gaza City... 'We will intensify our strikes and will not hesitate until we bring back all the hostages and dismantle Hamas militarily and politically.' The IDF had been implementing military pauses in the Strip to facilitate the distribution of humanitarian supplies. But the military said it would suspend the pause in the region where around half of Gaza's 2.1million residents are sheltering. More than 63,000 Palestinians have now reportedly been killed during the war in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The conflict has now gone on for 23 months after a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which saw around 1,200 people killed and about 250 taken hostage. A HSBC customer has slammed her bank over their pitiful response after she was scammed out of $50,000 - and her two year battle to claw back the money. Katrina Qian, 44, thought she had received a call from a government official right before Easter in 2023. He informed her there had been a series of suspicious transactions and that he desperately needed her bank details to stop them from going through. 'He asked me which bank card you have,' Ms Qian told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'I told him HSBC, ANZ, Commonwealth Bank and Bank of China. He said, 'Let's go with HSBC first. Tell me your HSBC mobile app name, user ID and password.' Then I told him.' The scammer was then able to use a HSBC Everyday Global Account to exchange almost $50,000 of Ms Qian's money into British pounds. The sum was directed overseas with the bank refusing to take liability, sparking a two-year battle that has ended with a measly $9,500 goodwill gesture from the bank. Katrina Qian, 44, thought she had received a call from a government official right before Easter in 2023 The scammer was then able to use a HSBC Everyday Global Account to exchange almost $50,000 of Ms Qian's money into British pounds Ms Qian had only recently moved to Sydney when she was caught up in the scam. She said she phoned the bank's hotline after being told by the scammer that her money was not safe. It was then that she was informed that her $50,000 had been stolen. 'The money has been taken out from your account by a fraudster,' the bank teller told her. Ms Qian claimed the bank informed her it was not liable for the loss as she had been the one to provide her passwords to the scammer. HSBC also claimed in a message the new account that was created by the scammers appeared to have been created at a location 'consistent with the addresses held on our records for you by HSBC at the time', the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Ms Qian made another complaint this year and said she was offered a $9,500 'goodwill' payment, even though she had demanded to be fully reimbursed. 'They said you only have 14 days to receive this offer. Otherwise, we can't give you anything,' she said. Ms Qian said she accepted the offer out of fear she would not get anything if she turned it down. Daily Mail contacted HSBC for comment. A survivalist prepper arrested during the manhunt for Dezi Freeman claims he has absolutely no connection to the accused cop killer. Self-described outlaw biker and sovereign citizen Stephen Mallett, 61, claimed more than 10 tactical officers trained their guns on him during his arrest on Friday night. It comes as police continue their frantic manhunt for Freeman, who has been at large since Tuesday after allegedly gunning down Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart at Porepunkah. It's understood police questioned Mr Mallett, who, like Dezi, is part of the sovereign citizen movement, at Bright Police Station about his connection with Freeman. Victoria Police provided an update on Sunday to reveal Mr Mallett had been charged with possessing a prohibited imitation firearm and possessing a drug of dependence. In an exclusive interview with Daily Mail on Sunday morning in Bright's main street, he insisted police had made a mistake about his supposed association with Freeman. Mr Mallett said Freeman was a member of a preppers group he had created on Facebook, but that's as far as their relationship went. 'I've don't even know the c***. I've never even seen him,' he said. Stephen Mallett spoke to Daily Mail in Bright after his arrest as he enjoyed a toastie on the main street Accused cop killer Dezi Freeman remains on the run after Tuesday's incident in Porepunkah 'Everyone around here from Bright to Myrtleford knows him. Why [arrest] me? Have they done their homework and found out I'm an excellent bushman too? So what?' While he shares Freeman's survivalist interests, and is himself no fan of police, Mr Mallett insisted he did not condone him allegedly murdering the officers. He described Freeman as a 'd***head'. A shellshocked Mr Mallett recounted the dramatic moment he was arrested at his home amid a thunderstorm on Friday night. 'It was howling with rain and I heard the "whoop!" (of a police siren), and when I opened my door more than 10 little laser dots were on me,' he said. 'There were automatic weapons trained on me, they were ready to shoot, and a big black tank in the driveway. 'They made me crawl on my hands and knees through the pouring rain, and when I got to the gutter, which had six inches of water in it, they said, "Now lay on your face and drag yourself through it". 'I looked up and saw they had their fingers on the trigger.' The 61-year-old spoke to Daily Mail in Bright's main street on Sunday A 450-strong police operation continues in and around Porepunkah in the hunt for Freeman Mr Mallett said tactical police trained their guns on him (pictured are Special Operations police) A Bearcat vehicle was allegedly parked outside Mr Mallett's house Mr Mallett was then taken to Bright Police Station for questioning, where he alleged he was asked about his connection with Freeman. 'The coppers in the police station were alright,' he conceded. Mr Mallett said police asked him if he knew what Freeman 'would do', to which he said, 'I have no f***king idea'. 'What does it matter what I think he'd do? They asked some really dumb questions.' He said his only relationship with Freeman was starting an Australian preppers group that is 'mostly about sustainability' many years ago. After a search of his home, police allegedly found weapons and cannabis at about 4.45pm on Friday. He has been charged with being a prohibited person possessing an imitation firearm and possessing a drug of dependence. He was bailed to appear before Myrtleford Magistrate's Court on October 3. The arrest occured in thunderstorm conditions on friday night in the High Country Dezi is widely known to be 'sovereign citizen' - but Mr Mallett 'has never seen him' He was still visibly shaken after the incident and says he is traumatised Mr Mallett makes and sells wooden knives, and says he has an American civil war replica Colt .45 gun. He said it was a 'toy... an imitation. I was never going to take it out in public'. Mr Mallett said he had 'a couple of ounces' of marijuana, but that was 'nobody's business'. 'I don't hurt nobody. I keep to myself. I am reclusive,' he said. He rejected the notion that he was a doomsday prepper, and said he was more interested in sustainability and bushmanship. Despite being released, Mr Mallett said police had kept his phone. 'I have heart problems and lots of doctors appointments coming up, and a son... I have no way of contacting any of them,' he said. 'They said they wanted my phone because they were looking for things leading up to the shooting. Freeman's wife Mali on sunday urged her husband to turn himself in 'Nobody was talking about that because nobody knew it would happen. They were trying to make out like it was premeditated... how would I f**king know? I have nothing to do with him.' With his voice shaking, he admitted: 'I will be traumatised by this for the rest of my life, but I won't cry about it until the day I die. 'I live in a small town and I will never, ever live this down.' Daily Mail contacted Victoria Police for comment, but they declined because Mr Mallett's matter is now before the courts. This comes as Freeman's 42-year-old wife Amalia - or Mali - issued a desperate plea on Sunday for her husband to turn himself in. 'We echo the requests of the Victoria Police for the swift and safe conclusion of this tragedy,' Ms Freeman said via her lawyers. 'I lend my full support to Victoria Police in their search for my husband and will co-operate with Victoria Police in any way that I can. 'Please Dezi, if you see or hear this, call 000 and arrange a surrender plan with the police.' Tough conditions have impacted search efforts in recent days with thunderstorms, lashings of rain and hail battering the rural town. The wife of Dezi Freeman has urged her husband to surrender as the manhunt continues for the accused double cop killer. Freeman, 56, fled into the bush on Tuesday following a deadly ambush at his property in Porepunkah, about 300km north-east of Melbourne. Amalia Freeman, 42, released a statement via lawyers on Sunday urging her partner to turn himself in. She also shared her condolence for the families of the two slain cops, Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart. 'We echo the requests of the Victoria Police for the swift and safe conclusion of this tragedy,' Ms Freeman said. 'I lend my full support to Victoria Police in their search for my husband and will co-operate with Victoria Police in any way that I can. 'Please Dezi, if you see or hear this, call 000 and arrange a surrender plan with the police.' Tough conditions have impacted search efforts in recent days with thunderstorms, lashings of rain and hail battering the rural town. Amalia Freeman released a statement via lawyers urging her partner to turn himself in Dezi Freeman, 56, fled into the bush on Tuesday following a deadly ambush at his property in Porepunkah, about 300km north-east of Melbourne Temperatures plunged below 6C early Saturday, with wind gusts of more than 60km/h in Porepunkah after blizzard-like conditions. Snow was predicted down to levels of 700m. More than 450 police officers have been deployed to Porepunkah as part of the search, which has included examining disused mines, caves, and dugouts in and around the rural community. Victoria Police issued a statement on Saturday afternoon to announce the relocation of its forward command post from Feathertop Winery just outside Porepunkah to a government office in the town of Ovens, about 12km away. 'The new site is a fit-for-purpose facility and will best support Victoria Police's operational activity moving forward,' the statement said. 'We would like to reassure the community that police are not leaving the area.' Freeman's wife and 15-year-old son were arrested on Thursday night following an operation at an address in Porepunkah before they were interviewed and released, pending further inquiries. 'There may or may not be charges that follow,' Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said. Police helicopters and drones have been circling the area for days in the hope of catching a sign of the fugitive's whereabouts Police helicopters and drones have been circling the area for days in the hope of catching a sign of the fugitive's whereabouts. Freeman, who has bush survival experience, was last seen in dark green tracksuit pants, a dark green rain jacket, Blundstone boots and reading glasses. Meanwhile Detective Thompson and Sen Const De Waart will be farewelled with full police honours next week at Melbourne's Victoria Police Academy in Glen Waverley. Senior Constable De Waart's service will take place on September 5. Detective Thompson will be farewelled on September 8. The pair were killed while serving a warrant on Freeman for alleged child sex offences. A third officer who was shot in the thigh remains in hospital. Players, umpires and officials from local sporting associations wore blue arm bands during this weekend's finals in honour of the two fallen officers. Delta Airlines have agreed to settle for $79 million in a 2020 lawsuit after a pilot dumped fuel over a Los Angeles schoolyard and injured 56 people. Flight 89 from Los Angeles to Shanghai departed on January 14 but after experiencing engine problems dumped 15,000 gallons of fuel over the city of Cudahy. On Monday, the airline settled the suit filed by those exposed from the fuel dump for the eye-watering sum. Teachers from Park Avenue Elementary School filed the lawsuit against the airline, saying they were exposed to jet fuel that fell like rain with 'overwhelming' fumes. They described feeling the fuel on their clothes, skin and eyes. Later, several Cudahy homeowners filed a class-action suit. The teachers said they sought medical treatment after the incident and experienced physical and emotional pain. One of the plane's two engines lost thrust shortly after takeoff and that the plane, which was carrying enough fuel for the 13-hour flight, exceeded its maximum landing weight by around 160,000 pounds, the airline said in the settlement. Flight 89 from Los Angeles to Shanghai departed on January 14 but after experiencing engine problems dumped 15,000 gallons of fuel over the city of Cudahy, the fuel dump is seen here A girl covers her mouth and nose as parents and children leave school after jet fuel was dumped on Park Avenue Elementary School in Cudahy, California, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020 The weight of a full load of fuel carries a risk of damaging a jetliner during landing - which can be expensive for an airline to fix. Even if there isn't damage, airlines try to avoid overweight landings because they are required to inspect planes, which puts them out of service. The pilot reported a compressor stall in the right engine damage to a jet turbine that can occur through malfunction or when a foreign object such as a bird hits an engine. The damage can reduce engine thrust or, in worst cases, lead to a fire. The decision to dump fuel was done 'to reduce the serious risks of flying and landing an overweight airplane on just one engine,' the airline said in court documents. The plane's crew had earlier told air traffic control they were 'not critical' and did not needed to 'hold or dump fuel'. But the plane did later so, possibly while preparing to make a final turn before descending. LA Firefighters were called to schools where nearly 60 schoolchildren and teachers were dumped on and checked over for minor skin and lung irritations. None required hospitalization. Doug Moss, a retired airline captain and owner of AeroPacific Consulting, LLC, said when there is a compressor stall, the crew can't determine how much damage was done internally to the engine. Delta said in court documents that it agreed to the settlement without any admission of liability to avoid the legal expenses of a trial The fuel sprayed out of the plane in two lines and descended at midday in the city of Cudahy and nearby parts of Los Angeles County, about 13 miles east of the airport 'The fan blades may have separated and cut into the fuel lines, leaving an uncontrollable fire as a future possibility,' Moss said. 'He's flying an airplane with a damaged engine that may be on fire,' Moss said. 'So he has to make the decision: Do I spend the time to dump fuel or do I put this thing on the ground as soon as I can? You're not going to kill anyone by dumping fuel.' 'There's no dereliction of duty. Everybody's trying to do the best they can but it's a fast-paced, dynamic ballgame and there's not a lot of time to think ... lives are at stake,' Moss said. 'He got it on the ground safely. Unfortunately, there was collateral damage. People got gas poured over them.' The fuel sprayed out of the plane in two lines and descended at midday in the city of Cudahy and nearby parts of Los Angeles County, about 13 miles east of the airport. It fell on five elementary schools, officials said. Student Marianna Torres, center, cries as she evacuates Park Avenue Elementary School after jet fuel fell on the school in Cudahy Diego Martinez, then a sixth-grader at Park Avenue Elementary in Cudahy, said he and his classmates were outside for physical education class when they saw the airplane flying low overhead. 'It was very close,' he said. Shortly afterward, the air filled with the pungent odor of fuel. 'It was very strong, the odor,' the boy said at the time. Some teachers at Park Avenue had headaches from the smell, said Antonio Buenabad, area representative for the United Teachers Los Angeles union. Officials said 31 children and adults were affected by the fuel dump at Park Avenue school and another 12 at 93rd Street Elementary school. The rest of those affected were at other schools. In a statement, the airline said: ''Delta continues to specifically deny all liability, allegations of wrongdoing or negligence, and claims for damages. 'Delta remains confident in and does not waive any of its defenses, and would vigorously litigate all such defenses if this matter were to be further litigated or proceed to trial or appeal.' President Donald Trump has warned Russia and Ukraine may 'have to fight a little longer' before the nation's two leaders are ready to come together for peace talks. Trump conducted high stakes meetings with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this month as he seeks to restore peace to the region. He expressed hope the two were close to reaching a point where they could come together to hash out the terms of a peace deal, while simultaneously boasting of a potential trilateral meeting. Now, as Russia continues its bombardment of Ukraine with drones and missiles, Trump has walked back his ambitions for a bilateral meeting without the United States' involvement, telling The Daily Caller his suggested trilateral is far more likely to materialize. 'A [trilateral] would happen. A [bilateral], I don't know about, but a tri will happen. But, you know, sometimes people aren't ready for it,' Trump said. 'I use the analogy, I've used it a couple of times: You have a child, and there's another child in the lot, in the playground, and they hate each other, and they start swinging, swinging and swinging, and you want them to stop, and they keep going. 'After a little while, they're very happy to stop. Do you understand that? It's almost that way. Sometimes they have to fight for a little bit before you can get them to stop.' But Trump accepted the war has already 'been going on got a long time.' 'A lot of people are dead,' he added. Putin launched a major air attack across Ukraine overnight, bombarding civilian homes, energy and rail facilities with 537 drones and 45 missiles Trump conducted high stakes meetings with both Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this month as he seeks to restore peace to the regions Russian officials have railed against any suggestions from Trump that Putin meet with Zelensky, while Ukrainian officials have ruled out Trump's suggestion that they be prepared to sacrifice swathes of land to end the war. Trump expressed willingness to offer US air support, but ruled out putting any US troops on the ground in Ukraine to assist in the war effort. 'Look, I'd like to see something get solved,' he said. 'We'd help them if we could get something done.' Trump has repeatedly insisted Russia never would have invaded Ukraine if he were president at the time. He also vowed on the campaign trail to end the war before even arriving at the Oval Office, but has since had to back down from that commitment as it became clear Putin and Zelensky would not back down. Even as Trump continues to search for a peace deal, Russia continues to strike Ukraine. Putin launched a major air attack across Ukraine overnight, bombarding civilian homes, energy and rail facilities with 537 drones and 45 missiles. Trump expressed willingness to offer US air support, but ruled out putting any US troops on the ground in Ukraine to assist in the war effort Even as Trump continues to search for a peace deal, Russia continues to strike Ukraine The brutal attacks piled more agony on Ukraine at the end of a week which has seen dozens slaughtered in what Zelensky described as 'vile' strikes 'demonstrating Putin's true intentions to continue killings, not to take steps towards peace.' Ukraine hit back with targeted strikes at key Russian oil refineries and a chemical plant. In the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, 14 multi-story buildings and more than 40 private houses were hit by the Russians. One person was killed, with at least 22 injured, including three children. A Nevada congresswoman has revealed Lake Mead is approaching 'crunch time', amid severe drought that could cause an unprecedented crisis in the state. Lake Mead on the iconic Colorado River supplies drinking water to millions of people, and is currently under a Tier-1 shortage, hit historically low levels in 2022. Most recent projections see the lake reaching below those historic levels by the summer of 2027, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. According to Democratic Rep. Susie Lee, time was running out for a seven-state deal to be struck as current rules in place for the river look to expire next year. State representatives have been thrashing out common ground which will directly affect water levels at both Mead and Lake Powell. On Thursday at the Southern Nevada Water Summit, Lee: 'Its crunch time for the negotiators. 'Theres a lot of places where I dont see eye-to-eye with this current administration, but we do agree on this much. 'The best path forward for the Colorado River system is one that is jointly chartered and agreed upon by the basin states and the tribes, not one that is imposed upon us living in the West by Washington, D.C.' Low water level strip on cliff at lake Mead seen from Hoover Dam at Nevada and Arizona border, USA Democratic Rep. Susie Lee, pictured at the Southern Nevada Water Summit in August, said in a post on X : 'No one knows better than a Nevadan just how precious our water resources are' Utah State University professor Jack Schmidt told the Nevada Current that 'the worst has come true' and, without serious intervention, the river could be on the 'brink of crisis.' 'Weve got the onset of an extremely dry year, and were on the brink of collapsing the system,' he added. The 112-mile-long lake suffered a severe drought in 2022 that exposed sunken boats, dead bodies and fish carcasses. Water levels receded almost 60 feet in the two years before the drought, at which point it reached lows of 1040 feet above sea level. Lake Mead can hold almost 9 trillion gallons of water, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority. 'However, due to ongoing drought conditions and a hotter, drier climate, the lake's elevation has dropped more than 150 feet, and water levels are expected to decline even further,' the SNWA's website said. 'If Lake Mead falls below 895 feet in elevation, or, water cannot flow through Hoover Dam to California, Arizona and Mexico.' In June, a report from environmental firm AEM showed that Lake Mead and Powell, crucial reservoirs that provide drinking water for 40 million Americans, have 'reached alarmingly low levels, holding just one-third of their usual capacity,' USA Today reported. Utah State University professor Jack Schmidt said that 'the worst has come true' and, without serious intervention, the river could be on the 'brink of crisis' On Thursday at the Southern Nevada Water Summit, Lee, seen here, said it was 'crunch time' to draft new operating rules for the reservoirs, as the current rules are set to expire next year 'This shortage poses significant challenges to agriculture, urban water supplies, and industries reliant on consistent water availability,' the report added. Should states that rely on the Colorado River fail to reach an agreement, Scott Cameron, the Department of the Interior acting assistant secretary for water and science, indicated that Secretary Doug Burgum would step in, The Colorado Sun reported. 'He's not looking forward to that, but in the absence of a seven-state agreement, he will do it,' Cameron said according to the outlet. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation warned that drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin also demanded urgent new agreements. 'We must develop new, sustainable operating guidelines that are robust enough to withstand ongoing drought and poor runoff conditions,' David Palumbo, USBR's acting commissioner, said in a statement at the time, Newsweek reported. Colby Pellegrino, Southern Nevada Water Authority deputy general manager, said: 'Ive been a part of every river deal thats happened on this river since 2006, and this chapter is really hard when we look at where our reservoirs are today.' Should states that rely on the Colorado River fail to reach an agreement, Scott Cameron, the Department of the Interior acting assistant secretary for water and science, indicated that Secretary Doug Burgum would step in Nevada Representative Susie Lee (R) listen as former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to the media at Lake Mead National Recreation Area regarding the ongoing drought in October 2021 Pellegrino said that all seven states are still considering what has been dubbed the 'divorce' concept, where a natural flow measured at Lees Ferry in Arizona would determine how much water is released from Lake Powell into Lake Mead, the LVRJ reported. She said she supported the natural flow proposition, but the solution will depend on how much water is available. 'It really gets to the heart of, we are going to have a wildly variable supply,' Pellegrino said. 'We dont know how to do the limbo. We dont know how low we can go. The percentage-based supply really helps stay true to what Mother Nature is providing us.' 'Weve got a long way to go to see if we can agree on the details,' she added. President Trump intensified his feud with the Democrat Governor of Illinois on Saturday as he issued a warning that he is considered sending the national guard to the state. Trump took aim at Governor JB Pritzker for refusing the commander-in-chiefs help to solve an ongoing crime crisis in Chicago. His latest remarks came even after another weekend of chaos which saw six people in the Windy City killed and two dozen shot. 'Six people were killed, and 24 people were shot, in Chicago last weekend,' Trump wrote in a furious Truth Social post on Saturday night. He warned the 'weak and pathetic Governor' to 'straighten it out FAST', adding that if Pritzer could not reduce crime rates, Trump would feel compelled to step in. 'JB Pritzker, the weak and pathetic Governor of Illinois, just said that he doesn't need help in preventing CRIME,' Trump said. 'He is CRAZY!!! He better straighten it out, FAST, or we're coming! MAGA.' Trump's latest dig at Pritzker comes days after he called the governor a 'slob' and suggested he should 'spend more time in the gym.' Trump took aim at Governor JB Pritzker for refusing the commander-in-chiefs help to solve an ongoing crime crisis in Chicago His latest remarks came even after another weekend of chaos which saw six people in the Windy City killed and two dozen shot, Pritzker is seen here earlier this week Trump federalized the police force in Washington to prevent further 'bloodshed' and sent hundreds of troops from the National Guard in to clean up crime after a former DOGE employee was attacked in the streets. 'D.C. has been under siege from thugs and killers, but now, D.C. is back under Federal Control where it belongs. The White House is in charge,' Trump said at the time. 'The Military and our Great Police will liberate this City, scrape away the filth, and make it safe, clean, habitable and beautiful once more!' On Saturday, he celebrated his success in DC, writing in a second post: 'DC is virtually, in just 14 days, a CRIME FREE ZONE. The people living and working there are ecstatic! Trump previously singled out New York City, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Chicago and Oakland, California as potential future locations where federal troops could take the streets of American cities. 'We're going to take back our capital,' Trump said, 'and then we'll look at other cities also. But other cities are studying what we're doing.' But Pritzker has called Trump's approach 'unconstitutional' and 'a dangerous power grab.' Pritzker has called Trump's approach 'unconstitutional' and 'a dangerous power grab' Trump federalized the police force in Washington to prevent further 'bloodshed' and sent hundreds of troops from the National Guard in to clean up crime after a former DOGE employee was attacked in the streets Pritzker also fired back at the president's comments about his weight this week, stating that 'from [his] perspective, it takes one to know one on the weight question.' 'The president himself is not in good shape. He ought to respond to that.' Some strategists have suggested Pritzker could be gearing up for an election battle. He's not the only Democrat in the state pushing back, with the Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson calling Trump's plan 'out of control'. The Chicago Police Department will be barred from helping federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement or any related patrols, traffic stops and checkpoints during the surge, according to an executive order signed by Mayor Brandon Johnson. The mayor directed all city departments to guard the constitutional rights of Chicago residents 'amidst the possibility of imminent militarized immigration or National Guard deployment by the federal government.' When asked during a news conference about federal agents who are presumably 'taking orders,' Johnson replied: 'Yeah, and I dont take orders from the federal government.' Johnson also blocked Chicago police from wearing face coverings to hide their identities, as most ICE agents have adopted since the Trump administration took charge this year. Wala Wala Cafe Bar, a popular nightlife spot in Singapores Holland Village neighborhood, has said it would continue its 32-year run after previously announcing plans to shutter. Its owner Stanley Yeo told The Business Times in June that he planned to "call it a day and move on" due to falling visitor numbers, a tough labor market and rising operating costs, with rents of the 1,700-square-foot ground-floor space having climbed by 9% over the last two years to S$28,000 (US$21,700) per month. Since then, the bar has been buoyed by strong support from its community. By July, it reported a "significant increase" in footfall. In an Instagram post last Tuesday, Wala Wala said its landlord had "kindly offered revised terms that make it feasible" for the business to stay on. "We have been deeply moved by the overwhelming support from our community customers, friends, suppliers and neighbours alike," the post reads. "Today, we are heartened to share that Wala Wala Cafe Bar will remain in Holland Village." Wala Wala Cafe Bar in Singapore's Holland Village. Photo from Google Established in 1993 in Holland Village, the establishment has long been a beloved local spot, attracting patrons with hearty food, draft beers, and lively weekend crowds. It was once known for live music on its second floor, which closed in 2021, and has shifted its focus primarily to food and beverage in recent years, according to Bandwagon Asia. Wala Walas decision to stay is welcome news for Holland Village, a popular shopping and dining destination that has recently seen several closures. These include Thambi Magazine Store, Lims Holland Village furniture store, party shop Khiam Teck and soft-serve ice cream spot Sunday Folks, as reported by Channel News Asia. The closures mirror a broader trend across Singapores F&B sector, which has recently seen two Michelin-starred restaurants and several smaller shops shuttering or announcing plans to do so, according to The Straits Times. Euphoria and Alma by Juan Amador, both with one Michelin star, shut down this month. Popular dessert shops Flourish Bakehouse and Fluff Bakery have both announced plans to close in September. Ka-soh, a heritage eatery known for its Cantonese-style fish soup, will also shutter its last store in late September. Two civilian workers have been indicted after allegedly providing the Hawaii Department of Health with false data over a catastrophic fuel spill that tainted the state's drinking water in 2021, sickening thousands. John Floyd, former deputy director of the Fuels Department at Red Hill, and Nelson Wu, the department's supervisory engineer, are both facing charges of conspiracy and making false statements following the toxic spill. Prosecutors allege that Floyd and Wu gave the Navy inaccurate information about a spill at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility - the DOD's largest underground fuel depot. The two men's actions allegedly led the military to mislead the Hawaii Department of Health about the true scale of the leak - months before 20,000 gallons of jet fuel seeped into a critical drinking water well serving 90,000 people at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam - sickening 6,000 residents over Thanksgiving weekend. The indictments are the first to emerge from the fuel spill, which sparked outrage across Hawaii and prompted the U.S. military to close the World War II-era facility. According to Thursday's indictment, Floyd and Wu misrepresented the volume of fuel spilled in May 2021, telling the Navy - and, in turn, the Hawaii Department of Health - that only 1,618 gallons had leaked, when the true figure was closer to 20,000 gallons. They allegedly failed to report that 18,000 gallons were unaccounted for and redacted crucial data from official records and their assurances misled Navy officers, who then repeated those falsehoods to regulators in the following months. The Navy's own investigation found that on May 6, 2021, fuel gushed from a ruptured pipe and collected unnoticed in a fire suppression system. John Floyd, former deputy director of the Fuels Department at Red Hill, left, and Nelson Wu, the department's supervisory engineer, right have been charged with conspiracy and making false statements following a catastrophic fuel spill Pictured: Navy officials lead Navy and civilian water quality recovery experts through the tunnels of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, near Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 23, 2021 Six months later, a cart hit a sagging pipe, causing the trapped fuel to spill into a drain connected to the drinking water well. Floyd and Wu were each indicted on one count of conspiracy and one count of making false statements. Years earlier, in 2022, a Navy investigation cited poor management and human error as the causes of the disaster. However, the Department of Defense inspector general later concluded Navy officials lacked a clear understanding of the risks of maintaining such massive fuel tanks directly above a critical water source. Environmental advocates and local organizations are saying the indictments do not go far enough. Wayne Tanaka, director of the Sierra Club of Hawaii, emphasized that culpability extends beyond the two civilians. He pointed to the Navy's own investigation, which revealed that military officials knew about the 20,000 missing gallons of fuel as early as May 2021 but failed to notify the public or regulators. Tanaka also noted that Navy leaders sidelined a whistleblower who raised repeated alarms about mismanagement at the facility. Pictured: A Navy spouse whose family was impacted by the fuel jet leak wipes away tears as she discusses the toll of the trial at her home on Monday, April 22, 2024 In a statement released Friday, the Sierra Club of Hawaii (pictured) reiterated the community's long-standing demand for accountability Pictured: Joint Task Force-Red Hill and spill response personnel deploy a water barrier during a spill response exercise at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, July 13, 2023 However, fuel leaks at Red Hill have long been a concern, with incidents dating back to at least 2014. Despite repeated calls from the Sierra Club of Hawaii and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply to relocate the tanks, the Navy insisted the island's water was safe - until it wasn't. In a statement released Friday, the Sierra Club of Hawaii reiterated the community's long-standing demand for accountability, Hawaii News Now reported. 'The Sierra Club of Hawaii and much of the Hawaii community has long called for full accountability, for the actions and omissions that led to the poisoning of the drinking water system for 93,000 Oahu residents, and the ongoing contamination of the island's EPA Region IX sole-source aquifer.' The statement continued, criticizing the Navy for failing to disclose fuel exceedances in water testing, for neglecting to complete essential groundwater models promised a decade ago, and for refusing to reimburse the Board of Water Supply and ratepayers for the estimated $1.2 billion in damages. It also condemned military officials for continuing to 'gaslight and deny the claims of its own service members and their families' who still suffer from health impacts and psychological trauma. Former Vice President Kamala Harris will receive protection from the California Highway Patrol, after her Secret Service detail was revoked by President Donald Trump. Law enforcement sources told the LA Times that officials in The Golden State have stepped up to offer their services to Harris when her extended Secret Service protection comes to an end. Trump signed an order on Thursday which retracted the protection Harris was offered from Monday onwards. The offer came after discussions between the offices of California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass about how to best handle the situation, the outlet reported. Vice Presidents are usually entitled to six months of protection after leaving office, while presidents are afforded protection for the rest of their lives. But one of Biden's final actions was to extend her protection through to July 2026. The move came after a request from Harris' aides. Typically when the six-month protection expires, former vice presidents - including Mike Pence and Joe Biden - have paid for their own private security. Other than Harris, the only other former vice president to receive protection beyond the six-months was Dick Cheney after requesting approval from then-President Barack Obama in 2009. Former Vice President Kamala Harris will receive protection from Highway Patrol in California after her Secret Service detail was revoked by President Donald Trump Trump signed an order on Thursday which retracted the protection Harris was offered from Monday onwards Governor Gavin Newsom's office told the publication: 'Our office does not comment on security arrangements. 'The safety of our public officials should never be subject to erratic, vindictive political impulses.' Newsom would be required to sign off on any such arrangement with Highway Patrol. Harris will not only lose 24/7 in-person Secret Service protection from federal agents, but she will also no longer have threat detection intelligence. Mayor Karen Bass slammed Trump's decision, stating: 'This is another act of revenge following a long list of political retaliation in the form of firings, the revoking of security clearances and more. 'This puts the former Vice President in danger and I look forward to working with the governor to make sure Vice President Harris is safe in Los Angeles.' Other than Harris, the only other former vice president to receive protection beyond the six-months was Dick Cheney after requesting approval from then-President Barack Obama in 2009. One of Biden's final actions was to extend her protection through to July 2026. The move came after a request from Harris' aides Trump canceled a previously undisclosed directive from President Joe Biden that granted Harris Secret Service protection for an additional year Trump's sudden removal of his 2024 rival's protection will have immediate ramifications as Harris prepares to launch a nationwide book tour next month for her upcoming memoir '107 days.' The book reportedly focuses on her failed short-lived 107 day presidential campaign following Bidens departure from the race. Harris' tours stops will mostly take place in deep-blue cities, and will start off on September 24th in New York City, the day after her book is released. Former presidents and White House officials often face security threats from around the world. Trump famously survived two assassination attempts during the 2024 presidential election. A top Labour minister has stood by the move to keep a controversial migrant hotel open amid fears axing it would have sparked 'disruption'. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson insisted the Home Office was right to argue the rights of asylum seekers trumped those of local residents in Epping, Essex. She said the axing of the town's Bell Hotel - which has been plagued by weeks of unrest after an asylum seeker living there allegedly sexually assaulted two young girls - would have triggered 'lots of disruption' and left people 'on the streets'. Her comments come as Nigel Farage today warned Labour now faces a catastrophic wipeout in the polls over the fiasco, which he said would see support for his Reform UK party skyrocket. Speaking to the Mail, Mr Farage said: 'The question is 'whose side are you on'. Clearly the government in the case of Epping has said the illegal immigrants. Reform says the mothers of Epping. This will drive many more voters towards us.' The Government won a controversial court victory on Friday allowing asylum seekers to stay at The Bell Hotel - despite weeks of fierce protests outside the venue. Epping Forest District Council had successfully sought an injunction against the use of the hotel for migrants after a series of violent protests rocked the facility. However, the Home Office fought the ban - with Court of Appeal judges revoking the 'seriously flawed' verdict on Friday in a landmark ruling that sparked fury nationally. Ms Phillipson defended the claim that the rights of asylum seekers were more important than those of local families living near hotels. She told Sky News's Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme: 'I completely understand why many people in places like Epping, where hotels have opened up, feel incredibly frustrated about that. Labour has stood by a court ruling revoking the banning of a migrant hotel in Epping (pictured are protesters outside Norwich's Brook Hotel on August 24) It comes amid warnings Nigel Farage's Reform UK party could see a boost in support Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson (pictured) said the Home Office was right to argue the rights of asylum seekers trumped those of local residents in Epping 'They have a right to demonstrate lawfully and peacefully. But where it crosses a line that isn't consistent with our long-standing traditions in this country of respect for the rule of law, respect for the police and our responsibility to make sure that we have safe communities for everybody living there.' Her comments come despite a dire warning from former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer, who said Sir Keir now faces haemorrhaging support over the crisis if Labour does not axe the hotels. Lord Falconer, who served under former prime minister Sir Tony Blair, said: 'The Government always has the burden of doing what's possible and the Government is doing the right thing in relation to it, but there's a lot more to do, and if we don't, as a government, do it, then you'll see those opinion polls raised yet further for Reform, because they don't have the burden of having to be practical. 'But the country wants some action in relation to it.' If the Epping injunction had not been overturned on Friday, 138 asylum seekers would have been ejected from The Bell from September 12. Protests flared up across the country yesterday in the wake of the decision, amid accusations Labour is 'taking the side of migrants over Britons'. Following the Court of Appeal decision, a grinning migrant was caught on camera giving protesters outside an asylum hotel the middle finger just hours after the government won a controversial legal victory. The young man was seen at the window of the Roundhouse hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset last night as around 200 demonstrators called for it to be shut down. A demonstrator clashes with Police officers during an anti-immigration protest outside the Sheraton Four Points hotel, believed to be housing asylum seekers Anti-migrant protesters demonstrate in Epping amid concerns about the asylum hotel there Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls to close Britain's migrant hotels Photos show campaigners holding Union and England flags gathering outside hotels in Swindon, Oldham, Newcastle, Falkirk and Stoke-on-Trent, among other places on Saturday. Counter demonstrations were also held - with the group Stand Up To Racism calling on its supporters to rally against what it called 'far-right and fascist thugs'. In Newcastle, cries of 'send them back' and 'stop the boats' were met with loud choruses of 'no hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here' by an equal number of counter protesters. At one point, the far-right protesters, decked out in Union flags, broke into a spontaneous rendition of 'Rule Britannia.' Meanwhile, angry activists who descended on a Falkirk hotel were met by hundreds of counter protesters. Two separate demonstrations were called by the Save Our Future and Our Kids Futures group in the town yesterday, amid fears of local people about alleged crimes linked to those housed at the Cladhan Hotel. The young man was seen at the window of the Roundhouse hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset, last night, as 200 demonstrators gathered outside Rival protest groups clash outside the New Bridge Hotel in Newcastle this afternoon Counter protesters from Stand Up To Racism come out in support of refugees in Scotland on Saturday The first saw hundreds gather outside the office of Labour MP Euan Stainbank, where speeches were made, and people took aim at the UK Government, the police and journalists who were covering the protest. More than 200 later assembled outside the nearby Cladhan Hotel, which is believed to house asylum seekers waiting for their claims to be processed. It comes as at least 19 councils have vowed to fight back against the Court of Appeal's decision and press ahead with campaigns to shut down asylum hotels in their areas. According to The Times, this includes at least four Labour-run authorities - Wirral Council, Stevenage Borough Council, Tamworth Borough Council and Rushmoor Borough Council. Reform UK has called on the 12 councils it controls to start exploring legal options to stop asylum seekers being housed in local hotels. However, this morning Mr Farage's party was accused of 'whipping up anger' about immigration by Ms Phillipson, who said Reform did not have an answer to the crisis. Speaking on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News, the minister said: 'I understand the frustration that people feel, because I understand when they see, for example, asylum hotels and big numbers of people in their community. 'I understand how that can make people feel. A counter-demonstration protest gathers to face an anti-immigration protest outside the New Bridge Hotel in Newcastle on August 30 'But Nigel Farage and Reform, they don't actually want to sort this problem - interests are served by whipping up anger rather than fixing it.' Asked what the difference is between what the Labour Government says on immigration and what Reform says, Ms Phillipson replied: 'The difference is we'll actually take action.' Reform UK's deputy leader said it was 'ridiculous' to suggest his party could encourage people to break into hotels and intimidate asylum seekers. Asked if he could be clear there was 'no encouragement' from the party to 'the sort of person who wants to break into asylum hotels in masks and to intimidate asylum seekers', Richard Tice said: 'Of course, what a ridiculous suggestion.' 'It's an outrageous suggestion. Of course we're not suggesting that,' he added. 'We've always suggested lawful, peaceful protest, nothing else.' In further criticism, the Archbishop of York said the UK should resist Reform's 'kneejerk' plan for the mass deportation of migrants. Stephen Cottrell said he has 'every sympathy' with people who are worried about asylum seekers coming to the country illegally but warned Mr Farage is not offering any 'long-term solution' to the crisis. Demonstrators gather during an anti-immigration protest outside the New Bridge Hotel in Newcastle on Saturday He slammed the plan announced by Reform on Tuesday to deport 600,000 people, which would be enabled by striking deals with the Taliban and Iran, saying it will not 'solve the problem'. Mr Cottrell, who is currently acting spiritual head of the Church of England while a new Archbishop of Canterbury is chosen, told Sky News Reform has 'done nothing to address the issue of what brings people to this country'. 'And so if you think that's the answer, you will discover in due course that all you have done is made the problem worse,' he warned. Elon Musk has since waded into the debate in another fiery online broadside against Labour. In a post on his social media platform X, the world's richest man appeared to support a recent trend of nationalism, which has seen activists raising the Union and English flags in towns and cities across the country. Sharing a video of one such flag-raising in north Wales, billionaire tech mogul Musk wrote: 'People of the great nations of Britain & Ireland, rally NOW to save your beautiful countries! It's now or never. Fight, fight, fight! Soon, it will be too late.' Sir Keir Starmer responded to the unrest over the weekend by promising small boat migrants will be 'detained and sent back'. In a social media post, the PM said: 'I am clear: we will not reward illegal entry. If you cross the Channel unlawfully, you will be detained and sent back.' The government has previously argued that the need to protect the human rights of asylum seekers by housing them in hotels, outweighed the safety concerns of local families. The protest comes a day after the Court of Appeal overturned a lower court ruling that would have evicted asylum seekers housed at a hotel in Epping, north of London Anti-migrant protesters (pictured) hold a demonstration outside the Thistle Hotel in Swindon However, MPs and the local council reacted furiously to the decision to keep housing asylum seekers in Epping, with Reform leader Nigel Farage saying illegal migrants now had more rights than Britons under Sir Keir Starmer. Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch also accused the prime minister of 'putting the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British people'. If the Epping injunction had not been overturned on Friday, some 138 asylum seekers would no longer have been able to be housed there beyond September 12. The case could have had wider ramifications, as more than 200 hotels are being used to house asylum seekers around the country. Lord Falconer said the Government was right to take the Epping case to the Court of Appeal but said people were demanding action to close asylum hotels. He rejected suggestions that the UK may have to pull out of the European Convention on Human Rights to be able to efficiently remove people with no right to be in the country. 'We've obviously got to move forward in relation to closing the hotels and also stopping the crossings,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today. Last night anger began building outside The Bell Hotel in Epping at the news of the ruling. The council said the owners of the three-star hotel had breached planning rules by using it as accommodation for small-boat migrants. Photos show campaigners holding Union and England flags gathering outside hotels in Newcastle, Swindon (pictured), Falkirk and Stoke-on-Trent on Saturday Police officers stand by protesters outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex last night Anti-migrant protesters (pictured) hold a demonstration outside the Thistle Hotel in Swindon Rival protest groups clash outside the New Bridge Hotel in Newcastle yesterday afternoon Rival protest groups clash outside the New Bridge Hotel in Newcastle on Saturday afternoon Somani Hotels, which owns the establishment, and the Home Office challenged the injunction. The three Court of Appeal judges said last week's decision by High Court judge Mr Justice Eyre was 'seriously flawed'. Lord Justice Bean, sitting with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Lord Justice Cobb, said: 'We conclude that the judge made a number of errors in principle, which undermine this decision. 'The judge's approach ignores the obvious consequence that the closure of one site means capacity needs to be identified elsewhere.' Lord Justice Bean added that such an injunction 'may incentivise' other councils to take steps similar to those taken by Epping. Lawyers for Home Secretary Yvette Cooper had argued that shutting the hotel would set a 'dangerous precedent' which would have encouraged similar litigation by other councils. Mr Farage claimed the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) had been 'used' by the Government 'against the people of Epping'. Demonstrators are seen wearing Union and England flags during an anti-immigration protest outside the New Bridge Hotel in Newcastle on Saturday An anti-immigration protester poses with a Union flag with the slogan: 'Stop the boats' Counter-protesters hold banners reading: 'Newcastle welcomes refugees' and 'Your racism isn't patriotic it's idiotic' Anti-migrant protesters demonstrate outside the Cladhan Hotel on August 30 in Falkirk, Scotland Responding on Sunday, Ms Phillipson insisted the Government will be looking into making changes to the ECHR to tackle immigration levels. She said the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was 'committed' to look at article 8 of the ECHR specifically - which protects the right to privacy and family life, as well as home and correspondence. 'Home Secretary has committed to looking at the article 8 provisions to see whether they need updating and reforming for the modern age,' Ms Phillipson told Sky News. 'We do believe there needs to be reform of the ECHR and that's what the Home Secretary is looking at.' Ms Phillipson nuanced her comments by adding changes to the ECHR need to be balanced against the UK's obligations under international law and global standing. She told Sky News: 'But we also believe as a Government that our responsibilities under international law matter too, and our standing in the world matters as well. 'Our standing in the world matters if we want to strike trade deals with countries, and we've had great success in recent years in striking those trade deals. 'Then we need to be a country that's taken seriously. We need to be a country that honours our obligations and honours the rule of law. 'Those are important principles we talk about.' Protesters block the road outside The Delta Marriott Hotel in Cheshunt after the local council announced plans to try to prevent asylum seekers from staying there More than 200 protesters against asylum seekers being housed in hotels gather outside The Roundhouse in Bournemouth on Friday night The Court of Appeal overturned an injunction ordering the removal of migrants from the Bell Hotel (pictured) in Epping Anger was brewing last night as groups of protestors (pictured) gathered at the Bell Hotel in Epping following the ruling Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the Epping case had 'seen the Labour Government using the courts against the British public'. He added: 'The Government even brazenly said in court that the rights of illegal immigrants were more important than the rights of local people. 'The numbers in asylum hotels were dropping fast before the election but have risen since because Labour has lost control of our borders.' Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick called the ruling 'extremely disappointing' as he urged councils to still take action to close asylum hotels in their areas. He said: 'Yvette Cooper's decision to put two fingers up to the legitimate anger of the British public will surely inspire even more protests across the country. People are fed up with the Government siding with illegal migrants over the British people.' Epping council said it was 'deeply disappointed' by the ruling, which had led to 'doubt and confusion'. Refugee Council chief executive Enver Solomon said while the Government was successful in its appeal, the reality of using hotels to house asylum seekers was 'untenable' and called for refugees to be housed in neighbourhoods. He said: 'Waiting until 2029 to end their use is no longer an option. As long as hotels remain open, they will continue to be flashpoints for protest.' Police officers secure the area as a protester dubbed one of the 'Pink Ladies' hold a Union flag outside the Bell Hotel in Epping on August 29 Protesters (pictured) marched towards the Bell Hotel on Friday evening, waving the St George and Union flags Anti-racism groups holding Palestinian flags gather in Newcastle on Saturday A protester (pictured) was seen holding a St George's Cross outside the Court of Appeal Border security minister Dame Angela Eagle said: 'We inherited a chaotic asylum accommodation system costing billions. 'This government will close all hotels by the end of this Parliament and we appealed this judgment so hotels like the Bell can be exited in a controlled and orderly way that avoids the chaos of recent years that saw 400 hotels open at a cost of 9million a day.' Epping's legal challenge followed a series of protests outside the hotel amid accusations of sexual assault regarding two men being housed there. Some protests involved clashes with police, resulting in six men being charged with violent disorder, two of whom have pleaded guilty. Two residents of the Bell Hotel have been charged with sexual assault. Essex Police were anticipating trouble last night, with as many as four marked vans parked on the hotel's forecourt from early in the afternoon, and ten officers standing outside. Migrants had reportedly been advised to stay inside. Within minutes of the judges' decision, local Conservative councillor Shane Yerrell arrived at the hotel. He said: 'This decision is disgusting. I've just been on the phone with the father of the girl whose sexual assault case involving one of the migrants has been in court this week. 'This decision is disgusting for them. Local mums and dads want the hotel closed as the first judgment said.' There have been fresh protests (pictured) outside the Bell Hotel in Epping this week prior to Friday's ruling A protester holding an England flag stands outside the High Court in London yesterday Reform leader Nigel Farage (pictured) said illegal migrants now had more rights than Britons under Sir Keir Starmer The number of protesters outside the hotel was growing by 5pm, with new arrivals including 'pink ladies' great-grandmother-of-five Shirley Mooney, 68, alongside her neighbour and fellow grandmother Carmen MacDonald, 60. Both were wearing T-shirts with 'The only way is Epping' on the front and 'Send them home, protect our kids' on the back. Ms Mooney worked in the Bell as a manager until 1998, said of the latest judgment: 'I am absolutely disgusted. It's horrific, a joke. 'Whose side are these judges on? They need the sack. As soon as we heard the news, we came down here to show our support. We won't stop.' The only person here celebrating the judgment last night was a migrant resident. Advised by staff not to speak or leave his room, he texted your reporter to say of the judges' decision: 'I am pleased. 'It had been a worry.' Prince Andrew remained in contact with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein five years longer than he claimed, according to recently unearthed emails. Correspondence in late 2015 between the American financier and former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, in which the Duke of York is namechecked, was today published by The Sunday Times. In the exchange, Epstein suggests there is a potential business opportunity in China for a personal protection company. When asked by Barak where the information had come from, Epstein responded 'andrew'. Barak then says if that was 'The Prince', to which the convicted paedophile said: 'yes.' It throws into doubt Andrew's claim to Emily Maitlis in the disastrous 2019 Newsnight grilling that he had stopped seeing Epstein in early December 2010, when they were photographed walking through New York's Central Park. The Sunday Times said it had obtained a copy of the emails from file-sharing website Distributed Denial of Secrets, who had first published the document. The newspaper said it had independently verified dozens of email addresses, phone numbers, and addresses of the people named in the document. It comes after an email was unearthed earlier this year from him to Epstein saying 'we'll play some more soon!!!!' weeks after he said he had cut off contact with the paedophile financier. The Duke of York said he stopped having any contact with Jeffrey Epstein in December 2010 when they were photographed walking through New York's Central Park (pictured) Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. The death was ruled a suicide Correspondence in late 2015 between the American financier and former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak (pictured), in which the Duke of York is namechecked, has been published The Duke of York, 65, sent a bombshell email in February 2011 pledging to 'keep in close touch'. In December 2010, Andrew was pictured in New York with Epstein. He claimed to Maitliss in the interview he had flown there 'with the sole purpose' of ending their relationship, and during their walk in Central Park they had agreed to part company, the Duke told the Newsnight interview, stating: 'And to this day I never had any contact with him from that day forward.' There is no suggestion that Andrew who did fly on the financier's private jet was an accomplice of Epstein, who was facing trial for running a child-sex trafficking ring when he was found hanged in his cell in August 2019. In 2022, Andrew paid Virginia Giuffre an undisclosed sum, reported to be 12 million, to settle her civil claim for sex assault without any admission of wrongdoing. She died in April this year by suicide. In the last week, Ghislaine Maxwell, 63, claimed she did not introduce Andrew to Epstein. Instead, it was Andrew's wife Sarah Ferguson who pushed for a friendship with the convicted paedophile, she said. The email suggests Andrew may have lied in his infamous Newsnight interview and had been in contact with Epstein longer than he claimed The Duke told the Newsnight interview 'I never had any contact with him from that day [meeting in New York] forward' Ghislaine Maxwell (right) was jailed for 20 years in 2022 for finding girls for Epstein to abuse The well-known photograph showing the Duke of York next to Virginia Giuffre (pictured in 2001) She defended the Duke of York, saying he is innocent of the sex allegations against him and that the 'bull****' claims were fabricated to make money and to attack the Royal Family. Maxwell is currently serving a 20 year prison sentence for sex trafficking. Her bombshell comments were revealed in audio tapes and a 380-page transcript, released by the US Department of Justice, of a two-day interview convicted child sex trafficker Maxwell had with US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche last month. She provided no incriminating information on high-profile individuals but spoke about her interactions with several well-known names. Disgraced socialite Maxwell defended Andrew against allegations made by the late Giuffre that she had been trafficked to the Duke of York when she was 17. Andrew has always vehemently denied the allegations against him. Maxwell, daughter of billionaire publishing tycoon Robert Maxwell, repeated her claims that the photo of her standing behind Andrew and Virginia isn't real. 'I believe it's literally a fake photo,' she told officials. Daily Mail has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment. A man and woman have been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated assault after a British NHS nurse was subject to a vile racist tirade during a shocking attack in a park in West Yorkshire. A couple, believed to be in their 60s, who were walking their dog demanded to know if the nurse, an NHS worker of 12 years, 'came here on a rubber boat' and hurled water and grabbed her hair during the alleged assault at Manor Heath Park in Halifax on Thursday. Apple Moorhouse, from Huddersfield, was allegedly racially abused alongside her parents and six and 11-year-old daughters, after she asked the couple to control their dog which made her youngest daughter feel 'unsafe and scared'. The nurse, who has lived in Britain for 15 years ended up in A&E for a pulled rib and has bruising on her hands after being grabbed by the hair and pushed to the floor by the woman, who also claimed to be a nurse. She told the Daily Mail she now fears returning to the park with her children. Police have since made two arrests on suspicion of racially aggravated assault. In a statement, West Yorkshire Police said: 'Police have today made two arrests in relation to an incident in Manor Heath Park in Halifax on Thursday which was widely shared on social media. 'A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated assault. Apple Moorhouse (pictured), from Huddersfield, an NHS nurse of 12 years, was the victim of an alleged racist attack in Halifax on Thursday Video shows the nurse being told to 'F*** off' and she was asked if she came to the UK in a 'rubber dinghy' by the man The woman squared up to Ms Moorhouse, who asked the couple to put their dog on a lead after it scared her six-year-old daughter 'Both remain in custody at this time and enquiries are continuing. 'We would like to thank the public for their assistance in this matter.' Ms Moorhouse, who is of Filipino descent, said the row was sparked after a group of dogwalkers with the couple 'found it funny that that their dog was making my daughter uncomfortable'. After she asked the dog owner to put its lead on, a man told her to 'shut up, f*** off and go back to where you came from on the dinghy boat.' In shocking footage, recorded by the nurse and her daughter, he can be seen telling his small white dog to 'kill' her as it manically barks at her. Another video shows a woman saying she 'will kill her' before aggressively grabbing her hair and snatching her phone, before falling to the floor herself. The man asks the nurse if she has 'got off a rubber boat?' and 'did you come here across the channel?' 'Ban the immigrants,' he adds, while raising his right arm in the air. 'If you are a healthcare worker you should know I'm an SRN [State Registered Nurse], I could be right above you,' the woman said The woman, described as in her 60s, grabbed Ms Moorhouse's hair and tried to snatch her phone The man, who is also described as being in his 60s, hurled water at the family after the mother asked him to put his dog on a lead He then repeats the statement, raising his left arm, before rudely flipping the family off. 'I look after you,' Ms Moorhouse responds. 'I'm a healthcare worker.' The man then tells her to 'f*** off', before his partner squares up to Ms Moorhouse. 'Give it a rest,' the woman said. 'If you are a healthcare worker you should know I'm an SRN [State Registered Nurse], I could be right above you. 'Just shut up now. I'll make you so bloody sick, you will wonder what the hell is going on. She can also be seen approaching Ms Moorhouse's father, mocking his accent, before saying 'you can't even speak English' and laughing. 'As for you, do you know what you are, that is what we call slavery,' she said in reference to the nurse's job. 'I'm going to get you', she added, after her partner hurled water at the family. Ms Moorhouse said she fears returning to the park after suffering the attack. The man told her to 'Shut up, f*** off and go back to where you came from on the dinghy boat' The woman, who also claimed to be a nurse, tried to snatch Ms Moorhouse's phone from her The mother then tried to grab her phone back from the woman during the heated confrontation She told the Daily Mail: 'It is very upsetting every time I watch it back. 'If it was just me it would be a different matter but I was with my parents and two daughters'. 'I was thinking, "what did I do wrong?". They made my little girl very scared' 'The woman pulled my hair, I have bruises on my hands after she grabbed them. I went to A&E after I woke up with pain in my ribs. The GP said I must have pulled something. She added: 'My six-year-old daughter was really scared. 'It started when the dog ran up to my daughter when my dad took her to the play area. She was walking and the dog went and chased them. 'The owner did nothing but laughed. My daughter felt unsafe, uncomfortable and scared, and was holding my dad's leg in fear. My 11-year-old daughter went to interfere and to catch the dog and it ran away. 'I told the couple "If you can't control your dog it should be on a lead. They said "F*** off, did you come here in a dinghy?"' 'When I pushed her and struggled to get up, I felt so bad about it,' the British resident of 15 years said The attack eventually ended after the older lady fell to the floor, and a passerby later intervened The couple, described as both being in their 60s, launched an alleged racist attack against the mother and her family Her parents, who were visiting on holiday, were allegedly told they were poor by the lady, before a passerby intervened and helped the family. Mrs Moorhouse said she 'doesn't normally confront people, but I felt like I had to' after her six-year-old daughter was terrified of the dog. 'But the response that I received was, "Shut up, f*** off and go back to where you came from on the dingy boat." So that's when I decided to film the scene. 'I was raised to respect the elderly, and that's kept my cool down. I could have fought back, but I didn't because I still respected her because I saw her just like she's my mother. When I pushed her and struggled to get up, I felt so bad about it. 'I didn't expect that it was going to get out of proportion. I am just thinking now. If I hadn't said anything to him, this shouldn't have happened. 'But maybe this happened for a reason, an eye-opener that racism still does exist, unfortunately.' West Yorkshire Police had launched an appeal to help find the couple. Ms Moorhouse has since thanked the public for their support and for sharing the appeal. A minister today batted away demands for a probe into Angela Rayner's financial affairs after it emerged that she used the services of a company specialising in 'wealth protection'. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson insisted the embattled Deputy PM had been 'clear she has followed all the rules and requirements asked of her'. Repeatedly challenged on whether an investigation should be held to clear up questions, she argued the issues related to 'family matters' and Ms Rayner was 'as a parent entitled to some privacy'. Ms Rayner has been accused of 'flipping' the designation of her main home to limit her liabilities for stamp duty and council tax. And she is now facing a grilling over splitting the ownership of her 650,000 constituency home with a trust administered by blue-chip law firm Shoosmiths. At the time of the deal, in 2023, the company boasted that it had a dedicated 'wealth protection team' to help its private clients. The legal manoeuvre would be consistent with Ms Rayner placing some of the house's equity in trust for her three children, one of whom has special needs although the Deputy PM's office repeatedly declined to answer The Mail on Sunday's questions about its purpose. The Tories have demanded to know whether the arrangement with the Shoosmiths Trust Corporation offered any inheritance tax advantages for Ms Rayner's family a political point heightened by the fact Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering raising inheritance tax in her autumn Budget as part of a wider range of 'wealth taxes'. The controversy over Angela Rayner's tangled financial affairs deepened today as it emerged that she employed the services of a company which specialised in 'wealth protection' Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson insisted the embattled Deputy PM had been 'clear she has followed all the rules and requirements asked of her' Conservatives have already called for an inquiry into claims Ms Rayner avoided 40,000 in stamp duty by telling the taxman that her new 800,000 property in Hove was her main home, having told the Cabinet Office that her primary residence was the constituency home in Ashton-under-Lyne. She is understood to have sold her stake in the Ashton house to fund the Hove flat. But asked on BBC Breakfast whether there should be a probe to prove there is 'nothing to see here', Ms Phillipson said: 'Angela Rayner has been clear she has followed all the rules and requirements asked of her everything that she has done has been consistent with that.' Pressed again whether there should be an investigation, Ms Phillipson said: 'She has been clear that she has followed all the rules. But these do relate as you will appreciate to family matters, to her own living arrangements...' Challenged that there is a public interest in getting clarity, Ms Phillipson said: 'She has been clear that she has followed the rules in which case she is also as a parent entitled to some privacy too.' Ms Phillipson told Times Radio: 'If an individual wants to buy a property, whether that individual is Angela Rayner or anybody else, they are entirely within their rights to spend their money as they choose. 'I've never gone in for that way of approaching things, that somehow people shouldn't have that kind of choice. My politics is actually about people having more choices over what they do with their own money and their own lives and Angela Rayner, as an adult with a salary, is able to make choices about how she spends her own money. 'She's an adult, if she wants to buy a flat she can buy a flat. That's just the top and bottom of it. 'So long as she's followed all of the rules and requirements as a part of that, then I don't think there's anything more.' Ms Rayner, who is also the Housing Secretary, has faced a barrage of questions about her living arrangements since The Mail on Sunday revealed last weekend that she had bought the seaside apartment, despite Labour turning the screws on second-home owners for pricing out locals. The embattled Deputy Prime Minister already accused of 'flipping' the designation of her main home to limit her liabilities for stamp duty and council tax split the ownership of her 650,000 constituency home (pictured) with a trust administered by blue-chip law firm Shoosmiths The legal manoeuvre would be consistent with Ms Rayner (pictured) placing some of the house's equity in trust for her three children, one of whom has special needs After stonewalling months of questions about where she had designated her 'primary residence' for council tax purposes, sources close to the Cabinet minister were forced to state that it was Ashton. This ensures that she avoids paying council tax on her third home, her grace-and-favour flat in Admiralty House, central London. Ms Rayner paid about 30,000 in stamp duty on the Hove apartment, a bill which would have risen to 70,000 had the flat been considered a second home. The discrepancy is due to a punitive tax regime designed to discourage holiday home purchases which Ms Reeves extended last year. Ms Rayner's own department has also empowered councils to levy a 100 per cent surcharge on council tax for second properties. Ms Rayner is facing accusations of hypocrisy because in the past she has called for Tory governments to 'build up resources to tackle tax avoidance' because it was 'damaging our country'. Tory Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said Ms Rayner should 'come clean on the litany of accusations of tax avoidance be it stamp duty, council tax or inheritance tax'. He asked: 'What implications does putting her Ashton-under-Lyne house into a trust have for inheritance tax? Conservatives have already called for an inquiry into claims Ms Rayner avoided 40,000 in stamp duty by telling the taxman that her new 800,000 property in Hove (pictured) was her main home. Ms Rayner paid about 30,000 in stamp duty on the Hove apartment Pictured: Ms Rayner's Hove apartment. She is understood to have sold her stake in the Ashton house to fund the Hove flat and is facing accusations of hypocrisy because in the past she has called for Tory governments to 'build up resources to tackle tax avoidance' Ms Rayner (pictured on Hove beach on Thursday evening), who is also the Housing Secretary, has faced a barrage of questions about her living arrangements since The Mail on Sunday revealed last weekend that she had bought the seaside apartment Designating her 'primary residence' for council tax purposes as Ashton means that Ms Rayner avoids paying council tax on her third home, her grace-and-favour flat in Admiralty House (pictured), Central London It has been reported that Chancellor Rachel Reeves (pictured) is examining ways to raise more money from inheritance tax, including a cap on how much someone can donate as part of their tax planning 'Tax avoidance may be entirely lawful and many families will rightly want to minimise their inheritance tax to hand over as much as possible to their children and grandchildren, especially in the face of Labour's cruel family farms and family business taxes. 'But it's the height of hypocrisy for a Labour politician who wants to hike property taxes for everyone else, and lectured others on tax avoidance, to appear to be doing the very same. 'Ms Rayner needs to instruct the Land Registry to place all the documents in the public domain, including publishing the declaration of trust made in 2023 and all subsequent changes. The independent adviser on ministerial standards should also investigate this matter as part of his sleaze inquiry.' Mr Hollinrake has already written to the adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, calling for him to investigate Ms Rayner's tax affairs. The Shoosmiths Trust, administered by solicitors at the firm, was first named as a part-owner of the Ashton house in May 2023. It is not known which of the company's wide range of legal services were used by Ms Rayner. Since her deal was struck, members of Shoosmiths' wealth protection and trusts teams have been hived off to a separate firm. Your browser does not support iframes. Tory Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake (pictured) said Ms Rayner should 'come clean on the litany of accusations of tax avoidance be it stamp duty, council tax or inheritance tax'. He asked: 'What implications does putting her Ashton-under-Lyne house into a trust have for inheritance tax?' Pensions Minister Torsten Bell (pictured), who is helping draft the Budget, has previously called for radical reforms to stamp duty Labour MP Graham Stringer (pictured) said that the row over Ms Rayner's housing arrangements was a bad look for the party. He said: 'The optics of it, just before a Budget, doesn't look good. [Ms Rayner] needs to sort that out' It has been reported that Ms Reeves is examining ways to raise more money from inheritance tax, including a cap on how much someone can donate as part of their tax planning. This would mean that any large sums handed over decades before death such as a contribution towards a child's property deposit would count as part of an estate for tax purposes. Pensions minister Torsten Bell, who is helping draft the Budget, has previously called for radical reforms to stamp duty. Sir Laurie is able to instigate investigations where he believes there is evidence of a potential breach of the rules, but it would be for Sir Keir Starmer to decide what to do about any findings. Labour MP Graham Stringer said that the row over Ms Rayner's housing arrangements was a bad look for the party. He said: 'The optics of it, just before a Budget, doesn't look good. [Ms Rayner] needs to sort that out and be clear that what she's doing is genuinely in the public interest.' A spokesman for the Deputy Prime Minister said that she had paid her taxes in full and done nothing wrong. Shoosmiths did not respond to a request for comment. Destined for success, Jasveen Sangha lived a glamorous life and was 'spoilt rotten' by her British multimillionaire grandparents who gave her everything. But the disgraced 42-year-old, dubbed the Ketamine Queen, will admit this week in court to selling the beloved Friends star Matthew Perry the drugs that killed him - and could face up to 65 years in prison. Her life of throwing lavish parties and flights on private jets has been destroyed as the truth has emerged about her operating as a prolific Los Angeles drug dealer who only sold to 'high end and celebs'. Questions circulate as to how it all went so wrong for Sangha, who growing up lived a life of extraordinary privilege. Her wealthy grandparents - whose 2.7million Essex mansion was fronted by Rolls-Royce, Ferrari and Mercedes cars - had doted on Sangha and their lives revolved around her, according to friends. 'Jasveen was spoilt rotten as a child and as an adult, they would just smother her with anything she wants She's been given a fabulous lifestyle, a family source said. 'She was in a massively good position, had everything going for her, but it's all been totally destroyed.' The grandparents, Budh and Harbhajan Singh, made their fortune from their East London clothing business, supplying luxury department stores. Jasveen Sangha - known to her customers as the 'Ketamine Queen' - lived a glamorous life and was 'spoilt rotten' by her British multimillionaire grandparents who gave her everything US website TMZ claims Sangha met Matthew Perry, who had struggled with drug addiction for decades, in rehab. Perry pictured in 2012 Her wealthy grandparents doted on Sangha (centre) and their lives revolved around her, according to friends. Pictured: her mother Nilem (right) and grandmother Harbhajan Singh (left) 'It is very sad for Jasveen's grandma. She spoke of nothing but her, her life just revolved round Jasveen,' a source told The Times. Sangha and her parents moved to America in 1987, where her grandparents in Britain bought her mother a house and she was sent to a Calabasas High School where the Kardashians live. After graduating from University of California, Irvine, one of the US's top public universities, the generosity of her grandparents drew her back to London. They rented her a flat in Marylebone and funded her MBA at the Hult London business school. This year the programme fee is 67,900. Her family had hoped she would receive a good education and settle down to marry well. Instead she was hosting drug-fuelled parties at her North Hollywood home, known as 'Sangha's stash house', according to a friend. She became acquainted with celebrities including Charlie Sheen, who has famously battled addiction, DJ Khaled and Perla Hudson, who was married to Slash, the Guns N' Roses guitarist. She 'was partying a lot and being excessive on the weekends', a male friend told the New York Post. The disgraced 42-year-old, known as the Ketamine Queen, will admit this week in court to selling the beloved Friends star Matthew Perry the drugs that killed him - and could face up to 65 years in prison The Friends actor played Chandler Bing (right), who was known for his witty and sarcastic humour. Pictured, with his on-screen best friend Joey Tribbiani (played by Matt LeBlanc) The Friends actor was found dead face down in his jacuzzi back on October 29, 2023, leaving Hollywood shaken to its core after he bravely shared details of his addiction struggles with the public. Pictured April 22, 2023, six months before the day he died The Friends cast all paid tribute to the devastating loss of their long-time colleague and friend 'She became a huge narcissist, beyond what her grandparents could imagine,' said the family source. 'All they wanted for her was to find a nice Indian boy and get married, preferably somebody wealthy.' Sangha, from Loughton in Essex, has baffled the world as to how the daughter of a doctor and born into a respectable British Sikh family, could get caught up in the sordid death of one of the most famous TV actors in the world. The drug dealer even filmed herself 'cooking' ketamine on a stove and used her flat to store, pack and deal drugs, including ketamine and methamphetamine, since at least June 14, 2019, according to court documents. US website TMZ claims Sangha met Matthew Perry, who had struggled with drug addiction for decades, in rehab. The Friends actor was found dead face down in his jacuzzi back on October 29, 2023, leaving Hollywood shaken to its core after he bravely shared details of his addiction struggles with the public to dissuade others from following a similar path. Just two weeks after Perry's death in October last year, she was enjoying lychee martinis at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Tokyo where suites cost 1,500 a night. Back in LA, Sangha was arrested in March on drugs charges after federal agents discovered a 'drugs emporium' at her home including a stash of thousands of pills, three pounds of meth, mushrooms, cocaine and vials of ketamine at her home. Investigators said they discovered a 'drugs emporium' at Sangha's home during a raid in March 2024 including 79 bottles containing a clear liquid that field tested positive for ketamine Sangha, from Loughton in Essex, has baffled the world as to how the daughter of a doctor and born into a respectable British Sikh family, could get caught up in the sordid death of one of the most famous TV actors in the world Pictured: Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Chandler's love-interest and later wife On that occasion, her mother put up $100,000 bail money. Sangha seemed unperturbed by the charges. Just hours before she was re-arrested on August 15 by LA police in connection with Perry's death, she was showing off a new hair cut on social media. She also posted a photo of of a bracelet of mushroom charms with the caption 'Pulling out old raver candy and #ravetothegrave'. Prescutors argued it suggested Sangha would 'persist in her drug lifestyle until death', adding it was a 'callous choice of words, considering that her actions have sent two victims to theirs'. She is also implicated in the death of another victim, Cody McLaury in 2019, who died of an overdose just hours after buying ketamine from her. The American-British dual-national is one of five people - including medical doctors and the actor's assistant - who US officials say supplied ketamine to Perry and exploited his drug addiction for profit. All five have entered a guilty plea and Sangha is expected to appear in federal court this week to formally enter her guilty plea. She plans to plead guilty to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distributing ketamine, and one count of distributing ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Her attorney, Mark Geragos, told the BBC in a statement that 'she's taking responsibility for her actions'. The judge who ruled asylum seekers can continue to be housed at an Essex hotel has been reported to the judiciary amid claims of 'apparent bias' over his links to left-wing organisations. Lord Justice Bean delivered Friday's landmark Court of Appeal ruling, which meant an initial injunction preventing the Bell Hotel in Epping Forest from housing migrants was no longer valid. Lord Justice Bean, sitting with two other judges, said the initial judge made 'a number of errors in principle'. It represented a victory for the Home Office, who can continue to use hotels to house asylum seekers, despite concerns from local councils and protests from communities. But a leading barrister has referred the senior judge to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO), which deals with discipline, amid claims of potential conflicts of interest. Lord Justice Bean was chairman of the socialist Fabian Society from 1989 to 1990 which works very closely with Labour. He was succeeded by Labour grandees including the former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, Treasury minister Ed Balls, Children's minister Margaret Hodge, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan. He was one of the founding members of the Matrix Chambers, alongside Cherie Blair, wife of the former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair, while Lord Hermer, the current Attorney General, joined later. Lord Justice Bean is also reported to have served as a treasurer for the Society of Labour Lawyers, which describes itself ads a 'think-tank and affiliated socialist society which provides legal and policy advice to the Labour Party'. Lord Justice Bean has historical links to Labour-related organisations, prompting a complaint from a leading barrister of 'apparent bias' A red St George's cross is painted outside the Bell Hotel in Epping Forest Protesters in the car park outside the Brook Hotel in Norwich demanding closure of all illegal migrant hotels Protesters calling for the closure of the Bell Hotel gather outside the council offices in Epping Barrister Steven Barrett, who referred the judge to the JCIO, said in a social media post: 'He should not have heard the Bell Hotel appeal.' Mr Barrett made the complaint on Thursday, before the ruling was handed down, citing 'public trust and confidence in the Judiciary'. Writing after Friday's ruling, he added: 'I highlighted this issue before the judgment - because it was an issue already. 'It is far more of an issue now. 'The issue is apparent bias - not actual bias. 'Justice must be seen to be being done.' The ruling left the Government facing claims it had put 'the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British people'. Asylum seekers staying at the Bell later thanked Sir Keir after the ruling. People have protested outside of the Bell Hotel in Epping Forest over the past few weeks Lord Justice Bean handed down the ruling on Friday, which meant the Home Office could continue to house asylum seekers in hotels Protesters have previously gathered outside the Essex hotel, concerned that it is being used to house asylum seekers Steven Barrett referred the judge to the judicial conduct office Somani Hotels, which owns the Bell Hotel, and the Home Office challenged a High Court ruling which would have stopped 138 asylum seekers being housed there beyond September 12. In an initial ruling, Mr Justice Eyre granted Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) an interim injunction after the authority claimed that Somani Hotels had breached planning rules by using the Bell as accommodation for asylum seekers. But ministers were criticised for challenging the move, and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: 'Local communities should not pay the price for Labour's total failure on illegal immigration.' She called on Conservative councils to continue to seek similar injunctions against asylum hotels in their areas. Several councils have already signalled their intentions to make similar legal challenges, despite the Court of Appeal ruling. This includes Labour-run authorities. Reacting to the ruling, Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle said the Government was committed to closing all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament, but added that it appealed against the High Court ruling so that hotel use can be ended in a 'controlled and orderly way'. Epping Forest District Council has said it is 'ruling nothing out' following the Court of Appeal decision, including taking its bid for a temporary injunction to the Supreme Court. Overturning the High Court's grant of a temporary injunction, the judges cited concerns that it could incentivise 'disorderly' and 'unlawful' protests around asylum accommodation; the council's delay in bringing its legal challenge, described as 'procedurally unfair'; and the 'risk of injustice' if residents were removed from the hotel ahead of the full hearing on the matter in October. Epping's legal challenge followed a series of protests outside the hotel amid accusations of sexual assault regarding two men being housed there. Some protests saw clashes with police, resulting in six men being charged with violent disorder, two of whom have pleaded guilty. This column originally appeared in The Irish Mail on Sunday. It does not reflect the Daily Mail's view. Today, in 1,300 Catholic parishes across the entire island of Ireland, a pastoral letter from the Irish Bishops will be read out at all Masses. Entitled Why Sunday Matters, it is an attempt by the Church to get practising Catholics back into the habit of Mass after a significant drop-off post-Covid. And while Mass attendance is an issue primarily for the Church, Covid is a topic that for Eamon Martin, Primate of All-Ireland and President of the Irish Bishops Conference, is a good example of the need for a greater, more mature, engagement between the Catholic Church and the Irish State. A formal evaluation of the States response to the Covid-19 outbreak has been launched. One big scar felt by those who lost loved ones during the pandemic, was funeral restrictions. The inability to give those they lost a good send-off is an issue that still rankles with many. Yet the Catholic Church, which still plays a key role in traditional Irish burial rites, was not directly invited to make a contribution to the evaluation. We made one anyway, just about reflecting on Covid. And what weve learned from it, Archbishop of Armagh, Eamon Martin tells the Irish Mail on Sunday at his home in Ara Coeli, on the grounds of St Patricks Cathedral, Armagh. Do you know, it was a really difficult time, and it was a time when people needed their faith and they needed to be able to reach out to God. Very interestingly, it also highlighted, I think, the need for a regular and comfortable forum where Church and State could talk together during Covid. It was interesting because, because this diocese, the Archdiocese of Armagh, has parishes in Northern Ireland and parishes in Ireland, the South, as we would tend to call it, we were interacting with two jurisdictions with often two different regulation sets. And it was very interesting; there was actually a greater openness to engaging with faith and with churches in Northern Ireland than there was from Dublin. I think it highlighted the need for an effective Church-State mechanism, Archbishop Martin adds. Such a mechanism exists, set up by former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, largely to comply with Article 17 of the EUs founding document which asks that all member states have an open, transparent and regular dialogue with religions and faiths of all kinds. As it happens, the next meeting of the Church-State Dialogue is tomorrow. But when I call the Government Press Office (after the interview) to confirm details, the press officer admits this is news to him before later confirming the meeting. An indication of what the Archbishop was getting at perhaps. Archbishop Eamon Martin does not believe a United Ireland inevitably leads to a return to violence In Ireland, I dont think it has been satisfactory. It tends to be called quite seldom. Theres only been a small number of these gatherings. And when they gather, we bring everybody. Youd have every possible faith organisation present. Its usually quite short, and its really about, well, are there any issues that we want to talk about? I think we need something much more deliberative, something more, I think, open and respectful of each other, because the Church has a lot to say, or faith groups, more generally, have a major contribution to make to society. Speaking of the forthcoming meeting he continues: Therell be a wide range of issues, but Im not sure if well really get deep down into any particular issue. I think it would be very helpful if in some of the major issues, lets say, for example, housing. Lets take, for example, migration. Lets take examples like artificial intelligence issues; dignity of human life; abortion; places where there is huge concern about the direction of public policy. I think that it would be good to have maybe a standing arrangement where there can be input from churches. Were now at the situation, as reported in June, that its now one in six conceptions are ending in abortion, and that has to be an issue of concern. If one in six children or little ones are no longer at school, I do feel there has been a lack of discussion and debate on this issue, similarly, on the issue of assisted dying, and issues of the dignity of human life. I think Ive said before that I think public debate and policy is impoverished if it doesnt have the voices of faith. But equally, so is our discourse. Our discourse as a church is impoverished if we dont have that opportunity to engage. This might be an issue, not just for the churches, but for all of civil society to be able to contribute, because thats where you get this breakdown between Church and State, which we see at election time, people not voting, people not participating in referenda. Thats this, if we dont work on democracy, something else, like social media or a more populist approach will take over. Asked to consider why that breakdown between Church and State has occurred, Archbishop Martin confronts the main catalyst for the Churchs demise head on. Micheal Martin has served as Taoiseach since January this year and represents the Fianna Fail party I think there is no doubt that the impact of the abuse scandals, for example, the awful sins and crimes of people in the Church has, I think, damaged the credibility of the Church as a voice in society. I think that theres probably not a lot of votes in engaging with church nowadays. Im still dealing in a large part of my work with historical abuse cases and their aftermath and legal cases and reaching out to victims and survivors. So Im not saying in any way that issue should go away. I think its certainly with me for the rest of my life and perhaps for my successors as well. Its probably also the result of what has happened in Western democracy, where, you know, you do have a lot of populism, individualism, rather than organised religion, and engaging with organised religion. I think its changing somewhat, in many ways, where a more conservative extreme right has kind of pushed its way in through social media and has grabbed a lot of attention, which means that some of the issues which perhaps churches like ourselves could moderate, have now been taken over by ideological groups and that is causing an issue and a problem also, I think. We go on to discuss the idea of religion being almost inherently political throughout history in the context of Daniel OConnell, the Liberator. The 200th anniversary of Catholic Emancipation will take place in 2029, and Archbishop Martin views it as an opportunity to re-engage and educate a modern public with the Churchs key role in Irish history. Speaking about the Penal Laws, he points out it was not just Catholicism that was oppressed. You know, for example, the Jewish community were impacted by the Penal Laws, Presbyterians were. And what that was about was in terms of the freedom to worship on one hand, but also religious freedom is much more than the freedom to worship. Its the freedom to have an opinion and to express that opinion publicly, and we can see that, say, in the persecution of Christians worldwide today. I think Catholic Emancipation provides a very useful backdrop for us to examine the role of the Catholic Church in Ireland, because 200 years on, were actually coming to the end of that chapter, where the Church is now no longer a dominant player in Ireland, the Catholic Church no longer dominates debate. It no longer has the same kind of position or status, or, dare I say, power, that it may have had in the past. And therefore, that leads us to really ask ourselves, as a church, you know, where are we now? Were a much smaller voice, and yet a significant voice at this time. One area the Catholic Church still has a political role to play will be in any proper consideration of a United Ireland. And it is not a topic, that the 63-year-old Derry-born cleric, who was ordained by Bishop Edward Daly he of the raised white hanky on Bloody Sunday shies away from. Asked directly if he supports a United Ireland, he replied: Yes, yeah. He qualifies his answer to stress he does not believe any level of violence is warranted in the pursuit of it, and the shape of a shared island should be up for discussion. I think it really will be very interesting to see how the discussion surrounding a border poll and a shared Ireland actually continues over the course of the next five to 10 years, I think the Catholic Church, and indeed all of the churches on this island, I think, would want to play our part in these conversations and discussions and dialogue in order to perhaps encourage reflection on what is their actual vision for an Ireland of a united Ireland? What will its values be, whats its vision. And I think coming back to our conversation about Church-State dialogue, I think the churches and indeed other voluntary groups and community groups have not really yet become hugely involved in this discussion. A marginalised loyalism is already merging with a far-right, anti-immigrant extremism, with race riots breaking out only two months ago beginning in Ballymena And its certainly something that I have been trying to trigger in some way, that dialogue and conversation amongst the Christian churches on this island about where, where is religion in a shared Ireland? What is our voice? What do we want our voice to be, what are the values that we want to stand for, because we believe they are very relevant to any successful, prosperous, thriving and happy society. Asked what the Churchs official position would be in a border poll or if it would it take a back seat on the issue, he speaks deliberately. Perhaps because the Church is not one corporation but a collection of dioceses, with each Bishop in absolute control of their area. I dont think well take a back seat. Because, I mean, if youre talking about, well, first of all, our membership will be voting in a border poll. Itll be very interesting to see how the issues of identity work out in a border poll. Will [it] be simply as straightforward; Catholics will vote yes; Protestants will vote no. I think that we have had in recent elections north of the border the emergence of this middle ground, perhaps not hugely, but it is there where people are saying, well, what do we want of a shared Island? I cant imagine the Catholic Church saying you must vote one way or the other, but they will probably want to examine the issues and be part of the conversation. And while he acknowledges Taoiseach Micheal Martins Shared Island unit in his department, he reserves some more criticism for Dublin. I personally feel that Its a pity that the southern Government has not made this more of an issue for conversation. Theres almost this sense well keep pushing it, pushing it out there. One reason for that reticence is the fears of what such conversations might stoke. A marginalised loyalism is already merging with a far-right, anti-immigrant extremism, with race riots breaking out only two months ago beginning in Ballymena, Co. Antrium. Archbishop Martin does not believe a United Ireland inevitably leads to a return to violence, but he cautions a lot of discussions must be had before any border poll is brought to the table. Right across Ireland at the moment, theres an increased level of violence. Violence can easily be hijacked and used for purposes. Youve mentioned how extreme groups, even today, are already fomenting violence on the streets over various social issues, and I think that there they can be easily hijacked for old causes. Again, it is true also that, for example, loyalists and indeed, Republicans will celebrate and commemorate their, inverted commas, heroes of the past, which can be upsetting to people who were hurt and who had, maybe people who were murdered, who were killed, who were injured during the Troubles. I think youre right in saying that there is indeed a threat of violence, whether or not, the issue of the border would give cause for that. Thats why the conversations, the reflection, because we do have, sadly, a history of return to violence on this island, and what we need to do is make sure we do everything in our power to ensure that that is avoided. Can those conversations be had? Are they being had in the Church Leaders Group, an ecumenical group consisting of the heads of the main Christian faiths in Ireland? I think its much more difficult for the Protestant community and for its church leaders to become involved in this discussion, Archbishop Martin admits. The Catholic Church probably quite naturally, because it would never really, certainly, at the very beginning, would not have been in support of partition. I think that the Catholic Church will more than likely be open to this conversation, and much more open and perhaps even to become proponents of the border poll than, say, the Protestant community, who for them, it might be seen as a threat to their identity, a threat to their relationship with Britain. And I think it is difficult to engage with the other church leaders on this matter. However, one of the things that people, other people, dont realise is that they the churches in Ireland, are all-island churches. Its the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and its the Church of Ireland, the Catholic Church in Ireland, Methodist Church in Ireland. We already dont recognize the border in that sense, as from the point of view of churches. As the Archbishop poses for pictures on the steps of St Patricks Cathedral, he points over at the Church of Ireland on the opposite hill. He reminds us that the Church of Ireland cathedral is built on the original ground that St Patrick founded his great stone church on. During the reformation, the cathedral became Church of Ireland. Glorious as it is, St Patricks is only 150 years old, built after the famine. Building for a different future then should come naturally to a man, who by ecclesiastical tradition, is St Patricks successor. An eight-year-old disabled child was barred from attending a summer camp because his mother's gender-critical views did not fit in with the 'inclusive environment', it has been claimed. She had applied for her son, who has several severe physical defects, to go to charity Over The Wall's trip from July 6 to 8 at Strathallan School in Perthshire, Scotland. But the 52-year-old mother was told in March that she had been unsuccessful - moments after a heated phonecall with the charity's clinical director in which the parent said people could not change sex. Sally McCluskie had called the mother, who wanted to remain anonymous, after she had written 'seriously?' in response to a question on the application asking 'what are your child's pronouns?'. The charity, which was founded by iconic Oscar-winning film star Paul Newman, insisted the decision to reject the application was because the mother was 'verbally aggressive' on the phone. But she managed to uncover documents detailing the call with the help of Free Speech Union Scotland which stated her views 'do not align with the values we uphold'. 'We will be making the family unsuccessful for this year's camp due to the lack of alignment with our inclusive environment,' Ms McCluskie wrote. Ms McCluskie documents in the notes, obtained through a subject access request, that the mother had become 'immediately defensive' when she had explained the importance of pronouns at the camps, according to The Telegraph. '[The mother] immediately became defensive, stating that we cannot tell her child what to say,' she wrote. An eight-year-old disabled child was barred from attending a charity's summer camp at Strathallan School in Perthshire, Scotland, because of his mother's gender-critical views, it is claimed 'She made it clear that if her child sees a girl, he should refer to her as a girl.' She said the mother had 'abruptly' ended the call after saying she was 'shocked by our stance' and that she would not change her views. The mother said the treatment she had received was 'absolutely disgusting', before adding: 'I think it's sick to have let [gender ideology] bleed into a charity that's supposed to help these children and their families.' It is understood a transgender child was going to be attending the summer camp. A spokesperson for OTW said: 'The decision was not based on the views expressed on a form, but on [the mother's] conduct during a phone call with our Clinical Director, where she was verbally aggressive and ended the call abruptly. 'Our decision was influenced by the fact that we had accepted a family with a transgender child for that camp, and considering [the mother's] strong views on gender and her right to express them, we thought it prudent that she did not attend that camp to avoid any potential issues or conflict.' In May, a mother was banned from the playground by her daughter's primary school after complaining that children as young as nine were having their 'transgender identity' affirmed by teachers. Karina Conway, 42, was said to have complained about the way gender issues were being taught to pupils at Sunnyside Spencer Academy in Beeston, Nottingham. The free camp was being held at the boarding school's grounds (pictured) from July 6 to 8 The mother-of-two claimed the school was teaching 11-year-olds that 'transgender identity' was a protected characteristic, when the Equality Act makes no mention of it. She was ordered to stay away from the playground for eight months in September 2024 and then told she could only return if she didn't criticise the school online, The Telegraph reported. Teachers had previously called the police in 2023 when Ms Conway and women's rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen staged a protest outside the school. Ms Conway told The Telegraph: 'This trust is silencing the voices of parents who know sex is real and when it matters, it really matters.' Nearly 14,000 engineers and workers are working through the four-day National Day holiday at the Long Thanh international airport construction site to bring the project to the finish line soon. Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV), the project's investor, announced on Saturday that more than 6,000 workers have been mobilized to maintain construction 24/7 in the passenger terminal section, considered the "heart" of the project. The underground part and four reinforced concrete floors of the section have been basically completed, many areas have begun rough construction, flooring, and tiling. The "lotus" shaped roof could be seen from above. The passenger terminal at Long Thanh international airport in Dong Nai Province. Photo by VnExpress/Thai Ha Equipment systems serving terminal operations such as baggage handling, aircraft landing gear, escalators, and pedestrian stairs have been delivered to the construction site, and some items are being installed. In other bid packages including internal port traffic, technical infrastructure, fuel systems, regulating lakes, power supply, cargo terminals, etc., more than 3,200 workers are also arranged to work during the holiday. ACV said that all items are required to be completed by the end of this year, according to the plan. The investor also arranged adequate staff to monitor and supervise, ensuring the construction takes place safely and with quality. Workers on the roof of Long Thanh airport's passenger terminal. Photo by VnExpress/Thai Ha The Long Thanh airport project, set to become Vietnam's largest, is built on an area of 5,000 hectares, with a total investment of nearly VND336,630 billion (US$12.8 billion), and is a national key project. Phase one is expected to be operational from 2026 with the capacity to serve 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo per year. When all three phases are completed, the project will have a capacity to serve 100 million passengers and 5 million tons of cargo per year. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked units to speed up progress, striving to inaugurate the airport on Dec. 19, 2025. New entry rules for Aussies tourists' favourite holiday island, Bali, will kick in on Monday. From September 1, all international arrivals at Ngurah Rai International Airport will be required to hold a new 'All Indonesia' declaration card. The card is free to complete online through a new digital platform that replaces multiple other forms. Those combined forms include the health (SATUSEHAT), customs (e-CD), immigration and quarantine declarations. The All Indonesia form will require entering tourists' personal and passport details, as well as information about their travel, transport and accommodation. Visitors must complete the form three days before arrival. When it has been successfully processed, the applicant will receive a QR code which they can then present to Indonesian customs on arrival. However, the new form does not waive the need for a visa. International arrivals in Bali will be required to complete an All Indonesia declaration card The process for customs when travelling to Bali will change from Monday Bali's (pictured) Ngurah Rai International Airport will be the first to introduce the card, which will be rolled out to other Indonesian international airports on October 1 Tourists can apply for an e-Visa on Arrival (e-VOA) which must be done separately to the All Indonesia form. The visa application is available on Indonesia's immigration website and, ideally, is completed no later than 48 hours before arrival. Visa applications incur a $50 fee and requires visitors' passport information. The passport must be valid for at least six months from the arrival date. The new entry process follows the introduction of a 150,000 IDR tourist levy (about $14 Australian) in February last year. Authorities said the funds would be used to help protect Bali's culture and environment. The All Indonesia declaration card will extend to all international airports in Indonesia from October 1. A stunning small community in California has been left fuming over the piles of trash left behind that are caused by Airbnb renters overtaking the town, locals claim. Residents in Three Rivers - about an hour outside of Fresno - are raging over the condition of the once beautiful landscape, which they say is due to the increase of Airbnb rentals in the area. There are currently 533 properties listed in the quaint town that is made up of a trio of rivers - North Folk, Middle Fork and South Fork of the Kaweah River, according to the popular rental website - which has a current market valuation of around $80billion. And although the homes, which range from about $800 to around $2,000 a night, have brought in tourists to the scenic hotspot, locals are fed up with what is being left behind for them to clean up. George Tomi, who made Three Rivers his home in the 1970s, is one of those residents who has seen the piles of trash consuming the nature-filled community. 'The trash is all over the place, and we don't know who to call because the owners are all out of town,' Tomi told SFGATE, specifically referring to the people who host renters. 'And the guests come here to party, but that's secondary to me. The primary one is we're losing our community. The improper disposal of trash has especially enraged locals because of its tendency to attract unwanted wild animals, including bears. Locals living in Three Rivers, California have recently become fed up with the influx of Airbnb renters who often leave behind piles of trash and create a noisy environment to the scenic and relaxing area Piles of trash are seen thrown on a road in Three Rivers. Locals have warned the mess will attract wild animals, including bears, to the area Locals have long talked about the issue on social media, as one took to a Facebook group in May displaying trash strewn across the town. 'Are you tired of the trash?,' the user asked as they listed ways locals can join the cause to speak up about the mess. They also suggested that people invest in 'bear proof trash cans' to try and solve the issue. Others echoed the local's opinion on the current look of the area, with one adding: 'Bunch of transplants moved in, like dogs who p**s on the ground, claiming it's their teratory [sic].' 'California is such a mess and getting worse every day,' wrote another. The influence of both long and short-term rentals have made the community call for stricter ordinances to try and crack down on the filthy and noisy conditions. Last year, new rules were proposed to address residents' biggest concerns on rental properties, including noise restrictions, trash requirements and occupancy limits related to the surging trend. But, the Tulare County Board of Supervisors squashed the proposal that would have seen residents get back to some sense or normalcy in the area. A map shows the influx of Airbnb rentals in the Three Rivers area The general conditions left behind from renters are not the only sore spot for the community, as locals say they have witnessed a serious drop in population as rentals have snapped up affordable family homes. The unincorporated community - which is a few miles from the entrance to Sequoia National Park - has always been small with a population of just a little more than 2,000 residents, but that total has dwindled. Nancy Brunson, a local store owner and president of the town's museum, told the outlet that the amount of school children has drastically lowered. The area had around 250 school-ages kids in town when Brunson, who's lived in Three Rivers for three decades, first moved there. But now, she believes there are about 70 students who go to school there. In Three Rivers, children attend school there until the eighth grade before being bussed to Woodlake in the Central Valley for high school. Brunson fears the drop in school children will severely impact those remaining. 'It changes the nature of a class tremendously, because the smaller the group of kids, the less diverse of an experience they have,' she explained. A rustic riverfront cottage listed for rent on Airbnb is pictured. It runs for $2,112 for a five night stay Just this year, the local school system had to cancel its yearly field trip to the Bay Area for the first time because not enough students signed up to go, Brunson added. She went on to point toward the lack of single-family homes available for residents to dwell in the area, crediting that to the uptick in Airbnb rentals. 'Those of us who have businesses in Three Rivers love our visitors but the transition has been a challenge because there were a lot more young families here 30 years ago, a lot more family activities and things going on at the school,' Brunson said. 'So its just kind of changed the nature of the place.' Three Rivers has become a rental hotspot in recent years, but compared to other popular California locations like Long Beach, Lake Tahoe, and Santa Barbara, the town is known for its isolation and close-knit community. With that, locals are thankful for the tourists that stop by as they bring in revenue and attraction to the place. While renters have wreaked havoc in the area, locals said they depend on tourism to keep their economy going for local businesses there. (Pictured: Stock image of the Old Indian store in Three Rivers) 'There's nothing else going on in this place except for the visitors coming through,' Cara Brown, a local who operates her own Airbnb rental in Three Rivers, said. 'We're only a couple thousand people here, but a million people come through the parks, so you have to create a place for them. And nobody wants cheesy hotels.' Meanwhile, Tomi said he's noticed the lack of locals around because of the rental spaces taking over. 'I was riding my bike the other day, and I said to someone, "Hi, neighbor,' Tomi recalled. 'She said, "I dont have neighbors anymore. The next five houses down are all Airbnbs".' Daily Mail contacted Airbnb for comment. A British woman has reportedly been stabbed to death in a park in Cambodia's capital, after allegedly being caught up in a love triangle with her killer. Jessica Cariad Hopkins, 34, is said to have died from multiple stab wounds in Phnom Penh's Chamkarmon district just before midnight on Friday. Local cops arrested Congolese woman Kidikila Nganda Glodie and said they believed that Jessica's death was likely the result of a grisly love triangle. She was found lying in a pool of her own blood in the park. Glodie was found in a salon 1.5miles away from the scene of the murder at 4.30pm local time on Saturday. Footage showed her being arrested by police at the salon. Details of the alleged love triangle are not yet known. Jessica was originally from Harpenden in Hertfordshire, but is believed to have been living in a rented property in the Chroy Changvar area of Phnom Penh at the time of her death. Jessica Cariad Hopkins, 34, (pictured) is said to have died from multiple stab wounds in Phnom Penh's Chamkarmon district Local cops arrested Congolese woman Kidikila Nganda Glodie (pictured, left) and said they believed that Jessica's death was likely the result of a grisly love triangle Local media reported that police chastised two witnesses to the incident after they livestreamed it to social media. The two eyewitnesses are said to have later cooperated and were allowed to leave after they were questioned. The Daily Mail has contacted the UK's FCDO for comment. Sylvia Browne was a psychic who claimed to see the past and the future as clearly as the present. She didn't need to stare into crystal balls, pore over a tarot pack or sink into a trance-like state. Instead, with unshakeable confidence, she saw the truth instantly. So promptly, in fact, that often she would have given a monosyllabic answer to her petitioner before they'd even finished their question. Now, 12 years after her death in 2013 at the age of 77, Browne has become a viral phenomenon as video clips of her wild pronouncements are shared with an audience probably too young to have heard about her first time round. And given her truly jaw-dropping TV performances, it's hardly surprising the footage has caught fire. Browne certainly didn't have time for niceties. She broke crushing news about missing loved ones or family illness to gobsmacked supplicants with all the bluntness of a speak-your-weight machine. So when, in 1999, six-year-old Opal Jo Jennings was snatched from her grandparents' front yard in Texas by a man who violently threw her into his truck and drove off, the child's distraught grandmother felt certain she'd find answers from Browne. 'Where is she?' she pleaded on CBS's Montel Williams Show, where Browne was a regular guest. Browne barely drew breath. Browne (pictured) certainly didn't have time for niceties. She broke crushing news about missing loved ones or family illness to gobsmacked supplicants with all the bluntness of a speak-your-weight machine Browne appeared on television throughout her career (pictured left with Jay Leno in 2009) and her infamous predictions have recently resurfaced 'She's not dead. But what bothers me - now I've never heard of this before - but she was taken and put into some kind of a slavery thing and taken into Japan. The place is Kukouro,' she said. Even Montel Williams, who must have thought he'd heard everything on his show, was taken aback. 'Kukouro?' he stammered. 'So, she was taken and put on some kind of a boat or a plane and taken into white slavery,' said Browne. Five years after her disappearance, the partial skeletal remains of Opal Jo were discovered buried in woodland in Fort Worth, some 10 miles from where she had been taken. A local man, and known sex-offender, was later convicted of the killing having murdered the child the night she went missing. And, just for the record, there's no such place in Japan as Kukouro. Some of Browne's paranormal insights were even more deranged. Hilariously so, one could say, if it wasn't for the fact that some people - dissolving into tears as she stared intently at them - had their lives devastated by the doom-laden tripe that she spouted. So, who was the gravelly-voiced mystic and 'psychic detective' who claimed her 'powers' manifested when she was just three years old and growing up, as Sylvia Shoemaker, in Kansas City, Missouri? In a crowded field, she was one of the world's most controversial psychics and certainly the most shameless. Clearly speaking off the top of her head as she answered often life-or-death questions, she almost defied people to be gullible - or desperate - enough to believe her. Undeterred by myriad occasions on which she was proved to have been demonstrably wrong, they kept coming to her in droves, check books open. At 28, she moved to San Jose, California where she set about making her fortune. She published more than 40 best-selling books, hosted Mediterranean cruises in which fans would pay thousands of dollars to hear her speak (sitting on a throne) and could charge customers up to $850 to ask her questions over the phone for 30 minutes. At one time the waiting list for those telephone chats stretched to four years. By 2020, her businesses were earning her $3 million a year. She claimed she worked for 18 years as a teacher in a Catholic School, training as a hypnotist and 'trance medium'. She said her grandmother was also a psychic medium and helped her understand the visions she started seeing as a very young child. Browne began to work as a professional psychic in the early 1970s and would go on to become a regular guest on CNN's Larry King Live. Perhaps because so many of her fans hailed from the Bible Belt, Browne cloaked her work in the veneer of religion. She said she could see Heaven and angels in her visions. In 1986, she set up her own church. The Society of Novus Spiritus was a Gnostic Christian organization which believed in reincarnation and the idea of a dual Mother and Father god. It also claimed that Jesus didn't die on the cross but moved to France where he lived with his mother and his wife, Mary Magdalene. The society was another of Browne's money-making vehicles. In 2011, when Browne suffered a heart attack while in Hawaii, it put out an urgent request for donations on her behalf, despite the fact that she was, by then, a millionaire many times over. In a crowded field, Browne was one of the world's most controversial psychics and certainly the most shameless At one time the waiting list for those telephone chats stretched to four years. By 2020, her businesses were earning Browne (pictured on Montel Williams) $3 million a year Clearly speaking off the top of her head as she answered often life-or-death questions, Browne (pictured with Larry King) almost defied people to be gullible - or desperate - enough to believe her Browne published more than 40 best-selling books She married four times, having two sons by first husband Gary Dufresne and getting her eventual surname from third husband Kenzil Dalzell Brown. (She later added an 'e'). Dufresne, to whom she was married from 1959 to 1972, sensationally spoke out about her in 2007. He said he could no longer remain silent after hearing about the case of Shawn Hornbeck. Eleven-year-old Shawn disappeared while riding his bike to a friend's house in Missouri in 2002. His parents went on the Montel Williams show to consult Browne, who bluntly told them he was dead and buried beneath two jagged boulders. Four years later he was found alive and well, living with his abductor in another part of the state. Browne had said the boy's kidnapper was a dark-skinned man with dreadlocks. The actual culprit was white, with short hair. Interviewed by a prominent Browne skeptic, her ex-husband said: 'I try to get her out of my mind as much as possible, but the damage she does to unsuspecting people in crisis situations is just atrocious.' Dufresne recounted an astonishing story from the early 1970s about how he once confronted his then wife about her life of deceit. He recalled: 'I said, "Sylvia, how can you tell people this kind of stuff? You know it's not true, and some of these people actually are probably going to believe it." And she said, "Screw 'em. Anybody who believes this stuff oughta be taken."' Browne countered by saying that her ex was 'a liar and dark soul entity,' adding, 'but at least the a**hole gave me children.' Dufresne was not alone in his insistence that Browne was a very proficient fraud who never actually believed she had psychic powers. She was skilled, her critics said, in the art of 'cold reading', mentally summing up her questioners in a nano-second and tailoring her responses accordingly. And those responses would vary considerably depending on her mood. Observers noted that, some days, she might give a string of quite optimistic readings but, on others, she would be curt and pessimistic. Either way, she apparently had no care for the profound affect her words would have on her listener. Occasionally, she would get something right - the laws of probability dictated that she must. When she did, of course, her supporters would brandish it as proof she wasn't a fraud. In 2020, Browne went viral during the pandemic after Kim Kardashian tweeted a passage from a book the psychic wrote in 2008 in which she predicted: 'In around 2020 a severe pneumonia-like illness will spread throughout the globe, attacking the lungs and the bronchial tubes and resisting all known treatments.' Browne went on: 'Almost more baffling than the illness itself will be the fact that it will suddenly vanish as quickly as it arrived, attack again ten years later, and then disappear completely.' But, more often than not, she was unforgivably way off the mark - her detailed readings frequently sending people on fruitless, wild goose chases. Interviewed by a prominent Browne skeptic, her ex-husband Dufresne said: 'I try to get her out of my mind as much as possible, but the damage she does to unsuspecting people in crisis situations is just atrocious' In 2020, Browne went viral during the pandemic after Kim Kardashian tweeted a passage from a book the psychic wrote in 2008 In 2010, The Skeptical Inquirer magazine, which debunks pseudoscience and paranormal claims, conducted a study of 115 of her predictions about murder and missing persons cases. They published a comprehensive report entitled, 'Psychic Detective: Sylvia Browne's History of Failure,' in which they found not a single instance in which her predictions had proved correct in the 25 cases when the truth was discovered. Video footage of some of her most serious foul-ups is now circulating on social media. Those 'greatest hits' include her telling the parents of Holly Krewson in 2002 that their daughter, who had disappeared from her home in San Diego in 1995, was alive and working as a stripper in Los Angeles. Holly was already dead. Her skeletal remains were not identified until 2006 but had lain in a San Diego morgue since their discovery in 1996. The cause of her death remains unknown. Then there was Browne's prediction, also in 2002, that missing grandmother Lynda McClelland would be found alive in Orlando, Florida. In fact, she'd been killed near her home in Pennsylvania and her murderer, her son-in-law David Repasky, was sitting in the Montel Williams Show audience when Browne made her announcement. In 2004 Browne incorrectly asserted that Osama bin Laden was already dead and, the following year, that Michael Jackson would be convicted of child abuse. She was even out 11 years on her own death, saying she'd live to the age of 88. But her most memorable missing child disaster - in large part because it would become a major international news story - concerned the 2003 disappearance of Amanda Berry, an Ohio 16-year-old. The following year, Amanda's mother, Louwanna Miller, went on the Montel Williams Show where Browne assured her that she was 'not alive, honey' and added: 'Your daughter's not the kind who wouldn't call.' Miller, who said she believed Browne '98 percent', died of heart failure in 2005. Eight years later, Amanda was one of three young women who escaped the Cleveland home of Ariel Castro, who'd kept them captive and - in Amanda's case - given her a six-year-old daughter. When finally forced to respond, Browne said: 'Only God is right all the time.' And only Browne, America's queen of dubious psychics, was so often wrong. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem vowed to push forward with more crackdowns 'across the country' as Trump prepares to send troops into major American cities. During an interview on 'Face The Nation,' Noem revealed that DHS has 'ongoing operations' across Illinois and other states to go after 'the worst of the worst.' 'We do intend to add more resources to those operations. I won't disclose the details because there are law enforcement and investigative folk on the ground,' Noem added. 'We will continue to go after the worst of the worst across the country like President Trump as told us to do, focusing on those that are perpetuating murder and rape and trafficking of drugs and humans across our country.' Under Noem's leadership, Homeland Security is carrying the largest deportation operation in American history. Meanwhile, Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said a National Guard deployment to his state would be an invasion from Donald Trump - despite six people being shot overnight in Chicago. Previously, the president slammed Pritzker for being weak and pathetic following six murders and two dozen shot in the Windy City. Another six people were hit with bullets in the early hours of Sunday morning near South State Street in Chicago. 'Six people were killed, and 24 people were shot, in Chicago last weekend,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. Pritzker said Trump wants to send federal troops into major cities so that he can control the upcoming 2026 midterm elections Trump launched his crime crackdown on DC earlier this month resulting in over 1,000 arrests Noem vowed to increase DHS operations across the country to go after 'the worst of the worst' 'JB Pritzker, the weak and pathetic Governor of Illinois, just said that he doesn't need help in preventing CRIME ,' Trump added. 'He is CRAZY!!! He better straighten it out, FAST, or we're coming! MAGA.' According to ABC7 Chicago, at least 35 people have been shot with five fatalities five fatally in Chicago so far this Labor Day weekend. As Trump weighs deploying armed troops into Chicago, Pritzker said the presidents sudden focus on inner city is all about increasing his power. It's clear that, in secret, they're planning this well, it's an invasion with U.S. troops, if they, in fact, do that, Pritzker told CBS Ed O'Keefe during an interview on Face The Nation released on Sunday. Trump has deployed 2,000 National Guards and federalized the police all across Washington, DC in a crime crackdown he launched earlier this month Pritzker claimed Trump has other aims with federal troops that involve taking control of the upcoming midterm elections. The other aims are that hed like to stop the elections in 2026, or frankly take control of those elections, the governor told OFeefe. Hell just claim that theres some problem with an election and then hes got troops on the ground that can take control if in fact hes allowed to do this. Previously, Trump has sent federal agents and National Guard forces into Los Angeles in order to put anti-ICE protests without asking California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Trump has used crime crackdowns in major American cities to push forward his nationwide mass deportations for illegal immigrants. Trump has suggested sending armed troops to other major American cities According to the FBI, law enforcement in DC have made over 1,000 arrests since Trump started the crackdown. Nearly half of all those arrested in the capital are illegal immigrants targeted and detained by Homeland Security. Trump celebrated his DC crackdown over the weekend by stating the city is virtually, in just 14 days, a CRIME FREE ZONE. The people living and working there are ecstatic! Along with Chicago, the president has suggested sending federal troops into other major American cities, such as New York, Baltimore, and Oakland. Britain has agreed a landmark 10billion defence deal with Norway to export UK-built warships in a bid to combat the rising threat posed by Russian submarines. The Norwegian government today announced it would purchase at least five of the new Type 26 frigates, in the biggest export deal of British naval hardware in history. The vessels are touted as the world's 'best anti-submarine warship on the planet' and will be key in tracking down Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin's secretive fleet of subs as they prowl under the waves. They will be built at the BAE Systems yard in Govan, Scotland, and will allow a fleet of around 13 specialist submarine-hunters from the UK and Norway - at least five of which will be Norwegian - to unite and defend northern Europe from the Russians. Britain beat the likes of Germany, France and the USA to secure the trade pact, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer learning of the decision during a call with his Norwegian counterpart, Jonas Gahr Store, on Saturday night. A Downing Street spokeswoman said the export agreement marks an 'important and historic moment for European security', with sources saying it had the potential to open the floodgates to new export deals with other EU and Nato allies. The contract is expected to support 2,000 jobs at British defence giant BAE in the coming years and a further 2,000 in the supply chain into the latter part of the next decade. Sir Keir said: 'This 10billion deal is what our Plan for Change is about - creating jobs, driving growth and protecting national security for working people. Britain has agreed a landmark 10billion defence deal with Norway to export UK-built Type 26 frigates to its European ally (pictured is HMS Glasgow, one of the newest Type 26s being built for the Royal Navy in Govan, Scotland) The deal comes amid concerns over the increasing threat posed by Russian submarines in waters off the UK UK warships have been increasingly called upon to shadow Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin's fleet in the Channel, North Sea, Irish Sea and north Atlantic (Putin is pictured) 'This Government has forged new partnerships across the world to deliver for people at home and the export of our world leading Type 26 frigates to Norway will do exactly that, supporting well-paid jobs up and down the United Kingdom, from apprentices to engineers. 'This success is testament to the thousands of people across the country who are not just delivering this next generation capabilities for our armed forces, but also national security for the UK, our Norwegian partners and Nato for years to come.' The Royal Navy has already ordered eight of the ships, which will form the backbone of Senior Service for decades to come. Five cheaper, general-purpose Type 31 frigates are also on order. All the vessels will replace the ageing Type 23 frigates. Military chiefs hope the new deal will forge a closer bond between Norway and the UK, with Norwegian frigates being 'interchangeable' with their British counterparts. As well as bolstering UK trade, the partnership also aims to strengthen Nato's defence of the vital north Atlantic, protecting it from Russian submarines. It will see British and Norwegian ships working in tangent to secure the seas, as well as training together more often. The two nations already share a close relationship - British Royal Marines carry out Arctic warfare training in Norway every year, while UK ships are being fitted with Norwegian-built naval strike missiles. The two countries also operate together, with one Norwegian frigate currently protecting the UK Carrier Strike Group on its mission to the Indo-Pacific. Sir Keir Starmer has celebrated the new landmark UK-Norwegian defence deal (he is pictured at BAE System's Govan shipbuilding facility in June) One Norwegian frigate, HNoMS Roald Amundsen (seen rear) is currently protecting the UK Carrier Strike Group on its mission to the Indo-Pacific, protecting HMS Prince of Wales (centre) There are hopes more British warships could be exported to other Nato and European allies. Pictured is what a Type 26 will look like once it is completed However, sources say the new deal is a 'step-change' in the two states' long-standing alliance, with Defence Secretary John Healey insisting it 'deepens our strategic partnership' with Norway. 'With Norway, we will train, operate, deter, and - if necessary - fight together,' he added. 'Our navies will work as one, leading the way in Nato, with this deal putting more world-class warships in the North Atlantic to hunt Russian submarines, protect our critical infrastructure, and keep both our nations secure.' In a statement, the Norwegian prime minister added: 'Norway and the United Kingdom are close allies, with common interests and strong bilateral ties. I am confident that the strategic partnership with the UK for purchasing, developing and operating frigates is the right decision.' Britain's first Type 26, HMS Glasgow, is to begin sea trials next year before entering service with the Royal Navy in 2028. The remaining vessels will join the fleet during the 2030s. Meanwhile, delivery of the first Norwegian Type 26 is scheduled to take place in 2030. Daily Mail understands construction of the vessel will run alongside the build of the Royal Navy's own fleet, and that none of the ships currently in build for the UK will be transferred to the Norwegians to meet the deadline. However, with the exact timeframe of when all the new Norwegian warships will be delivered still to be finalised, sceptics are concerned about the potential of fresh delays to blighting the UK programme. At least five British-built Type 26s will be exported to Norway as part of the deal. Pictured is HMS Glasgow, which is set to join the Royal Navy in 2028 The multi-billion pound project has already faced turbulent waters, with construction plagued by years of delays and setbacks. Defence officials have insisted the delivery of the Royal Navy's eight anti-submarine warfare frigates remained unchanged. Tomorrow will see the first round of major negotiation talks taking place between the UK and Norway, focusing on how training can be provided for the Norwegian navy. Meanwhile, it's understood the partnership will also cover shared maintenances of the UK-Norwegian frigate fleet, with work taking place in both countries. The landmark trade deal is the latest for the new class of warship; both Australia and Canada have also selected the design for Type 26 for their navies. Daily Mail understands secretive conversations between the UK and other nations keen on exporting the British-built warships are currently taking place. If successful, it could see future orders for the UK vessels being placed. James Cartlidge, Conservative shadow defence secretary, hailed the news of the UK-Norway deal as a 'double win' for Britain. Mr Cartlidge, who helped lay the foundations for the pact during his time as defence procurement minister - which saw him visiting Norway to present the UK's case, said the pact could pave the way for a future renaissance in British shipbuilding. He told the Daily Mail: 'Im really pleased, this is good for the navy and shipbuilding industry - but firms have got to use this to boost capacity so we can still deliver our own domestic capacity.' The deal will see more Norwegian warships supporting the Royal Navy's work to secure the seas around Europe from Russian subs (pictured: HMS Mersey tracks a Russian boat in July) He added: 'We do have a brilliant shipbuilding industry. For all the talk about delays these are really top-end frigates.' Speaking of his previous discussions with the Norwegian government in 2023, Mr Cartlidge said his counterparts were eager to join forces with the Royal Navy to combat the threat of Russian warships in European waters. 'They really could see our anti-submarine warfare capabilities with the Type 26s was just the best capability out there and that it would be brilliant to have interoperable ships and capabilities,' he added. The Type 26 features sophisticated weapons, advanced sensors, and cutting-edge communications, with a flexible design that enables future upgrades to counter emerging threats. Israel is reportedly planning to throw Greta Thunberg in a terror cell as the environmental activist today launched a second Gaza-bound 'Freedom Flotilla'. Thunberg, 22, is launching the Global Sumud Flotilla from Barcelona with the aim of delivering aid to the people of the war-torn city, who have been pushed into famine by Israel's retaliatory incursion into the Strip. The environmentalist will be making the journey along with Liam Cunningham, the Game of Thrones actor, and Ada Colau, the former mayor of Barcelona, among others. The move comes just weeks after she was detained in international waters by Israel. Her first attempt to reach Gaza in June after setting off from Italy was thwarted by Israeli forces, who boarded the vessel in international waters and detained her. She and 11 passengers were taken to Israel, and given the choice to be deported or arrested. Now, dozens of other ships are expected to set sail for Gaza from Tunisia and other ports in the Mediterranean Sea on September 4 to join the Global Sumud Flotilla, which aims to break the siege of the war-torn in city. But Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's national security minister, is planning to present Israeli Prime Minister Benjmin Netanyahu with a plan to detain the activists in harsh 'terrorist-level' conditions in the Ktzi'ot and Damon detention centres for females, according to Israel Hayom. Swedish activist Greta Thunberg waves while departing on the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian expedition to Gaza, at the port of Barcelona, Spain August 31, 2025 Activists wave Palestinian flags as they depart on the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian expedition to Gaza, at the port of Barcelona, Spain August 31, 2025 Swedish activist Greta Thunberg (L), Brazilian spokesperson for the 'Global Sumud Flotilla,' Thiago Avila (C) and Irish actor Liam Cunningham (R) hold a press conference in Barcelona, Spain on August 31, 2025 People gesture on the day of the departure of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian expedition to Gaza, at the port of Barcelona, Spain August 31, 2025 The plan also includes seizing dozens of vessels and using them to establish a 'maritime force for police operations'. Israel Hayom quoted individuals close to Ben-Gvir saying: 'Following several weeks at Ktzi'ot and Damon, they'll be sorry about the time they arrived here. We must eliminate their appetite for another attempt.' Ahead of the departure from Barcelona port, Thunberg told Iranian Press TV that the flotillas aim to 'deliver humanitarian aid and break Israel's illegal siege on Gaza and open up a people's humanitarian corridor'. The activist said that more than 26,000 people signed up to join the mission to break the siege on Gaza. She said: 'This project is part of a global uprising of people standing up when our governments fail to step up, the people will take their place, and that their atrocities and their complicity in the genocide in Gaza right now.. is not something that we can stand for.' Previously, Thunberg and three others agreed to be removed from Israel, while the others were further held. She said in a promotional video for her latest attempt to reach Gaza: 'It should not have to be up to us. A mission like this should not have to exist. 'It is the responsibility of countries, of our governments and elected officials to act to try to uphold international law, to prevent war crimes, to prevent genocide. 'That is their legal duty to do. And they are failing to do so, thereby betraying Palestinians but also all of humanity.' The latest attempt will see her and an unknown number of people attempt to reach Gaza, but a larger number of activists are expected. Before setting off, she defended her actions against accusations of anti-Semetism, telling Sky News this weekend: 'It is not antisemitic to say that we should not be bombing people, that one should not be living in occupation, that everyone should have the right to live in freedom and dignity, no matter who you are.' The blockade has been in place since 2007 and boats attempting to cross in the past have been blocked by Israel. In 2010 a Gaza-bound aid flotilla was raided by Israeli special forces, killing eight Turkish activists and an American-Turkish teenager. Greta Thunberg's 'freedom flotilla' crew members posted videos claiming they have been 'intercepted and kidnapped' by IDF troops while sailing towards Gaza An image released in a press release by FFC shows an apparent storming of the ship by Israeli forces Activist Greta Thunberg sits aboard the aid ship Madleen, which left the Italian port of Catania on June 1 to travel to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid Despite the dangers, Thunberg said she was more concerned by the 'silence of the world' about what is happening in the region. She added: 'I'm terrified to see that we seem to have lost all the humanity that we have, and there seems to be no compassion left in the world amongst the vast majority of people who are able to sit on the couch and watch the genocide unfold that I am terrified for.' Thunberg claimed Israel's continuation of the blockade was a violation of international law. The newest Freedom Flotilla is unlikely to be more successful on its newest voyage, with Israeli officials prepared to uphold the blockade. In a statement, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said: 'The IDF enforces the security naval blockade on the Gaza Strip and is prepared for a wide range of scenarios, which it will act upon in accordance with the directives of the political echelon.' It comes after Israel threatened to block Greta Thunberg's 'freedom flotilla' from delivering aid to Gaza in June. The climate activist and 11 pro-Palestine campaigners set sail on June 1 on a ship aimed at 'breaking Israel's siege' of the territory. The boat Madleen, operated by activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departed from Catania, Italy, and is carrying a 'symbolic' amount of aid. Videos posted to TikTok show the young activists smiling, swimming and filming social media content as the vessel makes its journey across the Mediterranean. But the Israeli Army says it is 'prepared' to raid the ship, as it has done with previous freedom flotilla efforts. 'For this case as well, we are prepared,' IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said. 'We have gained experience in recent years, and we will act accordingly.' Just seven days later, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) shared an image of the Swedish climate change activist happily accepting some bread from an Israeli soldier, after she complained about them 'kidnapping' her hours before. Thunberg made the claim in a pre-recorded Instagram video shared from on board the Madleen 'freedom flotilla', which intended to deliver aid to Palestine. Israel's MFA mocked the activist's 'selfie yacht' carrying 12 'celebrity' activists as they intercepted it, saying the 'tiny amount of aid' on board would be 'transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels'. 'The passengers are expected to return to their home countries,' the government department wrote in a statement shared on X. Ms Thunberg is among 12 activists on board the ship, pictured, hoping to 'break [Israel's] siege on the Gaza Strip' with a delivery of humanitarian aid The IDF begun deploying security forces in the area, JPost reported in June 'While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity and which included less than a single truckload of aid more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks, and in addition, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza. 'There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip they do not involve Instagram selfies. 'The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the celebrities will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels.' A separate Freedom Flotilla ship was attacked in May by two alleged drones while sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta. A classic car-loving film maker working with a string of top companies has been fined after police had to reach 100mph to catch up with him after he was spotted driving recklessly while already banned. Ehsan Bhatti had previously eulogised to his social media followers about his gorgeous 1980s Ferrari F355 GTS, which he had driven across Europe and described as probably one of the prettiest Ferraris ever.. But the 41-year-old - nominated for a Young Directors Award at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival and who has worked for brands such as Louis Vuitton, Burberry, BMW, Prosche, Nike and Samsung producing promotional videos - fell foul of police when driving on the A5 at Cerrigydrudion, North Wales, in May. At the time, he was subject of a six-month driving ban imposed in April by City of London Magistrates for failing to provide information about the identity of who was driving a classic Mercedes car registered in his name. A police patrol officer became aware of Bhattis Ferrari, worth at least 70,000, after it overtook a string of vehicles. Prosecutor Diane Williams, prosecuting, told Mold Magistrates Court that the officer reached more than 100mph to catch up with him, after the Ferrari overtook vehicles. She added: The vehicle contravened a solid white line as it travelled towards Cerrigydrudion. The court heard Bhatti was also found to have been driving the Ferrari without insurance. Film-maker Ehsan Bhatti poses on Instagram video with Ferrari believed to be the one he was driving in North Wales Bhatti makes clear his admiration of the vintage 1980s' sportscar, which is worth at least 70k Bhatti as he is about to show off the plush interior of the Ferrari in the social media video Mrs Williams said Bhatti, who lives in a 1m home in Finchley, North London, told police he was unaware of the ban. North Wales roads policing unit had posted about their pursuit of Bhatti on social media, saying: The driver was seen to be contravening solid white lines, driving at excess speed and careless driving Turns out he'd travelled up to North Wales from London and was also disqualified... The man was reported for disqualified driving, careless driving and contravening solid white lines. By all means, come here drive safe, go home and repeat. Come here, drive dangerously, lose your licence or your life. Its your choice. Rhys Rosser, defending, said the previous Novembers court hearing took place in his clients absence. Mr Rosser said Bhatti travelled abroad regularly for work in America and South Africa. He said: Hes flown back for this hearing and leaving the jurisdiction again tomorrow. He wasnt aware of the (City of London) disqualification at the time.' Bhatti is pictured at Mold Magistrates' Court on Friday, where he was sentenced to further ban Bhatti was also fined 2,200 and told by magistrates: 'The rules are there for a reason'. Bhatti was fined a total of 2,204 with costs of 967. A further eight-months ban was imposed. He admitted driving whilst banned, without insurance and failing to comply with white lines. Court chairman Ian Jones told him: We have taken a lot of time to consider these matters, not least because we take driving offences in North Wales very seriously. The rules are there for a reason. It was a bank holiday weekend where there would be families and visitors to the area driving that road. Hed driven a significant distance, the magistrate added. A Texas father unintentionally killed his baby daughter by overdosing her Benadryl to make her sleep so he could have 'quality time' with his wife, a court has found. Jurors found Adam Canales Jr., 33, guilty of manslaughter, according to local news channel KCBD. His wife, Sarah, 25, also faces a manslaughter charge. Canales appeared in court for the verdict on Thursday wearing a large white cowboy hat with the rim pulled down low, potentially to hide his face and expression. District Attorney Sunshine Stanek said both parents admitted to giving their baby several medications including Benadryl, ZzzQuil, and dextromethorphan. Stanek added that the couple regularly 'dosed' their daughter to make her drowsy. She said Canales wanted his daughter to sleep on this occasion, in July 2021, so he could have 'quality time' with his wife. Stanek blasted Canales as 'selfish, self-centered and extremely reckless', per KCBD. He now faces up to 20 years in jail. The court also heard details about what led up to the two-month-old child's death during the trial at 137th District Court in Lubbock, north-west Texas. Texas father Adam Canales Jr (pictured) unintentionally killed his baby daughter by overdosing her Benadryl to make her sleep so he could have 'quality time' with his wife, a court has found Stanek blasted Canales (pictured) as 'selfish, self-centered and extremely reckless' Sheriffs said they arrived at a home in Idalou, a small town just outside Lubbock, on July 11, 2021 after receiving calls about an infant who needed an ambulance. Lubbock County Sheriff's Office said when their deputies arrived at around 4pm, the baby was 'not breathing' and had already died. Canales and his wife admitted to giving their daughter several doses of Benadryl, an over-the-counter medicine, in an attempt to lull her to sleep. He told deputies he had 'fed and swaddled the baby' three hours before, and placed her in a rocker while he took a nap on the couch. When he woke up, his daughter was no longer breathing. His wife was not in the room at the time and the baby was in Canales' care. An autopsy found that the baby died of 'mixed drug toxicity', and the Canales couple were arrested in January 2022. Jurors found Canales (pictured in court), 33, guilty of manslaughter on Thursday, according to local news channel KCBD . His wife, Sarah, 25, also faces a manslaughter charge Canales' defense lawyer, Kirstopher Mincey, said that the couple had failed to communicate about which medications they had given their baby that day. Mincey said they had 'a lot going on in the home at the time', when their baby was found unresponsive, according to local NBC affiliate KCBD. He added that Canales did not know any better because his parents used to give him the same medication when he was a child. The baby's mother, Sarah Canales, is yet to face trial. Police Scotland must ditch plans to introduce live facial recognition, human rights groups have urged. Chief Constable Jo Farrell has said the force 'will move ahead' with work to 'develop a live facial recognition (LFR) capability'. But the decision has been condemned by anti-racism, equality, and human rights groups who say it is an alarming step towards a Scottish surveillance state. In a joint statement, 14 organisations called for Police Scotland to scrap the plans due to concern over their legality and their possible discriminatory impact, and a lack of parliamentary consideration. It said: Live facial recognition has faced criticism from rights and equalities groups across the globe due to its impact on privacy, freedom of expression and its well-documented racial and gender biases. International research, as well as testing of the Metropolitan Police and South Wales Polices facial recognition algorithm, has identified disproportionately higher inaccuracy rates when attempting to identify people of colour and women. It added that the use of the technology in England and Wales has been subject to legal challenges. Facial recognition technology has raised fears of a 'surveillance state' Chief Constable Jo Farrell has said Police Scotland will press ahead with plans The Court of Appeal ruled in 2019 that South Wales Polices use of facial recognition technology was unlawful and violated human rights, while the Metropolitan Police are facing legal action after an anti-knife crime activist, Shaun Thompson, was wrongly flagged as a criminal by the London forces technology. And, in 2020, Holyroods sub-committee on policing held an inquiry into the use of the technology north of the Border, finding that there was no justifiable basis for the use of facial recognition software. The joint statement added: Police use of live facial recognition is not enabled by any specific piece of legislation and has not been authorised by parliament. Police forces have been left to write their own policies about how and where it can be used. Earlier this month, the LFR plan suffered a blow after the UK equalities regulator said its usage could flout European human rights laws. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said the policy of the Metropolitan Police on deploying the technology was 'unlawful' and 'intrusive'. It said forces using the technology need to 'ensure they deploy it in ways which are consistent with the law and with human rights'. Liz Thomson, Scotland programme director at Amnesty International, said Police Scotlands claim to be a rights-based force is at odds with plans to introduce a tool of mass surveillance. Around the world, facial recognition technologies are being used to stifle protest and harass minority communities, she said. These systems violate the right to privacy, threaten the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, and to equality and non-discrimination. In recent months, the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland hosted the Metropolitan Police in Edinburgh to reassure Scottish civil society that LFR could be used without detrimental human rights impact. Yet just last week the EHRC publicly warned that the Mets policy on LFR use is unlawful. Its time Police Scotland started listening. If the force continues with its own plans for LFR it will be dragging Scotland backwards on human rights. Madeleine Stone, senior advocacy officer at Big Brother Watch, said it was deeply disappointing that Police Scotland are pursuing using the technology. She said: Live facial recognition technology has no place in a democratic society and poses a grave risk to the rights and freedoms of the Scottish public. "There is no specific legislation governing police use of this technology, meaning that police forces across the UK are already deploying this technology absent of meaningful accountability or oversight. Police Scotland should instead take this opportunity to lead by example and pursue a rights-respecting approach to policing, rather than repeating the mistakes of English and Welsh forces who have invested taxpayers money [on] this Orwellian technology. Asked for comment, Police Scotland reiterated remarks made by a senior officer at a recent meeting of the Scottish Police Authoritys public board. Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors said the force totally understands that people need assurances and reassurances about how we would use LFR. She said: We are passionate about meeting the positive duty that is on us to use technology for law enforcement. September 1st is Labor Day in the United States, a time set aside each year to honor the part played by American workers in the building of a free and prosperous society. From the earliest days of colonial settlement, America has held out the promise of a better life to those who are willing to work. American statesman Benjamin Franklin once said that his countrymen "do not inquire concerning a stranger, What is he? but, what can he do?" Since 1607, tens of millions of people have immigrated legally to America. For many of these immigrants, the first years brought hardship and privation. Two-thirds of the settlers of the English colony at Jamestown died during the first year. Many Chinese laborers died in the mountains of Nevada building America's first transcontinental railroad. In the 1890s, Italian, Irish, Jewish and other immigrants employed in New York Citys garment industry often slept on cots in the shops where they worked more than ten hours at a time. Black Americans brought to the United States against their will endured the horrors of slavery. Hispanic, Asian, and other immigrants suffered for decades from discrimination in employment. Yet despite such difficulties, hard work and sacrifice brought rewards for American immigrants. Spurred by the incentives of a free market, some immigrants who began as laborers became successful entrepreneurs. Andrew Carnegie, the son of impoverished Scottish immigrants, worked as a messenger boy to help support his family. He later became a leader of America's steel industry and contributed much of his vast fortune to scientific, educational, and humanitarian institutions. Samuel Goldfish, a Jewish immigrant who changed his name to Goldwyn, became a founder of the American motion picture industry. Igor Sikorsky arrived in America from Russia in 1919, a penniless refugee. Within twenty years, he was producing trans-oceanic commercial aircraft and the world's first helicopters. America has no monopoly on industrious and enterprising people. Such men and women can be found in every land. But America does have advantages that many nations do not -- the rule of law and a system of free enterprise. As Benjamin Franklin put it more than two hundred years ago, "With regard to encouragements. . . from government, they are really only what are derived from good laws and liberty. In short, America is the land of labor." As President Donald Trump said in his 2020 Labor Day Proclamation: On this Labor Day, we express our deep gratitude to workers of every generation who helped create the greatest economy in the world. . . .Together, we will continue the great American comeback. A Texas woman has been arrested after police say she 'intentionally' left her baby in a hot car to die while she worked. Vanessa Esquivel, 27, has been charged with murder after her 15-month-old child died on August 16, according to the Frisco Police Department. Investigators said Esquivel left her baby, who has not been identified, in her car while she went to work in the 3200 block of Preston Road, which is located north of Dallas, at approximately 2.00pm. The temperature outside was 95 degrees that day, according to Fox 4. 'At that time, detectives believe Esquivel intentionally left her 15-month-old child for over two hours in a vehicle she knew did not have working air conditioning,' police said. Police launched their investigation in Esquivel after they were notified of the baby's death by Medical City Plano. 'Based on information gathered during the investigation, Frisco Detectives believed probable cause existed that Esquivel had committed murder, as her intentionally leaving the child in the car caused injury/endangered the child, which is a felony,' police said. 'Because it resulted in the child's death, her actions met the statutory requirements of murder.' Vanessa Esquivel (pictured), 27, has been charged with murder after her 15-month-old child died in a hot car on August 16 Police said Esquivel left her baby in her car on a 95 degree day while she went to work in the 3200 block of Preston Road (pictured) Detectives obtained a warrant for her arrest, and Esquivel was subsequently arrested by Dallas Police on August 20. She transferred to the custody of Frisco officers that same day and put in the Collin County Jail with a $250,000 bond. If convicted of first-degree murder, she faces a sentence between five years to life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Roughly 37 American children die from being trapped or left to roast in hot cars each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). More than half of all hot car deaths are the result of someone forgot their child in the vehicle. About 47 percent of people who forget their kids in the backseat meant to drop them off at school or daycare, NHTSA reported. Last month, an adorable toddler died two days before his second birthday after he was left in a hot car by his foster father for over eight hours, according to police. Hudley Owen Hamlett was found unresponsive on July 31 after his legal guardian, Brian Dalton, left him in a hot car while he went to work in Virginia, officials said. Esquivel is accused of intentionally leaving her 15-month-old child for over two hours in a vehicle she knew did not have working air conditioning Police launched their investigation in Esquivel after they were notified of the baby's death by Medical City Plano (pictured) The tragedy was uncovered when Dalton arrived at the Chestnut Academy day care at about 3.30pm to pick Hudley up but was informed the toddler had not been dropped off that day. That's when Hudley was discovered strapped in the back of the vehicle Dalton had driven to work that morning. Dalton had left the boy in his car as he worked an eight-hour shift and did not realize it until he went to the daycare in the afternoon, according to officials. Temperatures in Amherst County, about a 120-mile drive from Richmond, reached 88 degrees on Thursday afternoon. Dalton was taken into custody at the scene and was charged with abuse and neglect of children and involuntary manslaughter. Mourners clutched teddy bears as they paid an emotional final farewell to a soft toy-loving little Ukrainian girl, killed in a deadly Russian strike last week. A funeral service was held for two-year-old Angelyna Galych along with her 24-year-old mother, Nadiya, on Sunday after both were among at least 25 civilians killed when a Russian missile hit a residential building in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Thursday. Heartbreaking pictures from the little girl's most recent birthday celebrations show her beaming as she sits in front of a chocolate cake, dwarfed by two large teddy bears, one in terracotta and the other in soft peach. Rescuers frantically trying to find survivors in the rubble were able to retrieve her beloved teddies from the rubble, but the toddler did not survive. Relatives and mourners at the funeral service were pictured clasping dolls, bears and other soft toys as the mother and daughter were laid to rest. Angelyna is believed to have been the youngest victim of the attack, which saw at least three other children killed. The deadly strike prompted Pope Leo XIV to call for an end to 'the pandemic of arms' as he prayed for the 'countless' children killed by firearms and in conflicts globally. The pontiff repeated his calls at the end of the Angelus prayer for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Mourners clutched teddy bears for a funeral service in Kyiv for a two-year-old girl and her mother, killed in a Russian strike on Thursday Angelyna Galych, pictured on her second birthday, loved her teddy bears. She was among the victims of the attack on a residential block last week Angelyna and her mother, Nadiya, were among the casualties Scores of teddy bears were left in memory of Angelyna Mourners wept for the two-year-old at her funeral service in Kyiv He urged the world 'not to give in to indifference' and renewed his 'insistent call for an immediate ceasefire and for a serious commitment to dialogue'. 'It is time for those responsible to renounce the logic of arms and embark on the path of negotiation and peace, with the support of the international community,' he said. It comes as hopes of a peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia grow ever distant after an escalation in violence, and further illegal landgrabs from Russian forces. And the chief of Russia's general staff warned at the weekend its military would conduct non-stop offensives along the entire front line. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was braced for the Ukraine war to last a long time. 'I am preparing myself inwardly for this war to last a long time,' he told public broadcaster ZDF. Efforts are being made through intensive diplomatic initiatives to end the war as quickly as possible, but this cannot be 'at the price of Ukraine's capitulation' because Russia would then simply target another country, he said. 'And then the day after tomorrow it will be us,' Mr Merz added. 'That is not an option.' He was speaking ahead of the expiry of a deadline - due to end on Monday - set by US President Donald Trump for a meeting between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine with a view to paving the way for peace talks. The bombed-out residential block where Angelyna lived with her family Rescue teams were able to pull Angelyna's cherished teddy bear from the rubble, but the infant died Children leave soft toys at the site where Angelyna and her mother were killed President Trump has threatened 'consequences' if the meeting does not take place. Chancellor Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have said the fault lies with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and have urged the US to impose tougher sanctions on Moscow. And Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi further put the pressure on Russia by reaffirming his support for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the weekend. Anti-migrant protesters including women, pensioners and at least one child have been caught by police's pepper spray as violence erupted inside a Canary Wharf shopping centre. An officer has also been 'punched in the face' as demonstrators violently clashed with police at the Canada Square shopping mall, with one child being caught with pepper spray used in an arrest of a protester. Footage shared on social media shows crowds of angry balaclava-clad men descending on police as cops wrestled the detainee to the ground, as officers quickly create a row blocking the demonstrators off from the detainee. As tensions escalated between the force and anti-migrant protesters, the two groups continued to tussle, pushing one another back as officers could be heard yelling, 'back off,' and 'move back'. Amid the chaos a policeman standing behind a row of colleagues is seen reaching over and deploying pepper spray into the crowd of protesters with one woman reeling away in agony. A screaming child, who was also caught by the pepper spray, was pictured being carried away for treatment before a masked man wearing a pink t-shirt dabbed his eyes with water-soaked paper roll in a bid to subdue his burning eyes. The latest clashes come as the Court of Appeal set aside an injunction granted earlier this month which would have stopped 138 asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Essex beyond September 12. In recent weeks, the hotel has become the focal point of several protests and counter-protests after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl last month. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, has denied any wrongdoing. A child was caught with pepper spray as police apprehended a protester who was witnessed committing an assault on a member of the public by officers A child is carried away after being caught in pepper spray as anti migrant protestors clashed with police in Canary Wharf Far-right protesters clashed with members of the public and police officers inside Canary Wharf shopping centre Masked protesters clash with police as they make their way through the shopping centre in the Isle of Dogs Earlier today, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson insisted the Home Office was right to argue the rights of asylum seekers trumped those of local residents in the town. She said the axing of the town's Bell Hotel - which has been plagued by weeks of unrest - would have triggered 'lots of disruption' and left people 'on the streets'. The Met Police has since said the child had been caught with the pepper spray after it was used to detain a man who was witnessed assaulting a member of the public. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear. A Met spokesperson said: 'We are aware other protesters and members of the public may have been temporarily affected by the use of PAVA given the density of the crowds in the area.' Lorraine, a member of the Pink Ladies group, who are protesting for the Britannia Hotel received the brunt of the pepper spray. While intensely coughing, she shouted: 'I'm 70 years old. We were just walking through.' The person filming the video also alleged a journalist present had also been pepper sprayed. A young woman was also seen reeling in pain immediately after the pepper spray was deployed, whipping her eyes as shouting and commotion could be heard echoing through the shopping centre. It is unclear whether any of the protesters required treatment following the incident in Canary Wharf. Earlier this afternoon, around a hundred counter-protesters faced off with about a dozen anti-immigration demonstrators outside the Britannia Hotel. A crowd of masked protesters have clashed with police at a Canary Wharf shopping centre today with a police officer being 'punched in the face'. Amid the chaos a policeman standing behind a row of colleagues is seen reaching over and deploying pepper spray into the crowd One woman reeling away in agony after being caught by the pepper spray Crowds of anti-migrant protesters descended after officers detained a man who was witnessed assaulting a member of the public by police Police and balaclava-clad protesters tussled as tensions escalated at the shopping centre in Canada Square It is believed protesters had gone to the shopping centre after leaving the previous location outside the hotel. Videos shared online showed young children among demonstrators, with some waving England flags as droves of anti-migrant protesters made their way through the shopping centre. Speaking to the crowd, Lorraine, who wants businesses to back their campaign of shutting the hotel housing asylum seekers in the Isle of Dogs, said: 'We need you guys to help us shut down that hotel. 'Otherwise we will be hear every single week, and we will get bigger, bigger and bigger. So Canary Wharf, and your millions, put pen to paper and get the place shut down now!' Demonstrators could be heard whooping in support of her statements went on to loudly chant: 'Shut it down, shut it down.' The Met Police have since arrested four people after they imposing restrictions on people wearing masks ahead of the anti-asylum protest. A Met spokesperson said: 'The group entered Canary Wharf shopping centre at around 16:30hrs where they stopped for a static protest a small number of masked protesters then became aggressive towards members of the public and police. 'Officers made arrests and enforced cordons in the area to prevent a breach of the peace. The two groups continude to tussle, pushing one another back as officers could be heard yelling, 'back off,' and 'move back' Lorraine (pictured) a member of the Pink Ladies group, who are protesting for the Britannia Hotel received the brunt of the pepper spray Masked counter-protesters are held back by police officers as protesters gather in support of migrants People protesting outside the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf, east London, earlier today Protesters march in support of migrants near Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf where asylum seekers are housed 'A Section 60 AA was put in place for the Isle of Dogs south of the A1261 to prevent people concealing their identity with masks - failure to comply can lead to arrest. 'A Section 35 dispersal order was also put in place in the same area directing protesters to leave. Both orders last until midnight. 'Arrests were made for common assault by a protester on a member of the public, possession of class A and B drugs, assault on police/public order offences and failure to disperse. One of our officers was punched in the face - luckily they did not suffered significant injury.' Commander Adam Slonecki, in charge of policing London this weekend, said: 'This afternoon we have unfortunately seen more disorder, following the five arrests made yesterday in the West Drayton area. 'We had plenty of officers on the ground who moved in swiftly to deal with the criminality that occurred inside and outside the shopping centre. We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour. 'Today's protest saw many community members attend, including women and children, and we worked to ensure the safety of those there to peacefully represent their views. 'Those who arrive at protests masked and intent on causing trouble will continue to be dealt with robustly at future protests. An anti immigration protester holds a sign which reads: 'Keir Starmer you are putting our girls in danger' Protesters calling for the closure of The Bell Hotel which houses asylum seekers, gather outside the council offices in Epping Protesters outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, today after a temporary injunction that would have blocked asylum seekers from being housed at the hotel, was overturned More protesters wave Union Jacks and English flags, with one reading: 'Epping says no' Another sign reads: 'I'm not far right, I am worried about my kids' A man, wearing an English flag, lets off a flair as he demonstrates outside the hotel in Epping 'We remain in the area to deter any further disorder and provide reassurance to local residents and businesses while also continuing our investigation into offences committed this afternoon.' Elsewhere in Epping, three people have been arrested after the latest protest against The Bell Hotel being used to house asylum seekers, with two men and a woman being detained this evening. A woman was arrested on suspicion of breaching a Section 14 order which was put in place by police on Sunday evening. The order set out specific areas where the protest could take place. Essex Police said her arrest was 'categorically not for flying the Union flag' as some people had suggested. One man was arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after an emblem was reported to have been set alight. This relates to an alleged incident on Friday. A second man was arrested for breaching the Section 14 order after refusing to leave when the assembly had concluded, police said. All three remain in custody. During the demonstration chants of Keir Starmer is a 'w****r', 'our kids, our streets', as well as 'send them back', could be heard as they waved Union Jacks and English flags Anti-migrant demonstrators have also vowed to 'redouble their efforts' to close the hotel, undeterred by the recent ruling. In Manchester, videos have emerged of police facing off with demonstrators as anti-migrant protests escalate outside the Best Western Hotel in Fallowfield Protesters have partially blocked the road, as counter-demonstrators use umbrellas to block their identities from those filming Earlier today, Essex Police imposed restrictions ahead of the planned protest in Epping. Any demonstrations were ordered to end by 8pm and protesters were forbidden to block the road. The force has also put a Section 60AA order in place giving officers the power to order the removal of face coverings. A dispersal order, which covers the main high street and the area surrounding the hotel, will be in place until 4am. It comes after three men were arrested and two charged after two police officers were injured in a protest outside the hotel on Friday. Ross Ellis, 49, of Orchard Croft, Harlow, has been charged with failing to provide a specimen and Jimmy Hillard, 52, of Chequers Road, Loughton, has been charged with assaulting an emergency worker. Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said: 'These restrictions are in place to prevent serious disruption to the lives of our Epping residents, which remains at the forefront of our minds, as well as to prevent serious disorder, to prevent serious violence and to prevent serious damage to property. 'The restrictions allow anyone present to lawfully protest to do so within a six-hour window and within sight and sound of the Bell Hotel. 'We've consistently said that we will always seek to facilitate lawful protest but that does not include a right to commit crime, and we'll take a firm approach to anyone intent on doing that.' In Manchester, videos have emerged of police facing off with demonstrators as anti-migrant protests escalate outside the Best Western Hotel in Fallowfield. Protesters have partially blocked the road, as counter-demonstrators use umbrellas to block their identities from those filming. The two groups have reportedly clash, with Greater Manchester Police officers speaking with an individual who alleged they were assaulted, Manchester Evening News reported. It comes as, Lord Justice Bean quashed an injuction to stop the Bell Hotel from housing migrants Mr Justice Bean sat with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Lord Justice Cobb Protesters march towards the Bell Hotel this evening, waving England flags and Union Jacks on Friday It comes after the Home Office won an appeal to keep the hotel open as lawyers for Home Secretary Yvette Cooper argued shutting the hotel would set a 'dangerous precedent' that would have encouraged similar litigation by other councils. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the move showed Prime Minister Keir Starmer 'puts the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British people who just want to feel safe in their towns and communities.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage echoed this sentiment, writing on X: 'Illegal migrants have more rights than the people of Essex. Reform UK will put an end to this.' Dame Angela Eagle, the asylum minister, maintained the government was following its plan to close migrant hotels by 2029, stressing that the recent Home Office appeal was required so move-outs could happen in a 'controlled and orderly way'. Holly Whitbread, the Finance and Economic Development Portfolio Holder for Epping Forest District Council, said the ruling was 'deeply disappointing' but vowed to continue 'fighting' the Home Office. Last week, the High Court ruled that all 138 asylum seekers at the hotel should be temporarily removed following legal action brought by Epping Forest District Council. Quashing the injunction, Lord Justice Bean, sitting with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Lord Justice Cobb, said Mr Justice Eyre - who granted the interim injunction last week - 'made a number of errors in principle, which undermine this decision'. A protester holding a Union Jack flag near the Bell Hotel on August 29 Anti-immigration Protesters block the road as Police attempt to hold them back, outside The Delta Marriott Hotel on Friday Protesters hold a banner reading 'protect our kids' during a protest earlier this month 'We grant permission to appeal, both to Somani and to [the Home Office]... We allow the appeals and we set aside the injunction imposed on 19 August 2025,' he continued. The judges also ruled that the Home Office could intervene in the case, saying that Mr Justice Eyre made an 'erroneous' decision not to let the department be involved. Reading a summary of their decision, Lord Justice Bean said the Home Office had a 'constitutional role relating to public safety' and was affected by the issues. A full trial of the council's case against the hotel will be held in October. He continued: 'The judge's approach ignores the obvious consequence that the closure of one site means capacity needs to be identified elsewhere in the system.' He added that such an injunction 'may incentivise' other councils to take similar steps to Epping Forest. He said: 'The potential cumulative impact of such ad hoc applications was a material consideration... that was not considered by the judge.' The judge also said that the appeals were 'not concerned with the merits of government policy in relation to the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers in hotels or otherwise'. Touching on local residents' concerns, Lord Justice Bean said: 'The Epping residents' fear of crime was properly taken into account by the judge as a factor in favour of grant of an injunction. He described it as being of limited weight.' Tory leader Kemi Badenoch urged Conservative councillors seeking similar injunctions to 'KEEP GOING!' despite the ruling Home Secretary Yvette Cooper appealed against the High Court ruling ordering the Bell Hotel to be closed An aerial view of the site in Epping, Essex He added: 'We agree it is relevant, but in our view, it is clearly outweighed... by the undesirability of incentivising protests, by the desirability in the interests of justice of preserving the status quo for the relatively brief period leading up to the forthcoming trial and by the range of public interest factors which we have discussed in our judgement.' The full written judgement in the case, which Lord Justice Bean said runs to over 120 paragraphs, will be provided later. However, more than a dozen defiant councils are still planning on taking legal action against the Government despite the Home Office winning an appeal against the closure of the asylum seeker hotel. Labour-run councils, such as Wirral, Stevenage, Tamworth and Rushmoor are among those continuing to storm ahead with plans to launch legal bids against the government. Conservative-run Broxbourne Council insisted they would go ahead with plans to challenge the Delta Hotel in Cheshunt, with leader Corina Gander telling Times Radio she 'Absolutely [was] not' deterred by the recent hearing. 'The route that we're going down is planning enforcement. So we've issued this week a planning contravention notice, which will give us enough evidence to prove that the hotel is not a hotel, it is effectively a hostel,' she said. Elsewhere in Spelthorne, the local authority said there was 'no change' in their plans to launch a legal bid after the use of Stanwell Hotel was changed from housing families and women to only single males. On Thursday, an emergency meeting will take place to discuss legal action on the planning grounds. The Bell Hotel will continue to be used to house asylum seekers before a full trial of the council's case Local councillor Shane Yerrell said the government should 'hang their heads in shame' on Friday A small number of protesters gathered outside the hotel after the judgement on Friday Following this week's Court of Appeal ruling, Wirral council said it would take into account particulars regarding Epping before making a decision. The Labour-run local authority previously said it was 'considering all options available' to ensure hotels or any other properties in the local authority were being used lawfully. Stevenage Borough Council, also run by Labour, said it was probing reported breaches of planning control linked to the Novotel Hotel in Hertfordshire. Reform UK council, West Northamptonshire and Staffordshire, are also among those weighing up legal bids against asylum accommodation. Earlier, Epping Forest District Council said it was 'deeply disappointing' by the outcome of today's hearing, while issuing a stark warning to the Home Office that 'the battle is not over'. 'This is not the end of the matter. While the Court of Appeal has lifted the temporary injunction, the case for the final injunction is still to be heard. Our battle on behalf of our residents will continue. 'A few weeks from now we will be back in court where we trust the strength of our case will still prevail.' A new pay-as-you-go rail ticketing system which tracks passengers real-time location as they travel is to be trialled in England for the first time. The location-tracking digital ticketing trial starts on East Midlands Railway between Leicester, Derby and Nottingham on Monday, September 1. Further tests will take place in Yorkshire from the end of September. Under the scheme, passengers will be able to check in and out of rail journeys using an app on their phone. The app will track journeys using their phone's global positioning system (GPS) and then passengers will be automatically charged at the end of the day. When passing through ticket barriers, passengers will have to scan a unique bar code which appears on the app. The new tech, which is already being tested in Switzerland, Denmark and Scotland, is designed to replace the need for paper tickets and mobile tickets which use a QR code. Up to 4,000 people will be able to take part in the trials by signing up on train operators' websites. A new pay-as-you-go scheme will allow rail passengers to check in and out of rail journeys using an app on their phone The app will track journeys using the phone's global positioning system (GPS) and then passengers will be automatically charged at the end of the day The location-tracking digital ticketing trial starts on East Midlands Railway between Leicester, Derby and Nottingham on September 1, 2025 Ministers hope the trial will help to save passengers both money and time while travelling on the rail network. Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy said: 'The railway ticketing system is far too complicated and long overdue an upgrade to bring it into the 21st century. 'Through these trials we're doing just that, and making buying tickets more convenient, more accessible and more flexible. 'By putting passenger experience at the heart of our decision-making we're modernising fares and ticketing and making it simpler and easier for people to choose rail.' Oli Cox, head of commercial strategy and business planning at East Midlands Railway, said 'more than 500 people' had already registered an interest in taking part in the trial. From the end of September, the trial will be extended to Northern Rail services between Harrogate, Leeds, Sheffield, Doncaster and Barnsley. Jenna Cowie, interim commercial director at East Midlands Railway, said: 'It is great that we have had such a positive reaction to this trial. It is all about making train travel easier, faster and more intuitive. 'No more fare confusion just check in and out with your phone and know youll automatically pay the best-value fare for your journey. More information about the trial is available here. Holiday hotspots Majorca and Ibiza are preparing to house asylum seekers in a swathe of UK-style migrant hotels, according to local reports. The move comes amid a surge in the number of migrants arriving on the shores of the Balearic Islands. Made up of Menorca and Formentera as well as Majorca and Ibiza, the Balearics have seen an unprecedented rise in illegal arrivals this year - fuelling fears that the Mediterranean getaway could become a migration hotspot. Some 639 migrants reached the islands in the space of just three days earlier this month after making the journey on 38 small boats, taking the total figure to 4,500 arrivals for the year thus far. While this is far less than the 50,000 who have arrived in Britain since Sir Keir Starmer's Labour assumed power last year, Balearic officials have consistently pleaded with the government to increase border support. 'Where is the government of (Pedro) Sanchez?' regional leader Marga Prohens said earlier this month, referring to Spain's Prime Minister. She called for increased law enforcement resources and cooperation with Algeria, where it is believed the majority of the small wooden boats, known as pateras, are coming from. And after Madrid vowed to assist the islands' capacity to absorb arrivals, it appears that this support is coming in the form of a multi-million euro care package to fund migrant hotels. Holiday hotspots Majorca and Ibiza are preparing to house asylum seekers in a swathe of UK-style migrant hotels (File Image) There has been a surge in the number of migrants arriving on the shores of the Balearic Islands (Pictured: A migrant hanging his clothes in a park in Majorca on August 24, 2025) Some 639 migrants reached the islands in the space of just three days earlier this month after making the journey on 38 small boats (Pictured: Migrants arriving from a Spanish coast guard vessel on March 5, 2025) According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, the Spanish Government has given Balearic officials 6.7million euros to combat the crisis. They say that the budget being deployed to fund migrant hotels will only be used in 'exceptional circumstances' where existing temporary accommodation is full. But the report claims Madrid's funding will be used to create further care facilities in the Port of Palma. Such accommodation will reportedly be manned by translators and security guards, with extra cash going towards ferrying migrants to and from the mainland under the ministry's human aid programme. The English publication, which is based on the island, goes on to say that hotels could also be used under special circumstances such as housing entire families or women fleeing violence. Madrid's Balearic delegate has already confirmed that potential hotels have been identified for use, according to the report, with medical care units, legal advisors and dining halls also set to be deployed. Migrants (pictured) rest after disembarking from a Spanish coast guard vessel on April 13, 2025 According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin , the Balearic Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration has been handed 6.7million euros to combat the crisis (File Image) The Balearic Government is set to take the issue to the Supreme Court in Madrid, citing that they have a lack of resources and funding - among other issues - to absorb such mass arrivals. Manuel Pavon, the newly appointed Balearics director-general for immigration and cooperation and former police officer, has taken aim at Madrid delegate Alfonso Rodriguez over migration. He said: 'Perhaps he's forgotten that I'm a police officer. Every time waves of boats arrive, the police unions complain that they don't have the resources and that people aren't monitored. 'We must recognise that we don't know who arrives, where they're going, or what they've done; we have no data, and the police are overwhelmed.' Mr Pavon also pointed to the 77 per cent rise in rates of migrants arriving on the Balearics in the last year, while the Canary Islands have seen a 46 per cent decrease. It is unclear whether any such move would see migrants housed in the same hotels often frequented by Britons abroad or whether the residences would be closed off to the public. The Daily Mail has approached the Spanish Government's Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration for comment. He has been her constant companion for half a decade and even played a starring role on her wedding day. But Georgia Toffolo has revealed that her precious pooch Monty now treats BrewDog tycoon James Watt as the top dog in their family. The Made In Chelsea star admitted: Status wise, Im now at the bottom of the pile in our pack. She added: I dont know whether its because James is more dominant, but I was always Montys person until I met James. Georgia and Monty are inseperable, five years after she bought him from Gumtree Georgia admits that James has now come between her and her beloved pet The pair enjoyed a fun fishing trip in Scotland... but James is definitely top dog with Monty Georgia and her cavalier king charles spaniel have been inseparable since the 30-year-old influencer bought him off Gumtree on a hungover whim in 2020. However, the reality star admitted that it hasnt always been domestic bliss for her growing pack. Georgia said that when she first started visiting her new beau in Aberdeenshire, Monty kicked up a stink. She joked: He went through a stage of doing a dirty protest when I first started coming up here. Its weird because hes so obsessed with James, but he did a Scottish dirty protest twice. Right outside our bedroom. Farmers have called for a government investigation amid fears that sea eagles are snatching ponies from an island herd. Veteran crofter Donald John Cameron raised the alarm after five Shetland pony foals vanished from his herd on South Uist over a nine-week period earlier this year. He points to the giant birds of prey, which have a wingspan of 8ft and often circle his flocks, as the most likely culprits. Cameron said: They're not dissolving into thin air. We have had Shetland ponies for 60 years-plus, and nothing like this has happened before. The only difference in the last few years is that we have a bigger presence of white-tailed eagles. The huge raptors were reintroduced to Scotland in 1975, 60 years after they were declared extinct. But while their return was initially hailed as a victory for conservationists, the eagles quickly begun to wreak havoc on Scottish farms. Mr Camerons allegations come months after a spate of eagle attacks on lambs across the country prompted other farmers to demand a cull of the species. In January the Scottish Daily Mail told how one farmer in Argyll faced ruin after sea eagles killed nearly 300 lambs on his farm. Richard Rennie said: As soon as we turn [the lambs] out onto the hills its just a massacre. We made a loss of 24,000 last year. Everyone thinks the numbers we cite are ridiculous. But if you get four eagles killing one lamb each a day over 50 days thats 200 lambs. Crofters have called for action amid fears sea eagles are targeting livestock Ponies have gone missing and farmers are convinced they are being taken by eagles Now Mr Cameron argues that incidents like these, along with other evidence of eagles taking larger deer calves, suggests that the birds may have begun targeting small ponies too. The crofter stressed that he can't see any other explanation, adding that the behaviour of the foals' mothers suggests the missing ponies were predated. David Colthart, who represents farmers on the National Sea Eagles Stakeholders' Panel, admitted that while the birds had never been known to lift ponies before, such behaviour is not out of the question. He told the Sunday Post: This the first time I have heard of white-tailed eagles being suspected of lifting Shetland pony foals. I have seen photos of them carrying deer calves so it's not impossible given the small size of Shetland foals. In response to Mr Camerons accusations, the Scottish Governments wildlife agency NatureScot has pledged to inspect sea eagles nests in the surrounding area. Experts hope that studying animal remains lodged in the nests will reveal what the birds have been eating, and so confirm whether they have begun to prey on larger animals. If they discover pony carcasses, Cameron has demanded government help to move the birds elsewhere or to better protect his herd. A NatureScot spokesman said that the agency had already offered Cameron offered him advice on the support available through its Sea Eagle Management Scheme. They added: While there is currently no direct evidence to support his view, we will be analysing prey remains from sea eagle nests across North and South Uist this year to help inform our wider work with farmers and crofters. This will include visits to nest sites near Mr Cameron's holding. Queen Camilla was assaulted as a teenager and fought off her attacker with a shoe, a new royal book has claimed. The royal is said to have been on a train to Paddington as a 16 or 17-year-old schoolgirl when a man attempted to touch her. The revelation emerged in an upcoming book by former royal correspondent Valentine Low, titled Power and the Palace: The Inside Story of the Monarchy and 10 Downing Street, serialised in The Times. Camilla is alleged to have told Boris Johnson her ordeal in 2008, when he was invited to meet her at Clarence House as the newly elected mayor of London. She is said to have told Mr Johnson that 'some guy was moving his hand further and further'. Detailing what happened, the then Duchess of Cornwall allegedly 'did what my mother taught me to' - taking off her high heel and hitting the attacker with it. The Mail understands that while she has never sought to make her own experience public, the Queen is pragmatic it has now been reported publicly. A source close to her said: 'If reading about her own experience helps other women, then in the circumstances she would consider that a positive outcome.' Queen Camilla attends the Service of Remembrance to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas on August 15 Queen Camilla is said to have been on a train to Paddington as a 16 or 17-year-old when a man attempted to touch her. Pictured: Camilla (left) when younger Friends say the incident is something she has never hidden from family and friends. Indeed she has, they say, also privately discussed it with some of the individuals and organisations she has worked with over the past decade in the field of sexual assault and domestic violence. But she has never wanted to equate her experience, however unpleasant and unwarranted, with some of the tragic and heartbreaking stories that other women have bravely chosen to share with her over the years. 'Her experience, alas, was as familiar to many women then as it is, sadly, today. And clearly, totally unacceptable,' a source told the Mail. 'But she has never wanted to equate what she went through as a young woman with the stories that so many victims and survivors have had the courage to share with her over her past decade of campaigning on the issue. 'This is not because of any sense of shame. It simply happened a very long time ago and she dealt with it. She has always taken the view that other women's stories are much more important than her own.' Friends are also at pains to stress that the experience wasn't responsible for inspiring her public work, which has always very much been about the women who have needed her help. But they feel it has given her a certain amount of empathy and understanding about some of the experiences they have undergone. King Charles and his wife Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot, Day 5, on June 21 this year Victims of sexual assault are granted lifelong legal anonymity to protect their identities from being published in the media on or social media forums. However the book says that the account came from former Prime Minister Boris Johnson who met with Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, at Clarence House, her London residence, in 2008 when he was Mayor of London. The Queen first visited a crisis centre for victims of rape and sexual assault in Croydon, south London, in 2009 as Duchess of Cornwall. She was so moved by the stories she heard and of the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre's need for practical and financial support that she determined to make the issue a cornerstone of her public work. It is one she has insisted on continuing as Queen. Over the years she has worked tirelessly to highlight organisations supporting victims of rape and sexual support, meeting survivors and shining a light on the organisations that support them. In 2013 she held a ground-breaking reception in London, bringing together national stakeholders and key decision-makers in the field. It was the first time in the UK that such a wide range of organisation had been drawn together to specifically discuss rape and sexual abuse. That same year she started her 'washbags' project to provide victims with toiletries such as shampoo, shower gel and toothbrush's to use after undergoing gruelling forensic examinations in the aftermath of an assault. Camilla said she wanted to offer them a touch of comfort and normality at such a traumatic time in their lives. She has also visited many centres worldwide in countries as diverse as the USA, India, and the Balkans. Recently she became patron of the Mirabel Centre in Nigeria, the country's first sexual assault referral centre. The Queen is also closely associated with several organisations in the UK - including Safe Lives and WOW! - both of which campaign in the field. In 2021 she gave a speech about the stigma and shame that survivors often face, saying: 'Rapists are not born, they are constructed. And it takes an entire community male and female to dismantle the lies, words and actions that foster a culture in which sexual assault is seen as normal, and in which it shames the victim.' Over the years Camilla has also expanded her work to help the victims and survivors of domestic abuse. In November last year, an ITV documentary followed the Queen's campaign work - including a poignant moment where she sat at a small table in a women's refuge talking with a domestic abuse survivor. 'I'm probably just as nervous as you,' she tells Natalie, whose identity has been protected. She then listens intently to the survivor's heartbreaking story about how her 'funny and charming' partner turned into an abusive monster who would beat her 'sometimes for days'. In the film, the Queen said domestic abuse should not be a taboo subject, and called for it to be talked about more openly. A prolific dine-and-dash couple visited three restaurants across four days and racked up 500 in bills by giving several reasons they were unable to pay. Lauren Halliday and her boyfriend indulged in expensive meals at a number of upmarket restaurants across Newcastle that included Victors, Hula and Lui's. But the pair strategically crafted a number of explanations for their inability to pay that included failing to return after having a cigarette, alongside problems with their online banking apps. At one point, the 33-year-old did a runner despite promising to return to the restaurant to settle up her tab, a court heard. Despite initially appearing to have gotten away with footing bills of up to 500, the pair were eventually caught in the act after CCTV footage was passed to the police, identifying both Halliday and her partner. James Long, prosecuting, said that both Halliday and her co-accused had visited luxury Asian restaurant Victors on February 26 and ordered a substantial amount of food and drinks that came to a total of 245. Explaining how they avoided settling their tab, he said: 'They go out for a cigarette and never return to settle the bill.' Then, just two days later, they visited the Hawaiian-themed bar and restaurant Hula, ordering up to 167.20 worth of food and drink. Lauren Halliday (pictured) and her boyfriend indulged in expensive meals at a number of upmarket restaurants across Newcastle that included Victors, Hula and Lui's. But the pair strategically crafted a number of explanations for their inability to pay, a court heard James Long, prosecuting, said that both Halliday and her co-accused had visited luxury Asian restaurant Victors (pictured) on February 26 and ordered a substantial amount of food and drinks that came to a total of 245. He said: 'They go out for a cigarette and never return to settle the bill' Then, just two days later, they visited the Hawaiian-themed bar and restaurant Hula (pictured), ordering up to 167.20 worth of food and drink. To avoid paying their hefty bill, they insisted that there was 'a problem with their banking app and the manager sympathised with them' To avoid paying their hefty bill, they insisted that there was 'a problem with their banking app and the manager sympathised with them.' Mr Long added: 'They leave the premises, promising to come back at 8pm but they never do.' The pair's final act of theft took place at Italian tapas restaurant Lui's on Newcastle Quayside in which they used the same banking app excuse to avoid paying a 124.75 bill. Halliday, of Newburn, has a number of previous convictions for similar offences starting in 2018. She had been due at Newcastle Magistrates' Court earlier this month. However, after failing to show, a warrant was issued for her arrest. She appeared in the dock, pleading guilty to three counts of making off without payment. The court heard that Halliday claimed to have visited the restaurants on 'dates' and had been under the assumption that her partner would be paying. Halliday was also said to have experienced a string of issues in her life, including with housing. The pair's final act of theft took place at Italian tapas restaurant Lui's (pictured) on Newcastle Quayside in which they used the same banking app excuse to avoid paying a 124.75 bill. The pair were eventually caught in the act after CCTV footage was passed to the police At Newcastle Magistrates' Court (pictured, file image), Halliday plead guilty to three counts of making off without payment. The court heard that Halliday claimed to have visited the restaurants on 'dates' and had been under the assumption that her partner would be paying Her case was adjourned for the preparation of a pre-sentence report and Halliday was released on unconditional bail. She is set to appear back at Newcastle Magistrates' Court on October 14. It comes amid a series of similar 'dine and dash' sprees seen across the UK, with restaurants often resorting to issuing CCTV footage of the alleged crimes in a bid to catch those responsible. Shocking footage has captured the moment a child teetered along the monorail track at Pennsylvania's Hersheypark as panicked adults rushed to save him. Amusement park officials told the Daily Mail that the young boy was reported missing around 5pm on Saturday after becoming separated from his parents. As security searched for the boy, he entered the secured area for the monorail ride, which was closed at the time, according to a Hersheypark spokesperson. 'The ride was closed and safeguarded by a chained closure at the entrance and barricaded turnstile at the platform,' the spokesperson said. 'The child remained at the closed station for about 20 minutes before briefly walking along the track.' Terrifying footage shared on social media showed the boy walking along the tracks, which runs around the entire park, as a crowd gathered to direct him to safety. The boy appeared to become overwhelmed by the shouting voices and placed his hands over his ears as he started to walk back and forth. Eventually, an adult managed to get on the roof of a food stand, jumped on to the tracks and grabbed the boy, then brought him down to safety. A young boy was captured walking along the monorail at Pennsylvania's Hersheypark on Saturday Terrifying footage showed the boy walking along the tracks, as a crowd gathered to direct him to safety. Park officials said the ride was closed at the time 'A guest quickly noticed and helped guide the child to safety,' the amusement park spokesperson said. 'Our team members immediately responded after he was spotted on the tracks, and at approximately 5.28pm the child was safely reunited with his family. He was unharmed. 'We are grateful for the vigilance of our guests and the swift response of our team, and we remain committed to maintaining the highest levels of guest safety throughout Hersheypark.' Commenters praised the quick thinking adults who saved the boy and emphasized the importance of doing whatever it takes to keep track of your kids. 'Some heroes... don't wear capes,' one person said. 'I bet that guy is a dad cause he didnt think twice and worked fast,' added another. 'Kudos to the two men who climbed up and rescued him. They did not hesitate and reacted quick! Glad hes safe,' said a third person. 'And this is one of the reasons idgf (excuse my French) when people make remarks about my 3 year old with a roped backpack,' a fourth person said. It comes over a month after a nine-year-old girl died in a busy area of Hersheypark's wave pool. An adult managed to get on the roof of a food stand, jumped on to the tracks and grabbed the boy, then brought him down to safety The close call on the monorail comes a month after a nine-year-old girl died in a busy area of Hersheypark's wave pool Sophia Subedi, 9, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was pulled from the water unresponsive on July 24 and could not be revived. Despite false rumors the child suffered a medical emergency that led to her death, the Dauphin County Coroner's Office determined the incident was accidental. 'The decedent did not have a medical event that caused the drowning,' Deputy Chief Clerk with the Dauphin County Commissioners Vincent Paese told WGAL on Monday. Witnesses recalled that the popular attraction was filled with guests when Sophia died, and the park said more than 100 lifeguards were on duty in the Boardwalk area, with 10 'specifically dedicated to the wave pool.' Sophia was 'in distress' in the wave pool before she died, and onlookers said she was 'limp' while being pulled from the water during the sweltering 92-degree evening. After park staff performed life-saving measures, the young girl was taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The 378,000-gallon pool, officially named 'The Shore,' has zero depth entry, meaning it gets deeper the further someone goes in. It has a maximum depth of six feet. It is unclear what part of the pool Sophia was swimming in when she drowned. Hersheypark, along with the Derry Township Police Department and the Dauphin County Coroner's Office, are investigating what led up to her untimely death. The Xizang Autonomous Region in southwest China reported robust growth in foreign trade with Nepal in the first seven months of 2025, with its total import and export value coming in at 2.578 billion yuan (about 362.9 million U.S. dollars), up 24.4 percent year on year. Notably, Xizang's exports of new energy vehicles to Nepal rose 17.6 percent to 1.015 billion yuan. This growth has been attributed to strong demand in the Nepalese market and streamlined customs procedures implemented by Lhasa Customs. On the import side, Xizang received 1,104.3 tonnes of silage fodder from Nepal, valued at nearly 790,000 yuan, representing significant volume growth of 83.58 percent and value growth of 84.68 percent. Lhasa Customs has played a crucial role in facilitating this trade growth through innovative clearance models and dedicated services channels. These measures have improved overall logistics efficiency by 50 percent and reduced inspection times for silage imports by nearly 80 percent. This improved trade performance reflects the deepening economic cooperation between China and Nepal, building on the outcomes of bilateral leadership exchanges. Rep. Ilhan Omar is being slammed by conservatives online for dismissing concerns regarding Minneapolis Catholic school shooter Robin Westman's transgender identity. Omar's remarks occurred during an interview on CNNs State of the Union.' Her comments were made in response to prior remarks by Trump White House official Sebastian Gorka, who made reference to the trans shooter's gender identity. Its really unfortunate that we have people, you know, like him, speaking on this, Omar told host Brianna Keilar. He talked about their transgenderness, and then he says that shouldnt really matter. These people are all over the place because they want to deflect from the reality. She added, which is that, there was, someone who came into that school, through the window, and assassinated two beautiful angels, as they prayed. Omar claimed we should not point fingers at the transgender community, but instead prioritize banning assault weapons. The Minnesota congresswomans response drew anger from people online for her dismissal of the shooters identity. One person wrote: 'Ilhan Omar will not blame gender identity when it reflects, or it results in a negative outcome. Trans people are merely an asset to support her anti-American progressive agenda. She could care less about their mental stability.' The liberal congresswoman drew anger from conservatives online for dismissing concerns regarding the Minnesota church shooter's gender identity Westman admits to being transgender in a manifesto and included anti-Trump phrases on gun magazines Ilhan Omar is upset that we point out how the Annunciation Church k*ller was transgender, wrote right-wing user David J. Freeman on X, who also pointed out that Omar was born in Somalia. Why doesn't she mention what her own people do to anyone with gender dysphoria? Meanwhile, X user Alexander Saliba wrote: Ilhan Omar stays quiet when extremists in her own circles commit atrocities, but suddenly finds her voice when the spotlights inconvenient. If youre going to preach morals, start by cleaning up your own backyard. 'The moment "transgender" mentioning's became aware in the shooters videos, journals, and even on the AR-15; being transgender becomes quite relevant, wrote X user @cgsmith14. And yea, she conveniently leaves out that in that country she seems to like far more than America (Somalia), humans get 3 years in prison for even suspicions of being LGBTQ-XESPN+, in some areas the get the death penalty. Another user claimed: 'If they [the shooter] had been wearing a MAGA hat you [Omar] would have been telling everyone.' While one other wrote on X: 'Omar is another imbecile or is just another Democrat Liar.' Right-wing poster Dan Brisbois added: Thats the hypocrisy dripping off Ilhan Omar shell defend trans ideology in America while staying silent on what happens to people with gender dysphoria back in Somalia, where her own culture would destroy them without a second thought. She plays the victim card here while covering for barbarism there. Another critic said: 'Trans shooter kills children in church. Manifesto: Anti-Israel, antisemitic, kill Trump. Ilhan Omar: Lets not focus on identity. Translation: If its politically inconvenient, bury it.' Omar said we should not point fingers at the transgender community but focus on banning assault rifles in the wake of the shooting Right-wing users on X slammed Omar for dismissing the shooter's transgender identity Right-wing users claimed Omar did not want to focus on Westman's gender identity because it was 'politically inconvenient' Prior to the shooting, Westman confessed to being tired of being trans and wrote kill Donald Trump across gun magazines. Two children were murdered by the shooter earlier this week during mass at the Annunciation Catholic School, while more than a dozen children and adults were injured. Keilar asked Omar whether Westmans transgender identity should be investigated by law enforcement as a possible motive for the church shooting. Ive always said its really important for us to look at every factor, so that we can understand what happened, what signs were missed and have the ability in the future to prevent these kinds of senseless deaths, Omar replied. The Daily Mail reached out to Omar's office for comment. A Florida man has been accused of stabbing a woman to death over an argument about cleaning, before forcing her boyfriend to dress up in her wig to bury her body. Arnaldo Cintron, 42, has been charged with killing mother-of-two Hiojaira Velez Bonilla, 42, at her home in Riverview, close to Tampa, on August 15. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said they arrested Cintron two days later, along with the victim's own cousin, Giselle Santiago Bonilla, 37. Santiago Bonilla is also the girlfriend of Cintron. Together they are accused of helping dispose of a human body, and tampering with a witness. The witness in question was the victim's own boyfriend, Elga Davis II, who reported the alleged murder to police and said he was forced to help dispose of Bonilla's body, according to People magazine. The horror unfolded during the early hours of August 15, in the home on Maybrook Avenue where Velez Bonilla was living with her cousin and two teenage sons, and where Cintron often stayed over. Cintron began quarrelling with Velez Bonilla about helping with bills and chores just after midnight, according to court documents seen by the Tampa Bay Times. During the argument, Cintron flipped out and fatally stabbed Velez Bonilla several times in the upper torso while calling her a 'b****', authorities have said. A Florida man has been accused of fatally stabbing Hiojaira Velez Bonilla (pictured) over an argument about cleaning, before forcing her boyfriend to dress up in her wig to bury her body Arnaldo Cintron (pictured) has been charged with killing the mother-of-two on August 15 Davis was in the living room at the time, and he walked into the kitchen during the bloody attack. Still armed with a knife, Cintron then cornered Davis with the help of Santiago Bonilla. He allegedly told Davis he would kill him, along with his family and Velez Bonilla's sons, if he 'talked to anyone' about the crime, or refused to help clean up her blood. According to the arrest affidavit, he 'threatened' Davis, telling him 'I don't like witnesses', and demanded he hand over his cell phone. Davis said he was forced to place his girlfriend's dead body inside a cardboard box before loading it into the trunk of her Nissan Rogue. Cintron also ordered him to clean her blood from the floor using bleach and Clorox wipes. According to legal documents seen by the Tampa Bay Times, Santiago Bonilla willingly helped in cleaning up the murder scene and disposing of her cousin's body. Davis said that Santiago Bonilla told him several times that Cintron 'did this for' him because Velez Bonilla was 'evil' and 'deserved this for the way she treated' Davis. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said they arrested Cintron, along with the victim's own cousin, Giselle Santiago Bonilla (pictured) Cintron is being held without bond at Hillsboroughs Falkenberg Road Jail. Santiago Bonilla is also in custody, with her bond set at $200,000 Moments after the clean-up, Velez Bonilla's 16-year-old son emerged from his room and asked what was going on and where his mother had gone. Cintron told the boy they had been cleaning a spilled drink and that his mother had 'left to go be with another man' according to the affidavit, and the teen returned to his room. The accused killer then allegedly took an unhinged turn - by ordering Davis to dress up in a long dress she owned and even wear one of her wigs. Several hours later, at 7.30am, Cintron told Davis to drive the Rogue carrying a trash bag full of bloody wet wipes, rags, towels, and his girlfriend's dead body. The two men got into the car, and Santiago Bonilla followed them in a red Toyota Sedan to drive to the home of Cintron's friend, called 'Tarzan', who allegedly agreed to help dispose of the body. During discussions about where to leave the body, Santiago Bonilla allegedly said they should kick out her cousin's teeth and remove her hands to make it 'harder to identify her'. They eventually forced Davis to drive to the Weedon Island Preserve on the shore of Tampa Bay, where they heaved Velez Bonilla's body beneath some mangrove trees. Cintron 'told the witness to get rid of the vehicle and to 'remember their arrangement,'' according to the affidavit seen by the Tampa Bay Times. The horror unfolded during the early hours August 15, in the home on Maybrook Avenue (pictured) where Velez Bonilla was living with her cousin and two teenage sons Velez Bonilla's family have launched a fundraising page in her memory, saying she was known as 'Joy' and describing her death as a 'heartbreaking tragedy' 'The witness explained this to mean the threats the defendant said to him after murdering the victim.' Cintron then demanded the PIN for Velez Bonilla's debit card, and swiped more than $30,000 from it. Davis said he refused a cut of the money. 'The witness advised he was in constant fear for his safety and life as well as the victim's sixteen-year-old son and the witness's family throughout the entire ordeal,' the affidavit reads. Davis allegedly built up the courage to report the murder to the sheriff's office in Brandon, Tampa, and showed detectives where his girlfriend's body was hidden. Velez Bonilla's family have launched a fundraising page in her memory, saying she was known as 'Joy' and describing her death as a 'heartbreaking tragedy'. 'She was a devoted mother, daughter, sister, and friend whose life was stolen far too soon,' the page reads. 'She leaves behind her two teenage sons, just 17 and 16 years old, who are now facing the unimaginable reality of life without their mom. 'She was their rock, their safe place, and their biggest supporter. 'While they try to process this devastating loss, our family is stepping in to ensure they are cared for and supported.' Cintron is being held without bond at Hillsboroughs Falkenberg Road Jail. Santiago Bonilla is also in custody, with her bond set at $200,000. Police have launched a murder investigation after a man was found dead in a 'pool of blood' at the iconic Burning Man festival in Nevada over Labor Day weekend. The Pershing County Sheriff's Office was notified by a person who discovered the man around 9.15pm on Saturday as the festival's 'Man' effigy began to burn, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Sheriff Jerry Allen said his deputies and Bureau of Land Management rangers found a man 'obviously deceased' at the campsite. 'Pershing County Sheriff Office deputies and the Bureau of Land Management immediately responded to the campsite and found a single white adult male lying on the ground, obviously deceased,' the sheriff's said. Authorities established a perimeter around the campsite and secured the scene as they launched a homicide investigation. The Washoe County Sheriff's Office Forensic Science Division was brought in to process the scene and collect evidence, according to Allen. Police interviewed several festivalgoers and said that section of Burning Man's 'Black Rock City' will have a heavy law enforcement presence until the scene is cleared. The man's identity has not been confirmed, and his body was taken to the Washoe County Medical Examiner's Office, the sheriff said. Police have launched a murder investigation after a man was found dead in a 'pool of blood' at the iconic Burning Man festival in Nevada The Pershing County Sheriff's Office was notified by a person who discovered the man around 9.15pm on Saturday as the festival's 'Man' effigy began to burn (pictured) Police believe his murder was a 'singular crime,' but they urged festivalgoers to remain vigilant. 'There is no further information available at this time, but it will be released as appropriate to provide for communication, while still preserving the integrity of the complicated investigation of a crime in a city which will be gone by the middle of the week,' Allen said. Burning Man organizers released a statement saying they are cooperating with law enforcement and 'the safety and well-being of our community are paramount.' 'The Pershing County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a single white adult male that occurred the night of Saturday, August 30 in Black Rock City,' the statement added. 'Burning Man is cooperating with law enforcement. If you are in Black Rock City, do not interfere with law enforcement activity.' The Daily Mail has contacted the Pershing County Sheriff's Office for more information. Some people have called for the festival to be shutdown in the wake of the potential homicide. 'Is it enough to shut it down? I mean if it was anything else where one person does during event they would shut it down,' one person said. 'Burn burning man down,' said another. 'Its time for this event to go,' added a third person. 'They just need to get rid of the burn man because ever year someone dies,' said a fourth. A fifth person said, 'This venue needs to be shut down permanently.' The death comes as more than two dozen people have been transported to the hospital since the festival began on August 24, reported the Reno Gazette Journal. Of the 31 people taken to a hospital, 11 were transported by air and 20 by ground, Royal Ambulance, according to the medical provider for Black Rock City. Three were resuscitated on the playa with cardiac arrests. Kayla Thompson, 37, and her husband, Kasey Thompson, 39, were attending their first Burning Man festival on Wednesday morning when they unexpectedly welcomed their daughter On Wednesday, a Utah woman gave birth to a baby girl in the bathroom of her RV while attending Burning Man. Kayla Thompson, 37, and her husband Kasey Thompson, 39, were in attendance at the Nevada festival when on Wednesday morning they unexpectedly welcomed their daughter Aurora. Speaking with The New York Times, Kayla told the outlet she awoke in severe pain and first assumed it was the result of something she ate, or even appendicitis. Moments later however, the festival-goer was in active labor and with zero warning gave birth to a three-pound, nine-ounce girl in the cramped bathroom of the camper. All of this was unfolding amid a soaked and chaotic Black Rock Desert, where a seasonal monsoon had already turned the Burning Man festival into a mud-riddled landscape - shutting down entry gates, toppling tents, and stranding thousands. The terrain was too difficult for ambulances to navigate, according to the Los Angeles Times, but about 10 to 15 minutes after the birth, Black Rock Rangers arrived in an SUV with medics. They transported Aurora to a medical tent, but because there was only space for one on the Life Flight helicopter, Kasey had to make a gut-wrenching decision - leave his wife or his new baby girl. The couple then rode separately in an ambulance to a hospital in Reno, more than three hours away over muddy roads. After finally reuniting with Aurora in the neonatal intensive care unit, Kasey said his daughter 'was safe and sound' and that he 'was so thrilled.' Investigators discovered remains in a private pond that they believe belong to a missing Texas woman who disappeared two years ago. A backpack belonging to Courtney Taylor Martin, 36, was found about 150 yards from the water last month in New Harmony - about three hours outside of Dallas - by a group of young men. Dive teams were not available to help out right away because their resources were needed in the disastrous flooding in Kerr County, but on Wednesday they found a body, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith told KOTA. Martin was last heard from on May 16, 2023 after calling her mother from an intersection, requesting a ride, Smith told the outlet. Her worried mother drove to her location - only about two miles from her home - but when she arrived, her daughter, who was 34 at the time, was nowhere to be found. 'We looked for her for months and months, exhausted all investigative means of finding her,' Smith said. Smith said his team searched the area previously, but never looked in the pond. 'It's a large, vast area of not a whole lot of people and a whole lot of area,' Smith said. Martin was last heard from on May 16, 2023 after calling her mother from an intersection, requesting a ride Divers searched the water after a group of young men found a backpack belonging to Martin about 150 yards from the water Now, with the new discovery, Smith said he is focused on figuring out what happened to Martin. 'The mother said that she is glad to have some closure,' the sheriff said. 'But obviously she wants to know what happened to her daughter, and we want to know as well.' Smith said it will take a couple months for the body to be positively identified because the remains are skeletal. 'We want to make sure that we dot every I and cross every T, to make sure that if this is a homicide, that we get the one who is responsible,' the sheriff stated. The circumstances surrounding her mysterious death remain under investigation. According to Locks of Reunification, a missing persons Facebook group, Martin 'had befriended a man shortly before she went missing.' Martin was last heard from on May 16, 2023 after calling her mother from an intersection, requesting a ride That man 'left the state of Texas shortly after,' the public page, which aims to find 'out the truth behind missing persons cases,' added. The post also shared that Martin had a tattoo with the letters 'CM' on the back of her left shoulder. Daily Mail contacted the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Smith County Sheriff's Office for more information. Police are throwing everything at their hunt for alleged gunman Dezi Freeman, who has been on the run for seven days after two officers were killed. Freeman's wife, Amalia, pleaded for him to safely surrender and put an end to the ordeal in Victoria's high country. Freeman has been at large since August 26 following a double shooting at his property in Porepunkah, about 300km northeast of Melbourne. The 56-year-old self-described sovereign citizen is accused of killing Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35. Victoria's Police Minister Anthony Carbines conceded the search was placing a strain on resources but everyone was doing everything possible to bring it to a conclusion. 'We're throwing everything at it,' he said. Ms Freeman said she did not hold anti-authority views and would co-operate with police in any way she could. Ms Freeman and her 15-year-old son were arrested at a Porepunkah home last week. Both were interviewed and later released without charge. 'We echo the requests of the Victoria Police for the swift and safe conclusion of this tragedy,' she said on Sunday. 'Please Dezi, if you see or hear this, call 000 and arrange a surrender plan with the police.' She offered her condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the officers killed, saying she was grieving for their loss. Ms Freeman urged anyone harbouring or helping her husband, or anyone with a snippet of information, to contact police. Police are probing whether a 61-year-old man arrested at Bright, just outside Porepunkah, was associated with Freeman. Stephen Mallett (below) was allegedly found with weapons and cannabis. He has been charged with possessing an imitation firearm and a drug of dependence. Mr Mallett said he had never met Freeman, who was a member of a 45,000-strong online group he founded that was dedicated to sustainability and largely focused on hunting. 'It's not right at all. I've never met him, not at all,' he said. He recounted armed police knocking on his door. 'I looked up once and I thought, shit, and I saw all of the hands on the triggers - Jesus Christ, and I thought, don't even move,' he said. 'I stuck me bloody hands up and I'm waiting for the bullets to come howling in on me.' A man and boy have been arrested in Paris over a 10million euro jewellery haul after one was reportedly found with part of the loot in his underwear. According to local reports, the two Tunisian individuals were arrested at the Gare de Lyon station on Saturday following a routine police check. It was here officers discovered items including a necklace estimated at five million euros and earrings worth two million in a sock hidden in the underpants of one of the suspects. The haul also included a one-million-euro ring and a Rolex watch, Le Parisien reported. Along with the jewels, an angle grinder - a handheld power tool used for grinding and polishing - was found in the suitcase of the two travellers. The Paris prosecutor's office said that it had opened an 'investigation into theft by an organised gang.' The investigations have since been handed to the Paris Banditry Repression Brigade (BRB) over suspicions the pair were hiding the proceeds of theft. A judicial inquiry is set to be opened on September 1. According to local reports, the two Tunisian individuals were arrested at the Gare de Lyon station on Saturday following a routine police check (file photo) The haul also included a one-million-euro ring and a Rolex watch, Le Parisien reported. (File photo) Local media has stated that the pair were known to police prior to the incident (file photo) Local media has stated that the pair were known to police prior to the incident and were checked by officers as they disembarked a TGV train from the capital of the Gauls at 11am on Saturday. It comes after a gang of burglars stole 500,000 worth of gold jewellery in a brazen raid of a home while the owners were inside last year. CCTV footage captured the trio breaking into a property on Bickley Road in Bromley, southeast London, via a bathroom window at around 5.40pm on December 30, 2024. They remained inside for 45 minutes before fleeing with bags stuffed full of loot. Video released by the Metropolitan Police shows the men walking across the flat roof of the home, with one of them carrying two large bags before tossing them down to an accomplice on the ground. Despite the huge value of the theft, the residents were reportedly unaware of the full extent of the burglary until after the gang had left. And a blinged-up jewellery shop manager who stole 125,000 in diamonds and gold was busted at Heathrow in June - still dripping in stolen gems after a luxury cruise. Lucy Roberts, 39, was trusted to run a high-end store in Beverley, East Yorkshire - but instead helped herself to gold, diamonds and designer pieces, stashing them under her bed and in cupboards. She brazenly handed in her notice, jetted off on a plush holiday, and sent smug selfies to ex-colleagues - flaunting the very items she had stolen. Suspicious staff contacted police with investigations finding that Roberts had made several bogus return transactions and fake stock takes. A search of her bedroom then uncovered thousands of pounds worth of jewellery hidden under her bed and in cupboards. When Roberts landed back at Heathrow, police arrested her wearing a haul of stolen jewels - with more in her suitcase. Bodycam footage caught her hurriedly trying to take the jewellery off as she was being taken into custody. In interviews, Roberts denied wrongdoing and tried to claim an ex colleague at the store must have planted the rest of jewellery in her suitcase. Roberts, from Swanland in Yorkshire, appeared at Grimsby Crown Court where she admitted theft by an employee. She was jailed for 28 months. The sleaze crisis engulfing Angela Rayner is being fuelled by a Labour 'civil war' over who should succeed Keir Starmer, the Tories claimed yesterday. Shadow Cabinet minister Alex Burghart has said that senior Labour figures are more interested in jockeying for position to take over from the Prime Minister than in dealing with the problems facing the country. Mr Burghart said it is 'very likely' that damaging information about Ms Rayner's personal life and tax affairs is being leaked by Labour rivals who believe Sir Keir will be forced out over his dire poll ratings. 'This is the sort of infighting we are going to see a lot more of in public as Labour politicians fear the collapse of Keir Starmer's regime and start briefing against each other,' he told the Daily Mail. 'The Prime Minister's popularity is at rock bottom and it is no surprise that the vultures are circling. 'Now they are starting to fight each other and while they are doing that they are not focused on the needs of the public, such as the crisis in the Channel or the problems in the economy. Their only concern is their own advancement.' The Conservatives have lodged a formal demand for an investigation into whether the Deputy Prime Minister broke the ministerial code during the purchase of an 800,000 second home. The move follows an outcry over claims that Ms Rayner avoided 40,000 in stamp duty by telling the taxman that the luxury property in Hove is her main home, while telling the Cabinet Office that her primary residence is her former family home 260 miles away in Greater Manchester. The sleaze crisis engulfing Angela Rayner (pictured attending a weekly Cabinet meeting last month) is being fuelled by a Labour 'civil war' over who should succeed Keir Starmer, the Tories claimed yesterday Shadow Cabinet minister Alex Burghart (pictured) has said that senior Labour figures are more interested in jockeying for position to take over from the Prime Minister than in dealing with the problems facing the country Mr Burghart said it is 'very likely' that damaging information about Ms Rayner's personal life and tax affairs is being leaked by Labour rivals who believe Sir Keir Starmer (pictured earlier this month) will be forced out over his dire poll ratings When Parliament is sitting Rayner is thought to live mainly in a third property a lavish grace-and-favour apartment in central London, funded by the taxpayer. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson yesterday insisted Ms Rayner had done nothing wrong. But as the drip-drip of allegations continued: It emerged that Ms Rayner's on-off boyfriend, former Labour MP Sam Tarry, has worked for a lobbying firm whose clients have received a 280,000 government grant; The Mail on Sunday revealed that Ms Rayner employed a firm specialising in 'wealth protection' to help dispose of her share in her former family home in Greater Manchester; Speculation mounted that Ms Rayner's move to Hove could be part of a 'chicken run' strategy to find a safe seat on the south coast and avoid being ejected from Parliament by Reform; Labour MPs urged the Deputy PM to make a public statement setting out where she lives and how much stamp duty she paid in her recent property dealings. Mr Burghart told Times Radio that the personal nature of the information leaked against Ms Rayner meant it was 'very likely that this sort of information was briefed by Angela Rayner's opponents in the Labour Party', adding: 'We know some people see her as the next Prime Minister if Keir Starmer was to fall.' He noted that Ms Rayner's department is considering a change in the law to prevent elected mayors from standing as MPs a move that would block potential rivals such as Andy Burnham and Sir Sadiq Khan from standing for the leadership. The Conservatives have lodged a formal demand for an investigation into whether the Deputy Prime Minister broke the ministerial code during the purchase of an 800,000 second home (pictured: residential buildings in Hove, East Sussex, where Ms Rayner's new home is) Mr Burghart noted Ms Rayner's department is considering a change in the law to prevent elected mayors from standing as MPs a move that would block potential rivals such as Andy Burnham (pictured in January) and Sir Sadiq Khan from standing for the leadership Sir Keir moved last week to remove a third senior aide, with MPs speculating that the PM's svengali-like Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney (pictured in February) is losing his grip Labour MPs are dismayed by the lack of initiatives emerging from Downing Street during Parliament's summer recess a vacuum which has allowed Reform leader Nigel Farage to dominate the national conversation. Two opinion polls in the past week have put Labour support on a record low of 20 per cent. Sir Keir moved last week to remove a third senior aide, with MPs speculating the PM's svengali-like Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney is losing his grip. Allies of Ms Rayner insist she is the victim of a smear campaign. Ms Phillipson said Ms Rayner had followed the rules: 'Angela Rayner is an adult, if she wants to buy a flat she can buy a flat.' Ms Rayner faced damaging new leaks yesterday. The Sun revealed that Mr Tarry has worked for the lobbying group Henham Strategy, which has several clients with interests that fall within the Deputy Prime Minister's brief. There is no suggestion Mr Tarry has acted improperly, but Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake said Ms Rayner should 'come clean' about whether she has recused herself from any decisions relating to his commercial interests. The Cabinet Office said she had followed the standard process for managing her interests. Following the death of Princess Diana, pressure was mounting on the Royal Family to publicly acknowledge her passing. But behind the scenes Prince Charles was 'paralysed' with guilt, and the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were trying their hardest to protect their grandsons, according to a royal author. In his 2018 book Rebel King, Tom Bower wrote: 'Charles was chanting, "They're all going to blame me, aren't they? The world's going to go completely mad". 'One of the Queen's courtiers would say that even his sons were critical of him for what had happened.' The Queen's famous phrase 'recollections may vary' seems to apply to the days surrounding the Princess's funeral on September 6, 1997. Bower wrote that over the week, the reports about Charles's reactions were contradictory. His critics among the Queen's courtiers in Scotland recounted that he dithered about going to Paris until the Queen advised him to go. Others claimed that it was he who, against the Queen's wishes, insisted on flying to France to bring back the body. Prince Philip reportedly 'exploded' and told Tony Blair's team to 'f*** off' when they asked if Prince William and Prince Harry would walk behind Princess Diana's coffin Philip and William are pictured during Princess Diana's funeral procession Prince Charles, William, Harry, Philip and Earl Spencer are pictured at Diana's funeral on Sep 6, 1997 Bower added: 'The majority of the media, relying on Mark Bolland (deputy private secretary to the Prince of Wales), who was at Balmoral, reported that Charles had taken control. 'They either concealed or were ignorant of his reluctance to fly to Paris. As the media's only "eyewitness" source, "Bolland could spin what he liked", one journalist griped.' Resentment towards the Royal Family was mounting and, as Bower wrote, 'advisers searched forlornly for solutions'. 'Unexpectedly, they found themselves relying on Tony Blair. The Prime Minister had placed himself in an awkward position, as over the previous months, he had built a rapport with Diana. 'Yet, in the days after Diana's death, he and his Downing Street aides helped the family and their advisers overcome unfortunate obstacles. 'It did not help that the Prime Minister did not fully understand the conflicts within the Royal Family. 'Speaking with limited deference, he saw his duty to "protect the monarchy" from the public's rage. In the days after Diana's death, Tony Blair and his team tried to help the Royal Family but did not fully understand the conflicts within the Firm, according to a royal author Tony Blair and Charles are pictured in April 2005 at the funeral of Pope John Paul II, in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City In his 2018 book Rebel King, Tom Bower wrote about the events leading up to Princess Diana's funeral 'The courtiers' initial gratitude turned into suspicion. 'Blair did not understand that governments do not own the monarchy.' And then came the question of whether Charles, 12-year-old Harry and 15-year-old William would walk behind Diana's coffin in the funeral watched by an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide. Bower wrote: 'During an earlier discussion with Blair's aides, Prince Philip, speaking on the phone from Balmoral, had exploded about the spin doctors' insensitivity. '"F*** off. We are talking about two boys who have lost their mother." 'The question was finally resolved over the family dinner on the night before the funeral. 'To break the deadlock, Philip said to his grandsons, "Well, if you don't go, I won't."' The Duke of Edinburghs rage subsided, and at the last minute, he helped win round William, who had wanted to grieve in private. The Queen and Tony Blair are pictured outside 10 Downing Street in 2002.Tony Blair was the Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007 The family view floral tributes on display outside the gates of Balmoral September 4, 1997 The boys decided to walk behind the coffin with their grandfather, their father, and Diana's brother Charles, the ninth Earl Spencer Former Tory MP and writer Gyles Brandreth, a close friend of the Duke, revealed how Prince Philip, who had not planned to walk, said to William, If I walk, will you walk with me?' The boys decided to walk behind the coffin with their grandfather, their father, and Diana's brother Charles, the ninth Earl Spencer. Earl Spencer previously told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that it was a 'very bizarre and cruel thing' for Dianas sons to be asked to walk behind her body and suggested he was lied to about the boys desire to take part in the procession. William has since described it as 'one of the hardest things Ive ever done'. 'It felt she was almost walking along beside us to get us through it,' he said. The call from Blairs team reportedly included Alastair Campbell and was convened by the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Airlie. It came as the Blair government was accused of taking over the funeral plans. Other ideas to show the Royals cared about Diana were floated, including creating a Pied Piper effect, whereby barriers were removed to allow the public to surge behind the procession. It was rejected by the police on safety grounds. William has since described walking behind his mother's coffin as 'one of the hardest things Ive ever done' Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip look at the floral tributes to Diana left outside Buckingham Palace on the eve of the Princess's funeral The call was also witnessed by Blairs No 10 gatekeeper Anji Hunter, who has spoken about it in a BBC film about Dianas funeral. She said: 'I can remember it sends a tingle up my back. We were all talking about how William and Harry should be involved and suddenly came Prince Philips voice. 'We hadnt heard from him before, but he was really anguished.' 'Its about the boys, he cried, Theyve lost their mother. I thought, My God, theres a bit of suffering going on up there.' Ms Hunters husband, Sky TV political commentator Adam Boulton, has provided an even more vivid account of the phone conversation - and the Dukes fury. Mr Boulton said Philip swore when Downing Street spinners kicked around what roles Harry and William should play in the funeral. Highly respected Boulton wrote in his book, Tonys Ten Years: The Queen relished the moment when Philip bellowed over the speakerphone from Balmoral.' Asked about the Dukes outburst, Mr Boulton said: He was trying to remind everyone that human feelings were involved. Asked about the Dukes outburst, Mr Boulton said: He was trying to remind everyone that human feelings were involved' Before writing his explosive memoir, Spare, Prince Harry maintained that no child should be asked to do what he and his brother did that day 'No 10 were trying to help the Royals present things in the best way, but may have seemed insensitive. 'The princes were uneasy about walking behind the coffin, but No 10s advice that the Royals had to be seen mourning in public was right. Mr Boulton said the Queen, who did not take part in the call, made it clear later that she supported her husbands emotional response. The Duke of Sussex has often spoken about the lasting effects his mothers funeral had on his mental health. Before writing his explosive memoir, Spare, he maintained that no child should be asked to do what he and his brother did that day. 'My mother had just died, and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me while millions more did on television,' he told Newsweek. 'I dont think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I dont think it would happen today.' When an alternative plan was suggested to have just William walk alone behind the casket, Harry objected, saying he didnt want his older brother to go through the heartbreaking moment on his own. When Philip passed away in 2021, Harry and William were among the senior royals to walk behind their grandfather's coffin as it was borne on a modified Land Rover hearse to St George's Chapel William and Harry are pictured taking part in the Ceremonial Procession during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 'It didnt seem right that Willy would have such a hard time without me,' Harry wrote in Spare. But William has since said that while it wasn't an easy decision to walk behind the coffin, 'there is that balance between duty and family and thats what we had to do'. When Philip passed away in 2021, Harry and William were among the senior royals to walk behind their grandfather's coffin as it was borne on a modified Land Rover hearse to St George's Chapel. William wrote in a statement: 'I feel lucky to have not just had his example to guide me, but his enduring presence well into my own adult life both through good times and the hardest days.' On September 6, 2017, two months before her engagement to Harry was announced, Meghan Markle featured on the cover of Vanity Fair. With a glamorous picture of the actress on the cover and a headline that proclaimed loudly Shes Just Wild About Harry, the article quoted Meghan speaking openly about her romance with the prince. But Meghan was not happy. Within hours of the magazine's pre-publication copies being distributed, Meghan was on the phone to her public relations firm to tell them 'hysterically' of the Palace's dismay, according to author Tom Bower. The author of Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors, said Meghan had been 'ecstatic' when first asked to appear on the cover of Vanity Fair's September 2017 issue. According to Bower, the interview was to focus on Meghan's philanthropy and the celebration of the 100th episode of Suits. But when she was asked about her relationship with Harry, Meghan replied: 'We're a couple. We're in love.' The interview was done at Meghan's home by Sam Kashner, a long-standing contributing editor at Vanity Fair, who admitted before the interview that he had no idea who Meghan was. As reported by Vanity Fair in 2017, Meghan said: 'I'm sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time. On September 6, 2017, two months before her engagement to Prince Harry was announced, Meghan Markle featured on the cover of Vanity Fair In March, the former Vanity Fair editor of 25 years, Graydon Carter (pictured in April 2017), described Meghan as 'The Undine Spragg of Montecito' With a glamorous picture of the actress on the cover and a headline that proclaimed loudly Shes Just Wild About Harry, the article quoted Meghan speaking openly about her romance with the prince. But Meghan was not happy 'This is for us. It's part of what makes it so special that it's just ours. But we're happy. Personally, I love a great love story.' Pre-publication copies of Vanity Fair's September 2017 edition were released to Megan's PR agency and Buckingham Palace. 'Her unexpected openness about Harry took the Palace by surprise, Bower wrote. 'Like a thunderclap, the interview triggered sensational reactions: Meghan had used her relationship with Harry to promote herself,' he said. Valentine Low wrote in his book Courtiers that Meghan also thought it was racist to say she's 'wild' about Harry because of the connection to Judy Garland's 1939 song featuring blackface dancers. She was very unhappy with how that had been handled, said a source. And she was looking to throw blame in every possible direction, despite it having been a positive piece. She did not like the photographs. She thought the story was negative. She was upset that it was about Harry, not about her. And it seems the fallout of the cover continues to trickle on to this day. Within hours of the magazine's pre-publication copies being distributed, Meghan was on the phone to her public relations firm to tell them 'hysterically' of the Palace's dismay, according to author Tom Bower The author of Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors, said Meghan had been 'ecstatic' when first asked to appear on the cover of Vanity Fair's September 2017 issue In March, former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter described Meghan as 'The Undine Spragg of Montecito'. His reference was to the main character in The Custom of the Country, a tragicomedy by author Edith Wharton that was published in 1913. The book tells the story of Spragg, a social climber who moves from the Midwest to New York to experience the high life. Spragg then marries a man from Manhattan's high society, but she's never satisfied because of her greed and ambition. In a savage takedown published in January, headlined American Hustle, contributing editor Anna Peele spoke to 'dozens' of sources connected to the duo who labelled the Sussexes as the 'most entitled, disingenuous people on the planet'. Perhaps this cooling of relations between Meghan and the publication laid the seeds for the latest bombshell article, which claimed that some people who worked with Meghan ended up needing therapy and that she allegedly didn't come up with the idea for her Spotify podcast, Archetypes. The piece also stated that the Duchess of Sussex could be 'really, really awful' when things did not go her way. According to The Times, the couple have dismissed the allegations with sources close to the Sussexes describing them as 'distressing'. Meghan's first foray with Vanity Fair began in the summer of 2017 when Meghan wanted a new PR team to help her in the U.S. She hired PR adviser Keleigh Thomas Morgan - pictured - from New York-based agency Sunshine Sachs Meghan's first foray with Vanity Fair began in the summer of 2017 when Meghan wanted a new PR team to help her in the U.S. She hired PR adviser Keleigh Thomas Morgan from New York-based agency Sunshine Sachs, whose clients have included Hollywood stars Salma Hayek, Jane Fonda and Natalie Portman. The New York-based agency had been advising Meghan since her days as an actress on legal drama Suits, before she ditched them in 2022. Meghan agreed to do an issue with Vanity Fair in the autumn, which Kensington Palace signed off on, but said that Keleigh could sort out the negotiations. Meghan was also described as acting 'like a Mean Girls teenager' in the article. She would reportedly be 'warm and effusive' towards employees at the start before turning 'cold and withholding toward the person she perceived to be responsible' when something 'went poorly, often due to Meghan and Harry's own demands'. And Meghan's bad blood with magazine editors doesn't end here. Two years later, Meghan guest-edited the September 2019 Forces for Change issue of British Vogue which featured 15 'trailblazing change makers' on its cover. Two years later, Meghan guest-edited the September 2019 Forces for Change issue of British Vogue which featured 15 'trailblazing change makers' on its cover Meghan is pictured working behind the scenes for the September 2019 issue of British Vogue Meghan Markle and Edward Enninful, the former editor-in-chief of British Vogue, are pictured celebrating the September 2019 issue of British Vogue, which Meghan guest-edited It became the fastest-selling issue in the magazine's 104-year history, selling out in ten days. Among the advocates featured on the cover were Greta Thunberg, Sinead Burke, actors Gemma Chan and Jameela Jamil and then-New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. But critics pointed out that the Queen was not among the 15 'women she admires' featured, and neither were nurses, doctors, lawyers and teachers. And questions were raised over why the Duchess only carried out 22 royal engagements in the seven months she spent as an unpaid guest editor. In the book Battle of Brothers, royal author Robert Lacey wrote about the huge unpaid time commitment Meghan made to the magazine. He wrote: 'In the same seven months, January to July 2019, the Court Circular showed the Duchess of Sussex carrying out just 22 royal engagements, less than one per week - though this period did include Meghan's maternity leave, along with a three-day tour to Morocco with Harry. 'But why had this "powerhouse" recruit to the highest echelons of the House of Windsor spent seven months labouring so intensively on behalf of British Vogue - entirely unremunerated it must be emphasised again - while doing hardly any work at all for the British Royal Family?' Three years later, the duchess was due to appear on the cover of British Vogue at the same time as Meghan's keynote appearance at the One Young World Summit in Manchester in September 2022. Meghan found herself at loggerheads with not only the editor of British Vogue, Edward Enninful, but the Queen of fashion magazines Anna Wintour But Conde Nast insiders claim it was abruptly pulled and scrapped completely. An insider told MailOnline that Meghan was being 'difficult about making it a cover' and her team were 'insisting on particular straplines'. She then found herself at loggerheads with not only the editor of British Vogue, Edward Enninful, but also the Queen of fashion magazines, Anna Wintour. The insider said: 'Anna heard about it, and just like banned her and said, "That's it. We don't want to do this". 'And so she didn't get the cover, and I guess she didn't even get the story. [Edward Enninful] probably agreed with Anna that you don't get to call the shots on who's on the cover. That's absolutely an Editor's decision. 'Anna was p***** off. Anna was frustrated with all the micromanaging, and just was like, "All right. That's it. She can't have the cover and we're not doing the story".' Meghan's behaviour led the legendary former Tatler editor Tina Brown to blast the former Suits actress for having 'the worst judgement of anyone in the entire world'. Brown, who wrote the bestselling royal biography The Palace Papers, said: 'The trouble with Meghan is that she has the worst judgment of anyone in the entire world. She's flawless about getting it all wrong. 'I mean, she just is. She really is a perfectionist about getting it all wrong.' The Queen was a stickler for tradition, so much so that she broke this cardinal royal rule just once during her 70-year reign. The Royal Family is so steeped in tradition and protocol that its members were taught royal etiquette by household staff from a young age. The most important rule is to bow (or curtsey) to the monarch, in this case Queen Elizabeth II. The monarch bows to no one. But on the day of Princess Diana's funeral on September 6, 1997, while standing with her family, the Queen bowed her head as the cortege passed. The one woman who was accustomed to being bowed at by the world had suddenly and unexpectedly lowered her head and humbly honoured the princess. It was not a quick one, nor was it shallow, but one done to recognise the wishes of her heartbroken subjects. Body language expert Judi James told the Daily Mail: 'In life, it was thought that Diana was trying to bring the royal house of Windsor crashing down. 'But after her death, it looked more like the Queen herself who was taking the risks with the state of the monarchy, making this a form of a draw between two powerful royal women. The Queen is pictured next to Princess Margaret at Princess Diana's funeral on September 6, 1997 While standing with her family, the Queen bowed her head as the cortege passed The Queen is pictured in Westminster Abbey during Diana's funeral 'As Dianas hearse rattled past the Palace, there was the rather touching sight of the top-tier royals lined up outside to watch her pass by. 'It wasnt a hollow gesture in the publics eyes. Diana might have been dead, but her two sons were very much alive, and they got to see their mother elevated to the high position the adoring public held her in. 'While some of the royals retained a poker face, with Margaret in particular raising one eyebrow and her chin in an expression that suggested some cynicism, the Queens facial expression looked like one of maternal sadness. 'Her brows were puckered, her gaze reflective and her mouth clamped. 'For a monarch known for not having any fluctuations in her body language, this was already a surprise. But what she did next was even more shocking. 'As the coffin passed, the Queen lowered her head. 'This gesture was and still is powerful for two key reasons. 'Firstly is to do with protocol and status. As monarch, the Queen was not expected to lower her head to virtually anyone. Prince Harry, the Queen and Prince Charles are pictured viewing floral tributes for Diana on September 4, 1997 Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen Mother arrive into Westminster Abbey in London to attend the funeral ceremony of Diana 'Head-lowering is an act of submission and respect. 'Animals perform bow rituals to higher-ranking animals to avoid being attacked and humans retain the gesture in what can range from a full bow or curtsey to a slight inclination of the head. 'By bowing her head to Diana, the Queen was signalling respect and even a sense of equal status. 'It was as though she finally recognised that Diana should have been Queen one day and that her son would be king. 'The head-bowing probably registered respect for future king William as much as for Diana. 'But the way the Queen bowed her head was also significant. 'Its common for ordinary people to lower their head gently at a funeral procession but this wasnt that kind of slow head-lowering. 'The Queen actually performed an emphatic hard nod here, faster and more meaningful. Harry, Prince William, Prince Philip, Peter Philips, Charles and Queen Elizabeth II stop to gaze at the flowers and cards of condolence laid at the gates of Balmoral Thursday September 4, 1997 The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh view the floral tributes to Diana at Buckingham Palace on September 5, 1997 'It was a very personal message from one woman to another and it seemed to be an acknowledgement ritual. 'Even in death Diana had forced the Queen into some form of royal U-Turn and it was as though the Queen was acknowledging an acceptance of Dianas power and the love the public had for her. 'It seemed to declare a non-verbal draw and an acceptance of equal status and respect.' Italian writer Alberto Angela said the simple gesture marked one of the most powerful moves in the Queen's reign at a time when the Royal Family faced significant pressure. He said: 'That bow is perhaps one of the strongest images in her entire reign. 'Even in the darkest hour, Elizabeth put her mission first and demonstrated that she can find inspiration even from the most painful confrontation, the one with the woman who had won the hearts of her subjects.' Although she bowed every year to the unknown soldier on Remembrance Day at the Cenotaph, her bow to Diana is understood to be the first time she had bowed to an individual during her time on the throne. Although the Queen had rarely put a foot wrong during her 70-year reign, her response to Diana's death the week before was one of the few episodes most experts now regard as a mistake. The front page of the Daily Mail on September 6, 1997 is pictured Elton John plays a specially re-written version of his song Candle in the Wind during the funeral service for Diana The coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales, leaves Westminster Abbey after the funeral service. The touching floral tribute from her sons says simply 'Mummy' Judi commented: 'When Diana died, the publics grief was tangible, as though everyone was suffering a personal loss. 'It was a moment of emotional unity, but it was also a moment of polarisation and division from the rest of the royal Firm. 'The late Queen resorted to her familiar fallback of protocol but this time her refusal to budge from the idea that this was a private event caused a rift with her subjects that was so huge that it at one point threatened to cause a rebellion. 'Diana was the "Peoples Princess" and the public claimed her as their own royal despite the way that shed be discarded by the rest of the Firm. 'Tensions grew and it was said to be Tony Blair who stepped in to persuade the Queen to relent and return to London and give Diana a full royal funeral. 'When she returned with Dianas adored two sons, there was a softening of public mood and even a sense of sympathy.' The Daily Mail front page on September 7, 1997, is pictured Diana's funeral, which saw Elton John perform a rewritten version of Candle in the Wind and Tony Blair reading a Bible verse, remains the most-watched live television event in the UK. It attracted an average of 32.1million viewers on BBC One and ITV combined and no other broadcast has surpassed this figure in the UK. In the years since her passing, Princes William and Harry have paid tribute to their beloved mother. William, who was 15 when the Princess of Wales died, said the loss of a parent 'never leaves you'. 'You never get over it, it's such an unbelievably big moment in your life that it never leaves you. You just learn to deal with it.' Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Oli is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025, as well as commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) TIANJIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in the port city of Tianjin on Saturday. Oli is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025, as well as activities to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Speaking highly of the China-Nepal good-neighborly friendship in the past seven decades, Xi said that the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between the two countries is advancing steadily at present. China is willing to work with Nepal to carry forward the traditional friendship and facilitate the greater progress of the China-Nepal Strategic Partnership of Cooperation Featuring Ever-lasting Friendship for Development and Prosperity, Xi noted. Joint efforts should be made to enhance connectivity programs covering port, highway, power grid, aviation, communications and other fields, and cooperation in sectors including industry, agriculture and animal husbandry, new energy, environmental protection, oil and gas, artificial intelligence, education, health, as well as law enforcement and security, should be advanced, he added. Oli noted that cooperation with China has strongly promoted Nepal's economic and social development. Stressing that Nepal firmly adheres to the one-China principle and resolutely opposes separatist moves for "Taiwan independence," he said Nepal will not allow any force to use its territory to harm China's interests. Nepal supports the China-proposed Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative, and expects China to play a greater role in international affairs, he added. Senior Chinese officials Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Chen Min'er attended the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Oli is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025, as well as commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) Editor: WXY The Princess of Wales has paid tribute to a teenage photographer whose 'creativity' inspired her - on what would have been her 18th birthday. Liz Hatton, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, passed away in November last year after beginning a photography bucket list appeal in January. The avid picture taker had been diagnosed with an aggressive desmoplastic small round cell tumour and was given six months and three years to live. Liz was photographed hugging Kate at Windsor Castle in October after being invited to take pictures of the Prince of Wales at an investiture. In a personal message the Princess of Wales and William described her then as a 'talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both'. The comments came following Kate's own treatment for cancer this year. Now, the Prince and Princess of Wales have shared an emotional tribute to Liz on what would have been her 18th birthday. The Royals said: 'Remembering Liz Hatton today on what would have been her 18th birthday. Remembering Liz Hatton today on what would have been her 18th birthday. The photo shown in this image was taken by Liz during an Investiture at Windsor Castle in October 2024, and is on display today in the spot where it was taken. pic.twitter.com/3awN3e7au9 The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) August 31, 2025 Liz was photographed hugging Kate at Windsor Castle in October after being invited to take pictures of the Prince of Wales at an investiture The Prince and Princess of Wales meeting young photographer Liz Hatton and family at Windsor Castle On October 2 2024 'The photo shown in this image was taken by Liz during an Investiture at Windsor Castle in October 2024, and is on display today in the spot where it was taken.' Shared to X, the message was complete with a heart emoji and two shots of Liz's own photograph which portrayed a royal guardsman. Liz's mother, Vicky Robayna, had said following Liz's death her daughter had 'remained determined to the last' and was still making plans for her future the day before. She described Liz as 'not only a phenomenal photographer' but 'the best human and the most wonderful daughter and big sister we could ever have asked for'. 'No-one could have fought harder for life than she did,' she said. 'There is a gaping Liz-shaped hole in our lives that I am not sure how we will ever fill.' Liz took up photography in Year 6 after saving up to buy her first camera. She obtained the highest possible grade in the subject at GCSE before starting an A-level in it at Harrogate Grammar School. Shared to X, the message was complete with a heart emoji and two shots of Liz's own photograph which portrayed a royal guardsman The accompanying text describes the photograph as featuring 'one of the Yeomen of the Guard during an investiture led by The Prince of Wales here in the Grand Reception Room' She previously told BBC Radio York: 'It's always been a hobby of mine. 'I like portraiture and I like looking at the emotion people experience and being able to capture that in a single image and freeze that moment. 'I think it's really quite magical.' Two in three adults would not fight for King or country if it came under attack, a new study has revealed. The research found 64 per cent of respondents were unwilling to defend Britain in the event of war - while a further six per cent expressed uncertainty. In every age bracket of the poll, conducted by the Daily Express, the majority of respondents were 'not very willing' or 'not willing at all' to serve. The figure within the 18 to 24 group was 52 per cent while amongst 25 to 34-year-olds it was 51 per cent. Just five per cent of those quizzed believed the country is 'very well prepared' for war and 58 per cent thought Britain is not ready for the prospect of conflict. Armed Forces chief Admiral Sir Tony Radakin earlier this year blamed an ongoing recruitment crisis in the military on practices being 'behind the times'. Last year a role in the military was listed as the third least appealing career among Gen Z - those aged 13 to 28. The only careers that scored worse were working at McDonalds or KFC. Two in three adults would not fight for Britain if it came under attack, a new study has revealed (file image) The research found 64 per cent of respondents were unwilling to defend their country in the event of war - while a further six per cent expressed uncertainty The Army has 71,000 troops, down from 100,000 at the turn of the century, with Defence Secretary John Healey admitting it will take 'some time to reverse the decline' In response to the new dataset Shadow Armed Forces minister Mark Francois blamed the Labour Government for the apparent lack of enthusiasm in a military career. He claimed there had been a failure to protect veterans and to improve the lived experiences of servicemen such as in the case of Northern Ireland. But the Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford added: ' Nevertheless, I truly believe that if our nation were genuinely attacked, the people of this country, including its young people, would rally to our defence - just as they did in the Second World War, despite almost a decade and its failure to protect veterans and to improve the lived experience of those in uniform.' Over the past 15 years the number of Army troops has dwindled from 110,000 to fewer than 74,000. In part this has been conscious decision to complement a smaller force with greater technology but it has also been compounded by a consistent failure to meet recruitment targets. Recruiting giant Capita, which has overseen Army recruitment since 2012, last year managed to recruit just 63 per cent of its target. Backbench Conservative MP Danny Kruger told the Commons last year: 'The Public Accounts Committee, I understand, heard that for every five people recruited to the Armed Services, eight are leaving. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey suggested cash be paid out to new recruits who complete their training and serve for at least two years. Sir Ed, who last week visited British soldiers in Estonia, said the bonuses could be paid to help the force reach 73,000, the level desired in the Government's Strategic Defence Review earlier this week. 'That is a national security crisis. It is not just a problem for recruitment, it is an absolutely profound security risk.' In June it was suggested Britain should pay new recruits a one-off 10,000 bonus as a way of stopping the British Army haemorrhaging manpower. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey suggested the cash be paid out to new recruits who complete their training and serve for at least two years. Additionally, he proposed re-joining bonuses for veterans should be increased to 20,000 to help retain talent, under a scheme that would cost the taxpayer up to 45million. The British Army has struggled to recruit and retain soldiers for years, with the trained personnel strength hitting 70,752 in January this year. Sir Ed, who last week visited British soldiers in Estonia, said the bonuses could be paid to help the force reach 73,000, the level desired in the Government's Strategic Defence Review. Earlier this week it emerged dozens of potential soldiers were being barred from joining the Army because of their bad teeth. Figures released by the Ministry of Defence show that in the last four years 173 would-be recruits were turned away because of gum disease and rotting teeth. Ministry of Defence (MoD) figures show that in the past four years, 173 would-be recruits were turned away due to gum disease or rotting teeth (file image) The applicants were just a fraction of the almost 47,000 Army hopefuls rejected on medical grounds such as psychological issues, heart problems and being short-sighted. Defence secretary John Healey has admitted it would take 'some time to reverse the decline' in general recruitment numbers. House hunters who have spotted a 1.7million home for sale claim the property appears 'soulless' after image enhancing software was used to make the Victorian dwelling look more modern. The four-bedroom house in West Putney appears to have been the subject of zealous photo editing in a bid to make the property more appealing. But artificial intelligence software, seemingly used to show prospective buyers what the home could look like after the inside is renovated, has given the house a contrived look. The Daily Mail ran the photographs through AI detection tools, which suggested the photographs had been subject to image manipulation. The windows in the property look out onto unrealistically blue skies - a sight that is few and far between in the UK. Meanwhile, the furniture seems to be straight out of a gleaming catalogue, lacking texture and dimension. Eagle eyed home enthusiasts pointed out that the lucky new homeowner would have to pay for the cost of renovations themselves as the majority of the rooms are incomplete. One user commented on Reddit: 'Probably over 2m by the time it's completed ... for a soulless hole.' The four-bedroom house in West Putney appears to have been the subject of zealous photo editing in a bid to make the property more appealing The furniture seems to be straight out of a gleaming catalogue, lacking texture and dimension The Daily Mail ran the photographs through AI detection tools, which suggested the photographs had been subject to image manipulation In reality, the inside of the home has been gutted and left incomplete with loose wires hanging from the ceiling and unfinished flooring in need of carpet. The listing is advertised as being 65 per cent complete, however, it will take more than a lick of paint to replicate the tailor-made rooms created by an online bot. The estate agent website says the home needs 'finishing touches'. These include: 'kitchen, bathroom and laundry installation, finish laying wooden floors, plumbing and electrical completion and decorative finishes as well as landscaping.' Some of the images in the listing did not appear to be manipulated. But it illustrates a growing trend for AI use among estate agents. There are multiple tools targeted at estate agents online that promise to use AI to spruce up property listings - sold as tools to help them save time and move homes on quicker. One offers to remove dirt, brighten up a room and even replace the sky in exterior photographs for 1.20 per picture. 'Don't let a gloomy day ruin your photos,' it notes. The windows in the property look out onto unrealistically blue skies - a sight that is few and far between in the UK Eagle eyed home enthusiasts pointed out that the lucky new homeowner would have to pay for the cost of renovations themselves as the majority of the rooms are incomplete House hunters who have spotted a 1.7million home for sale claim the property appears 'soulless' after image enhancing software was used to make the Victorian dwelling look more modern And it seems the use of AI in listings deters prospective buyers. 'They've somehow made it worse,' one user noted when examining the images of the house. Others pointed out how 'jarring' the use of AI pictures are. Another added: 'Flicking between pictures 15 and 1 in quick time is like flicking a light switch on and off. A spokesman for the estate agent moved to clarify their position to the Daily Mail, saying: 'Both the property description in the listing and the selection of images makes it very clear that the renovation of this property is not complete and even gives an estimate of the time and cost required to complete it. 'We are therefore disclosing all material information, as is legally required. Furthermore, we also ensure that any interested party is aware of the condition of the property before we conduct viewings.' The use of AI in property listings is a relatively new trend. Earlier this month, neighbour's living next to a 350,000 house for sale claim the vendor is 'pulling a fast one' after spotting image enhancement software had been used on pictures to make the property look more shiny and creating an entire hedge outside it. The three-bed house on Station Road, Eaglescliffe appears to have been the subject of some over-enthusiastic photo editing in a bid to make the property look more appealing. Indeed, from the estate agency photographs it looks a turnkey ready property for anyone who can afford the 350,000 price tag. No one would dream the property is slap next door to beauty parlour and just a stone's throw from a 24-hour construction site. The house raised eyebrows on social media when it was advertised as an 'exquisite Edwardian Three bedroom terrace beautifully restored'. When the Daily Mail visited the property this week it looked markedly different from its listed pictures and whilst neighbours all agreed the new owners had done a good job modernising the interior, the difference outside was palpable. In one image, which has since been removed from the listing, eagled eyed locals spotted the Black Lae Hair and Beauty Studio which is attached to the side of the house had been morphed out and replaced by a fake shrubbery. The Daily Mail ran the images through multiple AI checkers and reports were unanimous that the pictures had been doctored. In one image, which has since been removed from the listing, eagled eyed locals spotted a nearby business had been morphed out and replaced by a fake shrubbery The property actually looks markedly different from street level when we visited The Daily Mail ran the images through multiple AI checkers and reports were unanimous that the pictures had been doctored One popular site stated: 'We are quite confident that this image, or significant part of it, was created by AI.' The listing on Rightmove also includes a 360 degree tracking shot of the outside which includes a view of nearby Eaglescliffe railway station. However, no one would guess from the footage that for the last two years the station has been under redevelopment with constant racket from the site. While our reporter was outside the property, a man who said he was the owner pulled up in a Porsche and asked what we we were doing. When we explained the concerns, he said 'I think you will find a lot of adverts do that now. You are not allowed on the property but do what you want to. You don't need my name.' The owner's reaction has been the subject of much mirth from his neighbours. One neighbour said: 'It was funny when I looked at because I realised they had used AI to do the place up. 'Obviously, no one is going to make an offer before looking at it, but it is kind of false advertising. 'I was laughing that they had parked a Porsche outside like they were selling a dream. It is just a bit bizarre. Some neighbours have accused the owner of pulling a fast one with the listing 'But the far bigger is the local council has allowed 24-hour works with no restrictions to modernise the station. 'It has been going on 21 months now with people just working there 24-7 with no restrictions on the times in a residential area. It is ridiculous. 'When you contact Network Rail they take four or five weeks to comply and then just fob you off. Obviously, work has to be done. 'But they are doing the work and having deliveries here at all hours. It is due to go on probably another year. I imagine the estate agents have not mentioned this.' Another neighbour Andrew Bailey, 57, said: 'They are pulling a fast one. It's a laugh. The price is shocking. 'It has been empty for a while. I cannot believe it. They have faked it all. It is a bit overpriced even though they have done it up. 'An old fellow used to live there but it has been empty since he died and I don't think the estate agents have had a lot of interest- especially at that price.' The woman who lives next door, who asked not be named, stuck up for the new owners. An image taken from the listing which AI checkers flagged had been heavily doctored She said: 'They did not fake it. They just added the furniture onto the Rightmove pictures. It is beautiful inside anywhere. It is absolutely gorgeous. 'It does not bother me. Who cares? If you are going to view it you are going to see what it is like anyway. 'A guy called Alan lived there. He passed away and his son also passed away so is son's widow sold it to three people who did it up. 'They did a really good job because it was in a hell of a state. You could tell the furniture was not real anyway. I just hope it sells to someone nice. They have done a gorgeous job.' A spokesman for estate agents Roseberry Wood said: Thank you for your email. Please be assured there was no intention to deceive in our marketing of the property. 'The listing clearly states that some images have been virtually staged to enhance presentation. See the below, which appears on the listing: "This property advertisement includes a combination of original interior photographs and virtually staged images (provided by the vendor) of the same rooms to illustrate potential lifestyle and living arrangements." 'Virtually staged or CGI images are not uncommon in property marketing and are a recognised tool within the industry to help potential buyers visualise a homes possibilities. 'We take compliance very seriously and ensure that our property listings contain clear links to Material Facts so that prospective buyers have access to all relevant information before making a decision to view or purchase. For some, it's the most feared stretch of water on the entire planet. The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's Triangle, is a region in the North Atlantic Ocean that has long been shrouded in mystery. According to legend, ships and airplanes have a tendency to go missing there, sparking theories of supernatural causes for these disappearances. For decades, commentators have speculated on the possibility of alien kidnappings, interdimensional portals, magnetic forces or even lost cities in the triangle. Dr Simon Boxall, an oceanographer at the University of Southampton, recently said that the disappearances can be explained by weather and not to do with such far-fetched concepts. However, there are still key unanswered questions surrounding the phenomenon, which attracts scientific interest along with wacky theories. And they mean this section of the North Atlantic will continue to fascinate for many more years to come. Here are the Bermuda Triangle's biggest remaining mysteries. Your browser does not support iframes. For decades, commentators have speculated on the possibility of UFOs or interdimensional portals in the Bermuda Triangle (artist's depiction) MISSING WRECKAGE Theories surrounding the deadly pull of the Bermuda Triangle have spread widely ever since the disappearance of the USS Cyclops more than a century ago. The USS Cyclops was an American coal-carrying ship that was used to ferry fuel to warships during World War I. In March 1918, the ship was passing through the Bermuda Triangle on its way from Salvador, in Brazil, to Baltimore when it vanished. Despite an extensive search, no trace of the 542-foot (165-metre) vessel or its 306 crew members has ever been found. Some 27 years later, a squadron of bombers collectively known as Flight 19 disappeared in the airspace above the Bermuda Triangle. As with the Cyclops incident, no explanation was given and no wreckage was found so what happened? While the missing Cyclops wreck is indeed mysterious, Flight 19 comprised small aircraft which would have likely broken up on impact with the sea, according to Dr Boxall. Dr Simon Boxall, an oceanographer from the University of Southampton, says that disappearances of ships like the USS Cyclops (pictured) could be due to 'rogue waves' What is the Bermuda Triangle? The Bermuda Triangle is a mythical section of the Atlantic Ocean roughly bounded by Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico where dozens of ships and airplanes have disappeared. Unexplained circumstances surround some of these accidents. Although a range of strange theories have been proposed regarding the Bermuda Triangle, none of them prove that mysterious disappearances occur more frequently there than in other well-traveled sections of the ocean. Many people navigate the area every day without incident. Advertisement 'Whilst there was a rescue mission no one really knew where they would have ditched with a huge search area to cover,' he told the Daily Mail. Today, brave explorers are still diving into the area's waters to visit some of the wrecks whose remains are accounted for. An example is SS Cotopaxi, a coal ship that vanished in 1925 on way from South Carolina to Cuba, which was finally located nearly a century later in 2020. SS Cotopaxi was depicted in Steven Spielberg's 1977 blockbuster 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind', where it was found in the Gobi Dessert having supposedly been placed there by aliens. But the fact that it was discovered five years ago just shows that not every vessel lost in the triangle vanishes without a trace. NUMBER OF LOST VESSELS One of the biggest remaining mysteries is exactly how many vessels have perished in the triangle, which has Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico as its three points. Most sources claim 50 ships and 20 airplanes have disappeared in the region's ocean and airspace, but the true figure could be much higher. Now, almost 100 years after the ship vanished, a team of marine biologists and underwater explorers have identified the SS Cotopaxi off the coast of St. Augustine, Florida Since the SS Cotopaxi (pictured) disappeared in 1925, it has become one of the most famous stories associated with the Bermuda Triangle NOAA: The Bermuda Triangle is a myth US government agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said foul weather and poor navigation are likely to blame for any mishaps in the area. Dozens of ships and planes have mysteriously vanished in the area. But NOAA said the number there is no different to elsewhere in the world. What's more, the theory that some mysterious supernatural force is sinking boats and planes is a myth. 'There is no evidence that mysterious disappearances occur with any greater frequency in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other large, well-traveled area of the ocean,' the agency stated Advertisement National Geographic is among the sources that puts the number at 'hundreds of ships' so not even counting airplanes. And because the region is not officially recognised or tracked by government agencies, any figure is unlikely to be substantiated or reliable. MISSING DISTRESS CALLS According to Encyclopedia Britannica, some vessels in the triangle transmitted no distress signals just before were never seen or heard from again, of which one is the USS Cyclops, which, as we know, didn't leave any debris. However, Dr Boxall suggests that ships were suddenly struck by 'rogue waves' unpredictable walls of water reaching a towering height. If the USS Cyclops or any of the other vanished vessels were struck by rogue waves, it would explain why they sank before being able to make a distress call. We already know that the Bermuda Triangle suffers from rough weather, but not necessarily rougher than anywhere else in the world. In some cases, private boats have been lost in the triangle, but that may be because it is located in such a luxurious part of the world, popular with millionaires. The Bermuda Triangle is home to some of the world's most famous shipwrecks, such as that of the SS Sapona (pictured), but a scientist now claims to have solved the mystery of this deadly region Dr Boxall said: 'Over one third of all registered leisure vessels in the USA are based in the Bermuda Triangle, and that includes the great lakes and inland waterways. 'The 2019 US Coastguard Annual Report cites that 82 per cent of all incidents they responded to (including loss of vessels and lives at sea) could be put down to people either having no training, and/or no experience of being at sea.' WHY DID THE VESSELS DISAPPEAR? The reason why each and every vessel foundered in not on record, but there's the intriguing possibility several losses in the triangle are somehow linked. Dr Boxall admits there are 'a few anomalies in this region', the first of which is the issue of gas hydrates methane deposits resulting from rotting material on the sea floor. 'They waxy substances are solid at the high pressures of the sea floor,' Dr Boxall told the Daily Mail. 'Occasionally if the deep water warms, or if there is some from of submarine slide, [they are] released. 'As they float to the surface the drop in pressure and the warmth turns them to liquid and eventually gas as they erupt at the surface. 'These occur in many parts of the worlds oceans and whilst the idea of a big gas bubble sinking a ship seems plausible, various experiments have shown that in reality the upthrust of the bubbles balances the tendency of the ship to sink.' IS IT ALL A HOAX? Few regions of the planet have divided opinion like the Bermuda Triangle, with many calling it a hoax and others claiming an enormous cover-up. According to most informed experts, the Bermuda Triangle does not have a high incidence of disappearances, at least relatively speaking. 'The Bermuda Triangle isn't particularly unusual in terms of vessels and aircraft disappearing in the ocean without trace,' Dr Boxall told the Daily Mail. 'One could extend it to cover the globe and pick up disappearances and incidents on each expansion.' Its reputation as a particularly dangerous place for vessels to cross may be simply exaggerated greatly helped by US magazine coverage in the 1950s. 'The concept was introduced by George X Sand in 1952 in a magazine called Fate,' the academic added. 'The article was entitled 'Sea Mystery at our backdoor' and to give you an idea of the readership of Fate it included articles like 'the truth about the flying saucers', Invisible Beings Walk the Earth' and 'Twenty Million Maniacs'. 'Prior to this the concept didnt exist.' Dr Boxall concluded that the Bermuda Triangle makes 'a great tale', but ultimately it can be explained rationally, without veering into pseudoscience. Amy, Bram and Chandra will be the first named storms of this winter, meteorologists revealed, after more than 50,000 suggestions were submitted by the public. The UK's Met Office, in partnership with Ireland's Met Eireann and the Dutch national weather forecasting service KNMI, has announced the list of this year's storm names, saying many people put forward suggestions in tribute to loved ones and even favourite pets. But while people have submitted choices in honour of husbands who snore louder than storms or little girls who leave chaos in their wakes, the Met Office said the purpose of naming storms was a serious one - to help people take notice, prepare and stay safe in severe weather. The Met Office and partners have been naming storms since 2015, with the list running from early September to the following August, to coincide with the start of autumn, when the likelihood of low-pressure systems and the potential for storms severe enough to be named increases. In the last year, six storms were named, reaching the letter F with Storm Floris on August 1. Under naming conventions used for storms in the North Atlantic, the list runs alphabetically, missing out Q, U, X, Y and Z, and names are drawn from submissions from the public in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands. The first name in this year's list, Amy, was the most popular female name submitted to the Met Office, while Dave was described as 'my beloved husband who can snore three times louder than any storm'. Isla was the most popular name submitted for 'I' with many submissions about little girls who leave chaos in their wakes, while Violet was submitted in honour of a daughter as 'every bit as fierce and unstoppable as a storm' after being born at 27 weeks while her mother was unwell, the Met Office said. Waves crashing at New Brighton beach, Wirral. Storm Jocelyn brought fresh travel disruption to much of the UK. Picture date: Wednesday January 24, 2024 A tree blown over by Storm Henk that landed on one car and upturned another on Nacton Road in Ipswich. Picture date: Tuesday January 2, 2024 A lightning bolt falling near Sacre Coeur Basilica in Montmartre during a thunderstorm, in Paris on June 25, 2025 The choice of Stevie for S was inspired by a little girl named after Stevie Nicks for her song Dreams, which includes the line: 'Thunder only happens when it's raining' and Ruby was the most popular name beginning with R - with one family nominating it in honour of a cherished grandmother. Pets featured in the nominations, with one cat, Oscar, described as a 'good boy, but crazy when he gets the zoomies' and another remembered for 'loving the wind in his fur'. The Met Office said a number of factors were considered for including a name on the list, including how difficult it is to produce, if it has different meanings across the different countries, is connected to a public figure or could be controversial in any way. Storms are given a name when they are deemed to have the potential to cause medium or high impacts in the UK, Ireland or the Netherlands, with wind the primary focus, although additional issues from rain or snow will also be looked at. Rebekah Hicks, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: 'Naming storms isn't just about giving them a label, it's about making sure people take notice. 'When a storm has a name, it becomes easier for the media and public to talk about it, share information, and prepare. 'It's a simple step that can make a big difference in helping communities stay safe, protect their homes, and make informed decisions ahead of severe weather.' She said that storm naming worked to raise awareness. 'We know that for Storm Floris, just a few weeks ago, surveys found that 93% of people in the amber warning area were aware of the alerts, with 83% taking action to prepare. 'Over the past decade, we've seen how naming storms helps raise awareness and ultimately, helps save lives. 'It's a simple but powerful tool in helping communities stay safe when severe weather is on the way,' she said. Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin said climate change means weather is becoming 'more extreme'. Flood water in Loughborough, Leicestershire: Wednesday January 15, 2025 Storm Darragh at Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire: Friday December 27, 2024 A cyclist riding through flood water on the Bay Estate in Dundalk, Co Louth: Thursday July 31, 2025 'So when it's hot, it's that much hotter,' he said. 'And we know that a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, so a storm is likely to drop more rainfall compared to a storm, say, decades ago. 'Because there's more moisture and more rainfall, there's an increased chance of flooding.' This year's names, and the country they came from, are: Amy (UK), Bram (Ireland), Chandra (Ch-an-dra) (Netherlands), Dave (UK), Eddie (Netherlands), Fionnuala (Fee-new-lah) (Ireland), Gerard (Jer-ard) (Ireland), Hannah (Netherlands), Isla (UK), Janna (Yah-nah) (Netherlands), Kasia (Ka-shaa) (Ireland), Lilith (Netherlands), Marty (Ireland), Nico (Netherlands), Oscar (UK), Patrick (Ireland), Ruby (UK), Stevie (UK), Tadhg (Tie-g) (Ireland), Violet (UK), Wubbo (Vuh-boh) (Netherlands). Jessica Simpson and her estranged husband Eric Johnson sparked reunion rumors as they were spotted at a concert on Friday night. The actress, 45, supported her younger sister Ashlee Simpson for her gig at the Voltaire club in Las Vegas' Venetian Resort. Fan videos obtained by TMZ showed Jessica and her hubby hanging out with friends together toward the back of the crowd. However, later in the evening, she was seen talking to mystery man. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Back together? Jessica Simpson showed that her reunion with her estranged husband Eric Johnson wasn't a passing thing when they were spotted again at a concert on Friday night; pictured in 2018 in NYC Supportive: The actress and her estranged husband were by fans in the crowd as Jessica cheered on her sister Ashlee Simpson at her concert in Las Vegas' Venetian Resort (pictured) Mystery man: Later in the evening, Jessica with an unknown man who towered over her during the Vegas show Jessica and Eric were previously seen having what looked like a tense interaction on a commercial flight taking off from Burbank, California, and destined for Las Vegas. Notably, the former couple - who announced their separation in January - weren't accompanied on the flight by any of their three children. In videos showing Jessica and Eric, she can be seen speaking to an older woman, while her ex stands next to her and chats up another woman. Despite the apparent awkwardness between the two on the flight to Vegas, they appeared to be almost tethered to each other at the show, as the former San Francisco 49ers tight end was recorded stopping his conversation and following Jessica after she started to walk to another part of the club at the end of the clip There didn't appear to be an obvious PDA in the clips circulating online, but the estranged couple also seemed surprisingly at ease with each other once the show began. The latest reunion between Jessica and Eric has left fans wondering if the two may have reconciled seven months after they announced their separation. When they arrived in Las Vegas, they were asked at the airport whether they had gotten back together. However, both kept mum on the subject, and Jessica instead explained that they were in town to see her sister Ashlee perform, via TMZ. Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Jessica and has yet to hear back. Party vibes: Later in the evening, her ex Eric was nowhere to be found as she danced to her sister's songs with the mystery man by her side The two have been seen together since they announced their split in January of this year, but this is the first time they have been seen without their children which leads to some serious questions about their relationship status. The outing came just a month after she opened up about dating after her dramatic split with Eric. As Jessica has been open about her split, there has been plenty of intrigue if she is back in the dating pool yet. At the time, she was asked if she was ready to move on romantically to which she replied: 'It's a rough road in the dating world.' Split: She and Eric announced their split in January after nearly 11 years of marriage and three children together, and Jessica has since hinted at infidelity on Eric's part in her fiery comeback track Leave In May, a source revealed that Jessica and Eric are on surprisingly good terms. The insider told Us Weekly: They are getting along well and everyone seems to be very happy. They talk and see each other all the time and have decided that no matter what happens, they will get along for the kids.' Despite the fact that neither has filed official divorce papers yet, the source made one thing clear: 'Right now there is no talk of getting back together. But they didnt shut the door entirely, teasing: With Jessica and Eric, you never know. They love each other and will always be supportive of one another. For now, Jessica and Eric will be at a lot of holidays and birthdays together and just navigating their new truth. Jessica came back swinging with Leave, a track filled with breakup venom. The lyrics pull no punches: What we had was magic / Now youve made it tragic / Giving her what you gave to me / Now the well that you drank from is empty.' She digs even deeper, singing: Your weakness made me lonely / Unholy matrimony / Did you do to her what you did to me? Was she on her knees? / Shes everything but me. And she lands the final blow: I want you to leave / I dont even wanna breathe the air you breathe / I am stronger on my own / So hold on / Im letting you go. Up in the air: Despite the fact that neither has filed official divorce papers yet, the source made one thing clear: 'Right now there is no talk of getting back together,' (seen in 2016) In April, Jessica opened up onstage at the Luck Reunion about confronting Eric just before things fell apart, saying her world turned upside down after she followed her gut and asked some very personal questions on the home front. These days, Jessica is embracing her single status, telling fans shes a very single lady'. While their split may feel sudden to the public, whispers of trouble began as early as November 2024 when Jessica teased her new music on Instagram, writing: This comeback is personal, its an apology to myself for putting up with everything I did not deserve. Adam Mark is an explorer, with a specific area of interest. He explores mysterious and abandoned locations, drawn in by a 'curiosity' of the unknown. He admits his hobby, which he shares on his YouTube channel @AdamMark, has become 'more of an addiction'. Earlier this month, the 36-year-old from North Wales set foot on the 18-acre island of Poveglia, situated off the coast of Venice and now he exclusively tells the Daily Mail about it. The island has a dark history and is dubbed 'Island of Ghosts' after being used as a quarantine station for people suffering from the plague in the 1700s. It is thought 160,000 bodies are buried there. Later on, it housed an asylum before being abandoned completely and declared out of bounds. Adam got to Poveglia by questionable measures, as officially the island is closed to visitors because of the dangerous condition of some of the buildings. He spent three hours there with his partner and explored what he thinks was a 'derelict' housing block with a clock tower. Adam Mark explores mysterious and abandoned locations, drawn in by a 'curiosity' of the unknown Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Adam explain how earlier this month he set foot on the 18-acre Poveglia The island has a dark history and is dubbed 'Island of Ghosts' after being used as a quarantine station for people suffering from the plague in the 1700s it is thought 160,000 bodies are buried there 'A lot of the stairs have all crumbled away, ivy coming in through the windows, something you'd see off Tomb Raider,' Adam recalls. He describes how the area was 'completely overgrown' and he discovered a 'huge prison' that was 'so camouflaged with all the ivy and vines'. In the prison, Adam recalls seeing the original beds and shower blocks, as well as a section where the floor had fallen through 'so all the beds were mixed in with all the rubble'. 'It was crazy,' he adds. The Welshman also ventured into an abandoned hospital that had 'metal beds on chains, so they're on the floor, and then you pull them up and they become bunk beds'. 'I've never seen anything like that before'. That was in the hospital, and then there's another asylum on there, and then a church.' During his visit to Poveglia, the explorer was most shocked by 'how overgrown everything is'. 'I didn't realise it was bad as it was, because I've been to Chernobyl, and in Chernobyl, you can still see the buildings and everything, but this is just completely taken over,' he explains. The wild and derelict feel of the 'haunted' island was 'pretty cool' to Adam, who was also surprised by the sight of the beds in the prison. He spent three hours there with his partner and explored what he thinks was a 'derelict' housing block with a clock tower He describes how the area was 'completely overgrown' and he discovered a 'huge prison' that was 'so camouflaged with all the ivy and vines' 'That was quite shocking, because I didn't know they were there,' he adds. 'To be fair, I don't like to do too much research on a place before I go it's like spoilers, isn't it?' However, something even stranger happened while he was exploring the abandoned location. Adam captured some spooky incidents on camera and seemingly managed to tap into the spirit world with paranormal equipment he brought along. 'We did take some equipment just to see, you have to don't you, the most haunted place in the world,' he says. 'We did get some stuff on there, we got a few things come through on a spirit box, like words coming through.' The creepiest moments happened on camera, with Adam and his partner spooked out by footsteps in the housing block. 'When we was recording, you could actually hear footsteps, they were so clear and the way I had the camera, you could see that me and my partner were just both stood there, and then you can just hear these footsteps run through the room,' he recalls. Adam explains how when he watched some footage back from the housing block, he could hear something horrifying. The Welshman also ventured into an abandoned hospital that had 'metal beds on chains, so they're on the floor, and then you pull them up and they become bunk beds' Adam captured some spooky incidents on camera and seemingly managed to tap into the spirit world with paranormal equipment he brought along 'When we were walking through the housing block, you can actually hear a scream on the video, and we didn't hear it at the time, so that was pretty weird,' he says. Adam spends hours pouring over Google Maps looking for overgrown and derelict places to explore, as well as news articles and hearing tips from other people. From haunted islands to asylums, Adam's favourite abandoned place he has visited so far is Chernobyl in Ukraine, abandoned after nuclear power plant exploded in 1986. 'Just because it's a whole city,' he says. 'It's like living in the apocalypse, the roads are just overgrown with trees and the skyscrapers are coming up out of a forest. It's strange.' A man who has travelled through all 197 countries in the world has revealed the worst destination he visited, where he was told not to go outside. Drew Binsky, 34, has spent the last decade visiting every country and shares his travel content on YouTube with his 5.7 million subscribers. So far, he has accrued more than one billion views. In one video entitled Top five places where I felt the most unsafe as a traveller, the American blogger revealed Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, as the very worst place hes visited. Describing Mogadishu as miserable, Drew said that the city has no rules, no laws. He adds that the offshoot of al-Qaeda, Al-Shabab, operates there, making it a very, very scary place to travel. Binsky said: Every time you leave your hotel, you have to have a convoy in the front and back with four bulletproof vest military guys sitting on the beds of each truck with huge AK-47s in their hand, scouting out the area before you go. The other four cities in the list are: Conakry (Guinea), Kandahar (Afghanistan), Port au Prince (Haiti) and Tripoli (Libya). Describing Conakry as his least favourite place in West Africa, the global explorer recounted walking around the capital city for less than ten minutes before being stopped by two policemen. He was also caught up in a coup. He said it was a complete mess with nothing to do and is very, very hostile. Drew Binsky has spent the last decade visiting every country and shares his travel content on YouTube Drew called Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, the very worst place hes visited branding it 'miserable' He explained that the founding city of the Taliban, Kandahar in Afghanistan, feels a very unsafe place and recounted seeing a big barbed-wired complexes. You can just feel the tense air, he continued. While he noted the cool and traditional markets, he said that there is this layer of intensity and a need to look over your shoulder where you walk. Binsky continues to describe Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, as total chaos. He explained how he entered a gang-controlled area near the airport with a guide and was told at times to put his camera away. It was just total chaos, he said. Thugs that were controlling this area I had to pay them off. Gangsters with big guns in their pockets taking me around. The final destination on Binskys list is Tripoli in Libya, which he visited in 2018. He called Conakry in Guinea a complete mess with nothing to do, adding that it is very, very hostile The founding city of the Taliban, Kandahar in Afghanistan feels a very unsafe place and recounted seeing a big barbed-wired complexes. He said: I will say I heard its safer in the last few years, but back in 2018, I was falling asleep to the sound of bombs in my hotel room. The traveller revealed how his bed frame would be literally shaking, but hotel staff would brush it off as happening five miles away. He added that it was very hard walking outside without police, who werent used to tourists, asking him questions. I heard nowadays its easier to go to Libya and its more open without civil war, so I hope to visit again, Binsky added. The FCDO currently advises against all travel to all the destinations mentioned. Even if you're disdainful as to the validity of online hotel reviews, customer feedback that contains phrases including 'absolutely dire' and the words 'drab', 'grimy', 'smelly', and even 'disgusting', may give even hardened digital cynics pause for thought. But these are the damning responses of guests unwise or unlucky enough to have stayed in one of the Britannia chain of hotels. It's a group that owns many grande dames of the British accommodation scene such as The Grand in Scarborough, the Metropole in Blackpool and The Adelphi in Liverpool, and is running them into the ground. You'd think vacancies at these hotels wouldn't be hard to find. But at least 17 of the 64 hotels in the Britannia group are now block-booked. The new 'guests' are asylum seekers, who the government are paying the chain to house. Britannia regularly tops consumer review polls to claim the dubious crown of worst hotel chain in the UK. Yet the dirt, the grime and the Basil Fawlty-style service in their hotels is of little concern to the chain's chief executive Alex Langsam, who, according to the Sunday Times Rich List, has accumulated wealth to the tune of over 400 million pounds. His company is believed to be making profits of over 100,000 a day, in part thanks to Langsam's new reputation as the 'asylum king'. Alex Langsam has accumulated wealth to the tune of over four hundred million pounds, according to the Sunday Times Rich List, Britannia owns many grande dames of the British accommodation, such as The Adelphi in Liverpool and is running them into the ground. At least 17 of the 64 hotels in the Britannia group are now block-booked (pictured: The Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkstone, Kent) Living in a 10-bedroom mansion in Cheshire valued at over 3 million pounds, Langsam has, for over a decade now, signed numerous government contracts which enable his hotels to be used to house asylum seekers. The Britannia International Hotel in London's Canary Wharf district is next on the list to house small boat arrivals; attracting both protestors to the site as well as contractors who have constructed a ring of steel around the building- where, normally, costs per room start at over 100 per night. Langsam himself is intensely media shy and fiercely guards his privacy as the high walls and hedges surrounding his Altrincham home attest. Many veterans of the UK hotel scene claim they have never met the octogenarian who is believed to be unmarried and has no known children. One insider claimed that Britannia have a reputation for seldom corresponding with journalists, politicians or property developers. Langsam's family are Austrian; fleeing to Britain three months before Alex was born when the Nazis annexed their home country. Interned on the Isle of Man before moving to the Sussex coast, it perhaps makes sense that Langsam, a migrant to the UK himself, may now want to extend a helping hand to those now arriving on British shores. Yet there are clearly financial gains to be made from the slew of government contracts to house migrants that Langsam has accepted- to the point where an estimated one in ten asylum seekers in the UK are housed in one of his hotels. Starting up Britannia Hotels in 1976, through the purchase of the 100-bedroom Country House Hotel in Manchester, Langsam went on to acquire dozens more hotels before buying the Pontins group of holiday camps in 2011 for an estimated two million pounds. He has claimed to always make 'the necessary investment to restore them [hotels] to their former glory'. Bournemouth's Brittannia Hotel has recently seen demonstrations outside, as tensions flare over hotels being used to house asylum seekers Customers and critics alike have consistently disagreed, with those unfortunate enough to pay for a stay at numerous Britannia hotels reporting tales of damp, sewage and mould in bedrooms and bathrooms that, in the words of one reviewer, have been 'left to rot.' Dr James Davies, MP for the Vale of Clwyd where the mothballed Pontins Prestatyn site (closed suddenly in 2023 and yet to reopen) has accused Britannia of failing to maintain their estates, while 'raking in' money from 'asylum accommodation'. 'They were relying on government funds to bankroll their business model,' he alleges. In the one interview that Langsam has granted the UK press (to the Guardian in 2011), he explained that his 'formula' was to buy and restore 'extraordinary buildings' to be 'enjoyed by ordinary people'. For his 2,000-plus employees who have never met this enigmatic figure, the new reality is that these 'ordinary' people' are now more likely to be illegal migrants than holiday guests. As the online reviews go from bad to worse, the profits, for the Asylum King, are rising ever higher. For many, the opportunity to stay in a five-star hotel is a lifelong ambition. But it turns out the pinnacle of holiday accommodation isn't even the best out there anymore. The Burj Al Arab hotel, a luxurious complex in Dubai, claims to be the world's only 'seven-star hotel', setting customers back an eye-watering 17,000 per night. YouTuber Drew Binsky, who boasts a whopping 5.75million subscribers on the platform, took on the unenviable task of trying out the unique accommodation. The hotel, thought to be the world's third highest, is the most famous in this playground for the super rich. Although official star ratings only go up to five, the Burj hands itself two more to show how much better it is than the rest. Mr Binsky and his partner explored the huge hotel, which features 199 exclusive suites, six restaurants and a 24-hour butler service. He made the most of some of the Burj's most lavish draws, saying: 'Check this out. This is the bathroom, and the shower is literally golden.' The Burj Al Arab hotel, pictured, a luxurious complex in Dubai, claims to be the world's only 'seven-star hotel', setting customers back an eye-watering 17,000 per night YouTuber Drew Binsky, who boasts a whopping 5.75million subscribers on the platform, took on the unenviable task of trying out the unique accommodation The suite, perched many stories above the ground, included sweeping views of Dubai's sprawling metropolis. The influencer then headed down into the lobby which he said reminds him of Austin Powers, boasting blue and white patterned walls and grandly decorated carpets. Unsurprisingly, gold was the overwhelming theme of the hotel and Mr Binsky sampled some of the Burj's most glittering food and drink items during his stay. He sipped on a '24 karat' cappuccino, costing $40 (30) a cup, which boasted real gold placed on top of the foam, before chomping on a meal which appeared to have dry ice rising from the plate. The YouTuber finished off the video by posing a question to his wife: 'So babe would $160,000 a night to stay here?' 'I can't,' she replied regretfully. Mr Binsky's stated price for the suite was perhaps slightly exaggerative, given reports suggest rooms are available for the relative bargain of $24,000 (17,000) per night. Viewers soon took to the comments to weigh in on the debate as to whether or not the lavish hotel was worth it. The hotel, thought to be the world's third highest, is the most famous in this playground for the super rich (Stock Photo) Although official star ratings only go up to five, the Burj hands itself two more to show how much better it is than the rest (Stock Photo) One said: 'Rather spend that amount of money travelling parts of the world, where there are beautiful sceneries.' Another added, 'It's a rip off,' before suggesting: 'Also you can invest this kind of money. You can start a business with $160k. Buy a house for $100k and remodel it for 60k. Resell it for $300k and make $140k profit.' A third posted: 'W ouldnt pay that. Rather just get an rolls royce and sleep in it.' And another said: 'Looking straight out of the 90's in the worst way. They need to renovate this hotel ASAP.' Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Min Aung Hlaing, acting president of Myanmar, in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Min Aung Hlaing is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025, as well as commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) TIANJIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Min Aung Hlaing, acting president of Myanmar, in the port city of Tianjin on Saturday. Min Aung Hlaing is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025, as well as commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Myanmar was part of the Eastern battlefield in the global fight against fascism and stands as an important dialogue partner of the SCO, Xi noted. Xi called on the two countries to deepen strategic cooperation, accelerate the building of a community with a shared future, and bring more benefits to the two peoples. China supports Myanmar in fostering broad domestic political unity to restore stability and boost development, Xi said. The two countries should advance key projects in the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, collaborate to combat cross-border crimes and ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions, and projects in Myanmar, Xi said. China has long supported Myanmar's economic and social development, assisted in its post-disaster reconstruction, and played a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in northern Myanmar, Min Aung Hlaing said, pledging firm adherence to the one-China principle. As an SCO dialogue partner, Myanmar is willing to contribute to the organization's development, he added. The two sides signed bilateral cooperation documents in areas including customs and media. Senior Chinese officials including Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Chen Min'er attended the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Min Aung Hlaing, acting president of Myanmar, in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Min Aung Hlaing is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025, as well as commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) Editor: WXY Netflix fans have been gripped by a new limited series exploring the horrors of human trafficking. Brazilian thriller Rivers Of Fate consists of just four episodes, making it the perfect weekend binge, so it's no surprise leagues of viewers have already burned through them all. The synopsis for the show, which landed on the streamer on 20 August, reads: 'When a teen is kidnapped by a sex trafficking ring, a river pirate and a fierce mother embark on separate quests to find her until their paths cross.' Created by Braulio Mantovani, Fernando Garrido and Stephanie Degreas, the show stars Domithila Cattete, Marleyda Soto and Lucas Galvino in lead roles. Along with teenage victim Janalices (Domithila Cattete) plotline, the narrative also tracks Prea (Galvino), who ends up as an unlikely leader of a gang of river pirates. Meanwhile Mariangel (Soto), a woman from Colombia, seeks vengeance after the murder of her husband and child at the hands of a gang that rules the city of Belem. Netflix fans have been gripped by a new limited series exploring the horrors of human trafficking - Brazilian thriller Rivers of Fate The synopsis for the show, which landed on the streamer on 20 August, reads: 'When a teen is kidnapped by a sex trafficking ring, a river pirate and a fierce mother embark on separate quests to find her until their paths cross' Rivers Of Fate has managed to break into the top ten charts and is racking up glowing reviews from fans on social media. 'Its brutal in its realism. A story of crime, survival, and revenge. This one should get under your skin,' one enthusiast wrote. 'Rivers of Fate is a moving and impactful series that gets under your skin,' another glowed. 'Despite the bleakness of Rivers Of Fate, were intrigued enough about how the stories we were introduced to will come together with the mystical elements of the overall plot to keep watching,' a third chimed in. While a fourth gushed: 'I binged the whole series in one day. Its just 4 episodes so its easy to do it. Ive never read the book so I didnt have anything to say about the adaptationbut its a hell of a ride and definitely worth watching.' Another opined: 'Rivers of Fate completely drew me in. Dark, raw, and emotional. It captures both the brutality and strength of human nature. The performances are outstanding and even though I just finished it, it already left a strong impact. Not an easy watch, but definitely worth it.' 'This is a show that viewers will just tag along characters and enjoy the rollercoaster experience,' a final verdict read. Speaking to Netflix before the show's launch, director Quico Meirelles explained: 'There's something about the adrenaline rush in the miniseries, the frenzy with which things happen, that leaves the audience breathless.' Brazilian thriller Rivers Of Fate consists of just four episodes, making it the perfect weekend binge, so it's no surprise leagues of viewers have already burned through them all Meanwhile star Domithila said: 'People will feel a lot of emotions when they watch Rivers of Fate. Its a story of great hope. It is important to share it so that stories like these dont keep repeating themselves.' Rivers Of Fate isn't the only Netflix show to capture viewers' attention this week. British thriller The Gathering has made it to the top of Netflix charts despite viewers boycotting Channel 4 when it first launched last year. The six-part series was previously dubbed so 'vile and harrowing' that viewers had to switch off. But now Netflix fans are rushing to the platform to watch the thriller after it was uploaded this week, with it already ranking as the fifth most-watched show. Speaking to Netflix before the launch of Rivers of Fate, director Quico Meirelles explained: 'There's something about the adrenaline rush in the miniseries, the frenzy with which things happen, that leaves the audience breathless' The synopsis reads: 'A violent attack on a teenager at an illegal beach rave sends shockwaves of suspicion through a Merseyside community. As secrets and lies are laid bare, will the truth emerge?' People shared that the character Natalie (Vinette Robinson), who is described as the 'mother from hell,' made some of the family scenes difficult to watch. Natalie's daughter (Sadie Soverall) is a talented gymnast whose friend Kelly (Eva Morgan) is attacked. Viewers watch as Jessica tries to live up to her mother's strict and overbearing standards and the fallout of not being picked for a gymnastics team. It has received mixed reviews, with some claiming they are 'hooked' whilst others have slammed Natalie's 'controlling,' 'manipulative', 'vile' and 'toxic' behaviour. An Antiques Roadshow guest with aristocratic connections left the show's expert flummoxed with her impressive jewellery collection. Margaret revealed how her great-grandfather was chef to King Edward VII and Queen Victoria, who was poached by the royal family after working for the Rothschilds. During his culinary career, he was awarded jewellery from several heads of state, amounting to an impressive collection worth a hefty sum. One notable piece was a set of gold cufflinks inlaid with diamonds and rubies. The striking cufflinks exhibited a rough, asymmetric shape, owing to a crafting technique called 'samorodok' which literally means a nugget in Russian. The technique is associated with prestigious firm, Faberge and was described by the expert as 'very Russian.' An Antiques Roadshow guest with aristocratic connections left the show's expert flummoxed with her impressive jewellery collection, inherited from her great-grandfather, and she was so nervous about its valuation that she held his hand During his culinary career, he was awarded jewellery from several heads of state, amounting to an impressive collection worth a hefty sum - one notable piece was a set of gold cufflinks inlaid with diamonds and rubies However, it transpired that the cufflinks were not made by Faberge, but rather another maker, Ivanoff, from St Petersburg. Impressively, the Russian Imperial family's cipher was etched above the maker's mark on the case which holds the cufflinks. When probed about who gave the jewellery to her great-grandfather, Margaret confirmed it was Tsar Nicholas. The BBC expert nodded and agreed that it was indeed a possibility owing to the fact that the ruler travelled to London and had visited Sandringham. Taking a trip down memory lane, Margaret spoke about her relative, a Frenchman, and showed a photo of him with his family. Showcasing some more of her jewellery collection, she speculated that some other sets of cufflinks had been made into broaches or pendants because her great-grandfather only had daughters. Due to the work required to transform the pieces, the expert believed they were characteristic of Faberge's work - but he could not be 'absolutely certain' due to the lack of markings. Gesturing to the trinkets, he noted: 'We call this guilloche enamel and it's an engine-turned gold mount that is flooded with translucent pink enamel.' When probed about who gave the jewellery to her great-grandfather, Margaret confirmed it was Tsar Nicholas Impressively, the Russian Imperial family's cipher was etched above the maker's mark on the case which holds the cufflinks However, one piece in particular stood out. 'There's absolutely no doubt at all that this is a full-blown Faberge broach," said the man,' he went on. 'It's signed. It's a most distinguished thing. Again, the use of the guilloche enamel, yellow enamel in this case, and two colours of gold. 'Little laurel wreaths, and tied with a diamond bow, emblematic of peace. And the Romanov crown set with diamonds and circled with pearls.' The expert identified a worker's name on the back of the item, August Hollming and admitted he felt 'nervous' ahead of delivering his valuation. He ruled that the nugget cufflinks were worth between 7-8k, while the brooches would sell for around 8-10k. Meanwhile the Faberge broach was worth 15k - 5k more than Margaret had guessed. Despite the combined value sitting around an eye-watering 30k, she insisted she would be keeping the collection in the family and had no plans to sell it. Antiques Roadshow airs Sundays on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer. Eh up, it's alive! Australian actor Jacob Elordi is playing Frankenstein's monster as no one has ever imagined him before with a Yorkshire accent. The actor, who is 28 and one of the most desirable men in the world, said yesterday that he had, indeed, decided to 'go Yorkshire' for his portrayal of 'the creature' in Guillermo del Toro's forthcoming film. 'Yes, the accent is Yorkshire that's a great spot,' said Elordi. 'David Bradley who plays the blind man in the film is from that part of the world, and when the creature starts to speak he learns from the blind man. So there are bits and bobs of Yorkshire in the way he speaks.' Elordi spends much of the film naked aside from a pair of hotpants made from yellow bandages, and his performance in the film will be a further staging post on his march to global stardom. He rose to fame with the TV series Euphoria and further cemented his heartthrob status starring in Emerald Fennell's Saltburn and then as Elvis in Priscilla. He is in the conversation when it comes to actors who might slip into Daniel Craig's loafers as James Bond, although Amazon will not start casting until they have a script, which is likely a month or two away still. The actor recently broke up from girlfriend Olivia Jade and is in Venice with his mother, Melissa, who he brought to a party hosted by the jewellers Cartier and the film magazine A Rabbit's Foot at the Gritti Palace on Friday night. He wore a $20,000 Cartier Juste en Clou necklace to that event and yesterday wore gold earrings, rings and layered gold necklaces for promotional duties ahead of the world premiere of the Netflix film, in competition, at the Venice Film Festival. Australian actor Jacob Elordi (pictured) is playing Frankenstein's monster as no one has ever imagined him before with a Yorkshire accent Elordi spends much of the film naked aside from a pair of hotpants made from yellow bandages. Pictured: Elordi as Frankenstein's monster in a rare covered-up moment Jacob Elordi poses on the red carpet for the screening of Frankenstein at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival British actor Andrew Garfield had signed up to play the role but dropped out at the last minute due to scheduling issues. Del Toro approached Elordi just nine weeks before the cameras started rolling. Elordi said: 'I was finishing The Narrow Road To The Deep North so I had about three or four weeks only before we started. It presented itself as a monumental task but as Guillermo said the banquet was already there and everyone was already eating.' He added: 'I was drawn to this role because it's a vessel that I could put every part of myself into. 'Everything from the moment I was born to being with you here today, that's all in it in many ways. The creature on screen is the purest form of myself. He is more me than I am as a performer. If you can find yourself in a character that's a really beautiful thing that can happen, and I am only realising it now in hindsight.' Netflix is pinning some of its Oscar's hopes and ambitions on the film, and boss Ted Sarandos made a point of being in the press conference alongside members of Netflixes awards team yesterday afternoon. The streamer has yet to win a Best Picture Oscar and this film, alongside the George Clooney drama Jay Kelly and Katherine Bigelow's nuclear missile thriller A House of Dynamite, are their great hopes. Director Del Toro said that this was the film that he had been waiting to make since he was seven years old. Jacob Elordi (baseball cap) and David Bradley (right of Elordi) pictured with director Guillermo Del Toro, Mia Goth and others This image released by Netflix shows director Guillermo del Toro, left, and Oscar Isaac, right, on the set of Frankenstein The actor recently broke up from girlfriend Olivia Jade and is in Venice with his mother, Melissa He said: 'It is a dream for me and the (1931) film was a religion. I was raised very Catholic and Boris Karloff on the screen was a saint. I had to wait to get the scope to make it at a scale, so that you could reconstruct the whole world and I got that. Now I am in post-partum depression.' The appearance of the creature is a long way from the Karloff creature with green skin and a bold through his neck. Elordi's creature has pale blue skin and is almost veined with scars. Del Toro said: 'I wanted the creature to be new born. A lot of the creatures you see in Frankenstein films are like accident victims. I wanted beauty, a lot of alabaster and ivory. I also said no stitches. 'Victor Frankenstein is an artist so after 20 years he would have created beautifully without leaving stitches.' He added: 'We based the head on the phrenology diagrams and on the body we were doing the lines like you streamline a car, with beauty. If you ask why didn't Victor take half and half the answer is the war everything is fed from spare pieces.' The film will have a limited release in cinemas before becoming available to Netflix viewers. Del Toro said that he was having a 'very fluid dialogue' with Netflix over how long it might spend in theatres. He said: 'What I do know is if you can reach over 300 million viewers then you take the opportunity and the challenge to tell the story,' Frankenstein Rating: Never mind your Tik-Tok influencers and adolescent pop stars, the most culturally influential teenager of all time is surely Mary Shelley, who was barely as old as the century when, in 1816, she began writing Frankenstein. There have been well over 200 screen interpretations since the first in 1910, and now the mighty Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has had a crack. And very handsome it is, too, even if the lament of Frankensteins monster (Jacob Elordi) that his plight will never end, at times seems to apply to the movie itself. It lasts a whisker under two and a half hours. Still, for Del Toro, the lavish reception at last nights world premiere at the Venice Film Festival will more than justify the movies reported 90 million budget, not to mention the 30 years he has spent yearning to bring the book, just like Shelleys modern-day Prometheus, to life. His film begins in 1857 in the Arctic, where a crew of exhausted Danish sailors are terrorised by a preternaturally strong creature in vaguely human form. The brutes real target, though, is a badly wounded fellow who, of course, turns out to be Dr Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac). The mighty Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has had a crack at a screen interpretation of Frankenstein. And very handsome it is, too, even if the lament of Frankensteins monster (Jacob Elordi) that his plight will never end at times seems to apply to the movie itself For Del Toro (pictured), the lavish reception at last nights world premiere at the Venice Film Festival will more than justify the movies reported 90 million budget, not to mention the 30 years he has spent yearning to bring the book, just like Shelleys modern-day Prometheus, to life His film begins in 1857 in the Arctic, where a crew of exhausted Danish sailors are terrorised by a preternaturally strong creature in vaguely human form. The brutes real target, though, is a badly wounded fellow who, of course, turns out to be Dr Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) To explain this extraordinary to-do we are then whisked back in time to Victors boyhood tribulations at the hands of his tyrannical father Leopold (Charles Dance), a renowned surgeon determined that his first-born son should likewise have a career in medicine. Whether Shelley intended it or not, Del Toros version of her story cleaves to the notion that problems in adulthood are sown by iffy parenting. The poet Philip Larkin, youll recall, expressed the same notion more succinctly. Victor duly grows up to be a surgeon, demonstrating to astounded colleagues his experiment in creating human life by piecing together parts from different corpses and animating the hybrid body. They are aghast, but soon he has a rich patron in arms manufacturer Heinrich Harlander (Christoph Waltz). An elaborate lab is built, and while Del Toro hasnt made a horror film so much as a dark fairy tale about fatherhood, theres still a wonderfully gory montage showing Victor slicing up stiffs hes retrieved from a battlefield, accompanied, with glorious dissonance, by jolly waltz music. Eventually, Victors creation bursts excitingly into life, but before long the doctor starts to have reservations about what he has done. The films second act tells the subsequent story from the point of view of his monster, who, while holed up in a forest, not only acquires a kindly personality and a modesty about his genitals but also a mild Yorkshire accent. Which is most weird, it is hard to say Whether Shelley intended it or not, Del Toros version of her story cleaves to the notion that problems in adulthood are sown by iffy parenting. The poet Philip Larkin, youll recall, expressed the same notion more succinctly The films second act tells the subsequent story from the point of view of his monster, who, while holed up in a forest, not only acquires a kindly personality and a modesty about his genitals but also a mild Yorkshire accent. Which is most weird, it is hard to say. Come to think of it, its also strange that Elordi, an actor dishy enough to have played the young Elvis Presley (in 2023s Priscilla) should be cast as one of fictions best-known grotesques. His good looks are by no means entirely obscured by all the prosthetic scars, but I dont think theyre intended to be. Underneath it all, this monster is not really monstrous at all. Nevertheless, Del Toro pays sustained homage to Shelleys novel, which hasnt always been apparent in the many other screen iterations. The great director also knows how to dish up a feast for the senses. With its sumptuous sets and costumes and rousing score, Frankenstein is splendid on both the eye and the ear. Beyond all that, what it is, really, is a top-notch superhero movie. EastEnders is set for a huge shake-up next week ahead of Zoe Slater's return - and it will impact fans who tune into the soap on streaming. The BBC soap is in for a dramatic week which is expected to be the biggest since its 40th anniversary earlier this year. And it's meant that bosses of the show have had to do a major change to the schedule ahead of the big reveal. Iconic Zoe Slater, played by Michelle Ryan, will be making her permanent return to Albert Square this week after a 20-year absence. Her first scenes are set to air on Tuesday, but in a surprise move bosses have announced that Wednesday's episode will not be available to watch in advance in BBC iPlayer, and will be held until its broadcast at 7:30pm. This means those eager to watch at 6am will unfortunately have to wait over 12 hours to see the aftermath of Zoe's dramatic comeback. EastEnders bosses have revealed that a key episode in Zoe Slater's much-anticipated return will not be available to watch in advance on streaming Zoe's first scenes are set to air on Tuesday, but in a surprise move bosses have announced that Wednesday's episode will not be available to watch in advance in BBC iPlaye Fans were left wanting more after Zoe's cameo in Walford earlier this summer, but she's in for a massive reunion with her estranged mother Kat this week. A synopsis for the episode reads: 'Secrets of Zoe's past come to the fore during her explosive return to Walford, which sends shockwaves through the Slaters and Walford.' Earlier this month, Zoe's permanent return was revealed in an epic trailer, after 20 years of estrangement from her mother Kat. The dramatic trailer featured the two women returning, beginning with Kat applying her iconic red lipstick. Zoe, meanwhile, was introduced in darkness as she returned in a taxi before stepping out into the rain. A clip of her mum walking in high heels played side by side on a notably much sunnier day as she smiled at the other residents of Walford. Then, at the end of the dramatic trailer, the smile is wiped from Kat's face when she sees her daughter for the first time in two decades. For those whose memories need refreshing, Zoe famously left the show back in 2005 when it was revealed that Kat, who Zoe believed was her elder sister, was actually her mum. Iconic Zoe Slater, played by Michelle Ryan, will be making her permanent return to Albert Square this week after a 20-year absence For those whose memories need refreshing, Zoe famously left the show back in 2005 when it was revealed that Kat, who Zoe believed was her elder sister, was actually her mum She said: 'You cant tell me what to do. You aint my mother.' This act of rebellion prompted Kat to scream: 'Yes I am!' Zoe's return to the show happened back in June, but she has not encountered here estranged mother until now. Jessie Wallace, 53, who plays Kat, admitted that even though it would have been possible, she didn't want her daughter recast as anyone other than Michelle. She told the Radio Times that she 'burst out crying' when the pair reunited at a secret meeting with producers. Jessie said: 'I said to Ben [executive producer], "It has to be Michelle. It wont feel right if Zoe is recast." 'I wouldnt be able to give my best performance. The audience would feel completely conned.' She added: 'I love Michelle and have always been protective over her, perhaps thats natural having played her mum. 'I'm a mother myself now, which I wasnt when we worked together before, and I'm very protective over my daughter.' Fans of iconic 80s sitcoms got a major blast from the past when one of TV's biggest sex symbols set Instagram on fire. Blonde bombshell Lydia Cornell, now 72, sizzled once again in a recent post, reminding fans why she turned heads as Sara Rush on Too Close for Comfort. The El Paso native, who also shared the screen with David Hasselhoff in Knight Rider, brought charm and cheek to her role as the daughter of Ted Knights Henry Rush. During the shows 19801985 run, Sara got into all sorts of hijinks with sister Jackie, played by Deborah Van Valkenburgh and their eccentric friend Monroe Ficus, played by comedian Jim J. Bullock. At the height of the sitcoms popularity in 1982, Cornell alongside Suzanne Somers was hailed by sexologist Robert T. Francoeur as a modern embodiment of 'classic female stereotypes in the mold of Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield.' Lydia herself recently embraced the label in a heartfelt Instagram tribute to the late Loni Anderson. Fans of iconic 80s sitcoms got a major blast from the past when Lydia Cornell set Instagram on fire recently; (seen in 1980) Blonde bombshell Cornell , now 72, sizzled once again in a recent post, reminding fans why she turned heads as Sara Rush on Too Close for Comfort; (seen in 1980) The El Paso native (R) brought charm and cheek to her role as the daughter of Ted Knights (center) Henry Rush, along with Deborah Van Valkenburgh (L) and Nancy Dussault (top) Sharing a snap of herself with Anderson, Melrose Place star Courtney Thorne-Smith, and Hollywood legend Tippi Hedren, Cornell wrote on August 4: 'Rest in Peace Loni Anderson. What a beauty, gone too soon. My heart goes out to her children, friends and loved ones. 'It was a strange trip being an "80s sex-symbol." And sometimes, hell on earth. But Loni had great sense of humor about it, and we both got a lot of laughs at our required poster sessions. 'At least she made her character intelligent too.' Unsurprisingly, fans were wowed by how youthful and strikingly glamorous Lydia looked. In post after post, she proves that age hasnt slowed her downeither in life or in looks. As for the 'hell on earth' of being a sex symbol, Lydia once revealed the pressure ABC put on her to maintain that ideal. 'ABC was promoting me as a sex symbol,' she told People in 2020. 'They used to measure my underwear. It had to be a certain number of inches from the calf to the panty line! 'I was a piece of meat, but I was so grateful for a job.' At 72, Lydia still radiates the same star power that made her a household name in the 1980s; (pictured July 2025) At the height of the sitcoms popularity in 1982, Cornell alongside Suzanne Somers was hailed by sexologist Robert T. Francoeur as a modern embodiment of 'classic female stereotypes in the mold of Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield' During the shows 19801985 run, Sara got into all sorts of hijinks with sister Jackie, played by Deborah Van Valkenburgh and their eccentric friend Monroe Ficus, played by comedian Jim J. Bullock Lydia shared the screen with David Hasselhoff in Knight Rider Longtime followers also know that Lydia overcame a difficult battle with substance abuse to reach the thriving life she leads today; (seen in 1985) Longtime followers also know that Lydia overcame a difficult battle with substance abuse to reach the thriving life she leads today. 'During the series, we would go out every night and drink like five bottles or something. [But after the show] I was just binge drinking. You lose control and you dont know what youre doing,' she told Fox in 2020. 'I became a radioactive blackout drinker.' After Too Close for Comfort ended, Lydia remained in the Hollywood spotlight, reportedly dating such famous lotharios as Lorenzo Lamas and the late playboy Dodi Fayed. 'I was drinking champagne and cocktails every night,' she told People. 'I crashed and burned.' But with the birth of her son Jack in 1994, she left the party girl life behind. 'I wanted to be a good mother,' Cornell, who shares her son with comedy writer Jim Mulholland, told Fox. 'It became really scary after I had my baby. I didnt drink during the pregnancy at all, but after he was born, I couldnt handle it. I drank until I passed out, blacked out. It was really scary.' Lydia once revealed the pressure ABC put on her to maintain an ideal: 'They used to measure my underwear. It had to be a certain number of inches from the calf to the panty line!' But with the birth of her son Jack in 1994, she left the party girl life behind: 'I wanted to be a good mother' 'I never really did hard drugs. I never liked marijuana. It made you eat everything. But I haven't touched a drug or drink since 1994. Its been a spiritual thing. Sobriety is a beautiful, incredible gift. 'And I truly believe it got me closer to God. Life now is always fresh and beautiful.' During her interview with Fox, Lydia also opened up about her whirlwind start in Hollywood, revealing that her path to stardom was anything but ordinary. Fresh out of college, she spent hours tracking down producers and writing letters, determined to turn her lifelong dream of acting into reality. As she told Fox, 'The minute I got to town, I was invited by an agent to a dinner party. I remember at the front booth of this fancy restaurant was Aaron Spelling. He was sitting with Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner. I was so starstruck.' That chance encounter led to her first professional gig on The Love Boat, followed by a string of guest roles on other Spelling productions, including Charlies Angels. 'I ended up doing nine guest-starring roles for Aaron Spelling,' Lydia recalled. Her big break on Too Close for Comfort came in equally unexpected fashion. The former Too Close for Comfort bombshell has kept her trademark glamour, dazzling fans with her timeless beauty; (seen in July 2025) Decades after being hailed as a sex symbol, she continues to turn heads with her youthful glow; (seen in July 2025) Lydia, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, and Jim J. Bullock still reunite at fan conventions, delighting longtime Too Close for Comfort fans The trio is keeping the shows legacy alive decades later Lydia showed up late to her audition in a soaked cheerleader sweater after a rare LA downpour. Initially turned away, she got a last-minute chance to read for creator Arne Sultan. Recounting the chaotic moment, she said, 'Theres a line in the script that says "Sara gives her dad a raspberry." So Im here picking up this imaginary raspberry and handing it to Arne. He goes, "What the hell are you giving me?" I said, "Im giving dad a raspberry." He goes, "Oh my God, she doesnt know what giving a raspberry means?" They all laughed so hard, tears were coming out.' That impromptu moment sealed her fate. 'Then they went, "Shes perfect for the part." It was a total fluke,' she explained. The producers were charmed, and by the next morning, Lydia was officially cast as Sara Rush, proving that sometimes, serendipity and a little chaos are all it takes to launch a career. For the past four years, Justin Hemmes has been preparing to bring his Sydney-style empire south, snapping up heritage buildings, the Lorne Hotel and even a $60million CBD car park as part of an audacious Melbourne expansion. Now, the city's hospitality heavyweights are bracing for a fight on their home turf as the Merivale boss at last prepares to open his first Melbourne venue - LB's Record Bar - in early October. Of course, Melbourne's hospitality heavyweights aren't exactly rolling out the red carpet for bar tsar Hemmes. We spoke to one well-placed industry insider, who told us: 'Sydney flash doesn't always translate in Melbourne - all gloss, no substance. The local hospo leaders will want to crush him like Starbucks.' In Sydney, Merivale represents corporatised, big-budget hospitality: highly polished, design-heavy venues with mass appeal, high price points and a focus on scale. By contrast, Melbourne's foodie scene values authenticity, experimentation and community-led venues. Melbourne's hospitality heavyweights are bracing for a fight on their home turf as Merivale's Justin Hemmes (left, with Madeline Holtznagel) prepares to open his first Melbourne venue 'We don't need a Merivale import parachuting in with a cookie-cutter formula and thinking it'll win over locals,' adds our hospo source. 'Hemmes might impress tourists in Sydney, but Melbourne venues thrive on authenticity and community - not on shiny rooftops and overpriced cocktails.' The city's top operators are all fiercely protective of their turf, with few names looming larger over Melbourne's dining scene than Chris Lucas - the celebrated restaurateur behind The Lucas Group. If Hemmes thinks he can drop in and own Melbourne's laneways, Lucas would be the natural rival standing in his way. With venues like Chin Chin, Kisume, Society, Grill Americano and Yakimono to his name, Lucas is synonymous with some of the city's most iconic dining destinations. He is also a staunch advocate for Melbourne's food scene. After Society received the 'World's Best New Wine List' award in 2023, he proudly declared that the news was 'an affirmation of how Melbourne and its dining scene has become one the worlds truly most unique and important dining cities. 'A lot has changed in Melbourne but our sense of hospitality and food culture remains as a constant.' The city's top operators are fiercely protective of their turf, and few names loom larger over Melbourne's dining scene than Chris Lucas (pictured here with actress Margot Robbie) With popular venues like Chin Chin (pictured), Kisume, Society, Grill Americano and Yakimono to his name, Lucas is synonymous with some of the city's most iconic dining destinations Hemmes is also preparing to go head-to-head with Melbourne's former fine-dining golden boy Shannon Bennett. Bennett made his name with Vue de Monde, a Rialto Tower degustation restaurant that defined luxury dining for two decades. He also runs the Vue Group, which includes The Lui Bar, Bistro Vue, Benny Burger and Cafe Vue. Although he has stepped back from daily operations, Bennett still casts a long shadow over Melbourne's culinary scene. Hemmes is moving into the territory of Camillo Ippoliti, Melbourne's hospitality king who has ruled the city's late-night scene for decades. He is associated with Bar Bambi, Bond, Trak, Revolver Upstairs, Cookie and The Toff in Town, as well as the restaurant Magic Mountain Saloon. While Hemmes may bring Sydney polish - and deep pockets - Ippoliti has decades of experience serving local crowds and curating distinctly Melbourne spaces. And lastly, Hemmes will have to contend with Maz Salt, the hospitality entrepreneur who helped redefine laneway culture through pioneering venues like Section 8, B.East and Ferdydurke. Hemmes is also preparing to go head-to-head with Melbourne's former fine-dining golden boy Shannon Bennett (pictured) Bennett runs the Vue Group, which includes The Lui Bar (pictured), Bistro Vue, Benny Burger, and Cafe Vue Hemmes is moving into the territory of Camillo Ippoliti, Melbourne's hospitality king who has ruled the city's late-night scene for decades. (Pictured: Ippoliti's Magic Mountain Saloon) Salt is known for cultivating left-of-centre venues, thriving on grassroots culture and pop-up innovation - the antithesis of Hemmes and his Merivale mega-brand. But Hemmes has a clever tactic up his sleeve as he prepares to open LB's Record Bar. Rather than importing a Sydney-centric formula, he has teamed up with respected local operators Zara and Michael Madrusan (The Everleigh, Heartbreaker). LB's will also offer a vinyl-only music program showcasing Melbourne's independent record stores. Lastly, Hemmes will have to contend with Maz Salt, the hospitality entrepreneur who helped redefine laneway culture through pioneering venues like Section 8, B.East and Ferdydurke Pictured: A rock band performing at Salt's venue The B.East 'We're committed to a long-term investment in Melbourne's hospitality scene and community,' Hemmes told the Herald Sun. 'Opening our first venue here is just the beginning, and we're grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with talented local operators like Zara and Michael on this project.' Hemmes has been edging into Melbourne since 2021. Through his Merivale empire, he has snapped up heritage buildings like Tomasetti House on Flinders Lane and Kantay House in Meyers Place, and bought the beachfront Lorne Hotel for $38million. More recently, he dropped $60million on a car park on Little Collins Street that he plans to transform into a multi-level playground of bars, restaurants and nightlife. Sheridan Smith is welling up with tears, her voice breaking with emotion as she starts to pay tribute to the extraordinary woman sitting next to her, whose remarkable story she tells in her new drama. Ann Ming made history when she stood up to the legal establishment and forced it to overturn an ancient law after her daughter was murdered and the killer escaped justice. Ann's astonishing story will already be familiar to some, but it hits particularly hard when it's told as a drama in ITV's new four-part series I Fought The Law. Sheridan stars as Ann, who, after finding her daughter's body, launched a crusade which led to her killer being nailed after the reform of the double jeopardy law, which stated that a person acquitted of a crime could not be tried again for the same offence, regardless of new evidence. At an event to launch her new series, Sheridan's emotions are never far from the surface, and when she gets choked up, Ann grabs her hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. Regaining her composure, Sheridan, 44, says, 'It definitely is the hardest thing I've ever done. I just wanted to make Ann proud and get her story the justice it deserves.' Sheridan Smith has revealed her new role as murder campaign mum Ann Ming was the 'hardest thing she's ever done' - with the work leaving her in tears (pictured on the show) Ann Ming's astonishing story hits particularly hard when it's told as a drama in ITV's new four-part series I Fought The Law (Sheridan and Ann pictured this month) She continues: 'I was emotionally attached to the whole thing very early on. I just couldn't believe what she'd been through, and how everyone around her had got it so wrong. 'It wasn't just losing her child which now, as a mum, I can't even imagine how you cope with that but also the fact that she came up against so many different people and was just ignored. But Ann was like a lioness and she would not take no for an answer.' In November 1989, Ann's 22-year-old daughter, Julie Hogg who was mum to three-year-old Kevin went missing from her home in Billingham, County Durham. A forensics team searched her home and found nothing untoward. Three months later, in February 1990, a bad smell in Julie's house led Ann to discover her daughter's decomposing body behind the bath panel. Julie had been strangled, sexually assaulted and stuffed under the bath. 'I knew something had happened to my daughter from day one,' Ann says. '[The police] seemed to think she'd taken off and gone to London. I knew that wasn't right. And I think when I found Julie after 80 days, it gave me the strength [to fight], because I'd been proved right. So I'm glad that I've got the opportunity to let everybody know the full story now.' But when Ann found Julie's body, her tribulations had only just begun. Sheridan stars as Ann, who, after finding her daughter's body, launched a crusade which led to her killer being nailed after the reform of the double jeopardy law Julie's murderer, William Dunlop, walked free after two trials both ended in hung juries (a second trial can be ordered if a jury is unable to reach a verdict) and so he was acquitted. Ann says when Dunlop began bragging in pubs that he'd committed the crime but was now untouchable, she began her campaign to challenge the double jeopardy law. Ann, a former surgical theatre nurse, is now elderly, but she has lost none of the eloquence and passion that propelled her to Westminster to insist on change. Helped by politicians who took up her cause, Ann met with ministers and delivered an impassioned speech to the House of Lords. She succeeded. The Blair government modified the double jeopardy law in the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which came into force in 2005, and allowed it to be applied to previous cases. In 2006 Dunlop was convicted of murder and he remains in prison. The following year Ann was awarded an MBE for her services to the Criminal Justice System. 'I'm glad I did it. But it did take its toll, as my family will tell you,' says Ann, whose husband Charlie died in 2013 and who has two children as well as Julie. 'People would say, "Oh, aren't you intimidated about the House of Lords?" No! Why would you feel intimidated about people? Nobody's any better than you.' Pizza delivery woman Julie Hogg was brutally murdered by Billy Dunlop at 22 in 1989 in Billingham, Teeside (pictured) Ann is the latest in a string of gutsy real women Sheridan has won plaudits for playing, including Cilla Black, Julie Bushby in The Moorside, about the Shannon Matthews case, and Mrs Biggs, wife of Ronnie, in the 2012 drama of the same name, which landed her a Best Actress BAFTA. 'Playing real people is a privilege and it's why I do what I do,' Sheridan says. 'Difficult emotions just help me to connect with the person I'm playing even more, because I'm just acting, but how are they still standing after going through that in real life?' Portraying Ann was a really tough emotional challenge for Sheridan because she's now a mother herself, to five-year-old Billy, from her relationship with ex-fiance Jamie Horn. 'This is the first real-life story I've taken on since becoming a mum, and there are different things I tap into now, especially with what Ann went through. 'I've played parents that lose their kids before, and having lost my older brother [Julian died of cancer in 1990, aged 18] I would always think about what my mum must have gone through. 'Playing Ann, those feelings were much more raw to tap into, but at the same time I'm able to come home to my child and I realise how lucky I am.' Sheridan studied hours of footage of Ann to master her mannerisms and Teesside accent. Ann is the latest in a string of gutsy real women Sheridan has won plaudits for playing, such as Cilla Black (pictured) and Julie Bushby in The Moorside, about the Shannon Matthews case 'We filmed one scene that there is real footage of online, and it was really important to me that I played that exactly right,' she says. 'I even moved my handbag from one shoulder to the other, like she does in the clip. 'Whenever I play a real person, I want to feel how they felt. I didn't go to drama school and I haven't been trained as an actor, so I don't really know how to turn those feelings on and off; I just really try to go there emotionally. 'Ann was obviously in a state of angst from the minute Julie went missing, and I really tried to go there. I get mad at myself if I don't feel the actual pain or the trauma.' Sheridan admits that immersing herself so deeply in her roles is draining and she's developed new strategies to cope. 'I've taken up yoga and meditation can you believe it!' she laughs. The series was filmed in and around Newcastle, and Sheridan's son wasn't able to join her. She says she 'pined for him'. 'It was emotionally taxing,' she admits. 'By the end of it, I was a shaking mess. So for Ann to have gone through all that is just remarkable. I mean, I wish I had her strength in real life!' I Fought The Law airs on Sunday and Monday night at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX. A documentary about Ann's campaign, I Fought The Law: The Ann Ming Story, is on 11 September on ITV1. It appears Lucy Beaumont has every reason to have a smile on her face again as she settles into her new life after the end of her marriage to fellow comic Jon Richardson. The star is currently performing her new stand-up show to sold-out venues across the UK - with audience demand seeing its run extended to the end of the year. But Lucy, 42, clearly hasn't just been throwing everything into her work as she rings the changes after the split. The Daily Mail can reveal that Lucy has been spotted publicly for the first time wearing a dazzling new engagement ring. She made no attempt to hide the gold band featuring three sparkling diamonds when she appeared at the Big Feastival in the Cotswolds last Sunday. Lucy - dressed in a blue and white sleeveless top, ripped jeans and wedge shoes - was spotted with the ring on her engagement finger as she walked through crowds and queued up at a taco stall at the event held on the Oxfordshire farm owned by Blur bassist Alex James. And, if her stand-up routine is anything to go by, the mother-of-one could even be planning to start a new family. Lucy told laughing fans that her concerns over her growing anger had led to her visiting a doctor as she believed she may be going through 'the menopause'. Comedian Lucy Beaumont has been spotted wearing a dazzling ring on her engagement finger sparking speculation that she may have moved on since her split from Jon Richardson Lucy was spotted with her sparkler at the Big Feastival in the Cotswold - a year after she was spotted out with hunky sound engineer Martin Wallace (pictured) The comedian, 42, was first spotted with Mr Wallace last October at the Lowry Theatre in Manchester where he picked Lucy up (pictured) before they sped off into the night Lucy appearance with Mr Wallace came six months after she and her comedian husband Jon Richardson (pictured) announced they were separating after nine years together While it is not known when Beaumont and Wallace first met - he previously worked as a sound engineer on her ex's 2014 stand up special, Jon Richardson Live: Nidiot But Lucy said to the woman doctor told her : 'Oh no you are alright, you have a bit longer to go yet.' The comedian - who has also been lined up to star in the first BBC series of The Celebrity Traitors - has not publicly spoken about her new romance but last year she was reported to be dating sound engineer Martin Wallace, 44. The pair were first spotted out last October at the Lowry Theatre in Manchester where Wallace picked Lucy up before they sped off into the night. Later that month they were pictured leaving the Royal Hall, Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Wallace - who runs a recording studio which is based in an old mill in Stockport - was seen carrying Lucy's bags and wheeling a suitcase to a car they got into together. Wallace is thought to have known the Richardsons for some time and worked with Jon on his live 'Nidiot' tour back in 2014 where a show at Hammersmith Apollo was recorded for a TV special. The experienced sound tech - who grew up in the south Manchester suburb of Didsbury and went to school with culture secretary Lisa Nandy - has worked as tour manager and technical director with a number of comics including Rob Beckett and Dara O Briain as well as rock bands. It's now been 16 months since Lucy and Jon, also 42, announced the end of their nine year marriage. Lucy - dressed in a blue and white sleeveless top, ripped jeans and wedge shoes - was spotted (above) with the ring on her engagement finger as she walked through crowds She made no attempt to hide the gold band featuring three sparkling diamonds (above) when she appeared at the Big Feastival in the Cotswolds last Sunday The couple - who have an eight-year-old daughter - insisted they had 'jointly and amicably' decided to go their separate ways and divorce. It later emerged Lucy had walked away with a 1.625 million pay out after Jon - who is best known as a team captain on Channel 4's popular show 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown - bought out her shares in the 4 million business which managed their affairs. The couple are said to have accumulated a 6 million fortune during their marriage while co-owning two properties - a 1 million house complete with swimming pool and another flat in London also worth 1 million. Lucy is said to have moved out of the couple's historic home they shared in the hills above the quaint market town of Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire after the split. Lucy and Jon revealed their marriage was over in a statement in April 2024. They said: 'After nine years of marriage, we would like to announce that we have separated. 'We have jointly and amicably made the difficult decision to divorce and go our separate ways. 'As our only priority is managing this difficult transition for our daughter, we would ask that our privacy is respected at this sensitive time to protect her well-being. We will be making no further comment.' Lucy - who grew up in Hull and worked as a cleaner and teaching assistant before hitting the big time - often gives insights into her life through her observational comedy style and has described herself as 'an oversharer'. But she gave little more away when asked about the split in a magazine interview last September. She said: 'People might think I should talk about it because we were so public and everyone knew us as a couple, but I won't, and not because there's any animosity. 'We both agreed that while it might be weird for other people not hearing anything about it, we wouldn't talk about anything to do with the marriage or each other.' News of the split came as a shock to fans of the couple who had worked together on a number of shows and starred in their own TV comedy Meet the Richardsons. The hit comedy, which has run for five seasons and is also co-written by Lucy, features the couple as 'exaggerated versions of themselves' in a 'mocumentary' format . Episodes often feature celebrities as well as Lucy's mother, playwright Gill Adams. The couple split as the fifth season was being aired with Lucy letting slip in the final episode as part of the plot that it may be the last. Mr Wallace (pictured with Lucy last October) is thought to have known the Richardsons for some time before he and Lucy apparently struck up a romance Lucy has told how the former couple's frequent squabbling in the series was all part of their act although explained that many viewers 'didn't seem to realise it's not real'. She once said of their off screen relationship: 'I don't henpeck - we wouldn't have lasted this long if I was as mean to him in real life.' Describing the comedy she added: 'You don't want to see a smug couple in love, in a nice house, with a stable career and a lovely little child. Who wants to see that? I wasn't doing it if we were going to be like that. 'We'll show the other side where we're just at each other constantly. It's a more truthful portrayal. The world we've got around us is slightly bizarre, but I think people still feel like they recognise themselves in it, which is good.' She added: ''We like working together and enjoy Meet The Richardsons and we really wanted to make something that people could relate to. 'Meet The Richardsons is basically an excuse for us to channel tensions into comedy and you see that in the studio, someone might start saying something thinking they're going to land a blow but as soon as us and the audience start laughing at them, they realise it's all nonsense.' Growing up in Hull, Lucy was a cleaner and teaching assistant before hitting the big time Lucy and Jon began dating in 2013 after meeting through fellow comedian Roisin Conaty, before tying the knot in April 2015 and welcoming their daughter in September the following year. Recalling their first meeting in her book, Drinking Custard: Diary of a Confused Mum, Lucy said they 'hit it off' straight away. She explained how she had just moved to London to pursue a career in comedy when Roisin invited her to a gig at The Fighting Cocks pub in Kingston-upon-Thames. She wrote: 'I felt someone's presence behind me. I nearly fainted; honestly my heart was beating like the clappers as I was sure Jon knew I fancied him.' Speaking in an interview with The Sunday Times, Lucy joked: 'It was quite symbolic as we have been fighting like cocks ever since.' Two weeks after meeting at the gig, the pair went on to have their first date. Revealing in her memoir how 'something quite weird happened', Lucy said: 'Jon dropped me off in his car to the train station and we swapped phone numbers. 'Lo and behold, via Bluetooth, on his dashboard in big LED letters flashed 'MY WIFE'. I have never got out of a car so fast. 'I rang my friend Jackie and she told me very calmly that he must be a psychopath and to leave London immediately and come back and live in Hull with her again.' But the couple, who have also appeared on Channel 4's Celebrity Gogglebox and teamed up to front campaigns to help disadvantaged youngsters, went on to form a successful partnership both on and off the TV screen. Now it seems Lucy has found happiness again as she moves on with the next chapter of her life. Lucy and husband Jon began dating in 2013 before tying the knot in April 2015 - and welcoming their daughter in September the following year But Lucy and Jon announced their decision to divorce in April last year after nine years of marriage, in a move that surprised their army of fans Meanwhile Jon shocked fans earlier this year after announcing on social media that, after taking a break from stand-up, he was retiring from the comedy circuit to take up teaching. He highlighted a diary entry he wrote as a 14-year-old schoolboy in which he wrote: 'Although I would love to be a stand-up comedian. I will probably end up being a teacher.' Jon told his 200,000 followers: 'I've been thinking a lot about that. I loved being a comedian. It was absolutely the right choice but I have to say it would have been nice to try the other option so that's exactly what I'm going to do. 'I've been doing some training. I've taken a teaching position. I will update you as and when I can.' It later emerged that the posting was an April Fools joke and he was actually joining the cast of the BBC school drama Waterloo Road for its latest series which is set to be broadcast later this year. Jon later joked: 'I would say that joining Waterloo Road is a dream come true, but in truth most of my dreams about school revolve around not having done my homework or put on my uniform. 'I wanted to be a teacher growing up so hopefully this role will put all those ambitions to bed, and I can stop telling my friends and family that I will be testing them on what I've been saying or telling audiences on tour that it's their own time they're wasting.' Five have opened up about their crazy rehearsal schedule as they prepare to head on their first tour in 25 years. Sean Conlon, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson, Abz Love and Jason 'J' Brown are set to kick off their tour in October - in what will be their first performance since disbanding in 2001. Yet with the shows just eight weeks away, Five admitted in a chat with Daily Mail that they have yet to begin rehearsals and are panicking about what will happen when they get back into the studio. With the group having just a two to four week rehearsals window, J, 49, confessed: 'I've got a little bit nervous recently. 'I shot up in bed at about three in the morning with about a week ago realising I hadn't realised that we were at this point in time. 'My brain was thinking it was still around July time and then I realised that we're actually on stage for the first time in two months.' Five have opened up about their crazy schedule as they prepare to head on their first tour in 25 years (L-R Jason 'J' Brown, Sean Conlon, Abz Love, Scott Robinson and Ritchie Neville) 'There's going to be a lot of bad language, ripped clothing and panic!' Five open up about their 'stressful and intense' tour rehearsals as they prepare to perform together for the first time in 25 years In contrast, Ritchie, 45, wasn't fazed, insisting: 'I'm not worried! 'It's going to be a bit stressful, intense, some long days, but we're gonna smash it', while Abz, 46, added: 'I'm quietly confident we'll be fine.' On what they predicted would come from rehearsals, J continued: 'There'll be quite a lot quite a lot of bad language, a little bit of panic', as Richie added: '...ripped clothes, frustration.' Ritchie went on: 'You have to have quite a few backup backup trousers...' J then explained: 'I used to wear big baggy trousers and I used to get stressed and rip them off and then walk around in a boxer shorts and wonder why everyone thought I was a lunatic.' Five's tour is set to kick off on Wednesday October 29, with a gig at Utilita Arena Cardiff. The band will then tour the United Kingdom, concluding in Dublin on December 2. It was just announced that the group will also be touring Australia and New Zealand next year after huge demand Down Under, starting in Perth on May 13 and concluding in Auckland on May 25. Once known as 'the bad boys of pop', Five were as well known for their rambunctious attitude as their catchy top 10 hits How Five Kept On Moving: In a searingly honest chat the 90s icons reveal how they came back from 'rock bottom' and their VERY choice words for former mentor Simon Cowell as they reunite after 25 years Once known as 'the bad boys of pop', Five were as well known for their rambunctious attitude as their catchy top 10 hits. The band, formed of Sean Conlon, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson, Abz Love and Jason 'J' Brown, proved to be a pop juggernaut of the Nineties, selling more than 20 million records worldwide and making history as the only UK act to hit the Top 10 with all of 11 singles. So naturally, fans were left devastated when the group disbanded in 2001 after a whirlwind four-year burst of fame. In the years that followed, they went on to reform with various lineups, gigging in smaller venues in the UK but never as the five-piece that saw them hit the big time. That is, until now. 25 years on and Five have reformed, J having made the decision to return to the band, with the group heading off on a UK tour later this year. With it being a quarter of a century since they burst into the limelight, I'm not quite sure what to expect when Five come to the Mail offices. Now a group of men in their late 40s, some of whom have settled down with wives and children, I'm intrigued to see where they see themselves in todays boyband landscape. In a searingly honest chat the 90s icons revealed how they came back from 'rock bottom' after they reunited for the first time after 25 years Arguably, the scene is dominated by older groups now anyway. Among those drawing in the biggest crowds are the likes of Take That, Blue and McFly. So is that why Five suddenly felt the need to reform after all this time? That's not the case, insists Scott, 45, who reveals that talks of a reunion had been happening for years but never came to fruition. 'Suddenly, we're all aligned now,' he explains. 'We're all in the same place, we all want it at the same time. 'Something clicked and we understood that any negative feelings that we had between each other were whatever. 'We were just vulnerable children, and we weren't all to blame. So we forgive each other for anything that happened.' The chemistry between the group is undeniable. At times I find it hard to get a word in edgewise as they crack jokes, mock one another and even start playfighting. They may be 25 years older than when they last performed together, but it doesn't seem like much has changed between them. With that in mind, I'm keen to know if their past experience as a band has impacted how they tackle the tour this time around. 25 years on and Five have reformed, J having made the decision to return to the band, with the group heading off on a UK tour later this year and posed for an exclusive shoot with MailOnline It's clear they still hold the scars from their first brush with fame, with the group having touched on feeling like a product and struggling with their mental health in the documentary Boybands Forever. Abz, 45, admits he has mixed feelings about their past, confessing: 'As controversial as it may sound, if we could do it all again, I'd do it all differently. 'I don't mean it in a bad way, I mean in the sense of why would I do it all the same? 'There's nothing I regret - I think it's made us who we are and what we are. You have to touch that rock bottom to know that the only way out is.' It's been well documented now that boybands were worked to a point of physical and mental exhaustion in the Nineties. Asked what 'rock bottom' meant for them, Ritchie, 45, looks pained as he explains: 'The band took so much emotionally out of us.' While Scott adds: 'It was a very difficult psychological test.' The band's mental health struggles have been well documented over the years. Sean, 43, was the first member to leave in August 2001 after suffering a mental breakdown from stress and depression. Before that, Scott secretly wanted to leave after having similar mental health issues, but stayed on until the band officially folded in September 2001. Explaining how they've put boundaries in place to protect their mental health this time around, Scott shares: 'We have more respect for each other's feelings. 'You know, I never used to understand when Abz was quiet. One day, he'd be really loud, and we'd be like best friends, and the next day wouldn't speak to me. 'I wouldn't understand that so I'd take that to heart. Whereas now I understand Abz better as a human being, and I know that sometimes he needs that space. Now I give him that space that he deserves.' In the Boybands Forever documentary, Simon Cowell - who signed the band - was dismissive of many of the bands' plights, with the band issuing their response It's not just their attitude that has changed, but the world itself, as Ritchie muses: 'I feel the industry's changed. It seems a kinder place.' 'We're grown men now as well,' J, 48, says. 'We understand ourselves a lot better, and we're working on ourselves and our own minds.' Sean, 43, is in agreeance, as he adds: 'We massively appreciate what we've got. 'It's not that we were arrogant or big headed the first time around, we were just too young. 'We never had time to stop and really embrace what we'd done and what we had, now we've had time to process it. We never thought we'd have this opportunity again.' The dark side of Nineties boybands was explored in last year's Boybands Forever, in which Five offered up their experiences in the industry. In the same documentary, Simon Cowell - who signed the band - was dismissive of many of the bands' plights, noting that if you didn't want to deal with the downside of fame you shouldn't get into the industry in the first place. Hitting back at the media mogul's indifferent attitude, Ritchie muses: 'My only response to that is, how can you when you're 15. 17, or 20 years old, even conceive what those pressures could possibly be? 'All you see is the dream that you're sold, you're going to be a pop star or whatever - you can't possibly know. 'The support in those days, wasn't there - whether that's psychological support or whatever, it does seem to be there now.' It's been well documented now that boybands were worked to a point of physical and mental exhaustion in the Nineties, with Five being no exception (pictured in 1998) Weighing in with an alternative opinion, Abz shares: 'On the flip side I think thank you for the opportunity as well. 'We're on both sides of the of the argument. But yeah, there is also that. So I don't get it from Yeah, it's just weird. It's just a strange feeling.' Taking any criticism in his stride, Sean laughs: 'We took his advice! We couldn't take the pressure so we got out!' It's clear that the band are in a stable place mentally and seem genuinely excited to get back out on tour. Although of course there will be cynics who see their reunion as nothing more of a money making exercise. Yet as J muses: 'If this was about the money, we'd have done it ages ago!' And it's hard to argue with Scott's logic as he laughs: 'You don't wait 25 years for a smash and grab!' Tickets to Five's Keep On Movin' 2025 Tour are available at www.itsfiveoffical.com Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbouly in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Madbouly is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) TIANJIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbouly in the port city of Tianjin on Saturday. Madbouly is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. Noting that China-Egypt relations are at their best in history, Xi called for seizing the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations next year to advance bilateral ties toward the goal of building a China-Egypt community with a shared future in the new era, as well as to make greater contributions to maintaining world peace and stability, and promoting global development and prosperity. China and Egypt should be good brothers firmly supporting each other, Xi said, calling on the two sides to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in economy and trade, joint manufacturing, new energy and other fields. He also called on the two countries to shoulder their historic mission and responsibilities as major countries of the Global South, and jointly oppose unilateralism and bullying acts. Praising China as Egypt's true partner and friend, Madbouly said Egypt is ready to take the anniversary next year as an opportunity to achieve greater development of bilateral relations. Faced with challenges in the global situation and international economy and trade, Egypt is willing to strengthen coordination with China in international and regional affairs to safeguard the common interests of developing countries, Madbouly said. Senior officials including Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Chen Min'er attended the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbouly in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Madbouly is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) Editor: WXY Married At First Sight star Morena Farina has unveiled a major style transformation after filming the matchmaking series last year. The Melbourne DJ, 57, revealed on Friday she has traded her signature blonde locks for brunette tresses. In an Instagram video, Morena showed off her long hair before placing her hand on the camera and then revealing her new shorter locks. 'I don't care I love it ,' she captioned the post. 'Life's too short to stay the same and not to change your hair colour. Like I said darling this wasn't the scariest thing l've ever done. It's just hair. 'Thank you for doing such an amazing job. You brought my vision to life and gave me exactly what I wanted,' she continued. Married At First Sight star Morena Farina has unveiled a major style transformation after filming the matchmaking series last year The Melbourne DJ revealed on Friday she has traded her signature blonde locks for brunette tresses 'Have courage, have faith, grow, learn, be a good person and live your best life, that's the energy I'm sending out today.' It comes after Morena recently partnered up with season 10 bride Melissa Sheppard to issue a warning to online haters. In May, the Melbourne DJ told her bullies to 'keep watching'. Both Morena and Melissa, 43, were cast in the role of vivacious middle-aged woman 'looking for real love' on MAFS - and both have claimed they were given a 'bad edit'. 'To the online bullies watching me, keep watching,' Morena wrote in a lengthy caption, alongside a professional headshot for her DJ portfolio. 'I'm still here, still doing what I've always done, still rising, still creating, still DJing.' The bride then thanked her haters and tagged anti-bullying not-for-profit @bullyzero. 'You tried to tear me down, but all you did was remind me how strong I am,' Morena said. In the video, Morena showed off her long hair before placing her hand on the camera and then revealing her new shorter locks 'Life's too short to stay the same and not to change your hair colour. Like I said this wasn't the scariest thing l've ever done. It's just hair,' she wrote 'Your hate isn't power. It's noise. And I've learned how to turn noise into rhythm. To every keyboard warrior out there, thank you. 'Watch me grow. Watch me succeed. Watch me bring good into this world more than what you're doing. Because while you're busy tearing others down, I'm building. 'Forgiveness will find you one day, and I hope it brings you peace.' Morena, who has 27,000 Instagram followers, said 'every comment, every insult, every attempt to tear me down has only helped my algorithm explode.' In the comments, she also said she has 'no regrets' about doing MAFS because it led her to a 'real' connection with Sydney-based hairdresser, Melissa. 'Melissa, everything I've been through the pain, the constant torment, the bullying it's all been worth it, because it led me to you,' Morena wrote. Hollywood vet Christopher Lloyd has listed the Santa Barbara home he shares with wife Lisa Loiacono for $6M. The 86-year-old Back to the Future sensation is parting with the 2,880-sq-ft property eight years after buying it. Christopher and his 55-year-old wife, whom he wed in 2016, remodeled the sprawling space after purchasing it in 2017. The oceanfront mansion has been listed for $6,385,000 with Compass leasing agents Ron Brand and Arthur Kalayjian. Among the home's many perks is a detached one-bedroom guest suite. The extra space boasts its own living room and office, offering a private retreat for visitors. Hollywood vet Christopher Lloyd has listed the Santa Barbara home he shares with wife Lisa Loiacono for $6M; pictured August 11 The 86-year-old Back to the Future sensation is parting with his 2,880-sq-ft property eight years after buying it The single-story, contemporary home sits 'above Montecito on a private, gated knoll' according to the online listing. Inhabitants can savor Pacific Ocean, Channel Islands, and Santa Barbara views. The description also teases 'seamless indoor-outdoor living' with the help of floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Built in 2006, the idyllic mansion features a breakfast bar, hardwood floors, and a media room. The Back To The Future cast reunited for group snapshot shared on X two years ago on August 13, 2023. Christopher posted the fun photo, challenging followers to get the post to 88K likes. Fans surpassed the modest figure, and the post received over 250K likes in a day's time. Michael J Fox, who starred in the blockbuster sci-fi as Marty McFly, and Lea Thompson, who played the role of Lorraine in the first two films of the franchise, were included in the picture. The oceanfront mansion has been listed for $6,385,000 with Compass leasing agents Ron Brand and Arthur Kalayjian Among the home's many perks is a detached one-bedroom guest suite The single-story, contemporary home sits 'above Montecito on a private, gated knoll' according to the online listing Inhabitants can savor Pacific Ocean, Channel Islands, and Santa Barbara views The description also teases 'seamless indoor-outdoor living' with the help of floor-to-ceiling glass windows Built in 2006, the idyllic mansion features a breakfast bar, hardwood floors, and a media room Christopher and his 55-year-old wife, whom he wed in 2016, remodeled the sprawling space after purchasing it in 2017; seen together in 2022 Christopher, Michael J. Fox, and their Back to the Future castmates recently marked the 40th anniversary of the sci-fi flick Tom Wilson, who played bully Biff Tannen, was also in the nostalgic photo op. The first Back to the Future film was released 40 years ago in 1985. The comedy franchise was created by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale. It follows the adventures of a high school student, Marty McFly, and an eccentric scientist, Dr. Emmett 'Doc' Brown, as they use a DeLorean time machine to travel to different periods in the history of the fictional town Hill Valley, California. The first movie was the highest-grossing film of 1985 and became an international phenomenon, leading to the second and third sequels Back to the Future Part II (1989) and Back to the Future Part III (1990). Love Island icon Malin Andersson has revealed she's 'had enough' of the UK and is packing her bags for a new life abroad. The 32-year-old reality star told her followers she has suffered a lot of 'stress and trauma' in recent years and is planning to start a new life in Barcelona. Malin, who has spoken openly about her mental health struggles since appearing on Love Island in 2016, checked in with her followers with a video, calling it an 'update of the truth.' She said: 'Quick update. Me and Xaya are in Madeira. My best friend lives here and we're going to be here for a week before we go on to our next adventure in Barcelona.' Malin continued: 'Imagine you leave a life that you've known for your entire life. My mum moved us all [her family] from Sweden to the UK when I was three years old, so Bedfordshire has been where I've been for basically my entire life. 'Take away work and things like that, and your safety net becomes the town that you're in, the people, the same faces, those same things. Love Island icon Malin Andersson has revealed she's 'had enough' of the UK and is packing her bags for a new life abroad The 32-year-old reality star (pictured on Love Island) told her followers she has suffered a lot of 'stress and trauma' in recent years and is planning to start a new life in Barcelona 'But when I thought about it, there's nothing here for me. I came with a family, and I'm leaving without anyone. I don't speak to any of my siblings, my parents are dead, I have no family. It's just me and Zaya.' The mum-of-one explained how she's 'had enough' of living here as it feels empty to her, and how she wishes to become happier being elsewhere. She concluded: 'I decided I'd had enough. I felt like my soul had been taken out of me, like I was functioning like a zombie just doing the same things. 'When you've known stress, suffering and trauma your whole entire life you go through the healing phase, go inwards, and then you need change. So that's what I've done. 'I have no ties in England left anymore at all - no house, car, anything - that's it. I need adventure, travel, fun and joy. Even though I've just got here it's like my nervous system has creeped up on me since it's only known how to be the other way.' Sadly, in 2017 after her stint on the ITV2 dating show, Malin's mum passed away after battling stomach cancer. Then two years later, her baby girl Consy passed away from complications of being born prematurely. Malin's last boyfriend Jared broke up with her just four weeks after she gave birth to their daughter, Xaya, in January 2022. The mum-of-one explained how she's 'had enough' of living in the UK as it feels empty to her, and how she wishes to become happier being elsewhere Sadly, in 2017 after her stint on the ITV2 dating show, Malin's mum passed away after battling stomach cancer - and she's ready for a new life outside of the UK Sadly, in 2017 after her stint on the ITV2 dating show, Malin's mum Consy-Gloria passed away after battling stomach cancer Then two years later, her baby girl Consy passed away in 2019 from complications of being born prematurely The star had also shared that her former partner Tom Kemp was abusive during their relationship, and was jailed in 2020 for assaulting her. In March, she admitted she used to 'question her sexuality' because she's 'never felt safe around men' in a candid post. She told how she never had a father figure growing up to show her what love is and so has struggled with finding her 'feminine' in adulthood. Her former partner Tom Kemp was abusive during their relationship, and was jailed in 2020 for assaulting her. Speaking to the camera in a video titled: 'BALANCING MASCULINE & FEMININE', she said: 'I can truly say I've never been made to feel safe around men. 'At one point I was even questioning my own sexuality because I've never been able to step into my feminine. 'I've never had the opportunity to because every man I have been with has been so ego driven and wounded in their masculine so I've never felt safe. 'I've never felt soft and flowy or tapped into that feminine part. I do strength training and have the single mum life. No one has been able to make me feel safe. 'It goes back to childhood and I never felt safe enough to step into that feminine - I never had that father figure growing up to show me how love was.' Suranne Jones has insisted that women have the right to age naturally and will never have Botox injections, despite using alternative skin rejuvenation procedures. The actress is currently taking centre stage as fictional Prime Minister Abigail Dalton in the new Netflix drama Hostage alongside Julie Delphy and Adolescence star Ashley Walters. It's the latest in a series of high profile TV roles for Jones, 47, following her emergence as feisty Karen McDonald in Coronation Street over two decades ago. But she said she would never contemplate having Botox for the sake of a job opportunity, despite considering other treatments - among them Morpheus8, a procedure that helps to shrink pores and acne scars. Speaking to Andy Goldstein and Lisa Snowdon on the We're Not Getting Any Younger podcast, she said: 'I don't think I'll ever do Botox because I'm too frightened. It'll be me that it goes wrong for. 'But I would do Morpheus8. Profhilo I've done. But that's about as far as I'll go. With Profhilo it's like just a drink for the skin.' Suranne Jones has insisted women have the right to age naturally and will never have Botox injections, because she worries about the prospect of something 'going wrong' The actress is currently taking centre stage as fictional Prime Minister Abigail Dalton in new Netflix drama Hostage alongside Julie Delphy and Adolescence star Ashley Walters Jones has also previously credited adding the LYMA Laser to her daily routine, saying the technology keeps her skin luminous and resilient through long shoots and international travel She added: 'I will dabble, but I'm also a bit scared. Also, I can get all the jobs as we get older. And I'll just play the nanas, which I'm happy to do.' Jones has also previously credited adding the LYMA Laser to her daily routine, saying the technology keeps her skin luminous and resilient through long shoots and international travel. She revealed: 'I have used my LYMA Laser for a few years now and it is my absolute saviour when Im away filming. 'I use it every day and my MUA has definitely noticed a difference. I also take the supplements which are currently helping me through perimenopause. 10 out of 10 for both products.' Jones had previously insisted that actors should be judged on their ability first and foremost, rather than their appearance. She told the Radio Times: 'Character is about what shines from within. It's not about fixing what's outside.' The actress also credited Netflix for allowing women to take a central role in her latest drama - both in front of and behind the camera. 'The best people for the job were always going to be women,' she said. 'And Netflix agreed. If women don't use women writers, or directors, or camera operators, no new women will come up in the industry.' The star, who raises a son with husband Laurence Akers (pictured), previously spoke about the difficulties she's faced in balancing a career with her responsibilities as a parent Jones also admitted she was pleased that so many dramas, like Vigil (pictured), were giving women the opportunity to take dominant roles The star, who raises a son with husband Laurence Akers, previously spoke about the difficulties she's faced in balancing a career with her responsibilities as a parent. Comparing her own situation to that of DCI Amy Silva, her character in 2021 drama Silva, she said: 'Being a woman who constantly wants to prove herself and feels like a responsibility of many people, when we're out filming and when crews are doing lots for us - I think Amy and I share that. 'I have a child. I share that [with Amy]. I'm constantly trying to balance my life and my career. I share that.' She added: 'I've had issues with anxiety, which Amy has had. So there's a lot of things that I can relate to. That's the beauty of finding the characters where you can go, "that's the one" when you read it.' Jones also admitted she was pleased that so many dramas, like Vigil, were giving women the opportunity to take dominant roles. She said: 'I think we just don't take our foot off the gas - that's the big thing. From I started, 25 years ago, things have come a long way. 'There are so many people who can put our stories, which is fabulous, and TV has changed. So I think the key is just to not settle and to keep finding the stories and pushing those people to come forward.' Magda Szubanski has shared a moving update from her hospital bed, as she continues to battle stage four cancer. The beloved Kath & Kim star, 64, posted a clip to her Instagram on Sunday evening showing her resting in bed and thanking a young fan for their act of kindness. 'This is a special shout-out to 10-year-old Annabella in Adelaide. Thank you so much for your impression of Sharon Strzelecki. I'm in here having chemo and it really cheered me up,' Magda began. 'I'm very touched, that was a beautiful thing to do. Thank you my sweet'. Magda then provided fans with a health update, as she continues to battle Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a rare and aggressive blood cancer. 'Chemo is smacking me around right now and you really cheered me up. Bless you my darling,' she continued. Magda Szubanski has shared a moving update from her hospital bed, as she continues to battle stage four cancer. Pictured Many of Magda's celebrity friends took to the comments section to offer their well wishes. 'Lots of love Magda,' wrote The Bachelor star Alex Nation. 'Sending so much love,' added TV presenter Gorgi Coghlan and celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge shared a love heart emoji. In May, Magda announced on social media she was battling Mantle Cell Lymphoma. She appeared on camera with a shaved head after beginning her treatment to fight the disease. 'Hello my lovelies. So, the head is shaved in anticipation of it all falling out in a couple of weeks because I have just been diagnosed with a very rare, very aggressive, very serious lymphoma,' she began. 'It is one of the nasty ones, unfortunately. The good thing is I'm surrounded by beautiful friends, family and an incredible medical support team. 'Honestly, we have the best in the world here in Australia, particularly in Melbourne. I feel very fortunate. The beloved Kath & Kim star, 64, posted a clip to her Instagram on Sunday evening showing her resting in bed and thanking a young fan for their act of kindness 'This is a special shout-out to 10-year-old Annabella in Adelaide . Thank you so much for your impression of Sharon Strzelecki. I'm in here having chemo and it really cheered me up,' Magda began 'It's pretty confronting. It is a full on. But new treatments keep coming down the pipeline all the time.' Magda said she has started a treatment called the Nordic protocol, which treats Mantle Cell Lymphoma by shrinking the tumours with a combination of drugs administered in five phases. It's known as the Nordic regimen based upon its clinical trial sites in Denmark and Norway. The actress explained she will be 'lying low' due to her weak immune system. 'I won't sugar-coat it: it's rough. But I'm hopeful. I'm being lovingly cared for by friends and family, my medical team is brilliant. I've never felt more held by the people around me,' she said. 'Please keep a distance though because I will be very immunocompromised. So I can't hug no more. Don't hug me, kiss me, or breathe anywhere near me! Wave enthusiastically from a safe distance and know I love you madly.' She said the cancer was discovered during a routine breast screening. 'This is an obscure cancer and was only discovered incidentally via a breast screen where they found my lymph nodes were up,' she explained. 'TBH, I've been feeling pretty rats**t for ages. So I asked for extra bloods and - voila! So the take away is - get tested and listen to your body! For now, just know I'm in good hands, good spirits.' Laura Harrier packed on the PDA with her new man during Venice Film Festival months after her split from her ex-fiance Sam Jarou. The American actress and model, 35, and fashion consultant Sam reportedly separated earlier this year after more than four years together. And in a sign she has now moved on, Laura was reportedly spotted enjoying a very cosy smoke break with art dealer Helly Nahmad in Venice on Saturday. It is said the pair made their first public appearance together at a late-night dinner during the Venice Film Festival, where they were joined by model Joan Smalls. Laura and Helly reportedly snuck outside at around 11pm for a smoke break, where they appeared to share a kiss before heading back inside together. The Spider-Man: Homecoming oozed glamour for the date night, wearing a nude sheer cowl-neck chiffon slip dress. Laura Harrier packed on the PDA with her new man during Venice Film Festival on Saturday, months after her split from her ex-fiance Sam Jarou In a sign she has now moved on, Laura was reportedly spotted enjoying a very cosy smoke break with art dealer Helly Nahmad in Venice Helly is a high-profile art dealer known to run in Hollywood's inner circles. DailyMail has contacted representatives for Laura for comment. Laura and her ex Sam had appeared loved-up in social media posts until as recently as January. But they called time on their relationship, according to US Magazine, earlier this year after confirming their engagement in 2022. A source told the publication that Laura and Sam's break-up was 'amicable' and they have 'remained friends' since parting ways. The split comes just a matter of months after Laura made headlines when she was videoed with American actor Shameik Moore, leading to speculation that the pair could have sparked a romance. Shameik had posted a video of him and and Laura in December captioned 'coming soon'. The BlacKklansman actress took to her social media to hit back at the post, however, claiming it 'annoyed her'. Laura and Helly appeared to share a kiss outside before heading back into the venue together Laura and Helly reportedly snuck outside of the venue at around 11pm for an intimate smoke break Art dealer Helly is a high-profile art dealer known to run in Hollywood's inner circles The Spider-Man: Homecoming oozed glamour for the date night, wearing a nude sheer cowl-neck chiffon slip dress The couple looked very cosy as they enjoyed a smoke break together during dinner In a now-deleted TikTok, she said: 'I keep seeing all these videos that Im being tagged in with another actor, and people speculating what that is. Its really annoying me because Im literally engaged, and thats important to me. 'Im in Hollywood, I get it. People do PR stunts, whatever. People like to get attention.' Sam and Laura met in 2019 but kept their relationship under wraps until 2021, when they were spotted kissing in Monaco. In September of that year, Laura announced the pair were engaged after a 'simple and sweet' proposal in Paris. Speaking about her engagement, Laura said she had found 'peace and calm' with Sam, who she called 'the one'. 'It was really simple (the proposal),' she told Cosmopolitan. 'I never wanted one of those big showy public engagements. that's just not my personality. In response to how she knew that he was the one for the ultimate collaboration, she answered: 'The cliche of when you know, you know. I never really believed it until that happened to me. 'It's a funny feeling when you just find peace and calm. It comes after Laura and her ex-fiance Sam Jarou reportedly split after more than four years together (Seen in 2022) Sam and Laura met in 2019 but kept their relationship under wraps until 2021, when they were spotted kissing in Monaco (Seen in June 2024) 'I also really do believe that you need to be ready within yourself before you can find somebody else to be with, which I also always thought was a cliche until I felt secure within myself and the person I am and where I'm at in life.' Harrier first rose to fame at the age of 17 when she was discovered by a location scout in her hometown of Chicago, Illinois. In 2017, she landed her first breakout role alongside British actor Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Homecoming, in which she played his character's love interest. She also made waves in 2018's BlacKkKlansman, in which she played the role of civil rights activist Patrice Dumas. The role earned her a Black Reel Award and a SAG Award nomination. Harrier is also an ambassador for luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Calvin Klein and Boss. Rylan Clark has admitted that his new boyfriend is the first man he's introduced to his family since his divorce. The X Factor star, 36, was married to his ex-husband Dan for six years before they divorced in 2021, with Rylan admitting he cheated on him. And four years on from the split, Rylan revealed last week that he is in a relationship, with reports claiming on Sunday he's dating a man called Kennedy, who is a boss at the Billy Bates & Sons funfair in Leicestershire. Rylan announced the new romance as he interviewed star Louis Theroux on his How To Be In Love podcast, which has documented his mission to find love. Rylan revealed he had been 'blatant' about the romance, heading on multiple public dates with the man but 'nobody noticed'. And the pair have even discussed having children, with Rylan telling Louis both he and his new man want kids. Rylan Clark admitted on his How To Be In Love podcast last week that his new boyfriend is the first man he's introduced to his family since his divorce Four years on from the split, Rylan revealed last week that he is in a relationship with a man said to be called Kennedy (pictured) Rylan said: 'At this time I'm very happy. Recently I have gotten into a relationship and it's great and it feels very different to anything I've had before, which is a good sign to me. 'It's the first person I've met in four years that I've introduced to my family. I'm happy. I've not done probably what I should-slash-did do - which is not really go to restaurants, not really do this and want to keep it on the quiet - I've done the opposite. 'I've been so blatant about it no one's noticed, which I'm sort of a little bit cocky at and I'm going to own. 'But I thought I'm not going to... just because of my job and i don't want people finding out, I'm not going to miss out on this part. 'I'm loving what I've got at the minute and I want to keep it that way.' Later in the chat, Louis gave Rylan advice on a long-lasting relationship as he revealed that you have to figure things out more when you have children. 'Is that something you've been thinking about?' Louis asked, to which Rylan replied: 'Yeah I want kids. He wants kids.' Rylan first shared he was in a new relationship on BBC Radio 2 show last week, after playing a clip from his podcast interview with Louis. The X Factor star and presenter, 36, was married to his ex-husband Dan (pictured in 2016) for six years before they divorced in 2021 after Rylan admitted he cheated on him He announced the new romance as he interviewed star Louis Theroux on his How To Be In Love podcast, which has documented his mission to find love Rylan revealed he had been 'blatant' about the romance, heading on multiple public dates with the man but 'nobody noticed' Rylan is reportedly in his first serious relationship since the split with a man called Kennedy, a boss at Billy Bates & Sons funfair in Leicestershire (pictured promoting the fair on social media) Earlier this year, Rylan emotionally admitted he felt like a 'failure' following his divorce from ex-husband Dan (Rylan and Dan seen in 2017) As the clip came to an end, Lottie cheekily asked him if there was 'something else' that was mentioned, sparking a cheeky exchange where Rylan jokingly brushed off his co-host's questions, before confirming he was indeed seeing someone. He said: 'I might have said that I'm... it feels weird saying it on the radio!' before admitting he'd 'kept it a secret for so long,' but he was indeed 'seeing someone.' Lottie added that she and her colleagues had met Rylan's new partner and thought he was 'lovely,' with the former X Factor star adding he is 'happy' and 'very content' in his new relationship. Rylan also joked that sharing the romance would bring an end to speculation that he was dating his longtime pal Robert Rinder. The This Morning star is said to have been quietly dating funfair employee Kennedy for several months and the pair have been 'inseparable' over the summer. 'This new man has certainly put a smile back on Rylan's face and they have been enjoyed spending lots of time together,' a source said. 'Rylan's family and friends have all met him and they've been attending lots of gigs together this summer, including Oasis. The insider told The Sun on Sunday: 'They're inseparable, they make a lovely couple.' DailyMail contacted Rylan's representatives for comment. Myleene Klass turned heads as she flashed her jaw-dropping abs in a skimpy pink bikini during a boat trip in Greece. The 47-year-old Smooth Radio presenter is letting her hair down for a sunny getaway with her family. And on Sunday she treated her Instagram fans to a stunning series of snaps where she flaunted her enviable figure. Posing with her hands on her hips in a pink bikini, Myleene looked sensational on a fancy boat in the ocean. Myleene has been travelling Europe on a string of summer getaways, and last week she enjoyed a break in the south of France to attend her pal Nick Ferrari's wedding. Her trip came amid claims Myleene has fallen out with ITV co-stars Frankie Bridge and her The Saturdays bandmate Rochelle Humes - both former clients of her bodyguard ex-husband Graham Quinn. Myleene Klass, 47, turned heads as she flashed her jaw-dropping abs in a skimpy pink bikini during a boat trip in Greece in a string of social media snaps on Sunday The presenter treated fans to a glimpse of her jaw-dropping figure in a string of Instagram snaps as she enjoyed a boat ride Myleene is said to be at loggerheads with both women, and it's been reported she will avoid an awkward run-in at the National Television Awards amid their feud. The tension has reportedly led to ITV having to step in to avoid any conflict during the daytime TV programme, Loose Women, where both stars regularly appear. According to claims, ITV have been forced to step in to help smooth things over in the decade-long feud, which is just now coming to light. The trio all used to hang out together, with Loose Women hosts Myleene and Frankie attending fellow ITV star Rochelle's hen do in 2012. Yet the following year, after the confrontation at the 2013 Glamour Women of the Year awards, the pair requested not to work together. However, due to a staff shortage around Christmas last year, Myleene and Frankie ended up on the same Loose Women panel - resulting in an 'awkward' episode with 'minimal interaction'. They were joined by panellists Kaye Adams and Linda Robson, who sat between them, and the camera flashed to Myleene as Frankie discussed her dislike for the drawn out days between Christmas and New Year. She gave her followers a cheeky selection of snaps as she posed in her eye-popping bikini Myleene has been travelling Europe on a string of summer getaways, and last week she enjoyed a break in the south of France to attend her pal Nick Ferrari's wedding Myleene flaunted her enviable body whilst on a boat trip in Greece, accompanied by her children She looked outstanding in the pretty pink bikini as she shrugged off rumours of a feud Myleene flashed a vacant smile, as Frankie explained that she 'feels a bit lost' during the period between the two festive holidays. Meanwhile Myleene's feud with Rochelle is said to have been sparked after The Saturdays star recently shared a picture of herself on holiday in Ibiza with husband Marvin and Myleene's ex-husband Graham Quinn. Graham used to work as JLS's tour manager and last week Myleene accused him of cheating on her with an unknown star. According to insiders close to the situation, Rochelle sharing the photo on Instagram the same week she made the revelation was 'game over' for Myleene. It's the latest twist as it's been reported that there has been an underlying conflict between Myleene, Rochelle and Frankie, who all work at ITV. Last week, Frankie sparked frenzied speculation by posting a cryptic video, saying somebody was 'dead to me', with fans wondering if she was talking about Rochelle. It was claimed they snubbed each other when attending Wimbledon last month. Her trip came amid claims has fallen out with ITV co-stars Frankie Bridge and her The Saturdays bandmate Rochelle Humes - both former clients of her bodyguard ex-husband According to claims, ITV have been forced to step in to help smooth things over in the decade-long feud, which is just now coming to light It's the latest twist as it's been reported that there has been an underlying conflict between Myleene, Rochelle and Frankie, who all work at ITV A source told The Sun: 'They don't seem to be getting on and that's making things more complicated for bookers who are keen to keep everyone happy. 'They've been competing since they were 12 when they joined S Club Juniors and now it appears they're competing for top jobs on ITV. While Rochelle rose in the ranks to present This Morning, her appearances have become few and far between since other famous faces have been brought in. 'Meanwhile Frankie has been a regular panellist on Loose Women since 2020 and has the ear of ITV producers who she's become close friends with. 'Now ITV bosses do everything they can to avoid awkward run-ins. If Rochelle is on This Morning and has to pass over to Frankie on Loose Women, it's kept as brief as possible.' The current political landscape gave way to a rather more glamorous one on Sunday afternoon as the 82nd Venice Film Festival hosted new espionage thriller Wizard Of The Kremlin. In what could arguably be the unlikeliest casting since John Wayne played Genghis Khan, British star Jude Law stars as Russian President Vladimir Putin in this adaptation of Giuliano da Empoli's 2022 novel. And he was on had to promote the film alongside glamorous co-star Alicia Vikander in north-eastern Italy as this year's ceremony reaches its halfway point. Somewhat inevitably, Vikander - who plays the fictional Ksenia to Law's Putin in their new film - overshadowed the British actor in a sweeping blue evening gown as she sashayed onto the red carpet ahead of Sunday's official screening. The Swedish actress, 36, was met by a wall of photographers evidently keen to capture her off-the-shoulder dress as she posed alongside Law, 52, who looked suitably suave in a white tuxedo and black dress trousers. The pair were accompanied by American star Paul Dano - Vadim Baranov in the new film - director Olivier Assayas before being welcomed by festival organiser Alberto Barbera. The current political landscape gave way to a rather more glamorous one on Sunday afternoon as the 82nd Venice Film Festival hosted new espionage thriller Wizard Of The Kremlin, starring Alicia Vikander (left) and Jude Law (right) Vikander - who plays the fictional Ksenia to Law's Putin in their new film - overshadowed the British actor in a a sweeping blue evening gown as she sashayed onto the red carpet British star Jude stars as Russian President Vladimir Putin in this adaptation of Giuliano da Empoli's 2022 novel Law was supported at the premiere by his wife Phillipa Coan, who looked striking in a figure-hugging silvery gown boasting a keyhole cutout. The psychologist tied the knot with Law in 2019, with the couple going on to welcome two children together, in 2020 and 2023. Law is the father of seven kids in total - sharing Rafferty, 28, Iris, 24, and Rudy, 22, with ex-wife Sadie Frost, 15-year-old Sophia with model Samantha Burke and Ada, 10, with singer-songwriter Catherine Harding. Co-star Tom Sturridge was also on hand to promote the film at Venice, putting on a loved-up display with his fiancee Alexa Chung. Model Chung, 41, displayed her famous fashion expertise in a flirty bright pink dress with intricate lace detailing. The 'It girl' beamed with joy as she skipped down the red carpet in a pair of towering block heels and cosied up to her actor fiance. Sturridge, 39, cut a typically dapper figure in a navy blue double-breasted suit with a polka dot tie and dark shades. The Sandman star stars in the film as private banker Dmitri Sidorov, a character based on Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The pair were accompanied by American star Paul Dano, who plays Vadim Baranov in the new film Swedish actress Vikander, 36, was met by a wall of photographers evidently keen to capture her off-the-shoulder dress While Law, 52, looked suitably suave in a white tuxedo and black dress trousers with a coordinating bow tie It marks the second collaboration of Vikander and Law in recent years, after they starred opposite each other as Catherine Parr and Henry VIII in 2023's Firebrand Law was supported at the premiere by his wife Phillipa Coan, who looked striking in a figure-hugging silvery gown boasting a keyhole cutout The psychologist tied the knot with Law in 2019, with the couple going on to welcome two children together, in 2020 and 2023 Law insisted before Sunday's premiere that he didn't enter his latest project naively, and that he also does not fear repercussions for his portrayal of infamous leader Putin. 'I felt safe in the hands of Olivier,' he said. 'This is a story that was going to be told intelligently with nuance and consideration. We werent looking for controversy for controversys sake.' Law, who wore prosthetics for his transformation, said his Putin is 'a character in a much larger story.' 'We werent trying to define anything about anyone,' he added. The film is an adaptation of Giuliano da Empolis bestselling book of the same name, an account of the Russian president's rise to power alongside fictional adviser Vadim Baranov, played by Dano. It is partially set in the early 1990s amid post-Soviet chaos and continues through 2014. Danos character was inspired by the real political strategist Vladislav Sourkov, who was considered the architect of the tightly controlled political system created under Putin. In 2013, he resigned his post of deputy prime minister. Much of the story is centered on Dano's character, recounting his own rise in political maneuvering and the world he helped create. 'The wizard is the person who is in the background, so theres a casting of a spell that is happening,' Dano said. Co-star Tom Sturridge was also on hand to promote the film at Venice, putting on a loved-up display with his fiancee Alexa Chung Model Chung, 41, displayed her famous fashion expertise in a flirty bright pink dress with intricate lace detailing The 'It girl' beamed with joy as she skipped down the red carpet in a pair of towering block heels and cosied up to her actor fiance Sturridge, 39, cut a typically dapper figure in a navy blue double-breasted suit with a polka dot tie and dark shades The Sandman star stars in the film as private banker Dmitri Sidorov, a character based on Mikhail Khodorkovsky Law insisted before Sunday's premiere that he didn't enter his latest project naively, and that he also does not fear repercussions for his portrayal Danos character was inspired by the real political strategist Vladislav Sourkov, who was considered the architect of the tightly controlled political system created under Putin. In 2013, he resigned his post of deputy prime minister Law, who wore prosthetics for his transformation, said his Putin is 'a character in a much larger story' The film is an adaptation of Giuliano da Empolis bestselling book of the same name and is partially set in the early 1990s amid post-Soviet chaos and continues through 2014 (pictured Law left and Dano right in the film) Vikander, who he directed in Irma Vep, co-stars as Vadim Baranov's on-again-off-again girlfriend. Her character, the filmmaker said, is supposed to embody 'freedom' The Wizard of the Kremlin is sure to provoke conversations as Russias three-year war in Ukraine continues. Efforts to stop the fighting with a ceasefire and end Europes biggest conflict since World War II through a comprehensive peace settlement have made no progress despite intense diplomatic maneuvering. 'The film is very much about how modern politics, 21st-century politics were invented,' Assayas said. 'Whats going on right now is not only terrifying but its even more terrifying by the fact that we have not found the answer.' The book was written before Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, but da Empoli said that even if it's about an earlier period, it was 'right.' 'It's still relevant today, three years later, under different circumstances,' da Empoli said. The film marks the English language debut for the French filmmaker best known for films like Clouds of Sils Maria and Personal Shopper, as well as the miniseries Carlos. Vikander, who he directed in Irma Vep, co-stars as Vadim Baranov's on-again-off-again girlfriend. Her character, the filmmaker said, is supposed to embody 'freedom.' 'This is a story about a lot of men talking in rooms,' she said. 'But Olivier told me that we need a world that shows the women who inhabit it also. A female counterpart but a very moral one as well.' Production took place in Latvia as they couldnt film in Russia. Newly-single Sydney Sweeney has been romantically linked to a new man. A new report from The Star claims Sydney is now dating Scooter Braun, with a source telling the publication the music manager, 44, has been telling his inner circle about the romance. Scooter, who has infamously feuded with Taylor Swift, has been asking his friends to stay mum about the romance for the time being, the Star source adds. The publication notes the duo were seen out in Venice during Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding weekend in video shared by a TikToker, however they were also joined by friends. Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for both Sydney, 27, and Scooter for comment about the rumors but have not yet heard back. Video of the duo in Venice was captured by the TikToker Mummybossadventure, who spotted the duo out with model Amelie Tremblay and another friend back in June. Sydney Sweeney has now been romantically linked to Scooter Braun, after they were seen out together in Venice amongst friends the day after Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding There was nothing occurring to suggest Sydney and Scooter were romantically involved as they chatted amongst themselves with their friends. 'This is when I spotted Sydney Sweeney & @Amelie Tremblay and @Scooter Braun In Venice for Jeff Bezos and @LaurenSanchezBezos Wedding Saturday Afternoon. What did we think of their outfits?! I personally LOVED Amelies outfit and thought Syndey Sweeneys was a little boring,' the TikToker captioned the post. The group expanded to include several more friends, including Karlie Kloss and her husband Joshua Kushner. The celebs were in a chatty mood as they left Harry's Bar, with Sydney, Karlie, and Amelie leading the way and Scooter trailing behind with the other men. But Scooter wasn't the only single man Sydney was in proximity to, with the Anyone But You actress also seen hanging out alongside Orlando Bloom and Tom Brady, both of whom are back on the market. Sydney split from film producer fiance Jonathan Davino earlier this year, after getting engaged in 2022. The former couple started dating in 2018 and got engaged in 2022, but for the most part kept their relationship assiduously private. A source told People in March that Sweeney and Davino's relationship had been 'rocky for a long time.' Scooter could be seen at the back of the group as they left Harry's Bar Sydney is back on the market after splitting from Jonathan Davino earlier this year; pictured earlier this month in Los Angeles Braun was among a number of celebrities Sydney was seen hanging out with during the wedding weekend; pictured 2023 Sydney was also seen in hanging out with newly-single Orlando Bloom and Tom Brady In May, an insider told People that Sweeney has been focusing on her career and is 'exactly where she wants to be.' 'Most people would feel overwhelmed by her working schedule this year, but not Syd. She's all about working right now and very excited about all her projects," the source says of Sweeney,' they explained. The source explained that the performer did, however, feel 'overwhelmed' by her 'relationship and her wedding.' Ultimately, she 'didn't feel right about' walking down the aisle and wants to focus on her 'magical career that she could only dream of a few years ago.' 'She's not ready to settle down,' the source explained. 'They only lasted for this long because it was hard for her to break it off. They didn't split because there is no love. They split because she just wants to focus on her career right now.' Following news of her and Jonathan's split, Sydney had a friendly reunion with her former costar, Glen Powell, at his sister Leslie's wedding. Sydney and Jonathan split after getting engaged in 2022 Scooter, meanwhile, also went through a public split with his now ex-wife Yael Cohen; pictured 2020 Amid headline speculating if she had already moved on, a source told Us Weekly that there was 'nothing going on romantically between Glen and Sydney.' The source said that Sydney met up with Glen because his sister Leslie invited her to her wedding in Texas over the weekend. Scooter, meanwhile, also went through a public split. Scooter, who in the past managed musical superstars such as Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, split from ex-wife Yael Cohen in 2021 and the pair settled their divorce the following year. The former couple, who wed in July of 2014 and split in July of 2021, share three children. Last year he became linked to actress Rachelle Goulding. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Guterres is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) TIANJIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China will always be a trustworthy partner of the United Nations (UN), Chinese President Xi Jinping said when meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in the port city of Tianjin on Saturday. China is willing to deepen cooperation with the UN, support the UN in playing a central role in international affairs, and jointly shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding world peace and promoting development and prosperity, Xi told Guterres, who is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2025. Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th founding anniversary of the UN, Xi said history has revealed that multilateralism, solidarity and cooperation are the right answer to global challenges. Xi called for restoring the UN's authority and vitality under new circumstances, so that it can serve as the main platform for all countries to coordinate actions and jointly address challenges. In a world of profound changes unseen in a century, China has provided stability and certainty and will continue to bring new opportunities to the world with its new development, Xi said. With multilateralism, international law, and the UN's authority currently facing challenges, Guterres said the international governance architecture is in urgent need of reform, and it is timely to renew the original aspiration and values of the UN when it was established 80 years ago. Hailing China as a cornerstone in defending multilateralism, Guterres said the UN is willing to strengthen cooperation with China to promote world multipolarization, enhance the representation of developing countries, and enable the UN to play a greater role in international affairs. Senior officials Cai Qi, Wang Yi and Chen Min'er attended the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Guterres is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) Editor: WXY Kohl's says it has finally found its footing bosses are crediting promotions, brand-name products, and back-to-school shoppers for the turnaround. The Wisconsin-based retailer with 1,153 US stores more than doubled its net income to $153 million last quarter, sending its stock up 20 percent on Wednesday. The win is sorely needed. In May, the company ousted its CEO after just 100 days, amid lower sales and a series of store closures. Kohl's - best known for racks of affordable clothes, shoes, and home goods - credits a focus on value and brand consistency, a similar playbook that has also boosted a handful of other legendary chains this earnings season. The company's interim CEO, Michael Bender, said the chain is addressing past mistakes by reintroducing its petite section, revamping jewelry merchandising, focusing on lower-priced and exclusive brand partnerships, and expanding its use of coupons. 'As we reestablished the petites category in all stores, this business accelerated, up almost 40 percent in the second quarter,' Bender said. Sales in rebooted jewelry grew by 12 percent, and Sephora's pop-ups had a three percent increase. But independent experts told the Daily Mail that they're skeptical about Kohl's turnaround. Kohl's said it is reeling in customers with promotions and better products - analysts say there are underlying problems 'Their management has put an optimistic spin on their numbers,' Neil Saunders, a retail analyst at GlobalData, said. The chain's stock has been on a roller coaster. In July, shares jumped 105 percent after Reddit-inspired retail investors poured money into the brand, similar to the 2021 meme stock craze that sent the stock prices of ailing businesses skyrocketing. But beneath the surface, Kohl's also reported a 5.1 percent decline in total sales, along with a $129 million cash boost from a one-time lawsuit payment. Without that, Saunders says, the company's income would have been 63 percent in the red. 'On the ground, most stores look messy and are completely devoid of inspiration. Kohls is still losing customers and market share as a result,' he said. 'There is nothing optimistic about a continued sales decline that is way worse than most retail peers are delivering.' Still, Kohl's executives are leaning hard on a back-to-basics playbook the same formula other retailers have used to steady the ship. 'We really think we're set up well,' the company's CFO, Jill Timm, said while reporting the second straight quarter of better-than-expected sales. Kohl's has had major celebrity endorsements, like Ellie Kemper, the star actress from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Independent analysts described Kohl's stores as 'mess' and 'completely devoid of inspiration' Still, the stock has had a huge rise - it is also benefitting from a Reddit thread that is trying to hurt short positions in the company Neil Saunders told the Daily Mail that the company's underlying numbers are still worrying 'As we're bringing product lines back, we're seeing we're gaining that trip back from the customer.' They also highlighted successful partnerships with Levi's Jeans, Nine West, and Nike on the earnings call. Bender also said stores are selling out of fleece outerwear, backpacks, and trendy jeans. The company's CFO, Jill Timm, praised the return of jewelry and Kohl's petite sections 'Anything baggy, wide leg, those types of features in denim are showing strength,' he said. But Saunders said growth was easy for a chain that has been hemorrhaging customers for several quarters. 'The outlook for the balance of the year is not as bad as feared, but that does not mean it is good,' he said. Still, the back-to-basics strategy mirrors many of the winners in this earnings season. Retailers that stuck to their core identity and lured shoppers with discounts have logged some of the strongest results and Wall Street reactions. Chili's, the 1,200-unit Tex-Mex chain, notched a 24 percent sales bump after splashing promotions across TikTok. McDonald's posted banner results by cutting prices. Same for Campbell's Soup, Amazon, Hershey's, Dollar General, and Apple, which all saw major boosts on their lower-cost products. The opposite has been true for brands that strayed too far from what made them successful. Cracker Barrel, for instance, has faced days of blowback after rolling out new logos and ditching its rustic in-store design a gamble that left many longtime customers cold. Target has also continued its downturn after offending conservative customers with Pride collections and liberal customers for walking away from DEI promises. Commemorating: People worldwide mark 80th anniversary of WWII victory People's Daily Online) 09:18, August 31, 2025 Historical memory and truth will not fade with the passage of time. They serve as inspirations that mirror the present and illuminate the future. The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. In this video, people from around the world share their thoughts on the war's lasting impact. Multilingual Versions: Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Korean, German, Portuguese, Swahili, Italian, Kazakh, Thai, Malay, Greek, Vietnamese, Urdu, Hindi (Web editor: Chang Sha, Wu Chengliang) Xi meets Egyptian prime minister Xinhua) 15:10, August 31, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbouly in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Madbouly is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) TIANJIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbouly in the port city of Tianjin on Saturday. Madbouly is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. Noting that China-Egypt relations are at their best in history, Xi called for seizing the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations next year to advance bilateral ties toward the goal of building a China-Egypt community with a shared future in the new era, as well as to make greater contributions to maintaining world peace and stability, and promoting global development and prosperity. China and Egypt should be good brothers firmly supporting each other, Xi said, calling on the two sides to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in economy and trade, joint manufacturing, new energy and other fields. He also called on the two countries to shoulder their historic mission and responsibilities as major countries of the Global South, and jointly oppose unilateralism and bullying acts. Praising China as Egypt's true partner and friend, Madbouly said Egypt is ready to take the anniversary next year as an opportunity to achieve greater development of bilateral relations. Faced with challenges in the global situation and international economy and trade, Egypt is willing to strengthen coordination with China in international and regional affairs to safeguard the common interests of developing countries, Madbouly said. Senior officials including Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Chen Min'er attended the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbouly in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Madbouly is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liu Ning) Xi meets Cambodian prime minister Xinhua) 15:13, August 31, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Hun Manet is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) TIANJIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet in the port city of Tianjin on Saturday, who is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. During their meeting, Xi noted that in the face of a changing international situation, China and Cambodia, as iron-clad friends, should unite closely for mutual success, improve the well-being of both peoples, and contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity. Xi emphasized that China supports Cambodia in maintaining stability, upholding independence, and achieving development and revitalization. China is willing to work with Cambodia to expand trade exchanges, and jointly combat cross-border crimes, including online gambling and telecom fraud, he added. For his part, Hun Manet said that regardless of how the international situation may evolve, Cambodia is committed to friendly policies toward China. Cambodia looks forward to working with China to support each other on issues involving their respective core interests and major concerns, and to expand cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, and other areas, he noted. Senior officials including Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Chen Min'er attended the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 30, 2025. Hun Manet is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liu Ning) As chess grandmasters go, Vladimir Putin is playing his multiple strategies against the enemy with utmost expertise. His key tactical move is to play upon the UKs weak socialist Labour government, a muddled do-gooder socialist mess inundated with committees within committees who are shackled by the ECHR and other do-gooder socialist international bodies. Grandmaster Putin also knows that the UKs judicial system is populated by social activist warriors and virtue signalling judges who detest Britain so much that they gladly harm the place with their ridiculous judgements. The Russians know that Britain is run by an overbearing profligate nanny socialist state, and they have been using this weakness to further entrench the UK in an expensive quagmire of mass illegal immigration, which not only destroys the countrys public services, but it eviscerates public morale and creates civil unrest. The grandmaster identified the major weaknesses that plague Britain years ago, and has been playing the socialists (Conservatives are socialist as much as Labour) against each other like a fiddle. Putin knows how woke political correctness works, the soviet communists invented political correctness in the first place the modus operandi is to utilise the Wests adoption of wokeness to undermine and completely demoralise the population. Russia is aggravating Britains migrant crisis to overwhelm border defences and sow division in the nation, and it is working like clockwork. Especially as the socialist administration are blinded by their woke virtue-signalling and their allegiance to the ECHR. Vladimir Putins government provides fake documents, transport and even military escorts to smuggling gangs ferrying migrants across the Channel. The Russians also support illegal migrants and traffickers from their Sub-Saharan journey to North Africa, then on to Southern Europe, France then the Holy Grail socialist benefits heaven UK. The threat that overwhelming migration poses to national security is so fierce that in June, NATO recognised it by allowing its members to count border protection as spending targets for the first time. Hostile states and malign actors are using illegal migration to test borders, cause disruption and destabilise countries like Britain, and its working like a treat. Putin knows that the socialists in Britain are so far up their own arses in their mission to virtue-signal and do-gooding that they are totally blind to what they are doing to their own country by allowing mass, unfettered immigration to flourish. Putin knows that the socialists are completely deluded and blind to what they are doing, and plays upon this weakness. Demoralisation of entire nations takes decades, the woke agents embedded within every facet of Britains governmental and educational system, as well as corporate structure is testament to the hard work of Britains enemies working with diligence to weaken the UK further. The addition of swarms of conquering men from Third World countries destabilising the UK is just the icing on the cake. One can only see this from the vast costs that are building up on housing the fake asylum seekers. For Grandmaster Putin, the best part about his operation is that not only is the Labour government totally blind and deluded to what is happening, but many people in Britain welcome the imported woke mantras without question as they ingest their daily dose of poison which will contribute to the UKs eventual demise. There are billions of displaced refugees and economic migrants around the globe this minute. The blind socialists of Britain would grant them all asylum in a heartbeat, such is their delusion on this tiny, overcrowded, totally ruined island. That is what Grandmaster Putin is playing on and its working. If youre hungry, or thirsty, or simply want a 64-inch TV, many people are now walking into UK shops and taking what they want without anyone so much as batting an eyelid. Shoplifting culture in Britain is at an all-time high, and its a free-for-all festival of theft. Security guards are not allowed to do anything, so they just stand there while you clean out each aisle systematically, Leroy from Croydon, South London revealed. His council flat is a treasure trove of goods which he also sells online, and on the streets. You can watch Greggs get robbed every single day on social media now. pic.twitter.com/NfRbPN7PMg Basil the Great (@Basil_TGMD) August 30, 2025 The Greggs bakery is obviously a favourite for shoplifters and forget about buying a meal deal for lunch, many of these people are going in these bakeries and coming out with bin bags of sausage rolls, donuts, sandwiches, drinks, croissants, pizzas, and even furniture. We had one guy who needed some sugar, so he went into Greggs and took their entire stock, even the boxes behind the counter. He just strolled out, and now hes got enough sugar to last him ten years, innit, another shoplifter revealed. Even in London SMH. These black men are looting a store in London for hundreds of dollars of alcohol. It seems they would rather loot than get a job. pic.twitter.com/tKRKvyjejc Shane (@shane7777ssss) July 29, 2025 Thanks to an absent police force, and a sympathetic Labour government, its freebies for anyone who wants it. Because of the current state of UK law, if anyone uses any form of force against a shoplifter, or an attacker in your own home or property, you are liable for prosecution and could be jailed for years, while the criminal is let off. Foreign Shoplifter Doesnt Want To Be On The Internet. pic.twitter.com/q8uPMvc9pu Edwin (@Nuked4Every1) August 14, 2025 The white people pay for their groceries. We just take it for free, and if anyone say anything, we call them racists. Were owed this they owe us innit, another prominent shoplifter revealed. Shoplifting is now a lucrative business for many, and its pretty much risk-free. No one is prosecuted for theft in shops, and no one does anything about it. Enjoy! These are great times in the UK. Senegalese officials laud progress in implementing FOCAC Beijing Summit outcomes Xinhua) 20:54, August 31, 2025 Chinese Ambassador to Senegal Li Zhigang speaks during a meeting on the first anniversary of the implementation of the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit in Dakar, Senegal, on Aug. 29, 2025. (Chinese Embassy in Senegal/Handout via Xinhua) DAKAR, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Senegalese officials, political leaders, and scholars spoke highly of the progress made in implementing the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit at an event held Friday in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. The Chinese Embassy in Senegal hosted the meeting on the first anniversary of the implementation of the summit's outcomes, bringing together nearly 100 participants, including senior government officials, party representatives, and think tank scholars. Mabouba Diagne, Senegalese minister of agriculture, food sovereignty and livestock, said in his speech that over the past year, both sides have turned the important consensus reached by their leaders into concrete results, which have been widely welcomed by the Senegalese people. He reaffirmed Senegal's firm commitment to the one-China principle and expressed appreciation to China's just stance on major global issues, adding that the West African country is willing to work with China to build a Senegal-China community with a shared future. Ayib Daffe, secretary-general of Senegal's ruling African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity, said the governance experience of the Communist Party of China offers important lessons for Senegal in exploring a modernization path suited to its national conditions. He added that his party is ready to deepen exchanges with the Chinese side to further advance bilateral relations and cooperation. Cathy Diagne Thioye, director for Asia Pacific and the Middle East at Senegal's Ministry of African Integration and Foreign Affairs, described the FOCAC as a model of South-South cooperation. She called on both sides to continue working together to implement priority projects under the forum framework. Chinese Ambassador to Senegal Li Zhigang said that over the past year, China and Senegal have maintained close high-level exchanges, deepened political trust, steadily advanced economic cooperation, and strengthened cultural and people-to-people ties. Li said the joint pursuit of modernization by China and Senegal will provide valuable experience for Africa and the wider Global South. Mabouba Diagne, Senegalese minister of agriculture, food sovereignty and livestock, speaks during a meeting on the first anniversary of the implementation of the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit in Dakar, Senegal, on Aug. 29, 2025. (Chinese Embassy in Senegal/Handout via Xinhua) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liu Ning) Rail campaigners Into The West are celebrating yet another record-breaking year for Derrys railway station as it registered its highest ever passenger numbers. Figures secured from Translink for 2024-25 (the 12 months up to March 2025) saw a record 963,312 journeys taken to and from Derry by train across that period. This represents a slight increase of 11,000 passengers compared to the previous year, which itself was also a record-breaker. It is also the highest number of trips that Derrys railway station has ever catered for, solidifying its status as the North's seventh busiest station. Analysis conducted by Into The West shows that Derrys increase in rail passengers took place against a backdrop of falling rail usage across Northern Ireland as a whole and particularly in Belfast. Despite the opening of the new 340m Grand Central Station in Belfast in September 2024, Belfast citys 11 railway stations experienced a 5% year-on-year decline in rail usage in 2024-25 amounting to 600,000 fewer trips taken by train there. Northern Ireland as a whole saw a 4% year-on-year decline though once Belfast was excluded, the rest of NI experienced a drop of only 2.6% (or 400,000 journeys). Rail campaigners said the decline in rail passengers in Belfast across 2024-25 can be explained in part by a number of temporary station closures to facilitate creation of the new Grand Central facility. But it also reflects an ongoing pattern since the Covid-19 pandemic whereby changing work habits have altered the nature of demand for public transport. Of Belfasts 11 railway stations, only 2 catered for more passengers in 2024-25 than they did in the last full year before Covid (2018-19) York Street (due to the creation of a new Ulster University campus on its doorstep) and Lanyon Place (which became Belfasts main station during the final stages of the work to create Grand Central). In addition, the new Grand Central also catered for three million rail passengers in the first six months after its public opening. All Belfasts other rail stations are now carrying fewer passengers than they were prior to Covid, with an overall 11% decline in rail usage in Belfast since before the pandemic (vs 2018/19). This reflects the impact that the rise of Working From Home has had on travel patterns resulting in a reduction in short and medium-distance weekday commutes in and out of Belfast. In contrast, Derrys railway station has experienced a massive 78% increase in its passenger volumes since Covid (2024/5 figures versus 2018/19) gaining an extra 422,000 users over that period. Into The West Chair Steve Bradley commented: Demand for rail continues to set new records every year in Derry, and its fantastic to see the city having almost a million passengers a year now. Back in 2016 Derry had the 17th busiest station in NI, catering for 324,000 journeys. A decade on and demand has trebled following the creation of a fit-for-purpose station and the introduction of hourly services 6 days a week - making Derry now NIs 7th busiest station. Its been a truly remarkable growth the largest and most continuous increase in rail demand anywhere on the island of Ireland and shows the positive impact that even fairly modest improvements in services can have here. Yet despite the proof that money invested in Derrys rail unleashes huge increases in demand, the city still has one hand tied behind its back when it comes to services. Derry and the two other stations West of the Bann receive over 2,400 fewer trains a year than every station East of the Bann gets on the same line. For example - whilst 13 rail services in each direction call at Coleraine and all stations in the East on Sundays (one per hour), the three stations West of the Bann receive only six Sunday services (one every two hours). Whilst there are four trains a morning from Coleraine and every station East of the Bann which reach Belfast before 9am for work or for study, Derry has only one such service. And whilst the last evening train from Belfast to Derry leaves at 9:10pm Mondays to Saturdays (7:10pm on Sundays), every station as far as Coleraine in the East benefit from later services up to 10:40pm. None of this is the result of anything major or structural. It is entirely due to timetable choices made by Translink and the Department for Infrastructure (DFI) over the last number of years, who have decided to blatantly discriminate against Derry and the West when it comes to rail services. We have been told that 1m is needed to end this discrimination, which is a relatively small sum in infrastructure terms. Yet Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins is refusing to allocate that money from her own budgets, and also refusing to secure it from her Sinn Fein Finance Minister colleague instead. Translink are also refusing to use their budgets to end this blatant regional discrimination, even though the cost of fixing it would add only eight pence to every rail ticket sold across NI. Unfortunately no-one with the power to end this timetable inequality against Derry and the West is prepared to stop it, so they are all complicit in such blatant regional discrimination. Mr Bradley continued: The fact that this discrimination continues whilst Derry is the star performer on the islands rail network shows that Translink and DFI are more interested in shoveling investment towards Belfast than they are in supporting places where demand for rail is actually growing. Over a third of a billion pounds has been spent on a single new transport facility in Belfast whilst that city has been haemorrhaging rail users post-Covid yet they are refusing to spend just 1m to end their longstanding dscrimination against Derry and the West. This blatant inequality exposes the lie behind Stormonts talk of regional balance. We estimate that equalising rail services East and West of the River Bann on the Derry-Belfast line would add a further 250,000 passengers a year to rail demand from NIs second city. No other investment in NI would deliver such a large increase in public transport usage for such a small sum of money. READ NEXT: Six SEN pupils without places as schools return across Northern Ireland So the Sinn Fein Infrastructure Minister has a very clear choice. She must now bring her Departments blatant timetable discrimination against Derry and the West to an end. Or if she isnt prepared to secure the relatively small sum required to stop this unequal treatment of Derry and the West, then she will have to take personal and political responsibility for it. An Orangeman has told of the poignancy of attending meetings sitting in the same chair at the same table where his grandfather was murdered 50 years ago. Alasdair Cooke said it is important people do not forget the Tullyvallen massacre, where IRA men shot dead five Orange Order members close to Newtownhamilton in south Armagh on the night of September 1, 1975. Gunmen burst into the isolated Tullyvallen Orange Hall during a meeting of Tullyvallen Guiding Star Temperance LOL 630 and opened fire, murdering John Johnston, 80, 73-year-old James McKee and his son Ronnie McKee, 40, Nevin McConnell, 48, and William Herron, 68, who died two days later. Six other men were injured in the attack. A 2lb bomb was also left outside the hall. It was defused by the Army. A memorial plaque in the hall remembers the five victims as well as fellow lodge members William Meaklim, who was murdered two weeks before the attack, and Joseph McCullough, who was killed five months after. The Orange Order marks Orange Victims Day on September 1 when it remembers all 344 members who were killed during the Troubles. The Tullyvallen attack was the largest loss of life suffered by the order in a single attack. Mr Cooke is the Worshipful Master of LOL 630 at Tullyvallen. His grandfather James McKee occupied the same role when he was killed in the 1975 attack. Mr Cooke joined with survivors of the attack, Berry Reaney and John Henry, at the Orange Hall to remember those who lost their lives. He said: We mark the 50th anniversary of the attack on this hall by terrorists, when five members of this lodge were murdered. Our memorial plaque has seven names on it, Brother William Meaklim was murdered just two weeks prior to the 1st September and Brother Joseph McCullough was murdered about five months later just a stones throw from the hall. Mr Cooke recalled the night the massacre took place. He said: It was a totally routine lodge meeting, as happened every month, that night the lodge had opened and was conducting its business as usual when the back door was kicked in and two gunmen entered and immediately opened fire indiscriminately on the men sitting around the table in the middle of the hall. Another gunman fired through a window at the men inside. He added: My grandfather James McKee was Worshipful Master of the lodge at the time and he was murdered sitting in a chair at the top of the table. It is the position I now occupy within the lodge as Worshipful Master and it is particularly poignant for me to come to meetings here and sit in the same chair at the same table that he sat in when he was murdered. Mr Cooke said a memorial service is held every year. He said: This year marks the 50th anniversary. It is important to continue these services because it gives a degree of support to those who were impacted directly by the attack. It shows that the community cares, the community supports them, and the truth about their loved ones is being told. Kenny Donaldson, the director of the South East Fermanagh Foundation victims organisation, said he also has a family connection to the attack. He said: My late grannys first cousin John Johnston was the eldest of the victims. John was a retired farmer from Cloghoge area outside Crossmaglen, where my family continue to live to this day. Mr Donaldson added: For years I attended youth club in Tullyvallen Orange Hall with my brothers not fully appreciating the happenings within that hall, being ignorant to the fact that the table which was used to support monitors for computer games was the lodge table which carried significant scorched damage from the bullets which struck it on that fateful night. It is accepted that the stability of that table may in part of helped save lives and additional physical injuries for some of the survivors. The Orange Order will mark its victims day on Monday. Leaders will attend at act of remembrance for all victims in Loughgall in Co Armagh in the morning and a service of remembrance will take place in Tullyvallen Orange Hall in the evening, with a moments silence at 9.30pm the time of the attack. On Tuesday, an exhibition entitled Moving Tributes will open in the Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall in Londonderry featuring more than 60 banners and Lambeg drums bearing the portraits of murdered members. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Deputy Pearse Doherty has urged the Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland to not renew the approval of the sale of Israeli war bonds. The Sinn Fein Deputy wrote a letter to Governor Gabriel Makhlouf outlining his concerns. To be sold within the EU, bonds from non-EU countries must be regulated by the Central Bank of a country that is in the EU. Before Brexit, Britain provided the gateway into the EU for Israels financing campaign. After Brexit, the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) took over this role and last September, the CBI renewed its authorisation of Israel Bonds. Deputy Doherty wrote: Governor Makhlouf, I am writing to ask that you reflect the will of the Irish people and not renew the approval Israel needs to sell their war bonds across the EU. The Irish public want no hand, act or part in funding the bombs and bullets that are slaughtering the men, women and children of Gaza. It is an affront to morality and our history to have any involvement in an occupation that is using manmade famine to slaughter a population. The state by facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds across the EU is making Ireland complicit in genocide. History will not look kindly on anyone in a position of power that did not do all that they could to resist Israels genocide and stand up for the people of Palestine in this dark hour. When I first raised this with you in October 2024 you made it clear that it was your view that in the absence of EU sanctions on Israel you required the Irish government to bring in national measures to the same effect. My firm belief then and now is that even under a narrow interpretation of the Central Banks legal responsibilities, you can refuse to renew Israels approval that they need to sell their war bonds. In response to your comments, Sinn Fein produced legally sound legislation to give the Minister for Finance the explicit and immediate powers to take this decision away from the Central Bank and to end Irelands involvement with Israeli war bonds. That legislation was rejected by the government without any credible legal justification. The failure of political leaders means that Israel has still not faced a single sanction for their ongoing genocide. The cowardice of the Irish government means that the central bank is again left to decide if they will continue the shameful involvement with Israeli war bonds. As the governor I am calling on you to do the right thing and to ensure that on the 2nd of September Ireland stops facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds. Ta suil agam go mbeidh se de chonfias agus de mhisneach agaibh gniomhu aris dearcadh Muintir na hEireann a chur chun cinn. Is mise, Pearse Doherty TD. Claims that the UK cannot withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) because of commitments made in the Good Friday Agreement are entirely groundless, a think tank has claimed. One of the authors of the paper from the Policy Exchange said public debate about human rights law reform has been distorted by the repeated assertion that withdrawal from the ECHR would breach the historic peace deal. The 1998 Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement largely ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland and led to the establishment of the powersharing Stormont Assembly. It was backed by referendums on both sides of the Irish border. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has ordered a review into whether the UK should quit the ECHR, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has long supported leaving it. In a speech last week to launch his partys plans to tackle illegal migration, Mr Farage said the Good Friday Agreement could be renegotiated to remove references to the convention. His comments were criticised by some politicians in Northern Ireland who argued the ECHR underpins the agreement. But the Policy Exchange said nothing in the UKs commitments to the peace process in Northern Ireland requires it to remain a part of the ECHR. The paper states: When one considers the Belfast Agreement carefully, noting the relationship between the British-Irish Agreement (the treaty) and the Multi-Party Agreement (the political agreement), it is clear that the Belfast Agreement does not forbid the UK (or Ireland) from exercising its right in international law to withdraw from the ECHR. The British-Irish Agreement does not refer to the ECHR at all and none of its terms suggest in any way that the UK or Ireland were undertaking to remain member states of the ECHR in perpetuity. It continues: Whatever the merits of UK withdrawal from the ECHR, nothing in the Belfast Agreement rules it out as a viable course of action. In choosing to exercise the UKs right to withdraw from the ECHR, a future government would neither be flouting the UKs international obligations under the Belfast Agreement nor failing to respect the political settlement that grounds the peace process. One of the authors of the paper, Professor Richard Ekins, said: Public debate about human rights law reform has been distorted by the repeated assertion that withdrawal from the ECHR would breach the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. In fact, neither the letter nor the spirit of the Belfast Agreement in any way requires the UK or Ireland to remain within the ECHR. And the agreements reached with the EU after Brexit confirm the point, leaving it open to the UK to choose to leave the ECHR. The paper said that if the UK did leave the ECHR it would be important for the British Government to engage closely with the different parties in Northern Ireland to reassure them that the UKs withdrawal from the ECHR will not unbalance relations between the parity of esteem between the different communities. It also said the Windsor Framework, the agreement over post-Brexit trading, does not rule out UK withdrawal from the ECHR. The document has received the endorsement of former Labour home secretary and foreign secretary Jack Straw. He said: I am not persuaded that the UK needs to withdraw from the ECHR the better to deal with the unacceptable number of unlawful and unfounded asylum seekers. Rather, I believe that we should de-couple our own human rights legislation from the convention (as other European countries have done). But the debate about our future relationship with the ECHR and its parent body, the Council of Europe, should be conducted on its merits. He said the Policy Exchange paper helped to clear the ground for the debate. Mr Straw added: It argues, in thorough and forensic detail, that whatever the merits of UK withdrawal from the ECHR, nothing in the Belfast Agreement rules it out as a viable course of action. A Government spokesperson said: Britain will continue to remain a member of the ECHR. It underpins key international agreements, on trade, security and migration, including the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, and has helped us secure vital new deals with Germany and France to tackle illegal migration. As set out in our Immigration White Paper, we are looking at how we can tighten the application of Article 8 of the ECHR giving courts the clarity they need to stop our immigration rules from being abused. Naomi Smith, chief executive of Best for Britain, a campaign group which lobbies for closer ties with the EU, rejected the think tanks findings. She said: In 30 pages, the Good Friday Agreement cites the ECHR seven times as an essential safeguard. Gardai have issued an urgent appeal for help in locating a teenage girl from Dublin who may have travelled to Dundalk in County Louth. Assistance is being sought from members of the public in tracing the whereabouts of 15-year-old Claudette Forde who has not been seen for several days. In their appeal, gardai say the teenager was reported missing from the Dublin 1 area on the evening of Wednesday, August 27 and that she has not been seen since. Claudette is described as being approximately 5 foot 4 inches in height, of medium build, with brown/black hair and brown eyes. When last seen, she was wearing a black jumper, red leggings and grey shoes. According to gardai, who say they are concerned for her wellbeing, the 15-year-old is known to frequent the Dundalk, Limerick, Portlaoise, Navan, Athy and Ashbourne areas of the country. READ NEXT: PICTURES: Louth people among those soaking up the sun at Electric Picnic Anyone with information on Claudettes whereabouts or who can assist gardai is asked to contact Store Street garda station in Dublin on 01 666 8000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station. Efforts to locate Claudette are ongoing. Xi, Modi agree China, India are partners instead of rivals Xinhua) 21:08, August 31, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. Modi is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) TIANJIN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met here on Sunday, agreeing that China and India are partners, not rivals. The meeting of the leaders of the world's two most populous countries took place ahead of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to be held in north China's port city of Tianjin from Sunday to Monday. Xi told Modi that China and India are each other's development opportunities rather than threats. As long as the two countries keep to this overarching direction, specific matters in the bilateral relations will fall into place and there will be steady and sustained progress in bilateral ties, Xi said. He said China and India are important members of the Global South, and shoulder the crucial responsibility of improving the well-being of the two peoples, promoting the solidarity and rejuvenation of developing countries, and advancing the progress of human society. They should become good-neighborly friends and partners that help each other succeed. A "cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant" should be the right choice for the two countries, he added. Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic ties, Xi said the two countries need to view and handle the relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective. While the successful meeting between Xi and Modi in Kazan last year enabled the China-India relations to have a reset and start anew, the two sides should pursue a further improvement of ties from the Tianjin meeting onward, according to the Chinese president. Xi called on the two countries to strengthen strategic communication and deepen mutual trust, expand exchanges and cooperation to achieve mutual benefit and win-win, accommodate each other's concerns and get along in peace and harmony, and strengthen multilateral coordination to safeguard shared interests. The two Asian neighbors should combine their strength to maintain peace and tranquility in their border regions, and should not allow the boundary question to define the overall China-India relations, Xi said. Xi called on the two countries to work together for a multi-polar world and greater democracy in international relations, and to make due contributions to peace and prosperity in Asia and the wider world. Modi said since his meeting with Xi in Kazan last year, the bilateral relationship has been back on a positive trajectory, peace and stability in the border regions have been maintained, and direct flights are about to be resumed. Noting that India and China are partners, not rivals, and the consensus between the two countries far outweighs their disagreement, Modi said India is ready to view and develop bilateral ties from a long-term perspective. Given the great uncertainties in the world economy, it is vital for India and China to strengthen cooperation as important economies of the world, Modi said. India is prepared to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement of the boundary question with China, he said. Both countries pursue strategic autonomy and an independent foreign policy, and their bilateral relationship is not subject to the influence of any third party, said the Indian prime minister, adding that India-China cooperation will make the 21st century a genuine "Asian century." Senior Chinese officials Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Chen Min'er were present at the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. Modi is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liu Ning) President of Dundalk Institution of Technology (DkIT) Students Union, Gerry O'Brien, has called on the Government to reinstate the reduction in third level fees that was introduced last year as a temporary measure, as well as a reform of the Student Grant Scheme (SUSI), to help students to achieve their full potential in college. The Students Union President for the upcoming academic year spoke to the Dundalk Democrat about some of the financial challenges facing students at the moment, including accommodation. The problem with accommodation at DkIT, Gerry said, is we actually physically do not own any accommodation. The Institute does not own or operate any accommodation. We have a problem with that as such. We have no control over the pricing, or who they take or who they don't take. Some of the older ones there, Greenpark Village, they're running about 550 a month. So that's your utilites on top of that, plus you have to feed yourself on top of that. for that 550 a month, you will get a private room, with a bed, a desk and a wardrobe. You share bathroom facilities, kitchen facilities and dining facilities. The newer ones that are built, Greenpark Houses, they're 750 a month, plus your utilities, plus you have to feed yourself. That's a small mortgage. People are paying less on mortgages. For that they have an en-suite in their room. The facilities are good, it is good, it is well maintained and the whole lot, but the issue is people just can't afford it. "International students are the ones who will be able to afford that, whether they're funded by their parents who are able to support them in that, I don't know. They seem to be the ones who mostly avail of that accommodation. In terms of private houses that are available for rent, Gerry said that, we updated our website this year and people were slow to get their listings up. Last week there was 15 20 listings, whereas last year we had 50 plus. For accommodation in people's houses, digs, it usually runs from a Sunday night or Monday morning to a Friday evening, and people ususally charge about 120 a week, but the bills will be included in that. Mostly apprentices will take them. Or you will have people that will commute from the likes of Cavan. Cavan in particular is a hard place to commute from. We are mostly a commuter college now to be fair. It's having a huge impact. Campus life is not [what it was], the student days are not what they were. You used to see it in around the town of Dundalk, it was vibrant, students were out three or four nights a week, there was a social aspect to the college which there should be. Because you develop emotionally and socially when you're in college. Even as a mature student, I didn't think it was possible, but I did. That aspect of student life is gone, whereas students would have been able to study, socialise and do all that. Now, just to get by they have to work as well. So you'll have some of them, they are in accommodation, they may have to work a job, sometimes up to full time hours, just to make ends meet. When you study you need to dedicate yourself to the study, that is your full-time job or role as a student. Instead of that, they're picking up that job in the evenings, they're working weekends, and they're not achieving like they should. I'm not saying they're dropping out, but it is having an effect on retention and progression. It's not just accommodation, it's life in general and the cost of living, it's affecting people a lot. If your family can't support you, you are literally on your own, and its emotionally and physically draining for people to actually work and attend college at the same time, and achieve their full potential. Gerry added that, it's important for us all to care, I know we all have our own lives and we all have our own issues, but when you look at the bigger picture the students that are in here today studying, are the future of industry in this country. That's why there's so many international companies coming here, because they have access to quality graduates, skilled workforces, and if we stop supporting these people, if we stop supporting them through their studies, we're not going to have that. It's a vital thing for this country that we continue to support our students. It is something he intends to bring up with Minister for Further and Higher Education, James Lawless TD, at a planned meeting this September. Reform of the SUSI grant process and a reduction on fees top the agenda. The reduction on fees, and SUSI, the Government needs to look at ways to reform the SUSI grant, there are student accommodation funds that people can avail of but if you don't qualify for SUSI, you're not qualifying for them. An appeal has been made to Louth County Council to listen to concerns of residents and business owners in the Quay Street area of Dundalk, in relation to plans by the Dublin Simon Community to build 21 apartments at Barrack St. This follows a public meeting where householders and business owners spoke of how they have been living a nightmare over the last few years, dealing with anti-social behaviour, including open drug dealing and drug taking on a daily basis. Fine Gael Councillor for Dundalk South, Cllr Robert Nash has called on Louth County Council to listen to residents in the Quay area, who have once again raised serious concerns over a resubmission of Dublin Simon Community for planning permission for 21 one-bedroom apartments on the site of the old labour exchange building in Barrack Street. After attending a recent meeting for concerned residents, Cllr Nash described how householders and business owners in the area have been living a nightmare over the last few years, dealing with anti-social behaviour on a daily basis, as well as open drug dealing and drug taking becoming the norm outside people's houses and businesses. The Fine Gael councillor told the Dundalk Democrat that residents in the area have become frustrated over the lack of consultation between themselves and Louth County Council, as well as Dublin Simon Community, and despite regular calls to Dundalk Garda Station, the situation has not improved. Cllr Nash feels that not enough is being done to protect these people and their voices continue to be ignored, and that this latest planning submission is another blow to residents in the Quay area who lodged over 50 submissions last year in objection to a previous similar development at Barrack Street, which was subsequently withdrawn. These people's voices need to be heard, said Cllr Nash, it is simply not fair for people in planning and other organisations to make decision which do not directly affect themselves but will negatively impact others. Cllr Nash explained, we have two issues at present. The first is the fact that the present Simon facility in Barrack Street appears to be failing in its responsibility to fellow residents in the area. Cllr Nash said that he does not accept that anti-social behaviour happening outside the current Simon facility is a matter for An Garda Siochana, rather than the facility itself, and feels that Gardai figures for responses to incidents in the area are frightening. The figures are there, said Cllr Nash, they cannot be ignored. I feel that the Gardai need to raise their own concerns over a new facility. The present model is not working and needs to be addressed before anymore expansion. He continued: The second issue, which is the plan for a new similar development in the area, is one which has caused much annoyance to residents and business owners alike. Cllr Nash said that one resident claimed, they have destroyed our street already, and they won't be happy until we are all forced to move out. We are going through hell on a daily basis and nobody seems to care. The Fine Gael councillor said that he hopes to meet with senior Gardai officials and representatives for concerns residents in the next number of weeks, in a bid to combat these ongoing issues, and hopes that a request to meet senior management in Louth County Council and Dublin Simon Community, which have previously been ignored he added, will finally be facilitated. I cannot stand idly by and allow the soul of the good people of the Quay be destroyed, Cllr Nash added. These people have been ignored and neglected over the last number of years, and they feel let down. It is my job to raise these concerns and represent the people who elected me. We need to stop and pause, engage with residents, hear their concerns, find possible solutions before it's too late. Female entrepreneurs from Louth are being encouraged to submit their applications for the latest cycle of ACORNS, a highly successful development programme to support women living in rural Ireland who are in the early stages of starting their own business. Louth entrepreneur Aoife Finnegan of Curio PR recently completed the programme. She joins Joan McCann of The Code Lab and Martha McCabe of Goose Loves as previous Louth participants calling on businesswomen to join the programme. ACORNS has been providing support to early-stage female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland for more than a decade and has recently launched the 11th cycle of the business development programme. The deadline for applications for ACORNS 11 is midnight, September 22. There are up to 50 places available for ACORNS 11. Those wishing to receive an application form should register on the website www.acorns.ie. When Aoife Finnegan returned to her hometown of Dundalk in early 2020, she didnt expect to become a business owner. A turning point came when her friend asked for help promoting her business a favour that quickly turned into something bigger. Word spread fast. Artists, makers and small creative businesses across the region began getting in touch, people with great stories, but little time (or energy) to tell them. Aoife launched Curio PR www.curiopr.ie in 2021 to fill that gap: an independent agency focused on arts, culture, hospitality and tourism, rooted in strong storytelling and strategic media outreach. Aoife says: The ACORNS programme provided amazing support from fellow female entrepreneurs, which was absolutely invaluable. I received encouragement, support and friendship from an incredibly inspiring group of women. The guidance from Lead Entrepreneur Eimer Hannon was outstanding, and I gained so much from the in-person round table sessions. "Paula Fitzsimons and her team were fantastic, working tirelessly to ensure female entrepreneurship thrives in rural Ireland. Im truly grateful for this opportunity and highly recommend the programme to others. Joan McCann is an innovative coding education provider empowering Irelands young people with digital skills for the future. Joan had been volunteering with a community coding group when she realised she could marry the skills gleaned from her 15-year career in the IT industry with her passion for teaching kids about technology to create a viable business. Launched in February 2021, The Code Lab offers online courses and hands-on workshops in coding, robotics, and electronics. Since its inception, The Code Lab has grown significantly, with Joan now delivering a structured Schools Coding Programme to primary schools across Ireland, helping teachers to seamlessly integrate coding into the curriculum and making coding more accessible for all pupils. Joan says: I took part in ACORNS 8 and ACORNS Plus in 2024/25, and both programmes have been transformative for me and my business. They boosted my confidence, sharpened my decision-making, and helped me focus on growing my business. I was thrilled to be featured in the 10-year ACORNS report, celebrating its impact. I would highly recommend ACORNS and ACORNS Plus to any business woman ready to dream big and drive her business forward." Martha McCabe, founder of Goose Loves, a range of neckwarmers, was a participant on ACORNS 10 and says: The benefit of ACORNS to a small business may seem unquantifiable initially. But the gentle teasing out of what the core of your business is, and where you want to be, is a subtle but powerful tool, that you gain after the six months. "ACORNS is not about marketing strategies that you can read about in a book, it is practical support from people who understand the pitfalls and challenges any small business faces. I feel very lucky, to have been given the opportunity to complete this programme, and to have met the people that I have. ACORNS is based on the belief that early-stage entrepreneurs learn best from their peers. Participants interact with each other in the monthly round table sessions, which are facilitated by a Lead Entrepreneur, who has first-hand experience of starting and successfully growing a business in rural Ireland. Only early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland, and who have had no sales before the end of June 2022, are eligible to apply. As ACORNS receives many more applications than there are places available, selection is on a competitive basis. ACORNS 11 will run from October 2025 to April 2026 and will include six monthly round table sessions, a workshop on understanding financials, a briefing by various development agencies and an end-of-cycle celebration. There will be no charge for those selected to participate in ACORNS 11, thanks to the continuing support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the voluntary contribution of time by the Lead Entrepreneurs. Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Martin Heydon, TD, launched the call for applications for ACORNS 11. Minister Heydon said: Following a decade of support from my Department for female rural entrepreneurs under the Rural Innovation Development Fund, I am delighted to launch the latest cycle. The programme continues to go from strength to strength and has supported over 550 women in rural Ireland over the last ten years. The ACORNS programme is a hugely successful programme, designed to support early-stage female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland. It aims to address the skills, enterprise and capability gaps that female entrepreneurs can face and in doing so provides support to help overcome the barriers which often limit entrepreneurial activity in rural areas. Encouraging female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland to apply for support under the ACORNS programme which will help them realise their dreams of starting and growing successful businesses. A survey carried out at the end of ACORNS 10 revealed that 100% of the programmes 52 participants felt closer to achieving their business ambitions following the programme and would recommend ACORNS to others. Some 90% said their participation brought about practical change within their business. Four businesses started to trade for the first time during ACORNS 10. The groups combined turnover almost doubled over the course of the programme, increasing from 2.8m to 4.3m. ACORNS 10 participants employed a total of 104 staff at the end of the cycle, some 57 full-time and 47 part-time, an increase of 15. There were eight new exporters over the cycle. Alongside the 52 participants in ACORNS 10, more than 300 past participants received continued support through the ACORNS Community, which provided them with the opportunity to take part in workshops, roundtables, a Community Forum and other networking events. Each of the Lead Entrepreneurs give their time to the programme on a voluntary basis, as they believe in the philosophy of entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs. This years voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs are Alison Ritchie, Polar Ice; Caroline Reidy, The HR Suite; Eimer Hannon, Hannon Travel; Geraldine Jones, Skin Formulas; Mary B Walsh, Ire Wel Pallets; and Triona MacGiolla Ri, Aro Digital Strategies. In addition, experienced businesswomen, Clare Duignan and Geraldine Kelly, who are on the Going for Growth advisory panel, will facilitate ACORNS Plus round tables for previous participants, who are committed to continuing driving forward the development of their businesses. ACORNS Lead Entrepreneur, Eimer Hannon of Hannon Travel, based in Navan said: Id really encourage early-stage female entrepreneurs to apply for ACORNS. Id love to have had a similar network and support structure when I started Hannon Travel 25 years ago. Dont miss the chance to back yourself! A local senator has expressed her shock and deep concern at the misdiagnosis of pre-cancerous cells at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. The Irish Times yesterday reported that dozens of Drogheda hospital patients had pre-cancerous cells miscategorised. My heart goes out to every patient and family affected by this dreadful situation, Louth Senator Alison Comyn said. To be told that your health may have been put at risk in this way is incredibly distressing, and I want to acknowledge the real anxiety so many are feeling right now. The issue has been linked to the work of one consultant, but Senator Comyn insisted that wider lessons must be learned: Patients put their trust in our health system at the most vulnerable moments of their lives. That trust must never be broken. People deserve absolute confidence that when they seek care, they will receive the highest standards of safety and accuracy. Read Next: Tribute festival to celebrate music of Conway Savage coming to Dundalk She confirmed she will be demanding urgent answers and reassurances from health authorities: I will be pressing for full transparency and accountability. Patients and families deserve clear explanations and immediate action to ensure this never happens again. Senator Comyn also pledged personal support to those directly affected: I am available to meet with patients and families who wish to share their experiences with me. Your voices must be heard, and they will be central to how this situation is addressed. Fianna Fail TD for Louth, Erin McGreehan has hailed the allocation of funding for Louth/Meath ETB for UBU Your Place Your Space youth services, announced today. Louth /Meath ETB will be allocated funding for UBU services as part of an overall allocation of 10 new UBU Your Space Your Place youth services nationwide. McGreehan says it will support vulnerable young people in communities and ensure they have access to safe spaces. I am delighted that Louth/Meath ETB is included in todays funding from the Department for new UBU Your Place Your Space youth services. These services are vital for vulnerable young people in our communities, and the inclusion of the Louth/Meath region is most welcome, she said. UBU Your Place Your Space is the Department of Educations largest targeted youth funding programme. The programme supports approximately 68,000 young people nationwide each year. McGreehan added: The UBU Programme is aimed at reaching the most marginalised, vulnerable, or at-risk young people across the county. This scheme also aims to improve personal and social development outcomes, ensuring they get ample opportunities like others. Read Next: Louth councillors vote for no increase to Local Property Tax Concluding she said the new services will be a great initiative for young people and give them targeted and youth led supports. The new UBU services for Louth and Meath will see a targeted, youth worker-led support for disadvantaged young people, and I look forward to seeing it being rolled out. With the presidential election campaign gathering momentum, Independent candidate Catherine Connolly came to Dundalk last night ahead of her public meeting at An Tain Arts Centre. No stranger to the town, Connolly recalls her time volunteering with the Simon Community here as an experience that shaped both her outlook. In a wide-ranging conversation, she spoke to the Dundalk Democrat about neutrality and the Triple Lock, the role of the presidency, her vision for using the office for the common good and her hopes for a united Ireland. DD: What do you know about Dundalk? Have you been here before? CC: I volunteered here in the Simon Community many years ago, and I worked for a good few months, and I got to like Dundalk, and we used to have a lovely time in the Imperial Hotel where wed relax after our stint. But I have to say I got more from the Simon Community than they got from me; it certainly helped shape me and gave me experience. DD: As Im sure you know, Dundalk is an army town, and I know a big thing for you is neutrality, and the debate was picked up again on Sunday [last] about the Triple Lock. What are your thoughts on that? CC: Well, I wish there was a debate on the Triple Lock, an informed debate on the Triple Lock. I dont think thats happening. I think were getting a particular narrative on the Triple Lock and the necessity for change because the world has changed. I think that message is simply repeated over and over, and I dont think thats a debate. I think theres an onus on the government to tell us why that is necessary other than the phrase The world has changed; the world has changed constantly; weve been in dangerous places before, and were certainly in a very dangerous position now. Thats not a reason for changing a triple lock that our Taoiseach told us in 2013 was the core of our neutrality. DD: If it was to be gotten rid of and the Dail did vote to get rid of it, would you be comfortable as president if a situation did arise? CC: Ive been asked that a few times and as president [and] every role Ive taken on Ive done to the best of my ability within the limits of that role and Ive got no problem carrying out the role of the presidency as set out in the constitution, and one of the roles is to look at legislation and if Ive concerns about legislation having got advice from the Council of State; then to make decisions around that. Thats a process any president has to do in relation to legislation. I dont think my own personal views would be the proper way to look at that legislation; it would be to see if that legislation was repugnant to the constitution. DD: On your own personal views, Michael D. Higgins has been comfortable enough expressing his views, would that be something as president youd be comfortable doing or would you see it as past presidents have that you should stay out of that sort of thing? CC: That has come around that the president should stay quiet. The role of the presidency is very important, isnt it? Its set out in the constitution. We have the Dail, the Seanad and then we have the president. Its a very important role. Certainly its limited in its power, but its a very important role and I feel that the way parties have treated it to date is a little disrespectful really, its a bit like Lanigans Ball with them, someone steps in and someone steps out, Im obviously not making any comment about Mairead Mc Guinness when I say that. But the constant thing of who will we pick and where will we pick them from, this is a very important campaign, and its disrespectful on two levels, one to the role of the presidency and two to the people of Ireland because this is the one time they can directly elect a leader. They cant elect the Taoiseach and they cant elect the Tanaiste, but they can directly elect the President, and I think that if candidates are going to stand they should stand proudly and answer questions and allow scrutiny to take place and allow people to get to know the candidate over a period of time. I welcome that, and I think it should be welcomed generally. DD: You mentioned when you announced your candidacy about using some of the presidential salary for the common good what does that look like? CC: Thats something Im going to carefully consider, I certainly dont need that much money as president and I certainly dont want to make quick comments, but Ive given an undertaking to look at the use of a substantial amount of money in relation to projects on the ground. I can think of many, and Im not going to name just one or two. The more I go around Ireland, the more I realise the fantastic work on the ground. Today I was in Drogheda, and I met a room full of people working in a number of different areas on the ground promoting interaction and skills and education. Somebody is working on the Boyne Valley restoration; others are working on racism and how to address that. Equally in my own city in County Galway, I was in Clifden recently with a group of people from the Letterfrack forum talking about a number of different projects. One was about dealing with the invasive species rhododendron and I mention that because that problem of an invasive species and how to deal with it led to a good result in that they produced a byproduct which was a fertilser to be used on the ground and then I had four hours of a presentation on the many possibilities for that The amount of creativity and intelligence and drive in that room, however, they have no certainty in relation to funding year after year. So the more that I see that I realise, well Ive always realised, but its patent evidence, that we have problems but we have solutions to the problems if we just support communities on the ground and different entities that are working, some of them completely voluntary and other semi voluntary and others paid but with no security [of funding]. Read Next: Dundalk Care Centre praised in HIQA report DD: The possibility of a border poll is a big topic, particularly around here. What are your thoughts on that? CC: Ive said that I hope to see it in my lifetime, and I will do everything possible to promote a united Ireland. The constitution sets out in article three, following on from the Good Friday Agreement, that it has to be done by consent and has to be done with respect for all sides and all backgrounds. Weve enshrined that in our constitution in Article three and I believe in a united Ireland. I believe that this country is too small to be divided, but it must be done with consent and in a way that brings everybody on board. Id like to think that myself, as a candidate in this election, that I would be a unifying candidate to bring more people together because weve a lot more in common than we have differences and Id like to focus on that. And for the differences, to respect them, to respect the differences, it is a democracy and weve a long history of being colonised and so on, weve huge experience here in how weve changed and I think we can use that for the benefit of the common good. Photo Caption: L-R - President Ruth Young - Lisburn Chamber of Commerce, President Colleen Dowdall Tinnelly - WBR Chamber of Commerce, President Edwina Flynn - Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade, President Hanna McDonnell, Dundalk Chamber, President Naomi Tully, Drogheda and District Chamber Women from across Ireland and Northern Ireland are being encouraged to save the date for a major new cross-border event, She Leads Women Shaping Economies, taking place on Friday, September 5 at The Fairways Hotel, Dundalk. Organised by six Chambers of Commerce situated between Dublin and Belfast, each currently led by a female Chamber President, the afternoon tea event will showcase women in leadership, highlight their contribution to local and national economies and provide a platform for important conversations about leadership, resilience and growth. The initiative represents a unique collaboration between Dundalk Chamber, Drogheda and District Chamber, Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade, Lisburn Chamber of Commerce, County Meath Chamber and WBR Chamber of Commerce. All six Chambers are headed by women who have come together with a shared vision of creating opportunities for dialogue, connection and support. The She Leads event has been designed as a space for women to connect across sectors, geographies and industries. It will feature panel discussions with a range of business leaders and decision-makers, together with networking opportunities over a formal afternoon tea. Hanna McDonnell, president of Dundalk Chamber, who spearheaded the event, said she was delighted to be taking part in the event and was looking forward to connecting with the other five chambers. She added: She Leads is a real opportunity to be a voice of change. It brings together women from different sectors and jurisdictions, fostering the connections and collaboration that can make a tangible difference in our communities and we are very excited to launch it here in Dundalk." The event will begin with a prosecco reception at 1.30pm, providing an informal opportunity for participants to meet others from across the region and beyond. Guests will then take part in panel discussions featuring speakers drawn from politics, business and media. The discussions will provide insights into the realities of female leadership in todays economic and social environment and will reflect a broad range of professional experiences. The afternoon will conclude with a full networking tea, allowing participants to continue conversations, build relationships and form new connections that may extend far beyond the event itself. She Leads has been created as a collaborative initiative between six Chambers of Commerce spanning both Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Chambers involved are Dundalk Chamber (led by President Hanna McDonnell), Drogheda and District Chamber (led by President Naomi Tully), Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade (led by President Edwina Flynn), Lisburn Chamber of Commerce (led by President Ruth Young), County Meath Chamber (led by President Niamh Giffney) and WBR Chamber of Commerce (led by President Colleen Dowdall Tinnelly). This cross-border approach aims to reflect the interconnected nature of the regions economies while also celebrating the role of women in shaping future growth. The event will be compered by broadcaster Denise Watson, a well-known journalist and presenter with more than 30 years experience in television and radio. Read Next: New family resource centre announced for Dundalk Rather than delivering lengthy keynote speeches, each panellist will take part in conversations designed to highlight key themes such as resilience, breaking barriers in male dominated industries, leadership in public life and building creative enterprises. The full line-up of panellists will be announced in the coming weeks. She Leads has been designed not only as a networking and professional development opportunity but also as a way to support women in the wider community. Proceeds from the event will be donated to local womens charities, ensuring that the initiative has an immediate and tangible impact. She Leads is supported by Local Enterprise Office Louth, PTSB, Oriel Office, Deli Lites, Southern Regional College (SRC), Newry Mourne and Down District Council and Excalibur Press. Tickets for the event are available now via TicketTailor at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/dundalkchamberofcommerce1/1804447 Spaces are limited and early booking is advised to secure a place at this new event in the business and leadership calendar. Cork County Council has launched a new podcast series dedicated to exploring the rich and diverse heritage of the county. Hosted by the Creative Ireland Heritage Specialist in Residence, Shannon Forde, Cork Chronicles will discuss both iconic events and lesser known local stories that shape the cultural landscape of the entire county. Guests on the podcast will include local historians, heritage groups and residents, with conversations that aim to capture the voices and memories that make the heritage of County Cork so unique. Each episode of the Cork Chronicles podcast will take listeners on a journey through time. From the poignant story of the Titanics final port of call in Cobh, to the living traditions of folklore, local museums and community led heritage initiatives. Define Mayor of the County of Cork councillor Mary Linehan Foley said: Cork Chronicles celebrates the stories, people and places that define County Corks heritage. Each episode will cover a different story that has impacted this county. The podcast uses the vast knowledge of local experts and community groups to educate the public. This podcast is a welcome resource for anyone who is interested in the history and heritage of County Cork. The first episode of Cork Chronicles podcast features Dr Michael Martin of the Titanic Trail in Cobh. This episode will explore the poignant connection of the ill-fated Titanic to the town of Cobh. The episode is now available on podcast platforms such as Acast and Spotify. Podcast host, Cork County Council's Creative Ireland Heritage Specialist in Residence, This podcast is about bringing Corks history to life in a way that is accessible, engaging and deeply rooted in community, said the podcast host Shannon Forde. By amplifying local voices and uncovering hidden stories, we hope to inspire greater connection and pride in our shared past. New episodes of the Cork Chronicles podcast will be released every Friday from September 5. For full details on the upcoming episodes follow @corkchroniclespodcast on Instagram. Xi meets Vietnamese prime minister Xinhua) 21:13, August 31, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. Pham Minh Chinh is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) TIANJIN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in China's port city of Tianjin on Sunday. Chinh is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. Xi called for intensified efforts to implement the consensus reached by the two sides during his state visit to Vietnam in April, to deliver more substantive outcomes in their comprehensive strategic cooperation. China and Vietnam should have firm confidence in their paths and systems, and strengthen solidarity and coordination, Xi noted. China stands ready to maintain high-level exchanges with Vietnam and jointly advance strategic cooperation, Xi said, adding that both sides should actively promote cooperation in areas such as connectivity, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence. He also called on the two countries to enhance multilateral coordination to safeguard the common interests of the Global South. Chinh said Vietnam and China share common strategic interests and are companions on the path of socialism, and that developing relations with China is a strategic choice and a top priority of Vietnam's foreign policy. The Vietnamese side is willing to strengthen strategic alignment with China, expand trade and investment, enhance connectivity, and promote people-to-people exchanges, he said. Vietnam is pleased to see that China has achieved major development accomplishments and made important contributions to the world economy, the Vietnamese prime minister added. Senior Chinese officials including Cai Qi, Wang Yi and Chen Min'er were present at the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. Pham Minh Chinh is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liu Ning) A Cork senator has raised concerns about the phasing out of the supported housing service for women who are escaping domestic violence and addiction. Nicole Ryan is calling on the Government to restore medium-term (12-18 months) supported housing for women and children fleeing domestic violence and addiction, backed by sustainable funding and wraparound supports such as addiction treatment, mental health care and childcare. Ms Ryan's comments come as the housing units once dedicated to long-term supported housing have now been repurposed into Safe Home units, which only provide short-term accommodation for up to 12 weeks. She added that pregnant survivors in particular must be prioritised in housing and health policy, and that housing provision must be more than a short term solution. Devastating blow This is a devastating blow to women who are in the most vulnerable positions imaginable, those fleeing domestic violence while also trying to recover from addiction. Safe Home is a valuable emergency service, but what can a woman and her child truly rebuild in just 12 weeks? At the end of that time, they are pushed into homeless services, effectively making them and their children homeless all over again. Ms Ryan said the removal of long-term supported housing undermines recovery and safety, ultimately leaving women trapped in a cycle of trauma, addiction, and instability. We cannot keep papering over the cracks with short-term fixes. Women and children need stability, safety, and time to recover. This Government has a duty to provide it. Anything less is setting women up to fail and condemning children to instability from the very beginning of their lives. Supported housing gave women the breathing space of up to 18 months to stabilise their lives, access addiction treatment, counselling, education and plan for independent living. Taking that away means asking women to do the impossible in three months, under pressure, while still carrying the scars of abuse. It is short-sighted, dangerous and it will cost lives. The official route for Cannonball Ireland 2025, which has stops in Cork, has been announced with over 200 supercars on display. Cannonball features free family festivals, celebrities, and over 1,000km of Irish open roads. More than 200,000 spectators are expected from September 12-14, with all of the proceeds going to the Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation. It will feature the finest cars on the planet from the awe-inspiring power of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren, to the grace and elegance of Porsche, Aston Martin, and Maserati. This year, Cannonball goes up a gear with the addition of a Koenigsegg Regera: A groundbreaking megacar that combines hypercar agility with luxury refinement. Also joining Cannonball is the McLaren Senna. Specd by McLaren Special Operations in a stunning west livery, the Senna is a true one-of-one, mirroring the iconic paint scheme of its Formula One counterpart. Ford GT Heritage Series The stunning Ford GT Heritage Series, with the famous Gulf Livery, is also back on Cannonball this year. On September 11, the Cannonball crew will roll into Johnstown Estate, Enfield, to get set for another adrenaline-fuelled spectacle and this year the sky is the limit for Cannonball, as helicopters circle overhead. Cannonball drivers will start arriving throughout the evening, providing an opportunity for spectators to view their cars from 7pm. On September 12 at 10am, the convoy will depart Johnstown Estate and do a parade through the town of Edenderry and continue towards Daingean and Tullamore ring road to Portlaoise, before heading south to Cork. Spectators will be able to view the cars in Fermoy, Cork, for a fuel stop at Circle K J14 from approximately 12.30pm and Ballymaloe House Hotel, where the cars will arrive for lunch from 1.30pm until approximately 3pm. The first overnight stop will be in Killarney, Kerry, and the cars are due to arrive at 5.45pm to the finish line at The Brehon Hotel where spectators and families can view the cars at the car parks of the Brehon and The Gleneagles Hotel. On September 13, the convoy will leave Killarney at 10am and arrive at Circle K Ballysimon, Co Limerick, at 11.30am to fuel up and then travel up through the country to Sligo. Saturday finish The Saturday finish line for Cannonball 2025 is in Sligo Town Centre at 6pm, where the cars will be on display for spectators and the drivers will have their second overnight pitstop taking place on September 14. The supercars will leave Sligo from Rosses Point at 11am and then travel to the Slieve Russell Hotel in Co Cavan for lunch, where spectators can view the cars from 1pm to 2.30pm and then a fuel stop at Circle K Express Park Ri, Kells in Co Meath at approximately 3pm. The dramatic final finish line for Cannonball 2025 is in Naas Town Centre, Co Kildare, at 6pm on September 14 which will be the biggest finish line ever staged by Cannonball. The finish will boast live performances, street entertainers, celebrities, and Brazilian dancers. The Diocese of Cloyne celebrated the ordination of Tiernan Burke as a new transitional deacon in Whitechurch on Saturday. A native of Whitechurch, Mr Burke will work in ministry in the diocese, undertaking parish duties similar to a priest, ahead of the next stage of becoming ordained as a priest in 2026. Bishop of Cloyne William Crean, the ordaining prelate, was joined by priests and deacons from across the diocese. Also in attendance were members of Tiernans family, his classmates, and friends. Memorable Speaking to The Echo, Mr Burke reflected on what was a memorable occasion at the ordination Mass, celebrated at St Patricks Church in Whitechurch. How powerful the ceremony was, the liturgy with the bishop and the choir. There were more than 40 priests there from across the diocese and beyond, he said. The response of the community, they cleaned up the whole grounds of the church... flower arrangements and marquees. The whole village was cleaned up and houses painted. There was bunting put up. There was a big sign also up in Whitechurch. So, it has been powerful, the response, and what people have done for me. Mr Burke said that from a young age he had wanted to become a priest. Journey He worked as a manager at Whitechurch Service Station for many years, before commencing his journey to becoming a priest in 2017. It has always been at the back of my mind. But I eventually did something about it when I was 32 or 33, he said. I always dreamed of getting ordained in Whitechurch. When the church was rebuilt by the community back in 1987/1988, my father was one of the architects involved. So the church in Whitechurch is very special to me. Mr Burke made the first step in the formation process by entering the Royal English College in Valladolid in Spain, in preparation for joining the National Seminary in Maynooth in September 2019, and commencing his academic study of philosophy. Then, in September 2021, he began the study of theology, which he completed during this past semester. During his time in seminary, Mr Burke had a number of pastoral placements, including at the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin, and assisting in Clane parish. He completed a pastoral year, during which he spent over six months in the parish of Mallow, also completing a chaplaincy course at the Mater Hospital in Dublin. Around 50 Cork healthcare workers joined hundreds of people for the 99th consecutive weekly Cork city rally in solidarity with the people of Gaza on Saturday. There has been a rally in Cork every week since the latest and bloodiest round of the ancient conflict in the Middle East was sparked by the Hamas-backed attacks of October 7, 2023, in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and some 250 hostages taken. Since then, the death toll caused by Israeli attacks on Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, is now close to 63,400. Two weekends ago, the United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) officially declared famine in Gaza City. Warnings That determination came after months of warnings by aid groups that Israels military offensive, and its restrictions of food and other aid into Gaza, were causing high levels of starvation among Palestinian civilians, particularly children. A quarter of all Palestinians in Gaza are starving, more than 500,000 people, the IPC said, with that number expected to rise to more than 640,000 within weeks. Saturdays rally in Cork heard that more than 1,500 healthcare workers have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, with 385 doctors and nurses being currently held without charge. Human right The names of those healthcare workers were read out at the rally, and Dr Noelle OSullivan, a GP based in Macroom, said healthcare is a human right, and the protection of healthcare workers and healthcare infrastructure is enshrined in international law. We protested to demand that Israel release all the unlawfully detained healthcare workers and end the illegal siege of Gaza so that desperately needed medical supplies can enter the region .We also demand that our Government must implement sanctions against Israel now, said Dr OSullivan. Next weeks city centre rally will be the 100th such protest since this conflict began. Last week, I wrote about the importance of hand hygiene and gave some tips on how to prevent premature ageing of our hands, so this week I wish to give some more of my professional tips on caring for your nails. As a beauty doctor and skin specialist, its quite worrying how little the public know about the health of their nails. While once ladies painted their own nails at home, now its all about getting them done professionally, which is great because a professional job is such a treat. But at the same time, we are now doing more nail damage than ever before. No-one should be doing their nails professionally with hard-wearing polish under UV light lamps every two or three weeks - its too often, and its damaging nails. Emer OCallaghan wearing a dress and earrings from Ruby Rouge Boutique, gold wedges are Brown Thomas, Cork. Emers make-up is Master Colors Paris, available from Emerald Beauty Clinic, 021 4365949 Research has also shown that cancer of the cuticles, which is the skin at the bottom of our nails, is now more common due to the drying of these hard-wearing polishes under UV ray lamps. This is big cause for concern. GPs recommend women take a break for a minimum of 6-12 weeks to give their nails a chance to recover. With this in mind, let me give some education to you, loyal reader, on correct nail care, so that you can be more educated and can then make better decisions about your nail health. NAIL HEALTH If you are diabetic, you need to get your nails cut and treated by a registered chiropodist, not by a beautician or in a nail bar. People with diabetes are prone to thicker and drier nails. In-grown toe-nails are as common as ever now due to incorrect cutting of the nails - cutting nails straight across, and/or cutting down too far into each corner, or cutting the nails back too short. This is how in-grown toe-nails come about. Your nails should never be cut back so short the skin of your toe is seen - remember, your nails are protection for the skin of your toes. Biting and cutting back cuticles and skin of nails may lead to infection, as will using dirty nail tools and files on your nails. EMERS TOP NAIL TIPS Please apply an SPF 50 all over your hands, and massage down into your cuticles at least an hour before going for your nail appointment, to protect the skin of your nails and hands from harmful UV rays they are exposed to under drying lamps. We all need to be pushing back the skin of our cuticles to free up our nail bed to grow healthy nails. Twenty- odd years ago, when I did my training, you would never do a clients nails without soaking them first to soften the cuticles. Beware of short- cuts of these vital steps. The best place I find to push back my cuticles is in the shower, as your skin is wet and soft and will go back easily, Yellow discolouration of the nails as well as black marks or a green shade are a sign they are infected. This is the main reason I stopped doing nails in Emerald Beauty Clinic, because some clients just wanted to ignore a nail infection and paint over it. A nail infection is serious and you must not ignore it, you need to go to your GP with any nail discolouration and a course of antibiotics is needed to fully clear it. Its scary to read the research around the prevalence of nail infections, and far too many ignore them. Invest in a good quality hand cream you can rub into your nails every day, put it where you see it so you will use it. Never let anyone else use your nail files, nail buffs or nail clippers or cuticle tools to avoid infections. We store ours in barbicide, a disinfectant. While cheap nails are all the fashion, I am always spelling out the importance of sterilisation and good hygiene. When clients ask me how often should they be getting their nails done, I say only every six weeks - thats how long a good treatment should last. WATCH OUT FOR... Look for certifications of qualification when your nails are treated - these should be displayed in the salons and clinics that are certified and where staff are fully trained. NAIL CARE Please know that your nails are an important part of your health and anatomy. They should not be abused or badly treated as they do give clear a indication of your health. If a nail infection is present, if your nails are discoloured in any way, then you need to show your doctor. We have a duty of care to protect clients, and its so important all nail lovers know that all our nails need a break from polish. Also, fresh air and sunlight help them heal and repair so you should be taking breaks from your nail treatments every few months. Very few know this and continuously keep getting their nails done, and this is not good for nail health. In my professional opinion, the best nail polish of the lot is the good old-fashioned ordinary one we all used for years, before the hard polishes came in, because we didnt use UV lamps to dry nails. It is still my favourite polish to use and all I use on my own nails today. If you are concerned about your nails, be its hands or toes, do speak to your GP about them and show them so they can help treat and sort it for you. Emer OCallaghan is a beauty doctor and skin specialist who won Irish Beauty Therapist of the Year and works at Emerald Organic Beauty Products Ltd, trading as Emerald Beauty Clinic, 021 4365949. A Multi Award Winning Five Star Gold Standard Clinic, 2008-2025, www.emeraldbeautyclinic.ie - follow us on Facebook/Instagram/TikTok pages now. SPECIAL OFFER All next week, our Sun Damaged and Pigmentation Damaged Dermalogica Facial is reduced from 125 to 95. The 90-minute treatment includes full skin analysis, and complimentary eyebrow shape, appointments necessary. To book, call Emerald Beauty Clinic on 021 4365949. Free parking for clients. We may not have a date for Stardew Valley's next major update, but we have confirmation that it's happening. Eric Barone, the developer behind the hit farming sim, announced that there will be a 1.7 update during the Stardew Valley Symphony of Seasons concert in Seattle, later confirming the news with a post on X. Barone, better known as ConcernedApe, didn't reveal a release date, nor any teasers about content. Considering the numbered update, we're expecting more than just a patch and something similar to the fresh content added in the 1.6 update. The previous update released in March of last year and delivered a ton of free content, including the Meadowlands Farm, a new three-day festival, more crops and novel NPC interactions. Fans will always welcome more content for Stardew Valley, but some expressed concern about how this will impact the release timeline for Barone's upcoming title, Haunted Chocolatier. The developer revealed the standalone title in 2021 and told PC Gamer in April of this year that he wouldn't work on any more Stardew Valley updates until he's done with Haunted Chocolatier. To offer some reassurance, Barone replied on X that the 1.7 update "will not hinder Haunted Chocolatier development." The Montana State Capitol in Helena on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (Photo by Mike Clark for the Daily Montanan) Public Service Commissioner Jennifer Fielder has called on Gov. Greg Gianforte to immediately suspend PSC President Brad Molnar, alleging Molnar is stymying an internal investigation into his conduct. But Molnar has described the demand as patently unlawful and a calculated move to oust him as the PSC prepares to consider one of the largest proposed regulatory deals in Montana a merger between NorthWestern Energy and South Dakota-based Black Hills Corp announced last week. In Montana, the governor has the authority to suspend a commissioner if the commissioner fails to perform their duties, as described in state law. In an email, a spokesperson for the Governors Office said the governor will review the complaint from Fielder and is committed to due process. The call for Molnars temporary suspension for his alleged interference with the process and his retort that the demand to the governor is more about discouraging rigorous oversight of regulated utilities is the latest development in the investigation of unprofessional conduct by Molnar. Molnar publicly announced the investigation last month and admitted he was probably guilty of inadvertently offending others at times as a redneck wearing a white shirt. However, he also said he believed the charges didnt merit the legal bill potentially $10,000 to outside counsel. Additionally, he argued a resolution should have started with a meeting instead of a full blown investigation. Monday, Commissioner Randy Pinocci raised a similar matter. He said Fielder should have brought her concerns to the full board and Molnar himself before calling on the governor. He also said Molnar should have had the chance to voluntarily step aside as president first. He didnt get that opportunity because Fielder did all that behind everybodys back including the entire organization of the Public Service Commission, Pinocci said. That makes us look bad. In a letter dated August 20, Fielder told Gianforte it was her unpleasant duty to call on the governor for Molnars suspension on behalf of a response team investigating Molnar. A PSC policy describes the response team as made up of the PSC president (in this case, vice president since Molnar is president and respondent) and three staff members the executive director, chief legal counsel, and human resources officer. Fielder, vice president of the all-Republican five-member PSC, said the response team has been working to carefully address the misconduct allegations, but Molnar has interfered. Commissioner Molnar has been using his high-level position in a multitude of ways to thwart the investigation and stop it from reaching its conclusion, wrote Fielder, acting chairperson of the response team. She said normally, agency management would suspend someone who tried to interfere with an investigation, but only the governor can suspend a member of the Public Service Commission. Fielder also said Molnar has received countless polite reminders about workplace conduct, a handful of stern rebukes and two written warnings reminding him that retaliation is unlawful, but he is averse to following agency policies. She outlined eight actions she described as part of a hostile pattern of activity to derail the investigation, including threats of retaliation an allegation Molnars lawyer described as inflammatory and that Molnar held a press conference to blow up publicity on a confidential matter. She also said he made public comments that were dismissive, untruthful and retaliatory, and that he demanded the investigation be terminated. (Fielders letter said retaliation details were pending completion of investigation.) Commissioner Molnars ongoing attempts to use his high-level position within the agency to stop an investigation of his own misconduct are reprehensible, Fielder wrote. (Molnar has previously said a title he uses for himself in jest is one example of the alleged misconduct El presidente de la grande mucho macho man Molnar commander of all the forces of the five districts. He said he is accused of being insensitive to women in leadership, but he uses the title because because the PSC leader used to be called a chairperson, and he believes thats the proper title.) Fielder said his actions have driven up the cost of the investigation and created serious liability risks for the response team and the state of Montana. In a letter to Gianforte on behalf of Molnar, however, lawyer Matthew Monforton not only said the governor should reject Fielders request, he chastised Gianforte for publicly celebrating the proposed NorthWestern merger the same day it was announced. The PSCs job is to scrutinize whether or not the proposed merger will benefit not just the utility, its shareholders, your political allies, and Wall Street speculators, but Montana ratepayers, too, Monforton wrote. Molnar was on the PSC in 2007 and he voted against a proposal to sell NorthWestern to an Australian company, Babcock and Brown Infrastructure. History vindicated that judgment: Babcock and Brown collapsed into insolvency just two years later, Monforton wrote. He said Molnar is currently the only commissioner who has previously reviewed a NorthWestern buyout proposal and the only commissioner who remembers what rigorous regulatory oversight of such proposals looks like. Monforton argued the governor should reject Fielders complaint, and he believes Gianfortes legal counsel has undoubtedly informed him of its frivolousness. In an email, the communications director for the Governors Office said the office will review the complaint itself. The governors office is committed to an impartial review of any complaints made under MCA 69-1-113, and the review involves only the matters raised in the complaint, said Communications Director Sean Southard. MCA 69-1-113 states: Removal or suspension of commissioner. If a commissioner fails to perform the commissioners duties as provided in this title, the commissioner may be removed from office as provided by 45-7-401. Upon complaint made and good cause shown, the governor may suspend any commissioner, and if, in the governors judgment the exigencies of the case require, the governor may appoint temporarily some competent person to perform the duties of the suspended commissioner during the period of the suspension. The Public Service Commission director and legal counsel did not respond to questions, including about the procedure for suspension of a commissioner and status of the misconduct investigation, but said the PSC strives for fairness and accountability. Unfortunately, because this is a pending administrative matter, the agency cannot comment on this topic at this time, said PSC Executive Director Alana Lake in an email. Monforton, however, argued the governor should throw out Fielders complaint, both because it is substantively deficient, but also because she sent it unilaterally and secretly, violating the PSCs policy manual and the state Constitutions Right to Know. In Montana, a public officer cannot be suspended or removed without first being apprised of the specific allegations against him, Monforton wrote. He said suspension or removal also requires actual evidence of misconduct. But he said Fielder didnt inform Molnar of any problems, nor did she provide evidence beyond her own conclusions. We learned of Commissioner Fielders complaint only after your General Counsel, Anita Milanovich, provided us with a copy, Monforton wrote. Commissioner Fielders systematic concealment of her actions violates both the letter and spirit of Montanas constitutional commitment to transparent government. However, Southard said the Governors Office will respect due process in its review. The office is also committed to due process by issuing required notice and providing an opportunity to be heard as this process moves forward, Southard said in an email. In his response to the governor, Monforton said many of the allegations Fielder made against Molnar are over actions that constitute protected First Amendment activity, from taking a legal position about his duties to holding a press conference. He has every right to assert legal positions about his role and responsibilities, the letter said. It also said he doesnt need to stay quiet. Commissioner Molnar is under no obligation to remain silent about the illegal and corrupt investigation pending against him. The letter said Commissioner Fielders characterization that the purpose of Molnars press conference was to blow up publicity betrays improper hostility toward protected speech rights. In a phone call, Commissioner Pinocci said the rest of the commissioners should have had a chance to weigh in on the letter Fielder sent to add to or subtract from it or reject it altogether. He said she should not have acted unilaterally. This is bizarre. It is unacceptable, Pinocci said. The PSC did not answer a question about the steps its response team took prior to sending the letter to the governor. The response team responds to and investigates internal complaints. Pinocci, though, said he should have had the opportunity to confront Molnar himself, and the tact Fielder took runs contrary to any process hes seen in 30 years in politics and on governing boards. She ought to be ashamed of herself, Pinocci said. He said the situation looks worse because her letter came within 24 hours of the announcement NorthWestern was seeking the multibillion dollar merger. Im telling you, this just looks bad. You write that down. Commissioner Pinocci has got a responsibility, a duty, to his ratepayer, Pinocci said. But he said he suspects Fielder may have other motives. Maybe she just wants to be president so she can be the bigshot at the wheel, he said. In her request to the governor, however, Fielder said the demand is related to Molnars behavior and an interest in completing the investigation, not his regulatory stances. She said people have the right to a workplace free from harassment and discrimination, and the response team needs time to resolve the misconduct allegations without interference from Molnar. As a result of Commissioner Molnars own actions, it has become abundantly clear that this is not possible with his presence in the workplace, Fielder wrote. In no way is this recommendation based on Commissioner Molnars regulatory decisions, nor does it come in direct response to allegations (the response team) is currently assessing regarding workplace misconduct. Xi meets Turkish president Xinhua) 21:19, August 31, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. Erdogan is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) TIANJIN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is in China's port city of Tianjin to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. China and Turkiye are both emerging major countries with a spirit of independence, Xi said, adding that the high-level development of bilateral relations serves the fundamental interests of both countries as well as the common interests of the Global South. Xi called on both countries to grasp the global trend of peace, development, and win-win cooperation, and work together to build a global governance system that is more just and equitable. Noting that next year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Turkiye, Xi said the two sides should take the opportunity to enhance bilateral ties. They should cement political mutual trust, support each other on issues involving their respective core interests and major concerns, and strengthen cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism and security. The two countries should deepen practical cooperation and seek new cooperation opportunities in new energy, 5G technology and biomedicine, Xi said. He also called on both sides to strengthen coordination within multilateral frameworks to safeguard international fairness and justice. Erdogan said Turkiye is ready to maintain close high-level exchanges with China, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and strengthen cooperation in areas such as infrastructure and new energy to drive the robust growth of bilateral relations. The Turkish side is willing to enhance cooperation with China within the framework of the SCO to contribute to the development and prosperity of the region and the world, Erdogan said, speaking highly of China's just stance on the Middle East issue. Senior Chinese officials including Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Chen Min'er attended the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 31, 2025. Erdogan is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liu Ning) Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release Chemicals SubCategory Select Sub-Category Atlanta, Georgia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 30, 2025) - inventionINDEX, a newly developed AI-powered innovation metric, has officially launched, providing the first monthly sentiment grade on the "innovation health" of all 50 U.S. states. Based on over 1,500 studies conducted across a five-year period, the Index connects patent production with state and national GDP, offering policymakers, businesses, and universities a clear view of how intellectual property drives economic growth. Using insights from this comprehensive study, inventionINDEX is spearheading a proposal to Congress for a Patent Funding Initiative, a federal grant program aimed at accelerating patent creation, fostering university-industry collaboration, and strengthening America's competitive edge in innovation. Key Features of inventionINDEX Real-Time Innovation Measurement - Tracks monthly patent activity across all 50 U.S. states. - Tracks monthly patent activity across all 50 U.S. states. Economic Correlation - Establishes a measurable link between patent production and GDP growth. - Establishes a measurable link between patent production and GDP growth. Policy-Oriented Design - Built to inform legislation and guide targeted innovation funding. The Proposed Patent Funding Initiative The legislative proposal tied to inventionINDEX includes: argeted Grants - Up to $50,000 per international patent family to offset the high costs of patent filing. - Up to to offset the high costs of patent filing. University Collaboration - Applicants must include at least one U.S. academic as a co-inventor, ensuring stronger ties between research and industry. - Applicants must include at least one U.S. academic as a co-inventor, ensuring stronger ties between research and industry. Support for New IP - Funding eligibility requires companies to exceed their two-year rolling average of patent output, incentivizing genuine innovation. "InventionINDEX proves the direct connection between patent activity and economic prosperity," said Damian Smyth, CEO of inventionINDEX. "We believe targeted, non-dilutive funding for patent creation is one of the most impactful ways to strengthen America's economy, particularly as AI accelerates the pace of innovation." Why It Matters Data-Driven Legislation - Moves beyond economic theory with actionable policy solutions. - Moves beyond economic theory with actionable policy solutions. Non-Dilutive Funding - Helps startups and businesses innovate without giving up equity. - Helps startups and businesses innovate without giving up equity. National Competitiveness - Positions the U.S. to maintain leadership in global innovation. inventionINDEX has also established a policy think-tank dedicated to patent grant initiatives, with the goal of demonstrating to Congress that strategic investment in patent development can yield substantial long-term GDP growth. Availability The full index, methodology, and legislative proposal are publicly accessible at www.inventionindex.com. About inventionINDEX inventionINDEX is a U.S.-based innovation metric platform that applies AI-driven analysis to patent production data, correlating intellectual property activity with state and national economic growth. With a mission to drive smarter policy and expand access to innovation funding, inventionINDEX provides both a measurement framework and a legislative roadmap for strengthening America's innovation economy. Media Contact To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/264602 SOURCE: FG Newswire Plantations International Sets Industry First with Rainforest Alliance Certification in Asia BANGKOK, TH / ACCESS Newswire / August 30, 2025 / It's official, Plantations International Thailand has become the first and only mango producer in all of Asia to be certified under the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard, a milestone that marks a major step forward for sustainability in tropical fruit production. Plantations International This certification didn't happen overnight. It took months of preparation, audits, real changes on the ground-and a serious commitment to doing things better, for both people and planet. And now, we're proud to say: we've done it. We've joined a select group of global producers who meet one of the most respected standards in the agricultural world. But let's be clear, this isn't just about prestige for Plantations International. It's about access. European supermarkets, some of the largest buyers of mangoes globally, are no longer merely asking for sustainable sourcing. They're demanding it. If your produce isn't Rainforest Alliance certified, you're simply not getting through the door anymore. For us, that meant one thing: adapt, or get left behind. And it's not just the retailers. Today's consumers, especially in Europe, want to know more than what something costs or where it's from. They want to know how it was grown. Did Plantations International respect the environment? Were workers treated fairly? Is the farming model future-proof? The Rainforest Alliance seal answers these questions, with transparency and credibility that can't be faked. We didn't take this on because it was easy. We took it on because it mattered. For Plantations International's clients, this certification offers more than reassurance; it opens up new markets, strengthens pricing power, and boosts brand trust in a way that's becoming increasingly hard to come by in today's competitive agri-export space. Plantations International is now the only company in Thailand and the only mango producer in Asia to hold this certification. It's a powerful differentiator. And it reinforces what we've believed all along: that sustainability and profitability don't have to be at odds. In fact, they should go hand in hand. This milestone positions our mango operations at the forefront of responsible agriculture, not just in Thailand, but across the entire region. It brings tangible value to our partners, distributors, and investors, and most importantly, it reflects who we are as a business. We're here to lead. And this is just the beginning. For more information, visit: www.plantationsinternational.com Media Contact: Corporate Communications Plantations International press@plantationsinternational.com Contact Information Marvin Lee Director of Communications marvin.lee@plantationsinternational.com +852 5808 3775 SOURCE: Plantations International Holdings PTE. LTD. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/agriculture/plantations-international-receives-rainforest-alliance-certification-1067210 Bangkok, Thailand--(Newsfile Corp. - August 31, 2025) - The team behind the nonfiction feature "Prince of Eurasia: Monotheism and Devils" today announced plans for a global release later this year, following a previously postponed premiere. The project-led by Islamic cleric Papa Islammirza (also known as "Prince Oak Oakleyski" or the "Eurasian Prince")-examines classical monotheism through historical references, personal narratives, and scholarly commentary across multiple languages. A companion e-book expanding on the film's themes has been published and is available on major international platforms. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8530/264601_f7d59916a49ac985_001full.jpg Positioned as a dialogue-driven documentary, the film blends life stories, history, and philosophy, with particular attention to parallels between Buddhist concepts and Sunni Sufi Islam as taught within Papa Islammirza's Islam Oak academy. It aims to bridge cultural perspectives from East and West and foster interfaith conversations among pan-Asian audiences. "This is a focused, largely talk-based exploration that fuses lived experience with theology and history," said executive producer Papa Islammirza, noting the film's emphasis on clear, accessible discourse for a broad audience. At the center of the narrative is Papa Islammirza himself, portrayed as a reclusive Sunni Sufi cleric whose traditional values keep him out of the social-media spotlight. The documentary also discusses claims and teachings presented by the subject, including discussions of spiritual lineage and the figure of al-Khidr, framing them within the film's broader exploration of belief, scripture, and mysticism. Beyond the screen, the companion book deepens the project's inquiry into Eurasian traditions and metaphysical ideas, including discussions of supernatural entities and the shared quest for truth, inner peace, and spiritual growth across faiths. According to the project team, the English-language factual script that underpins the documentary has been published as an e-book and is available for purchase. Release timing & availability: Film: Global release slated for later in 2025 ; final premiere date to be announced. Global release slated for ; final premiere date to be announced. Book: Companion e-book currently available on leading digital retailers. About "Prince of Eurasia: Monotheism and Devils" "Prince of Eurasia" is a feature documentary that engages with the theological ideas of classical monotheism, interfaith resonances, and Eurasian cultural histories through interviews, lectures, and research commentary. The film is directed by and features Papa Islammirza ("Prince Oak Oakleyski") and collaborators described as international scholars. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/264601 SOURCE: GYT Road Town, British Virgin Islands--(Newsfile Corp. - August 31, 2025) - LBank Exchange, a leading global digital asset trading platform, has listed Bitlayer (BTR) at 11:00 on August 27, 2025 (UTC). Users are able to access the BTR/USDT trading pair at: https://www.lbank.com/trade/btr_usdt BTR Listing Banner To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8831/264598_f99dbe83a40cd805_001full.jpg About Bitlayer (BTR) Bitlayer is the first Bitcoin Layer 2 solution built on the BitVM paradigm, designed to inherit Bitcoin's unparalleled security while enabling Turing-complete programmability. By leveraging zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs and fault-proof mechanisms, Bitlayer introduces a highly secure and scalable smart contract execution layer that remains tightly anchored to the Bitcoin main chain. As a modular blockchain protocol, Bitlayer functions as a fraud-proof execution layer with compatibility to the EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine), making it easier for developers to deploy decentralized applications (dApps) within the Bitcoin ecosystem. This allows for the development of DeFi, NFT, and other Web3 applications on Bitcoin, a major step forward in expanding Bitcoin's utility beyond a store of value. Core Features Bitcoin Security Inheritance: Bitlayer uses the BitVM architecture to execute off-chain computations that are verifiable on-chain through fault proofs, maintaining Bitcoin's security assurances. EVM Compatibility: Bitlayer supports EVM smart contracts, enabling seamless migration or dual deployment of Ethereum-based dApps. Modular Scalability: The platform separates execution from consensus, allowing for independent scaling of transaction throughput while preserving decentralization. Developer Ecosystem: Bitlayer provides robust tools, SDKs, and developer documentation to support innovation across the Bitcoin Layer 2 landscape. Token Utility The native token, BTR, plays a central role in network operations. It is used for: Paying transaction fees on the Bitlayer network Participating in governance proposals Staking and incentivizing node validators Supporting decentralized applications and services built on the Bitlayer platform Ecosystem Vision Bitlayer aims to be the foundational smart contract infrastructure for Bitcoin. It provides developers with tools to create programmable logic and decentralized services anchored to the Bitcoin base layer, without compromising the core ethos of security and decentralization. By enhancing Bitcoin's scalability and expressiveness, Bitlayer envisions a world where Bitcoin not only functions as sound money, but also as the trustless computational foundation for the next generation of decentralized finance. Key Highlights BTCFi Infrastructure Leader: Positioned as the definitive BTCFi stack with live deployment of BitVM Bridge, connecting Bitcoin to broader DeFi ecosystems. Backed by Industry Giants: Raised $30 million in funding from top-tier investors including Polychain Capital, Franklin Templeton, Framework Ventures, and ABCDE . Strategic Ecosystem Growth: Partnered with major L1 chains such as Sui, Arbitrum, Base, Cardano, and top mining pools including Antpool, F2Pool, and SpiderPool. High Performance & Programmability: Enables real-time, scalable applications on Bitcoin with EVM compatibility. YBTC Utility: Powers gas, yield generation, and DeFi within the Bitlayer ecosystem. With over a dozen media features across CoinDesk, Cointelegraph, and The Block, Bitlayer is recognized as one of the most promising Bitcoin Layer 2 networks enabling modular, secure, and interoperable infrastructure. Learn More about Bitlayer Website: https://www.bitlayer.org About LBank Founded in 2015, LBank is a leading global cryptocurrency exchange serving over 20 million registered users in 160 countries and regions. With a daily trading volume exceeding $5.5 billion and 10 years of safety with zero security incidents, LBank is dedicated to providing a comprehensive and user-friendly trading experience. Through innovative trading solutions, the platform has enabled users to achieve average returns of over 130% on newly listed assets. As the ultimate 100x Gems Hub, LBank has listed over 300 mainstream coins and more than 50 high-potential gems. Ranked No. 1 in 100x Gems, Highest Gains, and Meme Share, LBank leads the market with the fastest altcoin listings, unmatched liquidity, and industry-first trading guarantees, making it the go-to platform for crypto investors worldwide. Start Trading Now: lbank.com Community & Social Media: Telegram Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Instagram YouTube To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/264598 SOURCE: LBank The album, a minimalist masterpiece recorded on a four track in Springsteens bedroom in Colts Neck, New Jersey, doesnt lend itself to anything like a glossy big-screen jukebox Jeremy Allen White grew up listening to Bruce Springsteen. He doesnt even remember a time in his life when he wasnt aware of his music. But sing his songs? It wasnt until White began preparing to play the rock n roll legend for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere that he even tried. I had never really sang anything, never mind Bruce, White says. There was a leap of faith that we were all taking. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Theres an established playbook for music biopics. Deliver Me From Nowhere ignored all of it. The film, written and directed by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Black Mass), eschews the standard life-spanning, play-the-hits approach and instead focuses on a small portion of Springsteens sprawling life: the making of his 1982 album, Nebraska. The album, a minimalist masterpiece recorded on a four track in Springsteens bedroom in Colts Neck, New Jersey, doesnt lend itself to anything like a glossy big-screen jukebox. Deliver Me From Nowhere, instead, is aimed more at the soul of Springsteen. For the role, Cooper turned to who he considers one of the best actors of his generation even though he had no singing experience. I remember early on speaking to Scott about the project and being really excited to do it with him but also telling him, Hey, I dont know how to play the guitar and Ive never really sang before. Are we going to be able to figure out this together? White recalls. But Scott had faith. And Bruce had faith. And we trusted each other. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, which 20th Century Studios will release Oct. 24 in theaters, is the first movie based on Springsteens life. It was made with Springsteens involvement; he gave input to on the script, on casting and attended several days on set. Its also the first leading movie role for White, the 34-year-old Emmy-winning star of The Bear, who sings all the songs in the film. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I knew that he had the two qualities that really embody Bruce: humility and swagger, Scott says. And they dont teach swagger at Julliard. You either have it or you dont. I was never concerned. Hes sensational. Deliver Me From Nowhere, based on Warren Zanes 2023 book, co-stars Jeremy Strong as Jon Landau, Springsteens longtime manager and record producer. Landau was also involved in the project from its inception. I knew that this was the first time Bruce had handed the wheel over to anybody to tell a story of his, Cooper says. They were never directors in any way but were always there when I had a question. Of course, when youre Jeremy Allen White and you have Bruce Springsteen show up, thats a whole different story. For White, Springsteen was a great resource in a movie that aspired to authentic interiority. Nebraska was a major departure for Springsteen. Its 10 songs spun tales of blue-collar workers soaked through with Springsteens own childhood memories and reverberating with an American storytelling tradition running from Flannery OConnor to Woody Guthrie. Springsteen intended the raw demos to be later recorded with the E Street Band, but ultimately decided to release the unvarnished recordings. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD White sees the film, in part, as about the artistic process. He was drawing inspiration from all these places but he didnt really know what he was doing for a while with this record, White says. He didnt know if it was going to be a record. As an actor, hopefully youre doing that sort of thing all the time. That artistic curiosity is something I related to. White first spent time with Springsteen in London, where he also attended a concert. The actor later spoke to Patti Scialfa, Springsteens bandmate and wife of 34 years, and friends of the rock legend. After peppering Springsteen with questions during preproduction in New Jersey, White says he mostly kept his head down during the shoot. Bruce is very gracious, White says. He was trying to make himself as small as possible on set, but thats very difficult for Bruce Springsteen. Grover apparently took a dig at Kapil Sharmas hair transplant and said how bald people dont need shampoo In one of the key comedic moments from Netflixs The Great Indian Kapil Show, Sunil Grover apparently took a dig at Kapil Sharmas hair transplant and said how bald people dont need shampoo. The comedian also said, Haan, yeh kaunsa below the belt hai, yeh to above the collar hi hai." STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Kapil Shamas cafe in Canada, named Kaps Cafe, has been attacked for the second under a month, as 25 shots were fired, which again sparked the concern over violation and extortion threats in the area. What the Facebook post says A Facebook post has surfaced on social media in which Goldy Dhillon of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has allegedly claimed responsibility for the shooting in the comedians cafe and sent a warning to Kapil Sharma. Comedians security beefed up The sources in the Mumbai police have said Kapil Sharmas security has been increased after two attacks at his cafe in quick succession. Recently, Kapil Sharma shared a video of officials visiting his cafe in a collaborative post with wife Ginni Chatrath as the duo enjoyed a wonderful meal. However, it was the caption of the video, which grabbed our attention as the comedian firmly conveyed that he does not support any kind of violence. Thank you Mayor Brenda Locke, @surreypoliceservice and all the officials who visited @thekapscafe_ to show their love and support. United we stand against violence. Were truly grateful, the caption read. The police investigation after the incident is underway. Notably, Kaps Cafe is owned by Kapil Sharma and his wife, Ginni Chatrath. This is the second time the establishment has come under attack, the first being on July 10, just a few days after it was inaugurated. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The political drama thats set to release on September 5 was sent to the Revising Committee after the examining committee of CBFC refused to clear the film for certification Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri is regarded as one of the most courageous filmmakers in Indian cinema, known for his uncompromising truth-telling stories backed by deep research. After impactful films like The Tashkent Files and The Kashmir Files, he is now ready to present another haunting chapter of Indias history with The Bengal Files. Ever since its announcement, the film has been making headlines, surrounded by debates and controversies regarding its powerful visuals and story. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Vivek and his team, however, have clarified that every frame of the film is based on thorough research and historical facts. As the release date draws closer, the filmmaker has now dropped a shocking video revealing the truth about the Hindu genocide in West Bengal, while stating that Some forces want to ban the film. The duration of the film is 204 minutes (3 hours 24 minutes), which happens to be a minute longer than Ranbir Kapoors Animal. The political drama thats set to release on September 5 was sent to the Revising Committee after the examining committee of CBFC refused to clear the film for certification. The revising committee has asked for these changes- A contemptuous term against the transgenders has been asked to be replaced. Pictures of several prominent personalities have been removed. The Bengal Files is written by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri and produced by Abhishek Agarwal and Pallavi Joshi. It stars Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Anupam Kher, and Darshan Kumar. The film, presented by Tej Narayan Agarwal & I Am Buddha Productions, is part of Viveks Files trilogy, which includes The Kashmir Files and The Tashkent Files. The film will arrive in theatres on September 5, 2025. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Princess Diana, popularly known as the Peoples Princess, was killed in a high-speed car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. Her death brought Britain to a near standstill, as mourners flooded the streets outside Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace with cards and tributes to the princess. On this day in 1997, North Korea announced the launch of its first satellite, Kwangmyongsong-1 Mourners file past tributes left in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace in London on September 5, 1997. File image/AP Princess Diana was one of the most popular and loved British Royals around the world. While her married life was always a matter of interest , it was her people skills that made her popular among the masses. So, the news of her sudden death on August 31, 1997, was bound to shock Britain and the rest of the world. A high-speed car crash in Paris led to her death. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers ongoing series, History Today, will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On this day in 1998, North Korea stunned the international community by announcing the launch of its first satellite, Kwangmyongsong-1 (meaning Bright Star 1). Here is all that happened on this day. Princess Diana killed after a car crash in Paris The world was shaken by the tragic death of Princess Diana, often called the Peoples Princess, in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. At just 36 years old, Dianas sudden passing cut short the life of a woman admired globally for her compassion, humanitarian work, and ability to connect with people beyond the confines of royalty. The accident took place shortly after midnight in the Pont de lAlma tunnel. It was here that the car carrying Diana, her companion Dodi Fayed, and their driver Henri Paul crashed while being pursued by paparazzi. While Dodi and Henri were killed instantly, Diana succumbed to her injuries hours later in a Paris hospital. Dianas bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, was the sole survivor of the accident. In this file image, the police services prepare to take away the car in which Britains Diana, Princess of Wales, died in Paris, in a car crash that also killed her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, and the chauffeur. File image/AP The British Royals death sparked an unprecedented outpouring of grief across the world. Outside Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace, seas of flowers, letters, and tributes lined the streets as millions mourned. The British royal family, initially criticised for its subdued response, eventually addressed the nation, with Queen Elizabeth II paying tribute in a rare televised broadcast. Dianas funeral on September 6, 1997, was watched by an estimated two and a half billion people worldwide, making it one of the most viewed events in television history. Her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, then just 15 and 12 years old respectively, walked behind her coffin in a deeply emotional moment that left a lasting imprint on the world. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Beyond her royal duties, Diana had redefined the monarchys image by championing causes such as HIV/Aids awareness, leprosy, and landmine clearance. Her warmth and ability to break traditional barriers made her beloved across cultures. North Korea announced the launch of its first satellite North Korea stunned the world when it announced the launch of its first satellite, Kwangmyongsong-1 (also called Bright Star 1). The announcement marked a historic moment, as Pyongyang claimed it had joined the ranks of space-faring nations, though the launch immediately sparked controversy and scepticism abroad. The rocket carrying the satellite was a Taepodong-1, a three-stage ballistic missile. According to North Korean officials, the satellite successfully entered orbit, transmitting revolutionary songs praising the late leader Kim Il Sung and the ruling ideology of Juche. State media hailed the event as a great victory that elevated North Koreas prestige on the global stage. However, the United States, Japan, and South Korea questioned the claim, with analysts arguing that the satellite never achieved orbit. Instead, they suggested the launch was more likely a ballistic missile test disguised as a peaceful space program. The incident heightened regional tensions, particularly in Japan, where the rocket flew over parts of its territory, triggering widespread alarm. The launch had profound diplomatic consequences. It threatened to derail ongoing USNorth Korea talks aimed at curbing Pyongyangs missile and nuclear programs and intensified fears of an emerging missile race in East Asia. Japan responded by accelerating its missile defence initiatives, while Washington condemned the move as a provocation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This Day, That Year Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was impeached and removed from office after the countrys Senate on this day in 2016. In 1991, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan declared independence from the Soviet Union. With inputs from agencies Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. His trip to China, the first since 2018, comes against the backdrop of rising tensions between India and the US over President Donald Trumps trade tariffs. Vladimir Putin is also attending the SCO on a rare visit abroad amid Trumps growing frustrations over the Ukraine war. Heres why the world is watching the gathering so closely Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in China today (31 August) for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. This is Modis first trip to China since 2018. He held a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping in the port city of Tianjin. The SCO summit will take place from August 31 to September 1. Modis visit comes against the backdrop of rising tensions between India and the United States over President Donald Trumps trade tariffs. The US president has imposed a 25 per cent levy on Indian goods, plus an additional 25 per cent on India for buying Russian oil. New Delhi has dismissed these measures as unfair, unjust and unreasonable, pointing to what it calls the hypocrisy of the US-led West continuing to trade with Russia. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what do we need to watch for? Lets take a closer look: IndiaChina reset? A key question is whether the SCO will provide a platform for India and China to reset ties. Modi and Xi last met in Russias Kazan in October 2024 during a BRICS summit. Relations, which hit a low point after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, have been gradually improving. Much has changed since July 2024, when Modi pointedly skipped the SCO summit , citing the need to attend Indias Parliament sessiona move widely seen as a snub. Since then, senior Indian officials including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar have all visited China. National flags of China and India fly next to the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center, a venue for 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Reuters The two countries have taken confidence-building steps: disengagement in Demchok and Depsang, India resuming visas for Chinese citizens, restarting the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, and exploring the resumption of direct flights. Observers will watch closely for signals from the ModiXi bilateral whether in body language, tone, or any shift in official statements. Modis remarks, as well as the language of the joint communique, will be scrutinised. India had previously refused to sign the communique in July after the SCO declined to condemn the Pahalgam terror attack, which New Delhi blames on Pakistan. Russias role and connectivity Russia, squeezed by Western sanctions since the Ukraine war, may use the SCO to push for alternative payment mechanisms. Moscow could also seek new energy deals within the bloc, which accounts for a large share of global resources and about 40 per cent of the worlds population. The SCO has become something of a PutinXi show, Temur Umarov of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin told RFE/RL. Its less about the summit itself and more about the meetings on the sidelines. China is also expected to use the forum to promote its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a signature project of Xi. India has consistently objected to the BRI on national security grounds. The challenge for New Delhi is whether it can oppose the BRI while backing alternative projects such as the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and Chabahar Port. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Expansion questions The SCO now includes 10 permanent membersBelarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistanafter Tehran joined in 2023 and Belarus in 2024. The bloc also counts 16 dialogue and observer partners, including Cambodia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Turkey. Will the SCO expand further? Observers are watching to see if China pushes for Armenia and Azerbaijan to join, and how India responds. Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with officials during a welcoming ceremony at an airport upon his arrival for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Reuters Experts note that while the SCO began as a security and counterterrorism platform, its remit has expanded to economic and military cooperation. China and Russia are both collaborators and competitors, said Luca Anceschi, professor of Eurasian Studies at the University of Glasgow. But as we see in Central Asia, they are collaborating far more than they are competing. There is also a shared set of authoritarian-friendly values emerging in the region that may make life easier for Central Asian regimes, he added. Yet others believe the SCO still lacks a clear identity. The SCO is still an organisation that is looking for an identity, Manoj Kewalramani of the Takshashila Institution in Bangalore told Al Jazeera. At this point, the identity they seem to be working out is indivisible securitythat security for one cannot come at the cost of another. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He contrasted this with NATOs bloc-based collective security, noting that the SCOs vision is also an implicit argument to the US: You are a major power. We are major powers. You must respect our interests, at least in our neighbourhood. Ukraine and trade tensions with the US The Ukraine war continues to loom large over the SCO. Trump in recent times has grown frustrated with Putin, whom he had earlier praised as a brilliant and strong over the Ukraine war. Trump had vowed to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office. Recently, Trump adviser Peter Navarro accused India of funding Russias war machine through its crude oil purchases. India has maintained that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way to resolve the conflict. The Kremlin has said nations should be free to choose their trading partners. China, meanwhile, has sided with India in criticising US tariffs, calling Washington a bully. Talks between New Delhi and Washington over a trade deal remain stalled, largely over agriculture and dairy protections. Many analysts see Trumps tariffs as a negotiating tactic, born of frustration with Indias refusal to yield. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US President Donald Trump has lashed out at both India and Russia. Reuters File Washington has also pressed Beijing to cut Russian oil imports, with Trump threatening secondary tariffs on China. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Tianjin on Sunday for a rare four-day visit, receiving a red-carpet welcome from senior Chinese officials. At the same time, the US and China are negotiating their own tariff truce. The two sides agreed to a 90-day pause earlier this month in Geneva, and Trump has said he is very close to striking a deal with Xi before the year ends. All this raises the question: will the SCO sharpen its rhetoric against the West on tariffs and Ukraine? The one thing theyre going to talk about is the United Statesits policies, its tariffs, Sushant Singh, lecturer in South Asian Studies at Yale University, told News18. Washington, which has criticised Indias ties with both Russia and China, will be watching closely for signs of a deeper rapprochement between New Delhi and Beijing. With inputs from agencies STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD To mark its 270th anniversary, Vacheron Constantin presents The Quest: 270 years of seeking excellence, a new public exhibition retracing its tireless quest for watchmaking excellence. A voyage of discovery celebrating the fundamental values that have defined the identity of Vacheron Constantin since 1755, this immersive exhibition invites visitors to explore the company as it was, is and will be. Designed to travel the world throughout 2025, this travelling pop-up will be back in Geneva in September after stops in Abu Dhabi, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The Quest invites watchmaking enthusiasts and newcomers alike to discover 270 years of history through a journey dotted with timepieces, calibers, components and watchmaking tools. The exhibition explores the quintessence of time measurement, paying tribute to a heritage fuelled by passion and marked by innovations, world firsts and records. It reveals the heart of a Maison whose timepieces embody a perpetual quest for balance between technical ingenuity, mechanical prowess, artistic vision and refined finishing. Vacheron Constantin's new public exhibition celebrating its 270th anniversary Vacheron Constantin The Quest: 270 years of seeking excellence allows visitors to fully appreciate the meaning and scope of Vacheron Constantins motto since 1819: Do better if possible, and that is always possible. This immersive, educational trail is based around a number of themes: History, arts and crafts and fine watchmaking. 270 years of history When Jean-Marc Vacheron signed a contract with his first apprentice in 1755, the founding act of the company, he was initiating the quest for watchmaking excellence that, driven by passion, know-how and perseverance, still drives Vacheron Constantin today. In fine watchmaking, excellence is not just a mission, but a perfectly clear objective, the path to which is paved with challenges in every field: mechanical ingenuity, technical innovation and artistic creativity. Since its creation, Vacheron Constantin has held a special place in the family of watchmakers born in Switzerland during the Age of Enlightenment. For the company, the value of a timepiece lies not only in the science behind its mechanics, but also in its aesthetic beauty, its craftsmanship and the meticulousness of its finishes, both visible and invisible. The Packard VAC from 1918 James Ward Packard Vacheron Constantin Heritage The first section of the exhibition reveals how the companys quest for excellence took root in 1755, telling the story through documents, photographs, artefacts and historic timepieces from Vacheron Constantins remarkably rich archives, including a copy of the Houses founding deed, the contract with Jean-Marc Vacherons first apprentice. From its very beginnings, Vacheron Constantin has asserted its mastery of the secrets of time measurement while constantly pushing back the boundaries, as illustrated by the archive documents marking key dates in its history. Visitors will be able to admire the first pocket watch signed by its founder, Jean-Marc Vacheron, in 1755, as well as the emblematic 222, whose design remains iconic today. There is also a pocket watch with enamel inspired by Jean Du Boiss View of Geneva from the Bois de la Batie, a nod to the Swiss watchmakers origins in Geneva. Collector watches by Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin Art and crafts Celebrating the men and women of the art behind numerous horological masterpieces, The Quest highlights the ancestral expertise for which the brand is renowned. In this section of the exhibition, these skills are showcased through a thread of know-how that seems to unravel endlessly, reflecting the passing of time. Visitors will discover centuries-old techniques such as enamelling, engraving, gem-setting and guillochage, all of which the company has mastered. The space will also host an interactive experience based around three unique timepieces, Les Cabinotiers Hommage a la Tour de lile, whose dials are decorated as a tribute to the Tour de lIle, a historic monument in Geneva that is of great importance to Vacheron Constantin. Situated on a small island in the middle of the Rhone, the Tour de lIle is the remains of a fortified castle built in the 13th century to defend Geneva. The company set up its workshops here in 1843. Vacheron Constantin's new public exhibition celebrating its 270th anniversary Vacheron Constantin Fine watchmaking This final section, devoted to fine watchmaking, highlights the fascinating world of complications and invites visitors to explore some of the most complex movements created by Vacheron Constantin. Visitors will be able to observe all the beauty of these mechanisms and their microscopic components, immersed in the calibres of exceptional timepieces such as the chronometer pocket watch created in 1918 for the founder of the Packard Motor Company. It will also be an opportunity to revisit the special displays that represent the companys signature pieces, illustrated in particular by the Saltarello model with jumping hours and retrograde minutes. This immersive experience ends with a dive into the heart of the worlds most complicated timepiece when it was launched in 2024: Les Cabinotiers - The Berkley Grand Complication. An entire wall is dedicated to this timepiece, which comprises 2,877 components and incorporates 63 horological complications, including the worlds very first Chinese perpetual calendar. Reservation link : https://events.vacheron-constantin.com/en/ch-thequest-2509 The SCO Summit in Chinas Tianjin is the biggest in its history. Twenty world leaders, including PM Modi, Chinas Xi Jinping, Russias Vladimir Putin, Pakistans Shehbaz Sharif, among others, will be in attendance, making this organisations largest gathering of heads of state to date. Also, it assumes significance as it will be the first time that India, China and Russia all meet as Donald Trump unleashes his tariff war Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend a concert before an informal dinner on the sidelines of the Brics Summit in Kazan, Russia October 22, 2024. The 2025 SCO summit will bring together the three leaders for the first time since Donald Trump imposed hefty sanctions on India. File image/Reuters After seven long years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting China, where he met with the Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit (SCO) being held in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1. This years summit is of significance for multiple reasons: It will be the organisations largest gathering of heads of state to date 20 world leaders, including Russias Vladimir Putin, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, Nepals Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, among others, will be in attendance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It also comes at a time when the existing liberal international order is rapidly disintegrating. Also, both India and China are facing tariff heat from America and its president, Donald Trump. What is the SCO? Who are its members? Before we deep dive into this years SCO and its importance, lets understand what is this grouping and who are its members. Founded in 2001, the SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance, which comprised China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Its aim is to promote cooperation and peace among its member states, as well as fostering a new democratic, fair and rational international political and economic order. Its charter outlines principles such as mutual respect for sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, equality, and mutual benefit. The current full members of the SCO are: China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. Iran and Pakistan, and Belarus. File image/Reuters Since its establishment, the SCO has grown rapidly. India and Pakistan joined in 2017, Iran in 2023, and Belarus in 2024. Beyond these 10 member states, the SCO also has two observers Afghanistan and Mongolia and 14 dialogue partners, including Turkey, Egypt, Armenia and Azerbaijan, several of the Gulf states, and a number of other Asian states. If measured by population of its core member states, it is the worlds largest regional organisation. What makes this SCO different from others? For this years SCO, China is the rotating chair, with Xi Jinping hosting it. What makes the SCO even more significant this year, are the leaders who are attending it. Besides Xi, the SCO Summit will see 20 world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Additionally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Indonesias Prabowo Subianto, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh are also attending the summit in Tianjin. From the subcontinent, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, Nepals Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu will also be present. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A sign is seen outside the headquarters of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Beijing. This years summit in Tianjin will make it the largest in the organisations history. File image/AFP Officials of 10 international organisations, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev, will attend the event, making the largest in the organisations history. Why is this years SCO important for India? Modi attending this years SCO is of note. There are a number of reasons that makes this summit important for India. Firstly, the SCO comes at a time when India faces increased pressure from the West, namely the United States about oil purchases from Russia and the Trump administrations imposition of tariffs on New Delhi. US ties with Pakistan have also rankled India. Facing such a situation, India would like to project an image of strength and it will be interesting to see how India is viewed amongst the SCO members. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also hold a bilateral discussion with Chinas Xi Jinping. Border issues and normalisation of ties after the Galwan clash of 2020 will be the focus of these talks. File image/Reuters At the SCO, India is also seeking stronger condemnation of cross-border terrorism. In fact, at a joint media briefing with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Tanmaya Lal, said India is working with other SCO members and partners to ensure strong condemnation of terrorism in the summit declaration. As far as the declaration at this [upcoming] summit is concerned, that is under finalisationWe are working with other members and partners to see that there should be a reiteration of the strong condemnation of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, he said. The security of the region remains a priority for the SCO members. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Notably, this years SCO comes in the backdrop of Indias Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack in April that killed 26 civilians. This triggered four days of intense hostilities that ended with an understanding between the two sides on May 10. Beyond SCO, too, Modis presence in China is of importance as it signals a thaw between the two nations. Modi had a bilateral discussion with Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit, during which normalisation of the relationship and border issues are likely figured. Is the SCO looking to reshape the world order? The SCO Summit is also of significance to Xi and China. The Chinese president is looking to bolster his image as a world leader with a coherent plan for global governance. As Bloomberg reported, he is preparing to approve the SCOs development strategy for the next decade and set out his vision for global governance. China is putting in a lot of effort and using its influence to make it one of the biggest SCO summits ever, Dylan Loh, assistant professor at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, told Bloomberg. This is also a statement of intent and demonstration of Chinas growing profile and power particularly in the context of US-China competition and suggestions of domestic economic malaise. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Russian President Vladimir Putin with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. File image/Reuters Xi may also push for the wider use of payment systems and currencies in an attempt to step away from the US dollar and Western financial institutions. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute also noted that there was a possibility that the Chinese leader would exploit the SCO summit to promote the Chinese Communist Partys correct view of history. Experts point out that the SCO grouping is of importance to Xi as he taps it and other China-backed bodies such as Brics in remaking the world order and helping Beijing stake out a leadership role, especially as a champion of the Global South. All eyes will also be trained on Russias Vladimir Putin. The SCO will offer Putin a chance to talk with Xi and Modi directly about the outcome of his meeting in Alaska with Trump and the prospect of reaching an agreement to end the war in Ukraine. Also, it will be a rare opportunity for Putin to meet with his two most important energy partners India and China . Together, both nations purchased more than half of Russias energy exports since the start of 2023, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Experts note that the SCO Summit, which comes amid the US presidents imposition of punitive tariffs, might also result in the most powerful countries China, Russia and India aligning more closely against the US. But for all of this, there are challenges for the SCO. There are several internal contradictions and issues. For instance, Delhis fraught ties with Beijing and even Delhis disputes with Islamabad. In such a situation, it will be interesting to see what comes out of this years SCO. With inputs from agencies About 20 world leaders have assembled in Chinas Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit being held from August 31 to September 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among those hosted by Chinas Xi Jinping as Donald Trumps trade war sours US relations with India. Heres why the SCO Summit could make the American president jittery PM Narendra Modi, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hand before their meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. Indian Prime Minister's Office via AP Chinas President Xi Jinping is hosting 20 world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in the northern port city of Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. Billed as the largest since the founding of the regional security bloc in 2001, the gathering comes at a crucial time in geopolitics. On Sunday (August 31), PM Modi held bilateral talks with President Xi on the sidelines of the SCO summit, with the aim of resetting relations. The meeting comes in the backdrop of New Delhis souring ties with the United States as Donald Trumps 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports come into effect. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The American president would be keenly watching the SCO summit being held from August 31 to September 1. Heres why. Why Trump is warily watching SCO Summit The presence of Modi, Xi and Putin at the SCO ummit in China could ruffle feathers in Washington. US President Trump, whose trade war has upended Washingtons relations with India, would not be too happy as Xi will attempt to portray China as an alternative leader and reshape the global order. Trump is already miffed with the Brics grouping, which has India, China, Russia, Brazil and South Africa as the founding members, and has threatened to slap additional tariffs on group members. Xi will want to use the summit as an opportunity to showcase what a post-American-led international order begins to look like and that all White House efforts since January to counter China, Iran, Russia, and now India have not had the intended effect, Eric Olander, editor-in-chief of The China-Global South Project, a research agency, told Reuters. Just look at how much Brics has rattled Donald Trump, which is precisely what these groups are designed to do. The US 50 per cent tariffs on India, of which the additional 25 per cent is a penalty for buying Russian oil, have driven a wedge between the two partners. The trade war has raised concerns in New Delhi about relying too much on Washington. India was putting too many eggs in the American basket considering its geostrategic and political interests. It is now, after Trumps tariffs, trying to balance that out by putting more eggs on the Chinese basket, Sanjay K Bhardwaj, professor at the Centre for South Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, said to Financial Times (FT). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trumps sweeping tariffs on Indian goods have brought New Delhi and Beijing closer, with the two sides improving relations recently after friction occurred following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. India and China are also willing to reset bilateral ties and resolve the border dispute. During his talks with Xi, PM Modi said New Delhi is committed to taking forward ties with China based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity, as per PTI. Experts say Modis trip to China, the first in seven years, reflects the deep frustration in New Delhi with Trumps tariffs. The Indian leader had skipped last years summit in Kazakhstan. This is a group of countries that have been significantly antagonised by the West, especially by the US, Yun Sun, senior fellow at the Stimson Center, a Washington think-tank, told FT. China is bringing them together and making a statement about global governance and the global order . . . It will be saying that we, the SCO, have a very different vision. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Besides Modi and Putin, Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif, Irans President Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are also attending this years SCO Summit in Tianjin . As the American foreign policy under Trump creates cracks between the US and some of these countries, all eyes will be on any joint declaration by the SCO grouping, which, even if indirectly, mentions the global trade war. If India lines up behind the joint statement in the end, it suggests more willingness to stand alongside the SCO and implicitly against Washington, Jeremy Chan, a former US diplomat in China and Japan, said to Bloomberg. Chan added that any language directly critical of the US would also be an important signal of a more meaningful pivot by Delhi toward Beijing and Moscow. Can SCO change the global order? Experts say the SCO Summit is a big opportunity for Chinese President Xi to project Beijing as a counterbalance to the US, as Trumps antics lead to discord between the US and several countries in Asia and Europe. The Chinese leader is expected to approve the SCOs development strategy for the next ten years and lay out his ambitious vision for global governance, reported Bloomberg. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD China is putting in a lot of effort and using its influence to make it one of the biggest SCO Summits ever, Dylan Loh, assistant professor at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said to the news agency. This is also a statement of intent and demonstration of Chinas growing profile and power particularly in the context of US-China competition and suggestions of domestic economic malaise. The SCO Summit is significant as it shows Global South solidarity amid Trumps global trade war. Beijing wants to signal that China is the indispensable convener in Eurasia, capable of seating rivals at the same table and translating great-power competition into managed interdependence, Rabia Akhtar, director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Policy Research at the University of Lahore in Pakistan, was quoted as saying by CNN. The optics are straightforward: China is not just a participant in regional order-making it is a primary architect and host. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD SCO has its limits, but While Xi will try to reshape a global order that has long been dominated by the US, the distrust between some SCO members, such as India and Pakistan, remains. The SCO, which was established as a group of six Eurasian nations, has expanded to 10 permanent members and 16 dialogue and observer countries in recent years. The grouping defines its main goals as strengthening mutual confidence and good-neighbourly relations among the member countries. The SCO Summit will be a show of the Global South solidarity. File Photo/Reuters However, the security-focused bloc has failed to back its member countries. This was witnessed during border clashes between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan and when the US and Israel attacked Iran. India and Pakistan engaged in a brief conflict in May, with China supplying weapons, including fighter jets, to Islamabad, raising tensions with New Delhi. These issues persist even as India and China work to normalise ties. Recent history has shown that when a security crisis arises that affects a card-carrying member of the SCO or an adjacent one the SCO as an organisation is nowhere to be found. When the going gets tough, China is absent even for its friends, whether on a bilateral or multilateral basis, Chan told Bloomberg. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Speaking to Reuters, Manoj Kewalramani, chairperson of the Indo-Pacific Research Programme at the Takshashila Institution think-tank in Bangalore, said, What is the precise vision that the SCO represents and its practical implementation are rather fuzzy. It is a platform that has increasing convening power, which helps in narrative projection. But the SCOs effectiveness in addressing substantial security issues remains very limited. Although substantive policy announcements are unlikely at the summit, the optics of this years SCO meeting are strong. This summit is about optics, really powerful optics, Olander told Reuters. Experts say the blocs appeal to the Global South cannot be ignored. Analysts will also be eyeing the possible resumption of a trilateral dialogue between India, China and Russia that halted after the 2020 border clashes between India and China. While Modi is expected to depart after the SCO Summit, Putin will stay and head to Beijing with Xi for a World War Two military parade later in the week. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is also slated to mark his presence at the parade, where Beijing will showcase its newest missiles and warplanes. With inputs from agencies Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who held wide-ranging talks with Chinas President Xi Jinping, spoke about establishing mutual trust with Beijing and the importance of the long-term relationship between the two countries. Here are key takeaways from the bilateral between Modi and Xi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers opening remarks in the bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of SCO Summit on Sunday, August 31, 2025, at Tianjin, China. (PMO via PTI) The bilateral between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit is over. Modi, who held wide-ranging talks with Xi, spoke about establishing mutual trust with Beijing and the importance of the long-term relationship between the two countries. But what are the takeaways from the bilateral between Modi and Xi? Lets take a closer look. Modi congratulates China Modi, on his first trip to China since 2018, congratulated Beijing for hosting the summit and expressed his sincere gratitude for being invited for the summit. I congratulate China once again for hosting the SCO Summit. I express my sincere gratitude to China for the kind invitation to visit, Modi said. This is a sea change from July 2024 when Modi skipped the SCO summit entirely . Modi at the time said he needed to attend a sitting of Indias Parliament. India had also refused to sign the joint declaration after it failed to condemn cross-border terrorism in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Xi, in his opening remarks, said it was a great pleasure to meet Modi again. He also referred to the successful meeting in Kazan between the two men. It is a great pleasure to meet you again, Mr Prime Minister. I welcome you to China for the SCO summit. Last year, we had a successful meeting in Kazan, Xi said. Modi and Xi previously held a bilateral on the sidelines of a Brics summit in Russia in October 2024. That meeting, their first formal discussion in five years, paved the way for tensions to be eased in the India-China relationship. The two countries over the last year have steadily worked to mend their relationship, which hit a nadir after the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020. Peace at border Modi in his remarks said that the atmosphere at the border is peaceful and pointed out that an agreement has been reached between our Special Representatives regarding border management. Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created, Modi said. The two countries had firmed up an agreement on patrolling and disengagement of troops at Depsang and Demchok in Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control. PTI The two countries had firmed up an agreement on patrolling and disengagement of troops at Depsang and Demchok in Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh and instructed the Special Representatives for the boundary mechanism to meet to discuss further steps. After their meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brazil followed by the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on China-India Border Affairs (WMCC). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Since then, a number of high-ranking officials including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had visited China. Rajnath, during his visit, had proposed a four-point border de-escalation roadmap. Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, direct flights Modi pointed out that the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra has resumed . The yatra, which was initially suspended at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, remained suspended after the events of the Galwan Valley clash. Lake Mansarovar is a freshwater lake near Mount Kailash considered the home of Lord Shiva in the Ngari Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Lake Mansarovar, also known as Mapam Yumtso, is at a height of 4,600 metres. Hindus believe Lord Brahma created the lake and that it has purifying powers. The 6,638-metre high peak is revered by Buddhists, who refer to it as Mount Meru, as the primary source of spiritual energy. For Jains, their Tirthankara Rishabdeva is said to have attained salvation at what they say is Mount Ashtapada. Talks to resume the yatra initially began in December 2024. Modi said direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed. Passengers check flight information display screens at Hong Kong International Airport. Reuters The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity, Modi said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India and China had suspended flights at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. India never created a travel bubble with China. After the Galwan Valley clash, direct flights remained suspended. However, cargo and charter flights between the two countries have continued unabated. Strategic autonomy Modi in remarks that were clearly directed at the United States talked about how India and China both pursue strategic autonomy. He said the relationship between the two countries should not be seen through the prism of a third party. Modi said the two leaders deemed it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges such as terrorism and fair trade on multilateral platforms. President Xi, meanwhile, spoke about the importance of the two countries being friends and good neighbours. The world is going towards transformation. China and India are two of the most civilisational countries. We are the worlds two most populous countries and part of the Global South It is vital to be friends, a good neighbour, and the dragon and the elephant to come together Xi said. Xis remarks gain significance as both India and China experience trade tensions with the United States. While Washington and Beijing have put their trade war on pause, Trump has refused to talk to India until it stops buying Russian crude oil. New Delhi has insisted that the national interest is paramount and that it cannot be compromised. China had backed India on Trumps tariffs, accusing America of being a bully. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Xi also pointed out that this was the 75th year of diplomatic relations between the two countries. President Xi spoke about the importance of the two countries being friends and good neighbours. Reuters This year marks the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic relations. Both nations need to handle our relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective. We must also step up to our historic responsibilities to uphold multilateralism, a multipolar world, and more democracy in international institutions and work together for peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world," Xi said. Sources after the meeting said both countries are looking at cooperating with a long-term vision. After the fallout of Trumps tariffs, India is eyeing a closer relationship with both China and Russia. With inputs from agencies Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin and invited him to attend the Brics Summit that India will host in 2026, marking a step forward in bilateral ties On the sidelines of the 25th Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and extended a formal invitation to China to participate in the Brics Summit, which India will host in 2026. The invitation, warmly received by President Xi, comes amid ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral ties between the two Asian giants. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, President Xi thanked Prime Minister Modi for the invitation and expressed Chinas support for Indias upcoming Brics presidency. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Strengthening development partnership During the meeting, both leaders reaffirmed that India and China are development partners rather than rivals. They emphasised that differences between the two nations should not escalate into disputes. Highlighting the significance of stable and cooperative relations for the benefit of their combined population of 2.8 billion, the leaders agreed that mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are essential for the growth and development of both countries. They also noted that a strong India-China relationship is important for a multipolar world and a balanced, multi-polar Asia in line with 21st-century trends. Peace and stability on the border Prime Minister Modi reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility along the border areas, noting that the successful disengagement last year had contributed to stability. Both leaders expressed their commitment to a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question, stressing that it should proceed from a political perspective, keeping in mind the long-term interests of their peoples. They welcomed the progress made by their Special Representatives in recent talks and pledged continued support for these efforts. Economic and people-to-people ties The discussions also focussed on expanding economic and cultural cooperation. The leaders agreed on the importance of facilitating direct flights, easing visa procedures and building on initiatives such as the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and tourist visas. On trade, both sides recognised the role of India and China in stabilising global markets and highlighted the need to expand bilateral trade and investment while addressing trade imbalances. They emphasised approaching these goals from a strategic and political perspective. Strategic autonomy and global cooperation Prime Minister Modi highlighted that both India and China pursue strategic autonomy and their bilateral relationship should not be viewed through the lens of a third country. The leaders underlined the necessity of finding common ground on regional and global challenges, including terrorism, fair trade and multilateral cooperation. Referring to India as the elephant and China as the dragon, President Xi stressed the importance of walking together as good neighbours. Prime Minister Modi also met with Chinese Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi to share his vision for enhanced bilateral relations and received assurances of Chinas intent to expand exchanges and cooperation. India exported agricultural products worth USD 413 million to the Philippines in 2024, accounting for about 2 per cent of the Philippines total agricultural imports. A farmer collects rice crop after winnowing it in a field in Srinagar. Reuters India is pushing rice exports to the worlds largest importer of the commodity the Philippines and to tap the opportunity, a large delegation of leading exporters will visit the Southeast Asian nation next month, an official said. The Philippines is an important market for India in agricultural products exports. In 2024, the Philippines imported agricultural goods worth about USD 20 billion, with key imports including semi-milled rice, wheat and meslin, oilcake, food preparations, and palm oil. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India exported agricultural products worth USD 413 million to the Philippines in 2024, accounting for about 2 per cent of the Philippines total agricultural imports. Indias major exports to this market were bovine meat, groundnut, rice, and tobacco. Philippines is the largest importer of rice in the world, with imports in 2024, valued at USD 2.52 billion. However, there is significant opportunity to expand Indias rice exports in the Philippines as, despite India being the worlds largest rice exporter worth USD 11.83 billion in 2024-25 Indias rice exports were only USD 48.91 million to the Philippines in the same period, the official said. This reflects a significant untapped opportunity for India in the Philippine rice market, the official added. To build on this potential, a delegation of leading exporters of rice, and other key potential exports to Philippines like vegetables (onion and potato), groundnut, and meat visiting the Philippines in early September, the commerce ministry official said. Additionally, a delegation of the Philippines food importers will participate in World Food India from September 25-28, which is Indias largest food trade fair, and International Rice Conference on October 30-31, 2025, which will be a first of its kind rice trade fair at this scale. Further, the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) region continues to be a significant export destination for Indias agricultural and processed food products. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD During 2023-24, exports to the CIS stood at USD 480 million, which increased to USD 628 million in 2024-25, reflecting a strong upward trend. Russia, being a major trading partner within the CIS, plays a pivotal role in this growth. Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has been actively participating in key trade events such as World Food Moscow, which serve as vital platforms for promoting Indian agricultural and processed food products. These events offer exporters substantial opportunities for networking, establishing new business partnerships, and strengthening existing trade relationships across the CIS region, the official added. India can offset the impact of US tariffs through rising domestic demand, alternative export markets and long-term business strategies, says PM Modis economic adviser V Anantha Nageswaran Donald Trump is possessed with the idea that road to America's economic growth lies in imposing higher tariff on other countries India may be better positioned to absorb the impact of US tariffs than initially feared, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modis chief economic adviser, V Anantha Nageswaran. Speaking to news agency ANI, Nageswaran emphasised that while the Trump administrations 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods could affect certain export-oriented units, the overall job losses are likely to be limited. Yes, job loss will be contained to those export-oriented units that are very highly exposed to the United States, he said, adding that some businesses may look for alternative markets or adopt a long-term view to retain their workforce despite temporary uncertainties. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Alternative markets and long-term business strategies Nageswaran highlighted that Indian companies have options to mitigate the tariff shock. Some exporters could pivot to other international markets, while others may take a strategic, medium- to long-term approach. By not immediately reducing staff, companies can maintain operational stability and prepare for eventual normalisation of trade relations. This dual strategydiversifying export destinations and taking a patient business outlookprovides a buffer against immediate disruptions caused by US tariff policies. Strong rural and agricultural demand as a buffer Beyond international trade, the adviser pointed to rising domestic consumption as a key compensatory factor. There could be compensation coming from higher domestic demand. We have had a very good monsoon season. Agriculture and rural demand will be rising, Nageswaran told ANI. With stronger rural incomes and increased spending power, domestic demand could partially offset the losses incurred from reduced exports to the US. This growth in internal consumption, particularly in agriculture and related sectors, could cushion potential employment and revenue impacts on affected units. Targeted policy tweaks to support exporters While Nageswaran did not outline specific policy measures in detail, his comments suggest a multi-pronged approach. Policy tweaks could include incentives for exporters to diversify markets, investment in domestic infrastructure to enhance competitiveness, and measures to boost rural purchasing power. Strengthening Indias domestic consumption base, he implied, would serve as a natural stabiliser against external shocks, allowing firms to maintain employment levels and adapt gradually to the tariff environment. Managing the broader trade context The Trump administrations tariff measures come amid broader geopolitical tensions, including sanctions related to Russia. Nageswarans remarks highlight that India is considering both short-term mitigation and long-term strategic adjustments. By balancing global market diversification with robust domestic demand, India aims to contain the economic impact of the tariffs while safeguarding jobs in the most vulnerable sectors. The Indian Army has carried out a major exercise in Arunachal Pradeshs Kameng region to test its combat readiness in high-altitude, harsh conditions while showcasing the use of emerging technologies like drones, precision weaponry, and multi-domain operations, a defence spokesperson said. Advanced towed artillery gun systems (ATAGS) has been a long-standing need of the Indian Army. (Image used for Representative purpose/https://www.bharatforge.com) The Indian Army conducted an exercise in Arunachal Pradeshs Kameng region to assess its combat readiness in high-altitude and harsh climatic conditions, a defence spokesperson said on Sunday. The exercise, which concluded on Saturday, reaffirmed the Armys commitment to embracing emerging technologies, such as unmanned systems and precision weaponry, and multi-domain operational concepts, Lt Col Mahendra Rawat said. The Yudh Kaushal 3.0 exercise displayed a remarkable synergy of advanced technology, operational innovation, and professional excellence by the troops, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The exercise underscored the Armys ability to operate in multi-domain environments, with demonstrations of drone surveillance, real-time target acquisition, precision strikes, air-littoral dominance, and synchronised battlefield manoeuvres, he added. A key highlight of the exercise was the operational debut of the newly-raised ASHNI platoons, which showcased how next-generation technology, seamlessly fused with battle-hardened tactics, can deliver a decisive edge in future conflicts, Lt Col Rawat said. One of the distinctive aspects of the exercise was the active integration of the Indian civil defence industry, he said. The collaboration demonstrated how indigenous defence innovation is rapidly translating into battlefield advantage, strengthening national security and enhancing self-reliance, he said. The exercise not only validated the Armys combat readiness in high-altitude, harsh climatic conditions but also reaffirmed its commitment to embracing emerging technologies such as unmanned systems, precision weaponry, and multi-domain operational concepts, he said. The prime ministers visit to China is the continuation of a long-term, carefully calibrated strategy aimed at normalising relations, managing border and economic issues, and ensuring regional stability, and is not a reactionary policy Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, on Sunday. Image: X/@MEA Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to China after seven years comes at a crucial geopolitical moment. His earlier meeting with President Xi Jinping at the Brics summit in Kazan, Russia, facilitated by President Vladimir Putin, marked an important step in rebuilding India-China relations following the Galwan Valley clash, which claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers. The Kazan meeting allowed both leaders to discuss mechanisms for disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), restore dialogue channels, and lay the groundwork for broader cooperation, signalling a gradual normalisation of ties amid complex regional and global dynamics. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Since the Kazan summit, both countries have made significant progress toward normalising ties. India and China have reached several understandings regarding border management and other bilateral issues, including the 2024 India-China Border Patrol Agreement, finalised on October 21, 2024, which restored pre-2020 patrolling rights in critical areas and established buffer zones to prevent confrontations. Following the deterioration of relations after Galwan, New Delhi had taken measures against China, including banning certain Chinese apps, suspending direct flights, and restricting strategic Chinese investments in sectors critical to national security, such as telecommunications. Recently, as part of the 24th round of India-China border talks aimed at further normalising relations, both countries agreed to reopen key border trade routes and expand the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. Border trade will resume at locations including Shipki La, Lipulekh, and Nathu La, facilitating the movement of goods and boosting regional economies. Religious and cultural exchanges are also set to be expanded, notably with the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage from 2026, allowing more devotees to undertake this sacred journey. Discussions regarding the resumption of direct flights between India and China are ongoing, with preparations reportedly underway for operations possibly starting as early as September 2025. There is also speculation about platforms like TikTok potentially re-entering the Indian market, as the platforms website has become accessible to some Indian users, though the mobile app remains unavailable and no official statement has been made. These steps reflect a steady process of engagement and normalisation rather than a sudden policy shift. Despite this, some Western analysts have mischaracterised Indias engagement as opportunistic, suggesting that Modi is playing one side against the other in response to US tariffs. Such interpretations overlook the realities of Indias foreign policy and geographic context. China, as Indias large and proximate neighbour with whom it shares a long border and complex disputes, cannot be ignored. Engaging China is a necessity for regional stability, economic development, and managing bilateral disputes. It is not cosying up but a pragmatic, strategic effort to normalise relationsa process that began before the deterioration of ties with the US started. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD By contrast, the United Statesdespite being Indias strategic partnerhas demonstrated unpredictable foreign policy behaviour, frequently shifting its positions and, in recent months, appearing to seek warmer ties with Beijing. Indias engagement with China, therefore, is consistent, long-term, and based on geopolitical realities rather than opportunistic calculations. In fact, the US today has a far greater economic engagement with China, with trade relations significantly deeper than those between India and China. In 2024, US-China trade totalled approximately $658.9 billion, comprising $438.7 billion in imports from China and $143.2 billion in exports to China. Moreover, there has been increased outreach by the US toward China under President Donald Trump. Recently, Trump stated that he has a very good relationship with Xi and emphasised that he is looking forward to a visit to China in the near future. This is evident from his posts on his social media platform, Truth Social, highlighting his eagerness, while critics continue to blame India for its pragmatic engagement with its neighbour. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Historically, India has followed a policy of strategic autonomy and non-alignment, dating back to Prime Minister Nehrus vision in the early 1950s. Its relationships with major powersincluding Russia, from which approximately 36 per cent of Indias defence equipment was sourced between 2020 and 2024, according to Sipriare shaped by long-term strategic considerations rather than short-term convenience, reflecting geopolitical complexities and realities. Even during the Cold War, Indias moves were not opportunistic; they were guided by this policy of strategic autonomy and non-alignment, established in the 1950s. Viewing Indias foreign policy beyond a binary perspective helps one understand this approach. Even today, Indias efforts to resolve differences with China contribute to regional stability while maintaining its independent strategic judgement. Indias international partnerships are not exclusive. Membership in groups like the SCO and other multilateral forums enhances Indias ability to safeguard national interests in an uncertain world. Drawing on principles from Kautilyas Arthashastra and its historical experience, India has consistently followed a strategy of hedging its bets: diversifying partnerships while maintaining strategic autonomy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, the United States has itself proved to be an unreliable partner for India, imposing 50 per cent tariffs while simultaneously seeking closer ties with China and reversing key elements of its national security and Indo-Pacific strategies, thereby undermining its own grand strategic vision and credibility. US analysts and strategic thinkers who now label India as opportunistic should revisit their own policy frameworks, examine the repeated inconsistencies in American strategy, and reflect on how US actions have often compromised its stated objectives. Indias engagement, by contrast, is guided by enduring regional realities and the imperative of stability, not reactionary policy. In sum, PM Modis visit to China is the continuation of a long-term, carefully calibrated strategy aimed at normalising relations, managing border and economic issues, and ensuring regional stability. It reflects Indias principled, realistic, and consistent approach to foreign policynot opportunism or short-term manoeuvring. Imran Khurshid is a visiting research fellow at the International Centre for Peace Studies, New Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Peter Navarro, the Counselor to the US President for Trade and Manufacturing, speaks during a television interview outside of the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 21, 2025. AFP Have you watched or attended an MEA press conference? It is easier to watch paint dry. Certainly not for the faint-hearted. The Indian foreign policy establishment has mastered the art of deflection and revels in understatement and ambiguity. For instance, prime minister Narendra Modi reached China on Saturday after a two-day visit to Japan where he attended the 15th annual summit with Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba. During his stay in Japan, Modi had also had the chance to meet former prime ministers Yoshihide Suga and Fumio Kishida. You can bet that Donald Trumps targeting of India, and the global chaos unleashed by Trumps tariffs must have come up for discussion. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Indian foreign secretary confirmed it during his press briefing Friday, but youll have to read between the lines. Former PMs Suga and Kishida called on the prime minister, and discussed issues of mutual interest relating to the bilateral relationship, and regional and global developments. The words regional and global developments doing heavy lifting here. And not without reason. Values such as structure, due process, order and consistency play foundational roles in Indias strategic culture and statecraft. Under the overarching framework of strategic autonomy, Indias diplomacy gives preference to private diplomatic exchanges over public posturing, quiet dialogue, consensus-building and peaceful conflict resolution. You wont find a South Block bureaucrat blabbering before the media. Shekhar Gupta isnt far from the truth in his column for The Print, where referring to Pakistans lightning fast moves in pandering to Trumps vanity and ego, he writes, Indias rule-bound system would never be able to do so. Even a terrorist wont be handed over so summarily without a pretence of due process. Policy decisions in India are distilled from extensive deliberation, hierarchical evaluation and aligned with national interest, ensuring that decisions are based in due process instead of impulsive moves. It does lead to slow decision-making. Honour and respect are of paramount importance, even when dealing with adversaries. For instance, faced with an onslaught of public threats, mockeries and abuses from Trump and his troops, Indias stated responses have been sparse, measured, dignified and courteous, even when such courtesy is undeserved. The US president has repeatedly and recklessly lowered the dignity of his high office, his sidekicks even more so, but India has refused to deviate from the path of decency. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has made crude and brash behaviour his signature. He uses his social media platform as the primary medium to take potshots at critics (that includes even TV anchors), communicate national security decisions or foreign policy positions, bypassing government protocol and established diplomatic channels. On this unusual practice given that India has frequently been at the receiving end foreign minister S Jaishankar simply said, We have not had a US President who has conducted foreign policy as publicly as the current one. That itself is a departure thats not limited to India Richie Benaud wouldve been proud at the understatement. It is difficult, therefore, to reconcile Indias strategic culture with the persistent obnoxious behaviour from the Americans. Trump himself appears frustrated at not being able to bend India to his will, and his officials are trying their best to elicit some sort of response from New Delhi. But India isnt helping. The prime minister has remained resolutely silent, and the ministry of external affairs has not commented beyond the initial reaction when it termed the 50% tariffs from the US unfair, unjustified and unreasonable. Indias disdainful silence is perhaps annoying the White House even more. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Among the stream of Trumps aides who bark daily at India, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro tops the list. Navarro froths at the mouth, desperate for attention. Not content with writing a column for Financial Times where he accused India of enabling Putins war machine, Navarro has upped the ante. He has called the Russia-Ukraine conflict Modis war and New Delhi a laundromat for Kremlin. On Friday, the White House trade advisor in a series of social media posts used AI imagery and a bunch of blatant fabrications to pretty much blame Russias invasion of Ukraine solely on India. Navarros allegations are so outlandish, farcical and absurd that a logical refutation is almost impossible. He epitomizes the roguish behavior of a Trump regime that is uniquely ahistorical, completely ignorant and utterly contemptuous of Indias strategic imperatives, political sensitivities, structural realities of the war or the global geoeconomic landscape. Punch drunk on strong-arm diplomacy and unable to grasp the fact that unjustified economic coercion will not compel alignment or obedience from India that fiercely guards its strategic independence, Trumps cronies resemble headless chickens a set of arrogant fools and America First douchebags who believe the sun revolves around their megalomaniac president. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I have in these columns pointed out the hypocrisy of Americas targeting of Indias energy trade with Russia many times in the past. Short point, if Trumps secondary sanctions on India are really intended to degrade Vladimir Putins capability of continuing with the war, then the US president should have imposed these sanctions on all countries that purchase hydrocarbons from Russia. That includes China, the largest buyer of Russian fuels, European Union, the largest buyer of Russian natural gas and Turkiye, a NATO member and the third-largest buyer of Russian fuel. In fact, EU is currently the top buyer of Russian LNG, purchasing about 51% of Russias LNG exports in 2025. China ranks second with 21%, with Japan third with 18%. To top it all, the United States is a major importer of refined petroleum from India (sourced from Russian crude). It is the fourth-largest importer by monetary value from Indias private refiners, with imports worth about $1.4 billion in 2025 till date. It is beyond parody that the Trump regime, while imposing 25% additional levy on India for buying Russian crude, has made a specific carve-out to exclude both crude and refined petroleum products such as gasoline from Indian refiners. Ostensibly the fuel that Trump regime purchases from India is clean from any moral culpability. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD To take Navarros twisted logic, energy purchased by India is adding to Russias coffers, but the tens of billions of dollars worth of energy purchased by EU since 2022 (according to estimates, the EU bought Russian energy worth almost 23 billion euros in 2024 alone), not to speak of largest buyer China, is not enabling Russias war. In 2024, when the Russian invasion had extended to its third year, the total value of EUs purchase of Russian fuel surpassed the value of financial aid the Europeans sent to Ukraine. India has complied with the G7 price cap that was imposed on Russian oil to keep Moscows crude flowing at lower than international prices an endeavour supported by the Biden administration to ensure stability in global oil market. China, however, adheres to no such restrictions. It sources Russian crude via pipelines under long-term contract and gets significant discounts. Any coercive measure that targets India alone benefits China, and reeks of strategic malpractice and hostility. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As the White House trade advisor, Navarro is so incompetent that he is unaware of the fact that India does not use US dollar to trade in Russian oil but does it through currencies such as UAEs dirham via traders based in third countries. The Biden administration had taken a long view of Indias continued purchase of Russian oil not out of strategic altruism, but self-interest. Russia is the worlds second-largest crude producer with an output of around 9.5 million barrels per day (mbpd), which amounts to nearly 10% of global demand. It is also the second largest exporter, shipping about 4.5 mbpd of crude and 2.3 mbpd of refined products. If the Russian supply is forced out of the market and with the US imposing successive rounds of sanctions on Venezuelan and Iranian crude global crude prices could touch $200 per barrel, pricing India out of the market and putting the energy security of 1.4 billion people in jeopardy. In March 2022, when Putins tanks first rolled into Ukraine, fears of Russian crude being banned drove Brent crude prices up to $137 per barrel. Navarro accuses Indian refiners of buying black market oil. He is either a dullard or a malicious fabricator. Unlike Venezuelan or Iranian oil, Russian energy has not been sanctioned by the West or G7 but placed under a price cap mechanism to prevent war profiteering that India has been fully compliant of. Indias crude purchases from Russia are therefore legitimate, and in sync with international norms. Before levelling such a serious allegation, that India is fuelling Putins war chest, the US has never communicated to India formally or informally that it should stop buying Russian energy. It had been encouraging India to pick it up instead. Among Navarros string of bogus claims, one such is the allegation that Indias Russian oil surge isnt driven by domestic demand but a profit motive. Navarro wont be bothered to find out that when oil prices had become unstable in March 2022, at a time when Russian crude was under fear of sanctions, India mandated its oil PSUs to take a major hit to keep energy affordable for its people. The cumulative loss from April 2022-January 2023 of three oil PSUs in India was Rs 21,000 crores ($2.5 billion). The Modi government simultaneously levied an export tax on private refiners to discourage them from exporting their entire stock and to prevent enlarged profits. New rules were promulgated, forcing private players to sell in the domestic market. While OPEC cut its production by 5.86 mbpd, Indias moves prevented oil market from being destabilized further. To Navarros charge that India has become the laundromat of Kremlin, someone needs to point out to him that Indias annual petroleum products exports have remained relatively steady if we compare figures before the onset of the war and after it. India exported 98.8 MMT in 2022-23, 107 MMT in 2023-24, and 88.3 MMT so far in 2024-25. Where the metrics have changed is that Europe is picking up a lot more of Indian exports, and its share surged from 9,740 tonnes in 2018-19 to over 21 MMT in FY 2024-25. India has even become Ukraines top supplier of diesel in July 2025, overtaking others to account for 15.5 per cent of Ukrainian imports, according to analytics firm NaftoRynok. As Jaishankar said, If you have a problem buying oil or refined products from India, dont buy it. Nobody forces you to buy it. Europe buys, America buys, so you dont like it, dont buy it. Navarro also complains about Indias imports of Russian weaponry, a charge stunning in its deviousness and malevolence. The India-Russia defence relationship has deep historical roots. It is tied to the fact that the US in 1960s decided to arm Pakistan at Indias expense creating a security dilemma for New Delhi. The Americans have consistently weighed in favour of Indias arch-rivals Pakistan, and it is the erstwhile Soviet Union (now Russia) that has remained steadfast in its support as Indias defence partner, willing to offer cutting-edge weaponry and equipment such as nuclear-powered submarines. Russia is also amenable to key Indian demands on technology import and licenced production, and has provided India with local manufacturing arrangements, enabling New Delhi to build domestic production capabilities for platforms such as ballistic missiles, Su-30 jets and T-90 tanks. That said, India has been diversifying its defence procurement, focusing strongly on developing indigenous capabilities while hiking up imports from the US, France and Israel. Navarros accusation, that India is a strategic freeloader, is therefore ludicrous if we see how New Delhi is countering China in the Indo-Pacific, investing in US partnerships, buying fighter jet engines from GE, MQ-9 drones, and a host of US-made platforms such as the P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, C-17 Globemaster III and C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft, CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. India has signed foundational agreements with the US and is investing in high-end military interoperability when it comes to American platforms. These play a vital role for Indias maritime security in the Indo-Pacific, air mobility and border management. Whats more, Indias order pipeline for US defence equipment is expected to keep growing. Navarros wild accusations do not make sense until we perceive the larger picture. The sudden sanction on India has less to do with Russia-Ukraine war and more with Washingtons attempt to use Indias energy buys as a diplomatic wedge to get at New Delhi on trade where Trumps efforts to crack open Indias politically sensitive agriculture and dairy sectors have gone nowhere. A recent New York Times report indicates what I have always maintained. The discord in India-US relationship is downstream of the bruised ego of Trump, who was incensed at India not validating his lie on India-Pakistan ceasefire, and wanted Modi to nominate him for the Nobel, a fanciful demand the Indian prime minister was unwilling to indulge in. The sudden shifting of goalposts on trade deal, and use of Russian oil as a leverage to pressure India on trade are force multipliers of (in Trumps eyes) Indias original sin. History may not have any more examples of bilateral ties getting savaged due to the petty personal pique of an egotistical narcissist. The writer is Deputy Executive Editor, Firstpost. He tweets as @sreemoytalukdar. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. PM Modis meeting with Xi Jinping highlights a high-stakes diplomatic balancing act, as India asserts strategic autonomy while managing US tariffs, resetting ties with China, and maintaining crucial energy and defence links with Russia. Read here Prime Minister Narendra Modis diplomatic playbook is increasingly defined by a delicate three-pronged strategy. When PM Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin today, it heralded more than just a resumption of high-level engagement after years of border tensions. The talks held on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, reinforced three strands of New Delhis foreign policy, managing strained ties with Washington, stabilising relations with Beijing and keeping Moscow close. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The discussions, which ranged from trade and investment to the long-standing border issue, culminated in a pledge by both leaders to pursue a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution to the boundary question while promoting peace and tranquillity along disputed frontiers. Analysts argue that this engagement signals not triumphalism but a measured effort to stabilise regional relations at a time when global trade is roiled by US tariffs including a steep 50 per cent levy on Indian goods. For Delhi, the backdrop is one of mounting pressures and constrained choices. Relations with the US have cooled sharply under the Trump administration, which has publicly chastised India over discounted Russian oil purchases even as American tariffs bite. At the same time, India continues to maintain energy and defence ties with Moscow, a relationship underscored by recent ministerial visits to Russia, and participates in forums such as the SCO alongside China and Russia, signalling a readiness to hedge rather than align fully with any single bloc. In this context strategic autonomy is more than a slogan: it is a practical necessity, a way for India to safeguard its interests without being overdependent on any global power. As one former ambassador, Jitendra Nath Misra told BBC, Hedging is a bad choice. But the alternative of aligning with anyone is worse. The timing of the reset with Beijing is notable. Relations froze after the deadly Galwan clashes of 2020 and Indias trade deficit with China now exceeds its defence budget. Yet Trumps sharp tariff hikes, 50 per cent on Indian goods have shifted the diplomatic calculus. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Beijing, itself hit by steep American duties, has cast Washington as a bully, while urging Delhi to see China as a partner rather than a threat. Modis visit signals Indias readiness to explore a pragmatic detente, even while remaining wary of Chinese intentions. At the same time, Delhi has resisted pressure to loosen its embrace of Russia. Discounted Russian oil remains crucial for Indias energy security, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankars recent Moscow visit highlighted the enduring value of the partnership. The third element in PM Modis strategic autonomy push is his response to Trumps rebukes. The former US President has accused Delhi of funding Russias war machine through oil purchases, while public comments on Kashmir and the lack of progress on a trade deal have further strained ties. Yet few expect the rupture to be permanent. History shows that sanctions after Indias nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998 gave way to rapprochement when strategic logic prevailed. Analysts suggest a similar cycle may play out again. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For now, India is holding multiple lines at once: a pillar of the US-led Quad in the Indo-Pacific, a member of the ChinaRussia dominated SCO, and a key buyer of Russian energy. Scholars such as Happymon Jacob argue this reflects the reality that managing China will be Indias core strategic preoccupation for decades, while others, like former foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, frame it as autonomy rather than ambiguity: India is a titan in chrysalis too large and ambitious to bind itself to any single great power. Whether Modis simultaneous rebuff to Trump, reset with Xi and bond with Putin can hold is unclear. But as one analyst put it, Indias wager is simple: absorb the blows, keep partners guessing and buy time in an increasingly unstable world order. Paraguay has become a paradise for cheap energy, and communities like Santa Lucia de Villarrica are suffering from its dark side The first time Irene Brizuela heard the buzzing that was to become unending, she thought it was a beehive. To her, it was a noise, but to her five-year-old nonverbal son on the autism spectrum, it was the beginning of a crisis. He began to cry and shake. We had to close the door to his room so that he wouldnt hear it, she says, remembering that late night in June 2024. It was to become their daily routine for the next six months. Brizuela, a 32-year-old nurse, lives with her son and husband 650 feet away from a bitcoin farm in Santa Lucia de Villarrica, the capital of the department of Guaira, located three hours from Asuncion, Paraguay. The farm is property of the Canadian firm Bitfarms, which trades on the U.S. and Canadian stock markets. Brizuela and her familys neighbors couldnt rest either. Jose Luis Figueredo began to take sleeping pills. For the accountant, who lives a half mile from the farm, it was like listening to a truck lugging a semi-trailer around his homes interior, 24 hours a day. There comes a moment in which your mental health is impacted. I thought, Im going to throw a bomb and bring down the electrical grid. It was really affecting me. I was afraid of having to depend on medication to be able to rest, he says. The farm was built atop one of the hillsides of the small valley that forms the Canada San Juan in Santa Lucia. It has metal walls, black gates and a security guard who monitors access to the five-hectare property. Bitfarms 2024 report states that 16,200 processors operate inside, generating bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency. The processors are like supercomputers that continuously solve mathematical puzzles to produce cryptocurrencies, and require a large amount of electricity. In six months, the farm consumes the same amount of electricity as 47,500 families over the course of a year. Theres also a system at the Bitfarms facility that prevents the machines from overheating. According to the company, 14,400 of them are refrigerated using fans and extractors, while 1,800 others are maintained with immersion cooling. That noise that tormented the Santa Lucia neighborhood between June and November of 2024 came from the processors, plus the fans and hot-air extractors that regulate their temperature. The residents lived under these conditions until the citys public prosecutors office filed charges against Bitfarms for harmful noise offenses. An investigation by El Surti and EL PAIS found irregularities in the administrative processes of the Municipality of Villarrica and its environmental department that permitted the Canadian company to operate in a residential area where houses were located less than 165 feet away. It also found that the neighbors had been left with symptoms ranging from irritability to post-traumatic stress. Aerial view of the National Electricity Administration substation and Bitfarms cryptofarm. El Surti The facade of the electrical substation that supplies Bitfarms in Santa Villarrica, Paraguay. El Surti The Bitfarms cryptofarm, powered by Clyfsa, is located in a residential area. El Surti The consequences of noise The World Health Organization recommends limiting exposure to sounds that exceed 70 decibels. To be able to rest, background noise should be less than 40 decibels. The community of Santa Lucia was exposed 24 hours a day to volumes that rose above the WHO recommended limits, and even those of local Villarrica regulations, which sets the maximum volume allowed in urban areas at 70 decibels by day and 55 by night. Nonetheless, measurements taken by the citys environmental department in July 2024 found the Bitfarms facility clocking in at 75 decibels at 11 a.m. Psychologist and researcher Maureen Montania says that prolonged exposure to noise like that emitted by the crypto farm leads people to live in constant stress, which can cause greater anxiety, depression and loss of sleep. When it comes to people on the autism spectrum, effects are more serious due to their greater sensitivity to sounds, which is known as hyperacusis, she explains. Montania compares their experience to that of hearing a chainsaw all day long, even when they use earplugs. Its a tremendous level of torture, she says. Luz Aranda uses similar language to describe her experience during the nearly six-month period. The first time she heard the noise, she through it was a drill. She woke up suddenly at 2 a.m. and couldnt get back to sleep. I began to cry, she says. And now I remember it and it affects me again. I feel so much impotence, so much anger. It makes me want to go break something. Vecinos registran la contaminacion sonora ocasionada por una criptogranja en Santa Lucia de Villarrica, Paraguay The Ande de Paso Pe electrical substation in Villarrica, one of facilities that supplied Bitfarms. Video: Cortesia Aranda is a psychologist and director of the department of mental health at Villarricas regional hospital. She lives with her spouse, Juan Enriquez, in a house they built 10 years ago in the Santa Lucia de Villarrica neighborhood, approximately 2,300 feet from the source of the noise. For the couple, those sleepless months were a form of psychological domination and abuse. The effects of noise on our health have been widely studied. A 2022 report found that exposure to noise raises the risk of anxiety by 55% and mental health problems in general by 119%. Another study from 2013 demonstrated that children exposed to road, rail and air traffic have lower capacity for reading, memory and scholastic performance. Ear, nose and throat specialist Fernando Jose Cubilla Moro, who works on issues of occupational audiology and noise pollution, points out that exposure to continuous noise can cause damage to the inner ear and reduce hearing ability. It can also increase cortisol production due to stress and cause damage to the cardiovascular and immune systems. The crypto paradise of cheap and renewable energy The Bitfarms plant was not the only one approved by the Villarrica city government. A memo from November 2024 shows that the municipality gave permits to another eight crypto mines in residential and commercial zones. Hydroelectricity company Itaipu, in which Brazil and Paraguay hold equal ownership, calls itself world leader in clean and renewable energy generation. Its facility located on the Parana River has a 14,000-megawatt capacity that accounts for 9% of Brazils electricity consumption and 86% of Paraguays. The latter countrys little more than six million inhabitants dont use up its share of energy, and Paraguay sends the excess to Brazil at below market price, and depends on imported fossil fuels for its transportation. Such practices have been at the center of political debate. In addition, over the last decade, crypto mining has become a focus of interest. Historian Belen Cantero says the beginning of large-scale crypto mining in Paraguay took place in 2017. The epicenter of this first wave of foreign investor was Villarrica, where Bitfarms operates. There, light and energy company CLYFSA sells cheap electricity, thanks to a judicial ruling that allows it to buy energy from the National Administration of Electricity (ANDE) at a lower price. With the rise of crypto mining, the energy needs of mega-farms, which can house thousands of processors, have increased. And since CLYFSA cant cover the demand, firms are opting to buy power from ANDE. In 2024 alone, the sector contracted enough state energy to supply a city of 750,000 inhabitants, a little more than the entire population of the countrys capital Asuncion, for more than $100 million. This figure does not include the eight crypto miners that buy from CLYFSA, nor the illegal farms that steal energy. The Alto Parana department, which shares borders with Brazil and Argentina, is the primary destination for large crypto mining companies due to the electrical capacity of the area thanks to the Itaipu dam and large ANDE substations. Firms like Muiden, Hive and Penguin have facilities in Alto Parana. Before March, 46 crypto miners had contracts with the state-run company, according to information obtained by a public records request. In June 2024, ANDE raised the electricity rates for crypto miners, who today pay between $44.34 and $59.76 plus taxes per megawatt hour. According to Juan Jose Benitez Rickmann, president of the Paraguayan Chamber of Cryptoasset Mining and director of Digital Assets, 35 companies ceased operations after the rate hike, the majority of them based on Paraguayan capital. Benitez says that he too looked into moving his business to another country like Bolivia, where electricity is cheaper, though more harmful to the environment because it comes from fossil fuel. According to engineer Diego Monroy, who is in favor of crypto mining gas usage in Bolivia, the only option for crypto miners to move to the country and be sustainable is to be supplied with cheap energy or to be allowed to use resources that are currently wasted, such as flare gas [excess natural gas]. Children play in the central area of Santa Lucia de Villarrica, Paraguay. El Surti In contrast to Paraguay, a large part of the energy used by crypto mining in other countries is generated through the combustion of fossil fuels, which generate significant amounts of the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. A United Nations study found that bitcoin mining emitted 85.89 megatons of carbon dioxide between 2020 and 2021. Not to mention, that every bitcoin transaction uses on average 16,000 liters of water, enough to fill a backyard pool. The most significant impact of crypto mining in Paraguay lies in its intensive energy consumption. Even if the industrys electricity comes from hydroelectric plants, the sources of its production do suffer from climate shocks, like the drought that caused generation at Itaipu to fall by 20% in 2024. For researcher Guillermo Achucarro from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, crypto mining is pure extractivism, whereby private companies extract natural resources for foreign benefit, usually from the Global North, without leaving any added value in ones country. Bitfarms operates facilities in the United States, Canada, Argentina and Paraguay. According to its December 2024 financial report, last year the firms earnings topped $192.8 million. 13.5% of that amount comes from the farms it operates in Santa Lucia de Villarrica. Paired with its database in Argentina, located in the industrial city of Rio Cuarto in the Cordoba province, they represent 30% of its profits. Despite the size of the business and its energy consumption, the Canadian company only has 44 employees who contribute to Social Security in Paraguay, according to public records from the countrys Institute of Social Security. In March, the company sold its Yguazu megafarm, Alto Parana, to another company, Hive Digital Technologies, for $63 million. The CEO of Bitfarms, Ben Gagnon, told the press that they were redirecting their investments to the Global North due to Donald Trumps support for the crypto sector. The decision is being made in the context of regulatory changes at the global level. While China banned crypto mining and crypto currency transactions in 2021, El Salvador made bitcoin legal tender that year, only to later backtrack under pressure from the International Monetary Fund. In Argentina, the crypto sector was hit by an increase in electricity rates and the elimination of subsidies, in addition to the $Libra crypto currency scam promoted by President Javier Milei. Map of the Bitfarms crypto farm in Santa Lucia de Villarrica. El Surti Residents fight back Bitfarms financial report cite sound pollution and community opposition as risks to its operations, although it doesnt mention the case of Villarrica nor the charges against one of its representatives in Paraguay, as required by transparency standards for publicly traded companies on the U.S. stock market. When the noise increased at dawn, Hector Pereiras dogs barked more. In his home, 820 feet from the Bitfarms facility, no one could sleep. It was infernal. The noise was everywhere, it penetrated the walls. It was six months of constant suffering, he remembers. Pereira is the president of the Santa Lucia neighborhood group Trompo Arasa, which was formed by the affected families. In July 2024, he filed a complaint against Bitfarms with the Villarrica municipal environmental department. He accompanied Viviana Aponte, who was then the director of the environmental department, to measure the sounds emitted by the plant, and they found that they rose above permitted levels. Aponte was supposed to submit a report to the city court, but she failed to do so. It hurts to say it, but our own municipality is complicit, instead of protecting the community, says Pereira. After that, Bitfarms sponsored municipal events like a road race and a music festival. Hector Pereira, president of the neighborhood group Trompo Arasa, filed a complaint with the city and its environmental department over the acoustic contamination. El Surti But Pereira refused to give up, and in August, filed a complaint against Bitfarms with the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development (MADES). Officials inspected the farm on September 4 and noted that the company was taking steps towards mitigating noise pollution. A few days later, after judicial mediation, Bitfarms agreed to make acoustic adjustments to reduce the noise. But still, the noise continued, according to neighbors. In October, three months after the complaint was filed with city government, Aponte took a second measurement that once again exceeded the maximum allowed by municipal ordinance. This time, she did file a complaint with the misdemeanor court. However, two months later, a judge dismissed the case against the company because another measurement was taken that complied with permitted standards. The group of neighbors continued to plead their case. And eventually, it arrived at the office of Villarricas environmental prosecutor. In November, a representative of the plant, Juan Ignacio Marcilio, was charged for the emission of harmful noise, which can lead to a prison sentence of up to 10 years, in addition to a fine between five and 50 days wages (equivalent to $67 to $677), and the shutdown of the farm for nearly six months. At that point, Bitfarms reduced its noise emission, according to neighbors. From left to right: Jose Luis Figueredo, Denise Baez and Juan Andres Bozzano, member of the neighbors group that fought against the noise pollution. El Surti In March, the psychological studies of the neighbors to determine the effects of the noise on their mental health began. These conclusions should have been presented on May 14, but at the time this article went to press, they still havent been made public. The Bitfarms representative is waiting for the court decision on whether he and the company will face consequences. Marcilio declined to be interviewed for this article, and a spokesperson for Bitfarms said that the company had worked closely with the Villarrica municipal government and the local community to resolve the issue. The city had contacted us regarding the matter and is now satisfied, the spokesperson said. Bitfarms operates in full compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements in all jurisdictions where it has a presence. On April 4, 2025, the mayor of Villarrica, Magin Benitez, declared null and void the dismissal of Bitfarms issued by the misdemeanor court due to irregularities in the summary proceedings and ordered that the administrative case be reopened, taking into account all the evidence and parties involved. Viviana Aponte, former director of the environmental department of the City of Villarrica, held back documentation that provided proof of Bitfarms sound pollution. El Surti Waiting for justice The residents of Canada San Juan stopped hearing the plants noise when the charges were brought against the Bitfarms representative. But it has left a mark. Maria Sol Arrua, who lives 650 feet from the facility, is undergoing psychiatric treatment for post-traumatic stress and cant hear loud noises without having a panic attack. For psychologist Maureen Montania, what happened in Villarrica calls for community-wide psychological intervention. She explains that the longer a person or community is exposed systematically to such a phenomenon, the more associations will remain in the brain and the longer the trauma lasts. Exposure to noise does not just compromise an environment, but also entire life cycles, from children to seniors. Response from authorities and those responsible should be proportional to the damage caused. The brain cannot recover on its own, she says. Juan Enriquez, another resident who lodged complaints against Bitfarms, thinks that institutions should sanction those responsible and compensate the victims. Today, even if the noise has stopped, he feels like its not over. I still have the anger. That isnt going to be cured from one day to the other. The damage is done. The months of torture, when we couldnt sleep, who will give them back to us? Creditos Research: Josue Congo Editing: Romina Caceres Morales Photography: Elisa Marecos Saldivar and Sandino Flecha EL PAIS coordination: Lorena Arroyo Valles Video: Milena Coral EL PAIS documentation: Caio Ruvenal (Bolivia) and Javier Lorca (Argentina) Visual editing: Jazmin Troche and Alejandro Valdez Sanabria Design and illustration: Naoko Okamoto and Robert Baez Fixer: Pablo Gaston Ortiz Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Putin has said that Moscow and Beijing are united in strengthening the Brics grouping, presenting it as a counterweight to Western sanctions. He stressed the need for reforming global financial institutions like the IMF and the World Bank. The 2025 SCO summit will bring together the leaders of India, Russia and China for the first time since Donald Trump imposed hefty sanctions on India. File image/Reuters Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Moscow and Beijing are united in strengthening the Brics grouping, positioning it as a counterweight to discriminatory sanctions that, he argued, were slowing the economic progress of many nations. In a written interview with Chinas Xinhua News Agency ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, Putin said Russia and China were working together to make Brics a key pillar of global architecture. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We are working closely within Brics: Putin We are working closely with China within Brics to expand its role as a key pillar of global architecture. Together, we advance initiatives aimed at expanding economic opportunities for member states, including common platforms for partnership in strategic sectors, he said. He added that Brics members opposed sanctions that hinder the socio-economic development of our members and the world at large. We reaffirmed the strategic choice of our peoples in favour of good-neighbourliness, friendship, and long-term, mutually beneficial cooperation, he said, praising Xis genuine commitment to advancing their partnership. Putin calls for reforms within international financial institutions The Russian leader renewed his call for reform of international financial institutions, saying the IMF and World Bank remain skewed towards the West. Alongside our Chinese partners, we support reform of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. We are united in the view that a new financial system must be based on openness and true equity, providing equal and non-discriminatory access to its tools for all countries, he said, warning against the use of finance as an instrument of neo-colonialism. On global platforms, Putin credited China with helping to shift the G20 agenda towards the priorities of the Global South. Within the G20, together with like-minded nations, and especially Brics members, we have redirected the agenda towards issues of real importance to the Global Majority, strengthened the format by including the African Union, and deepened the synergies between the G20 and Brics, he noted. Putin to attend Victory Day parade in Beijing During his visit, Putin will attend the Victory Day parade in Beijing alongside more than 20 world leaders to mark Chinas victory over Japan in World War II. He recalled the sacrifices of both the Soviet Union and China during the conflict. It was our citizens who endured the greatest hardships in the struggle against the invaders and played a decisive role in defeating Nazism and militarism, Putin said. Through those severe trials, the traditions of friendship and mutual assistance were forged and strengthened traditions that today form a solid foundation for Russian-Chinese relations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He added that Chinas resistance was crucial in preventing Japan from stabbing the Soviet Union in the back during the wars darkest period. Shelling by Sudans Rapid Support Forces killed at least seven people and wounded 71 others in El-Fasher, a medical source said Sunday, as the paramilitary group launched its fiercest offensive yet on the besieged city. FILE - Sudanese soldiers from the Rapid Support Forces unit secure the area where Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo attends a military-backed tribe's rally, in the East Nile province, Sudan, June 22, 2019. (AP Photo) At least seven people were killed and 71 wounded in El-Fasher after Sudans Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched their heaviest assault yet on the besieged city, as reported by AFP. El-Fasher, the last major urban stronghold of the Sudanese army in Darfur, has become the fiercest battleground in the conflict that erupted between the army and the RSF in April 2023. The paramilitary group has in recent weeks intensified its siege, pounding residential districts, the airport area and the famine-hit Abu Shouk displacement camp with artillery and ground attacks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Hospitals still functioning in the city have been repeatedly struck, while the RSF has captured the local police headquarters. The medical source, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said the actual death toll was likely higher as many of the wounded were unable to reach treatment facilities due to the shelling. Most of the injured suffered shrapnel wounds, with 22 reported in critical condition. Local activists said the latest barrage hit several western neighbourhoods near the airport, which RSF fighters have been attempting to seize. RSFs Kill Box Tactics in El-Fasher The RSF, which evolved from the Janjaweed Arab militias accused of genocide in Darfur in the early 2000s, is seeking to wrest full control of the region from the army after being pushed out of the capital Khartoum earlier this year. Satellite imagery from Yale Universitys Humanitarian Research Lab revealed Thursday that the RSF had constructed more than 31 kilometres of berms raised earth barriers creating a literal kill box in the city, the report said. Its imagery also identified munitions impact damage at the citys water authority, which supplies El-Fasher with fresh drinking water. Nathaniel Raymond, the labs executive director, said the RSF had confined the Sudanese army and its allied militias to less than five square miles (12.9 kilometres) in the city. Its the smallest its been since the siege began, he told AFP. The besieged population estimated by the UN at some 300,000 has endured severe shortages of water and food for over a year, according to humanitarian workers. Famine was officially declared in three displacement camps around El-Fasher last year, and the UN warned it could spread to the city itself by last May. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A lack of data has so far prevented an official declaration of famine, but the UN estimates that nearly 40 percent of children under five are acutely malnourished, with 11 percent severely so. Many have resorted to eating animal fodder, while desperate attempts to escape into the desert often end in death from exposure, starvation or violence. Darfurs Non-Arab Tribes Face Existential Threat The pattern of life is ending, said Raymond. They are dying in poverty, crossfire and bombardment and theyre being killed as theyre trying to leave, he added. Yales satellite images show that cemeteries had been expanded over the past months. The most worrisome part will be when theres no one left to dig the graves anymore." The RSF, which recently announced the formation of a parallel government in the region, would control all five Darfur state capitals if it were to successfully capture El-Fasher. Experts have warned that the citys non-Arab Zaghawa tribe may face a similar fate to the non-Arab Massalit tribe in West Darfurs state capital of El-Geneina, where UN experts found up to 15,000 people, mostly from the tribe, were killed in 2023 massacres blamed on RSF forces. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Both warring sides have been accused of war crimes, but the RSF has, in particular, been accused of genocide, sexual violence and systematic looting. In the early 2000s, the paramilitary force led a government-orchestrated campaign of ethnic cleansing against non-Arab ethnic groups in Darfur, killing an estimated 300,000 people. The Janjaweed are about to win the entire genocide that began in the early 21st century, Raymond said. And the world isnt going to do anything about it." With inputs from agencies Modi said to Chinas Xi that India is committed to advancing ties with China based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity, noting that cooperation between the two neighbours is linked to the welfare of 2.8 billion people. Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend the group photo session during the Brics Summit at the Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center in Xiamen, southeastern China's Fujian Province on September 4, 2017. (Photo: Kenzaburo Fukuhara/Pool/AFP) India is committed to taking forward its ties with China based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity as cooperation between the two countries is linked to the welfare of 2.8 billion people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday. In his televised opening remarks at the meeting, Modi also noted that the disengagement of troops by the two sides on the border created an atmosphere of peace and stability. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The talks between the two leaders on the margins of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in this northern Chinese city came against the backdrop of turbulence triggered by the Trump administrations tariff tussle. Our cooperation is linked to the interests of 2.8 billion people of our two countries. This will also pave the way for the welfare of all humanity, Modi said. We are committed to advancing our relations based on mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity, he said. It is learnt that the overall focus of the Modi-Xi talks was to carry forward the process to normalise the bilateral ties that came under severe strain following the eastern Ladakh border standoff. Modi landed here last evening from Japan in the second leg of his two-nation trip. It is the Indian prime ministers first trip to China after the border row that began in May 2020. In his remarks, Modi also listed measures initiated between the two sides since his meeting with Xi in October last year. Last year in Kazan, we had very productive discussions, which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement at the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability is now in place. Our Special Representatives have also reached an agreement on border management, Modi said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has resumed. Direct flights are also being resumed between the two countries, he added. The prime minister held talks with the Chinese president in October last year in Russias Kazan, which took place days after India and China reached an understanding to end the standoff in eastern Ladakh. India and China have a framework called the Special Representatives on the boundary question to address issues relating to the border. The prime minister also congratulated Xi on Chinas successful presidency of the SCO. I congratulate China on its successful presidency of the SCO. Once again, we extend heartfelt gratitude for the invitation to visit China and for our meeting today, Modi said. The specific outcomes of the Modi-Xi talks are not yet known. Ahead of his trip to Tianjin, Modi said it is important for India and China to work together to bring stability to the world economic order. In an interview with Japans The Yomiuri Shimbun, Modi said stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China can have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Given the current volatility in world economy, it is also important for India and China, as two major economies, to work together to bring stability to the world economic order, Modi said in the interview published on Friday. Modis trip to China comes less than a fortnight after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India. Following Wangs wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the two sides unveiled a series of measures for a stable, cooperative and forward-looking relationship. The measures included joint maintenance of peace along the contested frontier, reopening border trade and resuming direct flight services at the earliest. In the last few months, both sides have initiated a series of measures to reset their ties that came under severe strain following the deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020. Australias government on Sunday condemned an anti-immigration rally in Sydney, saying it was linked to neo-Nazi groups and accused organisers of spreading hate and division instead of promoting social harmony. Thousands of Australians took part in anti-immigration rallies on Sunday, which the centre-left government denounced as divisive events linked to neo-Nazi groups. Organised under the banner of March for Australia, the demonstrations were staged in Sydney as well as in other state capitals and regional cities, according to the groups website. Mass migration has torn at the bonds that held our communities together, the website states, adding in a post on X that the rallies sought to do what the mainstream politicians never have the courage to do: demand an end to mass immigration. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Australia has condemned an anti-immigration rally, warning that it was linked to neo-Nazi groups and aimed at spreading hate rather than fostering social harmony. We absolutely condemn the March For Australia Rally thats going on today. It is not about increasing social harmony, Labor minister Murray Watt told Sky News. We dont support rallies like this that are about spreading hate and that are about dividing our community, he said, stressing that the events were organised and promoted by neo-Nazi groups. The March For Australia rally in Sydney, which drew between 5,000 and 8,000 participants according to the ABC, was among several demonstrations planned nationwide. The organisers, who describe mass migration as tearing at Australias social fabric, said the rallies were meant to demand an end to mass immigration. They did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the neo-Nazi claims. A counter-protest organised by the Refugee Action Coalition took place nearby, with organisers saying hundreds turned out to oppose the march. Our event shows the depth of disgust and anger about the far-right agenda of March For Australia, the coalition said in a statement. Similar rallies were staged in Melbourne, where aerial footage showed large crowds, while veteran lawmaker Bob Katter faced backlash after threatening a reporter when asked about his attendance at one of the marches. Bangladesh now stands on a crossroad and the country must decide whether to return to its secular founding ideals or continue down a path that risks religious apartheid and cultural extinction, Bangladeshi MP Pankaj Nath said on Sunday. Bangladesh faces a decisive moment in its history and must choose whether to reclaim its secular founding values or risk descending into religious apartheid and cultural extinction, parliamentarian Pankaj Nath warned on Sunday. Nath, who was addressing a web conference hosted by Human Rights Defence International (HRDI) on the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh, said the situation had reached an alarming scale. He alleged that in the past year alone, more than 3,000 cases of killings, sexual assaults, land seizures, and attacks on Hindu homes, businesses and temples had been recorded. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Calling the scale of violence appalling, Nath said the country now stood at a crossroads, with the choice of either reaffirming its secular roots or continuing down a path of deepening communal divisions. It can choose to return to the secular worlds ideals upon which it was founded, or it can follow the path that has already led other nations into religious apartheid and cultural extinction, he said. He accused BNP-Jamaat activists and radical groups of orchestrating the violence under the cover of government protection while law enforcement remained silent. Nath warned that decades of discrimination have made the Hindu community politically invisible. Despite a significant minority population, the number of Hindu representatives in parliament and government bodies has been disproportionately low, he said, adding that fabricated online content is increasingly being used to incite riots against Hindus. He called for urgent institutional reforms, including a Special Minority Security Act, a Minority Commission and reserved parliamentary seats for Hindus. and empowerment in all government sectors, we can truly empower minorities, he said. The question today is not whether minorities in Bangladesh are at risk. They are obviously at risk. The point is not whether, but how fast minorities in Bangladesh will be erased. Other panelists echoed these concerns. HRDI Secretary General Rajesh Gogna described the situation as a human rights emergency, saying each wave of violence has been followed by an exodus. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When Hindu temples were burnt and vandalised, police personnel were just standing there, silently watching. This administrative silence is complicity, he said. Former University of Dhaka registrar Probir Sarkar highlighted systemic discrimination in the countrys academic institutions. Before 2009, almost 50 minority teachers were at our university. But after August 2024, we have seen hundreds forced to resign under pressure, he said, warning that the decline in minority representation in schools and universities would deepen marginalization. US-based activist Sitangshu Guha described the crisis as an existential one. The situation of Hindus in Bangladesh is not a human rights situation anymore. It is an existential threat. Hindus are on the verge of extinction in Bangladesh, he said. With inputs from agencies Tianjin, the venue for PM Modi-Xi talks, has taken on a festive air as world leaders gather for the SCO summit. The future of global governance may be linked, more than ever, to what comes out of the meeting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, August 31, 2025, on the sidelines of the SCO Summit at Tianjin, China. (Photo: ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modis bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun in Tianjin, the Chinese city hosting the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. Sources in Indias external affairs ministry said the bilateral summit talks were scheduled for 20 minutes as the two leaders discuss the broad contours of India-China relations, and geopolitical situation. Tianjin is buzzing with anticipation this weekend as lights, flags, and banners transform the city into a showcase for the SCO Summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modis arrival on Saturday evening his first visit to China in more than seven years has drawn global attention. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD PM Modi posted on social media soon after landing, Landed in Tianjin, China. Looking forward to deliberations at the SCO Summit and meeting various world leaders. Earlier, PM Modi was awarded a warm cultural welcome at his hotel where artistes performed Indian classical music and dance, symbolising goodwill between the two countries. Tianjin, usually better known for its bustling markets and river views, has taken on a festive air as world leaders gather for the SCO summit. VIDEO | China: Visuals from Tianjin, the host city of the SCO Summit (August 31September 1). PM Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit. pic.twitter.com/HHkybmUFgP Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 31, 2025 Two giants and a thaw in the chill: The Modi-Xi calculus While the SCOs official agenda includes security, economic cooperation, digital transformation, and climate issues, all attention is focused on the much-anticipated meeting between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Its their first substantial dialogue in years marked by military face-off in eastern Ladakh, triggering turbulence in trade, and most recently a sharp chill in India-US ties due to new Washington tariffs. The timing is as delicate as the choreography outside the summit venue. #WATCH | Tianjin, China: A group of Odissi dancers gives a glimpse into their performance. They performed to welcome PM Narendra Modi to the city. pic.twitter.com/f6GLNoUEPh ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD PM Modis own words, shared with Japans The Yomiuri Shimbun before arriving, built expectations, Given the current volatility in the world economy, it is also important for India and China, as two major economies, to work together to bring stability to the world economic order. Officials suggest the leaders are expected to take stock of economic ties and discuss steps to restore trust critical after the bloody Galwan Valley standoff in 2020. Relations have shown small but steady signs of a reset. Just weeks ago, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Indian leaders including PM Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in New Delhi. The outcomes? Commitments to jointly maintain peace along the contested frontier, reopen border trade and resume direct flights. With a handshake likely set to capture global front pages, observers are watching for progress beyond optics substance over symbolism. What an incredible and grand welcome for PM Modi in China! The warm reception, complete with a ceremonial guard and a young child presenting flowers, truly reflects the global stature he commands. His presence at the SCO Summit showcases his unparalleled diplomatic prowess, pic.twitter.com/07aKWWFMZA Sachin Singh (@SachSynapse) August 30, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Diplomatic dance card: Putin, peace, and the search for substance There is much more than a two-country diplomacy saga. The Tianjin summit, marking the SCOs 25th year, brings together over 20 heads of state including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and key leaders from Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the United Nations. In a year when war rages in Ukraine and West Asia, energy security and food prices dominate conversations in every corridor, and China eyes to position itself as a champion of greater Eurasian cooperation the atmosphere is tense, but hopeful. This also comes at a time when Xi and China are battling their own challenges at home and abroad financial, strategic and also of credibility as a predictable diplomatic and geostrategic player. For PM Modi, the summit is an opportunity to put Indias voice firmly at the centre of major regional debates, from digital transformation to cross-border terrorism and economic partnerships. And for China, hosting the event is about projecting both stability and leadership a counter to growing Western influence and an uncertain world economy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why the world is watching Tianjin At stake is far more than press releases and official photos. The SCO, which began mainly as a security bloc for China, Russia, and their Central Asian neighbours, has in the last decade grown to include giants like India and resource-rich Iran. This year, Belarus is also expected to join as a full member, while new observer and dialogue partners from Southeast Asia and Africa signal the blocs rising global profile. More than ever, Tianjins summit is testing whether the Nato of the East, as some dub the SCO, can truly deliver on ambitious promises joint action on terrorism, food and energy security, climate change, data defence, and even artificial intelligence amid persistent rivalries and conflicting interests. Summit outcomes: Beyond symbolism? Leaders at the SCO summit are likely to issue a joint declaration addressing security, trade, and climate a tangible signal that Eurasia intends to chart its own path in an era of global flux. There are high hopes for progress on border management and expanded people-to-people exchanges, but even summit insiders acknowledge that deep-rooted mistrust and national priorities could limit breakthroughs. What looks visible is the transformation of Tianjin for the SCO summit. Will it become a metaphor for a world in transition hopeful, stunning, and tinged with uncertainty? Whether this weekends meetings deliver real steps forward or remain largely ceremonial, the future of global governance may be linked, more than ever, to what comes out of the meeting when Asias heavyweights PM Modi and Xi sit across face-to-face. Chinese President Xi Jinping urged SCO member states to take on greater responsibility for regional peace and development during the two-day summit in Tianjin, highlighting the forums role in fostering consensus and boosting cooperation among participating nations. The security forum now carries greater responsibility in safeguarding regional peace and stability, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday told around 20 world leaders attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin. The ongoing SCO Summit shoulders the important mission of building consensus among all parties and stimulating momentum in cooperation, Xi was cited as telling a welcome banquet, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 has on its agenda issues such as addressing security challenges more effectively and enhancing financial mechanisms as the countries seek to strengthen unity, shore up multilateralism and better speak for the Global South nations, China Daily reported, citing observers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The SCO Summit, scheduled to take place on Sunday and Monday in Tianjin, will feature the participation of more than 20 foreign leaders and 10 heads of international organisations. According to China Daily, the Chinese President will chair the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO and the SCO Plus Meeting, delivering keynote speeches. The 2025 Summit is the fifth time China has hosted an SCO summit, and it will be the largest gathering since the organisations founding. Citing an article by the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Peoples Daily on Saturday, he said that the SCO has held 110 important events since China took over the rotating presidency in July last year. China seeks to enhance collaboration to build upon the Shanghai Spirit, bolster security, catalyse growth, practice multilateralism and strengthen the development of the SCO, Wang said. He added that the country is confident that the upcoming summit will be a great event of friendship, solidarity and fruitful outcomes. Through the summit, China aims to help the SCO enter a new stage of high-quality development characterised by greater solidarity, coordination, dynamism and productivity, and to make a greater contribution to building a community with a shared future for humanity, said Wang. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At the upcoming Tianjin Summit, leaders of the SCO member states will jointly sign and issue a declaration, approve a development strategy of the SCO for the next 10 years, issue statements marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II and the 80th founding anniversary of the United Nations and adopt a series of outcome documents on strengthening security, economic, people-to-people and cultural cooperation, according to the report by China Daily. Citing a written interview to Russia Today by the Chinese Ambassador to Russia, Zhang Hanhui, earlier this month, China Daily noted that other items on the agenda include the establishment of financing support mechanisms, such as the SCO Development Bank. Sun Zhuangzhi, director of the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said, The organisation successfully created a platform that engages more participants and market entities, enhances their interaction and taps into the strengths of the member states, Sun said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The SCO embodies the future trajectory of economic growth and technological innovation, he further added. The SCO comprises 10 members. In addition to India, they include Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. There are also several dialogue partners and observers. With inputs from agencies European capitals are working on pretty precise plans for potential military deployments to Ukraine as part of post conflict security guarantees that will have the full backing of US capabilities, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. European capitals are preparing detailed plans for possible military deployments to Ukraine as part of post-war security guarantees with the backing of US forces, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said. In an interview with the Financial Times, von der Leyen stressed that security guarantees are paramount and absolutely crucial, adding that a clear roadmap had been agreed during talks at the White House and that progress was on track. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD She said member states were drawing up proposals for a multinational troop deployment that would include US support as a safeguard. President Trump reassured us that there will be American presence as part of the backstop, she said. Meanwhile, Russia launched massive strikes across Ukraine overnight, rescue services said on Saturday, a new blow to peace efforts that drew a fresh appeal from President Volodymyr Zelensky for US and European help. Despite a recent flurry of international efforts to broker a truce in the three-and-a-half-year conflict, led by US President Donald Trump, there have been no signs of a let-up in fighting on the ground. Ukrainian rescue services said on Telegram that overnight strikes on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia had killed at least one person and wounded at least 25. On Friday, the key EU members said in a joint statement that France and Germany will provide more air-defence hardware for Ukraine after massive Russian airstrikes in recent days. France and Germany will provide additional air defence to Ukraine, they said, after President Emmanuel Macron hosted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for a visit to the south of France. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite intensive international diplomatic efforts, Russia shows no intention to end its war of aggression against Ukraine, they added. With inputs from agencies Hamas has confirmed the death of Mohammad Sinwar, the terrorist groups military chief. Israel had announced his killing in May. A screengrab shows, according to the Israeli Army, Hamas' Mohammed Sinwar, taken from a handout video, released December 17, 2023. (Photo: Israeli Army/Handout via Reuters) Hamas on Saturday confirmed the death of Mohammad Sinwar, the terrorist groups military chief. The confirmation has come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in May announced that Mohammad, the younger brother of former Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, had been killed. The Israeli military later said that he was killed in an airstrike earlier that month in Gaza Strips Khan Younis. The terrorists [Mohammad and others] were eliminated while operating in an underground command and control centre beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis, deliberately endangering the civilian population in and around the hospital, said the Israeli military in a statement at the time. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Mohammad had been named Hamas military chief after Israel killed Mohammed Deif in an airstrike in July 2024. The older Sinwar was killed in October 2024 by Israeli ground forces in southern Gazas Rafah. Following the confirmation of Mohammads death, Izz al-Din Haddad, his close associate who currently leaders Hamas operation in northern Gaza, would be in charge of Hamas military, according to Reuters. The confirmation of Mohammads death has come at a time when Israel has launched a renewed offensive for the control of Gaza City. The stated purpose is to defeat Hamas in its final strongholds and secure the release of hostages. The Israeli offensive has led to worldwide condemnation as it is bound to worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by the Israeli policy of restricting the flow of aid into Gaza. After widespread hunger and reports of hundreds of deaths from hunger, and deaths of hundreds more in attacks at food distribution sites, the United Nations (UN)-backed group formally declared famine in Gaza this month. Ignoring the condemnation and concerns that the situation could worsen, Israel has pressed with its offensive and has continued its ground and aerial campaigns. India is likely to seal two mega submarine deals worth over Rs one lakh crore by the middle of next year to crank up its undersea warfare capabilities against the backdrop of Chinas increasing naval prowess, authoritative sources said on Sunday. India is set to finalise two major submarine deals worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore by mid-2026 to boost its undersea warfare capabilities amid growing Chinese naval presence, government sources said on Sunday. The first deal involves the procurement of three Scorpene-class submarines, to be jointly constructed by state-run Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) and French defence company Naval Group. Although the defence ministry cleared the nearly Rs 36,000 crore project two years ago, finalising technical and commercial terms has faced delays. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Though the defence ministry cleared the nearly Rs 36,000 crore deal over two years back, there have been delays in negotiations to firm up various technical and commercial aspects of the project, the sources said. The second project that the defence ministry is eyeing to seal is for the acquisition of six diesel-electric stealth submarines at a cost of around Rs 65,000 crore. The procurement was initially cleared by the ministry in 2021. We are expecting both contracts will be firmed up by the middle of next year, a source said. Leading German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has partnered with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd for the project, billed as one of the biggest Make in India initiatives in recent years. The sources said the cost negotiations for the deal will start soon and the entire process may take six to nine months before a contract is concluded. While the proposed acquisition of six stealth submarines under Project 75 India (P75-I) is a completely new programme, the plan for the three Scorpene submarines will be a follow-on order of a previous acquisition. Under the Indian Navys Project 75, six Scorpene submarines have already been constructed by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in collaboration with the Naval Group. The Navy wants both deals to be firmed up soon as it is looking at bolstering its underwater capabilities, said an official aware of the matter. The sources cited above said finalising the cost negotiations process for the diesel-engine programme will take time. The commercial negotiations for Scorpene-class submarines have almost been completed, they added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If everything goes as per plan, then the Scorpene project will be finalised early next year as it has already suffered significant delays, the sources said. The delivery of boats under both projects will start around six years after the signing of the contracts, they said. Asked if the MDL will have the capabilities to implement both the projects simultaneously, the sources said it was for the shipbuilder to augment its infrastructure. There have already been inordinate delays in the Scorpene submarine project and we hope it will be concluded soon, said one of the sources. While the defence ministry had given its in-principle approval for the additional Scorpenes as well as procurement of 26 naval variants of Rafale jets from France, the first project remained in limbo. In April, India and France inked an intergovernmental agreement sealing a mega deal to procure 26 Rafale marine jets at a cost of Rs 64,000 crore (Euro 7 billion) for deployment on board the Indian Navys aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies Nighttime was the worst. The uncertainty, the fear, the complete darkness. Waves beat against the boat, and the 120 Senegalese people bail out water furiously to keep from capsizing. Cheikh Kane recalls that by the seventh day of the journey, no one could remember why they thought it was a good idea to board the boat in Senegal that was bound towards Spain. Death breathed down their necks. Some of his companions were having visions, while others vomited blood. He was losing his mind. I still ask myself if that was real, its like a movie, he says as he watches a video he recorded with his phone during the journey, as if to convince himself that he was in fact there. Four years later, he sighs, likewise unconvinced that this summer is real life. Kanes professional modeling career is taking off, and he also works in public relations in the Spanish city of Marbella. Ive posed for Cartier, Ralph Lauren, Snipes. Its incredible. And the best part is that I can help my family, which is the main reason why I came here, he says in perfect Spanish with touches of an Andalusian accent. Kane isnt sure if he is 25 or 26 years old because his family never registered his birth. His passport says he was born in 1999 based on the decision of a Senegalese police office, who could have easily opted for the year before that, or the one after. Kanes life started in Touba, a city with one million inhabitants located nearly 124 miles east of Dakar. He has four sisters on his mothers side. He says that his family is lower, extremely lower class, and that he had few opportunities growing up. One day towards the end of 2021, some of his fishing friends told him that they were getting ready to travel by cayuco a long, canoe-shaped boat to Spains Canary Islands, and he didnt think twice about joining them. Soon, he was in Mbour, on the Senegalese coast, and in less than 24 hours, on the ocean after paying for a $700 ticket. The boats trajectory followed the coastline for a distance of 250 miles to avoid law enforcement in Senegal, Mauritania and Morocco. They thought it would take five days to travel 1,500 miles in total, but the sea proved turbulent and soon, they thought they were all on the brink of death. After seven or eight days, I had lost hope, he remembers. Then at dawn on the 10th day, they saw a tall, snow-covered mountain. It was Tenerifes Mount Teide. When a helicopter spotted them, they joyfully broke out in celebratory song. He and his companions had survived, against all odds. Maritime rescue forces towed them to the port of Tenerife. Theirs was just one of many boats that had arrived during the same period, and although their particular journey didnt make the TV news, they didnt care. They were alive. He said he was an adult, but even so, was brought to a juvenile facility. He was there for three months, until his family was able to send over his documents and he managed to get in touch with a compatriot who lived in Marbella. He took a ferry to Huelva in the Spanish mainland and then several buses to arrive at his final destination, passing through Seville and Malaga on the way. Kane wanted to start earning money as soon as possible, but his administrative situation prevented him from getting official work. So he started selling purses on the boulevard that ran along the coast. His fear of the police and the lack of tourists it was winter led him to look for another option. He heard about the town of Jaen, and he went there, only to end up sleeping for three nights in a gas station until a boss paid him to pick olives, a gig he held for three months. Afterward he returned to the Costa del Sol to work as street vendor, and then, in the construction industry. He also washed dishes in a restaurant. Whatever I could do to send money home, he says. Cheikh Kane in the port area of Marbella. Garcia-Santos (El Pais) The future looks bright Nearly three years after his arrival, he finally got a work contract and soon after, regularized his immigration status working in public relations at a Marbella boat trip company. He speaks Spanish, English and French fluently in addition to his birth language, and has managed to bring many clients to the business. Later, he began working at a watercraft rental agency. Thats when he was spotted by Aleksander Santo, a local photographer. Santo saw potential in Kane, asked him if hed ever worked as a model and whether hed like to pose for a shoot. I had no idea about any of that and I told him no. But then I agreed, says Kane. Santo remembers: He came to my studio and we took some artistic photos for an exhibition, and then I took some for his modeling book. They put the photos on Instagram and thats when the magic happened. Soon other photographers were calling me, a lot of agencies, I began to go to runway shows, events its been incredible, says Kane. The future looks bright because he has all the requirements: height, a perfect body and hes handsome, insists Santo, who is thrilled by everything that is happening to his friend. The only thing he lacks is work, getting more experience. Walking alongside Kane at the port where he now only works by day, having gotten a night job at a club named Taok is quite an experience. He says hi to everyone he passes, changing languages like someone else might don another shirt. His smile is endless and as he walks, he also makes time to take some selfies. It may not seem like it, but hes been overwhelmed by the attention since an article about him appeared in SUR, a Malaga newspaper, a few weeks ago. It happened by chance: journalist Maria Albarral was reporting on the heavy police pressure that the Marbella city council has been exerting on street vendors this summer, and ran into Kane, who told her that he didnt know much about the subject, but could tell her how he went from a cayuco to the catwalk. Her reporters instinct kicked in, and a few days later, he was front-page news. That changed everything. Since then, Ive gotten a lot of work offers, he says. I also get messages from a ton of girls, who think Im rich or something. I dont answer the ones I dont know, I dont pay them attention. According to Kane, since he was in the newspaper, his number of Instagram followers has risen eightfold to over 16,000. Not even Ana Obregons photoshoots get this much attention, jokes one of his friends, making a reference to the Spanish television actress, when they see the young man accompanied by yet another member of the press. A camera clicks and Kane transforms, like someone born to be a model. He has a good story, but then what? Instagram fame goes away fast. He should take advantage of all this to make contacts and work, says Santo. When the flashbulbs stop, the Senegalese man continues with his story. The best part is that I can send money to my mother and sisters every month. Now Im the head of the family, he says. But he says those words at the same time that far-right political party Vox is gaining more political presence in Marbella, under leader Eugenio Moltos promise that it will combat violent bands of migrants that are arriving to the city. There are all kinds, says Kane, but most of us are coming to look for a better life, to help our families. What other reason are we going to have to play with our lives out on the ocean? Though he was on the brink of death, he now thinks that suffering had a purpose. I work, I pay taxes, I pay rent. My family is extremely happy and I know amazing people here. I dont regret anything: it was worth it, he concludes happily, before attending to the days first clients, smiling once again. He fantasizes about walking runways in Paris, London, Milan and New York or even starring in the story of his life on Netflix. Its important to dream, he says. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition American journalist Rick Sanchez has strongly criticised Washingtons decision to impose tariffs on India over Russian oil imports, describing it as a disrespectful and ignorant policy. He said the US was treating India like schoolchildren, even though New Delhi had asserted itself as the big boy, not a schoolchild. US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, on, February 13. Reuters American journalist and political commentator Rick Sanchez has blasted Washingtons move to impose tariffs on India over Russian oil imports, calling it a disrespectful and ignorant policy. Speaking to ANI, the host of The Sanchez Effect on Russia Today said the US was treating India like schoolchildren who need to be told what to do, even though New Delhi has shown it is the big boy, not a schoolchild. Its a disrespectful and ignorant policy (of the Trump Administration) Because they dont understand the underpinnings of what caused the Ukraine war from the standpoint of Russia. The disrespectful part comes when you start treating a country like India with its history, resources and capabilities like a schoolchild. Indias the big boy, not a schoolchild, Sanchez remarked. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He described New Delhis refusal to bow to pressure over oil imports as a defining moment. When India looked back at the US and said, You will not tell us who we can or cannot buy oil from, it was such a cataclysmic, transformational moment. Historians will one day look back and say, thats when power started to truly decline from the old European-US order that ran the world since World War II, he said. Trump in July imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods and then slapped another 25 per cent in secondary tariffs on imports of Russian oil, raising the total duty to 50 per cent. Sanchez said such moves reflect how Trump often acts out of vendettas, grudges, and non-scientific thinking. Is Trump the kind of person who sometimes makes decisions based on grudges? Yes, of course he is, Sanchez said, noting reports that the penalties stemmed in part from Trumps frustration at not being allowed to mediate between India and Pakistan. He also dismissed as absolutely laughable Trump aide Peter Navarros claim that the Ukraine war was PM Modis war. When it comes to understanding geopolitics, especially from a Global-South community, my country is just so dumb They know absolutely nothing about Indias history, or the relationship between India and China vis-a-vis Russia and Ukraine, Sanchez added. Sanchez suggested Trumps pressure campaign may have pushed India closer to China and Russia, pointing to Prime Minister Narendra Modis meetings with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin at the SCO Summit in Tianjin. I sense that PM Modi didnt make the full commitment to start this economic embrace until after he, and the Indian government, felt disrespected to the point where they started thinking its time to redevelop this relationship, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He contrasted Washingtons punitive stance toward India with its softer approach toward Beijing, the largest buyer of Russian oil. Theres no rhyme or reason to who he sanctions or why The United States knows it cant be too harsh on China because if it rips China up, it rips itself up. Its kind of like a double suicide. And I think Trump knows that, Sanchez observed. Earlier this month, Indias foreign ministry had called the tariffs extremely unfortunate and reaffirmed that its energy imports were guided by national interest and market factors. We reiterate that these actions are unfair, unjustified and unreasonable. India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests, the MEA said in a statement. Israel considers annexing parts of the West Bank amid France and others recognising a Palestinian state, as Benjamin Netanyahus cabinet meets on Gaza and faces global criticism. Israel is reportedly exploring the possibility of annexing parts of the occupied West Bank, potentially in response to France and other countries recognising a Palestinian state, according to report. The proposal is expected to be discussed further on Sunday during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus security cabinet meeting, which will also focus on the ongoing Gaza conflict. Reuters quoted to Israeli officials as saying. The move, if taken, is expected to provoke strong condemnation from Palestinians, who claim the territory for a future state, as well as from Arab nations and Western countries. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A past pledge by Netanyahu to annex Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley was scrapped in 2020 in favour of normalising ties with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in the so-called Abraham Accords brokered by Trump in his first term in office. The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The United States said on Friday it would not allow Abbas to travel to New York for the United Nations gathering of world leaders, where several U.S. allies are set to recognise Palestine as a state. France, UK, Australia Back Palestinian State Israel, which is facing mounting international criticism over the war in Gaza, is angered by pledges by France, Britain, Australia and Canada to formally recognize a Palestinian state at a summit during the U.N. General Assembly in September. The United Nations highest court in 2024 said that Israels occupation of Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, and its settlements there are illegal and should be withdrawn as soon as possible. Israel argues the territories are not occupied in legal terms because they are on disputed lands, but the United Nations and most of the international community regard them as occupied territory. Its annexations of East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights decades ago have not won international recognition. Members of Netanyahus ruling coalition have been calling for years for Israel to formally annex parts of the West Bank, territory, to which Israel cites biblical and historical ties. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies In his opening remarks in the meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised on mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity, and said that India is committed to furthering the bilateral relationship on the basis of these values. Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers opening remarks in the bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of SCO Summit on Sunday, August 31, 2025, at Tianjin, China. (PMO via PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a bilateral meeting on Sunday ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Chinas Tianjin city. This marked their first meeting in about 10 months and came amid efforts to stabilise and reset the often-fraught India-China relationship. PM Modi landed in China on Saturday on his first visit to the country in seven years. During the talks, PM Modi and President Xi called for enhanced cooperation in the evolving geopolitical situations. PM Modi called for renewed push to India-China ties based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On his part, Xi urged both nations to approach their bilateral ties from a strategic heights and long-term perspective to ensure sustained, sound, and steady development. He emphasised the importance of upholding multilateralism and working together to promote a multipolar world with greater democracy in international relations. Xis remarks also echoed concerns over unilateral policies, apparently referencing recent US trade measures. The summit meeting was especially notable given the backdrop of recent tensions in India-US relations, triggered by Washingtons imposition of tariffs on Indian exports, including taxes on Indian crude oil imports from Russia. Against this backdrop, India and China showed openness to pursue cooperative engagement and dialogue. Prime Minister Modis visit to China was his first in seven years and signified Indias intent to engage constructively with its neighbor. Both nations discussed ways to improve economic cooperation, ensure peace along their disputed border, and strengthen diplomatic communication. The meeting followed recent steps including the resumption of border trade and direct flight connectivity agreed upon during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit to India in August. Indias external affairs ministry released the text of PM Modis initial remarks at the bilateral summit with Xi. Heres what PM Modi said: Excellency, I express my heartfelt gratitude to you for our warm welcome. We had very fruitful discussions in Kazan last year. Our relations have found a positive direction. An atmosphere of peace and stability prevails after the disengagement on the border. Agreements have been reached between our Special Representatives regarding border management. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has resumed. Direct flights are also being resumed between the two countries. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to furthering our relations on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Excellency, I congratulate you very much on Chinas successful chairmanship of the SCO. Once again, thank you heartily for the invitation to visit China and for our meeting today. After China refused to fund the Mainline-I (ML-1) railways project, a key component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Pakistan has approached the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for funds. Pakistan has turned to Asian Development Bank (ADB) after China refused to finance a key railway project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that is expected to cost $7 billion, according to a report. The CPEC is one of the most important components of Chinese leader Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a network of infrastructure projects across the world that is aimed to connect China with the world and boost trade, improve Chinas relationships with countries, and asset influence the world over. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Yet China has refused to finance Pakistans Mainline-I (ML-1) railways project, forcing Pakistan to approach the ADB, as per the Express Tribune. However, the ADB has shown willingness to provide only 60 per cent of the funding whereas Pakistan has requested it to join hands with other multinational lenders to provide complete funds, the report said. The ML-1 is 1,872-kilometers-long project connecting Karachi in the countrys south to Peshawar in the north. It is central to CPEC and is envisioned to be used in transporting goods as well as minerals extracted in the mineral-rich Balochistan province. It includes the upgradation and modernisation of the colonial-era railway infrastructure and seeks to double the tracks and instal new signal systems and improve maintenance mechanisms. Is Pakistans railways modernisation getting derailed? Initially, Pakistan had committed to provide 85 per cent of the ML-1 funds. China asked Pakistan to bring the projected cost down from $10 billion to $6.7 billion. But the funds never came. The ADB along with the AIIB has shown willingness to provide about 60 per cent funding for the Karachi-Rohri section of the project, the report said. The ADB may support other sections as well in the future but is not willing to commit at the moment, the report said. The completion of the Karachi-Rohri section is critical for transporting copper and gold from the Reko Diq mines in Balochistan, which is expected to start production in 2028, the report quoted sources as saying. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Leo had refrained from any political commentary about guns in America, sending a telegram of condolence that focused exclusively on the spiritual. He said he was saddened by the terrible tragedy and sent his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected. Pope Leo XIV delivers his blessing as he recites the Angelus noon prayer from the window of his studio overlooking St.Peter's Square, at the Vatican. AP Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for an end to the pandemic of arms, large and small, as he prayed publicly for the victims of a shooting during a Catholic school Mass in the United States. Historys first US pope spoke in English as he denounced the attack and the logic of weapons fueling wars around the world, during his Sunday noon blessing from his studio overlooking St. Peters Square. Our prayers for the victims of the tragic shooting during a school Mass in the American state of Minnesota, said the Chicago-born Leo. We hold in our prayers the countless children killed and injured every day around the world. Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Two children were killed Wednesday and 20 people were injured during the shooting attack at the Church of Annunciation in Minneapolis, as hundreds of students from the nearby Annunciation Catholic School and others gathered for a Mass. The shooter fired 116 rifle rounds through the churchs stained-glass windows, and later died by suicide. The attack once again reignited the debate over guns in America. Those who support stricter background checks on gun purchases and other laws, often Democrats, say that Republican politicians who appeal to thoughts and prayers after school shootings are trying to distract from their own inaction on gun restrictions. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Leo had refrained from any political commentary about guns in America, sending a telegram of condolence that focused exclusively on the spiritual. He said he was saddened by the terrible tragedy and sent his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected. Leos predecessor, Pope Francis, had long railed against the weapons industry and proliferation of arms fuelling wars, denouncing gun manufacturers as merchants of death. During his historic 2015 speech to the US Congress, the Argentine pope asked the lawmakers why weapons were being sold purely to kill. Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood, Francis said then. In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade. Leo had opened his appeal Sunday by demanding an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and a serious commitment to dialogue from the warring sides. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Its time that those responsible renounce the logic of weapons and take the path of negotiations and peace, with the support of the international community, he said. The voice of weapons must be silenced, while the voice of fraternity and justice must rise. In this handout photograph taken on August 31, 2025 and released by the Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB), Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) and Chinas President Xi Jinping shake hands during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin. - AFP Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to China after seven years has drawn prominent coverage in Chinese state media which portrayed his meeting with President Xi Jinping as a turning point for bilateral ties. Outlets such as the Global Times and Xinhua highlighted Xis remarks that India and China are cooperation partners, not rivals and must pursue a long-term vision for steady and sustainable relations. The two leaders, who met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, highlighted the need to maintain border peace, deepen cooperation and act as pillars of the Global South amid shifting global dynamics. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Global Times, a prominent state-run Chinese media outlet, published an article titled China and India are cooperation partners, not rivals: Xi, highlighting President Xi Jinpings remarks about the bilateral meeting, saying, as long as the two countries stick to this overarching direction, China-India relations can sustain steady and long-term growth." Further, the Global Times reported that Xi said China and India should become neighbours on good terms and partners helping each other succeed. A cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant should be the right choice for the two countries, The Global Times reported, quoting Xis oft-repeated phrase The dragon and the elephant metaphors for China and India.PM Modi met with Xi Jinping this morning on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in border areas and reaffirmed our commitment to cooperation based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. Chinese state-run media outlet Xinhua reported that Xi welcomed PM Modi to the SCO summit, emphasising the importance of the two countries viewing their bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective, pursuing further improvement from the Tianjin meeting onward, and working for their sustained, sound, and steady development. During his bilateral with PM Modi, Xi Jinping called for strengthening strategic communication to deepen mutual trust, expand exchanges and win-win cooperation, heed each others concerns to seek harmonious coexistence, and enhance multilateral collaboration to safeguard common interests. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Xi also stressed that the two Asian neighbours must ensure peace and tranquillity in their border regions, and should not let the border issue define the overall China-India relations. The meeting between the two leaders comes amid growing global uncertainty and the decision by US President Donald Trump to impose 50 per cent tariffs on imports from India, including a 25 per cent duty targeting Indias purchase of Russian oil. Another Chinese news outlet, Xinhua, highlighted Xis remarks framing India and China as two pillars of the Global South. Apart from state media reports, Chinese journalists covering the summit also commented on the significance of the meeting. Zhang Xiao, a Hindi-speaking Chinese journalist who introduced herself as Anjali, pushed for deeper cooperation between the two nations. Speaking in fluent Hindi, she said, We are neighbouring nations and leading developing countries of the world. We are two of the largest economies. Our trade cooperation is extensiveSo, the opportunities are immense. We should not have tensions between us. We should join hands and work togetherI believe Chinas high technology is well-known across the world. We can cooperate on this. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On the SCO Summit itself, Zhang said, SCO provides a good platform to further strengthen India-China relations. Tianjin is an important city.Another Chinese journalist, Wu Lei, Chief Editor at China-based outlet CGTN, emphasised the importance of the leaders commitment to keep the border issue from overshadowing broader ties. Indian Prime Minister Modi also reaffirmed that the two countries should move on to boost their bilateral ties and border issues shouldnt be affecting the bilateral relations and the direct flights between the two countries are expected to resume and the hope to expand the collaboration from security to economic and people to people exchanges and as member states of the SCO as well as the BRICS collaboration. They are expected to share more responsibility as global South partners, Wu said. Wu added that both leaders participation in the SCO was significant in the context of a shifting global order. They are expected to meet with global leaders and to strengthen the collaboration to uphold multilateralism, especially when the world is facing a lot of challenges, including unilateralism and protectionism. So collaboration upholds solidarity as the key to tackling these problems." STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Highlighting the scale of the event, Wu said, This is the fifth time for China to hold the SCO summit, and they are going to deliver a Tianjin declaration highlighting the latest results, the fruitful outcome of the SCO over the years. China has been rotating the presidency of the SCO over the last year. Over 100 activities have been held, from agricultural to training to cultural exchanges, even media collaboration. This time, over 3,000 journalists are expected to cover the SCO. You can imagine that the SCO really attracts a lot of global attention. Wu also mentioned the summits historical dimension, adding, And these global leaders also expected to release a statement highlighting the world anti-fascist wars, 80th anniversary of the Chinese peoples war against Japanese aggression and world anti-fascist war, as well as the founding of the United Nations. So its a very important moment for the whole world to stand together to continue the collaboration and uphold multilateralism." STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD PM Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping discussed cross-border terrorism at the SCO Summit, calling for cooperation between the two countries to combat the menace as both the countries are its victims. The national flags of India (L) and China are seen outside the Meijiang Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on August 31, 2025.- AFP Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday raised the issue of cross-border terrorism in his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, calling for cooperation between the two neighbours c. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said terrorism was taken up as a priority during the talks. The discussions also centred on efforts to restore bilateral relations, which were badly hit by the four-year border standoff in eastern Ladakh that concluded with disengagement in October last year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD #WATCH | Tianjin, China: On cross-border terrorism, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, "Cross-border terrorism was mentioned by the Prime Minister as a priority. He did underline the fact that this is something that impacts both India and China, and that it's important, pic.twitter.com/W8jMWeZJ8J ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 We expect that the existing mechanisms, which is the working mechanism for coordination and cooperation in the border areas between India and China, will meet in the coming days and weeks and the respective leaders of this mechanism from the two sides will come to an understanding on how these mechanisms for the delimitation-related talks are going to go forward," he added. #WATCH | Tianjin, China: On border talks, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, "...Dedicated mechanisms have been created for taking these talks forward. We expect that the existing mechanisms, which is the working mechanism for coordination and cooperation in the border areas pic.twitter.com/jcr6F0jF7m ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2025 He did underline the fact that this is something that impacts both India and China, and that its important therefore that we extend understanding and extend support to each other, Misri said at a media briefing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And I would say that we have received the understanding and cooperation of China as we have dealt with the issue of cross-border terrorism in the context of the ongoing SCO Summit, he added. Misris remarks are seen to be an indication that the SCO declaration may comprise some criticism or condemnation of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. Pakistan has been an all weather ally of China and Beijing in the past had blocked New Delhis efforts to designate a number of Pakistan-based terrorists by the UN Security Council. Misri said the two leaders also exchanged views jointly fighting terrorism. Modi landed in China on Saturday on a two-day visit that came after a gap of seven years. He is in China to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). With inputs from agencies PM Modi on Sunday held bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin, highlighting that the border situation between India and China remains peaceful. PM Modi and China's Xi Jinping are expected to meet at the SCO summit later this month. File image/AP Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday (August 31) on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin, where he stressed that the border situation between India and China is peaceful, after 5 years of military standoff following the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020. PM Modi emphasised that India and China are committed to advancing their relationship on the foundation of mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity. Reflecting on past talks, Modi noted, Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions, which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created." STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD An agreement has been reached between our Special Representatives regarding border management. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been resumed. Direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed. The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity, PM Modi said during the meeting. Sharing my remarks during meeting with President Xi Jinping. https://t.co/pw1OAMBWdc Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025 Dragon and the Elephant to come together: Xi Xi said that China and India must work together as global powers undergo a period of change. The World is going towards transformation. China and India are two of the most civilizational countries. We are the worlds two most populous countries and part of the Global South It is vital to be friends, a good neighbour, and the Dragon and the Elephant to come together, Xi remarked during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin. The bilateral talks lasted for over half an hour, with NSA Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri present from the Indian side, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi joined from Beijings delegation. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit meeting will be held on Monday at a specially designated convention centre where the leaders of the 10-member grouping, along with invited leaders, will deliver speeches. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, his wife Peng Liyuan and foreign leaders pose during a family photo of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on August 31, 2025. - AFP The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit formally opened on Sunday night with a grand banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders. Xi, accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan, welcomed international guests at the banquet in the northern port city, which is hosting the SCOs largest-ever gathering. This years summit brings together leaders of the 10-member group, 20 foreign leaders, and 10 heads of international organisations including UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The formal summit meeting will take place on Monday at a specially designated convention centre, where leaders are expected to deliver speeches and adopt key documents, including the SCOs development strategy for the next decade. The speech of Prime Minister Modi will be keenly watched for its content in the backdrop of US President Donald Trumps tariff war and his meeting with Xi on Saturday, which was widely expected to provide a new road map for the ties. In his welcome banquet address, Xi said the SCO bears greater responsibilities in safeguarding regional peace and stability, and for boosting the development of various countries in a world of increasing uncertainties and accelerated changes. Addressing the banquet, Xi expressed confidence that with concerted efforts of all parties, the summit will be a complete success, and that the SCO is certain to play an even bigger role and achieve more progress, making a greater contribution to boosting the unity and cooperation among member states, pooling the strength of the Global South and pushing for more progress of human civilisation. Founded in Shanghai in June 2001, the SCO has expanded from six founding members into a 26-nation family of 10 members, two observers and 14 dialogue partners spanning Asia, Europe and Africa. With major emerging markets and developing countries such as China, Russia and India among its members, the SCO represents nearly half of the worlds population and a quarter of the global economy. The Tianjin summit is the largest-ever annual summit of the group. Member states are expected to adopt key documents, including the organisations development strategy for the next decade. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Prior to the summit, Xi held more than a dozen bilateral meetings with arriving leaders in Tianjin, including one with Modi. Xi told the guests at the banquet that as an open and inclusive city, Tianjin serves as a pioneering zone for Chinas reform and opening-up, and hosting the summit here will undoubtedly inject new vitality into the sustainable development of the SCO. Tianjin, regarded as one of Chinas high-tech cities, was totally deserted during the past few days, with residents either staying indoors or moving out temporarily. Besides 20 foreign leaders, the city is also hosting over 3000 journalists descended on this from all over China and the world. With inputs from agencies PM Modi will meet Chinese President Xi in Tianjin on Sunday, ahead of the SCO summit, as the two countries take cautious steps to repair ties after a five-year military standoff in eastern Ladakh. PM Modi and China's Xi Jinping are expected to meet at the SCO summit later this month. File image/AP Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping around noon local time on Sunday (Aug 31), ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, about 120 km from Beijing. As India and China work to repair ties after a five-year military standoff along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, this is one such step at a time giving boost to biletral ties. The meeting comes less than 10 months after their last encounter in Kazan, Russia, during the BRICS summit in October 2024. It signals a push to strengthen bilateral ties, with Delhi aiming for a step-by-step stabilisation of the relationship. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The leaders are expected to endorse a calendar of activities marking the 75th anniversary of India-China relations, with last-minute diplomatic discussions continuing on Saturday. Modi flew to Tianjin from Japan his first visit to China in seven years for the SCO summit from August 31 to September 1. Landed in Tianjin, China. Looking forward to deliberations at the SCO Summit and meeting various world leaders, he posted on X, highlighting the multilateral summit as the main focus. Indian officials have been careful not to present the meeting with Xi as a major bilateral event. For Delhi, it is primarily a multilateral summit, and a bilateral meeting with the host leader is standard protocol. However, global developments, particularly tensions in India-US ties following US President Donald Trumps announcement of 50 per cent tariffs on India and criticism over Indias import of Russian oil, have added complexity. Against this backdrop, Delhi hopes the visit will help move India-China relations forward. Ahead of the meeting, Chinas military said both countries should jointly safeguard peace and tranquility along the border, following a recent positive and constructive round of talks that produced a 10-point consensus. On August 19 in Delhi, Special Representatives NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 24th Round of Talks on the India-China Boundary Question.